Learning About Immigration at Pier 21

On Wednesday, February 21, the Grade 8 class set off to Halifax to visit the Pier 21 Museum and stop in at Peace by Chocolate. While we were at the museum, students meaningfully learned about how immigration has had an effect on our society. We participated in an excellent workshop called History Detectives, where students were given the opportunity to handle and assess actual artifacts that have come through Pier 21 over the years. In small groups, students determined stories and situations that tied to each artifact.

After the museum, we had a quick stop at Peace by Chocolate to experience an incredibly successful business that has an origin story involving the Hadhad family who arrived from Syria in 2016. The Hadhad's chocolate facility in Syria was bombed during the civil war and they were forced to leave their home and live as refugees in Lebanon for three years before settling in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Experiencing the flagship store in Halifax allowed students to gain perspective on the importance of Canada's current immigration practices and policies.