Lowell's Immigration Stories

On March 21st, Team Gibbas fourth graders visited the Tsongas Industrial History Center in Lowell, Massachusetts as part of our fourth grade study of immigration.  While there students were able to tour the weaving room and saw some of the looms in operation.

To understand a bit about what it was like for immigrants coming to the United States from a different country, students were given a passport which told the story of a real person that immigrated to Lowell.

Then students pretended to be that immigrant meeting an immigration officer.  Students had to say hello in their native language, and state their name and their country of origin.

Students then got together with other "immigrants" from their home country and looked at real artifacts of items that people brought from their home country when relocating to America.

Later students were able to experience what it was like to be part of a town meeting in the late 1800's when the town of Lowell was trying to decide whether or not citizens should pay to have a school built for Irish immigrants.  Students took on different roles in the town meeting, some acting as citizens, and others as town officers.  Citizens dressed in period costumes and stated their opinion about whether or not the tax payers should pay for the school based on the information on their role card.  Many girls were shocked to find out that their opinions and votes didn't count because women didn't have the right to vote!  

Students learned a lot and had fun on this field trip!

A visitor from India

India presentation

By: Student Blogger Akash

On Monday, April 1st, Vinitha Muraleedharan (my mom), came into our classroom to talk about the process that she had to go through to enter United States and to become an American citizen. She also told us the things that she misses about her home country India. Vinitha made a slideshow for the presentation.  She started off by speaking about her early life.Vinitha grew up in Mangalore and moved to Bangalore when she was eighteen. She started kindergarten when she was THREE! Can you believe that! She speaks Malayalam and she is from Kharala. She misses many Indian holidays such as, Vishu and Onam. Of course, those aren’t all Indian holidays, but those are the traditional holidays for people in Kharala.

In school Vinitha had to wear uniforms every day from kindergarten to high school. Only on your birthday there is an exception. On your birthday you can wear what you want. But, it has to be formal.

She also taught us how she applied for her United States citizenship and about having a student visa, then work visa, and then green card. The slideshow brought up many spectacular conversations and questions.

Thank you for visiting our classroom and teaching us!

Tales first-hands from other lands

As part of our fourth grade Social Studies curriculum, Team Gibbas students learned about how different groups of people immigrated to the United States and contributed to the present day culture of the United States.  Students learned that people come to the United States for different reasons, experience different challenges, and contribute to American society in different ways.  To enhance our study of immigration we invited Team Gibbas family members that were first generation immigrants to visit our classroom and to share their first hand experiences on what it was like growing up in a different country and immigrating to the United States.

Thank you so much to the Team Gibbas family members that came into the classroom to teach us about immigrating from India, Australia, Ireland, and El Salvador!  We learned so much from you!

Akash's mother taught us about immigrating from India.

Maddie's dad taught us about immigrating from Australia.

Christian's mom taught us about immigrating from Ireland.

She even taught us how to do an Irish step dance!

Zach (a.k.a. Michael Jackson)'s grandmother taught us about immigrating from El Salvador.