What’s The Story? Educational Package

What’s the Story? is a free publication for youth, by youth. It features the winning submissions from the national contest #OurStoriesOurVoices and is designed to inspire students to investigate and share the stories that matter to them. With project examples from students from across Canada, this publication will guide students through the process of undertaking a historical inquiry project — from sparking curiosity, designing a good inquiry question, and deciding how, where, and why to share their story.

The magazine, intended for students in grades 4–7, is offered in print and digital formats in both English and French.

Download a digital copy of the publication

Educator’s Guide

What’s the Story? includes several prompts (called Your Turn) that encourage students to put what they’ve learned into practice. Your students can even follow the links to share their responses online and see what answers other students from across Canada have come up with.

This educator’s guide provides teachers with suggested activities to accompany each prompt, so you and your students can get the most out of this publication.

We would like to thank Dr. Lindsay Gibson and Romy Cooper for their contributions to What’s the Story? and this educator’s guide. We are also grateful to the Department of Canadian Heritage and The Wilson Foundation for their support.

Download a PDF of the educator’s guide

Also available in French

Click for French materials

Our Thanks

This program has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.

Our Thanks

With appreciation to The Wilson Foundation for its valued support.

Lesson Plans from What's The Story?

Helping Students Identify Inquiry Topics

This activity is designed to encourage students to make observations about the world around them.

Crafting Big Questions

This lesson supports students in designing their own inquiry question.

Finding and Assessing Sources

This lesson will encourage students to brainstorm different types of sources they can use to answer their Big Question.

Reflecting on Historical Inquiry

This lesson will help students reflect on what they have learned throughout their inquiry project.

Student Prompts

Discover Your Story

On your way to school and your other activities, pay special attention to what you see. Come up with a list of things whose history you’d like to know more about — maybe it’s a person, an event, a place, an object, an idea.