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Grades 9-10
The following lesson plans are suitable for students in grades 9 and 10.
Students prepare a broadcast retrospective of Bourassa's political career and analyze and discuss the factors that contribute to political success.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students examine the ongoing historical controversy surrounding the raid at Dieppe and will debate whether the raid was worthwhile for the eventual information it provided.
Students research and dramatize the planning, objectives, execution, and consequences of the Dieppe raid.
A Fixed Link: Fixed or Finished?
Students develop campaign material to support or refute the construction of a "fixed link" between PEI and N.B.
Medicare: Creating a Political Cartoon
Students will create a political cartoon examining the issue of Canada becoming a welfare state.
Key Figures in the Birth Control Debate
Students will create a visual display to share information about a key figure involved in the history of birth control in Canada.
Students research the goals of the Man in Motion World Tour and learn whether they were met, in spite of major obstacles.
Using the CBC Digital Archives website and other relevant resources, students will research the major historical events that took place in Canada during the Trudeau era (1968-84), focusing particularly on Pierre Trudeau's impact on Canadian politics ("Trudeaumania"); the causes, events, and results of the October Crisis of 1970; the major developments in the debate over the reform of Canada's Constitution during the Trudeau administration; and the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline of the early 1970s and public reaction to it. Students will research these topics and others of interest to them from the Trudeau era, and work in groups to prepare and present either a newspaper account or a broadcast newsmagazine about these events.
The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Today
Using a variety of web-based resources, students will research the aftermath of the Berger Pipeline Inquiry and prepare a report detailing what has happened to the pipeline project since the publication of the Inquiry's report.
Debating the Berger Inquiry's Issues
Students will research the issues surrounding both the development of the northern pipeline and the results of the Berger Inquiry, then hold class debates about chosen issues.
Students examine and debate the issue of aboriginal fishing rights and set up a classroom court to find a resolution.
Students create and vote in a class plebiscite on an issue of their choice, identifying characteristics of majority and minority interests.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students will research and form an opinion on the extent to which the Canadian government should be open to aboriginal land claims. They will use presentation software to share their information.
Debating the Cancellation of the Arrow
In role as a major figure involved in the issue, students will debate the appropriateness of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow project.
Students will identify the main points of the Auto Pact and explain the planned benefits of each point to Canada and the United States.
Canada's Relationship with China
In small groups, students research and deliver a presentation about the role of a Canadian or Canadians who have had important relationships with China in recent years.
Through collage, students will identify and analyze the importance of industries related to the auto industry.
Students will stage a retrial of Louis Riel on the charge of treason, and render a verdict as a class.
Students will write a letter to the Canadian government to express the emotional impact on the families of the victims of the Air India disaster.
Using Chemical and Biological Weapons
Working in groups, students prepare a position paper about, then discuss, the use of chemical and biological weapons in the Gulf War.
Students will explore human interest stories from the Second World War and investigate the value of such reports.
Students prepare and present a role-play interview with René Lévesque.
Students will write a speech in role as a B.C. Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) explaining why Japanese Canadians were not a threat to Canada during the Second World War.
Aboriginal Canadians and the Pope
Students will explore the Pope's attitude toward Canada's Aboriginals and investigate to what degree his visit in 1984 impacted the creation of Nunavut.
Analyzing the Debate on Religion in the Classroom
Groups of students analyze different clips from the CBC Digital Archives website, then share their information with the class to gain a broader understanding of the debate on religion in the classroom.
Students write journal entries in-role as Terry Fox or a close companion.
A Timeline of Religion in the Classroom
Students identify the significant events in the development of the debate over religion in the classroom, and create a timeline to share their information.
Students will examine the role of Canada's military and debate whether it is large enough to perform its role well.
Students will prepare presentations about issues surrounding the debate over medical marijuana use in Canada.
Students analyze Phil Fontaine's political career and record the reasons for his successes and failures on a T-chart.
Students will explore and evaluate the decisions Phil Fontaine has made as a political leader.
Students compare one story that appears in three news media (newspaper, television, radio).
Students use a checklist to analyze and summarize an interview conducted by Peter Gzowski.
Pros and Cons of the Atlantic Seal Hunt
Students examine the seal hunt ban and participate in a town-hall meeting to discuss both sides of the issue.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students will produce a display to showcase the history and assess the future of UN peacekeeping.
Students examine the structure of the United Nations and debate its effectiveness.
Students reflect on the sacrifices of peacekeepers and of inhabitants of war-torn areas and write and illustrate a poem comparing and connecting these groups.
Oscar Peterson: A Life in Music
Students will create a broadcast retrospective or a mock interview to share information about Oscar Peterson's musical career, major achievements, and national and international significance.
