Canada's History: Recent Episodes
Canada's History
Le projet multidisciplinaire « Tissés serrés » est un survol du cours d’histoire de troisième secondaire, en parcourant les événements, les personnages et les us et coutumes, de Jacques Cartier en 1534, à Lord Durham en 1839.Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2024 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
À la façon d’enquêteurs, les élèves ont fait des collectes d’informations sur des sujets directement reliés aux enjeux de leur quartier pour ensuite être en mesure de présenter le fruit de leurs découvertes à l’écrit comme à l’oral.Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2024 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
Des élèves écrivent des articles sur l'histoire de leur cour d'école en grand réaménagement en interrogeant le personnel, en explorant des archives visuelles et en analysant les plans de la nouvelle cour.Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2024 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
Dans le cadre de ce projet, le personnage historique de Louis Cyr a servi de fil conducteur et a su capter l’intérêt des élèves.Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2024 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
Le projet « Les cartes de la mémoire : le Canada dans les guerres mondiales » cherche à faire comprendre aux élèves les contributions des unités militaires canadiennes et de leurs membres pendant les guerres mondiales.Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2024 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
Que diriez-vous de conscientiser les jeunes apprenants à l’importance de prendre soin de l’environnement, et ce, en devenant des prospecteurs écolos ? Par le biais du journal intime d’un chercheur d’or, les élèves découvrent cet événement historique.Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2024 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
Through this project, students learn about the importance of the horticultural history in Burlington while doing hands-on gardening work on the grounds of the Ireland House Museum.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Jessica McIntyre implemented Project True North in order to engage students in primary document research, to challenge accepted versions of Canadian history, and to share these stories with the country.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Debbie Mar’s grade three/four class paid tribute to local WWII veterans by educating their school and community about the special friendship between Canada and the Netherlands.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
The goal of Alma Bernier's project was for her Indigenous students to identify who they are, where they came from, and how their history continues to affect their lives.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This inclusive initiative of Alysa Ferguson unites Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, Knowledge Keepers, Elders, community members, organizations, and School District of Mystery Lake representatives.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
LouAnn Davis and fellow primary teachers used songs as a springboard for thinking about and discussing residential schools and students' Mi’kmaq culture and language.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
In Jason Vander Meulen’s grade 10 history project, students developed an Investor Pitch for an early 20th century invention to communicate historical findings.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Christopher Martinello’s students re-created Indigenous technologies like atlatl spear throwers through the Wendat Village Educational Archaeology Outreach Program.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Anchoring learning in food history, Ben Gross and Dan Kunanec's students studied Ashkenazi and Sephardic life in Europe and how that history travelled to Canada with survivors of the Holocaust.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Sarah Stewart asked her students to explore topics such as the ‘60s Scoop, the Métis struggle for recognition, the 1969 "White Paper,” and the High Arctic Relocation for an awareness campaign project.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Michele Schwab led a project that included preservation of traditional knowledge, community engagement, empowerment of elders, and intergenerational connections by bringing in kehte-aya (old ones or knowledge carriers) to capture their viewpoints and teachings on a variety of subjects.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
“The Hidden Histories Project” was a student-led public history and art initiative showcasing significant historical figures and events from marginalized and diverse communities in New Brunswick and Wabanaki Territory.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
“Through their Eyes” engages students with the historical thinking concepts as they explore twentieth-century Canadian history through the real-life experiences of 225+ (extra)ordinary Canadians.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Led by grade 8 students in Jo Anne Broders’s class, this emotionally powerful project remembers the Mi’kmaq people and their valued contributions to local history in Gambo, Newfoundland and Labrador.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This project brings together students and elders, exploring both traditional cultural experiences and the history of the Kikino Métis Settlement.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
The Canadian Roundtable Debate project brings to light the major issues in Canada "today" while putting Suzanne Uher’s students into the shoes of Canadian politicians.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
In Wendy Driscoll’s History in the Baking project, her middle school class wonders how the conversation about Canadian Confederation may have differed with other voices.
Shannon Rankin's First World War artifact project requires students to create and compose critical reflections on and interpretations of Canada’s First World War story.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Dans le cadre du cours d’histoire du Québec et du Canada de 3e secondaire, Pascal Bureau a mis sur pied un projet incitant les élèves à s’approprier le contenu du cours. Pour ce faire, ils devaient créer un jeu de société reflétant un thème de la Nouvelle-France. Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2023 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
Maliesha Muralidharan designed a unit plan for her grade 8 history class that shifted the focus on how students learn to allow them to showcase their knowledge through art, drama, pictures, quotes, social media, debates and rants.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Jo Anne Broders organized and facilitated an international collaboration between her grades 9 and 11 students and a classroom in Germany.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
The Story of a Soldier project is an investigation into the life of a local resident and an exploration of local history during the First World War.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Chantal Clabrough designed the Westmount High School Memorial Project as a way to engage students in preserving their school’s history.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
High school teacher Brad Dowler designed a project that deals with past and current movements towards the creation, alteration, removal or replacement of historical monuments and namings.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
La Révolution tranquille en chansons est un projet qui visait à faire découvrir les faits marquants et les personnages importants de cette période de l’histoire à l’aide de différentes sources primaires et secondaires. Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2023 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
Using primary and secondary sources, L. Andrea Izzo’s grade 8 students learned about the history of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s first segregated unit and largest all-Black unit.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
"Finding Common Ground: A Treaty Walk (& Roll) of Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan" is a collaborative project that combines research, storytelling, and geographic mapping into a curated self-guided tour.This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
La philosophie pour enfants dans un contexte historique est un projet qui a été mené par Julie Brisson dans une classe d’élèves de la communauté de Kuujjuaq au Nunavik. Dans cette série de balados, la Société Histoire Canada s'est entretenue avec les finalistes francophones de 2023 du Prix d'histoire du Gouverneur général pour l'excellence en enseignement.
Elementary teacher Ramandeep Sarai guided a group inquiry project with students in grades 4-8 in her special education class to explore the question, What does it mean to be Canadian?This episode of the Teaching Canada’s History podcast is part of our series speaking with the finalists of the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in the teaching of Canadian history. To learn more, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Le projet multidisciplinaire développé par Lysa Conti et Loucy Chérubin vise à faire connaître l'apport des Noirs dans l'histoire, d'hier et d'aujourd'hui à travers le monde mais surtout au Canada. Les activités s'adressent principalement aux élèves du préscolaire et du primaire. Tout au long du projet, les élèves développent des compétences dans les domaines de la littérature jeunesse, des arts visuels, de l'anglais, de la lecture et de l'écriture. Pour chacun des cycles, les activités proposées sont adaptées au niveau des élèves. Les thèmes explorés incluent la diversité corporelle, l'acceptation des différences, la persévérance, l'affirmation de soi, l'esclavage, la justice et la liberté. Ce projet vise à rassembler les étudiants. Une fois par semaine, les élèves présentent, via une plateforme virtuelle de rencontres et d'échanges, des capsules visant à faire découvrir à tous les élèves de l'école des personnages clés de l'histoire des Noirs.
Le projet d'Hélène Wyskup a été guidé par son plan de cours sur l'histoire des Premiers Peuples du Haut-Canada. Son projet a encouragé les élèves de FLS de 3e année à entreprendre des recherches, à écrire des cartes et à confectionner une courtepointe sur l'une des premières communautés du Haut-Canada, Loyalistes, Anishinabeg, Haudenosaunee, Métis, Cris ou Inuit. En groupes de trois, les élèves ont choisi une communauté différente. Ils ont entrepris des recherches sur les similitudes et les différences des modes de vie de 1780 à 1850 (vie quotidienne, domicile, vêtements, alimentation, transports et traditions). Après leurs présentations et discussions, les élèves ont démontré leur compréhension de l'identité et de la diversité culturelle des traditions passées et présentes.
Le projet de Jacqueline Robichaud mesure la capacité des élèves à comparer les sociétés entre elles à différentes époques, à comprendre l'impact de l'impérialisme britannique sur nos peuples autochtones et leur rôle dans la réconciliation avec les Premières Nations. Pour ce faire, les élèves comparent l'évolution des Acadiens, des Autochtones et des Québécois en mettant en évidence les conditions de développement de la société. Les élèves, utilisant la méthode scientifique, combinée aux concepts de la pensée historique, font repousser du céleri, le déracinent et le privent de leur habitat naturel pour illustrer ce qu'ont vécu les Acadiens lors du Grand Dérangement de 1755 et les peuples autochtones lorsque les réserves et la Loi sur les Indiens ont été imposée vers 1876. À titre de comparaison, le céleri semé dans le potager du fermier illustre l'évolution des Canadiens français en Nouvelle-France de 1608 à nos jours. Les élèves comprennent l'importance d'un territoire dans le développement des peuples, les effets de leur déracinement et le traumatisme intergénérationnel qui en découle. Ils sont ainsi sensibilisés au racisme systémique.
