Reading Knowledge
April 27 - May 1
Monday, April 27th1) Watch video of "Lesson 2: Charles Steinmetz Comes to America" read-aloud.
2) Discuss and answer questions to the right. 3) On Knowledge activity page 2.1 (p. 167), write 3-5 sentences describing the story of Charles Steinmetz's immigration to the United States in the puzzle piece area. |
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Questions:
1) What does the picture under the video show? (the Statue of Liberty) 2) Why was it important in today's read-aloud? (the statue welcomed immigrants to the United States and symbolizes freedom and hope) 3) In today's read-aloud, you heard about Charles Steinmetz, a mathematician and engineer. What was the push factor the author tells about that caused Charles to leave Germany? (He criticized the German government in an article he wrote and feared he might be put in jail.) 4) Where did Charles's ship dock? (at Ellis Island in New York Harbor) 5) What happened to immigrants at Ellis Island? (Government clerks would ask the travelers questions to see if they should be allowed to enter the United States.) 6) Why did the government clerk almost send Charles back to Europe? (He had no money, could not speak English, and had no job.) 7) Why did Charles's friend Oscar call the United States the "land of opportunity"? (because he believed that the United States was a place where most people had chances or possibilities to achieve what they wanted) 8) What were some of the things Charles did to make the United States a better place? (He helped perfect the way electricity is carried through wires; created the technology that made electric streetlights possible; organized his area of science, electrical engineering, for the first time; and made more than two hundred scientific discoveries.) |
Tuesday, April 28th1) Watch video of "Lesson 3: Life in the City" read-aloud.
2) Discuss and answer questions to the right. 3) On Knowledge activity page 3.1 (p. 169), write 3-5 sentences describing life for immigrants in United States cities in the puzzle piece area. |
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Questions:
1) In today's read-aloud you heard about Marie, an immigrant who lived in the city. Compare and contrast her city life in the United States with her life back home in Italy. (Her village in Italy was much smaller than a city and there were less people, so it was quieter. In Italy there were no jobs, there was very little to eat, and her house had dirt floors. In the United States, Marie and her family had plenty to eat, her father had a job and they lived in an apartment building.) 2) What were some of the pull factors that brought immigrants from Europe and Asia to the United States? (the opportunity for a better life, more job opportunities, the possibility of wealth, welcoming ethnic neighborhoods) 3) Charles Steinmetz and Marie's family entered the United States through which immigration center? (Ellis Island) 4) Through which immigration center did many Chinese and other Asian immigrants enter the United States? (Angel Island) 5) What was one of the pull factors that attracted the Chinese immigrants to the California mountains? (hopes of finding gold and becoming wealthy) 6) Many immigrants who entered through Ellis Island chose to live in nearby New York City. In what other cities that you heard about did immigrants settle? (Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, and San Francisco) 7) What reasons does the author give to explain why immigrants often chose to live in the big cities of America? (There were more jobs there, and earlier immigrants, remembering the hardships that came with settling in a new country, often helped the newcomers find jobs and learn English. Immigrants could feel comfortable keeping their customs and traditions.) 8) If you were an immigrant during the 1880's to 1920's, what would you have liked about living in a big city? 9) What would you have disliked? |
Wednesday, April 29th1) Watch video of "Lesson 4: From Ireland to New York City" read-aloud.
2) Discuss and answer questions to the right. 3) On Knowledge activity page 4.1 (p. 171), write 1-3 sentences describing life for Irish immigrants in the puzzle piece area. Use details from today's read-aloud. |
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Questions:
1) Where did the characters in today's read-aloud emigrate from? (Ireland) 2) Where did they immigrate to? (America) 3) What push factors caused Sean and Fiona, their family, and many other Irish families to leave Ireland? (the potato blight; they did not have enough to eat or enough money in Ireland) 4) What pull factors brought the Murphys to the United States? (hope for a better life; better job opportunities; more money for their work; etc.) 5) How were Uncle Brendan and Fiona's father, Peter, able to make a living in the United States? (by owning a restaurant and working on the railroad out west) 6) Why do you think the Murphys settled in New York City? (because there were other Irish immigrants there; it was close to Ellis Island; etc.) 7) Why did both Aunt Cathleen and Sean call the United States a "land of opportunity"? (There was more food in the United States than in Ireland; there were more job opportunities; Fiona and Sean will have better opportunities in their future; etc.) |
Thursday, April 30th1) Watch video of "Lesson 5: Gold Mountain" read-aloud.
