Curated OER
Canadian History
Students conduct research on the history of early Canada. They create timelines of important dates, write biographies of Canadian explorers, consider the importance of geography and religion in Canada's settlement and examine both...
Crabtree Publishing
Remarkable Lives Revealed
Six lessons make up a unit all about biographies. Scholars read about a remarkable life while taking notes and identifying characteristics of the biographical genre. Readers examine the tale's obstacles, accomplishments, and sequence of...
Curated OER
Life on the Canadian Prairie in the Late 1880s
Sixth graders are read excerpts of the book "Pioneer Girl" by their teacher. Using the text, they discover what life was like on the Canadian Prairies during the 1880s. They discuss why people moved west and the expansion of the railroad...
Curated OER
Roughing It in the Backwoods
Students have the opportunity to practice research and essay-writing skills using primary and secondary source materials. They explore aspects of early settlers' lives in the backwoods of Upper Canada.
Curated OER
Where Were Your Ancestors in 1871?
Here is a nicely designed lesson on ancestry and family history. In it, learners read an article entitled, "Where Were Your Ancestors in 1871?" Then, they make up a series of questions to profile their family and their community 100...
Curated OER
The High and the Flighty
Students study women aviators and act out a talk show-style interview with one of them. They plot Amelia Earhart's flights on a map.
Curated OER
Who are the Women of the Pacific North West: 1830-1870?
Students view a picture from the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and discuss the people in the picture. They locate Cromwell's Map and discuss the villages located close to Fort Vancouver. Students read information regarding the role...
Other
Images Canada Picturing Canadian Culture
This resource contains 150 images, which provide a glimpse into pioneer life, during the late 18th and early 20th century, in the Canadian West. Each photograph is complete with a description.
York University
York University: African Canadian Online: Black Pioneers
Black people have played an important part in the history of Canada from its earliest days when the first black man came to Canada in 1606. Learn about these pioneers and their accomplishments.
Other
County of Peterborough: Lang Pioneer Village Museum
Visit this early pioneer village that features restored buildings constructed between 1820 and 1899. Explore the interactive map of the settlement. View artifacts from the period and several video clips that provide a picture of life...
Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada: Community Stories: One Man's History in Wood: The John Mc Crea Collection
Explore this collection of models created by artisan John McNeely. The exhibit features furnishings, homes, and buildings used by Ontario pioneers. Excellent annotations accompany each artifact.
Other
Kings Landing Historical Settlement
Kings Landing Historical Settlement reflects life in the 19th century. Learn about the Loyalists who escaped the American Revolution and the hardships they faced working to establish their homes in New Brunswick.
Orca Book Publishers
Orca Book Publishers: Max and Ellie Books Teaching Guide [Pdf]
The Ellie and Max books by Becky Citra take place in pioneer times and follow the experiences of a brother and sister in Upper Canada. This teacher's guide includes a book summary, teaching ideas and the author's reflections on writing...
Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada: Community Stories: Settlers' Effects Brought to Craik and Aylesbury
This exhibit features images of household items that were brought by settlers to the Canadian prairies between 1890 and 1930. Each item is accompanied by a description.
Other
Connie Brummel Crook: 'The Hungry Year' Teaching Guide [Pdf]
"The Hungry Year", an historical novel by Connie Brummel Crook, begins in 1787 and is set in what is now Ontario. It follows the life of a Loyalist pioneer family that has fled into Canada. This teacher's guide has a book summary,...
Other
Connie Brummel Crook: 'The Perilous Year' Teaching Guide [Pdf]
"The Perilous Year", an historical novel by Connie Brummel Crook, begins in 1793 and is set in what is now Ontario. It follows the life of two brothers into adulthood. This teacher's guide has a book summary, chapter discussion guides...
Alberta Online Encyclopedia
Alberta Online Encyclopedia: The Land of Opportunity: Heritage Trails
This is a collection of audio and text files that describes Alberta's early history as the west is opened for settlement. Included are the stories about the great migration of immigrants from all over Europe, Asia and North America who...
Other
Paul Yee
Paul Yee is a Chinese-Canadian children's writer who has written books about Chinese experiences of coming to Canada. Some of his stories are set in the 1800s. His website provides information about his life and his books, as well as...
Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada: Community Stories: The French Connection
This exhibit features narratives and pictures that recount the history of French settlers to the banks of the Detroit River in the 1700s.
Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada: Community Stories: Victorian Fashions in the Upper Ottawa Valley
100 years of fashions, 1840-1940, are showcased in this collection of images. Included are close-up photographs that detail much of the intricate work produced during the Victorian Period.
Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada: Community Stories: Kinghorn School Days
The history of the one-room school house in Kinghorn, Ontario operated between 1895 and 1936. Its history is told here through narratives, sound and images.
University of Alberta
Atlas of Alberta Railways: The Railway Labourers: The Navvies
Many immigrants died during the building of Canada's railway. How they were recruited, their housing, food, pay, etc. are detailed here.
Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada: Community Stories: The Sterling Flour Mill
Trace the history of milling and learn about the milling of flour as you explore the stories celebrating the history of the Sterling Flour Mill in Strome Alberta. Included are images of artifacts and primary source documents.
Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada: Community Stories: The Work of the Blacksmith Green Family Forge, Trinity, Nl
Learn about the tools used by the blacksmith at the forge and how iron was worked with to create such things as horseshoes and the iron bands for cart wheels. Selecting the print story provides for more detailed information.