Historica Canada Education Portal

In May 1812, Major General Isaac Brock, the commander of British forces in Upper Canada, visited the Six Nations chiefs at “Brant’s Ford” (near presentday Brantford, Ontario) to enlist their help. Brock knew that their support would be crucial to protect the vast Upper Canadian frontier if the United States declared war, which they did in June 1812.

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A mind map is a visual note. It can also be an illustrated expression of a student's understanding of a concept or event and the inter-relationship of information to that concept or event. Mind maps are similar to concept maps, word webbing, and bubble writing. All of these tend to share similar processes, such as brainstorming, conceptualizing, illustrating, and making connections or relationships.

Mind maps can be done in groups or by individuals. They are visual organizers...

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.

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

This lesson is based on viewing the Heritage Minute, "Valour Road." By coincidence, 3 of the 69 Canadian men who were awarded the Victoria Cross in the First World War had grown up on the same street in Winnipeg. This street was renamed Valour Road in their honour.

The "Valour Road" Heritage Minute is a good starting place for students to learn about the horrors of war and consider the great personal sacrifices that soldiers made.

By coming up with their own film treatments and...

This lesson is based on viewing the John McCrae Heritage Minute, which shows Canadian Army surgeon John McCrae writing the famous poem, "In Flanders Fields."

Students will discuss the meaning, imagery, language and message of the poem, "In Flanders Fields."

Students will study the poem, "In Flanders Fields" and discuss its language, imagery, and message. They will compare this poem with other poems about the First World War, and discuss whether they contain realistic...

This lesson is based on viewing the Heritage Minute, "Winnie," which recounts the true story of the Canadian soldier's bear that became the inspiration for writer A.A. Milne.

Students will discuss the cultural importance of meaningful symbols by looking at how animals are personified and anthropomorphized in literature and popular culture.

Secondary students can often learn a great deal about common literary themes and devices through exploring childrens' stories. These...

This lesson is based on viewing the Heritage Minute, "Halifax Explosion," which focuses on the heroic act of Vince Coleman, who died while alerting a passenger train about the explosion in Halifax harbour on December 6, 1917.

Using the example of Vince Coleman, students will discuss the definition of a hero. Do heroes have to be famous? What role do heroes play in society? Students will also imagine how Coleman's children might have felt about his actions, and how the people he...