Dans ce projet, les élèves cherchent à comprendre les héritages complexes découlant des points de vue des Pères de la Confédération en créant un dialogue scénarisé entre deux personnalités de l'époque. En commençant par une discussion sur le retrait des statues de John A. Macdonald, les élèves explorent la domination de l'Ordre d'Orange dans la politique canadienne du 19e siècle et interrogent les points communs dans le traitement des migrants irlandais et des Métis. Cela aide les élèves à expliquer ce qui a incité les Fenians irlandais et les Métis à frapper violemment contre l'ordre politique dominant de l'ère de la Confédération.
Dans le cadre du projet de Stéphanie Pain, ses élèves ont étudié le conte Poisson-Volant voulait devenir un Oiseau-Mouche. Développé avec le soutien de l'auteur et de l'aînée métisse Anishinabee Dolorès Contré offre un exemple de l'intégration des perspectives, du contenu et des modes d'apprentissage autochtones dans les cours de français. Il met également en évidence le pouvoir des histoires autochtones pour la transmission des connaissances. Le processus a permis aux élèves et à l'enseignant, guidés par l'auteur, d'expérimenter la pensée circulaire au-delà de la simple compréhension intellectuelle. Les élèves ont fait l'expérience d'un apprentissage holistique ancré dans leur territoire et ont appris l'interdépendance des êtres animés et inanimés. Des activités de sciences sociales, de théâtre et d'arts visuels ont permis aux élèves de comprendre les enjeux de la promotion, de la préservation ou de la revitalisation des savoirs autochtones.
Tout au long du mois de février, les enfants de 1re année de la classe de Natasha Camacho ont découvert divers Afro-Canadiens : vivants actuellement et à travers l'histoire. Une personne dont nous avons entendu parler était le Dr Ligoure, le premier médecin noir de la Nouvelle-Écosse et un héros très notable de l'explosion d'Halifax. Notre projet consistait à faire des recherches sur le Dr Ligoure et à rendre compte de nos découvertes par l'écriture, l'illustration et la création d'une vidéo. Enfin, les enfants ont écrit des lettres au maire, appelant à une plus grande reconnaissance publique du Dr Ligoure et de son héritage.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Students seek to understand the complex legacies arising from the points of view of the Fathers of Confederation by creating a scripted dialogue between two figures of that time. Starting with a discussion on the removal of the statues of John A. Macdonald, students dig into the dominance of the Orange Order in 19th century Canadian politics and interrogate the commonalities in the treatment of Irish migrants and Métis peoples. This assists students to explain what spurred both Irish Fenians and the Métis to strike violently against the dominant political order of the Confederation era.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
In Andreya Padmore’s class, students learned about current and historical events that Canada should be proud of, as well as those that took Canada time to recognize and accept responsibility for. Students went into this project with questions and interest about what happened in Canada and left with more questions, knowledge, and steps to take action toward creating a better future for Canada. For their final project, students were tasked with selecting a racialized Canadian trailblazer or a racialized Canadian inventor to research. Their work was published in a book that was professionally bound and placed in the library so others can learn about the amazing people that have come from Canada.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Melissa Moorhouse’s project, "Ethical Dilemmas — Then and Now," is an inquiry-based student experience within her class’s examination of key aspects of the Second World War. The project encourages meaningful personal development through reflection on transformational ethical questions. Through research, self-reflection, and conversation, students connect an ethical dilemma of the past to a contemporary Canadian issue. Embracing Universal Design for Learning, students can choose a medium of communication that best suits their learning styles and strengths. It combines the inquiry process, critical evaluation, and higher order thinking all with creative transformative outcomes. Rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusivity, it allows students to connect to their own identities and passions.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
After participating in an Indigenous-focused interdisciplinary class, students in Jennifer Maxwell’s class created real-world projects that could contribute to reconciliation. Throughout the course, students explored Indigenous contexts and histories, with topics about the legacy of colonial oppression including land claims (and the LANDBACK movement); Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit persons; the Sixties and Millennial Scoops; residential schools and day schools; the Indian Act; the Band Council system; and the reserve system. Students then researched and explored the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, specifically around the Calls to Action. Finally, for students to participate in their own act of reconciliation, they chose a topic, an audience, and a product to design to help their targeted audience engage in reconciliation.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Barbara Ann Giroux’s first grade class embarked on a vibrant learning journey toward reconciliation. It included participation in the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society’s Reconciliation Ambearrister program, as well as an in-class project on the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Upon class request, it evolved to include all interested students in the school, with the purpose of developing an understanding of equity issues facing many Indigenous communities and TRC Calls to Action within the school. The class shared weekly posts about human rights injustices faced by Indigenous peoples in Canada and invited students to offer their opinions to the weekly question, “Do you think all children in Canada have the same human rights?” The Grade 1 students became knowledgeable leaders in the school, while their teacher became a more reflective practitioner.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Tracey Salamondra and Carla Cooke designed a cross-curricular project where students partnered with community members and organizations to create historical narratives for an interpretive trail expansion in a neighbouring community. The project capitalized on the assets of rural communities, strong relationships, and the ability to overcome obstacles that emerged while completing an inquiry project during the pandemic. The students interviewed current and former residents and worked with museum artifacts, digital archives, and local historians as secondary sources. After studying storytelling, narrative writing, and the writing process, students each wrote, edited, and fact-checked three narratives of their choosing. The project allowed students to see history as a living discipline and learn about their communities' stories, changing how they viewed their rural communities.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Robert Jardine’s research-focused book project engages students in the process of writing history. Students co-create research questions and use those questions as frames to consider various periods in Canadian history. Over the course of the semester, students organize, research, locate images, and write chapters for a student-created history textbook that reflects their interpretation of significant events and peoples in Canada’s past. The intended outcome is that the students use a variety of competencies to create their textbook and that they begin to understand the power of past events in shaping their worldviews and the world they live in, as well as roles that individuals, organizations, and institutions wield in the creation of history.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Luisa Fracassi developed her project “Immigrant Voices” as an experiential learning opportunity for her high school students. First, students attended two virtual tours and a workshop run by the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax. The tours explored the immigrant experience by using memoirs, interviews, and other primary sources, while the workshops shared the history of and process behind conducting oral history interviews. Using what they learned from Pier 21, students conducted an oral history interview with an immigrant, transcribed the interview, and created a historical narrative in a magazine-style layout about their interviewee’s experiences.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
High school teacher Cynthia Bettio designed a semester-long project for her Grade 10 Canadian history course that is modeled after the Snapshots in Time cards, developed by Dr. Lindsay Gibson, Dr. Catharine Duquette and the Critical Thinking Consortium. The project culminated in students designing their own digital Canadian history timeline game with an emphasis on the narratives of marginalized groups over time. Students, with the support of STEM Minds Inc. and using Unity (a gaming language), developed an interactive Canadian history timeline game which will engage users in navigating key events in the history of 2SLGBTQ, women, immigrants, Indigenous groups, disabled people, and people of colour in Canada since 1914.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2022 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
In answering the question, "To what extent have diverse voices shaped Canadian identity and culture?", students in Tanya Andersen’s high school history class can give a direct answer, do a deep dive into a topic of interest from the unit, or complete an "Andersen Assignment," which is an assignment that has more structure. For the unit question and the deep dive, students have a choice of medium through which to communicate their thinking. The “Andersen Assignment” requires students to follow the Design Thinking Process to examine the Grade 10 history textbook for gaps in coverage of a Canadian identity. This project allows students to critically examine the textbook and become advocates for change.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Jackie Cleave is a teacher at Laura Secord School in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she developed a project about making the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action accessible for younger students. As Jackie notes, the 94 Calls to Action are a set of directions towards reconciliation but they were not intended as a teaching tool. To make the Calls to Action more accessible, a team of educators worked with seventy-five grades 4, 5, and 6 students to reword the calls in child-friendly language. Her students researched history, explored current reality, toured the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and listened to Indigenous leaders. The students used art, poetry, dictionaries, and thesauruses to identify the problem and rephrase each Call in their own words. The result is a book containing the art, poetry, original Calls, and the students’ wording of the problem and the solution the CRTC TRC proposes.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
What do we do with statues of people whose views and actions we now recognize as problematic? What role do we play in the telling of Canada’s national story, and what impact can we have on its future? Katie Tressel considered these essential questions while developing her project “Heroes and Villains.” Students are asked to consider how perspectives about historical figures and events can change. They examined how what we choose to remember about our past influences our future, and they took steps towards creating the Canada they want to live in by designing their own monuments celebrating their vision for the country. Overall, students learned that history is not a single story, and that recognizing multiple perspectives creates a richer, more accurate national identity.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
“Missing,” a show performed by Kelly Barnum’s dance students at Nanaimo District Secondary School in Nanaimo, British Columbia, explored the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis. The thirty-minute show focused on the lost lives of six British Columbian women and girls and incorporated powerful images of those lost and the symbolic red dresses. Kelly developed the show with her former student, Sarah Kielly, in collaboration with the Indigenous Education Department and used music by Indigenous, primarily female, artists; monologues describing the lives and loss of the six women; as well as the NDSS Drumming Group performing "Women's Warrior Song.” The goal of “Missing” was to spread awareness to the school community. Unfortunately, due to COVID the students were unable to share their work with a larger audience but highlights from their dress rehearsal was shared with teachers. Several faculty provided positive feedback, stating the show was impactful and that they were grateful for the conversations that were prompted.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
In Randall Keast’s project, The Human Rights Symposium, students must conduct in-depth research into a marginalized group in Canada and the challenges they faced in their pursuit for equality. Once they have conducted their research, students must present their findings in seminar-style groups. This allows for students to not only engage in a conversation about the historical influences that led to marginalization of these groups, but also provides students an opportunity to directly engage with the history and teach their peers what they’ve learned themselves. At the end of the symposium, students are asked to reflect on the process and explore the notion of a just society.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Denise LeBlanc enseigne à l’École du Grand-Pavois à Rimouski au Québec. Son projet finaliste Le cœur d’Auschwitz a été réalisé en collaboration avec École en réseau et le musée de l’Holocauste de Montréal. Les activités pédagogiques réalisées ont favorisé l’enseignement et la sensibilisation des élèves face à l’Holocauste. Le point de vue ciblé a mis en lumière des actions de bienveillance et d’empathie survenues au cours de cette page d’histoire sombre. Un partenariat avec la Fondation Monique Fitz-Back s’est imbriqué dans la démarche éducative. Cet organisme de bienfaisance aide les jeunes à développer la reconnaissance de l’autre et l’empathie afin de favoriser le vivre-ensemble et la poursuite du bien commun. Le projet Le cœur d’Auschwitz a valorisé le respect des droits de la personne et la considération de la diversité culturelle comme l’enrichissement d’une société saine.
