Great Migration Unit Plan

By Kevin Masson
Grade ⅘ - Fleetwood Bawden School

Rationale
This unit will have students learning about the different culture groups that immigrated and
emigrated to/from Canada in the 1700s. These groups include the Acadians, Americans, United
Empire Loyalists, the immigrants from the British Isles, and the Black Slaves of America. The
students will learn about each of these groups relationship to both their home country and to
Canada, as well as how each of these groups have resulted in our particularly diverse country
we have today.

GLOs Assessed: 5.2

SLOs Assessed: 5.2- 3,5,6,8

Key Questions
● What were the different groups that emigrated and immigrated to Canada?
● What reasons did they have to come/leave Canada?
● How did it contribute to Canada’s diversity today?

Resources:
Our Land and People Textbook
Crash Course series on YouTube
Underground Railway Documentary

Major Assignments
● Mind Map Project

Other Assessments
● Culture Flipbook
● American Revolution Exit Slip
● Underground Railroad Journal

Enrichment
Students who seem to be excelling can make a supporting project of their mind map through
researching the learned about cultures as they are seen today or their conditions before
emigrating and making a poster to present to the class.

Subject/Grade Social 4/5

Unit Planning Resource Great Migration
Lesson Sequence Unit
 Duration
Total Instructional Hours Allotted
Teacher Name: Mr. Kevin Masson

Lesson # 1 Intro and Expulsion of Acadia

Outcome(s) 2.3 - Stories of the habitants
Assessment Evidence(s) Journal responses
Resources Marianne Pritchett Journal
Learning Activity(s) Begin will a note about how diverse Canada is as a country culture wise. Lead into how
in this unit we will learn about how different events in this time period have lead to
Canada having many different cultures migrate and emigrate our country.

Recall what Acadia was and how it contributed to Canadian history. Explain about how
Britain took over New France and how Acadians were forced to leave because they felt
they had their own identity. Read the Journal of Marianne Pritchett to consider how the
Acadians felt at this time.

Have students to a readers response to how they would feel if they were forced to leave
their home country and live in a place they weren’t accustomed to. Have students go
into groups of 2 or 3 and circulate to see answers.

Lesson # 2 United Empire Loyalists Lesson 1

Outcome(s) 2.5 - Stories of the UEL
- Diversity of UEL
Assessment Evidence(s) Observation and answers to concluding questions
Learning Activity(s) Ask students what they know about the American Revolution. Note how the American
Revolution was key in making Eastern Canada as diverse as it is today. Consider why
the Revolution happened and why it happened. Give a brief explanation of what a
Loyalist is and how there is more than one group of people who are loyalists. Watch
the Crash Course video on the American Revolution with students looking to hear
about who the loyalists are and why they were loyalists. After the video debrief by
asking who supported Britain and why. Why did it make Canada more diverse once the
war finished?

Lesson # 3 UEL Lesson 2

Outcome(s) 2.5 - Stories of the UEL
Diversity of UEL

Assessment Evidence(s) Discussion questions

Learning Activity(s) Have students recall what we were learning about in the American revolution. Who were the Loyalists
and where did they go after the war?

Have students read through the Invasion of Canada where Loyalists have to defend Quebec from rebels.
After reading, have students discuss in table groups questions about the text and how it affected Canada.
After the story discuss about why the Loyalists won and how would it be different today if the
Americans won.

Lesson # 4 UEL lesson 3

Outcome(s) 2.5 - Stories of the UEL
Diversity of UEL

Assessment Evidence(s) Discussion

Learning Activity(s) Have students each get a role during the American Revolution composed of the Americans, First
Nations, British Loyalists, and the Black Slaves. Who did each of these people support and why?
 Students will work in table groups to form an idea based on what they have learned. After discussion
each table will share they answers and we will create a chart on the board about who were the Loyalists
and why they supported Britain.

Give students an exit slip to assess how well they understand who all supported Britain and why, and
why it changed Canada ttoday.

Lesson # 5 UEL Lesson 4

Outcome(s) 2.5 - Stories of the UEL
Diversity of UEL

Assessment Evidence(s) Observation

Learning Activity(s) Students will recall each of the different parties of the American Revolution. They will be tasked with
creating a skit where one person interviews each other member of their group of 4. Each other students
will have a role of one of the people in the American Revolution. They will have to answer who they
support and why, giving students freedom to be creative with their responses.

Lesson # 6 British Immigrants

Outcome(s) 2.6 - Stories of British, Irish and Scottish immigrants
Assessment Evidence(s) Discussion and notes.
Learning Activity(s) Students will have 3 workshops to go to. At one of students will watch a video on the Irish potato
famine, the industrial revolution (britain), and the last one of the Scots that settled in Nova Scotia. They
will take notes on why they left their homeland and came to Canada. Students will have 10-15 minute at
each station then will rotate. Students will have a concluding discussion on how we see them today.
Students will have a take-home slip of paper to ask their parents what heritage they are to see who is
Irish and Scottish, and other cultures we have in our classroom that emigrated to Canada.

Lesson # 7 The Underground Railway

Outcome(s) 2.8 - Stories of the underground railroad

Assessment Evidence(s) Discussion

Learning Activity(s) Begin with asking students to hand in any surveys they have from their parents. Students will have one
more day to get them all in. Ask students what they know about the underground railroad. It was a way
for black slaves to come to Canada and escape slavery because we abolished slavery before the
Americans. What have we learned about black slaves coming to Canada before?

