ED 345 Calvin College Lesson Planning Form

Teacher: Rachel Haverkamp

Date: 10/18/17
Subject/ Topic/ Theme: Ellis Island

I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?
Students will learn where Ellis Island is located, what made it so important, how people got there, and why people immigrated to
the U.S.
How does this lesson tie in to a unit plan? (If applicable.)
This is the second lesson of the unit plan. In the previous lesson, students learned about how the USA got the nickname Great
American Melting Pot and were introduced to the basic importance of Ellis Island.
What are your objectives for this lesson? (As many as needed.) Indicate connections to applicable national or state standards. If
an objective applies to only certain students write the name(s) of the student(s) to whom it applies.

Objectives:
- Students will be able to recall the importance of Ellis Island
- Students will be able to pinpoint the general location of Ellis Island
- Students will understand what the trip was like to Ellis Island and empathize with those who traveled through
- Students will discuss possible reasons why people immigrated to the U.S.

Standards:
K-4 Benchmark I-CWorld: Students will identify and describe similar historical characteristics of the United States and its
neighboring countries
3.1. Identify and compare components that create a community in the United States and its neighboring
countries.
K-4 Benchmark I-DSkills: Understand time passage and chronology.
K-4 Benchmark II-E: Describe how economic, political, cultural, and social processes interact to shape patterns of human
populations, and their interdependence, cooperation, and conflict.
2. Identify the causes of human migration

II. Before you start

Prerequisite Students have a basic understanding of immigration. They learned that the U.S. earned its nickname Great
knowledge and American Melting Pot because people all over the world came to America, making one big diverse community.
skills.

Formative:
- Students will complete a worksheet as they go through the PPT together as a class.
Assessment
- They will watch a video that summarizes/enriches the lesson and answer questions on it afterward.
(formative and
Summative:
summative)
- Students will turn in a worksheet based on the PPT

Universal Design for Learning Networks/Domains (see UDL Guidelines)

RECOGNITION STRATEGIC AFFECTIVE
Multiple Means of Multiple Means of Expression (Action) Multiple Means of Engagement
Representation
Options for Perception Options for action/interaction Options for recruiting interest
Information is Students think individually, as a whole class, and with Pictures/maps of Ellis Island, steamships, and
presented verbally, via table groups steerage
PPT, and via video.
Options for Options for Expression Options for Sustaining Effort & Persistence
Language/Symbols

Options for Options for Executive Function Options for Self Regulation
Comprehension

Materials-what PPT:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UUQ5kX6uTXniNpqfBl1C4rzrju9kixuHZ4chwxK1mHQ/edit#slide=id.p
materials Projector/Chromecast
(books, Ellis Island Worksheet
handouts, etc) Whiteboard/markers
do you need for Pencils
this lesson and
do you have
them?
Do you need to Students will complete the first part of the lesson at their seats. They will transition and end the lesson seated at
set up your the rug (or at their seats if they choose)
classroom in any
special way for
this lesson? If
so, describe it.

III. The Plan

Time Parts The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher activities and student activities
Motivation Activate prior knowledge
(Opening/ - We watched a video last week called The Great American Melting Pot. What does that mean?
Introduction/ How is the U.S. similar to a melting pot?
Engagement) - We also made these two jars. One is filled with colorful slips of paper, and the other is filled with
plain white strips of paper. What did these two jars stand for? What types of things did we write
on these colorful slips of paper?

Explain todays activity:

- Everyone will get a worksheet. Whats the first thing you should do when you get a paper?
- Well be going through a PPT and stopping every once and a while to see if we can answer any
of the questions on our worksheet.

New Vocabulary (add to the word wall created in Lesson 1):

- Gateway
- Steamship
- Steerage
- Government
- Freedom

Development Where is Ellis Island located?

 - Have students mark Ellis Island with a color on the map on their worksheet
- Show a close-up map of Ellis Island so that students can see the layout of the harbor
What made Ellis Island so important?
- Main gateway to America
- Place where immigrants used to enter the U.S. (not used anymore)
How did people get to Ellis Island?
- 2 week trip on a steamship
- Most people rode in steerage (bottom part of the ship)
- Crowded, dirty, no fresh air
- Hundreds of people slept in bunks
- Many sick peoplewhy?
- Show pictures of steamships/steerage
Why did people come to the U.S.?
- Have students brainstorm with their table groups
- Gather students attention and ask them to share what their groups came up with. Record their
answers on the board
- Freedom of religion
- Freedom of speech
- Escape bad government
- Find food
- Join family members
- Find jobs
- Better life

Show an enrichment video:

- Ellis Island: A Kid Explains History, Episode 7 (3:55)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxILBYcTjY4
Closure If time, show Virtual Field Trip to Ellis Island
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlTABxD7zQU
- http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/webcast.htm

Your reflection on the lesson including ideas for improvement for next time: