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ARCHIVED - The Early Chinese Canadians
1858-1947
Archived Content
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Educational Resources
Activity 1.3
Creating Concept Maps
1. On an overhead projector, blackboard or poster paper, place the word "Immigration" in the centre or at the top of the page. Ask your students to identify the causes for Chinese immigration and record these around the central topic word of "immigration."
2. Draw connecting lines from identified causes (for example, "law and order") to "Immigration." Along the lines, write connecting verbs such as "caused", "led to", "was a factor in", "influenced", "resulted in", etc.
3. Now that students have worked through an example together as a class, explain that they will do a similar chart, in small groups, but with a different question: Why did the government stop Chinese immigration in 1923?
4. Form students into pairs or small groups of four and distribute Handout 1.1, a large sheet of paper on which to draw their concept map, and a different coloured felt pen for each student. Students should sign their names to the concept map with their different colours. This makes it easier to monitor individual contributions.
5. Evaluate your students' work using Handout 1.2.
Extensions
1. Consider another significant topic in the history of Chinese Canadians and ask another question about cause and consequence. For example:
- What were the reasons for Canada changing its policy in 1947 and granting citizenship to Chinese Canadians?
2. Ask students to consider the most important causes for either event listed below and rank them in order.
- Why did the government stop Chinese immigration in 1923?
- What were the reasons for Canada changing its policy in 1947 and granting citizenship to Chinese Canadians?
3. Ask students a "what if" question about what might have happened if one of the causes was altered or absent. For example:
- What if Canada had not passed the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923? How would life have been different for Chinese Canadians?
- What would have happened if there had been no Second World War? Would Chinese Canadians have gained their rights in 1947?
