Immigration Project Page
Basic Description of the Project
Immigration Documentary
- It is October, 1895, and you and your family are leaving your
home country in Europe for the U.S.
- Your job is to prepare the character of your immigrant (life
story, clothes and other possessions, etc.) and establish relationships
between your family members
- Your family must create a 6-8 minute documentary video
chronicling this journey
Your Character
- you will be assigned certain information you cannot change (age,
wealth, education, health, etc.)
- Using this information, and your historical research, you will
create a complete autobiography (or life story) for your character
- This needs to fit with the other stories of your group, or
“family”
Documentary Requirements
- 6-8 minutes in length
- Must maintain the seriousness of this journey
- Dialogue & interviews should reflect character description
and help to convey the problems, realities and dreams of your family
- Stay true to time period (dress, activities, language, etc.)
Key Questions to Cover in Your Documentary
- Why are you leaving?
- What are the economic and religious conditions in your homeland?
- What are your hopes and dreams for what will happen in the
United
States?
- What possessions are most important / irreplaceable? Why?
- What elements of your life & character will help/hinder your
success? What strengths/skills do you bring to America?
- What was your journey across the ocean like?
- Detail your experiences being porcessed at Ellis Island.
- What were the realities of your first 2-3 years in the
U.S.? Did they match up with your hopes and dreams?
What you will turn in:
- Evidence of your research (notes, highlighted article printouts,
etc.)
- Your autobiography (rough and final drafts)
- A list of all the items in your costume and the posessions you
are bringing with you
- Your Family Tree (one per group)
- A typed copy of your script (one per group)
- Your final documentary on DVD - see me if you need help
converting your project to DVD (one per group)
Your Autobiography:
Your
autobiography is where you flesh out the basic identity you were given
on your identity slip into the full identity of your immigrant.
Doing a complete, quality job on your autobiography is absolutely
critical to your success in this activity You need to do 2
drafts of your autobiography. The first draft is simply the
written answers to each of the items below. The second draft is
written out completely, telling the whole story of your life. No
one will read your autobiography except your teacher. Include the
following information in your autobiography. (Number all
information 1 to 12 in your autobiography next to where it appears in
your final draft).
Personal Data:
- full name, father’s
full name, mother’s full name
- sex, height, weight,
build, hair and eye color, complexion, scars and any other important
physical characteristics
- Birth place and date
- Previous address
(nation plus specific rural or urban address)
- Marital Status (married, divorced, single)
- Name of husband or
wife and any significant information about him/her.
7. Health and Education
History
a. Have you had any physical diseases?
b. Have you ever been in poor mental health? (If yes, where, when, why,
and consequences)
c. How many years of education have you completed? Mention where you
wen to grade and High schools and college, if you went to any of these
schools.
8.
Vocational Background
a. List your previous jobs and lengths of time you held each job.
b. How many jobs have you held in the past year? Why did you leave each
job?
c. Were you ever apprenticed to learn a trade?
d. Have you any training in a particular skill?
e. What are your future career hopes?
9.
Character
a. If you have been in trouble with the law, tell when, where, and why,
and consequences.
b. How much timehave you spent in jail? If any, explain in full why you
were incarcerated, where, for how long, and with what consequences.
10.
Wealth
a. Indicate whether you are wealthy or poor.
b. If you are wealthy, what exactly is your wealth? (cash? objects?)
c. What is the source of your wealth? (inheritance? your effort?)
11.
Politics
a. Did you belong to any political party in the country that you are
leaving?
b. Are you apathetic (don’t care), moderate, or extreme in your
political convictions? Explain thoroughly.
12.
Religion
a. What religious faith do you follow, if any?
b. Do others in your family follow the same or a different religious
faith?
Helpful
Links for Research:
Immigrant
Experience at EllisIsland.org
History of
Ellis Island (at the National Park Service site)
A good site that
lists names by ethnic background
Where are you
from? Check Google Maps Europe