Lesson Plan: Interviewing the Players

Lesson Plan

Before Exploring

Explain the situation of international hockey competition before the 1972 Canada-Soviet hockey series. The professionals played in the NHL, which had just a few teams (expansion had just occurred). Most players in the NHL were Canadian, with a few Americans. The rest of the world played in the Olympics and world championships, where players were supposed to be amateurs. Amateur Canadian teams were not paid to play, whereas the players on the teams that the Soviets called amateurs were professionals provided with all the necessities of life but not with a salary.

Engage students in a discussion about each team's motivation to win and what differences in ideology the players might have had.

Outline the Opportunity

Direct students to the topic Canada-Soviet Hockey Series, 1972 on the CBC Digital Archives website. Have students review the clips and take notes about the events, people, and emotions involved. Then have small groups of students choose a situation of interest about which they will write and role-play an interview with a player. The interviewer and interviewee can be Soviet or Canadian, player or spectator, professional or amateur. Students should practise and refine their role-play before presenting it to the class.

Revisit and Reflect

Organize the groups by chronological order of the events they chose, and have each group present its interview. Groups should list the clips used as the basis for their interview.

Extension

Pair groups of students to critique one another's interviews. Groups can explain their intent and view the clips used by the partner group, and then determine how well the partner group conveyed emotions and events through the interview.