Alicia Levy, 4th-Grade Teacher
Ms. Levy's 4th-grade students are taking a deep dive into the study of immigration. This unit takes over their Reading, Writing, Hebrew and Social Studies curriculum allowing for a full cross-curricular experience.
Last week, students read Journey to America and discussed the process of how immigrants came to America. Later, they studied Ellis Island and Angel Island, comparing and contrasting the two very different experiences immigrants had at the two immigration stations. This week, 4th-graders completed a mini-celebrity immigrant research presentation. Students found out what these celebrities contributed to our society. We also began the process of researching a topic based on each student’s individual interest.
As we continue to scaffold the process of writing a research paper, we will also take time to interview family members and teachers who themselves are immigrants. Listening to the stories of our kehillah (community) allows us to practice empathy and take on new perspectives. This results in a deeper understanding of the immigration experience and how it relates to immigration issues today.
