Ellis+Island+Simulation


 * Lesson/Project Description**

As the culmination to our unit on immigration, my class completes a simulation of Ellis Island. Each student is given a role either as a processor or an immigrant trying to become a citizen in the year 1900. All students are given facts about their character that they have to follow. If they are an immigrant, their goal is to make it successfuly through each station, take the loyalty oath, and become a United States citizen. However, they could come across problems along the way and end up being deported.


 * Weblinks**

I have included a few weblinks. I have two animoto videos. One video I would show prior to the simulation. It has actual photos of Ellis Island and the immigrants who went through it around 1900. This will give students an idea of what costumes to wear.

Animoto video of Ellis Island []

The second animoto video is of the students as they are completing the simulation. This can be shown twice. Once, after they have completed the simulation. (Great follow up to the simulation.) It can also be used again the next year to show the new class what the students did from the year before and give them costume ideas.

Animoto video of student simulation []

Animoto Website []

I have also included two Google Documents. Both of these are reflections for students to complete after the simulation. This helps them to further realize what it was like to be an immigrant/processor at that time. It also lets the teacher know how the students felt about how the simulation went, and perhaps give ideas for tweaking it for following years. One document is for processors, one document is for immigrants.

Ellis Island Immigrants [|http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEs3OTlVY0s1ZHM0WVpmc3FrLVZsbXc6MQ] Ellis Island Processors []

Google Docs Website []

The following is a list of the roles to help you assign them to students. It lists the immigrants and processors seperately. Each list also states what country they come from, and whether they are male or female.