Poppies & Porcupine Quills

Recommended for: Grades 4-6
Curriculum Specific: Grade 4

• Social Studies 4.2.1: Appreciate how an understanding of Alberta’s history, peoples and stories contributes to their own sense of belonging and identity. Recognize how stories of people and events provide multiple perspectives on past and present events

• Social Studies 5.2.2: Examine, critically, the ways of life of Aboriginal peoples in Canada by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues: How are the Aboriginal cultures and ways of life unique in each of the western, northern, central and eastern regions of Canada?
  

This program focuses on Indigenous servicemembers after the year 1900, when the days of Plains warfare and Métis uprisings were ended. Students will discover tales of nurses, CWACs, paratroopers, code talkers, and sharpshooters who combined traditional knowledge and military training to overcome extraordinary obstacles. Largely tour-based, this program relies on biographies to highlight a broad range of experiences. Veterans discussed include Mike Mountain Horse, Mary Greyeyes, Lloyd Hamilton, and many others.

Designed to complement Warriors of Old, but can stand alone if preferred.

Posters & Propaganda (Lesson)

Recommended for: Grades 4-6
Curriculum Specific: Grade 6

• Skills and Processes (Communication): 6.S.9 Develop skills of media literacy. Detect bias present in the media.

This program examines some of the tactics used in propaganda and advertising to help students identify bias. By analysing historical Canadian posters and modern ads, students will learn about jumping on the bandwagon, emotional transfer, stacking the deck, name-calling, slogans, and more.

This program will also discuss why posters were such a popular medium for persuasion in the days before the internet, and how the tactics discussed appear in our everyday lives today.

Note: An additional 45 minute block may be included for students to create their own propaganda posters. Please note your preference on the booking form.

Posters & Propaganda (Art Activity)

Recommended for: Grades 4-6
Curriculum Specific: Grade 6

• Skills and Processes (Communication): 6.S.9 Develop skills of media literacy. Detect bias present in the media.

Students will put their new skills of persuasion to work and create eye-catching posters of their own. They will employ the key characteristic of good design: creativity must be balanced with purpose. One only has a moment to draw one’s audience in!

Note: This is not a stand-alone program. Please only select this block in combination with the Posters and Propaganda lesson.

Warriors of Old

Recommended for: Grades 4-6
Curriculum Specific: Grade 4-5

• Social Studies 4.2.1: Appreciate how an understanding of Alberta’s history, peoples and stories contributes to their own sense of belonging and identity.
• Social Studies 4.2.2: Assess, critically, how the cultural and linguistic heritage and diversity of Alberta have evolved over time by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues.
• Social Studies 5.2.2: Examine, critically, the ways of life of Aboriginal peoples in Canada by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues.

In his book My People: The Bloods, Great War veteran Mike Mountain Horse wrote, “When duty called, we were there, and when we were called forth to fight for the cause of civilization, our people showed all the bravery of our warriors of old.”

This program explores some of these “warriors of old” who lived and fought before 1900 in the lands now called Canada. Students will learn about numbered treaties and land acknowledgements before diving into the battles and personalities that shaped and were shaped by this land.

This program will focus on the prairies, but examples from other regions will be included for contrast. Veterans discussed include Gabriel Dumont, Crowfoot and Poundmaker, Tecumseh, and more.

Designed to complement Poppies and Porcupine Quills, but can stand alone if preferred.

Time to Explore

Strongly Recommended for All Classes

Time to Explore allows students to discover our institution’s seven museums at their own pace. While interpreters will be available at all times to answer questions and offer advice, classes are welcome to break off into adult-supervised groups and visit the places that excite them most.

Scavenger hunts are available upon request; teachers are also welcome to coordinate with interpreters to assign their own coursework-related tasks during this time.

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