WHAT IS THE
AMERICAN DREAM?
ELLIS ISLAND
American Literature Honors
Mr. Gallegos
Semester One
Anticipation Guide Warm-Up
• As you read each of the statements on the
worksheet, use a scale from 1-10 to rate the extent to
which these ideas are prevalent (widespread) today.
If the idea presented in the statement is something
you are exposed to on a regular basis, rate it a 10.. If
you do not see evidence of the statement at all in
American Society, rate it a 1.
• Remember, there are plenty of numbers in between!
Where is the American Dream Realized?
• Our educational system.
• Freedom of religion and faith.
• Right to pursue your dreams.
• The careers we choose.
• The structure of our families.
• In hard work.
• A free press.
• Scientific endeavors.
• Equality of opportunities.
Learning Objectives
• Content Objective: Students will be able to explain the
essential learning goals for the first unit.
• Content Objective: Students will be able to compare
and contrast between primary and secondary sources.
• Language Objective: Students will read Pages 1 and 4
in the SpringBoard book.
• Language Objective: Students will read the poem “Ellis
Island” and annotate the poem for the dreams and
disappointments of the people as they are expressed in
the poem.
Primary and Secondary Sources
Record in Your Spiral Notebooks
• Primary Source: An original document containing
firsthand information about a subject. (Examples: Original
photograph, original work of art, letters, diary entries,
videos, Interview)
• Secondary Source: Discussion or commentary on a
primary source; they key feature of a secondary source is
that if offers interpretation of information gathered from
primary sources. (Examples: Biographies, encyclopedias,
Books Analyzing Civil War, Article Critiquing Art, History
Book)
Ellis Island
• Ellis Island, in Upper New York Bay, was the gateway for
millions of immigrants to the United States as the nation's
busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The
island was greatly expanded with land reclamation between
1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island
was the site of Fort Gibson and later a naval magazine. The
island was made part of the Statue of Liberty National
Monument in 1965, and has hosted a museum of immigration
since 1990. A 1998 United States Supreme Court decision
found most of the island to be part of New Jersey. The south
side of the island, home to the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital,
is closed to the general public and the object of restoration
efforts spearheaded by Save Ellis Island. The island has been
closed to the public since Hurricane Sandy in October 2012[4]
with no re-opening date projected.
Ellis Island
Biographical Sketch
• Please read the directions for the biographical sketch on
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Page 4 of the SpringBoard books.
You will write your own biographical sketch so that I can
get to know you better.
Feel free to add onto the essay if you wish as long as it
says something about who you are as a person.
Be as descriptive as possible. Paint images in the minds
of your audience.
We will work on the biographical sketches in class
tomorrow.