People on the Move

 

 

Irish Immigration during the Potato Famine, Westward Expansion 

 

 

Potato Famine Migration

 

PRINT RESOURCES: NON-FICTION

 

     Availabe through WCLS

 

The Irish Potato Famine : the Story of Irish-American Immigration / by Edward F. Dolan http://tinyurl.com/p82etm 

This would be a great place for students to start.  It may be a bit simple for some of your students (intended for grades 4-6), but it gets a great review and is perfectly on target as far as subject matter.  Review Excerpt: "Beginning with an account of how the potato famine affected life in Ireland, this volume describes the major wave of immigration that brought a million of that country's citizens to North America between 1845 and 1851. The clear text describes the dangers of the Atlantic crossing and the challenges the immigrants faced in the New World. Black-and-white historical reproductions enhance the book."  2003 Horn Book Guide Reviews

 

Black potatoes : the story of the great Irish famine, 1845-1850 / Susan Campbell Bartoletti http://tinyurl.com/qd2jqe

This seems to be the top source on this topic.  Reviews of other materials reference this work as a must-have.  Gr. 6-12. Starred Review (Booklist):  "Through the voices of the Irish people, Bartoletti tells the history of the Great Irish Famine of the late 1840s. Eyewitness accounts and memories combine with devastating facts: one million died from starvation and disease; two million emigrated; the famine could have been avoided; the legacy was a bitter resentment against the English, who owned most of Ireland. The year-by-year political history is occasionally heavy going; but, as she did in Growing Up in Coal Country (1996), a Booklist Editors' Choice, Bartoletti humanizes the big events by bringing the reader up close to the lives of ordinary people. There are heartbreaking accounts of evictions, of the Irish starving while food is exported to England, and of deaths in the coffin ships that took the desperate to North America. The text is broken up with many black-and-white drawings from newspapers of the time, and a long final essay includes information about books, primary sources, library collections, and Web sites that readers can turn to for school reports and for research into their own family histories. It's a wonder there are so few nonfiction books about this subject for young people."  Includes Primary Source material. 

 

Feed the Children First : Irish memories of the Great Hunger / edited by Mary E. Lyons. 

This book, like Black Potatoes above, offers more stirring personal accounts of the famine.  This resource should be more accessible than Black Potatoes as it it shorter and written at a lower level. Review: "Gr 4-8-This beautifully crafted work combines first-person accounts of Ireland's potato famine, the Great Hunger of 1845-1852, with artwork that recalls those times. Following a concise, informative introduction, the brief selections speak of the people and the land before the Great Hunger, the potato blight and subsequent starvation and illness, the poorhouse, soup kitchens, relief works, eviction, and emigration. They bear witness not only to unbearable suffering, but also to the humanity, dignity, and endurance of a people. Almost all are Irish voices, stories handed down through the families of survivors. Although no photographs of the Great Hunger exist, Irish newspapermen traveling through the country made sketches, and painters later used the theme; full-color reproductions of many are perfectly paired with the selections, as are a few photographs from a later famine. The attractive layout makes effective use of white space. The whole is a fine accompaniment to Susan Campbell Bartoletti's Black Potatoes (Houghton, 2001) and Patricia Reilly Giff's novel, Nory Ryan's Song (Delacorte, 2000), as well as powerful testimony to the suffering of famine victims worldwide."- Reviewied in School Library Jounal.  This title received favorable reviews in Booklist, Horn Book and Publisher's Weekly as well.  Includes Primary Source material.

 

The famine ships : the Irish exodus to America 1846-51 / Edward Laxton http://tinyurl.com/qghmqp

For more advanced students, this adult work should really get to the heart of why so many Irish citizens felt the need to move to America and what they expected to find there.  Much attention is paid to the time on the ships.  Includes Primary source material.

 

     Not available through WCLS

 

The Irish Famine: The Birth of Irish America by Tony Allanhttp://tinyurl.com/q8x5hc

Recommended for Middle School students as an overview.  This title includes primary source material as well as suggestions for finding more resources.

Reviewed in Library Media Specialist.

 

 

PRINT RESOURCES: FICTION

 

Nory Ryan's Song / Patricia Reilly Giff http://tinyurl.com/nyl9ka

An excellent novel that would be great for lit circles.  Review (School Library Journal, 2002): Set at the beginning of the Irish Potato Famine in 1845, this survival story is told by lively, 12-year-old Nory Ryan. She shares a small dwelling with her family, hens, and a pig in a subsistence-farming village on the country's west-central coast. They are anxiously awaiting the return of their Da, who has gone to sea to earn money. Their English landlord is evicting tenants who cannot pay rent, forcing them into the streets, and destroying their thatch-roofed huts. Hunger is common before blight destroys the potato crop; with no potatoes, the people face starvation. The Ryans are eager to join the lucky ones who have obtained passage to America. Nory's observations of the land, cliffs, sea, and people in her community are woven with poignant memories and realistic conversations that vividly re-create this tragic period in Ireland's history. The child grows in strength and courage as she seeks food for her family and friends. The fast pace might occasionally force readers to pause and assimilate the details she shares, and to seek out more information. The book opens with a list of Irish words with definitions and pronunciation guide. Today's readers will appreciate this compelling story with a wonderful female protagonist who is spirited and resourceful, and has a song in her heart."

