THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
MANITOBA – GRADE 5
Importance of the Beaver
Lesson Overview
Students will describe the influence of the fur trade on the historical development of Canada by
creating a brochure explaining its importance.
Grade Level
Grade 5 (middle years)
Time Required
120 minutes (2 class periods)
Curriculum Connection (Province and course)
Manitoba Grade 5 – Cluster 3 (Fur Trade)
Link to the Canadian Atlas Online (CAOL)
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/
Explore by theme: Natural Resources – Fur trade
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required






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Computers with Internet access
LCD projector
Microsoft Publisher or Microsoft Word
Sample Beaver Brochure
Smart Board with at least four different coloured pens
Assessment rubric (attached)
Map of Fur Trade Routes (attached)
Main Objectives

To have students create a brochure explaining the importance of the fur trade to the history of
Canada.

To have students learn the historical reasons why the beaver is used a symbol of our national
parks.

To have students apply the knowledge they gained previously on the fur trade.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will:

Be able to access and navigate web site needed to research

Be more familiar with the use of Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher

Understand why the fur trade was an important part of Canadian history
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THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
MANITOBA – GRADE 5
The Lesson
The Lesson
Teacher Activity
Introduction
After having already
taught the students about
the fur trade in Canada,
teacher will refresh
student’s memories by
going to the CAOL or
Historical Atlas Online and
using a Smart Board will
ask for volunteers to draw
out the route taken by
early traders using the
Boundary Changes 16702001 map.
Student Activity
Students offer to draw out
the four different routes
on the Smart Board.
Use different coloured
pens in order to show at
least four different routes
(map attached – Appendix
B)
Lesson Development
Show the teacher-created
pamphlet of the fur trade
as an exemplar.
Have students use a
planning template from
Microsoft Publisher or
Microsoft Word and the
Internet to pre-plan their
pamphlets.
Once their plans are
complete, teacher will
direct students to produce
their pamphlets.
Conclusion
Teacher will guide and
assist where necessary.
Students view the
pamphlet describing the
importance of the fur
trade to Canada.
Students research the
history of the fur trade in
Canada on the Internet
and use the information
gathered to plan their
presentation.
Students will use their
planning templates to
produce their pamphlets.
Students present their
pamphlets to the class.
Teacher uses rubric to
assess pamphlets.
Lesson Extension


Invite an elder from a First Nations group to come and speak about the fur trade
Take a field trip to the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives at the Manitoba Archives in Winnipeg.
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THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
MANITOBA – GRADE 5
Assessment of Student Learning

Evaluate rubric (Appendix A – making a pamphlet)
Further Reading
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php - create your own rubric for assessment
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/default.aspx - where to get a free Publisher trial
http://www.historicalatlas.ca/website/hacolp/ - where maps can be retrieved on history of Canada
Link to Canadian National Standards for Geography
Essential Element #1 – the World in Spatial Terms
 Location of major human and physical features on Earth
 Physical /political maps of the province, Canada and the world
 Provinces and territories of Canada
Essential Element #2 – Places and Regions
 Changes in places and regions over time
Essential Element #4 – Human Systems
 Types of economic activity (resources, manufacturing, service)
 Development of transportation and communication networks
 Provincial and interprovincial commerce
Essential Element #6 – The Uses of Geography
 Influences of physical and human features on historical events
Geographic Skill #1 – Asking Geographic Information
 Ask geographic questions: Where is it located? What is significant about its location? How is its
location related to the locations of other people, places and environments?
Geographic Skill #2 – Acquiring Geographic Information
 Locate and gather geographic information from a variety of primary and secondary resources
Geographic Skill #4 – Analyzing Geographic Information
 Use maps to observe and interpret geographic relationships
 Use texts, photographs and documents to observe and interpret geographic trends and
relationships
Geographic Skill #5 – Answering Geographic Questions
 Present geographic information in the form of both oral and written reports accompanied by
maps and graphics
 Use methods of geographic inquiry to acquire geographic information, draw conclusions and
make generalizations
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THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
MANITOBA – GRADE 5
Appendix A – Making a pamphlet
Fur Trade Pamphlet
CATEGORY
4
3
2
1
Writing Grammar
There are no
grammatical
mistakes in the
pamphlet.
There are no
grammatical
mistakes in the
pamphlet after
feedback from
an adult.
There are 1-2
grammatical
mistakes in the
pamphlet even
after feedback
from an adult.
There are
several
grammatical
mistakes in the
pamphlet even
after feedback
from an adult.
Spelling &
Proofreading
No spelling
errors remain
after one
person other
than the typist
reads and
corrects the
pamphlet.
No more than 1
spelling error
remains after
one person
other than the
typist reads and
corrects the
pamphlet.
No more than 3 Several spelling
spelling errors errors in the
remain after
pamphlet.
one person
other than the
typist reads and
corrects the
pamphlet.
Content Accuracy
All facts in the
pamphlet are
accurate.
99-90% of the
facts in the
pamphlet are
accurate.
89-80% of the
facts in the
pamphlet are
accurate.
Fewer than
80% of the
facts in the
pamphlet are
accurate.
There are 4
graphics
included in the
pamphlet.
There are only
3 graphics
included in the
pamphlet.
There are 2 or
fewer graphics
included in the
pamphlet.
Graphics/Pictures There are at
least 5 graphics
included in the
pamphlet.
Retrieved From: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1117223&
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THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
MANITOBA – GRADE 5
Appendix B. Fur Trade Routes
Retrieved from: http://www.canadiana.org/hbc/_images/common/maps/traderoutes.jpg
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