Jean-Pierre Bélanger enseigne au Collège Clarétain à Victoriaville au Québec. Le projet finaliste qu’il a créé pour ses élèves et qui est intitulé Le discours politique, dans la peau des personnages offre aux élèves une occasion de reproduire en classe un discours historique. L'objectif est pour eux de s'approprier notre histoire en redonnant vie aux mots qui ont marqué l'histoire du Canada, en les remettant dans leur contexte et en examinant leur impact sur la société de l'époque. En plus de mettre en valeur leurs talents oratoires, ce projet laisse place à l’originalité des élèves et permet d’actualiser la pensée historique à travers des événements d’une autre époque ou d’un passé très rapproché.
Maintenant plus que jamais, les pédagogues sont ouverts aux conversations sur l'égalité et le racisme systémique. Judette Dumel, enseignante à l’École intermédiaire publique Louis-Riel, a été inspirée par ce thème et a développé son projet finaliste. Concrètement, elle a encouragé ses élèves à explorer des histoires du passé et à fouiller des sujets d'actualités afin qu’ils comprennent ce que vivent les communautés noires du Canada et de l'Amérique du Nord. À travers leurs découvertes, ils ont pu à leur tour devenir transmetteurs de connaissances pour leurs pairs et pour les élèves d'autres classes.
Ce projet créé par Kevin Péloquin, enseignant au Collège Saint-Hilaire à Mont-Saint-Hilaire au Québec, est finaliste pour le Prix d’histoire du Gouverneur général pour l’excellence en enseignement. Le projet intitulé Cours-voyage sur des sites historiques engage activement les élèves à jouer le rôle d’interprètes de l’histoire tout au long de l’année scolaire. À partir de l’étude des fonctions et usages d’un site historique ou d’un artéfact de la Grèce ancienne, les élèves plongent au cœur d’une véritable enquête historienne afin de recoller les pièces de leur casse-tête historique. La présentation du fruit de cette enquête ouvre la voie à la discussion sur les usages publics des lieux historiques sur tout le territoire canadien.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Janet teaches at the Scarborough Centre for Alternative Studies in Toronto, Ontario where she developed her project. Janet’s project had two major goals: as a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 62nd Call to Action; and to contribute to the process of reconciliation as defined the TRC report, as reconciliation “requires that the paternalistic and racist foundations of the residential school system be rejected as the basis for an ongoing relationship.” It consists of a 20-page interdisciplinary Jamboard showing different maps or landscapes that students can interact with online. It begins with a Land Acknowledgement page which invites students to draw the First Nation territories of the place they occupy. This is followed by a variety of units that feature Indigenous histories and governance practices for sharing land, numbered treaties, and colonial events from Canadian history.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Student members of the Westwood Historical Society at Westwood Collegiate, along with teacher Kelly Hiebert, have made a documentary film about student voice and social justice regarding the issues of hate and anti-Semitism in Canada today. The project was inspired by a Holocaust Tour where Kelly and the students in the historical society visited Warsaw Ghetto, POLIN (Museum of Polish Jews), Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Lidice Village just outside of Prague, Czechia. The film includes student-led interviews with eight local Winnipeg Holocaust survivors and Angie Orosz-Richt, who was born in the extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Angie has dedicated her life to continuing her mother’s story of bravery, courage, hope, and love to protect her daughter in unimaginable circumstances. Students have also interviewed specialists in Holocaust education, local historians that specialize in the Holocaust, and many others who helped in getting the film off the ground. Kelly hopes to hold a viewing of the film in Winnipeg in October 2021.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
For over ten years, teacher Mark Perry has led students of various grades (1, 5, 11, and 12) in four different schools in the Kennebecasis Valley, New Brunswick, in a commemorative project called "The Kennebecasis Valley Remembers." The students have uncovered thousands of primary documents and have video-interviewed over sixty Second World War veterans to write five books, of which three have been published, and to produce several documentary films. These products detail historical accounts and the biographies of over 180 people from New Brunswick and the greater Wabanaki Territory. This work has been used by university students and University of New Brunswick historians as they have conducted their own research on the stories of New Brunswick. The present focus is on the development of biographies of veterans of the Wabanaki Nations: the Mi'kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, and Peskotomuhkatiyik.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
The Keeping Tobacco Sacred project, started by Michel Blades at the Ranch Learning Centre in Lamont, Alberta, is a reconnection to land, culture, language, and identity for youth growing up in government care. Inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, this project is ultimately a grassroots answer to the assimilation of Indigenous people that resulted from the Residential School System and the legacy of their children. The process of learning to grow, cure, and prepare tobacco from seed to offering provides students with a daily connection to caring for oneself as well as the life of another. Additionally, in acknowledging the length of time it takes to grow medicines, it reinforces the importance of positively connecting the mind, body, and spirit to protocols, language, teachings, ceremony, and elder prayers.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2021 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Shannon Leggett is a teacher at Brockton School in North Vancouver, British Columbia, where she has developed a new take on a history classroom staple: the research essay. Shannon requires her students to create a 2000-word analytical historical investigation on a Canadian event between 1919-2011 with plenty of feedback from Shannon regarding anything from writing tips to gaps in research. In this process, students learn how to conduct in-depth research and produce papers using a multi-faceted, scaffolded approach. Once the paper is complete, students are tasked with defending their research finding in a 15-minute presentation/Q&A session with their peers. The purpose of this project is not only skill based but also to have students become experts in one area of post-WWI Canadian history, and be taught about a wide array of unique, often unknown events in Canadian history.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
La Société Histoire Canada s’est récemment entretenue avec l'un des finalistes de l’édition de 2020 du Prix d’histoire du Gouverneur général pour l’excellence des programmes communautaires. La Fondation Émergence s'est vu décerner par le jury une mention honorable pour son projet Devoir de mémoire.
Ce prix a été créé pour mettre en lumière le travail des organismes culturels, communautaires et bénévoles à vocation patrimoniale qui ont réalisé des projets originaux visant à commémorer des aspects importants de notre patrimoine. Dans cette entrevue, monsieur Julien Rougerie nous donne un aperçu du projet réalisé par la Fondation Émergence en plus de montrer ses effets remarquables et durables pour la communauté.
Julien Rougerie est diplômé en 2011 d’un Master en gestion de projets à l’université de la Sorbonne, il a œuvré depuis en tant que professionnel de la gestion pour des projets ou organismes à but non lucratif en France, aux États-Unis et au Québec. Interpellé par l’invisibilité des personnes aînées LGBTQ+, il a rejoint la Fondation Émergence en avril 2017 pour porter leur cause en tant que responsable du programme Pour que vieillir soit gai, un programme de sensibilisation des milieux aînés à la diversité sexuelle et de genre. Le programme Pour que vieillir soit gai inclut également le volet Devoir de mémoire qui consiste à documenter l’histoire du mouvement LGBTQ+ à travers le partage du vécu et du parcours militant des personnes à l’origine de ce mouvement.
