Pistes d'exploration

Work in a group to create a timeline of the history of Grosse Île, with each member reading and contributing information about a different era.

Research a different historical or modern migration movement. Compare and contrast it with one of the waves of migration that occurred on Grosse Île.

Imagine you are a person being quarantined at Grosse Île. Write a diary entry reflecting on your experience. Incorporate facts from the book.

Research two means of communication of the time: Semaphore and Morse code. In teams, practise using these codes to send messages related to the arrival of the boats and immigrants on Grosse Île. Compare these methods with current communication technologies.

This book talks about technological inventions (1800s to today). Place these on a timeline and add descriptive labels telling how they improved life for the inhabitants of Grosse Île.

Work in a group to create a timeline of the history of Grosse Île, with each member reading and contributing information about a different era.

On maps of Canada and of the world, sketch the featured migration movements. Label the countries (cities) of origin and arrival, as well as the dates and reasons for each migration.

Research two means of communication of the time: Semaphore and Morse code. In teams, practise using these codes to send messages related to the arrival of the boats and immigrants on Grosse Île. Compare these with current communication technologies.

The Arrival, The Kids Book of Canadian Immigration

Mots-clés

Non-fiction , Canadian history , epidemics , immigrants , immigration , quarantines , Québec

Commentaire descriptif

“Imagine an island rising like a hump out of the Saint Lawrence River.” Welcome to Grosse Île, located 50 kilometers from the Port of Québec which, from 1832 to 1947, served as a quarantine station where ship passengers bound for a better life were checked for disease before they were allowed to continue on their journey. Of the more than four million people who made the difficult trek across the Atlantic, many lost their lives due to tragic epidemics such as cholera and typhus, and were buried on the island. The fact-filled informative text reads like compelling fiction. Topics covered include the island’s first season of operation, the hardships, the later years, the historic sites and monuments erected to honour those who died, and the island’s legacy. The book design allows for smooth navigation, with its fascinating blend of vintage photos, maps, illustrations and history notes that dramatize and describe key points and information. Told as one of the countless stories about the building of Canada, this account puts an authentic face on immigration history.