THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR GRADES 1-5
European Migration to Tilting, Newfoundland
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, students will learn about historical connections between Tilting,
Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ireland. Using the Canadian Atlas Online, students will
compare and contrast two settlements on the island of Newfoundland Tilting and Trinity.
Students will be encouraged to use historical data to construct maps and interpret pie
charts.
Grade Level
Grades 1-5 (elementary school)
Grades 6-8 (middle school)
Time Required
Teachers should be able to conduct the lesson in one or two classes.
Curriculum Connection (Province/Territory and course)
Atlantic Provinces Curriculum for Social Studies: Council of Atlantic Ministers of Education
and Training (CAMET): Newfoundland and Labrador K-6 Outcomes
Atlantic Canada Grade 1-6 social studies
Link to the Canadian Atlas Online (CAOL)
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/ Explore by themes: Natural Resources - Fishery
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required
Student Worksheet: European Migration to Tilting, Newfoundland (attached)
Map of Newfoundland
Map of Atlantic Ocean
Assessment Rubric for Historical Atlas Tilting, NL (attached)
Main Objective
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to make historical connections between
Tilting and Ireland. Students will be able to compare and contrast the origins of the settlers
from Tilting to those from Trinity, Newfoundland. Students will be exposed to mapping
skills, use of an atlas, and finding the locations of two historical Newfoundland towns. The
term migration will be defined and reasons will be suggested for migration across the
Atlantic during the 1800’s.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Define migration.

Determine the origin of the early settlers in Tilting, Newfoundland.

Compare and contrast the origins of settlers for Tilting and Trinity.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR GRADES 1-5

Based on given data, plot a map showing migration routes to Tilting,
Newfoundland.

Use an online atlas as a means of showing historical information on early
Newfoundland settlement patterns.
The Lesson
The Lesson
Teacher Activity
Introduction
Show this short video to create a
discussion on early exploration,
which led to early migration.
Student Activity
Define migration.
http://videos.howstuffworks.co
m/hsw/7858-canada-europeansettlement-of-canadavideo.htm
Ask the following questions:
“What are ancestors?”
“Do you know the origins of your
ancestors?”
“Why do you think they came to
the island of Newfoundland?”
Speculate about origins of
ancestors, particularly those who
left England, Ireland, and France to
come to the New World.
“What were some of the earliest
areas to be settled on the island of
Newfoundland?”
Explain that the focus of the lesson
will be on two communities: Tilting,
on Fogo Island, and Trinity, Trinity
Bay.
Using a map of Newfoundland and
Labrador, have students locate
Tilting, NL and Trinity, NL.
Using a map of the Atlantic Ocean,
show England, Ireland and France
and encourage students to talk
about the historical connection to
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Locate Tilting and Trinity on a map
of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Students should be encouraged to
suggest reasons why settlers chose
certain areas of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
Lesson
Development
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR GRADES 1-5
Supply students with the following:

Map of Newfoundland and
Labrador

Map showing the Atlantic
Ocean.

Student worksheet: “Irish
migration to Tilting,
Newfoundland”
Locate and mark the locations of
Tilting and Trinity, Newfoundland
and Labrador on map of North
Atlantic.
Mark the location of County of
Waterford and County of Cork,
Ireland. Trace the routes taken by
early settlers to Tilting.
1. www.canadiangeographic.ca
/atlas/
Using The Canadian Atlas Online or
plate 26, Volume 1, Historical Atlas
of Canada
http://www.historicalatlas.ca/websi
te/hacolp/
2. http://www.historicalatlas.c
a/website/hacolp/
plot the location of origins of
settlers to Trinity.
Students should also be directed
towards the following sites:
Trace the migration route to Trinity
shown.
Compare and contrast the origins of
early settlers of Tilting to those at
Trinity during the 18th century.
Complete the worksheet
Conclusion
Summarize the lesson by asking
the following questions:
1. Do all Newfoundland
communities have the same
European origins?
General discussion of migration and
the origins of other areas of
Newfoundland compared to Tilting
and Trinity, Newfoundland.
2. Did all early settlers come
here to seek codfish?
3. What were the origins of
your region?
Lesson Extension
This lesson could easily be adapted to early settlement of the town in which the students
live. Teachers can have students research the early history of the town and compare it to
Tilting or Trinity. This would expand the student’s knowledge that all people have a story of
migration to Eastern Canada.
Assessment of Student Learning
Attached rubric and worksheet
Further Reading
http://www.townoftilting.com/
http://www.mcgill.ca/news/2003/winter/mellin/
http://www.gabivongans.com/tilting.htm
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR GRADES 1-5
http://www.heritagecanada.org/eng/hday_pop10.htm
http://www.historictrust.com/tilting.shtml
http://www.trinityhistoricalsociety.com/
Books

