From Canadian History Portal - HCO
 | Activities are colour-coded to suggest Junior, Middle and/or Senior levels of challenge.
You may find them generic enough to be useful for most levels and abilities. |
In this chapter it states that Diefenbaker could be indecisive. Using the websites provided in the Web Links section conduct some research to see if this is true. Based on what you find do you think Diefenbaker was indecisive?
Conduct further research into Ellen Fairclough. What other contributions did she make to Canadian political life? Do you think her work and the example she set helped other Canadian women get into politics? How is her contribution to Canada recognized today?
Compare Diefenbaker's Canadian Bill of Rights with Canada's current Charter of Rights. Make a list of the similarities and differences between the two documents. Do you think the Bill of Rights would still work in today's modern Canada? Why or why not?
In the 1950s the Canadian government developed the St. Lawrence Seaway. It was opened in 1959. Research the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Why was the project undertaken? What problems did it face? What role does the St. Lawrence Seaway play in Canada's modern economy?
Teenagers became an important part of modern Canadian culture in the 1950s and 1960s. One thing teenaged boys liked to do was drag race. Watch this documentary from the 1950s about teenaged drag racing, and one way local politicians and adults tried to stop it. How does this film compare with modern concerns about street racing, and solutions to stop it?
Watch the following documentary about teenager dating from 1947, Are You Popular. This film would have been shown to high school students in the 1950s. What does the film teach you about gender stereotypes from that period? Do you think these stereotypes still exist today?
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Using the same film, Are You Popular, hold a class discussion about dating. Do you think the film still has good advice? If not, how is dating for you and your friends different from dating in the 1950s?
A number of different Canadian music groups are noted at the end of the chapter. Conduct research into these groups, the type of music they performed, and their popularity in Canada then and now. How does their music compare to modern Canadian music that students listen to today?
What was it like attending high school in the 1950s and early 1960s? Find someone who was a high school student and interview them about their life as a teenager during this period. Compare your responses with people in your class. Do you find any differences in the answers based on: where the respondent lived (i.e.: city, region or province) or their gender (male or female)?
If rock music and fashion made teenagers different from their parents in the 1950s/1960s, what makes your generation different from your parents'?
You have read about the baby boom in this chapter. What modern concerns are raised in Canada today as the baby boom generation gets older and nears retirement age? What problems does this pose for Canada?
Don Mills was the first planned suburban community in Ontario. Why was Don Mills considered a suburban community?
Get together in small groups. Consider the following question: What are the defining elements of suburbia? You should consider such things as architecture, community structure (i.e.: streets, parks, schools, etc.), and the types of people who live in suburban environments.
Hold a debate in class on the following resolution: Be it resolved that the Canadian government still needs to protect Canadian culture.
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