Historica Canada Education Portal

The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand the importance of culture and language in order to explore the question of French-English relations in modern Canadian history. Through a simulation that mirrors the French-English conflicts in the late twentieth century, students can explore the issues without being affected by their personal biases. This lesson was developed to teach French-English relations in Western Canada where students tend to have difficulty...

This lesson is based on viewing the Ruth Lowe biography from The Canadians series. Following the untimely death of her husband, Ruth Lowe wrote the song, I'll Never Smile Again. It became one of the most popular songs during the Second World War.

These activities encourage students to consider the significance of Ruth Lowe, and to reflect on the role that music plays in society.

Through powerful tones and sensational lyrics, music often expresses emotions for which...

This lesson is based on viewing the John Ware biography from The Canadians series. John Ware remains a prominent figure in Canadian history. As a former slave from the American South who transplanted himself in Southern Alberta's range country, he triumphed over prejudice and discrimination to become a legend of the Canadian West.

Students will use the life of John Ware as a starting point to investigate several themes. The following activities focus on African-Canadian...

In this lesson, students will sort and categorize various Canadian coins, noting the type of information recorded on the fronts and backs and speculating on the significance of the portrayed events, people or developments. Using the Royal Canadian Mint’s timeline, they will examine a number of historical Canadian coins, determining with a partner the three most historically significant designs. They will use their selections to define the concept of historical significance.

Students...