 ImmigrationOverview Immigration is a topic that affords tremendous opportunities to be explored by every discipline in education. In many ways, it can be said that immigration is the tap root of America. Its selection as a topic for an interdisciplinary unit was not haphazard, but the result of an identified need to introduce a learning environment that addressed the depth and richness of the American experience as a single, unified subject. The timing of this unit was also important. When introduced in November, the "Columbus" factor plays a significant role in developing a foundation of understanding as students explore the facts of the collision of two old cultures and the consequences. Time Frame This unit requires six to eight weeks. Content areas had the flexibility to provide closure and assessment independently. Technology Applications II required eight weeks. This unit works well during the late November to mid-January period because the study of how different cultures celebrate the holiday period is very rewarding (it has been done in the past, but not during this particular unit).
Goals and objectives: When content areas are "integrated," many goals and objectives become very hard to differentiate. That is how it should be. Each content area remained responsible for the specifics of their domain while contributing to the whole. Language Arts, for example, addressed literature and various forms of writing skills. These same skills were also used in the TAII lab as the students wrote their daily journals. The data that was used in Math was also used by the TAII lab as students created spreadsheets and graphs. Many of the objectives were performance based with students immediately using the skill in another class. The TAII lab also had performance related objectives with the integration of technology into all parts of the unit. The creators of this unit also had two other objectives that could not be measured objectively. The first can only be defined by a quote from the student supervisor of the Ellis Island Processors. His quote was published in the newspaper on January 17, 1998. This student is 13 years old. "When you're reading it in the books, it doesn't seem so bad, but seeing all this, it makes you think about it more. I really felt sorry for some of the immigrants who couldn't get in because there were a lot of illiterate people and people who couldn't speak English. I thought this would be really easy, and it wasn't, but I think this was a good thing for us to do." The second objective was more sinister. It was tremendously rewarding to see content teachers begin to see and think about how technology could be used in their lessons and how lessons could be integrated. Prerequisite skills/knowledge: One of the greatest challenges in developing a unit that covers a particular period in history is getting students to appreciate the details of life, vocabulary, clothing, foods, and smells. These were things that had to be introduced. There are excellent video documentaries that helped create the image we wanted to see. The only new technology skill taught during this unit was spreadsheets. Students already had a strong command of research skills, formatting, graphics and paint applications, and word processing. Materials/equipment: Hardware QuickCam Software Integrated software package ClarisWorks Printed Materials Immigrant processing papers (created in the TAII lab) Instructional activities/strategies: The Immigration Unit and Simulation involved twelve teachers in all content areas and 300 students. Instructional activities in individual content areas were left to the discretion of individual teachers. There was a healthy mix of cooperative and individual instruction. Participation in the simulation also included life skills students. Technology The TAII lab became the central hub of the interdisciplinary unit and was responsible for its introduction to all the students. Both pods of students received the same information because of the lab's configuration and teaching style. The teachers that are developing the Technology Applications II course have degrees in science and social studies, extensive experience in content integration and backgrounds in elementary education. The topic of immigration was first introduced as a global, historical topic. Students were introduced to the concepts of migration and the Five Themes of Geography. The topic was then narrowed to the American experience and then narrowed once again to the Ellis Island experience (roughly the period between 1830 to 1920). The information that the students received was delivered through historical documentaries, selected internet sites that were "whacked" and placed on our server, and through reading stories. Yes, the students were read stories, both fiction and non-fiction, on the immigration topic. Students used their word processing skills to maintain a daily journal that initially began as a form of feedback on the information they were acquiring. After the foundation was laid, each student was assigned an immigrant profile that was based on historical fact. The names were even taken from passenger lists of steam ship companies that provided passage to Ellis Island. The students then developed their own character based on specific guidelines. The TAII students also created all the documentation, processing forms, and support materials that were used in the culminating activity. Technology Applications TEKS correlation: * use strategies to locate and acquire information * identify, create, and use files in various formats * demonstrate the ability to access, operate, and manipulate information * determine and employ methods to evaluate electronic information * the appropriate use of the internet and search techniques * plan, create, and edit documents * create and edit spreadsheets * create charts and graphs * create documents using desktop publishing techniques * demonstrate the appropriate use of graphic tools * integrate two or more productivity tools * demonstrate appropriate use of fonts, styles, and sizes, as well as effective use of graphics and page design * evaluate the product for relevance to the assignment . Reading Students were introduced to literature that provided a sound foundation of the period that was used for the simulation. Among the books read and discussed were "When Jessie Came Across The Sea" by Amy Hest, "The Great Ancestor Hunt" by Lila Perl, and "Immigrant Kids" by Russell Freedman. Small groups reported on their reactions to historical documents which were used as a primary source. The Reading teachers created the post-simulation activity; "The Paper Factory." Students created antique tea-dyed paper in a turn of the century sweat shop. They then used the paper to write journal entries that listed three lessons they learned from their immigration experience. Language Arts In English students read and discussed the radio play "The Golden Door" by Myka-Lynne Sakoloff and read the poem "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus. Students then created their own poetry about the immigration experience. The Language Arts teachers developed the post-simulation activity; "The Post Card Room." Students created and wrote post cards to family from the country of their origin telling them about their immigration experience. Language Arts TEKS correlation: * research ideas and topics to acquire accurate information from primary, secondary, and technological sources * compile information * create media products * evaluate, compare and contrast information from various sources Math In Math, students developed surveys and created frequency tables of immigrants, their ages, and countries of origin. They computed the mean, median, mode, and range of age. The countries of origin were graphed on bar and circle graphs by the statistical numbers of immigrants and students determined the distance from the country of origin to Ellis Island. Students also determined the probability of immigrants coming from certain countries. The Math teachers created the post-simulation activity, "The Quilt Room." Students created patches by tessellating one of more regular polygons. The patches were symbolic representatives of the immigration experience and were sewn together to make a quilt (it is beautiful!). * probability and statistics * display interpretation * ratio and proportions * motion geometry Science Students studied cell structure, microscope skills, and the transmission of diseases. The disease issue was as significant at the turn of the century as it is now. Students studied the policies between the past and the present and their social impact. The disease topic was also studied in Social Studies. The Science labs were part of the simulation as medical and clearance stations. * scientific method * appropriate use of lab equipment and technology * observation and recording data * interpreting data by asking well-defined questions. Social Studies Students studied the Five Themes of Geography (location, place, environment, movement, and region). Students began with European Geography so that they had some understanding of the origin of immigrants that came to the United States during the 1830 to 1924 period. Students compared the similarities and differences of European countries and the United States by natural resources, population density, and liberties and freedoms. Students created numerous maps identifying where different cultures were located in Europe and where they settled in Texas. Students created their own family tree and conducted genealogy searches. The Social Studies teachers hosted the post-simulation activity, "The Game Room." Students played games that represented the type of entertainment people at the turn of the century enjoyed. Social Studies TEKS correlation: * recognize the difference between primary and secondary sources of information * geography * organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, graphs, and maps * examination of political and social structures Assessment options: Individual content areas maintained the autonomy to assess objectives specific to their responsibility. This also included the TAII lab that not only measured performance related skills, but assessed the portfolios of their accumulated technology work. Furthermore, the TAII lab conducted a computerized simulation (Decisions Decisions by Tom Snyder) to observe problem solving skills in a cooperative group setting. Contributors: Jim Mandigo & Dona Hokanson
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