School Programs
SOUTH SIDE STORIES
The Ellis Island Institute school programs expand upon the immigration story by looking at the experiences of immigrants on Ellis Island's south side, the currently un-restored U.S. Public Health Service hospitals. Our programs take place in the restored Ferry Building, the gateway to Ellis Island's south side, and use the exhibition Future in the Balance: Immigration, Public Health, and the Ellis Island Hospitals along with objects, historic photographs and documents.
Activity Choices for Grades 4 - 8:
1. Multi-genre writing: students create a story using objects and documents as their resources (language arts).
2. Role playing: students study the case report of a hospitalized immigrant, learn about the different people involved and "act out" the case using the information they have learned (visual literacy).
3. The Science of History: students learn to study history using the scientific method as a basis to test their hypothesis about objects and documents (science).
Activity Choices for Grades 9 - 12:
1. Timeline/Context: Students create a 3-D timeline to explore and connect the history of Ellis Island with United States history, world history, and current events.
2. Creative writing: students recreate a story using objects and documents as their resources for character development and plot.
3. Persuasive writing: students will use the knowledge they learned during the program as evidence to support their position in a persuasive writing piece.
Ask about programs for Advanced Placement History Classes!
- Meets New York and New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies, Language Arts, and other disciplines.
- Programs run 1.5 hours long
- Programs are tailored to meet age and developmental levels.
- $5/student - one chaperone required for every 10 students, admitted at no fee
- Maximum 30 students per program
- Complements a visit to the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island and National Park Service ranger-led school programs.
Read what teachers say about our programs:
"I really think our students were inspired to think about the history of America at this time period. Challenging students to figure out what various artifacts were and what they were used for was very effective."
"They were able to see and hear things they’d never experienced to help them learn about immigration. The hands-on activity with actual historic items used at Ellis Island was most effective."
Chelsea Heights School
Atlantic City, New Jersey
"I am so thrilled to see children so interested."
St. Edmunds Elementary School
Brooklyn, New York
To schedule and reserve a program for your school group, please call 973-347-8400 x23 or 800-852-7899 (TTY/TDD). .
