Historica Canada Education Portal

This lesson is based on viewing the Francis Rattenbury biography from The Canadians series. Rattenbury left his mark on the landscape of British Columbia with the many buildings he designed, including the British Columbia Legislature, The Empress Hotel, and The Vancouver Art Gallery. His life came to a tragic end when he was murdered in his home. 

Rattenbury's colourful character, controversial personal life, and his murder will spark your students' interest in his life and...

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 homes...

Students will be required to conduct research on the relocation of the Mushuau Innu from coastal Labrador to the settled location of Davis Inlet. Students will examine the reasons why the federal government chose this course of action. In addition, students will study the effects the forced relocation had on the Innu community.

Students will:

- Identify the difficulties with relocation 
- Analyze the resources regarding the relocation of the Innu 
- Explore the history of...

This lesson is based on viewing the Grant MacEwan biography from The Canadians series. MacEwan was a writer, historian, and politician. He wrote numerous books about agriculture and history, and he held several political positions including an appointment as the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta.

Studying the life of Grant MacEwan will provide students with the opportunity to explore a variety of topics. Students will learn about sustainable development, land use, goal setting, and...

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...

An emigrated Canadian will share his/her experiences in a class room setting.

- Enable students to develop strategies re: listening to an oral story
- Enable students to develop strategies re: posing questions to a visitor
- Enable students to continue to further develop oral communication skills 
- Enhance students' skills in being a host to an invited guest

The student imagines that they are a youth living in Europe in the 1800s. They have just decided to emigrate to...

In this lesson, students will debate and defend different assigned perspectives involving the participants in the outlawing of the potlatch in 1885. Participation in the debate should allow students to make observations that will help them develop an understanding of moral implications today that derive from actions taken in the past. Students should also gain a better understanding of the historical context under which the people in the past operated. Students will identify the...

Students will learn about the harsh treatment of Canadian immigrants and the selective nature of Canadian immigration policies during the first half of the twentieth century by researching one of the following events:

- the Chinese Exclusion Act
- the Komagata Maru incident
- the SS. St Louis affair
- the internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War

Students will then prepare a case that they will present before a mock tribunal of the Canadian Human Rights Commission. The...

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...

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

The...

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, to...

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...

Students will be given the opportunity to either complete the research project on their own, or in groups of up to five people. They will be assigned a single research topic, and will have to look at the changes which occurred in that topic area in the time from 1867 to 1918 (with the exception of the First World War specific topics). They will present their findings to the class at the end of the four week work period. Their presentation will have an oral, visual, and written...