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Immigration/Migration Narrative

 

NOTE: This assignment has two parts

 

Assignment Part I.

 

Based on the Jacob Riis reading (any two chapters of the on-line text in the "readings" section of this e-Portfolio), and the Ellis Island Video, travel back one hundred years ago to 1919 and take on the identity of a child immigrating to the United States through Ellis Island.  Choose for yourself a name, gender, and country of origin. Write an essay* describing in vivid detail** the following:

 

Thinking Points:

 

•   Where did you come from? 

•    Why did you leave?

•    Who did you come with?  What did you bring? Describe the crossing?

•    What was your experience going through Ellis Island?  What were you     worried about?  How long did it take

•    Where did you live (give address - describe the neighborhood) after you passed through Ellis Island?

•     Where did you work

•     What kind of living and working conditions did you experience?  What did you eat?

•     What did you wear

•     What did you do for fun? 

•     What did you save your money for?

•     What did you expect to find in America?

•     What was your favorite thing about your new country?  What was your biggest disappointment?

•      How did you adapt to that disappointment and keep your hope alive? 

•      Did things ever change?

 

 

* Your essay may be in the form of journal or diary entries, or a letter to someone in your country of origin.

 

Useful websites:

 

http://www.tenement.org/

https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/immigration-museum

  

** Include a photo(s) to enhance your essay.

 

 

Assignment Part II:

 

Choose either a family member or yourself and describe their immigration or migration experience. Use the thinking points from Part I as a guide

 

 

** Include a photo to enhance your essay.

 

 

Assignment Specifications:

 

  • Research: Part I of your assignment should clearly reflect the in-class material, your experience at the museum, as well as the Jacob Riis reading (see the readings section of the course e-Portfolio) and the Ellis Island video (see the 19th C-Immigration section of the course e-Portfolio)  . Your research will be evident through the specificity and detail of your character’s descriptions.

  • Citations: Since this is a fictional narrative you can simply make allusions, and then include a bibliography at the end with citations.

  • Specifications: Be sure to review the thinking points given with the assignment specifications. They are there to help you structure your essay and to remind you to be thorough.

  • Images: For Part I, since your character is fictional, I suggest that you visit the Tenement.org or nypl.org for a photograph to match your character.

  • Part II: Depending on your family you may have a lot of information or not so much.  Try to find out whatever you can, and you can expand on the story though further research into others who experienced similar circumstances.  If possible, please accompany this part with family images.

  • Revise your paper for thoroughness, organization, grammar, and spelling. 

  •  

    Wix Set-up: Create a single page for this assignment that includes separate text modules accompanied by image(s) for each part.

    Be sure to SAVE, PUBLISH, and then SUBMIT to course (through Bb).

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Click here is an example of an A+ project 

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