Of Fish and Family by John Carrick Greene, Triumphant Explorations Limited, St.
John’s NF, 2003

Tilting by Robert Mellin, Preston Architectural Press, New York. 2003
Link to Canadian National Standards for Geography:
Essential Element #1:
The World in Spatial Terms

Online atlas along with maps provided to trace locate and trace migration
routes to Trinity and Tilting, Newfoundland.

Identify settlement patterns in Tilting and Trinity, Newfoundland.
Essential Element #2:

Places and Regions
Analysis of geographic
Newfoundland.
Essential Element #4:
settlement
patterns
for
Tilting
and
Trinity,
Human Systems

Human population distribution

Human settlement pattern related to economic activities surrounding the
fishery at Titling and Trinity, Newfoundland.
Essential Element #5:
Environment and Society

Utilization and distribution of local fish and land resources.

Use and sustainability of natural resources
Geographic Skills #1:
Asking Geographic Questions

Plan and organize a geographic project on origins of early settlers

Research and answer questions related to early settlers

Compare and contrast two communities in Newfoundland and Labrador
Geographic Skills #2:
Acquiring Geographic Information

Use various websites to locate information

Use a variety of research skills to locate and collect information

Use maps to locate settlements in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Use maps to locate regions of England and Ireland.
Geographic Skills #3:

Use a variety of media to develop and organize geographic information
Geographic Skills #4:

Organizing Geographic Information
Analyzing Geographic Information
Use the processes of analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and explanation to
interpret geographic information from a variety of sources
Geographic Skill #6:
Answering Geographic Questions

Communicate clearly and effectively

Formulate valid generalizations based on information collected and processed
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR GRADES 1-5
Student Worksheet: European Migration to Tilting, Newfoundland
Purpose
We will identify the origins of early settlers to Tilting, Newfoundland and compare this
settlement to historical town of Trinity, Newfoundland during the 18 th century.
Material You Will Need:
Pie chart for Trinity http://www.historicalatlas.ca/website/hacolp/
Pie chart for Tilting (based on book by John Carrick Greene) –see below
Plate 26, Volume 1, http://www.historicalatlas.ca/website/hacolp/
Map of Newfoundland and Labrador
Map of Atlantic Ocean showing both Newfoundland and Western Europe
Directions:
1. Examine the pie chart for Tilting, Newfoundland. Using the information provided in
the pie chart, plot the migration route for settlers from Ireland to Tilting,
Newfoundland on the map provided.
2. Using the data given in Plate 26, Volume 1
http://www.historicalatlas.ca/website/hacolp/ plot the route taken by early settlers
to Trinity from England.
3. Compare and contrast the origins for settlers in both Tilting and Trinity using both
the data provided and information online at
http://www.historicalatlas.ca/website/hacolp/
1800th Century Planter, Tilting
Newfoundland
Unknown
20%
England
20%
England
Ireland
Unknown
Ireland
60%
(Source: Of Fish and Family by John Carrick Green)
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR GRADES 1-5
Answer the Questions:
1. What is meant by the term migration?
2. From where did the largest percentage of settlers to Tilting originate?
3. How does this compare to the early settlement of Trinity?
4. How were the cultures of these two locations different? Why?
5. What was the main reason for early migration to both of these settlements?
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR GRADES 1-5
Assessment Rubric: Irish Migration to Tilting, Newfoundland
POINT VALUES
CATEGORY
Completeness
Visual Content:
(Maps, images
and other
graphic details)
Organization/Att
ention to detail
Ability to
Interpret
Geographic Data
5
4
3
2
1
Missing 3-5 items
Incomplete
Everything
completed.
Most items
completed. Missing 1
Most items
completed. Missing
1-3
Very easy to
decipher /
understand
Fairly easy to
decipher/understand
Difficult to
decipher/understand
Cannot
decipher/understand
Incomplete
Some errors in which
impact on meaning.
Some serious errors
which impact on
meaning.
No evidence of
meeting
intended
outcomes
Satisfactory
Inadequate
Shows little
evidence
No errors. Follows
directions. All
elements present
Has little errors but
can be understood.
Excellent
Good
SCORE:
Comments:
___/20