OUR ANCESTORS – SHARING THE JOURNEY
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - ELEMENTARY
Our Ancestors – Sharing the Journey
Lesson Overview:
The purpose of this lesson is to discuss our ancestors’ journey with special
mention to the deportation of the Acadians. This will be accomplished using
brainstorming techniques, discussions, and mapping, as well as graphing the
ethnic origin of Canada in comparison with the class.
Grade Level:
Grade 6
Time Required:
2-3 class periods
Curriculum Connection (Province and course):
Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation Curriculum for Social Studies
People, Place and the Environment General Curriculum Outcome:
Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of people, places
and the environment.
Prince Edward Island, Grade 6 Social Studies:
An understanding of the interactions among people, places, and the environment
with related mapping skills. The Acadian Deportation will also be discussed.
Grade 6 Language Arts – Collections: “Discovering Links” Anthology
Math Curriculum – Graphing
Science – Adaptations
Link to Canadian National Geography Standards:
Essential Element #1: The World in Spatial Terms
 Mapping the Maritimes, various places in North America, and Europe
Essential Element #2: Places and Regions
 Acadian regions
 Regional changes
Essential Element #4: Human Systems
 Patterns of migration
 Cultural changes
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Statistics Canada (www.statcan.ca)
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OUR ANCESTORS – SHARING THE JOURNEY
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - ELEMENTARY
Geographic Skill #3: Organizing Geographic Information
 Preparing maps and constructing graphs
Geographic Skill #4: Analyzing Geographic Information
 Interpreting statistics and using graphs
Link to Statistics Canada:
http://www.statcan.ca/english
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required:

Outline maps of North America, Europe and the Maritimes
http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference

Additional Websites
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/acadian/english/toce/toce.htm
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/acadian/english/eexile/eexile.htm
http://www.acadian-cajun.com/acadcan.htm
http://www.acadian-cajun.com/exile.htm
Main Objective:
The main objective is to raise awareness of the plight of our ancestors, and to
appreciate the many origins, which make up our great country.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:





Understand the concept of “Ancestors”, and the importance of their
journey to Canada
Comprehend the “Acadian Deportation”
Interpret through map study where the Acadians lived and to where they
were deported
Locate through map study from where our ancestors originated
Graph and compare the class’s ethnic background to Statistics Canada’s
Census results of Ethnic Origin, making note of the new census, which
took place in May 2006.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Statistics Canada (www.statcan.ca)
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OUR ANCESTORS – SHARING THE JOURNEY
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - ELEMENTARY
The Lesson:
Conclusion
Lesson Development
Introductio
n
Teacher Activity
Student Activity
The lesson begins with a discussion of the definition of
“Ancestor”.
Brainstorm where your ancestors
may have originated.
The teacher will facilitate a lesson on the Acadian
deportation using the websites provided above for
preparation. The websites listed in the additional sites are
for the teacher to read for his/her information. If extra
computer time is available, the students could be given the
sites to “surf” for their interest. Ensure the hardships are
adequately discussed.
Trace and map where the Acadians
lived in the Maritime Region, and to
where the Acadians migrated after
the deportation. You will be required
to inquire about your own ancestry
from family members. You will map
the different countries from where
they originated, as well as compare
your findings with the Canadian
Statistics in the form of a graph. See
“Student Direction Sheet” for a
more detailed description.
The lesson will conclude when the tasks for assessment
are completed.
Hand in assignments.
Evaluate assignments:
1) Map of the Acadian Migration
2) Map of their ancestral origins
3) Graph the Ethnic Origins of the class, in comparison to
Canada.
Lesson Extension:
 Fieldtrip to an Acadian museum
 Interview other people of various backgrounds and origins to gain a better
understanding of the journey
 Write a journal imagining your family on the ship being deported to
Louisiana
Assessment of Student Learning:


Completion of the assigned tasks
Ability of students to participate in a discussion and recognize the
contributions of the migration of our ancestors (including the Acadians) to
the creation of Canada today.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Statistics Canada (www.statcan.ca)
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OUR ANCESTORS – SHARING THE JOURNEY
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - ELEMENTARY
Further Reading:
“Evangeline” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“Life in Acadia” by Barry Moody
“Dear Canada, Banished From Our Home: The Acadian Diary of Angelique
Richard” by Sharon Stewart
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Statistics Canada (www.statcan.ca)
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OUR ANCESTORS – SHARING THE JOURNEY
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - ELEMENTARY
Our Ancestors – Sharing the Journey
Student Direction Sheet
I.
Using the Maritime map, label the following areas in which the Acadians
lived before the deportation.
In Prince Edward Island:
 Rustico
 Mont Carmel
In New Brunswick:
 Shediac
 Cocagne
 Caraquet
 Bathurst
 Madawaska
 St. John River
In Nova Scotia:
 Clare (Digby County)
 Argyle (Yarmouth)
 Cheticamp
 Cheezecook
 Isle Madame (Richmond County)
 Antigonish County
 Guysborough County
II.
Using the map provided and a reference atlas, label the places in which
the Acadians were deported to, or in some cases, continued to hide.
Label:
 England
 France
 New Brunswick (Canada)
 Prince Edward Island (Canada)
 Nova Scotia (Canada)
 Quebec (Canada)
 St. Dominique
 Martinique
 Falkland Islands
 St. Pierre & Miquelon
 French Guiana
 Massachusetts
 Georgia
 Louisiana
 New York
 Connecticut
 Maryland
 South Carolina
 Pennsylvania
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Statistics Canada (www.statcan.ca)
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OUR ANCESTORS – SHARING THE JOURNEY
III.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - ELEMENTARY
Using the map provided, label the country or countries in which your family
originated.
Using the web site http://www.statcan.ca/english, click on “Canadian
Statistics”. Then go to “Tables by Subject”, then “Population &
Demography”, then to “Ethnic Origin”, then to “Population by
provinces and territories”. Use this information to compare the class’s
origin to the origin of the province, or even to Canada. These statistics
can be graphed in a graph of choice.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Statistics Canada (www.statcan.ca)
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