Canada's History

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. We would like to thank voicEd Radio for their support in producing this podcast. VoicEd Radio is a 24/7 Internet-based Radio Station dedicated to both broadening and deepening the conversations we have about education. You can find out more about voicEd Radio at voiced.ca. Kayla Dallyn and Genevieve Soler worked with Stoney Nakoda Elders in their community to help students trace their family lineage. After creating family trees, students identified “heroes” among the members of their family. Students sculpted a bust of their “hero” that was then displayed publicly in a pop-up exhibit for National Indigenous Peoples Day. Students in Dwayne Jeffery’s class worked with the six historical thinking concepts over the course of the entire school year. Through multiple activities, students gained the tools necessary to create a final museum exhibit project and presented it to the community. The project “Treaties: Spirit, Intent and Broken Promises”, created by Caelin Webber, included multiple activities involving poetry, theatre, and primary source analysis. For their final project, Caelin Webber’s students created infographics connecting modern issues to historic treaty precedents. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. We would like to thank voicEd Radio for their support in producing this podcast. VoicEd Radio is a 24/7 Internet-based Radio Station dedicated to both broadening and deepening the conversations we have about education. You can find out more about voicEd Radio at voiced.ca. In the “History Portfolio” project, Trevor Arndt’s students assumed the role of a person from Canadian history and followed them through defining moments of the 20th century. Students voted in period elections and experienced trials from different regions at different times in history. To finish, students wrote memoirs of their character’s experiences during the project. Students in Heidi Crowley’s Grade 11 Canadian History class studied the recent controversies surrounding monuments. After discussing the different sides of the debate and visiting local monuments, students created posters and presentations evaluating the history and impact of different Canadian monuments. Heather Jefkins’ students completed a variety of activities to understand the creation and importance of different fabric craft works. The project, “Weaving Stories and Stitching History,” allowed students to learn through hands-on creation of fabric pieces. Students also interacted with community members and learned about history through weaving and quilting. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. Michael Pitblado and Agnieszka Chalas’ “Banksy Project” invited students to use artwork and the format of Banksy’s art pieces to raise awareness about some of the issues that affect Indigenous peoples. The pieces were displayed in public areas around the community, as well as in exhibitions at multiple art galleries. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. Sarah Dewey’s students exercised their creativity to create responses to the impacts of the transcontinental railway on various aspects of Canadian history. Through artwork, songs, and poetry students explored the ways that the railroad both united and divided Canada. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

In the October-November 2019 issue of Canada's History, Christopher Moore's article “The Ballots Question,” explores the origins of Canadian political party leadership conventions. In 1919, a federal political party held the first convention to choose its leader, and it forever changed the way politics is practised in Canada. In this interview, political scientist Royce Koop responds by discussing the process of choosing a party leader, whether the system we have now is more or less democratic, and how other countries choose the leaders of their parties. To read Christopher Moore's article, go to https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/prime-ministers/the-ballots-question.