Advising Ontario's Political Parties
Students will act as campaign advisers on recent Ontario elections.
In this introductory activity, students will conduct research about the nature of alliances, the formation of NATO, and Canada's role as a founding member of NATO.
Students will conduct research about a moral issue Canada faced in the 1960s because of its membership in NATO, and form an opinion about Canada's response.
Students analyze the extent to which Canada has honoured its commitments to NATO.
Students create a Venn diagram comparing reasons for Canada's peacekeepers to leave a peacekeeping mission.
Students will create and perform a simulated radio broadcast about Paul Martin's departure from the cabinet as minister of finance.
Recruiting Women for the War Effort
Students role-play a scene between a recruiting officer and a female applicant during the Second World War.
Students role-play a meeting between an American president and a Canadian prime minister.
Students write a letter from the ship, in role as a war bride or as an escort officer, describing the challenges of travelling from Great Britain to Canada during or after the Second World War.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students research, prepare, and simulate an on-location television report about war brides' recollections of their experiences.
Reacting to the Montreal Riots
Students will orally support an opinion about the justification of protest.
Students investigate Canada's "Golden Age" to identify the events and accomplishments that created this label.
Norman Jewison and Movies with a Message
Students will screen a controversial film by Norman Jewison and prepare a brief presentation about the film's message.
Students compare and contrast the merits of the message of an award-winning story in light of recent findings.
Students will investigate McLuhan's concepts of "hot" and "cool" media and define current media using those terms.
The Legacy of Margaret Laurence
Students analyze one or two clips about Margaret Laurence in detail.
Students create newspaper headlines highlighting Pearson's role in establishing the first United Nations peacekeeping forces.
An Interview with Leonard Cohen
Students will analyze various personality interviews with Leonard Cohen.
Students will create a tribute to Cohen for a music award show.
The Physical Characteristics of Satellites
Students will compare the speed and height of satellites to those of other objects which might impact on satellite deployment.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students will research the effect of satellites on our lives, write an essay supporting an opinion on the issue, and debate the issue in groups.
Students will develop a promotional poster, radio spot, or newspaper advertisement for the sport of lacrosse.
Students will synopsize and analyze an interview with Margaret Atwood.
Students write a first-person paper describing the experience of being in space.
Students will contribute five hours of their time to a social action activity. They will complete an action plan that describes their project idea and tracks their progress.
Students write a proposal for a commemorative plaque to acknowledge Kim Campbell's contribution to Canada.
Closing Public Access to Rideau Hall
Students will debate whether Canadians and tourists have the right to access the grounds of the governor general's home.
Karen Kain: Her Accomplishments and Awards
Using a variety of web-based resources, students conduct research about the career accomplishments and awards of Karen Kain and then present their findings using multi-media technology.
Climbing the Ladder of Success
In this activity, partners create a visual display to show their results after researching Karen Kain's successes and challenges.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students research "firsts" among Canadian women and prepare and present a "Who Am I?" oral presentation about one woman for the class to identify.
Students create a game based on the challenges and rewards of Jean Chrétien's career.
An Athlete's Struggle: The Road to the Olympics
Students role-play a newspaper journalist to write a feature article about an amateur athlete in Canada.
Students will write an editorial to demonstrate agreement or disagreement with Canada's role in supporting United Nations' actions in Korea.
Students will write a position paper on the causes and effects of mercury poisoning.
Internet Positives and Negatives
Students discuss in an open forum the positive and negative aspects of the internet.
Students will work in small groups to identify the factors that hindered the successful prosecution of Imre Finta.
Students will investigate the impact of hydroelectric power plants on river flow and landscape and create maps and fact sheets to illustrate their findings.
Students will role-play an interview with a fisherperson to examine the emotional effect of the fall of the cod fishery.
Students explore the dynamics between hippies and authority figures and create a T-chart outlining the concerns and arguments of both sides.
Newfoundland Joins Confederation: The People's Perspective
Students will participate in a town-hall or mock-talk show forum to share human experiences around Newfoundland's joining of Confederation.
Fighting Fires - A Risky Business
Students create a museum display depicting the jobs, technology, and risks associated with fighting fires.
Students will debate the advantages and disadvantages of mandatory fitness programs for students and/or citizens.
Support for Aboriginal Self-Government
Students will investigate the issue of aboriginal self-government and identify and present proposals that could resolve difficulties between First Nations and the government of Canada.
Canadian Marathon Swimmer Marilyn Bell
Students will write a journal entry in role as swimmer Marilyn Bell.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students identify job prospects that relate to their generation, and compare their futures to Generation X, culminating with a slide presentation.
