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Students create mock Ellis Island
By Kalea Hall
boardman
Twenty students on 20 boats representing 14 countries came to America through Ellis Island inside of a classroom at Stadium Drive Elementary School on Friday.
Their teacher, Becky Endsley, dressed as the Statue of Liberty, welcomed them to America.
The immigration activity “makes a more-lasting learning experience because they can really value it and see how it relates to them,” Endsley said.
Two classes of third-grade students participated in the Ellis Island activity Friday, as part of a learning lesson on immigration to the United States.
In addition to creating boats representing the countries their ancestors came from, the students also learned about why the Statue of Liberty is green for science and packed a suitcase as part of a math lesson. In language arts, the students read about other countries.
“Why did these immigrants come over?” Endsley asked the students.
A variety of reasons including the potato famine, opportunities and a better way of life were blurted out before the classroom skit.
While going through Ellis Island, the students were checked for diseases and some of them had their names changed just as it happened in real life. Only one student from Italy had to stay behind because of a contagious eye disease.
Rebekah Nader, 9, made it to America from Germany in the classroom skit.
“It was really fun,” she said. “I like how creative we had to be.”
Rebekah decorated the paper boat she came in on with the German flag and coin.
“I got to do it with all of my friends,” Rebekah said of why she liked the project.
One of those friends is Julia Basista, 9, from Italy who said her ancestors came to America for a better life, freedom and jobs.
“We learned about where I came from and where my friends came from,” Julia said.
They also learned that many immigrants chose to come to Youngstown because of the steel mills.
“I wanted to make it more meaningful to them and to show how really diverse Youngstown is,” Endsley said.
She has been doing the in-class Ellis Island skit for about six years now and hopes to continue to do it for many years to come.
“When they have fun learning, that is what it is all about,” Endsley said.