The Famous
Five
Instructions
Famous Five Instructions
Option 1
Laminate the sheets that have the women’s names on them, that way
they can be used year after year for the sort and predict.
Laminate the sentences for sorting, for the same purpose.
Pass out the laminated sheets and envelopes with the sentence
strips for the students to work in groups of 3 or 4 to sort and predict.
Option 2
Give out individual sheets and sorts to each child and have them
each work on their own to predict the correct answers (students can
cut out their own sort strips).
To complete each option continue as follows:
Both Options 1 and 2
Once they have completed the predict, read the articles for each of
the Famous Five to the class. Have the students make any necessary
changes to correct their sorts.
Once corrections are made, go over the answer sheet with the
student.
Option 1
Pass out the answer sheet as study notes for students to have in their
duo tangs.
Option 2
Once they have corrected the sort then they are to glue the
sentences to the appropriate page and place these sheets in their
duo tangs for study notes.
Please note:
You do not have to use all the sentence strips for every person. I
would recommend only using about 10 sentence sorts for each
person (see the sort sheets).
The Famous
Five Work
Sheets
Emily Murphy
Nellie McClung
Irene Parlby
Louise McKinney
Henrietta Muir Edwards
The Famous
Five Work
Sort Strips
Henrietta Louise Muir was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1849.
In 1875, she helped found the Working Girls’ Association of Montreal.
Launched a magazine for working women called “Working Women of Canada”.
Married Dr. Oliver C. Edwards, had three children and moved to Saskatchewan.
Nelly Mooney was born in 1873 in Grey County, Ontario.
Married Robert Wesley McClung in 1896.
Louise Crummy was born in Frankville, Ontario in 1868.
Went to normal school (teachers’ college) in Ottawa.
Taught in Ontario for seven years then in North Dakota.
In 1903, she moved with her husband to Claresholm, Northwest Territories (later
Alberta).
Emily Ferguson was born in Cookstown, Ontario in 1868.
Her family had lively discussions about politics and law.
Her uncles were a Supreme Court Justice and a Senator. One brother was a
lawyer and another was a member of the Supreme Court.
Irene Marryat was born in England in 1868. Her father was a British Army
Colonel so she grew up in India and later in Ireland.
She came to Canada in 1897 to stay with friends.
She married Walter Parlby and with their son, settled near the town of Alix.
Helped found the National Council of Women in 1893.
She worked to improve healthcare.
Elected to the Provincial Legislature in 1921. Remained in Alberta cabinet until
1935. While in office she studied international examples of education systems.
Championed the cause of equal rights for divorce.
Worked to reform the prison system.
Founded the Victorian Order of Nurses.
Founded the Winnipeg Political Equality League.
Founded the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada.
Only woman in the Canadian delegation to the League of Nations in 1938.
First woman member of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
She was the second person chosen to sign the petition in The Persons Case and
was a member of The Famous Five.
One of the first two women elected to the Alberta Legislative Assembly.
One of the first two women elected to a legislature in Canada and the British
Empire.
Member of the Equal Franchise League, working to obtain the vote for women.
Her dedication to the protection of women and children often brought her before
the courts.
An accomplished author who wrote “The Black Candle”.
She was the second woman in Canada to become a provincial cabinet minister.
She was famous for knowing more about laws affecting women than the Chief
Justice of Canada.
In 1927, she joined The Famous Five and brought all she knew about law to the
group.
In 1908, she published her first novel, then many more stories and articles
followed.
In 1911, she moved to Winnipeg and became active in the women’s rights
movement.
Helped the Liberals to win their campaign in 1914.
A Liberal member of the Alberta Legislative Assembly from 1921-1926.
She became active in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and became
acting president of the national organization and vice-president of the world
organization in 1931.
Elected to the Alberta Legislature in 1917 and held this office until 1921.
Fought for laws to help immigrants, widows, separated women and other
members of society.
She pressured the Alberta Government into passing The Dower Act of 1911. The
Dower Act protected a wife’s right to a one-third share of her husband’s property.
Appointed the Police Magistrate for Edmonton in 1916.
Helped produce legislation governing narcotics that was not changed until the
1960’s.
Founded the Federated Women’s Institute for rural women.
From 1916 to 1919, she was President of the United Farm Women of Alberta.
She supported education and all systems which would help women and children.
She received an honourary doctorate from the University of Alberta in 1935.
She was in demand as a speaker in person and on the radio.
