Historica Canada Education Portal

In this lesson students recognize symbols as Canadian, they present their significance, and find its place in the Coat of Arms of Canada.

To familiarize students with symbols and what they represent, to develop an awareness of self, group, and Canada.

Students will:

- Research the significance of symbols found in the Arms of Canada.
- Develop research skills to investigate the meaning of each symbol.
- Present orally the findings of their research.
- Locate the position of each...

This lesson will introduce the students to the role of the stretcher bearer in the First World War. Often it is the soldier in the trench who is remembered for his bravery and duty, risking his life for hiscountry. It is important to remember that in war, as in society, there are other roles, such as the stretcher bearers, who also have an important responsibility. These cannot be overlooked. Students will explore and discover the experiences of the stretcher bearer through poetry,...

Aboriginal people sacrificed much during the two World Wars, both at home and in Europe, all the while they weren’t considered “people” in the eyes of Canadian law. Students will explore the issues facing Aboriginal people during the Great War and the Second World War and collaborate to create a PowerPoint or PhotoStory presentation for the school Remembrance Day Assembly.

It is expected that the student will:

- apply critical thinking (including questioning, comparing,...

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...

Overview

This lesson is based on viewing the J.B Tyrrell biography from The Canadians series. Tyrrell was an important geological surveyor for the Canadian government in the late nineteenth century. Among his many achievements, he mapped the North, discovered coal, and the remains of what became known as the Albertasaurus.

Aims

Although there is now a museum in Tyrrell's honour, he was not recognized for his achievements in his lifetime. Students will research Tyrrell's achievements,...

Students will explore different types of First Nations and Aboriginal architecture and submit a model to a simulated archictectural firm.

Students will:

- Understand the transition of housing from pre-contact to today and the role government has played
- Describe practices and beliefs that reflect First Peoples’ connections to the land and the natural environment
- Compare daily life in First Peoples communities
- Appreciate and value the cultures and traditions of First Nations...

This lesson is based on viewing the Jacques Plante biography from The Canadiansseries. Jacques Plante, a native of Mont Carmel, Québec, brought revolutionary changes to the game of hockey. He was the first goalie to leave the crease of the net and, most importantly, the first player to wear a protective face mask.

In a variety of activities, students will assess Plante's contributions to the game of hockey and research other historical changes to the game. Students will have the...

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...

The lesson allows students to gain a better understanding of the trenches and the effects of chlorine gas on the soldiers through the use of poetry through an analysis of the poem "Dulce et Decorum est" by Wilfred Owen.

The aim of the lesson is to show how horrific war was for the soldiers that fought in the First World War. It also shows the horrors of the gas attack as witnessed by a soldier, Owen, who served in the war. The poem brings a different dimension to the study of...

This lesson is based on viewing the Emily Murphy biography from The Canadians series. Murphy was a mother, magistrate, author, reformer, and legislator. She is best remembered as one of the "Famous Five" who successfully took the "Persons Case," which advocated the recognition of women as persons in the eyes of the law, before the Supreme Court of Canada, and the British Privy Council.

Studying the life of Emily Murphy will provide students an opportunity to learn about the...

Students will, after researching background information on early exploration of Canada (Cabot, Cartier, Champlain, Frobisher and Hudson), role play/create tableaux based on situations in which contact was made between the explorers and Indigenous people.

Main objectives of the project: Through role playing of historical situations (and creation of representative tableaux), students will demonstrate an understanding of how contact between people in Canada’s early history resulted...

Overview

This lesson is based on viewing the Jay Silverheels biography from The Canadians series. First Nations actor Jay Silverheels struggled to establish himself as a serious and diverse actor despite being typecast as the "Indian brave" in roles like Tonto in the "Lone Ranger."

Through a variety of creative and theatrical activities, students will examine Jay Silverheels's career and accomplishments while exploring the broader issues of racism, stereotyping, typecasting, and images...

This lesson examines social attitudes towards East Asians in the early 1900s in British Columbia and Canada. The arrival of the Komagata Maru in Vancouver harbour in 1914 challenges the Canadian government’s continuous passage rule.

This lesson is based on viewing the Grey Owl biography from The Canadians series. It explores the life and work of this infamous conservationist, who convinced the world that he was of Aboriginal descent.

With role-playing and debates, students will focus on the controversy surrounding Grey Owl and decide whether they think he should be regarded as an important conservationist, or as an imposter and fraud.

Grey Owl was the most famous Aboriginal of his day. The...

This lesson explores intolerance in historic and contemporary Canada through primary and secondary source analysis. It aims to foster citizenship and education through the production of a fictional Public Service Announcement and/or journal entry.

- Inquire into examples of intolerance in Canadian societies and to anticipate future examples of intolerance
- Develop skills in document analysis and critical thinking
- Foster citizenship and an understanding of the rights and...