Argumentative Essay on Immigration
Argumentative Essay on
Immigration
by Dave A. Forrest, Lizzie E. Clark, Alida Lombardi, and Michael B. Isenberg
As the 19th century progressed and through the first two decades of the 20th century, America was
becoming more of an “immigrant nation”. In large part, immigrants coming to America were motivated by
hopes of a better life in a land of opportunity. For some, what they experienced often differed from their
expectations. They faced challenges in many areas including
limited economic opportunities
difficult living conditions in the cities
legal and social discrimination.
In this module students will analyze primary source documents and graphs to write an argumentative essay
on immigration. Students will analyze to what extent was the United States a land of opportunities for
immigrants.
Lessons
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Introduction to Immigration Quick Write
Immigration PPT
Immigrant Group Poster Presentations
Ellis Island Interactive Tour
Analyzing Political Cartoons
Chinese Exclusion Act Writing Activity
Ellis Island vs. Angel Island Writing Activity
Document Analysis Worksheet (essay prep)
Prior Knowledge Activity (essay prep)
Argumentative Essay on Immigration
Student Work Samples
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
GRADES
DISCIPLINE
COURSE
11
 Social Studies
 US History
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Section 1: What Task?
Teaching Task
Task Template 2 - Argumentation
To what extent was the US a land of opportunity for immigrants? After reading six primary sources and graphs
on immigration, write an essay in which you address the question and argue to what extent the US was a land
of opportunity for immigrants.. Support your position with evidence from the text(s).
Standards
CCSS
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects
RH.11-12.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting
insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
RH.11-12.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate
summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RH.11-12.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an
author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison
defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
RH.11-12.10
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 11—CCR
text complexity band independently and proficiently.
WHST.11-12.1
Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.11-12.1.a
Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish
the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically
sequences the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
WHST.11-12.1.b
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and
evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and
counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the audience's knowledge level,
concerns, values, and possible biases.
WHST.11-12.1.c
Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text,
create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons
and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
WHST.11-12.1.d
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
WHST.11-12.1.e
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument
presented.
WHST.11-12.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
WHST.11-12.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
WHST.11-12.9
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
WHST.11-12.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames
(a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
California
History-Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through
Grade Twelve
-
Students analyze the relationship among the rise of industrialization, large-scale rural-to-urban
migration, and massive immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe.
-
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
Know the effects of industrialization on living and working conditions, including the portrayal of
working conditions and food safety in Upton Sinclair's The Jungle.
-
Describe the changing landscape, including the growth of cities linked by industry and trade,
and the development of cities divided according to race, ethnicity, and class.
-
Trace the effect of the Americanization movement.
-
Analyze the effect of urban political machines and responses to them by immigrants and
middle-class reformers.
-
Discuss corporate mergers that produced trusts and cartels and the economic and political
policies of industrial leaders.
-
Trace the economic development of the United States and its emer​gence as a major industrial
power, including its gains from trade and the advantages of its physical geography.
-
Analyze the similarities and differences between the ideologies of Social Darwinism and Social
Gospel (e.g., using biographies of William Graham Sumner, Billy Sunday, Dwight L. Moody).
-
Examine the effect of political programs and activities of Populists.
-
Understand the effect of political programs and activities of the Progressives (e.g., federal
regulation of railroad transport, Children's Bureau, the Sixteenth Amendment, Theodore
Roosevelt, Hiram Johnson).
Texts
 Immigration and Business Graph
 Immigration Line Graph
 Immigration Essay Prompt and Documents
 Documents
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
LDC Student Work Rubric - Argumentation
Not Yet
Approaches
Expectations
Meets Expectations
Advanced
1
2
3
4
Attempts to address prompt,
but lacks focus or is off-task.
Addresses prompt
appropriately and establishes
a position, but focus is
uneven. D. Addresses
additional demands
superficially.
Addresses prompt
appropriately and maintains a
clear, steady focus. Provides a
generally convincing position.
D: Addresses additional
demands sufficiently
Addresses all aspects of
prompt appropriately with a
consistently strong focus and
convincing position. D:
Addresses additional demands
with thoroughness and makes
a connection to claim.