Using a variety of Web-based resources, students will research a women's issue of personal interest, then prepare and deliver a persuasive speech on the topic.
Generation X: Economy and Jobs
Students complete a discussion web about the impact of economic cycles on employment prospects for Generation X.
Students will investigate the connotations of the word "feminism" and discuss the role of feminism for women of today and of the next generation.
Why Anti-Abortion? Why Pro-Abortion?
Students will identify facts and opinions in the arguments surrounding the abortion debate.
Abortion and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Students will examine the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and determine if and how it was used to defend Dr. Morgentaler.
The Dark Side of Politics: Assassinations
Using a variety of web-based resources, students prepare a display or a web page, including a written essay, comparing and contrasting the assassination of Dr. Gerald Bull to the assassination of another historical figure.
Students will conduct research on a local environmental issue and present their views, as well as the range of opinion, in a position paper.
Students create a spy story using the facts surrounding the assassination of Dr. Gerald Bull.
Students will identify ways that Canadians have helped one another in times of need and analyze how actions help create a national identity.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students will investigate ways to prevent, mitigate, and resolve periods of drought on the Canadian prairies, and then use presentation software to prepare and deliver a plan to address the issue.
Students will examine two famous Canadian death penalty cases and express their findings in writing.
Ed Broadbent and Elections in Canada
Students dramatize one of the federal elections in which Ed Broadbent was involved.
Success and Failure at Eaton's
Students will analyze factors that contribute to business success and failure.
Students examine the factors that contribute to customer loyalty and perform market research on how Canadian companies can create a loyal customer base.
Students will examine and compare embedded reporting in the Second World War and today.
Students will create posters to highlight how Innu communities are working toward healing.
Pairs of students will create an outline for a multi-media profile of David Suzuki.
Students will create an advertisement designed to curb smoking among their peers.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students will investigate and write a 300- to 500-word position paper, detailing their perspective on smuggling.
Students identify a challenging issue in the formation of Nunavut and write a position paper to share their view on the issue.
Students create a collage of images of Canadians found in Canadian films and analyze the way those images portray Canadians.
Students assess whether the compensation for a given group of veterans is equitable.
Students write and perform skits detailing inequitable responses to similar challenges.
Students take on the roles of key figures in the Meech Lake debate and discuss their points of view.
Bethune and the Twentieth Century
Students will prepare a simulated documentary connecting Dr. Norman Bethune's life to significant historical events and developments of the 20th century.
Students will outline key events that took Brian Mulroney from his high to low points as Prime Minister.
Students create a flowchart or web representation of how computer use spread throughout our society.
The Cold War: Planning for Survival
Students will prepare a documentary-style dramatization or narrative about governmental and personal measures taken to ensure survival in the event of a nuclear war
Geography's Influence on Exploration of the Northwest Passage
Students create a poster to send to a would-be explorer of the Northwest Passage, warning of the challenges to exploration created by the geography of the region.
The Logging and Clearcutting Debate
Students will debate the issues involved in current forest industry practices.
J. Armand Bombardier: Canadian Entrepreneur
Students will examine the traits and characteristics of J. Armand Bombardier as an entrepreneur.
Bombardier Corp.: After the Visionary
Students will debate how to ensure success when transferring a family business from one generation to the next.
Students will use a variety of web-based resources to understand the controversies over current forest industry practices and to present alternatives acceptable to both the forest industry and environmental groups.
Students role-play a radio broadcast interviewing both an archivist for and a critic of an exhibition to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The topic will be the extent of inclusion of Chinese workers in the exhibit.
Using a variety of Web-based resources, students research, write, and present oral biographies of two notable Chinese-Canadians who have been recognized for their contributions to society.
Students examine types and degrees of racism and discrimination faced by Chinese-Canadians before and after the Second World War.
Students will write a persuasive essay to support or refute the claim that Frederick Banting should be considered the greatest Canadian.
Reporting on the Discovery of Insulin
Students write hard news and human-interest stories about the discovery of insulin.
The Importance of a Constitution
Students prepare and present a political talk show about the patriation of the Constitution and the enactment of the Charter of Rights.
Constitutional Timeline with Terms and Concepts
Students create a timeline or prepare a list of key terms and concepts related to Canada's constitutional history from the late 1960s to 1982.
Using a variety of Web-based resources, students will research and report on an issue related to the use of nuclear power, and make recommendations based on their work.
Students will write questions for, and participate in, a quiz show based on information about nuclear power.
Students will explore the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and debate the pros and cons of the issue.
Students write and role-play interviews reflecting the feelings and events of the 1972 Canada-Soviet hockey series.
