Learning History Through Empathy

In Their Shoes

Much of the fourth-grade immigration unit involves research and analysis of real immigrant stories — both in our students' lives and throughout history — to understand how and why human migration happens and that our communities are built on that very migration. The experiential curriculum uses empathy as a tool for understanding history, helping our students make a lasting connection to the material, their own families, each other and the greater world. 

They begin by conducting interviews with an older family member, a grandparent or great-grandparent, to learn about their own family histories and any immigration stories that have shaped their path in America.

They create a family coat of arms and family tree to further visualize how families grow and migrate over time. They read immigrant stories and create a bundle to simulate the personal belongings someone might pack before beginning a journey away from home.

They also write letters from the first-person perspective of a child their own age, struggling with the harsh conditions of traveling in steerage to a new country, often leaving their home due to devastating hardship.

Among many other engaging lessons in the unit, these activities help our students build knowledge by connecting their own family histories to immigrant stories from the past. As our fourth graders learn about immigration from multiple perspectives, they draw comparisons between different cultures, generations, belief systems and traditions to form a well-rounded view of change through time. They practice historical research, build communication and presentation skills and gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be part of a community.

The Path to Citizenship

Toward the end of the unit, fourth graders learn the steps toward naturalization in the United States. They talk about current events related to immigration, analyze immigration statistics, review the citizenship test and break down the Oath of Citizenship into kid-friendly language. By the time they walk into the District Court of Maryland, they understand that the road to becoming a citizen can be long and challenging.

On the day of the ceremony this March, our fourth graders entered the courthouse with an air of reverence and respect. After opening remarks from federal magistrate judge the Honorable Beth Gesner, (Severn alumni parent ’13, ’18 and current Trustee), Elise ‘27, Alexis ‘27, Brooke ‘27 and Rowan ‘27 presented to the crowd, enthusiastic to welcome the group as new citizens of the United States.

“As we have learned the songs that we will sing to you today, we are full of pride that these are now your songs, your flag and your country too. We know that you have come from different backgrounds and you will never forget your homelands. My family comes from Ireland. Still, we share many of the same dreams. And now you are a part of our family, our American family.” — Rowan ‘27

After each candidate received their certificates, our 4th graders sang America the Beautiful followed by a celebretory reception outside the courtroom. Our students circulated the crowd and greeted each family, asking about their journeys toward citizenship.

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