Attempts to establish a claim,
but lacks a clear purpose.
Establishes a claim.
Establishes a credible claim.
Establishes and maintains a
substantive and credible claim
or proposal.
Reading/Research
Attempts to reference reading
materials to develop
response, but lacks
connections or relevance to
the purpose of the prompt.
Presents information from
reading materials relevant to
the purpose of the prompt with
minor lapses in accuracy or
completeness.
Accurately presents details
from reading materials relevant
to the purpose of the prompt to
develop argument or claim.
Accurately and effectively
presents important details
from reading materials to
develop argument or claim.
Development
Attempts to provide details in
response to the prompt, but
lacks sufficient development
or relevance to the purpose of
the prompt.
Presents appropriate details to
support and develop the focus,
controlling idea, or claim, with
minor lapses in the reasoning,
examples, or explanations.
Presents appropriate and
sufficient details to support and
develop the focus, controlling
idea, or claim.
Presents thorough and
detailed information to
effectively support and
develop the focus, controlling
idea, or claim.
Attempts to organize ideas,
but lacks control of structure.
Uses an appropriate
organizational structure for
development of reasoning and
logic, with minor lapses in
structure and/or coherence.
Maintains an appropriate
organizational structure to
address specific requirements
of the prompt. Structure
reveals the reasoning and
logic of the argument.
Maintains an organizational
structure that intentionally and
effectively enhances the
presentation of information as
required by the specific
prompt. Structure enhances
development of the reasoning
and logic of the argument.
Attempts to demonstrate
standard English conventions,
but lacks cohesion and
control of grammar, usage,
and mechanics. Sources are
used without citation.
Demonstrates an uneven
command of standard English
conventions and cohesion.
Uses language and tone with
some inaccurate,
inappropriate, or uneven
features. Inconsistently cites
sources.
Demonstrates a command of
standard English conventions
and cohesion, with few errors.
Response includes language
and tone appropriate to the
audience, purpose, and
specific requirements of the
prompt. Cites sources using
appropriate format with only
minor errors.
Demonstrates and maintains a
well-developed command of
standard English conventions
and cohesion, with few errors.
Response includes language
and tone consistently
appropriate to the audience,
purpose, and specific
requirements of the prompt.
Consistently cites sources
using appropriate format.
Attempts to include
disciplinary content in
argument, but understanding
of content is weak; content is
irrelevant, inappropriate, or
inaccurate.
Briefly notes disciplinary
content relevant to the prompt;
shows basic or uneven
understanding of content;
minor errors in explanation.
Accurately presents
disciplinary content relevant to
the prompt with sufficient
explanations that demonstrate
understanding.
Integrates relevant and
accurate disciplinary content
with thorough explanations
that demonstrate in-depth
understanding.
Focus
Controlling Idea
Organization
Conventions
Content
Understanding
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
Background for Students
Not provided
Extension
Not provided
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
Section 2: What Skills?
Preparing for the Task
BRIDGING CONVERSATION > TASK ENGAGEMENT: Ability to connect the task and new content to
existing knowledge, skills, experiences, interests, and concerns.
TASK AND RUBRIC ANALYSIS > TASK ANALYSIS: Ability to understand and explain the task's
prompt and rubric.
Reading Process
PRE-READING > TEXT SELECTION: Ability to identify appropriate texts.
ACTIVE READING > ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY: Ability to identify and master terms essential to
understanding a text.
ACTIVE READING > NOTE-TAKING: Ability to select important facts and passages for use in one's own
writing.
POST-READING > ENHANCING COMPREHENSION: Ability to identify the central point and main
supporting elements of a text.
POST-READING > ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Ability to use and credit sources appropriately.
Transition to Writing
BRIDGING CONVERSATION > IDENTIFYING SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS: Ability to begin linking
reading results to writing task.
Writing Process
PLANNING > PLANNING THE WRITING: Ability to develop a line of thought and text structure
appropriate to an argumentation task.
DEVELOPMENT > INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH: Ability to establish a claim and consolidate
information relevant to task.
