Chapter 21, Lesson 2: The New Immigrants



Immigration Project Guidelines

In groups of 3, you will create a realistic immigrant character from the 1900s that will be fictional, but historically accurate, and write a journal of that immigrant’s experiences. You will receive ONE group grade in Social Studies for the entire project and ONE individual grade in Language Arts for the written journal entry you create.

Group Responsibilities: Collectively, your group must complete the following things:

1) Research real immigrants’ stories – Each of you have done your research while on the class trip. For

further information, you may refer to the 2 websites for the places we visited:



2) Create your character – Before you begin writing, your group must create one original immigrant based on information from your research. You will complete your Character Outline on the handout provided and turn it in for a grade.

3) Plot Skeleton – Once you have created your character, as a group you must create a plot skeleton of your story as a group. You are to use the same format that was taught to you in Language Arts class. This should be done neatly with the character’s name and your group members’ names at the top of the page. This should be page 1 (after the cover) of your journal.

4) Choose your Journal Area - Each person in the group is responsible for writing one journal entry

for your character. Your entry should be written on a 7th grade level in paragraph form using proper

grammar, spelling, etc. You must have a minimum of 4 paragraphs for each journal entry. You should come up with a heading for your journal entry that should include the date, a creative title, and your name. Each group member will choose one of the following areas:

a) the voyage to America

b) experience at Ellis Island

c) Living in a Tenement

**See Journal Information Sheet on back of this paper for details to include in your entries.

5) Edit your Journal – Each member of the group should edit each of the other 3 journal entries. You

should be checking for errors, as well as making suggestions on how to make the journal entry better. You MUST edit (read) all of the journal entries from your group.

6) Create your Journal - Your journal should become an actual booklet that is bound together. Each group member must choose one of the following:

a. Create a cover with a title including your immigrant’s name, all authors’ names, and an illustration that symbolizes your immigrant’s journey, without a picture of the immigrant. Include your home country’s flag.

b. Include your final copy of your Plot Skeleton as the first page following your cover. Each piece of the plot should be clearly stated.

c. Page 3 is a map that traces the journey of your immigrant. You will draw your map showing where your immigrant is coming from (town) and where they are going to, including the labeling of any neighboring countries and bodies of water. You will need to give your map a title, a key, and a compass rose. Map should be drawn to proportion (Italy should not be larger than Russia).

d. An illustration on the back outside cover that shows a portrait of the immigrant and the immigrant’s name. (Be sure you use the physical characteristics of your immigrant that you described in your writing.)

****Each journal entry should be put in chronological order, placed neatly inside the

journal covers, and have the author’s name on it.****

Journal Information Sheet

A. The Voyage to America – Remember to use your senses: Taste, smell, hear, touch, see

• What is it like to live in your home country?

• Why did you and your family choose to leave?

• How did you and your family feel about leaving?

• What year did you travel? (1880-1924)

• Did any of your family stay behind? Why?

• How did your family obtain the money necessary to pay for the voyage to America? How long did it take to save it?

• If you were able to look at the Wall of Postcards, can you name the boat you took to America? If not, research the name of a ship. Be sure this is one that came from your home country.

• Did your immigrant’s family change their name before boarding the ship to come to America? Why? Who made the decision to change it?

• You stayed in the steerage section of the ship. What was it like? Describe it.

• How did each of your family members feel while on the ship?

• What did your character do to pass the time on the crowded ship?

B. Experience at Ellis Island - Remember to use your senses: Taste, smell, hear, touch, see

• Describe what your family brings to America. Why? What did you personally bring? Describe and tell why is it significant?

• What are the steps your immigrant goes through during the Medical Inspection process?

• Either your character or someone in your character’s family must get a chalk mark – which one and why? What does it mean? What happens next? How do you react?

• Your character or someone in the family gets sick. What kind of sickness do they have? What happens? How long are they detained? Are they cured or sent back?

• What questions were asked of your character while being interviewed?

• Your character or someone in the family needed a mental test. Who got one? What happened?

• What was the Literacy Test like? How did your character feel while taking it? What is at stake for your character if they don’t pass?

• Your character or someone in family was detained. Who was detained? Why was the person detained? What did this person do while he/she waited? How were the meals given to the immigrant while detained? Describe them. Like/dislike them? They left graffiti behind. What did they write/draw? What language did they use?

• Your character or a member of their family had a hearing. What happened? Who testified?

• Did your character and the family meet anyone at the Kissing Post? Who? Why were they at the Kissing Post instead of traveling with you?

• What food did your character buy for your journey after Ellis Island? How much did it cost?

• What type of money did your character exchange (depends on which country you came from)? How much?

• Where did your character and/or the family members buy a ticket to? Where does your character keep the ticket so it wouldn’t get lost?

C. Living in a Tenement - Remember to use your senses: Taste, smell, hear, touch, see

• Where did you and your family go after leaving Ellis Island? What section (neighborhood) of New York do you settle in?

• Who helps your character find a place to live? How long does it take?

• What is around your character’s neighborhood?

• What is in your character’s tenement apartment? Do you have electricity and running water? (after 1922) Describe the rooms and their contents.

• Who lives in your tenement with you? Family/strangers?

• Describe the chores your character is responsible for in the apartment.

• What type of job did you and your family members do to bring in money? Where did you work? What were the conditions like?

• Did you attend school? What kind of school, if any at all?

• What did you or your family members do to become an American citizen? How did you get your citizenship? Tutor, Night School, etc. How long did it take you and your family? All at the same time? What does it mean to you and your family members to become a citizen? Does it mean more to you or your older family members? Explain.

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