Lesson Plan

Ellis Island Lesson Plan

Step off the ferry, climb the stairs to the Great Hall, and meet the copper lady who greeted millions of new arrivals.

This five-day social studies unit on Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and immigration from 1892 to 1954 gives you a ready-to-teach plan for Littles (K-3), Middles (4-6) and Bigs (7-8), for siblings or a mixed classroom. Littles turn pennies green like the statue, build a seven-ray crown and pack one small suitcase. Middles role-play a full arrival day at Ellis Island and run a penny patina lab. Bigs read The New Colossus, work real immigration numbers, study a ship manifest and record an oral history. Family history activities welcome every story, including families who did not come through Ellis Island.

Perfect for homeschool families, multi-age classrooms and US history, immigration or Statue of Liberty units.

What's inside

• 5 ready-to-teach days for each of three levels
• Parts of the Statue of Liberty label sheet with answer key
• Lab sheets: green penny watch, penny patina lab, Ellis Island by the numbers
• Sequence cards, cut-and-sort pages and a writing page for every level
• Puzzles, fact cards, vocabulary, a book list and a certificate per level

Instant PDF download after checkout. Print at home.