Lesson Plan One

Grade Level: High School

Activity One

1. Review with the students the following statements found within articles from this site:

Article: Farewell to Erin by Mary Kilfoil McDevitt

• “There are numerous cultural and psychological elements that enter into the decision to emigrate. An obvious pre-condition is some knowledge of the outside world and an awareness, or at least a perception, that conditions and opportunities someplace else are better than those at home.”

Article: Irish Settlement Patterns in New Brunswick by Linda Evans

• “New Brunswick’s growth and development would not have occurred so quickly without the large influx of Irish immigrants in the first half of the nineteenth century.”

Article: Irish Homes and Furniture in New Brunswick by Darrell Butler

• “It has been said that of all the decorative arts, buildings and furniture reflect, more than any other, the values of the owners. Both of these decorative arts respond to climate conditions, geographic influences, economic and social conditions of a region and community.”

2. Divide the class into small groups and ask the students to discuss one of the three statements (above). Each group should search the internet for two to three other sources for the topic they have chosen that provide support for the statement made. The groups should assign one member to act as a scribe to record the points the group wishes to make and the sources where their supporting information was found. One other group member should be assigned to present the findings of the group.

3. Ask each group to share its work with the entire class.