Canada’s National History Society spoke with finalists of the 2020 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming who additionally received honourable mention distinction for their projects.
The award aims to inspire small or volunteer-led community organizations in the creation of innovative programming that commemorates unique aspects of our heritage. In the interviews, project representatives give insight into how their projects engaged the public in Canadian history, the unique community partnerships they forged, and the lasting community impact.
Ananya Ohri was born in India and moved to Canada when she was ten years old. She was the Executive Director at the Regent Park Film Festival (RPFF), Toronto’s longest running free community film festival, for seven years. At RPFF, Ananya founded and directed the Lieutenant General Award winning project, Home Made Visible, which worked to preserve old home movies for BIPOC families across Canada and celebrate acts of personal archiving. Ananya is currently producing and writing a kids’ animated adventure mystery series headed to CBC Kids, which she created with collaborator Fiona Raye Clarke.
Elizabeth Mudenyo is a poet, artist and arts manager based in Toronto, Canada. She has worked all sides of the film festival circuit, and continues to immerse herself in community engaged arts programming. She managed the award-winning nationwide archival project, Home Made Visible. She is a third of The Group Project, a collective of Scarborough-raised women creating a vision for a new arts and culture space in/for Scarborough. She is collecting tools for curation and social justice organizing. Her first poetry chapbook, With Both Hands, is available through Anstruther Press.
Canada’s National History Society spoke with finalists of the 2020 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming who additionally received honourable mention distinction for their projects.
The award aims to inspire small or volunteer-led community organizations in the creation of innovative programming that commemorates unique aspects of our heritage. In the interviews, project representatives give insight into how their projects engaged the public in Canadian history, the unique community partnerships they forged, and the lasting community impact.
John Sandlos is a professor of history at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he studies and teaches in the area of Canadian and environmental history. Since 2007, he has conducted extensive archival and community-based research on the history of mining in northern Canada. He is the co-editor (with Arn Keeling) of Mining and Communities in the Canadian North: History, Politics, Memory (University of Calgary Press, 2015). From 2013, Sandlos was the Principal Investigator on the Toxic Legacies Project, a community-based research partnership with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and Alternatives North (a Yellowknife-based environmental and social justice coalition) to study the historical impacts of arsenic contamination due to gold mining at Yellowknife, and how to communicate the long term toxic threat of 237,000 tonnes of arsenic buried under the ground at the abandoned Giant Mine to future generations.
The Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line was a radar defense network in Canada’s Arctic. It was a Cold War engineering marvel, but it had terrible effects on the land and Inuit communities.
The financial history of the US and Canada since the late 18th century. In his lecture, professor Joe Martin discusses how Canada and the United States diverged in their development of a banking system after the conclusion of the War of 1812.
Dundonald Park in Ottawa sits across the street from the apartment that Igor Gouzenko, the first Cold War defector, previously resided. This apartment building was where Gouzenko and his family hid from Soviet pursuers, and this park was where RCMP officers kept watch of the premises. Today, seventy-five years later, a plaque stands in Dundonald Park memorializing Gouzenko.
Andrew Kavchak, former federal civil servant, autism advocate, and amateur historian, explains his lengthy efforts for the municipal and federal recognition of Gouzenko in Ottawa. The author of several books, Kavchak discusses the writing of Remembering Gouzenko: the Struggle to Honour a Cold War Hero, as well as other books related to Soviet history.
Allen Priest provides insights into the history of American elections’ impacts on Canada.
On the day of the 2020 United States presidential election, it is a great opportunity to reflect on the history of American elections’ influence on Canada and the dynamics between Canadian and American leaders. Allen Priest guides us through many of the most cooperative, competitive, and controversial moments between the leaders of the two neighbouring countries, and how the past can be clarifying in observing the impact of the current election.
The defection of the Russian cipher clerk, Igor Gouzenko, in September, 1945, revealed to Canadian authorities a web of Soviet espionage spun throughout Canada, with threads running through atomic military research, Canadian parliament, and across the world – in Washington DC, London, and Moscow.
Seventy-five years later, we can observe how this single defection sent ripples and cracks throughout the global military and political landscape.
Dr. Calder Walton, a historian of espionage, grants us a peek behind the Iron Curtain, describing the intentions, perspectives, and practices of Soviet spying coordinated by Stalin and his officers.
He explains how the various Western nations responded to the knowledge of these spying rings revealed by the Gouzenko defection. Dr. Walton explains how the first Cold War defection has relevance that extends across the West, the world, and to the present day.
For decades, The Beaver depicted Indigenous societies as primitive peoples in need of “civilization.” In actuality, the magazine’s images reveal vibrant cultures, resilient communities, and crucial new perspectives on the North.
Karine Duhamel, Ph.D., who is Anishinaabe-Métis, wrote “Life on the Land” in our special centennial issue.
“As an Indigenous person, I am looking at the pictures in The Beaver differently. I am looking at the things that make Indigenous peoples and communities strong, which are family and kinship and connection to the land. For me, that’s what stands out in the images.”
Photo: Inuit children leap across large supply sacks at Frobisher Bay, in what’s now Nunavut, circa 1960 in this photo by British photographer Rosemary Gilliat. The image appeared in the Winter 1962 issue in a story on children in the North. [Credit: HBCA-1987-363-E-210-018]
Evy Wilson, the daughter of Igor and Svetlana Gouzenko, remembers her parents’ stories on the 75th anniversary of their escape to Canada — the first Cold War defection.
Photographs of Svetlana Gouzenko in 1948 (left) and Evy Wilson, her daughter, in 1970 (right) - both at the age of 24.
L’histoire est une discipline merveilleuse et riche en enseignement. Toutefois, les étudiants.es à qui j’enseigne, des jeunes de 17-18 ans pour la plupart, ont souvent développé un sentiment négatif vis-à-vis cette matière durant leur parcours scolaire. Particulièrement par rapport à notre histoire nationale dont ils ont de la difficulté à s’identifier. Mon principal objectif est donc de leur redonner le goût, la curiosité et le désir de se plonger dans cette histoire qui leur appartient. De là est venue l’idée de les initier à la généalogie historique et de leur faire retracer les racines de leur histoire familiale afin qu’ils constatent qu’ils sont le fruit du labeur de leurs ancêtres. En relatant leur histoire familiale, un sentiment d’appartenance se développe en prenant conscience que leurs ancêtres figurent parmi les bâtisseurs de notre pays qui ont mis en place les fondations de la société dans laquelle ils évoluent aujourd’hui.
Le projet présenté est une expérimentation de la formation à distance au secondaire associée à la constitution d’un environnement de classe différent (aménagement flexible), invitant, engageant et en évolution où la technologie et la réalisation de projets (en classe ou en parascolaire) occupent une place importante. Il permet à l’élève de se responsabiliser à l’égard de son apprentissage et de développer son potentiel d’interprétation du passé tout en actualisant sa maîtrise d’outils du 21e siècle. Conçu sur le concept de la classe inversée, libérant du temps pour du travail d’interprétation, le projet a notamment permis d’amener les élèves à visiter, de façon virtuelle, des lieux marquants de l’histoire du Québec et du Canada ainsi que d’exploiter divers documents d’archives les initiant aux sources primaires. Ce projet en est un d’apprentissage tant pour les élèves que pour l’enseignant qui les accompagne dans le développement de leur maîtrise des opérations intellectuelles propre à la pensée historique.
La classe inversée sur la Révolution française est un grand projet en histoire et éducation à la citoyenneté en deuxième secondaire. Avec l'étude de textes, de sources, de vidéos et de documents variés, les élèves deviennent les acteurs de l'époque et font revivre la France du 18e siècle en classe. Le concept de "droit fondamental" est au cœur du projet, qu'on parle de la Révolution française, de la Russie tsariste ou du Canada d'aujourd'hui.
Histoire à vélo est un projet dynamique, écoresponsable et transdisciplinaire qui a utilisé la bicyclette comme moyen d’enseigner l’histoire. Dans la première partie du projet, l’apprenant était un citoyen réfléchi et autonome qui a préparé sa visite à vélo au canal de Lachine. En résumé, l’étudiant a établi son itinéraire avec Google Maps et l’idée d’observer les infrastructures importantes du canal. Dans le but d’interpréter l’évolution de ce lieu historique, l’apprenant a ensuite comparé ses observations avec des sources historiques. Dans la deuxième partie, l’étudiant a continué son aventure et ses apprentissages avec une vidéo GoPro de l’enseignant qui se déplace à vélo dans les différents quartiers de Montréal. Enfin, l’apprenant a compris que l’histoire est omniprésente et qu’elle enrichit nos activités quotidiennes.