 

Maggie's door / Patricia Reilly Giff 

Another great fiction story about Nory Ryan (see above).  Packed with information and discussion topics. Gr 4-8-Review (School Library Journal, 2003): "Fans of Nory Ryan's Song (Delacorte, 2000) will not want to miss this sequel. It begins as Nory leaves her home in Ireland a few days behind her friend Sean Red Mallon, his mother, and Nory's four-year-old brother, Patch, to embark on their journey to America. In alternating stories, Nory and Sean relate their distressing experiences as they make their way toward Nory's sister's house in Brooklyn. Both characters face trickery, cruelty, starvation, filthy conditions, and storms at sea, but they are determined to reach their destination. The theme is one of courage and hope for the future. The characters are developed fully, revealing their determination and courage, as well as their fears. Both Nory and Sean grow as individuals as they face each obstacle to their final goal. The mood of anticipation and apprehension is sustained as readers travel with them toward Maggie's door. Giff's descriptive language and detailed descriptions enable children to visualize the countryside and events along the way. Factual information on the potato blight and the resulting emigration is explained in an afterword. A welcome addition to any historical-fiction collection." 

 

 

DVD/CD-ROM RESOURCES

 

Forced to Flee: Famine and Plague  : A DVD with lesson plan by Discovery Education http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/forcedtoflee/

The website provides a lesson plan that appears to be right on target for your topic and intended for students in grades 6-8.  Clear objectives are stated as well as extension ideas, discussion questions and links to more information.  Reviews were unavailable but Discovery Education has a decent reputation.

 

 

ONLINE RESOURCES

 

     Premium (must have WCLS card to access)

 

There are only brief entries in the databases on the Irish Potato Famine.  There are short encyclopedia-style articles in World Book and Culture Grams.  All of this information is presented in other sources listed. 

 

     General

 

The History Place: Irish Potato Famine http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/famine/index.html

There is a lot of information here.  The ads are annoying but can be skipped.  This section has eight parts spanning from before the famine to After the Famine.  The information seems right on target for your purposes. 

 

Library of Congress' Irish Immigration Pages  http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/immig/irish2.html

The Library of Congress focuses on the the lives of the estimated 4.5 million Irish immigrants who arrived in America between 1820 and 1930.  Focus is on their adjustment to life in a new country.  Their poverty and Catholic religion are highlighted on these pages.

 

 

 

Westward Expansion

 

PRINT RESOURCES

 

Words West : Voices of Young Pioneers / Ginger Wadsworth  http://tinyurl.com/lsyznh 

This looks like a great resource for your purposes.  It was well-reviewed in School Library Journal for Grades 5-8.  It includes personal accounts of the journey including accounts of hardship and adventure from the point of view of children.  Also discusses the impact of migration on Native people.  Includes Primary source material.

 

Life on the Oregon Trail / by Gary L. Blackwood 

An excellent resource for reports.  Review (School Library Journal): "Gr 5-8- A thorough and appealing account of the journey from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean in the mid-1800s. Blackwood covers the pilgrimage from its planning stages through the pioneers' final destinations. Numerous diary excerpts tell of an unmerciful life on the trail where disease caused 9 out of every 10 emigrants' deaths and virtually every family suffered the loss of a child. The text details how the travelers "came to grief" and "what they found to enjoy." Interestingly enough, many of them thought the Indians more of a nuisance than a threat. Blackwood reports on resourceful individuals who created roadside telegraphs by carving and painting messages for fellow travelers on rocks and bones near the trail; one young couple managed to keep their romance a secret from disapproving fathers with this method. Inserts, maps, and black-and-white reproductions effectively augment the narrative. Well organized and extremely informative."  

 

The Oregon Trail in American History / Rebecca Stefoff http://tinyurl.com/pqeyzo 

Gr 4-6. Review (School Library Journal): "A serviceable overview of the Oregon Trail and its role in the westward expansion of the United States. The text opens by describing the first large wagon train to travel the route in 1843, marking the start of "Oregon Fever." Stefoff then retraces the roots of the national obsession with settling the West. Early exploration is discussed and particular attention is given to the pivotal role of Thomas Jefferson and the Lewis and Clark expedition in creating momentum among the pioneers of the mid-19th century. Subsequent chapters give a historical chronology of the Oregon Trail and cover practical issues such as how the pioneers prepared for the journey, the routines of life on the road, and some of the hardships and dangers they encountered en route. Readers are also informed about what awaited pioneers at some of the more popular destinations and, finally, about the current status of the Oregon Trail. A map and black-and-white period photos and reproductions are included, but what makes this book especially useful are the excerpts from original-source documents inset throughout the text. This volume is comparable in content to other titles published on the subject, although not as visually striking as Leonard Everett Fisher's The Oregon Trail (Holiday, 1990)." 