DEVELOPMENT > BODY PARAGRAPHS: Ability to construct an initial draft with an emerging line of
thought and structure.
REVISION, EDITING, AND COMPLETION > REVISION: Ability to refine text, including line of thought,
language usage, and tone as appropriate to audience and purpose.
REVISION, EDITING, AND COMPLETION > EDITING: Ability to proofread and format a piece to make
it more effective.
REVISION, EDITING, AND COMPLETION > FINAL DRAFT: Ability to submit final piece that meets
expectations.
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
Section 3: What Instruction?
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
SCORING
GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Preparing for the Task
2 hrs
BRIDGING
CONVERSATION >
TASK
ENGAGEMENT:
Ability to connect the
task and new content
to existing knowledge,
skills, experiences,
interests, and
concerns.
IMMIGRATION
POSTER
In this activity,
students create a
poster exhibit on one
of the many immigrant
groups that have
come to America.
Not Provided
1. Divide the class into groups of two or three students and
assign each group one of the Immigrant Groups listed below.
2. Each group should do the following:
1. Research the immigrant group. Find information to answer
these questions:
1. When were the major period or periods of immigration
for this group?
2. Why did the immigrants come during the major
period(s) of immigration?
3. What obstacles did they face in the United States?
4. How has this immigrant group contributed to America?
5. Who are three important people of this descent?
Describe who they are and why they are important.
2. Create a poster exhibit that answers the five questions
above. Consider putting on your poster quotations from
important people, pictures (illustrations, photos, paintings)
of something related to the questions, copies of newspaper
articles on your topic, cartoons, maps, or other objects
related to your topic.
3. Be prepared to describe and explain your poster to the
class.
Immigrant Groups
African
Arab
Cambodian
Canadian
Central American
Chinese
Cuban
English, Welsh, and Scottish
Filipino
German
Indian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Jews from Eastern Europe and Russia
Korean
Mexican
Polish
Russian
Thai
Vietnamese
Another immigrant group (your choice)
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
SCORING
GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Standards:
RH.11-12.9 : Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or
event, noting discrepancies among sources.
RH.11-12.7 : Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
RH.11-12.3 : Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence,
acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RH.11-12.2 : Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes
clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
1 hr and
30 mins
BRIDGING
CONVERSATION >
TASK
ENGAGEMENT:
Ability to connect the
task and new content
to existing knowledge,
skills, experiences,
interests, and
concerns.
DIRECT
INSTRUCTION:
IMMIGRATION
DURING THE
INDUSTRIAL ERA
PPT
Use this power point
as direct instruction to
teach students about
immigration to the
United States during
the Industrial Era.
Not Provided
Not Provided
Additional Attachments:
 Immigration During the Industrial Era ppt
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PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
40 mins
BRIDGING
CONVERSATION >
TASK
ENGAGEMENT:
Ability to connect the
task and new content
to existing knowledge,
skills, experiences,
interests, and
concerns.
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
INTRODUCTION TO
IMMIGRATION FREE WRITE AND
CLASS DISCUSSION
1. Write the quick write
prompt on the
board. What is an
immigrant? Why would
someone leave their
home country? What
challenges does a new
immigrant face when
they arrive in a new
country. (20 minutes)
SCORING
GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Not Provided
Not Provided
Not Provided
Not Provided
2. Have students
share their responses
with a partner, and
have them decide on
three points or
ideas from their writing
that they would like to
share to the larger
group. (5 minutes).
3. As a class, discuss
the three questions
with the class. For the
second question, you
can divide what the
students say into push
and pull factors.
Instruct the students to
add new ideas to what
they have already
written. Brainstorm
with students
challenges that
immigrants face and
have them incorporate
possible family stories.
(15 minutes)
Reading Process
Not
provided
PRE-READING >
TEXT SELECTION:
Ability to identify
appropriate texts.
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IMMIGRATION DATA
SET
Student will be able to
analyze immigration
data and link this data
to historical events and
movements.
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
50 mins
PRE-READING >
TEXT SELECTION:
Ability to identify
appropriate texts.
