In-Class Group ActivityMarch 2, 2016

Discover New York

Imagine you and the members of

your group are all members of the same family who have just arrived

as immigrants here in the United

States via Ellis Island in the early

20th Century.

Discuss among yourselves what you would write in a

letter back home to your loved ones (parents,

grandparents, other siblings, cousins) describing your thoughts and feelings as

your boat arrived in New York Harbor and you saw the New York City skyline

and the Statue of Liberty for the first time.

After discussing this with your group, select

the country you originally emigrated

from, who in your family you would like to address this letter

to, and then compose this letter as a team as

if you were a real immigrant family.

What was it like to experience the health

inspections? What thoughts and feelings

were racing through your mind?

Did the thought of being rejected

for any number of health related

reasons cross you mind? How did that make you

feel? What would you have done?

Where did you and your family

finally settle? Do you like your new

life in your new neighborhood?

What kind of work did you

find?

How did you feel when you finally

realized your journey was

complete, that you were finally

granted admission to the United States as

an immigrant?

At the conclusion of this activity,

each group will then read their

letter to the class and explain the

rationale behind their

correspondence!