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ARCHIVED - In Quarantine:
Life and Death on Grosse Île, 1832-1937

Archived Content

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Banner: Black and white photo collage of a young woman wearing a white blouse, two men with moustaches and suits, two women, and a stone Celtic cross

Educational Resources

Ages:12-18 years

Subjects: History, Social Studies, Language Arts

Introduction

In the 19th century, an increasing number of people were leaving Europe to rebuild their lives in North America. Approximately two-thirds of these newcomers were from Ireland, arriving at a time when major cholera and smallpox epidemics were sweeping through Europe. To help control the spread of diseases, Grosse Île opened as a quarantine station in 1832. In 1834 alone, almost one-third of the 844 patients confined to the quarantine station died and were buried on the island.

In this unit, students will examine the Grosse Île Quarantine Station in mid-19th century Quebec. They will explore the significance of this point of immigration by writing an essay that addresses critical thinking questions, by acting out a mock Royal Commission, and by selecting a final culminating activity.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

understand the reasons for the establishment of the Grosse Île Quarantine Station in the 19th century;
understand and evaluate the activities at Grosse Île;
appreciate the importance of this period in Canadian history.

Concepts Students Will Encounter

The effect of immigration on government policy
The multiple perspectives involved in the causes of a major historical event

Activities Summary

Below is a table summarizing the content presented in this educational resource. For every title a brief description of the content is given. Links to PDF and RTF versions of the educational resource are also provided.

Title	Description	Alternate Formats
Curriculum Connections	A table with links to provincial and territorial curriculums for the educational resource.	[PDF 38 KB] [RTF 828 KB]
Activity Resources	A list of additional websites and books to help complete the activities.	[PDF 37 KB] [RTF 793 KB]
Activity 1 Significance of Grosse Île in Canadian History	To respond to critical thinking essay questions.	[PDF 35 KB] [RTF 785 KB]
Handout 1.1 Essay Topics	A list of discussion and essay questions by topic.	[PDF 32 KB] [RTF 797 KB]
Activity 2 Understanding What Happened at Grosse Île	To set up a mock Royal Commission of Inquiry.	[PDF 36 KB] [RTF 787 KB]
Handout 2.1 Situation and Royal Commission	Information to help students research what went wrong at Grosse Île.	[PDF 37 KB] [RTF 788 KB]
Handout 2.2 Group Organizational Form	A table for student notes.	[PDF 30 KB] [RTF 783 KB]
Handout 2.3a Witness Group Reading Assignment	Information for students in the "British Government" group.	[PDF 33 KB] [RTF 781 KB]
Handout 2.3b Witness Group Reading Assignment	Information for students in the "Canadian Government" group.	[PDF 32 KB] [RTF 780 KB]
Handout 2.3c Witness Group Reading Assignment Landlords, Ship Owners...	Information for students in the "Landlords, Ship Owners, Captains" group.	[PDF 34 KB] [RTF 784 KB]
Handout 2.3d Witness Group Reading Assignment Administrators of Grosse Ile	Information for students in the "Administrators of the Grosse Île" group.	[PDF 33 KB] [RTF 782 KB]
Handout 2.4a Research and Note-Taking Organizer	A table to organize student research.	[PDF 35 KB] [RTF 787 KB]
Handout 2.4b Research and Note-Taking Organizer	A table to organize student research for witness groups.	[PDF 30 KB] [RTF 785 KB]
Handout 2.5a Royal Commissioner Note-Taking Organizer	A table to organize the observations of students in the "Royal Commission."	[PDF 30 KB] [RTF 788 KB]
Handout 2.5b Royal Commissioner Recommendations Organizer	A handout to organize the recommendations of students in the "Royal Commission."	[PDF 34 KB] [RTF 781 KB]
Activity 3 Culminating Activity	To demonstrate student learning through a final activity.	[PDF 35 KB] [RTF 784 KB]
Handout 3.1 Activity Selection	A series of ideas students can choose from for the final activity.	[PDF 30 KB] [RTF 782 KB]
Handout 3.2 Action Plan	An activity planner for students.	[PDF 30 KB] [RTF 778 KB]
Handout 3.3 Meeting Form	A student-teacher meeting form.	[PDF 30 KB] [RTF 779 KB]