Activity 1:
Time:
What did it mean to be Canadian during the 1920s and 30s?
300 minutes
Description
Students will begin the unit by engaging in critical inquiry into how different mediums convey
meaning, and how the 1920s and 30s played a pivotal role in the emergence of the Canadian
identity. The students will be collaborating throughout the activity, either in pairs or in groups.
They will “visit” different learning stations set up in the classroom that consist of primary
sources such as photos, newspaper articles, diary entries, political cartoons, and testimonies, each
station depicting a particular event that occurred during the 1920s and 30s. As the students
circulate from one station to the other, they will analyze the sources and uncover the story that
each station is telling to evaluate how the different events impacted on Canada’s identity. The
purpose of this activity is to introduce students to some of the figures and events relevant to this
period and to begin preparing them for the Culminating Unit Assignment (RAFT). By analyzing
and evaluating a range of primary source evidence, students will gain an enduring understanding
of the benchmarks of historical perspective and historical significance. As historians, students
will also understand that history is a complex and multi-faceted concept requiring investigation
and open-mindedness.
Strands and Expectations
Overall Expectations:
CHV.02 assess how individual Canadians have contributed to the development of Canada and
the country’s emerging sense of identity;
SPV.01 analyse how changing economic and social conditions have affected Canadians since
1914;
MHV.01 formulate questions on topics and issues in the history of Canada since 1914, and use
appropriate methods of historical research to locate, gather, evaluate, and organize
relevant information from a variety of sources;
MHV.02 interpret and analyse information gathered through research, employing concepts and
approaches appropriate to historical inquiry;
MHV.03 communicate the results of historical inquiries, using appropriate terms and concepts
and a variety of forms of communication.
Specific Expectations
CH2.01 assess the contributions of selected individuals to the development of Canadian
identity since 1914 (e.g., Nellie McClung, Arthur Currie, Thérèse Casgrain, Maurice
Richard, Georges and Pauline Vanier, Max Ward, Marshall McLuhan, Rosemary
Brown, Matthew Coon Come, Adrienne Clarkson);
CH2.02 assess how artistic expression has reflected Canadian identity since World War I (e.g.,
in the work of Ozias Leduc, the Group of Seven, Gabrielle Roy, Farley Mowat, Joy
Kogawa, Oscar Peterson, Chief Dan George, the Guess Who, Toller Cranston, Karen
Kain, Michael Ondaatje, Drew Hayden Taylor, Susan Aglukark);
CH2.03 assess the contributions of selected Canadian political leaders since 1914;
SP1.01 compare economic conditions of the 1920s and 1930s, and describe the impact of
those conditions on Canadians, individually and collectively;
MH1.01 formulate different types of questions (e.g., factual: What were the elements of the
Lend-Lease agreement?; causal: What were the causes of the Winnipeg General
Strike?; comparative: How were patterns of immigration to Canada in the 1930s
different from those in the 1990s?; speculative: What would be some of the
consequences of closer economic ties with the United States?) when researching
historical topics, issues, and events;
MH1.03 distinguish between primary and secondary sources of information (e.g., primary:
artifacts, diaries, documents; secondary: books, articles), and use both in historical
research;
MH1.04 evaluate the credibility of sources and information (e.g., by considering the authority,
impartiality, and expertise of the source and checking the information for accuracy,
underlying assumptions, stereotypes, prejudice, and bias);
MH1.05 organize and record information gathered through research (e.g., using notes, lists,
concept webs, timelines, charts, maps, graphs, mind maps);
MH2.01 analyse information, employing concepts and theories appropriate to historical inquiry
(e.g., chronology, cause and effect, short- and long-term consequences);
MH2.02 distinguish between fact, opinion, and inference in texts and visuals found in primary
and secondary sources;
MH2.03 identify different viewpoints and explicit biases when interpreting information for
research or when participating in a discussion;
MH3.01 express ideas, arguments, and conclusions, as appropriate for the audience and
purpose, using a variety of styles and forms (e.g., reports, essays, debates, role playing,
group presentations);
MH3.02 use appropriate terminology to communicate results of inquiries into historical topics
and issues.
Planning Notes:
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The teacher will find a short narrative paragraph, a cartoon that appeals to teens and a photo
from the 1920s or 30s, and will create a PowerPoint presentation on critical and historical
thinking.
The teacher will find various primary sources, and separate them by genre (ie. photos,
political cartoons, newspaper articles, etc…).
The teacher will arrange the classroom into learning stations, one for each primary source
type.
The teacher will create cooperative learning groups.
The teacher will create criteria with students that will measure the effectiveness of a primary
source, according to type.
The teacher will prepare various types of graphic organizers that will suit the students’
learning style, and allow them to identify, analyze and critique the primary source.
The teacher will prepare a graphic organizer that will allow students to choose two primary
resource types, and assess and evaluate their effectiveness as historical documents.
Prior Knowledge and Skills
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Students are aware of the causes of, and Canada’s role in WWI and how this war had a
global impact.
Students know the ways in which various groups, including soldiers, civilians, politicians,
women and workers were involved in the war effort.
Students will have knowledge of the principles of group work and cooperative learning, and
of basic methods in historical research.
Students will also have been introduced to how to do persuasive writing, and be able to refer
to the information sheet they received in Unit 1 (“Persuasive Devices” from the Critical
Thinking Consortium website – Tools for Thought).
Students will have an understanding of the principles of peer editing.
Teacher / Learning Strategies
Day 1
1. The teacher will show a short narrative paragraph to the students, and ask them, “What is
this text telling you?” (Slide 1)
2.
