What started as a standard field trip turned into an unforgettable, hands-on history lesson for a group of fourth graders.
The annual trip to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty serves as the culmination of the year’s social studies curriculum, but this year, the outing became personal for those able to connect with their own family’s immigration story.
In the week before they boarded the ferry, students researched their family history and mapped out their family trees, noting any ancestors they hoped to locate on the American Immigrant Wall of Honor. By the time they arrived at Ellis Island, the students were determined to search for their family names etched into the stone.
Fourth grader Kyla Kehrer was among those who made an exciting discovery. After a careful search through the wall, she spotted her great grandmother who immigrated from Italy through Ellis Island.
“When I found her name, I was really happy,” Kehrer said.
Since that discovery, Kehrer has been having more conversations with her family about their history, and has learned more about her family’s roots.
Classmate Carlee Slingerland found her great great grandfather on the wall. Part of her pre-trip research included creating a family tree poster to trace her ancestry.
“It’s important to know your family and where they came from,” said Slingerland.
Students weren’t the only ones who connected with the past. Fourth grade teacher Sarah McArdle also located multiple family members who had made the long journey from Sicily.
McArdle believes the family tree project helped students conceptualize what they learned about Ellis Island by connecting real people and experiences to their classroom lessons. They also learned about empathy and gained perspective about the challenges and hardships of the American immigration experience.
“It was an amazing experience to share with my students,” said McArdle. “It was an educational field trip that they will remember for the rest of their lives.”