The Famous
Five Answer
Sheets
Henrietta Muir Edwards
Henrietta Louise Muir was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1849.
Raised in a wealthy religious family.
Interested in getting rid of old traditions.
Involved in activities and organizations which recognized the accomplishments of
women.
In 1875, she helped found the Working Girls’ Association of Montreal.
Launched a magazine for working women called “Working Women of Canada”.
Married Dr. Oliver C. Edwards, had three children and moved to Saskatchewan.
Helped found the National Council of Women in 1893.
She was famous for knowing more about laws affecting women than the Chief
Justice of Canada.
In 1927, she joined The Famous Five and brought all she knew about law to the
group.
Helped re-define the position of women in Canadian society.
Championed the cause of equal rights for divorce.
Worked to reform the prison system.
Founded the Victorian Order of Nurses.
Founded the Working Girls Association.
Founded the Working Girls of Canada magazine.
Nellie McClung
Nelly Mooney was born in 1873 in Grey County, Ontario.
Moved with her family to the Souris Valley of Manitoba in 1880.
Lived in Manitou, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Victoria.
Married Robert Wesley McClung in 1896.
In 1908, she published her first novel, then many more stories and articles
followed.
Helped the Liberals to win their campaign in 1914.
A Liberal Member of the Alberta Legislative Assembly from 1921-1926.
Was one of The Famous Five, which was a group of women involved in The
Persons case.
Founded the Winnipeg Political Equality League.
Founded the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada.
Founded the Women’s Institute of Edmonton.
First delegate to the Women’s War Conference in Ottawa in 1918.
Only woman delegate of the Methodist Church of Canada to the Ecumenical
Conference in London in 1921.
Only woman in the Canadian delegation to the League of Nations in 1938.
First woman member of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Louise McKinney
Louise Crummy was born in Frankville, Ontario in 1868.
Went to normal school (Teachers’ College) in Ottawa.
Taught in Ontario for seven years then in North Dakota.
In 1903, she moved with her husband to Claresholm, Northwest Territories (later
Alberta).
She became active in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and became
Acting President of the national organization and Vice-President of the world
organization in 1931.
Helped cause social reform.
Elected to the Alberta Legislature in 1917 and held this office until 1921.
Fought for laws to help immigrants, widows, separated women and other
members of society.
She was the second person chosen to sign the petition in The Persons Case and
was a member of The Famous Five.
One of the first two women elected to the Alberta Legislative Assembly.
One of the first two women elected to a legislature in Canada and the British
Empire.
Involved in the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (I.O.D.E.).
Involved in the Methodist Church.
Championed the cause of temperance education in schools.
Emily Murphy
Emily Ferguson was born in Cookstown, Ontario in 1868.
Her family had lively discussions about politics and law.
Her uncles were a Supreme Court Justice and a Senator.
One brother was a lawyer and another was a member of the Supreme Court.
She worked hard for women’s rights.
She pressured the Alberta government into passing The Dower Act of 1911. The
Dower Act protected a wife’s right to a one-third share of her husband’s property.
Was a member of the Equal Franchise League.
Helped Nellie McClung obtain the votes for women.
Appointed the police magistrate for Edmonton in 1916.
Helped produce legislation on government narcotics that was not changed until
the 1960’s.
As a member of The Famous Five, she helped in The Persons Case, resulting in
women being able to become Senate members.
Fought for women’s rights.
Founded the Federated Women’s Institute for rural women.
Member of the Equal Franchise League, working to obtain the vote for women.
Her dedication to the protection of women and children often brought her before
the courts.
An accomplished author who wrote “The Black Candle”.
Irene Parlby
Irene Marryat was born in England in 1868.
Her father was a British Army Colonel so she grew up in India and later in
Ireland.
She came to Canada in 1897 to stay with friends.
She married Walter Parlby and with their son, settled near the town of Alix.
From 1916 to 1919 she was president of the United Farm Women of Alberta.
She worked to improve health care.
Elected to the provincial legislature in 1921.
She was the second women in Canada to become a provincial cabinet minister.
She supported education and all systems which would help women and children.
She was a member of The Famous Five, the five interested persons required by
law to take on The Persons Case. The result was women could become Senate
members starting in 1929.
While in office, she studied international examples of education systems.
Remained in the Alberta cabinet until 1935.
She received an honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta in 1935.
She was in demand as a speaking in person and on the radio.
She attended international gatherings of women’s groups.