Coming to America

The small gymnasium at Shaw Avenue School was transformed into Ellis Island last week, as third-graders learned about the immigration experience of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Each class represented a different group — Irish, Italians, Portuguese and Russian Jews. Students were given names of immigrants from the manifests of actual ships that arrived at Ellis Island more than a century ago. Each child received a passport and had to memorize their name and age. Many had their names changed and simplified after coming to America.

As each student arrived at the mock Ellis Island, they had to leave their luggage — a stuffed pillowcase from home — in a large pile. Then there were questioned and inspected for any health issues. They could be detained at any time for any reason by the teachers posing as immigration officials.

There was also a citizenship test and a table to exchange their money for American dollars. Some were short changed in the conversion. After being welcomed to the United States by cheering students from the gifted and talented class, children got to grab a glass a milk and half a banana — a new fruit to many immigrants.

“We tried to give them the experiences they would have if they landed on Ellis Island,” teacher Jan Granger said.

Many students were made relatives of each other, and learned what is was like to be separated from their family at Ellis Island. Teacher Cynthia Gonzalez wanted to convey to the students how frightened immigrants were during the experience, especially at the the prospect of being sent back to their home country.

Prior to their journey to America, the third-graders studied their own heritage and researched an ancestor. They also made a paper doll based on their cultural background and had to write a letter back home from their ship during its journey to America.