The students will read the paragraph and do a Think/Pair/Share. The teacher will guide
discussion, asking questions as necessary. While the purpose of this activity is to have
students ask questions about the text, to want more information, and to promote critical
inquiry, the teacher will move on to the next slide.
3.
The teacher will show the students a cartoon of a teenager sitting on the couch with his Ipod
while his father stands facing him. The caption underneath the cartoon is hidden. The
teacher will ask the students, “What do you think this cartoon is telling you?” (Slide 2)
4.
The students will do a Think/Pair/Share, and the teacher will guide discussion, asking
questions as necessary. Again, the purpose of this activity is to have students analyze what
they see, and to have them ask questions about the cartoon, to want more information, and to
promote critical inquiry.
5.
The teacher will move on to the next slide containing a photo of nine children huddled
together, and smiling. The teacher will ask the class, “What do you think this photo is telling
you?” Does a picture really say a thousand words? (Slide 3)
6.
The teacher will ask the students to first look at the picture, then write a narrative paragraph
telling their version of the story that this picture is telling. The students are not to write their
names on the pages, nor be concerned with punctuation, spelling or grammar. This is simply
to get their ideas out and to allow the teacher to assess their thinking.
7.
The teacher will collect the narratives to assess understanding and provide descriptive
feedback to help struggling students and to promote metacognition. The teacher will ask the
students if they would like to share their ideas with the class, guide discussion, and assess
the volunteer students’ responses and ideas. What do the narratives reveal about
perspectives? What do they reveal about how students “read” a photo?
8.
The teacher will move on to the 5 next slides that indicate the students’ roles as historians.
(Slides 4-8)
9.
The teacher will then show the students the cartoon caption and ask them whether the
caption helps them to understand the cartoon more deeply. Do we need to know what a
picture means, or can we give our own interpretation of it? How important is it to know what
an image is about before we draw conclusions? (Slide 9)
10. The teacher will also reveal the story of the photo, and ask students whether the knowledge
they have acquired about the photo, and its historical context, helps them to understand the
historical significance of the photo. (Slide 10)
11. The teacher will introduce the CU Assignment, explaining to the students that they will have
the option of choosing a role (historical perspective), an audience, a format (from the
choices provided) and a topic that will be based on the content of the unit (Canada between
1920 and 1930). (Slide 11)
12. The teacher will explain to students that during the next few weeks they will be presented
with primary and secondary sources that will engage them in historical inquiry. Through
these resources, they will become familiar with many different sides of the 1920s and 30s,
including the points of view of government, Native Peoples, immigrants, policies and
legislation, and other groups, individuals, and issues that were relevant to this period. The
course content will thus consist in preparing them for the CUA.
Day 2
13. The students will be separated into eight groups of four, and each group will be armed with
8 graphic organizers (Appendix 1.1), two for each student. The teacher will let the students
know that they will be looking at primary sources that will have to do with the 1920s and
30s. Since students have had some exposure to primary sources, they will know their
importance in telling the story of the past.
14. There will be eight learning stations set up in the classroom that students will “visit” with
their groups. Each group will choose a recorder, a speaker, one person who is responsible for
keeping track of time, and one person to tidy up the station when it is time for students to
move to the next station. All students will be responsible to participate in the deciphering of
information.
15. The teacher will circulate to ensure everyone is on task, and answer any questions students
have. They will have 8 minutes at each station during which to look at or read, and analyze
the sources, and fill out a graphic organizer (Appendix 1.1). Students will require 30 seconds
to move to the next station.
16. Once all stations have been visited, students will remain in their groups. The teacher will ask
the speakers for each group to debrief what their group has discovered in each station. The
teacher will provide feedback, when necessary, and ask the class to participate in providing
feedback when appropriate.
Day 3
17. The teacher will show a PowerPoint presentation to review the primary documents the
students encountered in the learning stations, and provide further background to the event.
18. Through TPS, students will build criteria as to what makes an event historically
“significant.” The teacher will record responses on the board.
19. With their elbow partners, students will come to a consensus as to what they feel is the most
important event that occurred, based on the learning stations. They will then work
independently to write a persuasive letter to the editor of The Globe and Mail convincing
him or her that the event they have chosen is the most important one of this period. They
will also need to determine an action that should be taken with regards to the historical
significance of the event (ie. a celebration, a gala, a day off from school).
20. Students must incorporate at least TWO criteria into their letter and FOUR persuasive
devices. They will be able to use Appendix 1.2 to brainstorm their ideas, and Appendix 1.3
to write their letter. Since they have decided together with a partner, they will be allowed to
discuss ideas.
Day 4
21. The students will finish writing their letters.
22. Once the persuasive letters are written, the teacher will have students peer edit each other’s
work using a mini-rubric, and will then debrief the exercise with the class. Students will fill
out a 3-2-1 sheet as an exit card for teacher to assess learning.
Assessment/Evaluation Strategies
1.
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3.
Assessment for learning of student knowledge, understanding, thinking and
communication on resource analysis using observation, discussion and descriptive
feedback.
Assessment as learning:
- collaborative learning skills using observational checklist;
- persuasive paragraph using mini rubric
Assessment of learning
- student knowledge/understanding, thinking on Checkpoint using checklist;
- all achievement chart skills for CU Assignment using rubric
Accommodations:
Resources:
Appendices:
Appendix 1.1 – “A ‘Walk’ Through the 1920s and 30s” Graphic Organizer
Appendix 1.2 – “Planning for Persuasive Writing” Graphic Organizer
Appendix 1.3 – “Critical Challenge – Judge the Better or Best” Worksheet for Persuasive letter