1. Immigration to the United States of America

2. Introduction During the years of 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through the Ellis Island portal. Ellis Island is a small island in the New York harbor. These immigrants came from countries around the world mostly from Italy, Ireland, Germany, and Russia. Today you are going to be an immigrant from one of these countries and go through the same journey that millions have been on.

3. Task Each student in the group will have there own task to complete. 1.One student will take the lyrics to “Surfin’ in the USA” and change them to fit a new title, “Comin’ to the USA”. 2.One student will type a five day diary about their journey coming to America and entering through Ellis Island. 3.One student will create a graphic organizer depicting the journey they went through as a traveling immigrant and the steps taken the moment they stepped foot on Ellis Island. 4.One student will write a letter to a family member explaining why they are leaving their assigned country and going to America. 5.One student will define listed vocabulary words and create a story using five of the words.

4. Process for Task 1 1.You will first need to read the lyrics to “Surfin’ in the USA” by the Beach Boys.lyrics 2.After reading the lyrics, you will need to type up new lyrics to your new song titled “Comin’ to the USA”. 3.The lyrics should pertain to your journey to America including why you left your assigned country, the boat ride to the harbor, and the immigration process and your thought/feelings on each. 4.You should be writing in character, be historically correct, write with your assigned country in mind.

5. Process for Task 2 1.You will need to research the stories of immigrants and their transit experience to America as well as the immigration process in Ellis Island by reading the linked resources. 2.After reading about why immigrants from your assigned country decided to immigrate to America, their transit stories on ships and the procedures they went through in Ellis Island, you will need to get into character and write diary entries. 3.You will need to write five descriptive journal entries explaining what has happened each day of your trip from the moment you embarked on the ship to your experience on Ellis Island. 4.You will also need to include your family background by explaining why your family plans on moving, the part of the ship you resided in and what your feeling and thoughts were when you first stepped foot on Ellis Island.

6. Process for Task 3 1.You will be researching the process that immigrants when through as soon as they landed on Ellis Island. 2.After researching the immigration process as well as possibilities that could have happened on Ellis Island, you will make a graphic organizer showing the steps. 3.This should include for example the medical exams, the mental tests, and what happened when an immigrant failed such obstacles. 4.The graphic organizer should be clear and descriptive.

7. Process for Task 4 1.You will need to research and read the reasons why people from your assigned country wanted to emigrate. 2.You will pretend you are writing a letter to a family member in your homeland explaining why you are leaving and going to live in America. What actions or events have lead to such a decision? Why did you choose to move to America as opposed to another country? 3.You will need to explain your thought process and your hopes for the journey and your new home? What do you think it is going to be like? 4.You will also need to write another letter after you have experience America for a couple of days? How have your perceptions and dreams changed?

8. Process for Task 5 1.You will need to define using an online dictionary the following vocabulary words: assimilate, detain, emigrate, emigrant, famine, immigrate, immigrant.online dictionary 2.After defining each word, you will create a story using at least five of these words.

9. Resources (in no particular order) Dictionary “Surfin’ in the USA” Lyrics“Surfin’ in the USA” Lyrics Ellis Island Official WebsiteEllis Island Official Website Ellis Island Virtual TourEllis Island Virtual Tour List of Migration ReasonsList of Migration Reasons Ellis Island Exams Irish Immigration Irish Immigration 2 Italian Immigration Italian Immigration 2 German Immigration Immigrant Stories Russian Immigration Russian Immigration 2Russian Immigration 2

10. Conclusion You have competed the WebQuest. This WebQuest has given you the opportunity to experience the journey taken by millions. You have encompassed the life of a traveling immigrant from 1892-1954 coming to America through Ellis Island’s rigorous process. You have felt the hardships and struggles that many have gone through. You have put yourself in a survival mindset. In your journals I would like you to compare and contrast your present lives with the lives of those you have just researched. How are they the same? How are they different? Congratulations and Welcome to America!