Scenario

A fourth grade teacher can use this activity to introduce the use of various technology tools and online resources to enhance established curriculum and to meet the NETS*S.

As part of the social studies curriculum and in preparation for the fifth grade New York State S.S. assessment, students in fourth grade explore the concept of immigration and the immigrant experience.  Students examine the time period in which many immigrants came to the U.S. (the late 1800’s to early 1900’s) through historical fiction, online resources, documents, photographs, and oral histories.  The teacher could introduce the unit by presenting students with the stories of immigrants and photographs, and students could conduct research using the internet, literature, and reference sources. 

Students then write journal entries for a fictional, yet historically accurate, immigrant to the U.S. in 1907. They are assigned to write about a different part of the immigrant’s journey: leaving home, the voyage, Ellis Island, and making a new life in America. These journal entries become the narration/storyline for the visual project.

Students use a digital camera to take photos of groups of students dressed in period costumes. They also gather historical photos from books and websites that will support their storyline.  These photos are imported into iPhoto, and can be shared with classmates for other narrations.  Students then work individually or in small groups to create an iMovie project with the photos in sequence, according to their journal storyline. (Continued)

• Computer
• Digital Camera
• Digital sharing (CDROM, network folder, email, etc.)
• Projector or DVD Player
• iPhoto, iTunes, and iMovie software
• Garage Band software

Technology Skills:

Students will be able to:

- Operate digital camera

- Download, organize, edit photos

- Import music into iTunes and iMovie, import narration into GarageBand

- Import and edit picture and sound files to create an iMovie project