2) Discuss and answer questions to the right. 3) On Knowledge activity page 5.1 (p. 173), write 1-3 sentences describing Chinese immigration in the puzzle piece area. 4) Try the riddles to the right. |
Riddles
1) I left my home country and settled in another country. Who am I? (an immigrant) 2) I am an immigrant who came to the United States from China looking for "Gold Mountain". What immigration center did I go through? (Angel Island) 3) I welcomed immigrants whose ships came through New York Harbor to America. What am I? (the Statue of Liberty) 4) I came to the United States because the potato blight made it difficult to find food. Who am I? (an Irish immigrant) |
Questions:
1) From where did the characters in today's read-aloud emigrate? (China) 2) What immigration center did they come through on the West Coast? (Angel Island) 3) What pull factors brought Lin Wen and his father to the United States? (Rumors of "Gold Mountain" and other opportunities brought the Lins and other Chinese immigrants to the United States.) 4) What kinds of jobs did many Chinese immigrants have? (dangerous and difficult jobs; jobs in woolen mills, laundries; building railroads; etc.) 5) The author tells us that Chinese immigrants sometimes experienced hostility from other Americans. What are some of the reasons the author gives for this? (They had different traditions and customs; they were not from their own homeland; some felt they would take their jobs.) 6) Why do you think Lin Wen and his father decided to live in San Francisco's Chinatown rather than in another part of San Francisco? (They had friends there; other Chinese immigrants lived there; they were able to practice their beliefs there; etc.) 7) How was life as an immigrant the same for Chinese immigrants like Lin Wen and Irish immigrants like Sean and Fiona? (They both had hardships; they were thankful for new opportunities; etc.) 8) How was it different? (They settled in different places; they maintained different traditions; they came for different reasons; etc.) 9) Do you think Lin Wen and his father may have called the United States the "land of opportunity"? Why or why not? (support your answer with evidence from the read-aloud) |
Friday, May 1st1) Watch video of "Lesson 6: A Land of Opportunity" read-aloud.
2) Discuss and answer questions to the right. 3) On Knowledge activity page 6.1 (p. 175), write 1-3 sentences describing immigration in the puzzle piece area. You may focus on why European people immigrated to the Midwest or you may focus on their lives once they got to the Midwest. Use details from today's read-aloud. 4) Try the riddles to the right. 5) Use the PP pages (pp. 177-187) to organize what you've learned so far. |
Riddles
1) I was almost turned away at Ellis Island because of my appearance and other issues, but ended up being a great help in bringing electricity to more people . Who am I? (Charles Steinmetz) 2) I am an immigrant who came to the United States from Europe looking for a better life. What immigration center did I go through? (Ellis Island) 3) I am the Latin phrase that means "out of many, one." What phrase am I? (e pluribus unum) 4) I am a part of the United States that has a lot of open land. Homesteaders built their homes and farmed here. What am I? (the Midwest; Wisconsin; Minnesota) |
Questions:
1) From where did Lars and Karin emigrate or leave? (Sweden, in Northern Europe) 2) What pull factor brought Lars and Karin and other immigrants from Northern Europe to the American Midwest? (the opportunity to own their own land for farming) 3) Why did Lars and Karin settle in the Midwest rather than in a big city? (They wanted to own their own land for farming and could not farm in a big city in the United States.) 4) Did this story take place long ago or is it a modern story? How do you know? (long ago; they traveled in a wagon, bathed in a metal tub, etc.) 5) Is "A Land of Opportunity" a good title for this read-aloud? Why or why not? (support your opinion with evidence from the read-aloud) |