Lesson

Time

Description of Lesson

1

45 to 65 minutes

Students will learn about primary-source documents and their various formats. Students will play "Archives Bingo" using cards that reproduce primary-source documents available on Library and Archives Canada's (LAC) "EvidenceWeb". Directed discussion. Individual work.
Handout 1.1: Archives Bingo Card
Handout 1.2: Archives Bingo Answers

2

50 to 60 minutes

Students will discover that they can learn a great deal from primary-source documents available on the "EvidenceWeb". Organizer use and directed discussion. Individual work.
Handout 2.1: Timeline Data Organizer

3

70 to 90 minutes

Students will learn about key people in the Confederation debates through the use of primary-source documents. Students will conduct interviews with key Confederation politicians, played by their peers using information obtained from primary-source documents from the "EvidenceWeb". Students, in the role of journalists, will write newspaper stories based on the interviews. Small groups.

Students will be introduced to the culminating activity -- creating four-page, 8 ½ x 11 newspapers representing three provinces: Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, and positions for and against Confederation. Cooperative small-group work.
Handout 3.1: Confederation Newspaper Assessment Rubric
Handout 3.2: What is a Culminating Activity?

4

50 to 60 minutes

Students will learn how to write an editorial then prepare an editorial for their group's newspaper using primary-source documents from the "EvidenceWeb", supplemented by other sources. Group work.

5

50 to 60 minutes

Students will learn to write a lead story with a headline then prepare a lead story for their group's newspaper using primary-source documents from the "EvidenceWeb", supplemented by other sources. Group work.
Handout 5.1: Writing a Newspaper Article Organizer

6

60 to 80 minutes

Students will assemble the newspaper with photographs, news stories and editorial. Using computer technology students will organize and create a newspaper.
Handout 6.1: Individual Contribution to the Newspaper Staff

7

65 to 75 minutes

In groups, students exchange newspapers, read, and fill in an organizer based on four themes: arguments for, arguments against, leaders' opinions, and popular opinion as expressed in the press. Teacher conducts a summary inquiry lesson using the four themes. Individual work
Handout 7.1: Confederation Issues Organizer
Handout 7.2: Confederation Personal Reflections Report