1. Virtual Field Trip of Ellis Island
Heather Lawton
4th Grade
Ross Corners Elementary School

2. New York State Standards/ Themes and Objectives
Social Studies Standard 1
Themes Include: Events of American History, culture, and time, continuity and change
Objectives:
1. Students will learn about the history of immigration in America.
2. Students will learn about the historical value of Ellis Island.

3. Background Information
Ellis Island is located in the upper part of the New York Bay, off the coast of New Jersey and right next to the Statue of Liberty.
Ellis Island was a Federal immigration station that millions of immigrants from countries around the world had to stop at before entering America.
Between 1892 and 1954 more than 12 Million immigrants passed through the doors of Ellis Island all with the same hope…to become an American.

4. The Journey Begins…
The year is 1920 and you and your father sailed for two weeks on a ship from Poland to America.
The boat ride was crowded, cold, wet and miserable but you still feel excited because you finally see the great Statue of Liberty for yourself.

5. The Arrival
Upon arrival to Ellis Island you would enter the building on the main floor through the baggage room. This is where you would leave any luggage and belongings you had brought with you.
Baggage Room

6. Stairs of Separation
After leaving your luggage you had to walk up stairs that led to the Great Hall. At the top of these stairs doctors stood and watched you walk up these steps. The doctors watched you for signs of any illness, disease or insanity. If they felt you showed any of these signs a doctor would mark you with chalk.
Stairways to the Great Hall

7. Medical Exam
The next step was a 3 to 5 minute medical exam for every immigrant.
These physicians would check for signs of infectious diseases or other conditions and then mark them with chalk marks if they needed further examinations. They would put an E for eye problems, an H for heart, L for lameness, SC for scalp, X for mental disease, and so on.

8. The Great Hall
The next step was to wait in the great hall for your legal inspection, which was filled with people. Two thousand or more aliens, people of all ages, the majority between the ages of 18 and 30 occupied it at any one time. A noise of crying infants, and languages could be heard echoing from all around its fifty-six foot ceilings.
The Great Hall

9. Legal Inspection
One of the last stops on an immigrant’s journey through Ellis Island would be the legal inspection. At your legal inspection you would have to prove what country you are from and that you would plan to live and work once you get to America.

10. Journey’s End
After the immigrants were approved for admission into the United States they walked down the staircase to meet their family and loved ones they hadn’t seen in years.
Kissing Post
Journey’s End

11. Ellis Island Today
Today, Ellis Island is a most valued as a historic site that thousands of visitors tour each year.
An American Immigrant Wall of Honor on Ellis Island commemorates the names of more than 500,000 immigrants and their families. It's located on the north-east corner of the island.
You can research your own family history on Ellis Island at the American Family Immigration History Center.

12. Questions?

13. Fun Follow Up Activity!
After taking the virtual fieldtrip of Ellis Island, go home and talk to your parents about your own heritage.
Make a family tree and write a paragraph on your families cultural heritage.

14. Resources History Channel Exhibits- Ellis Island
Scholastic Teaching Resources- Virtual Tour of Ellis Island