Illustation from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

IMMIGRANTS

The Irish Experience in Boston 1840-1870

and The Immigrants' Experience Today

Teacher’s Guide

Teacher’s Guide originally prepared by ·

Appleworks version originally developed by This version adapted by Note: The teaching materials described here were originally developed to be used with Appleworks at the Educational Technology Center, Harvard University, and supported in part by the National Institute of Education (Contract # NIE 400-83-0041). They were then further refined at Tefft Middle School, School District U-46, Elgin IL. The materials are in the public domain and may therefore be freely copied and used without restriction. No claims are made for the accuracy of the materials. The materials are supplied "as is".

Last modified 8/11/97

Richard Levine, Tefft Middle School, Streamwood IL, School District U-46


BACKGROUND

Teaching American History Through a Different Mirror by By Ronald Takaki

This version of IMMIGRANTS is a social studies, English math and science unit for middle school students that makes use of the computer applications of word processing, spreadsheet and presentation. The subject of the unit is the Irish immigration into the city of Boston during the period 1840 - 1850. In working through the unit, students "adopt" an immigrant family, make such decisions about living and working as that family might have made them and narrate their stories. In a large part, these decisions are based on actual data for the period 1840 - 1850. For example, lists of immigrant families are taken from city records made as passengers disembarked in America. Information about food, clothing and housing costs, and jobs is also based on historical record.


GOALS

SCHOOL DISTRICT U-46
MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE
LOCAL GOALS AND CURRICULUM STANDARDS ADDRESSED


Local Goal
Student Section & Supplementary Material
1. All students will master and apply effective skills of communication. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
2. All students will acquire problem solving skills and apply them to life long learning by demonstrating a variety of problem solving techniques. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3. All students will discover and cultivate their creative talents by demonstrating creative self-expression through the various media of art, music, writing and drama. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
4. All students will be prepared for the responsibility of work, leisure and financial independence. 3, 5
5. All students will acquire an understanding of the rights, responsibilities, and obligations of participation in the family, the community, the nation, and the world.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5
6. All students will demonstrate awareness of various cultural and ethnic groups. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Quiet Man Lesson, Multicultural Panel
7. All students will acquire and apply the knowledge and skills of scientific literacy Energy Pyramid Lesson, Genetic Lessons ca, 

Students will be able to communicate information, concepts, prose, symbols, reports, audio and video recordings, speeches, graphic displays, and computer-based programs.

Students will be able to use creative thinking skills to generate new ideas, make the best decisions, recognize and solve problems through reasoning, interpreting symbolic data, and developing efficient techniques for lifelong learning.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS TO CONNECTIONS TO GLOBAL ISSUES

Students are given the opportunity to study and analyze issues of immigration. During the process, they will grapple with some of the same problems that faced earlier Americans and struggle to find the answers. Students will compare present-day immigration trends and policies to those of the past. Among the issues addressed are:


DOWNLOADING INFORMATION

This site contains links to spreadsheet worksheets representing

This site also contains a link to HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

This unit can be done as a whole class project, or with smaller groups using the computer in turns, or in a computer lab environment.


OVERVIEW OF THE UNIT

Learning Environment

Multiple Stations

There are five learning sections. Typically students will work through the sections in groups of two or three (three being the optimal number). It is strongly suggested that the following group structure be implemented. For each section, there are three roles for each group.

In groups of two, the second and third roles will have to be combined. It is essential that, for each section, the roles be rotated among the members of the group.

Single Station

The first option is to have students access the computer in groups throughout the school day. This works best in "elementary school" settings in which the teacher has the students for a large block of time.

The second option is a last resort in using this unit since the use of the computer is one of the goals. Also, this means that the entire class has to go lock-step through this unit, instead of progressing at their own speed. Viewing the monitor will be the biggest concern. If no adequate projection device is available, then the printed materials will have to be reproduced and handed out for each section. The class can make decisions as a whole group, and then the class can still work in smaller groups to produce a product for the section.


STUDENT SECTION ONE

In the second section, students will read background information about Ireland and a story about a boy named Patt. They will study a


Evaluation Considerations

Some of the points that students should consider in their research are