Le projet intitulé Dollard et Groulx vise à permettre une réflexion sur l’instrumentalisation des faits historiques à des fins politiques. À partir d’une fausse nouvelle d’un journal (culture des médias), les élèves doivent réfléchir et interpréter une réalité sociales dans un texte de type éditorial sur la conservation ou non d’une statue de Dollard des Ormeaux. Les élèves appuient leurs arguments sur une analyse de sources primaires de l’époque de la Nouvelle-France et de sources secondaires d’historiens du 19e et du 20e siècle, comme ceux de Lionel Groulx. Grâce au projet, les élèves comprennent le poids des idéologies dans les choix de société, mais aussi des préjugés qui sont colportés, volontairement ou pas, sur certains groupes, notamment sur les Premières Nations.
Carly McFadden, the Artistic and Executive Director for the music festival Folk on the Rocks, spoke with Canada’s History intern Brendan McShane about the history and future of this festival, and how it changed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Carly shares some of her favourite moments from this festival’s 40-year run and welcomes Canadians to experience all it has to offer.
In the October-November 2019 issue of Canada's History, Christopher Moore's article “The Ballots Question,” explores the origins of Canadian political party leadership conventions. In 1919, a federal political party held the first convention to choose its leader, and it forever changed the way politics is practised in Canada.
In this interview, political scientist Royce Koop responds by discussing the process of choosing a party leader, whether the system we have now is more or less democratic, and how other countries choose the leaders of their parties.
To read Christopher Moore's article, go to https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/prime-ministers/the-ballots-question.
In a historic ruling on March 8, 2013 that ended the thirty-year claim, the Supreme Court of Canada determined that the federal government failed in its obligations to the Métis people under the Manitoba Act.
Philippe Mailhot, historian and director of the Saint Boniface Museum at the time, provided a historical perspective of the claim and the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The Manitoba Act received royal assent on May 12, 1870, ending a period of conflict in the Red River Settlement and formally creating the Province of Manitoba. However, the form of negotiations and the terms and obligations set out under the Act are the subject of a claim brought against the federal government by the Manitoba Métis Federation.
A passion for the past inspires a young historian in Cornwall, Ontario, to memorialize inmates who died at a local “poor house.”
Entitled Lost Heroes: The Untold Story of Canadian Superheroes, the full-length film documents the history of Canadian comic book heroes from the 1940s onward. The film debuted at Toronto’s Royal Cinema on February 28, 2014.
Canada’s History caught up with comic book historian Hope Nicholson, who along with partner Rachel Richey, who spearheaded the drive to introduce Nelvana to a new generation of readers.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
We would like to thank voicEd Radio for their support in producing this podcast. VoicEd Radio is a 24/7 Internet-based Radio Station dedicated to both broadening and deepening the conversations we have about education. You can find out more about voicEd Radio at voiced.ca.
David Brian and Stephen Punga (not pictured) created an opportunity for students to use digital technology to expand upon histories in their community. In their “Lost Cemeteries” project, students used GIS to map the graves of Black Canadians in Essex County.
“Gladys We Never Knew” is a teaching module that invites students to understand Indigenous perspectives through personal and place-based connections. Jean Moir’s students interact with a variety of sources and reflect on their learning over the course of the module.
Leanne Young’s students created “Indigenous Action Plans” to contribute towards reconciliation. Through a series of activities, students learned about issues facing Indigenous people. In groups, students focused on specific issues and developed their plans to further the aims of truth and reconciliation.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
We would like to thank voicEd Radio for their support in producing this podcast. VoicEd Radio is a 24/7 Internet-based Radio Station dedicated to both broadening and deepening the conversations we have about education. You can find out more about voicEd Radio at voiced.ca.
Kayla Dallyn and Genevieve Soler worked with Stoney Nakoda Elders in their community to help students trace their family lineage. After creating family trees, students identified “heroes” among the members of their family. Students sculpted a bust of their “hero” that was then displayed publicly in a pop-up exhibit for National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Students in Dwayne Jeffery’s class worked with the six historical thinking concepts over the course of the entire school year. Through multiple activities, students gained the tools necessary to create a final museum exhibit project and presented it to the community.
The project “Treaties: Spirit, Intent and Broken Promises”, created by Caelin Webber, included multiple activities involving poetry, theatre, and primary source analysis. For their final project, Caelin Webber’s students created infographics connecting modern issues to historic treaty precedents.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
We would like to thank voicEd Radio for their support in producing this podcast. VoicEd Radio is a 24/7 Internet-based Radio Station dedicated to both broadening and deepening the conversations we have about education. You can find out more about voicEd Radio at voiced.ca.
In the “History Portfolio” project, Trevor Arndt’s students assumed the role of a person from Canadian history and followed them through defining moments of the 20th century. Students voted in period elections and experienced trials from different regions at different times in history. To finish, students wrote memoirs of their character’s experiences during the project.
Students in Heidi Crowley’s Grade 11 Canadian History class studied the recent controversies surrounding monuments. After discussing the different sides of the debate and visiting local monuments, students created posters and presentations evaluating the history and impact of different Canadian monuments.
Heather Jefkins’ students completed a variety of activities to understand the creation and importance of different fabric craft works. The project, “Weaving Stories and Stitching History,” allowed students to learn through hands-on creation of fabric pieces. Students also interacted with community members and learned about history through weaving and quilting.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Michael Pitblado and Agnieszka Chalas’ “Banksy Project” invited students to use artwork and the format of Banksy’s art pieces to raise awareness about some of the issues that affect Indigenous peoples. The pieces were displayed in public areas around the community, as well as in exhibitions at multiple art galleries.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Sarah Dewey’s students exercised their creativity to create responses to the impacts of the transcontinental railway on various aspects of Canadian history. Through artwork, songs, and poetry students explored the ways that the railroad both united and divided Canada.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
René Beaudoin enseigne à de futurs professionnels de l’industrie touristique les techniques reliées à l’interprétation du patrimoine.
Le cours vise à maîtriser certaines connaissances de base (le cadre historique) ainsi que les méthodes de recherches, d’analyse de contenu, d’identification du message à transmettre en fonction de la clientèle cible et d’élaboration de produits d’interprétation.
Pour cela, les étudiants ont réalisé une exposition sur l’histoire de la langue française parlée au Québec.
Par ce moyen, ils auront compris que peu importe le lieu, la culture évolue au gré de l’histoire et des apports des divers groupes culturels qui composent sa population, ils auront intégré les concepts de continuité et de changement culturel, les causes et les conséquences des changements, et ils auront été capables de se projeter dans l’avenir (sans faire de boule de cristal) !
Photo : Hebdo Mékinac/Des Chenaux - Audrey Leblanc
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Students in Robert Bell’s 5/6 class researched the Spanish Influenza through the records of a young girl named Hazel who died of the disease in 1918. Hazel attended the same school as the students in Bell’s class. The project culminated in a student-curated exhibit at the Dundas Museum that focused on Hazel’s life and the impact of the Spanish Influenza on their community.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Emilia Adorante’s students applied their knowledge of history to a computer game platform. This project allowed students to gain experience with coding while exercising their creativity to create a game with a historic context.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
After conducting research, Heather Ragot and Jock Martin’s students compiled essays to form book chapters about various Indigenous topics. The chapters were then made into a book, Reconciling the Past, Finding a New Path, that was released at a local book store.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Bridget Wright’s students engaged in a series of activities to facilitate their understanding of history. After examining important moments in Canadian history, students were tasked with creating a museum exhibit focused around a core question. As a final component, students created family trees, which allowed them to link historic concepts with their personal connections.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Les élèves de Mme Anne Quesnelle ont le pouvoir de façonner non seulement l’avenir de la démocratie, mais le présent.
À la suite des décisions politiques provinciales du « jeudi noir » de l’Ontario Français et connaissant leurs droits et responsabilités, les élèves se penchent sur les enjeux historiques des franco-ontariens et démontrent leur démocratie en action.
Ils explorent comment ces annonces les concernent et mettent rapidement en œuvre un plan d’action concerté dans l’école afin de favoriser la citoyenneté responsable et de faire entendre leur voix et leurs préoccupations en tant qu’élèves francophones dans un milieu minoritaire.
Ils effectuent des entrevues éclair et font le montage d’une vidéo et d’un tableau d’affiche de manifestation qui est partagé à travers les médias sociaux de l’école en espérant avoir une portée provinciale sur la scène politique.
Le post de la page Facebook connaît un partage viral et les élèves comprennent rapidement que, grâce aux nouvelles technologies de la communication, le monde est désormais dans une ère nouvelle où chaque personne peut participer à la vie politique.
Grâce à leurs actions et choix quotidiens, ils constatent qu’ils affectent le changement social tout en inspirant autres franco-ontariens à suivre leur exemple et que cet effet boule de neige fera une vague de sensibilisation qui aura davantage prise sur leur destin.