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
INTERACTIVE TOUR
OF ELLIS ISLAND
Not Provided
SCORING
GUIDE
Not Provided
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
1. Students will be directed to the Interactive Tour of Ellis Island
website, and give them some basic knowledge of how to navigate
the website. Make sure that they know to look at the additional
tabs, with pictures, audio, and video.
2. Pass out the Ellis Island Tour Guide Questions, and let the kids
know that the tour goes along with the questions.
3. Have the kids explore the website, using the questions as a
guide. This should take approximately 40 minutes. When
students are finished, review answers and discuss the challenges
and experiences immigrants went through.
Additional Attachments:
 Ellis Island Tour Guiding Questions
 Interactive Ellis Island Tour
2 hrs
ACTIVE READING >
NOTE-TAKING:
Ability to select
important facts and
passages for use in
one's own writing.
ANALYZING
IMMIGRTATION
POLITICAL
CARTOON
Students will work with
a partner to analyze
immigration political
cartoon.
Not Provided
Students will work with a partner and analyze immigration political
cartoon.
1. Ask students to find a partner to work with.
2. Pass out "Analyzing Immigration Cartoons" handout.
3. Show the Example Cartoon. Go over with students what should
go in each box of the "Analyze Immigration Cartoon" handout.
4. Give each pair of students one of the immigration cartoons. Ask
them to discuss the cartoon with their partner. Ask students to
also fill in each box of the handout for the cartoon.
5. When students are done with one cartoon they should get
another cartoon and work on it until they are done with all of the
cartoons.
Standards:
RH.11-12.9 : Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or
event, noting discrepancies among sources.
RH.11-12.8 : Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
RH.11-12.7 : Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
RH.11-12.6 : Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims,
reasoning, and evidence.
RH.11-12.5 : Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger
portions of the text contribute to the whole.
RH.11-12.4 : Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and
refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
RH.11-12.3 : Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence,
acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RH.11-12.2 : Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes
clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RH.11-12.1 : Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from
specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
SCORING
GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Additional Attachments:
 Cartoon Example
 Immigration Cartoons
 Analyze Immigration Cartoons
Not
provided
POST-READING >
ENHANCING
COMPREHENSION:
Ability to identify the
central point and main
supporting elements of
a text.
CHINESE
IMMIGRATION AND
EXCLUSION (SHEG)
What factors led to the
Chinese Exclusion Act
Not Provided
1. Mini-lecture:
•During Civil War, the North passed laws that helped industry
(because the Southern representatives couldn’t block them).
• Congress passed the Pacific Railway Act of 1863: the
government would give RR companies free land and loan them
money to build the transcontinental railroad (afterwards, the RR
companies were supposed to sell the land on both sides of the
track and pay back the government, but they never ended up
doing that).
• Two companies competed to get the most land and money:
Union Pacific (built tracks from East to West) and Central Pacific
(built tracks from West to East).
• On May 10, 1869, the Central Pacific Railway met the Union
Pacific Railway in Promontory Point, Utah, marking the
completion of the transcontinental railroad.
2. Transition: the building of the railroad depended on the labor of
hundreds of thousands of workers. In the West, most of the
people who built the railroad were Chinese.
3. Hand out Timelines. Review with students. Ask students: Use
the timeline to generate hypotheses in response to this question:
What happened between the 1860s, when Chinese were
welcomed, and 1882, when they were excluded?
Elicit student hypotheses and have students fill in hypothesis
section of Graphic Organizer. Some hypotheses that students
should come up with:
• They were just racist against the Chinese. • The RR was
finished, so they didn’t need the Chinese anymore. • The Panic of
1873 meant more people were looking for jobs and they didn’t
want to compete with Chinese.
4. Hand out Documents A-D and have students complete Graphic
Organizer.
5. Explain homework: Write 1-page: What factors contributed to
the Chinese Exclusion Act? Use evidence to support your
answer.
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
SCORING
GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Standards:
RH.11-12.8 : Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
RH.11-12.7 : Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
RH.11-12.2 : Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes
clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RH.11-12.1 : Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from
specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
Additional Attachments:
 Documents and lesson plan
Transition to Writing
2 hrs
BRIDGING
CONVERSATION >
IDENTIFYING
SIGNIFICANT
ELEMENTS: Ability to
begin linking reading
results to writing task.
