Immigration in Massachusetts, 1880-1920

Helen Baker, St. Joseph School, Needham, Massachusetts 

 

Description of the Project or the Essential Questions: 

Students will produce a series of documents based on their research. These documents will be contained in a large business type envelope called a Jackdaw. The topic of this research will be IMMIGRATION IN MASSACHUSETTS, 1880-1920. 

 

Grade Level: 5th grade (can be used in the 5-8 span) 

 

State Curriculum Frameworks Learning Standards Addressed: 

Standard #3 - Research, Evidence, and point of view; 
Standard #4,- Society, Diversity, Commonality, and the Individual; 
Standard # 8 - Places and Regions of the world; 
Standard #9 - the Effects of Geography; 
Standard #11 - Fundamentals of Economics; 
Standard #13 - The Economy of the U. S. 

 

English Language Arts 
Outlining, research, notetaking, composing on the computer, reading fiction and non-fiction 

History/Social Science 
research and evaluation, critical thinking, drawing inference 
Recognizing primary and secondary sources 

Arts 
Drawing - maps, clothing, charts, diagrams 

Science & Technology 
Charts, diagrams 

 

Enabling Activities: 

* Reading, research, at least three sources - one of which should be from the computer, 

* Note taking on 4x6 index cards using sub-topic as heading and including 5 or more facts using words and phrases only - no SENTENCES, Source listed on the back of the index card, 

* composing (on the computer if possible) short essays on a variety of topics related to immigration in Massachusetts - in their own words - based on their research with bibliography. 

* Drawings and diagrams of arrivals, factories, clothing, homes, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Boston, Lowell, rivers, canals, political cartoons etc. 

 

Products or Performances: 

Jackdaws may include: 

* An overview of Immigration in America (1 essay), 

* Letters to the editor or newspaper columns which include facts and opinions (2 or 3 essays), 

* Letters from immigrants to family left at home in Europe or to the immigrants from home with references to previous letters (2 or 3 letters), 

* political literature based on opposing view points with know-nothing references and reformer ideals (two drawings or posters or campaign slogans etc.). 

*Drawings from each member of the group to include maps, diagrams, clothing, political cartoons, etc. 

 

Criteria for Assessment Based on Standards 

Culminating Activity 

Each group will present their jackdaws to the class. If possible (depending on the quality ) and with the cooperation of the librarian - these jackdaws can be catalogued and filed in the library as a resource on the topic. Could be video taped to be included in the jackdaw. 

 

Web sites as possible resources: 

Immigration overview - ATLANTIC MONTHLY - http://www.theAtlantic.com/atlantic/unbound/flashbks/immigr/immigint.htm 

Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) Bulletin Board 
http://www.fairus.org/Team/TeamList.cfm?c=40&insearch=bulletin  

Lowell National Historical Park
http://www.nps.gov/lowe

Massachusetts Cultural Council 
http://www.massculturalcouncil.org

 

 

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