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Blast to the Past


Overview


This is a culminating activity which will be done after teaching the Canadian History unit. Use this activity to have students research additional biographical information on an important Canadian historical figure. Students will be given time to use the library and computer lab to research and develop their multimedia presentation. Through this research, the students will learn the contributions their historical figure made to Canada.

Aims


Students will develop and demonstrate the...
Women's History

Anna Leonowens


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Anna Leonowens biography from The Canadians series. It focuses on the facts behind the mystique of Leonowens, whose adventures in Siam (now Thailand) in the late nineteenth century have inspired several films and musicals.

Aims


Students will study the remarkable life of Anna Leonowens within the larger context of women's history, and "East-West" relations, while also considering the reliability of biographies as sources of historical record.

...

Military History

Shell Shock, Battle Exhaustion, and PTSD


Overview


This activity will help students become more aware of the terms Shell Shock, Battle Exhaustion, and PTSD.

The stress that comes from soldiers fighting under the conditions they faced was extremely difficult to deal with. This lesson outlines the development of the concept of battle exhaustion, from the initial understanding of shell shock during the Great War to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in our current Canadian missions.

Aims


To develop the students' understanding of the...

Black History Brochure


Overview


This social studies project has strong language arts and art connections. Students will design and produce a brochure to promote some aspect of Black history in Canada. Each student will focus on a historical figure, community, event, or institution which has made an important contribution to Canadian history.

Aims


• Listening to and analyzing information from various sources/media
• Discussing information and ideas with understanding and sensitivity
• Taking notes and highlighting key...

Angus Walters


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Angus Walters biography from The Canadians series. Walters built and raced the Bluenose schooner. Racing and preserving the Bluenose became a lifelong passion for Walters, and its image is one of Canada's enduring symbols.

Aims


Students will study the life and leadership of Angus Walters, as well as learning about the historical context and importance of the Bluenose. Students will also achieve a greater understanding of the issues involved with...

An Immigrant's Letter Home


Overview


The student will create a document demonstrating empathy with the experiences of immigrants to Canada.

Activities


Time Allowance:
3 hours

Procedures:

Activity: An Immigrant’s Letter Home

Outcome

The student will create a document demonstrating empathy with the experiences of immigrants to Canada.

Content

Immigrants underwent a variety of experiences as they adjusted to life in a new land. Many would never return to their countries of origin, and their only contact with family was through...
Social History

Bob Edwards


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Bob Edwards biography from The Canadians series. Edwards was an outspoken newspaperman at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Aims


Studying the life and career of Edwards will provide students with the opportunity to explore a variety of historical and contemporary themes including: political commentary, corporate responsibility, prohibition, and the "Wild West."

Background


Bob Edwards was a man of paradox who made his mark exposing hypocrisy....
Pre-Confederation

Alexander Mackenzie


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Alexander Mackenzie biography from The Canadians series. Mackenzie was the first white man to reach the Pacific Ocean by travelling over land and he was the first fur trader to be knighted for his accomplishments.

Aims


Students will study Mackenzie's accomplishments and consider his contributions to Canadian history, while exploring the relationship between his explorations and the First Nations people he relied on for his survival and guidance.

...

Canada Bound


Overview


Nearly every Canadian can trace their family tree back to an ancestor who immigrated to Canada at some point. Somewhere back in time, most of us have a homeland from which our forefathers, fathers, or selves immigrated. For what reasons did they immigrate and what method did that immigration take?

How long ago the immigration took place may dictate the mode of travel. If the ancestors arrived many generations ago the method of travel was likely limited to boats. Later arrivals may...

Using the Minutes to Think Critically


Overview


The Heritage Minutes illustrate the possibilities of story-telling. This critical thinking exercise will help guide you through the deconstruction of four Heritage Minutes: Peacemaker, Vikings, John Cabot, and Jacques Cartier. The activities can be easily adapted to any of the Heritage Minutes you want to use in your classroom.

Aims


An invaluable skill for any student is the ability to critically examine available historical evidence and develop an awareness of its possibilities, as...
Immigration

Soddie


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Heritage Minute, "Soddie," that focuses on the realities that immigrants in the 1880's faced when they arrived on the Canadian Prairie.

Aims


Students will explore the myths and realities of immigration in the 1880s. Students will create posters and speeches "selling" the idea of immigration, and will role-play the experiences that immigrants would have had once they arrived on the Canadian Prairie.

Students will compare Clifford Sifton's immigration...

Orphans


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Heritage Minute, "Orphans," that tells the story of the Québec families who adopted Irish orphans in the 1850's.

Aims


Students will learn more about the experiences and histories of immigrants in Canada by interviewing people in the community and classmates. They will also discuss ways to make immigrants feel welcome in their new homes.

Students will research the history of various immigrant groups in Canada, and discuss the relationship between...

Hart & Papineau


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Heritage Minute, "Hart & Papineau." Under the tenure of Louis-Joseph Papineau, the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada passed a bill in 1832 that ultimately guaranteed full rights to people practicing the Jewish faith. It was the first of the British colonies to do so.

Aims


After discussing and making sense of the events that take place in the "Hart and Papineau" Minute, students will watch additional related Heritage Minutes to develop their...

Underground Railroad


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Heritage Minute, "Underground Railroad." Between 1840 and 1860, thousands of American slaves fled to Canada using the organized secret network of people and safe houses called the "Underground Railroad."

Aims


After careful examination of the "Underground Railroad" Heritage Minute, students will examine the broader theme of refugees. They will discuss Canada's role in providing refuge, and research the history and experiences of refugees from...

Peacemaker


Overview


This lesson is based on viewing the Peacemaker Heritage Minute. Centuries ago, the five Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Nations created the Iroquois Confederacy that bound these nations together in peace and unity. The origins of this Confederacy are explained in the legend of the Tree of Great Peace.

Aims


Students will focus on the storytelling aspects within the "Peacemaker" Heritage Minute, to consider the story's meaning, message, and symbolism. Teachers may want to use this lesson as...

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