How John Hallagan Teaches Immigration

I want my fourth grade students to appreciate our nation's past and the impact immigrants have made, and continue to make, on our country. We explore the reasons people have emigrated from countries all over the world to come to America. We read about the accomplishments of those who came here and advanced the success and prosperity of the United States.

We study the past in order to understand our nation today. We use a variety of books assembled in AILF's Recommended Booklist. My advanced readers might choose to read Behind the Mountains while others may read If You're Name Was Changed at Ellis Island or Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel. The students write reactions to the books while making connections, asking questions and stating new information.

Students spend a month researching their family's heritage-focusing on at least one ancestor who immigrated to this country. They interview family members, create family trees and obtain copies of primary documents such as photographs, certificates and letters. Each student presents a report on their findings to the class.

Field trips to historical museums help my students appreciate the challenges faced by people who have journeyed to this land in the past. We invite immigrants to visit our classroom to describe their experiences and answer our questions. This year we had guests who have emigrated from China, Japan, Ireland and Germany.

Students learn about their immigrant past by understanding that different immigrant groups had different immigrant experiences. The forced relocation of Native Americans occurred while Europeans migrated to the Midwest. Millions of Africans were enslaved and brought to the New World in chains for hundreds of years. The Chinese were barred from entering this country during the 1800s. My students create timelines identifying these historic periods and other events that shaped our past.

Understanding our past helps us make sense of the present. Fourth grade students develop a new sense of who they are by discovering who came before them. The stories of their ancestors vary and create a complex picture of how this country has evolved. This history-centered unit on immigration is part of our Social Studies curriculum which focuses on our state and meets state standards.

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