PREPARING
DOCUMENTS FOR
ESSAY
Students will become
familiar with the
documents that they
will use to write their in
class essay on
immigration.
Not Provided
1. Place students in groups of 4. Students' goal is to become
familiar with them before they write their essay.
2. Pass out packet of documents to each student. They should
write their name on the docs packet.
3. Pass out Document Analysis worksheet to each student.
4. Working collaboratively, students are to look at each document
and answer the set of questions for the document on their
Document Analysis worksheet.
5. Students should be able to answer the question "What does
this document say about immigration?" for each of the
documents.
4. This activity should take approximately two class periods. If
time, conduct a full class review of their responses on the
Document Analysis worksheet.
Standards:
RH.11-12.9 : Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or
event, noting discrepancies among sources.
RH.11-12.8 : Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
RH.11-12.7 : Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
RH.11-12.6 : Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims,
reasoning, and evidence.
RH.11-12.5 : Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger
portions of the text contribute to the whole.
RH.11-12.2 : Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes
clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
SCORING
GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Additional Attachments:
 Document Analysis Worksheet
 Documents
1 hr
BRIDGING
CONVERSATION >
IDENTIFYING
SIGNIFICANT
ELEMENTS: Ability to
begin linking reading
results to writing task.
IMMIGRATION
ESSAY PREP
ASSIGNMENT:
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
The purpose of this
assignment is to have
students recall the
“prior knowledge”
(what they already
know) about the
general topic of
immigration during the
Industrial Era. They will
be completing a TChart of positive and
negative aspects of
immigration and the
immigrant experience
during this time period.
Not Provided
1. Assign this task to students for homework.
2. In class the next day, put students in groups of 4.
3. Students share their individual lists of prior knowledge.
4. On a piece of binder paper, students create a list of prior
knowledge which incorporates all group members' knowledge.
This paper may be used, along with their prepped documents
packet and completed Document Analysis worksheet, as they
write their in-class essay.
Additional Attachments:
 Immigration Essay Prep Assignment: Prior Knowledge
Writing Process
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Argumentative Essay on Immigration
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
Not
provided
PLANNING >
PLANNING THE
WRITING: Ability to
develop a line of
thought and text
structure appropriate
to an argumentation
task.
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
MAKE AN
ARGUMENT: ANGEL
ISLAND; THE ELLIS
ISLAND OF THE
WEST
Was Angel Island
Really the Ellis Island
of the West.
SCORING
GUIDE
Not Provided
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Lesson Steps:
1. In addition to the textbook and lecture, students gather
information about Ellis Island from two sources. The first is a web
An Interactive Tour of Ellis Island by Scholastic and a short article
summarizing the history of Ellis Island.
(http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/index.htm
)
2. In addition to the textbook and lecture, students gather
information about Angel Island from a short video from KQED’s
Pacific Link website called Angel Island: The Stories Behind the
Poems and a short article called “Coming to America” from Social
Studies News, Weekly Reader Edition 4.
(http://www.kqed.org/w/pacificlink/history/angelisland/video/)
Students choose a side
in the argument and
write a paragraph
supporting or refuting
the claim with
evidence they have
gathered.
3. Students organize information from both experiences on a three
column description organizer from the Core Six book, page 20.
They organize their notes on Ellis and Angel Islands by finding
evidence for each of the criteria spelled out on the organizer.
4. The next step is to have students take this information and
arrange it into a Top Hat Organizer, page 18 from the Core Six
book. This organizer asks students to identify and write down
similarities in the two experiences, and also to find important
differences.
5. The final step is to have students make an argument
supporting or refuting the oft repeated claim, Angel Island, the
Ellis Island of the West. Students choose a side in the argument
and write a paragraph supporting or refuting the claim with
evidence they have gathered.
Modification of writing assignment for EL sheltered US History
class
The EL students write a compare and contrast paragraph, using
the Comparative Writing Framework from page 26 of the Core Six
book.
Standards:
RH.11-12.7 : Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
RH.11-12.6 : Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims,
reasoning, and evidence.
