NOTES
FOR TEACHERS
"The
elementary level program (...) will
give students access to culture
throughout the learning process.
They should have chronological and
spatial frames of reference in
history and geography, in order to
understand the present and the way
human societies develop and interact
with the environment."
Excerpt
from the Quebec Education Program,
Government of Quebec,
Ministère de
l'Éducation, 1999, p.
4.
Objectives
of the site A
SURPRISING DISCOVERY
- To meet the
needs of first and second cycles of
elementary school teachers in terms of
the MEQ's new Quebec Education Program,
and of the Social Sciences study
program.
To offer children in the first and
second cycles of elementary school a
quality interactive educational site
that will allow them to discover,
through Marguerite Bourgeoys, important
aspects of the history of New France.
Site
map
A
SURPRISING
DISCOVERY
Educational
web site of the life of Marguerite
Bourgeoys
-
Introduction
to the site
The site
"A
SURPRISING
DISCOVERY"
is divided into four sections, each
independent of the others. Students are
therefore free to "click" on the
section of their choice. These sections
are represented by the following
keys:
1st key:
Who was she?
2nd key: What did she do?
3rd key: How did she
live?
4th key: What has she left
us?
- Each section is
designed to help students to better
understand and, more importantly, to
assimilate the concepts of time and
space. Students are led through one
section, from beginning to end, before
moving on to the next one. The site is
interactive, unfolds in chronological
order, suggests follow-up activities,
and is not designed to encourage
"section hopping".
Introduction
to the various
sections
- Who
was she?
A short biography of Marguerite
Bourgeoys, rife with hyperlinks and
icons, is presented to the students.
Each hyperlink, written in the tone of
a secret, explains a word, situation or
event referred to in the text. The
icons lead the students to a series of
images that add another dimension to
their reading.
The section ends with a questionnaire
that allows teachers to make sure that
students have understood the content of
their reading. The students then
receive their personalized
results.
What
did she do?
A time line, running from 1653 to 1700,
is an interesting starting point to
help students discover the
accomplishments of Marguerite Bourgeoys
and the people who surrounded her
during her lifetime. The students will
be surprised to learn about the ups and
downs she went through during her first
few years in New France. Over the
course of their reading, they will
discover the entrepreneurial side of
this first teacher, and be introduced
to other famous people of the
day.
The students are then enticed into a
game that will allow the teacher to
evaluate their ability to synthesize
competencies.
How
did she live?
Students are presented with four short
texts about the daily life of the
people of that era. The texts are
enriched with anecdotes, images and
explanations, like tiny windows opening
onto a world of discoveries. Four
texts, four seasons, and many
traditions provide an excellent pretext
for a writing contest entitled Seasonal
Traditions, focusing on the students'
own regional, national, or even
international traditions. What a nice
way to learn about people through the
seasons.
Not to be missed!
What
has she left us?
Since 1700, Marguerite Bourgeoys' legacy has continued to grow. After you have looked at a few pictures of her native town, take a stroll through the streets of Vieux-Montreal to discover the traces of her life in Ville-Marie that are still visible today. Make sure to encourage your students to enter the?Chemin du Roy? contest , then click on the map to see all the countries where her legacy lives on. Discover the names of these places as well as their flags. Take advantage of this opportunity to discuss developing countries with the class, or to begin the Civics and Citizenship study program.
There
is still more
Websites of
interest
- To find out more
about the Maison
Saint-Gabriel
To enrich your knowledge of
history:- The
Montreal History
Museums
- The
Virtual Museum of New
France
- Histoire
Québec
For information on the Sisters
of the Congregation of Notre
Dame
Teaching
material
Other teaching
tools
- Picture book on
Marguerite Bourgeoys
- Brochure
entitled Have You Met Marguerite
Bourgeoys?
- Book entitled
Au temps de Marguerite Bourgeoys
quand Montréal était un
village
- Teaching
kits
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