Thinking Historically about 20th-century Canada

Unit Overview

In this series of lessons, students are introduced to the historical thinking concepts through examining key events of the twentieth century in Canada. The series is designed to introduce the concepts of historical thinking so that students from diverse backgrounds will have a foundational starting point in both content and processes.

Time Required

• 2 periods per lesson

Historical Thinking Concept(s)

These lesson plans use the following core historical thinking concepts: use primary source evidence, analyze cause and consequence, and take historical perspectives.

Learning Outcomes

Student will:

• Analyse historical events using the historical thinking concepts
• Reflect on the relevance

Lesson Activities

1. Evidence and the Oka Crisis
2. Examining Prohibition
3. Historical Perspectives: Japanese Internment

Materials/Resources

• The Historical Thinking Project – Templates
• *The Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts (Nelson, 2013)
• *History Uncovered (Nelson, 2014)

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Assessment

Each lesson in the series is designed so that the teacher is giving groups and individual students observational feedback in the process of using the particular historical thinking concept to understand the events. The teacher can also give feedback on the journal entries to broaden students’ thinking.