Students analyze how Canadian wine producers have addressed each stage in the product life cycle of wine.
The Queen's Role in Canadian Identity
Students will write a personal opinion paper about the Queen's place in defining Canadian identity.
An Earthquake Waiting to Happen
Students create a poster to raise earthquake awareness to the people of the city of Vancouver.
Using the CBC Digital Archives website, as well as other internet and traditional resources, students will work in groups to research and analyze information in order to formulate opinions and explain key elements of Canadian identity. From their research they will create a simulated television production that represents and justifies their group's opinion about Canadian identity. They will find their information by visiting the topics Canada's Constitutional Debate: What Makes a Nation?, The Great Canadian Flag Debate, and Ruling the Airwaves: The CRTC and Canadian Content.
A Constitutional Timeline: The First Hundred Years
Students will prepare a timeline of the major events, figures, issues, and developments in Canadian constitutional debates from Confederation to the mid-1960s.
Students create a presentation based on a specific perspective about the Canadarm project.
Students will write a letter to the Canadian Radio and Broadcasting Commission, in existence from 1932 to 1936, stating their position for or against the regulation of Canadian content.
Students create a chart linking a scientific milestone to the development of telephone technology.
The Risks and Benefits of Therapeutic Cloning
Students will assess the potential risks and benefits of therapeutic cloning and design posters to communicate the information.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students will research the viability of cloning to prevent the extinction of endangered organisms and present their findings as a speech to the World Wildlife Fund.
Remembering Apartheid: Interviews with South African and Canadian Personalities
Students role-play interviews with some of the main figures involved in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
Students role-play a federal political leaders' debate from a past federal election.
Using a variety of web-based resources, students will research and prepare a software-based demonstration supporting one side of the debate surrounding the chuckwagon races, which are a highlight of the annual Calgary Stampede.
Students will create promotional materials about the safety of a new ski and snowboard resort in British Columbia.
Who Wins in the Softwood Lumber Dispute?
In this parallel activity to The Costs of the Softwood Lumber Dispute, students will identify the groups in Canada and the United States who benefit from the ongoing dispute over softwood lumber.
Using a variety of Web-based resources, students will investigate the origins, challenges, and positions formed in the ongoing disputes over the sale of softwood lumber from Canada to the United States.
The Costs of the Softwood Lumber Dispute
In this parallel activity to Who Wins in the Softwood Lumber Dispute, students will examine the costs to Canadian industry and people as a result of the softwood lumber dispute.
100th Anniversary of Anne of Green Gables
Students will plan a celebration to mark the 2008 100th anniversary of the publication Anne of Green Gables in 2008.
Students will create a newscast or broadcast feature to illustrate the impact of the demise of the asbestos industry.
Pros and Cons of Censoring Art
Students will identify, list, and discuss arguments for and against censoring art.
After Ben Johnson: The Dubin Inquiry
Students write interview questions that might have been used in the Dubin Inquiry and use some of them to conduct a mock-inquiry.
Students record a story that is part of the oral tradition of a community of which they are part.
Students write a one-paragraph summary about Antonine Maillet and her place in Acadian literature and history.
Inuit Education: Sharing Information
In groups, students examine the topic of Inuit education and present their information to one another.
Students will use a variety of web-based resources to research and create a newspaper supplement about the history of Inuit assimilation through the Canadian education system.
The Architecture of Douglas Cardinal
Students will examine the ideas of Douglas Cardinal and create an art work designed to show a human habitat that respects and blends with nature.
Students will explore Al Purdy's poetry and readings and write poems that convey a mood.
Using a variety of Web-based and other resources, students will choose a topic treated by Barbara Frum and investigate it further. They will share their findings in a formal essay.
Africville: The Issue of Relocation
Students investigate and discuss the issues involved in the decision to demolish Africville and relocate its residents, and determine personal views on it.
Students will view an interview and turn it into a print news story.
The Economic Impact of Acid Rain
Students will prepare and present a news story about the economic and social consequences of acid rain.
Portraying Canadian Women in Television and Radio
In this introductory activity, students create a chart to compare and contrast current portrayals of Canadian women in the media to portrayals in the past.
Students create a broadcast to promote to women a CBC program from the years between 1945 to 1969.
Students find quotations illustrating woman's role in society and then create a political cartoon to share their opinions on that role and the media's place in portraying and influencing it.
Students will write diary entries from the perspective of an aboriginal student in a residential school.
WWII: The Beauty of Nature during War
Students read a primary source text and then create a personal response through a medium of their choice.
Students write diary entries, in role as soldiers, about the emotional impact of living through war.