Madame Pelland est une enseignante qui est toujours à la recherche d’idées créatives afin d'incorporer l'histoire dans ses cours d'anglais. Son but est de rendre l'histoire pertinente pour les élèves et de rendre leur expérience scolaire inoubliable.
Lorsqu'une élève a partagé son désir de rencontrer une survivante de l'holocauste, Mme Pelland a communiqué avec Eva Olsson afin que celle-ci vienne rencontrer l'élève en question. Elle a ensuite lancé l'invitation à l'ensemble du CSPGNO pour que tous les élèves aient l'occasion d'entendre le message d'espoir.
À l'intérieur d'un cours d'anglais ses élèves ont fait la lecture de The Secret Path par Gord Downie et ont ensuite eu la chance de rencontrer une survivante des écoles résidentielles.
Par la suite, les élèves ont visité l'école résidentielle à Spanish, Ontario.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
“First Nations Studies” is a program created by Danita Lewis that engages students in learning about Indigenous people in Canada. The program focuses on understanding concepts through interaction with historic documents as well as hands-on activities.
Image credit: George Littlechild
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
Ce projet scolaire se veut une porte ouverte vers la reconnaissance des éléments patrimoniaux présents dans la région de Châteauguay et de ses localités avoisinantes par l’entremise de la photographie numérique ou argentique (sur pellicule).
Suite à la présentation des formations, les étudiants doivent choisir un sujet à photographier et rechercher de l’information à son sujet par la mise en place d’une démarche d’analyse se référant à la pensée historique. La présentation finale du projet, réalisée dans une institution muséale, permet aux jeunes comme à la communauté locale d’apprécier le fruit de ce travail collectif.
À la fin de l’exposition, les œuvres réalisées par les élèves sont démontées puis présentées en alternance dans des résidences pour personnes âgées.
Pour ce projet les élèves conçoivent un clip vidéo (3 minutes) avec des archives sur l’histoire des Canadiens à travers la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Ils doivent utiliser un logiciel de montage vidéo et d'intégration numérique.
Chaque groupe doit piger un sujet (imposé), une fois que chaque équipe aura un sujet, ces derniers pourront faire des échanges.
Le respect du droit d'auteur et l'utilisation d'archives historiques sont au cœur du projet pédagogique. La narration doit être réalisée par les élèves. Le contenu historique doit faire des liens entre l'histoire de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et les Canadiens.
Le clip vidéo doit présenter un minimum de 20 archives visuelles, dont des photos historiques, un extrait vidéo d'époque, des documents officiels, une publicité d'époque, une découpure de journaux et une caricature.
Le projet se veut une exploration du rôle des Noirs dans l'édification du Canada et de leurs rôles comme membres de la tapisserie culturelle que représente notre pays.
Les élèves ont fait une enquête sur l'immigration des Noirs au temps des explorateurs et de la colonisation jusqu'à nos jours. Ils ont fait des recherches sur des personnages ayant foulé le sol canadien tel que Mathieu Da Costa, Olivier le Jeune, Harriet Tubman et Jean Augustine.
Ils ont traduit l'information sous forme de saynètes, de poésies, de danses et de tableaux d'arts qu'ils ont par la suite, présentés à la communauté scolaire.
Génération 1 est un programme pédagogique axé sur les Premières Nations du Canada qui a été implanté aux niveaux intermédiaire et secondaire à l’école Miss Edgar and Miss Cramp.
Les deux intentions pédagogiques du programme sont, premièrement, de mieux faire connaître la culture des premiers peuples du pays et, deuxièmement, de conscientiser les élèves à la réalité des pensionnats autochtones et de leurs impacts sur la société canadienne. À travers plusieurs activités, les élèves et le personnel enseignant tissent des liens avec des communautés autochtones.
Le programme comprend notamment des cours de Kanien’kéha, la participation à un pow-wow, la création d’un capteur de rêve, la présentation d’une conférence, l’analyse de l’œuvre Secret Path, la lecture de contes et légendes ainsi que la visite de Kahnawake.
Le projet de classe-musée place les élèves dans une situation d’apprentissage et d’évaluation très complexe, car il mobilise un ensemble de ressources qui nécessite une recherche, une analyse et une sélection de données.
L’élève doit apprendre à chercher de l’information sur une réalité historique, en faire l’analyse et interpréter ses découvertes. Il doit recourir aux technologies de l’information et de la communication à la fois comme outils de recherche et comme supports de ses réalisations notamment grâce à la réalité augmentée et virtuelle 3D.
Dans le cadre de ce projet, les élèves exposent la pertinence historique de réalités sociales modernes ou d’artéfacts provenant de musées locaux grâce à des montages vidéos disponibles en réalité augmentée et virtuelle 3D.
Notre projet dépasse les frontières de l’école grâce à une trousse pédagogique en ligne avec la participation et la collaboration de plusieurs classes à travers le Canada et dans le monde.
This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Grade 7 students at Calgary Academy created projects responding to the question, “What actions can we take to further the spirit and intent of the journey to reconciliation?” Students created projects in multiple formats that they presented to parents and other members of the community at a school event.
To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.
The Mystery of the Bell traces the history of the “Bell of Batoche,” an item stolen by Ontario soldiers in the 1885 North-west Rebellion. First Nations people cherish the bell and until last year its whereabouts were completely unknown.
In the program, Mark Starowicz, Executive Director of Documentary Programming at the CBC, and producer Wayne Chong, explore the timeline of events leading to the bell’s repatriation last summer in Batoche, Saskatchewan.
In this clip, Canada’s History chatted with Starowicz, a twenty-five-year industry veteran who has received numerous accolades for his work on Canadian television. He is also the Creator and Executive Producer of Canada: A People’s History, for which he received the Pierre Berton Award (now known as the Governor General History Award for Popular Media) in 2001.
“We want to tell the remarkable story of this bell, and what its roots are,” said Starowicz. “We trace how it was stolen, who had it and the various identities it has assumed, the political battle for it, right up to the current day.”
The bell was taken as a war prize during the Battle of Batoche — one of the final conflicts in the North-west Rebellion. The battle forced the surrender of Louis Riel, and he was executed later that year.
The relic eventually turned up in Millbrook, Ontario in the 1930s hanging in a fire hall. After numerous diplomatic attempts by the Metis community, the bell was stolen in 1991 — not to be seen in public again until 2013 at a parade in Batoche, Saskatchewan.
What happened in the interim is the subject of much debate and controversy.
“It's a terrific detective story, a journey through Canadian history,” said Starowicz.
“It’s a Canadian Da Vinci code.”
The year 2019 marks fifty years since the Canadian government made its first, albeit limited, moves to decriminalize homosexual activity. LGBTQ2S+ history has only come to light relatively recently, but that doesn’t mean the history itself is new.
Mark S. Bonham is a Toronto entrepreneur and philanthropist with a particular interest in this area. He recently spoke to Canada’s History features editor Nancy Payne.
Their conversation took place while some construction was going on outside Massey College, where Bonham is a senior fellow. Payne started by asking him about how the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto came to be.
Carolyn Harris, a Canadian historian who specializes in royalty, reveals in this interview that few Canadians realize that Canada’s early destiny was steered by a swashbuckling cavalier.
In 2014, a researcher in Spain uncovered the oldest civil document written in Canada.
In 1563, a Basque sailor named Domingo de Luca could sense his end was near. So, on May 15th, he dictated his last will and testament while fishing near Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. Four hundred and fifty years later, Dr. Michael Barkham uncovered de Luca’s final words in an archive in Spain and the discovery has communities on both sides of the Atlantic buzzing. This podcast was originally recorded in May 2014.
Choosing Canada’s Great Women is not easy. Listen to Charlotte Gray, one of the judges on our panel, as she describes the pleasures and pitfalls of ranking the great women of history.
It wasn’t long ago when many Canadians hid the fact that they were part Indigenous... but some secrets are too hard to keep. It was not uncommon for parents to refuse to reveal their indigenous heritage to their children, often out of concern that their offspring would be teased and discriminated against. Shirley Wishart and her brother Vernon know this firsthand: They believed they had only European roots until they stumbled upon a secret that changed the course of their lives.
In 2012, PBS aired a documentary that chronicled the life and legacy of a man known in his time as the “Father of the Underground Railroad.” To learn more about the film, we spoke to executive producer Gordon Henderson.
William Still (c. 1821–1902) was an abolitionist and civil rights activist who helped countless black slaves find freedom in Canada. Perhaps even more important, were the diligent records he kept of the people he helped along the way. In 1872, Still compiled the biographical details, personal narratives, and letters of over 600 fugitive slaves and published The Underground Railroad Records. This work became both a powerful anti-slavery testament and an invaluable historical document.
