Social Studies · Grade 6

Active learning ideas

Immigration Policy Evolution

Active learning works for this topic because students need to see immigration policy as a series of deliberate choices over time, not just textbook facts. When students build timelines or sort case studies, they engage with the human impact behind policies, making abstract changes tangible and memorable.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• Ontario Curriculum: Social Studies Grade 6, Strand A, A1.1: Analyse the experiences of and challenges facing various individuals and/or groups in Canada between 1780 and 1850.
• Ontario Curriculum: Social Studies Grade 6, Strand A, A3.6: Describe the impact of the arrival of new groups of settlers on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit in different regions of Canada during this period.
• Ontario Curriculum: Social Studies Grade 6, Strand B, B1.1: Analyse Canada’s response to some significant global issues (e.g., the refugee crisis).

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Timeline Challenge
• 50 min · Small Groups

Timeline Build: Policy Shifts

Assign each small group 2-3 decades from 1900 to present. Groups research key policies using provided timelines and sources, plot events on a large class mural, and attach quotes or images. Conclude with a walk-through discussion of patterns.

Analyze how Canadian immigration policies have changed over time.

Facilitation Tip

During the Timeline Build, have pairs start with a single policy document before placing it on the shared timeline to spark discussion about dates and causes.

What to look for

Provide students with a short excerpt from an early 20th-century immigration policy document and a brief description of a modern immigration stream. Ask them to write two sentences explaining one key difference between the historical policy and the modern stream.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Timeline Challenge
• 30 min · Pairs

Stream Sort: Case Studies

Provide 12 immigrant profiles with details on skills, family ties, and persecution risks. Pairs sort cards into economic, family, or refugee streams, justify choices, then regroup to compare and debate edge cases using policy criteria.

Differentiate between economic, family, and refugee class immigration streams.

Facilitation Tip

For Stream Sort, assign each group one case study first, then rotate documents so students compare criteria before final grouping.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How might Canada's immigration policies need to change in the next 20 years due to global climate change?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to reference specific global events and potential impacts on different immigration streams.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Timeline Challenge
• 40 min · Small Groups

Debate Prep: Policy Pros and Cons

Small groups receive a historical policy, like the points system introduction. They list 3 pros and 3 cons from government and immigrant viewpoints, prepare 2-minute arguments, and present in a class debate rotation.

Predict future trends in Canadian immigration policy based on global events.

Facilitation Tip

Before Debate Prep, assign roles (government advocate, immigrant rights advocate) and require students to cite at least one specific policy or case study in their opening statements.

What to look for

Present students with three short scenarios describing individuals seeking to immigrate to Canada. Ask them to identify which immigration stream (economic, family, refugee) each individual would most likely qualify for and briefly explain their reasoning.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Timeline Challenge
• 35 min · Whole Class

Prediction Gallery: Future Trends

Individuals write predictions for 2050 immigration policy on sticky notes, influenced by global events. Post on walls for whole class gallery walk; vote on most likely and discuss supporting evidence.

Analyze how Canadian immigration policies have changed over time.

What to look for

Provide students with a short excerpt from an early 20th-century immigration policy document and a brief description of a modern immigration stream. Ask them to write two sentences explaining one key difference between the historical policy and the modern stream.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should anchor lessons in primary sources to avoid oversimplifying complex policies. Avoid presenting immigration history as a steady march toward progress, as this can mask the persistence of exclusionary practices. Research shows that when students analyze original policy texts and real applicant stories, they develop deeper historical empathy and stronger analytical arguments.

Successful learning looks like students connecting policy shifts to real events and diverse immigrant experiences. They should articulate why criteria changed, compare streams with evidence, and justify their own reasoned positions in debate. Evidence-based reasoning, not opinion, drives the classroom discussion.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Timeline Build, watch for the idea that Canada always welcomed immigrants equally.

  During Timeline Build, have students highlight racial exclusion clauses in early policies and compare word choices with later reforms to reveal persistent biases in the text itself.

• During Stream Sort, watch for the idea that policies never change over time.

  During Stream Sort, ask groups to link each case study to a specific global event on the timeline (e.g., war, recession) and explain how labor needs reshaped stream priorities.

• During Debate Prep, watch for the idea that all immigrants enter through the same process.

  During Debate Prep, require students to cite the exact criteria for each stream (points system, sponsorship links, protection claims) using their sorted case studies as evidence.

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Methods used in this brief

• Timeline Challenge