RH.11-12.3 : Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence,
acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RH.11-12.2 : Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes
clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RH.11-12.1 : Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from
specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
Literacy Design Collaborative
16 of 19
https://s.ldc.org/u/2ox5w8a8w15d7x246wq6wnqz6
Argumentative Essay on Immigration
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
SCORING
GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Additional Attachments:
 Discovering Angel Island
 Tour Of Ellis Island
 An Interactive Tour of Ellis Island
1 hr
REVISION, EDITING,
AND COMPLETION >
FINAL DRAFT: Ability
to submit final piece
that meets
expectations.
IMMIGRATION
ESSAY: FINAL
DRAFT
To what extent was the
United States a land of
opportunities for
immigrants?
Not Provided
From the end of the Civil War to 1925, the United States become
more of an “immigrant nation”. In large part, immigrants coming to
the United States were motivated by hopes of a better life in a
land of opportunity. For some, what they experienced often
differed from their expectations. They faced challenges in many
areas including:
• limited economic opportunities
• difficult living conditions in the cities
• legal and social discrimination.
Using your prior knowledge of this era and the immigrant
experience, study the provided documents.
Writing Prompt: To what extent was the United States a land of
opportunities for immigrants?
In your response, you must integrate evidence from the six
“documents” and provide appropriate citation.
Standards:
RH.11-12.9 : Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or
event, noting discrepancies among sources.
RH.11-12.7 : Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
RH.11-12.6 : Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims,
reasoning, and evidence.
RH.11-12.5 : Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger
portions of the text contribute to the whole.
RH.11-12.4 : Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and
refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
RH.11-12.3 : Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence,
acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RH.11-12.2 : Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes
clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RH.11-12.1 : Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from
specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
Literacy Design Collaborative
17 of 19
https://s.ldc.org/u/2ox5w8a8w15d7x246wq6wnqz6
Argumentative Essay on Immigration
PACING SKILL AND DEFINITION
PRODUCT AND
PROMPT
SCORING
GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Additional Attachments:
 Document 2
 Immigration Rubric
 Writing Assessments
Instructional Resources
No resources specified
Literacy Design Collaborative
18 of 19
https://s.ldc.org/u/2ox5w8a8w15d7x246wq6wnqz6
Argumentative Essay on Immigration
Section 4: What Results?
Student Work Samples
Advanced
 C1
 C2
 B1
 B2
 B3
 A1
 A2
 A3
 A4
Teacher Reflection
Not provided
Literacy Design Collaborative
19 of 19
https://s.ldc.org/u/2ox5w8a8w15d7x246wq6wnqz6
Argumentative Essay on Immigration
All Attachments
 Immigration and Business Graph : https://s.ldc.org/u/6xqdnarjc3f6w2o7sb84d8g89
 Immigration Line Graph : https://s.ldc.org/u/a8ennvqhu9bst86r2lwmo6ild
 Immigration Essay Prompt and Documents : https://s.ldc.org/u/79a4l93cs64aq1zmvrb274e6y
 Documents : https://s.ldc.org/u/doka37ce1jolid58hqgfeb318
 C1 : https://s.ldc.org/u/7eoyz0yiwlqm0uin5oziqk97
 C2 : https://s.ldc.org/u/cldf23fz02iw64eb77dsax1db
 B1 : https://s.ldc.org/u/8qtkdaa8loqjndp4dpj9ioqow
 B2 : https://s.ldc.org/u/b0rtwnafkjnw10lrd76a1yhsm
 B3 : https://s.ldc.org/u/5dkgelhtvhrlnyajg12q3ubz
 A1 : https://s.ldc.org/u/6f2wpimitotxkd75prp44cmhf
 A2 : https://s.ldc.org/u/8vn5o18f0s117b7ikl7la9ng9
 A3 : https://s.ldc.org/u/2hvvqim4h4s1216yn2ekyg7us
 A4 : https://s.ldc.org/u/6rs25m0qoli8a6cok2gk5gn3x
Literacy Design Collaborative
20 of 19
https://s.ldc.org/u/2ox5w8a8w15d7x246wq6wnqz6