This song, by The Kilts, is dedicated to young Robert Sidey, a boy with Down’s syndrome who was institutionalized at Huronia in 1956 at the age of three. He died there of untreated pneumonia in 1961. Robert’s death had a profound impact on his sister, Marilyn Sidey (now Dolmage), who went on to work for the rights of people labelled with intellectual disabilities and helped two former Huronia residents launch the class action suit that led to a $35 million settlement for former residents of Huronia. Image: Courtesy of Marilyn (Sidey)Dolmage.
His star burned brightly but all too briefly, leaving behind both great art and a tragic story. Benjamin Chee Chee’s stylized Canada geese are instantly familiar to most Canadians, but the struggles the Ojibwa artist encountered throughout his life are less well known. Ernie Bies, who met Chee Chee more than forty years ago, spoke to Canada’s History features editor Nancy Payne about his friend.
James Gillespie, art director for Canada’s History, speaks with illustrator GMB Chomichuk about creating art for "Macabre Discovery" (December 2018-January 2019), a story by André Pelchat about La Corriveau, the witch of Quebec folklore.
Kaitlin Vitt speaks with historians and curators about how museums approach presenting human rights atrocities.
Les élèves de Jean-François Gosselin, dans le cadre de leur cours d'histoire du Québec et du Canada de troisième secondaire, doivent concevoir une modélisation 3D d'une scène de la Guerre de Conquête à l'aide du jeu Minecraft. Ce projet, réalisé en collaboration avec le Musée de la civilisation de Québec, a comme objectif d'intégrer l'enseignement de l'univers social au nouveau M-Lab du musée, tout en permettant aux jeunes de laisser libre cours à leur créativité en utilisant un environnement de jeu populaire.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Christina Iorio, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
She has developed a series of lesson plans that introduce her students to primary sources and develops their historical thinking skills. As a culminating activity, students create an escape room game for the rest of the class to participate in.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Danita Lewis, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Danita has created a six-week program called First Nations Studies that is offered to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students at her school. Through experiential and exploratory learning, the program creates an awareness and respect for Indigenous history, culture, and tradition; and serves to build bridges between indigenous and non-Indigenous learners.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Denee Repski and Justin Harrison, finalists for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Denee and Justin have created a project called “History Underground: The Road to Reconciliation,” which encourages their students to make connections between Canada’s colonial history, and the enduring legacy of this history. Students learn from a variety of Indigenous speakers and organizations, visit places of historical significance, and collaborate and volunteer with local agencies that serve the community.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Eve Seni, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Eve’s Grade 10 students are tasked with researching the First World War through the lens of “pertinence.” Students choose one aspect of the war and must demonstrate if and how their topic remains relevant to Canadians today. Students create a written report and visual element to make their case to their peers.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Jean Moir, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Jean has created a ten-lesson module called, “Gladys We Never Knew,” which focuses on Indigenous history in Canada and, in particular, the residential school system. By studying the life of Gladys, a girl from the Nlaka’pamux Nation in Spuzzum, BC, students have the opportunity to connect personally to Gladys as they take part in this journey of historical inquiry.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Karen Parfitt, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Karen created a museum project for her grade 9/10 French immersion Canadian history class. After visiting a few museums and exploring virtual exhibits, students were tasked with selecting a series of artifacts to curate their own exhibit around a theme of their choice. The students wrote a research paper explaining their choice of artifacts and also built miniature exhibits, or dioramas, which were put on display for students to view.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Keri-Lee Hewlett, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
For their grade 10 French immersion history course, Kerri-Lee’s students learn the six historical thinking concepts by applying them to significant events in Canadian history since the Second World War. As a culminating activity, students create an artistic piece to commemorate an important event or moment, incorporating key concepts like historical significance, cause and consequence and the ethical dimension of history.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Lisa Howell, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Lisa’s Grade 5 and 6 students explored both historical and current issues surrounding the funding of First Nations healthcare. After conducting research, listening to stories from Elders, and speaking with experts, they used their knowledge to write and film a Public Service Announcement about Jordan’s Principle that will air on national television and radio, as well as on various media sites.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks wit Maxine Hildebrandt and Lisl Gunderman, finalists for the 2018 Governor General's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Through a unique teaching partnership, Maxine and Lisl have created a cultural exchange for their young students from different backgrounds and communities. After initial steps to introduce the students from Mother Earth's Children's Charter School (Canada’s first and only Indigenous charter school) and students from Wildwood School (a small rural public school), the teachers planned and delivered four field trip days rich in history learning where each school hosted the other over a period of four months.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks with Michael Diluccio, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Through a competitive and collaborative assignment titled “Rock Your Decade,” Michael’s grade 10 students critically examine post-war Canadian history. Students are assigned a specific decade, and through a series of assignments and presentations, they must advocate for that decade and challenge specific historical events and decisions made by the federal government in other decades.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Michelle Park, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Michelle’s students study different aspects of the Home Front experience during the Second World War, including propaganda, rationing, changing women’s roles, and the the treatment of different minority groups. To conclude the lesson, her students create, research, and develop a project of their own that further explores the various impacts of the war on the daily lives of Canadians.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks to Ryan Bucci and Matthew McCutcheon, finalists for the 2018 Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
Matthew and Ryan tasked their Grade 8 social studies students with researching, writing, and recording podcasts that told the stories of Canadian Victoria Cross Recipients from the Second World War. They also hosted live podcast events, where students could share their work, answer questions about their research process, and reflect on their overall experience.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks with Sara McFarlane, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Sara’s students used the six historical thinking concepts to examine the history of African Nova Scotians and to learn about Africville. Students researched and produced historically accurate board games showcasing what Africville was like prior to 1960.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks with Temma Frecker, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Temma’s students embarked on a 6-week interdisciplinary project that focused on understanding multiple perspectives. They delved into the timely debate around commemorating controversial historical figures by putting together their own proposal regarding the statue of Sir Edward Cornwallis, which was removed from a Halifax park earlier this year. Temma’s students created their own unique solution called, “The Conversation,” which they detailed in an official proposal to the Cornwallis Committee and shared through public outreach and social and traditional media.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks with Warren Lake, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Warren’s students participated in a citizen science project with the Arctic Institute of North America. Over a ten-week period, students transcribed whaling navigator journal entries from the 1850s. They pulled out data on climate, weather, sea ice, and location to be used by researchers developing new sea ice and climate models for this time period.
Monsieur Beauséjour nous propose un projet où il est question de ludification des apprentissages dans le domaine de l'enseignement de l'histoire du Québec et du Canada. En effet, il utilise le jeu vidéo pour enseigner du contenu d'apprentissage à ses élèves, mais aussi pour veiller au développement de leur pensée critique ainsi qu'à l’intégration de la méthode historique.
Après avoir effectué une recherche portant sur un bâtiment historique et caractéristique de l'époque de la Nouvelle-France, les élèves d’Éric Chassé doivent reproduire à l'échelle le bâtiment choisi. Ils ont comme mission par la suite de concevoir et d'animer, auprès de leurs pairs, une leçon d'histoire centrée sur la fonction du bâtiment en question.
Le projet Le discours politique, dans la peau des personnages ! représente une occasion unique pour les élèves de reproduire en salle de classe un discours historique. L'objectif premier de cet exercice est de s'approprier l'histoire en redonnant vie aux mots qui ont marqué l'histoire du Canada, en les remettant dans leur contexte et en examinant leur impact sur la société à cette époque, mais aussi celle d'aujourd'hui.
Le projet de Monsieur Onehese place l’élève au centre de son apprentissage et lui permet de vivre le rôle joué par un historien grâce à une série d’activités de communication, d’art, d’enquête et de recherche imaginées dans l’objectif d’améliorer sa compréhension de l’histoire du Canada.
Le projet Héros ou Zéro imaginé par Rémi Lavoie amène les élèves à sélectionner un personnage, à émettre une hypothèse à son sujet, et à documenter sa vie et ses actions. Ils doivent valider leur hypothèse et justifier leur position au sujet de ce personnage grâce aux recherches qu’ils effectuent. Par la suite, ils sont invités à partager leurs découvertes lors de discussions.
Le projet multidisciplinaire de Karine St-Cyr privilégie une approche pratique et dynamique où les élèves doivent réaliser la maquette de leur village à l’échelle. Dans une perspective historique, ils doivent comprendre la vie de leurs ancêtres dans le village et la comparer à la situation observée maintenant avec tous les changements qui se produisent.
In this podcast, Canada's History speaks with Paul Paterson, a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Inspired by the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Paul’s students formed their own “Think Tank” to create a vision for Canada in the year 2070. Over the semester they identified priorities for the country, researched the history of these topics and developed a detailed Policy Proposal. They created a website to showcase their papers online and shared their findings at press conference.
In April 1917, Archer took part in the Battle of Vimy Ridge as a member of the 4th Canadian Division, 11th Infantry Brigade. It’s there that he earned his Military Medal for continuing to operate his Lewis Gun after the rest of his crew was either injured or killed.
