Ask students whether they think the story takes place in the past or the present. There may be differences of opinion; encourage students to defend or support their answers with examples from the book.
In actuality, Africville is a story that mixes past and present elements in a highly complex way, just as memory and imagination function in real life. It may not be evident upon first reading that much of what is depicted in the story is from the past and the girl is only seeing it in her imagination.
Tell students that you are going to read through the story a second time. Before beginning, ask them to make two columns on a piece of paper, one for the past and one for the present. As you reread the book, students must list as many instances as they can in each column. These instances may include what the words describe and elements of the pictures as well.
Afterward, compile their suggestions into a master list on the board.
As this takes place, be aware of opportunities to foster students’ awareness of the complexity of memory in Africville. For example, were there instances in the book that students put in opposite columns? Why? Likewise, could some instances apply to both the past and present? This exercise helps students begin to see how multifaceted the relationship is between memory and the present moment — in the story and in real life. Conclude the activity by asking students how their own memories, daydreams, and imaginations shape their experience of the present moment”