Historica Canada Education Portal

This lesson is based on viewing the "Buzz" Beurling biography from The Canadians series. Discover the life of this Second World War Canadian Ace fighter pilot and the controversy surrounding his death.

The story of George "Buzz" Beurling, brings insight to several Second World War themes. In a variety of activities, students will explore Canada's participation in the war effort, life on the front, war propaganda, and adjusting to civilian life.

There has always been a...

The beginning stages of the First World War saw increasing suspicion by the Canadian populace of immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe, particularly Ukrainians, Austrians, Poles, Czechs and Slovaks. Over 80,000 immigrants from these nations were forced to carry special identity cards and report for regular interviews with local authorities. Further, 8,579 "enemy aliens" (5,000 of which who were of Ukrainian origin) were interned in twenty-four detention camps during the course...

Since the attacks in the U.S. on 11 September 2001, terrorism has been on everyone's mind. This lesson will enhance students' understanding of terrorism.

Students will look at the causes of terrorism, the aims of terrorists, and the historical development of international terrorism (including terrorism within Canada).

Events in recent history have torn the topic of terrorism from the movie screens and the International section of the newspaper and thrust it into our...

This activity would begin with the understanding that the students have already had thorough tutelage in Second World War history, especially leading up to the Invasion of Normandy by the allies in June 1944. At this point, students will then be placed in groups of no more than two or three, where they will be given the choice of researching one of the Canadian units that participated in the liberation of Western Europe. Using resources found online, in the library, as well as any...

Create a fictitious on-line discussion group between generals who were involved in the planning of The Dieppe Raid, 1942. Using a computer program, students will create a fictitious "Facebook" Discussion between the two leading Generals of The Dieppe Raid- Louis Mountbatten, Chief of Combined Operations, and Major-General J. H. Roberts, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.

To help students understand what factors -personal and political- motivate generals in times of war

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Have your students explore the Japanese Canadian experience in Canada in the twentieth century through sports. Students will examine the remarkable story of the Asahi baseball team as a window into this history. Students will be asked to use primary source material and explore the concepts of continuity and change in history.

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

• Apply critical thinking skills, including questioning, comparing, summarizing, drawing conclusions and defending a position,...

The students will be presented this assignment as one option in their First World War research project. This assignment is designed to appeal to the students in the class who are visually minded. They will research primary documents that are, for the most part, in picture form. They will use text only to reinforce the information they get from the pictures and to review material already covered. At this point, students should have a basic understanding of Canada’s role in the First...

Which of the eight First World War battlefield memorial sites awarded to Canada would be the best location for a monument to express the national identity and role of Canada in the war?

Appreciate how the forces of nationalism have shaped and continue to shape Canada and the world.

Explore a range of expressions of nationalism.

Appreciate historical and contemporary attempts to develop a national identity.

Analyze methods used by individuals, groups and governments in Canada to...

An exploration of the events that have shaped Canada and Canadians.

In this three-part lesson, students will understand the concept of "defining moments" by identifying these moments in their own lives. Then, they will use this understanding to identify key moments in the history and development of Canada.

Time Allowance: 2 - 3 hours

Procedures:
Performance One: Defining Moments

1. (Knowledge/Understanding)

The teacher explains that as each of the students in...

This activity is based on exploring the role of Camp X during the Second World War. Camp X was a secret spy training school located on the Whitby-Oshawa border in Ontario. The camp trained hundreds of allied secret agents for working behind enemy lines.

Based on Howard Gardner's theories on multiple intelligences, this activity gives students a choice on how they wish to present the information they have researched, and also to showcase their particular intelligence.

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Though our nation came together in 1867 due to numerous factors, both internal and external, many have argued that Canada floated along without a truly recognizable identity until the First World War. It was during this period in history and through blood and sacrifice at home and overseas that Canada forged itself into the nation we identify with today. The knowledge of our contributions throughout the course of the First World War is essential to the understanding of our national ‘...

Canada participated in many battles during the Second World War. Some are well known and detailed in the majority of our history textbooks—Dieppe, Juno, Ortona are well documented as battles of some importance for various reasons. Other battles are lesser known and studied. One such battle was code named Operation Windsor and its objective was to gain control of the area of Carpiquet. This battle is not well known by Canadians. It was a challenging fight. Many consider it a failure....

Procedures:

This presentation would be on Remembrance Day.

PREPARATION LEADING TO THE PERFORMANCE:

1. Each of five students researches an individual who died in action in Europe and whose body is buried in a Commonwealth War Cemetery.

2. Each student prepares a written and illustrated presentation on his/her chosen individual who was lost in action in Europe. They will use PowerPoint for the illustration, and a written document to be read at the assembly while the PowerPoint is being...

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.

To develop the students' understanding of the...

In 1660, Dollard des Ormeaux died in a battle with the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) while attempting to avert an Iroquois siege of Ville Marie (now Montréal). His importance to French Canadians has been a subject of longstanding debate.

Activities will engage students in a discovery of the history of New France in the 1660s. Students will also consider how varying political and societal conditions have influenced the interpretations of Adam Dollard des Ormeaux's actions and...