 

 

Growing up in Pioneer America, 1800 to 1890 / Judith Pinkerton Josephson  http://tinyurl.com/lkuzc7 

Gr 4-6 "Accessible, attractive, and useful."  says School Library Journal.  Includes Primary source material.

 

Westward expansion / by Michael V. Uschan

A great resource for more advanced students covering a broader topic than just the Oregon Trail.  Gr 6-10.  Review (School Library Journal): "A well-written historical overview...explains how the increase in population and immigration in the U.S. created a need for more land. The book also discusses Manifest Destiny, the Mormon expansion, Custer's Last Stand, the Republic of Texas, women on the trail, railroads, cattle, the Oklahoma land rush, and the discovery of gold in California. Each book ends with an analysis of the era and its legacy. The use of primary sources will help students understand how the authors gathered information and used it to construct the texts. Black-and-white photographs, maps, and period reproductions illustrate the volumes. Thought-provoking books that will introduce readers to American history and historical research." 

 

Lost in Death Valley : The True story of Four Families in California's Gold Rush / by Connie Goldsmith 

http://tinyurl.com/qe4mhp 

This is a more specific title focusing on the draw of the Gold Rush and a route that was not often followed.  Lots of detail on the danger and hardship of the journey.  Gr 5-8.  Reviewed in School Library Journal.

 

A covered wagon girl : the diary of Sallie Hester, 1849-1850 / edited by Christy Steele with Ann Hodgson 

Gr 4-6. Review (School Library Journal): "Selections from portions of diaries bring to life the everyday activities...a family traveling by wagon train on the Oregon Trail. Misspellings and mistakes have been retained for authenticity. Some background on the girls, their families, and the period is included. Well-placed color and black-and-white illustrations, including family photographs and reproductions, and additional articles explain and expand on the material found in the diaries.  Information on wagon-train rules, cholera, and more enhances Wagon Girl. Each book also includes a period craft or project with easy-to-follow instructions and suggestions for readers starting their own journal. The maps and time lines will be useful for reports...While slim, it provides personal glimpses into our history and introduce young readers to primary sources in historical context." 

 

Beyond the Frontier : the Story of the trails West / by Edward F. Dolan http://tinyurl.com/pjr5vy

Gr 4-8. Review (School Library Journal): Describes life on the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails, along with the sea routes taken by many California-bound adventurers. Dolan conveys some of the excitement that led so many to risk their lives on these journeys, along with the hardships and disappointments they encountered. The emphasis is on the travel experience rather than on any long-range effects of westward settlements. Quotations from journals lend realism and detail to the clear and readable accounts. A chapter devoted to the Donner Party vividly captures the tragedy. Extended shifts to a second-person narrative ("Let's imagine that you're a forty-niner-") are less compelling. Black-and-white photos and reproductions capture the frontier spirit."  Reviewed in School Library Journal  

 

 

DVD/CD-ROM RESOURCES

 

The Oregon Trail http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/storedvd.html

A two-hour DVD documentary divided into half-hour segments.  This looks like a high-quality video overview for your students.  It gets good reviews from Library Journal, School Library Journal, Booklist and others.  At $18 this seems a good value.  It's also available on VHS through WCLS  

 

PBS American Experience 

This award-winning series has videos on the Gold Rush http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/ , The Donner Party http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/donner/, and The Iron Road http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/iron/ .  Each subject has a website with more information, including teacher pages that offer ideas for discussion questions, follow-up activities, maps, timelines, etc.  Suitable for middle school but a lot of the information is above a 5th grade reading level (Gr 5-10).

 

Ken Burn's Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/ .  . 

An award-winning  film and extensive website.  There is so much here.  Great lesson plans and a wonderful film, but the whole package is probably too advanced for your students.  More of a teacher resource to pick and choose from.

 

The Oregon Trail [electronic resource] : adventures along the Oregon Trail http://tinyurl.com/r5n5a6

The classic simulation game (CD-ROM) that allows players to simulate a journey along the Oregon Trail.

 

 

ONLINE RESOURCES

 

Best of History Websites: Westward Expansion http://www.besthistorysites.net/USHistory_WestwardExpansion.shtml

An annotated and reviewed list of websites on this topic. 

 

The Oregon Trail http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html

A fun, accessible site with lots of information.  Produced by the makers of the Oregon trail film mentioned in the DVD section above.  Includes Primary Source material from diaries and memoirs

 

Mr Donn's Oregon Trail Page http://americanhistory.mrdonn.org/oregontrail.html 

This page links to lots of good information especially designed for middle school students.  There are some links to nice lesson plans that would be especially useful for finding activity ideas related to the topic.