Archer’s brave conduct only tells part of the tale, though. In letters home, another side emerges: that of a strongly religious son who seeks to reassure his mother that, despite wartime’s many temptations, he would remain morally pure.
Throughout 2010, the Canadian Navy Centennial celebrated the rich history and legacy of the navy. Captain John Pickford spoke with editor Mark Reid about these festivities.
Robert Côté headed the Montreal Police Bomb Squad in the 1970s . He spoke with Canada's History Associate Editor Nelle Oosterom about the challenges he faced.
Intelligence agencies such as the CIA developed new and disturbing methods of interrogation based on the findings of researchers like the University of Manitoba's Dr. John Zubek. Canada's History interviews Cecil Rosner, who followed this story.
Ryan Kessler and Eric Zweig, author of Fever Season discuss the life and death of Joe Hall.
Ryan Kessler speaks with Dean Robinson, author of Howie Morenz: Hockey's First Superstar.
We tend to think of Vikings as warring marauders who prowled the coasts of Europe in their warships. But Canada has a viking connection too. Not only did they settle on the northern tip of Newfoundland for a brief period a thousand years ago, they also travelled to the far reached of the Canadian Arctic.
June Ivany's grandparents and three of their adult children were on board the Empress of Ireland when it sank in the St. Lawrence River on May 29, 1914. Canada's History spoke with June Ivany about her grandparent's story.
Canada's History speaks with Dominique Savard from the Canadian Museum of History about a special exhibit that was on display about the Empress of Ireland in 2014-2015.
Canada's History speaks with Joe Scanlon, a sociologist of disaster about Titanic folk songs.
Canada's History spoke with Heather Sparling, an ethnomusicologist at Cape Breton University and one of the researchers behind the project "Disaster Songs in Canada."
Banff is one of the world's oldest national parks and from the first its history has been one of conflict between conservationists and developers. Listen to an interview with Historian Ted Hart, mayor of the town of Banff in the 1990s. At that time there was talk of Banff losing its national park status if steps weren't taken to preserve it.
Military historian Tim Cook explores the history of shell shock in the June-July issue of Canada's History magazine.
Parks Canada's David Britton spoke with Canada's History senior editor Nelle Oosterom about the importance National Historic Sites — York Factory and Fort Prince of Wales and the efforts being made to preserve them.
Hellyer was eighty-seven-years-old when he spoke to Canada's History associate editor Nelle Oosterom about what he did right — and what he did wrong.
Canada's History associate editor Nelle Oosterom speaks with Dan Conlin about the pirates who swarmed the waters of Atlantic Canada.
Canada's History Magazine associate editor Nelle Oosterom speaks with figure skating legend Barbara Ann Scott. Listen to the athlete who made Canada proud during the 1948 St. Moritz Olympics.
Hazel Perrier of Claresholm, Alberta is the descendant of two British Home Children. She had the idea of creating quilt to capture the essence and struggles of home children who immigrated to Canada from 1969 to 1948.
Ernesto Griffith and Winston Washington Moxam preserve on film the memory of one of the first black people to immigrate and live in Manitoba.
Allan Greer explains how the modern form of property emerged out of colonial North America.
Canada's History senior editor Nelle Oosterom speaks with Laurie Gourlay, one of the founders of the Vancouver Island Province Association, formed in 2013.
Listen to a podcast about Bell Island, Newfoundland's fascinating wartime history as a target of German U-boats.
Joel Ralph from Canada's History Society speaks with David O'Keefe about his book, the legacy of the battle and the level of public consciousness about Canadian history.
Richard Kistabish, president of the Legacy of Hope foundation, speaks with Jessica Knapp about the significance of the history of residential schools. Listen to the interview.
The battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9, 1917) remains Canada’s most storied attack of the First World War. Today, war letters offer a window on that long ago time. Here, in their own words, are the stories of the soldiers who fought, and the loved ones back home who cherished them.
Listen to the podcast to hear Tyler Turek, Western University PhD candidate discuss his dissertation question: "When and how did Canada become an independent country?"
Renée Hudon, figure marquante de la radio et de la télévision québécoise, revisite ses souvenirs du tournage d’I Confess à Québec.
Renée Hudon, figure marquante de la radio et de la télévision québécoise, revisite ses souvenirs du tournage d’I Confess à Québec.
Entrevue avec Camélia Desrosiers. En plus de publier un blogue portant sur la cuisine, madame Desrosiers revisite chaque semaine les recettes de Jehane Benoît dans le cadre de l’émission Jehane et moi présentée sur la chaîne de télévision Zeste.
Nous vous proposons de revivre les événements d’octobre 1970 à travers le regard de Robert Côté, ancien commandant de la Police de Montréal, responsable de l’équipe chargée de désamorcer les explosifs et les bombes.
L’Auteur Marcel Paquet qui publia en deux tomes, aux Éditions GID, Villégiature et tourisme au Québec nous raconte en entrevue que nos voisins du Sud n’étaient pas indifférents aux charmes de la Belle Province.
Afin de souligner l’apport de cette grande dame à la chanson traditionnelle québécoise, Histoire Canada a rencontré l’auteur-compositeur-interprète et comédien Steve Normandin. Photo: National Film Board / Library and Archives Canada / e002282979
Le tandem Jean-Pierre et Christian Lagueux enseigne l’histoire depuis plus de 20 ans. Ils aiment innover et imaginer de nouvelles stratégies d’enseignement. Entrevue avec les deux enseignants.
Histoire Canada s’est entretenue avec Philippe Mailhot, directeur du musée de Saint-Boniface au Manitoba. Il a bien voulu nous raconter l’histoire, parfois controversée, du chef métis tout en soulignant l’héritage qu’il a laissé aux Manitobains, mais aussi aux Canadiens.
Alan Latourelle raconte les moments forts qui ont marqué l’histoire des cent dernières années de l’agence, nous parle de lieux méconnus des Canadiens et nous présente les principaux défis pour l’avenir.
Michèle Dagenais, membre du jury qui avait pour mission de dresser la liste des 30 grandes femmes ayant marqué l'histoire canadienne, nous a accordé une entrevue au sujet de la sélection des finalistes.
Afin de mieux connaître la vie de cette Franco-Yukonnaise, nous vous proposons une entrevue réalisée avec madame Cécile Girard, rédactrice en chef du journal l’Aurore Boréal de Whitehorse.
Canada’s History spoke with Sean Smith and Chris Sanagan from the Archives of Ontario, to learn more about Ely Playter and what his diary can teach us about the war. The diary provides a first-hand account of the events of the war, as well as a remarkable social history of the day-to-day affairs of a resident of Upper Canada.
In this interview Canada’s History assistant editor, Beverley Tallon catches up with Roy MacSkimming, author of Laurier in Love, who shares his thoughts about Canada’s seventh prime minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier. The first prime minister to come from French Canada, Laurier established the Canadian navy, provided free trade and reduced duty on several natural resources with the United States, and oversaw the creation of two new provinces and one territory.
The “Last Best West” was a program developed through the Immigration Branch of the Canadian Department of the Interior from 1896 until the First World War, which produced brochures, pamphlets, and atlases that were distributed in the United States and Great Britain to encourage farmers to settle in western Canada. Beverley Tallon, editorial assistant at Canada’s History talks to Dr. Laura Detre, an instructor of history at Washington & Jefferson University, Washington, Pennsylvania, about the subject.
He’s been called boring, a waffler, and a kook. But William Lyon Mackenzie King is also the longest serving Canadian prime minister. And there’s no denying that under his leadership, Canada was transformed from a minor player in the British Empire into a modern middle power, with great influence on the world stage. He’s also the history idol of historian Jack Granatstein who gives us a list of reasons to support his position in this podcast interview with Canada's History editor-in-chief Mark Reid.
Historian Margaret Conrad was a member of the Progressive Conservative Students Society at Acadia University in the late 1960s when she witnessed a speech given by Tommy Douglas. This experience turned her personal politics on its head. “He captured everyone in the room no matter what their political affiliation was,” she says. To Conrad, Douglas was defined by his altruism and his belief that the role of government is to help create a better society and a better Canada. Canada’s History’s editor-in-chief, Mark Reid, talks with Margaret about her History Idol, Tommy Douglas.
Despite her crucial role as diplomat for Hudson’s Bay Company Governor James Knight, few people will recognize the name of Thanadelthur. Enslaved by Cree for a year before escaping, Thanadelthur, a young (and likely teenage) Chipewyan woman, made a deal with Knight to work as a translator so that she could be reunited with her family. Her duties included brokering an “impossible” peace between the Cree and Chipewyan so that trading relations could be established and safely maintained. Canada’s History Society web editor, Tanja Hutter, came across Thanadelthur’s story while digitizing the Beaver archive and Thanadelthur immediately came to mind when asked, “Who is your History Idol?”