Two tasks this week:

1. Canadian History 621 students will be completing the following World War Weekend Debrief AND by completing an online survey.  Click HERE to complete the survey.
2. Concerning World War Weekend III.
   • Please offer your final impressions on the World War Weekend which we completed on June 4/5.  Describe your own experiences, the parts you most (and least enjoyed), and the learning experience in general.  As always, constructive criticism is most welcome also.  Does anything need to be changed for next year’s version?  If so, what?  Are there elements of the activity that absolutely should stay the same?  Explain.
   • If you were absent for the weekend, your task is equally as simple.  Go online and find two propaganda posters (one from the Allies and one from the Axis powers) from World War Two and offer your opinions on their effectiveness and content.  Responses should be in the 250-word range.

Remember, respond by 11:59 pm on Friday, June 11.

Let’s have some fun this week.  Using the Open Forum link on the left, ask a question, make an observation, tell a story (G-Rated please), or relate an experience that you feel others would like to share.  Topics don’t have to be Canadian history-related, but they certainly can be, if students wish.  When everyone has posted something, read through the topics and reply to at least three of them in which you have an interest.  Since this discussion may take a little longer to complete, we will set Friday, June 4 at 11:59 as the deadline.  Remember, do not respond to this post.  Click on the Open Forum link to the left and do all your responding there.

You have just completed the personal interview for the Oral History Project in this class.  This week’s discussion asks you to reflect on your interview and to also visualize your dream interview.  Here goes:

Regarding the Personal Interview:

1. How do you think your interview went?  Were you happy with the questions you asked and the depth of the responses you were given?
2. What – if anything – would you do differently if given the opportunity to re-do the interview.
3. Did your interview subject share his/her thoughts about the activity?  What did he/she tell you?

A Dream Interview:

1. If you could interview one figure from history (not necessarily Canadian, but no longer alive), who would you speak with?
2. What are three questions you would ask this person?
3. Explain why you would ask each question.

Responses due by 11:59 on Wednesday, May 26.

We interrupted our study of the world wars to study the post-war boom and the Great Depression, where we enjoyed both an economic and cultural boom and also a bust.  We’re going to re-visit that era this week.

Your task this week is two-fold: 

1. Browse the Internet and also Beaver Magazine to find (and read) some human interest stories from this era.
2. In approximately 200 words each, briefly re-tell (in your own words) a ‘Roaring Twenties’ story and also a Great Depression (or ‘Dirty Thirties’) story. Both stories should have a Canadian theme.

Again, responses due on or before 11:59 pm on Wednesday, May 19.

Think about the Canadian Heritage Minutes you have had the opportunity to see over the years.  If you need to refresh your memory, check out this link:

History by the Minute

After thinking about /viewing these minutes, respond to these brief questions:

1. Which of these heritage minutes were you most impressed with?  Why?
2. Can you adequately summarize such important events in Canadian history in just a minute?
3. What event in Canadian history do you think Historica should make a minute about?

Responses due by 11:59 on Wednesday, May 12.

Since we are studying Canada’s role in World War One, it seems only right to honor people who should be remembered for their service to this country in the First World War. That leads us to this week’s response:

Research Canadian war heroes who have fought for this country in the Great War (World War One). Briefly relate the story of one chosen hero in this space (in your own words).  Please try to avoid repetition.

That is all.

This week, we are re-visiting the valuable role played by the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War One from 1914-1916. 

Your task this week is to discover additional – and interesting – information (other than what you have been exposed to in class).   For each of the following events, please do some reading/research and provide some DID YOU KNOW facts (at least one fact per battle, but more if you find more):

• Training at Salisbury Plain
• The Second Battle of Ypres
• The Battle of the Somme and/or the Battle at Beaumont-Hamel

Don’t hesitate to include websites as reference.  Also, try to read the responses of your classmates before replying so we can avoid repetition.

Maclean’s magazine recently published two immigration-themed articles dealing with how political the immigration isse is becoming in Canada.  Your task this week is two-fold:

1. Read both articles (links provided below).
2. Offer a critical commentary on both articles and on Canada’s recent decisions and conversations regarding immigration.  Do you think the controversy is overblown?  Are we going too far trying to ‘reasonably accomodate’ immigrants?  Offer your opinions.

• About Face (April 7 article)
• What do Conservative Muslims and Hell’s Angels Have in Common?  (April 1 article)

As usual, responses should be submitted prior to 11:59 on April 21.

Today, you are studying Canadian history topics which publishers consider important in the Canadian historical context.  Hopefully, in fifty years, we won’t be using the same textbooks as we are today (we’ll probably travel to school on rocket buses as well and shoot laser beams out of our eyes).

If you were a publisher and were asked to choose significant events from a Canadian and world perspective to include in the history books in 2060, what would you choose?  Your task this week is to think about the topics relevant enough to be included in this textbook and provide a top five list (two Canadian events and three world events).  Please provide an explanation of the following:

1. The reasons for your choices.
2. What – specifically – you want future students (with laser beams in their eyes) to know about these events.

Responses are expected prior to 11:59 pm on Friday, April 16^th.

Responses to this discussion are due by Wednesday, April 7 at 11:59 pm.

This week’s discussion concerns our study of the influence of socialism and communism into the Canadian experience, especially during the Boom, Bust & Dust era.  You will have to do some Internet research before responding this week.  A few of questions to ponder (and provide responses to):

1. What parts of Communism do you think can benefit society?
2. Let’s assume Canada adopted a communist philosophy.  What would you be willing to sacrifice  in order to live in a truly Communist state (Internet access, right to protest, freedom of speech, etc)?
3. What is the appeal of unions?  Why do you think bosses (and governments) dread dealing and negotiating with them?

Again, responses are due by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, April 7.  It closes on April 9.