Lesson Name: Turn of the Century Immigrant Letter

Category: Canadian History

Course Code: CHC 2D/2P

Created By: David Butler, Mark Melnyk and Adrienne Chong

School: Markville Secondary School

Level: Grade 10

Time: 2 periods in class, time to complete project at home

Rationale:

Students will research the experiences of one group of immigrants to Canada from the turn of the century. Students will then role-play as an immigrant updating relatives in the old country about their first year as a Canadian.

Expectations:

Demographic Patterns

· Identify the major groups that have immigrated to Canada from 1900 to the present and describe the circumstances (e.g. push and pull factors) that led to their immigration

· explain how immigrants, individually and as communities, have participated in and contributed to the development of Canada

Scientific and Technological Impact

• explain how and why developments in transportation and communication technology affected life during the twentieth century
• compare how Canadians worked during the industrial era with how they work in the post-industrial era

Researching, Recoding, and Organizing Information

• use school and public libraries, resource centres, museums, historic sites, and community and government resources effectively to gather information on Canadian history
• use computer-stored information and the Internet effectively to research Canadian history topics
• record and organize information effectively using notes, lists, concept webs, timelines, charts, maps, graphs, and mind maps

Communicating Research Results and Applying Insights

• make reasoned generalizations or appropriate predictions based on research
• demonstrate competence in research and writing (e.g., gathering information, building an argument, supporting the argument with evidence, writing clearly, editing)
• demonstrate, after participating in dramatizations of historical events, insights into historical figures’ situations and decisions

Instructions:

This project combines issues related to immigration with a look at daily life in Canada at the turn of the century. Students should already have a background in push & pull factors of immigration, Canada’s “Open Door” policy of immigration, and knowledge of home countries of immigrants.

Step One: Introduction to Immigration

1. Show the Heritage Minute entitled "Soddie" to the class. Ask the students questions about the couple portrayed in the clip: Who are they? Where are they from? What are they doing? Why are they there?, etc. Your goal is to get the students thinking about the story behind these characters, and to understand their motivations.
2. Some classes may show interest in Chinese-Canadian history, in which case you can also show the Heritage Minute "Nitro" and discuss their contribution to the railroad.
3. Distribute the Handout “Immigrant Letter” to the class. Students are to compose a letter written from the point of view of an immigrant to Canada at the turn of the century. First, however, they must complete research to the teacher’s satisfaction; only then can they begin the letter.

Step Two: Research

1. Students must choose their country of origin (Eastern Europe, USA, Asia, etc) as well as their destination in Canada (a prairie homestead, a growing city, or working on the railroad).
2. Explain the criteria for proper research notes (full bibliographical information on page, handwritten notes, point form, etc).
3. Students are to research four aspects of their fictitious character’s life:

A) Details on their home country, reason for leaving, voyage to Canada

B) Description of their new role (farmer, factory worker, labourer)

C) Nature of daily family life at the turn of the century

D) Manufactured goods that would be available, prices, and wages

An excellent source for this information is the Canadiana Scrapbook A Nation Beckons, but other print sources could also suffice (websites on this topic are rare)

4. Students should find two pages of notes before the teacher checks off and signs the worksheet.

Step Three: Composing the Letter

1. Once their research is satisfactory, students can begin writing their letter. Go over the attached rubric to stress the criteria (historical background, creativity, use of family relationships, etc).
2. The letter writing process should be done as homework. Give the students a couple of nights or a weekend to complete the task.
3. Encourage students to use creative presentation, as well as creative language.

Materials

1. The handout “Immigrant Letter”
2. Canadiana Scrapbook: A Nation Beckons (or an alternative source for student research)
3. Heritage Minutes ("Soddie" & "Nitro") can be used to introduce immigrant storytelling.

Assessment & Evaluation:

Assess student research as part of the process. Once you are satisfied, “sign off” on the first sheet. Make it clear that you will not mark a student’s letter until their research has been approved regardless of the letter’s quality.

Evaluate the completed product using the rubric on page two of the document “Immigrant Letter”. Give it a mark out of 25.