Historica Canada Education Portal

Use these worksheets to support the activities in Historica Canada's Women in Canadian History Education Guide.

Scroll down to find links to download each worksheets, either as a complete set or individually.
Activity worksheets include:

Activity 1 - Museum Panel Graphic Organizer
Activity 2 - Women and Work
Activity 6 - Women and labour in the Great Depression
Activity 7 - Second World War Posters
Activity 9 - Women and the Quiet Revolution
Activity 10 - The Royal Commission on the Status of Women...

This lesson is based on viewing the Madame La Bolduc biography from The Canadians series. It explores the personality and career of Mary Travers Bolduc, who was one of Québec's greatest singing sensations. She was one of the first recording artists to give the Québecois a sense of pride in their language.

With a variety of writing and role-playing activities, students will consider the accomplishments of La Bolduc. Students will reflect on her career within its historical...

This lesson is based on viewing the Ma Murray biography from The Canadiansseries. Murray became a legend in Canadian journalism despite her terrible grammar and spelling. Although her stories did occasionally generate public criticism, Murray had a loyal audience of readers.

Ma Murray was a strong, independent woman who spoke her mind no matter what the consequences. She even made things up for a good story. The following activities question what we can learn from Murray's brand...

When Canada entered the First World War in 1914, men of all ages enlisted by the thousands. However, this zeal waned as reports of casualty rates arrived home. Recruitment posters were an integral part of encouraging men and women to enlist at all points between 1914 and 1918. They appealed to the many motivations for enlistment and used various propaganda techniques to achieve their goal. In this activity, students will examine reasons for enlistment, recruitment posters, and...

This lesson is based on viewing the Nell Shipman biography from The Canadians series. Shipman was a silent screen legend who is credited with performing her own stunts, filming the first nude scene, and being a devoted animal rights activist.

Students will explore the life and accomplishments of Shipman, paying particular attention to her concern for animal rights.

Filmmaking as we know it today began little more than a century ago with the birth of silent screen...

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...

In April 2001 and again in February 2007 a storm of controversy erupted in the press of the province British Columbia. This lesson reflects on that controversy and encourages students to engage with the information in different ways.

"By studying historic artifacts of all people, the important and the unimportant alike citizens have a stronger foundation for understanding how and why the past tells us a great deal about the present and the future. All history is selective and...

This lesson is based on viewing the Kit Blake Coleman biography from The Canadiansseries. Coleman’s twenty-five year career helped carve a new niche for women in journalism.

The life and career of Kit Coleman will provide students with a starting point to learn about a variety of themes and topics. In several research and writing activities, students will learn about the historic events that Coleman reported on, the history of women and work, and the field of journalism.

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...

Start this activity by introducing your students to Canadian writer John McCrae with the Heritage Minute about his poem "In Flanders Field" and to the Unknown Soldier by reading "Waiting in Line" from Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul (text below).

"Waiting in Line"

This lesson plan is based on viewing the Footprint videos for Barbara Ann Scott, the Jelineks, and Petra Burka. Artistry or athleticism? The one has been the doppelganger of the other throughout the history of figure skating. Can a sport that judges athletic performance as a creative expression be a sport at all?

To increase student consciousness of the history of Canadian success in figure skating; to increase student appreciation for the pioneers of figure skating in Canada;...