Immigration: Ellis Island Simulation

Unit Highlights:

* Migrant Worker Service Learning Project - The 8th grade students in the immersion program at Hamilton MS have asked us to join them in a service learning project that will benefit workers at a local migrant labor camp. We have already started learning about the migrant labor experience, and will be creating informative posters and skits to teach the other kids at JSIS about the issues. We will also be doing a sock drive that will supplement a food drive the students at Hamilton will be doing. Students are already working hard gathering ideas and starting to organize for the sock drive (sock drive scheduled to begin May 6th or 7th)

* Ellis Island Simulation - Students will each take on the role of either an immigrant or immigration officer from Ellis Island in the early 1900s. Immigrants will be creating personal passports and will complete a set of immigration papers they will present to the officers. The officers will also create a mini profile (similar to the passports) and will be responsible for turning our room into the Ellis Island immigrant receiving rooms. On Friday, May 8th, our immigrants will arrive at Ellis Island and our officers will evaluate the documentation and determine who will be allowed to stay, and who will need to return to their home countries, based on a realistic evaluation process.

* Civics CBA - As a state requirement, students will also complete civics Classroom Based Assessment. Students will research two positions on a public issue and then write a persuasive paper, stating a position on the issue and how it relates to a right or the common good. Currently there is a lot happening in our nation with immigration reform, so we will be choosing an issue based on what is currently happening in Washington DC. We will investigate the Dream Act 2009, unless there is new breaking news about a different reform plan over the next few weeks.

* Immigrant Interview - As the culminating project for this unit and for the year, students will select a family member, friend, neighbor, or a member of the JSIS staff who is a first generation immigrant, and conduct an interview about their experience. Students will then create posters that share this personal story of immigration, and compare this experience to that of an early immigrant at Ellis Island. On Friday June 5th we will have an informal poster sharing time around the room from 10:15 to 11:25. Families are welcome to come and participate in this event if you would like.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Ellis Island Simulation

I apologize that this is a few weeks late, but I wanted to share some of the photos from out Ellis Island simulation. Each student was given the role of an immigrant or an immigration officer. The room was set up like Ellis Island and the immigrants had to collect their paperwork and proceed through the slow and numerous lines. They were questioned about their (their character's) health, beliefs, education, religion, and many more of the invasive questions people have to endure during the immigration process. Most students were allowed to enter, but based on health or character issues, a handful were put on a boat and were deported back to their home countries. It was a fun, but sometimes slow and confusing process. Students were able to feel the anxiety and frustration of waiting and being asked very personal questions. The questions were all asked in Spanish, so when language barriers occurred, we talked about how the real immigrants must have felt when they arrived at Ellis Island. All-in-all I think it was a positive learning experience for everyone.