Watch a documentary on the railway. How did it make Canada more diverse?

Lesson # 8 Underground Railway 2

Outcome(s) 2.8 - Stories of the underground railroad

Assessment Evidence(s) Journal Responses

Learning Activity(s) Recall the Underground Railway. What was it? Consider how many slaves had to leave their families
and friends to get to freedom. Ask students to consider what their decision would be. If students would
prioritize freedom, go to the right side of the room, those who would stay with their families at risk of
dying. It’s a hard choice, with really no right answer. Students will write a journal entry on their
decision. Students will then pair and share their ideas.

Lesson # 8 Summary Flipbook

Outcome(s) 2.8 - Stories of the underground railroad

Assessment Evidence(s) Flipbook

Learning Activity(s) Students will consider all the different culture groups that they have learned about in our unit. We will be
creating a flipbook we can use for all that we learned about so far. The flipbook will have a page for the
Acadians, Loyalists, Americans, British Isles immigrants, and the Black slaves. Each page should have
info on who each culture was in point form, what country they came from, and why they came/left
Canada.
Lesson # 11 Mind Mapping Project
Outcome(s) 2.3 - Stories of the habitants
2.5 - Stories of the UEL
-Diversity of UEL
2.6 - Stories of British, Irish and Scottish immigrants
2.8 - Stories of the underground railroad

Assessment Evidence(s) Mind Map project

Learning Activity(s) Students will be creating a mind map project on the computer or on a posterboard. Students will use this
class to create their accounts on mindmeister. The mind map will consider all the different groups of
people coming and going from Canada. Add in subsections about what country they are from and some
of their reasons for coming and going from Canada.

Lesson # 12 Mind Mapping Project

Outcome(s) 2.3 - Stories of the habitants
2.5 - Stories of the UEL
-Diversity of UEL
2.6 - Stories of British, Irish and Scottish immigrants
2.8 - Stories of Chinese Immigrants
- Stories of the underground railroad
2.9 - Stories of immigrants from Germany
Pressure to conform

Assessment Evidence(s) Mind Map project

Learning Activity(s) Students will continue working on their mind maps.

Lesson # 13 Mind Mapping Project

Outcome(s) 2.3 - Stories of the habitants
2.5 - Stories of the UEL
-Diversity of UEL
2.6 - Stories of British, Irish and Scottish immigrants
2.8 - Stories of Chinese Immigrants
- Stories of the underground railroad
2.9 - Stories of immigrants from Germany
Pressure to conform

Assessment Evidence(s) Mind Map project

Learning Activity(s) Students will continue working on their mind maps.

Lesson # 14 Mind Mapping Project

Outcome(s) 2.3 - ways of life in New France by exploring and reflecting upon
- How do stories and legends of the coureurs des bois and voyageurs inform us about
Francophone history, culture and presence throughout Canada
2.4 - Examine the ways of life of the fur traders by reflecting upon
- How are the stories of the Métis people, their culture and heritage rooted in the fur trade
- What were the main languages spoken by fur traders and their families in the fur trade forts?

Assessment Evidence(s) Mind Map project

Learning Activity(s) Students will work to finish their mind maps this class.
 Assessment Plan
Stage 1 – Desired Results
Established Goals – GLO(s):
General Outcome 2 – Histories and Stories
Ge
Understandings:
Students will understand that…
Canada is composed of many different diverse
groups of people
Canada has a deep history of being a home to
many immigrants, but also with groups of
people leaving or being forced to leave
Essential Questions:
● What were the different groups that
emigrated and immigrated to Canada?
● What reasons did they have to come/leave
Canada?
● How did it contribute to Canada’s diversity
today?

Prior understandings… Students will be able to… (SLOs):

New France
2.3 - Stories of New France
Diversity of the British Isles - Stories of the habitants

2.5 - Who were the United Empire Loyalists

- Stories of the United Empire Loyalists
- Diversity of the United Empire Loyalists

2.6 - Stories of the immigrants of the British Isles

Where does this lead?
- Stories of the Irish and Scottish Immigrants
- Stories of the British Immigrants

2.8 - Stories of Non-European Immigrants

- Stories of the Underground Railroad

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Pre-Assessment

Discussion Questions about the history of the Acadians, and the dynamic between the British and the
French in Canada
Quizzes, Tests, Assignments Performance Tasks, Projects

Immigrant/Emigrant Mind Map

Other Evidence (observations, work samples, Student self-assessment

dialogues)

Expulsion of Acadia journal

American Revolution Exit Slip

British Isles Discussion

Underground Railroad Journal

Culture Flipbook

Assessments
Discussion
Title Journal Entry UEL Exit Slip FlipBook Mind Map
Questions
Learning
Type
Outcomes (Formative/Summ
Formative
Formative Formative Formative Summative
ative)

Weighting

2.3 - Stories of the Habitants X X X

2.5 - Stories and Diversity of
the UEL X X X X

2.6 - Stories of the immigrants

of the British Isles X X X

2.8 - Stories of Non-European

Immigrants (Underground
X X X X
Railroad)