Students Experience Ellis Island and Become Citizens—All Before Lunch

The boat is crowded and uncomfortable. Children stand shoulder to shoulder, wondering what will happen when they get off the boat. There are health tests to pass and questions to answer, and they hope that everything goes smoothly. But then, the Statue of Liberty pierces through their nervousness.

Except it’s not the Statue of Liberty. It’s principal Karen Kieffer in a costume. And the boat isn’t at sea; it's in the cafeteria.

For seven years, third-grade students at Wild Horse Elementary have participated in a immigration simulation. After researching their family history, they take on personas and dress in costumes that would have been similar to the garb their ancestors wore on their way to America. They pile into a boat that has been created in the cafeteria, and file through a simulated Ellis Island. Their health is examined, and they answer questions that test their literacy and moral character.

“Stuff like, 'Do you lie?' or 'Are you responsible?' 'Do you follow the law?'” Riley Kiogore said. Students were quizzed about their financial situations and asked if they had job skills.

Students spun a wheel to determine if they had any ailments and attempted to hide injuries or illness. “If you had a rash, you would say, ‘Oh, it’s going away soon,’ " Riley said. 

Unlike Ellis Island, they then take a citizenship test and are sworn in as U.S. citizens. The test covers U.S. history facts, such as the date the country declared independence and the name of the first president.

Third-graders study immigration throughout the year. They learn about it through the centuries, from colonization to Ellis Island and beyond. Before the simulation, they research what it was like to travel to the U.S. by ship and learn more about Ellis Island. But even after studying, the simulation still surprised them.

“I thought when they were on the boat, they were comfortable. That they got beds and weren’t cramped,” third-grader Ellen Resek said. “Some of them didn’t even have hammocks. People got sick.”

Teachers Stacy Singer and Debbie Fox said the students learn a lot about why people come to America through research and lessons. The also do a lot of research on their family’s history.

“We hope to open a dialogue with the families,” Singer said.

Ellen learned that her family was Czechoslovakian. She said her great-great grandparents immigrated to the U.S., possibly though Ellis Island. Riley said her paternal great-grandmother came to America from Germany. She was a baby at the time, and got sick on the boat.

Grihith Varaday learned his great-grandfather worked for the government in Andra Pradesh, India. His mother and father were born in India. He was born in London and immigrated to the U.S. before he started kindergarten. Grihith’s experience was obviously different from that of immigrants who came through Ellis Island.

“Well, we came on a plane, for one thing,” he said.

Throughout the year, teachers ask one overarching question: Is America a land of immigrants or a land of Americans? The students said their opinions had changed.

Riley said he used to think it was a land of Americans, but since learning how many people have ancestors that immigrated, she’s more inclined to think it’s a land of immigrants.

Grihith said he believes it’s a land of Americans. “Because they took an oath that they have no allegiance or commitment to their old country,” he said.

But Ellen’s not sure there is one right answer.

“I think it’s both. (Grihith) only has one person in his family that was born in America, but his family is all American,” Ellen said.

One thing’s certain: they’ve enjoyed learning about immigration.

“Sometimes, I lay in bed and think, ‘What’s going to happened today when we learn about immigration,’ " Riley said. “I’m always really excited to know and learn more.”