Lesson Plan

Subject/Grade: Social Studies 8

Time: 1 hour
Note: This lesson was created to be taught collaboratively with another teacher. However, it can be
adapted for those who wish to teach it solo.
Outcome:
Assess how historical events in Canada have affected the present Canadian identity.
Indicators:
Describe Canadas role in world conflicts since the beginning of the 20th century (e.g., World
War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Suez Crisis, the Gulf War, the UN mission in Bosnia,
the Afghanistan mission).
Activities:
Set: Explain how we will be discussing the world wars and the wars Canada is currently
involved in.
We will start with some direct teaching of the world wars. The partner teacher will present
World War I, while I will present World War II. We plan on integrating pictures while also
presenting the material in more of a narrative form to keep the students' interest.
We will then have a group discussion lead by the partner teacher who will bring up the
following questions and ask for student feedback:
1. Why did these wars happen?
2. Why did a war happen again? ie; why did we have two world wars?
3. Do you have family members that were involved in these wars?
4. What do we have today because these Canadians fought?
I will move the lesson on with more direct teaching about current conflicts that Canada is
involved with.
I will then introduce the newspaper activity. We will put students in groups and give them each
an article about Canada and the war. Their job is to read the article and fill out the worksheet.
They will be asked to hand these in for marks. These must be completed within the class time!
Resources:
Background narrative on wars including pictures.
Newspaper articles on Canada in the War.
Worksheet.
Adaptations:
Provide summary hand out or fill in the blanks to EAL students in order for them to follow
along with the direct teaching.
Ensure class discussion is sensitive to students whose families may be involved in previous or
current wars.

Evaluation:
Students will understand the basics of Canada's involvement in the World Wars and current
conflicts.
Students will understand the freedoms that our country has maintained because these soldiers
fought in the wars.
Students will understand that our troops are still fighting for our freedoms today.

World War II Summary

World War II was from 1939 to 1945.

It was the only time atomic bombs were ever used in a war.
It is said to be the deadliest conflict in human history.
It involved many countries. Certain countries group together and formed two groups. The allies
consisted of Canada, France, Poland, the United Kingdom, the British Commonwealth nations,
Australia, New Zealand, and Union of South Africa. The group that fought against the allies
were called the Axis. They consisted of Germany, Japan, Italy, Hungary, Romania, and
Bulgaria.
This war officially began on September 1st 1939 when Germany invaded Poland.
France was the first country to declare war on Germany.
Germany continued on fighting and took over much of Europe.
Germany was lead by Adolf Hitler who was the head of the Nazi Party.
He believed that Jewish people were of a lesser race and should be destroyed.
As soon as German troops took over a country they began to segregate people who were Jewish
into ghettos and then concentration camps.
In these concentration camps the Jewish people were forced to work long hard hours without
being fed. They often died of starvation or disease. If they did not die this way they were either
shot or gassed to death in chambers.
10 to 11 million Jewish people (including men, women, and children) were killed in the
Holocaust.
The war ended when the United States dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities called
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and Japan officially surrendered.
1 million Canadians served in this war. 45, 000 people lost their lives and 54, 000 were
wounded.

Current Conflicts and Canada

Canada entered Afghanistan in 2001. This was right after the 2011 terrorist attacks on New
York City's World Trade Centres which killed 3,000 American citizens. They fought alongside
American troops.
Their goal was to dismantle the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization as well as the current Taliban.
The Taliban was the Afghanistan government. They were rumours that they had ties to AlQaeda. The people of Afghanistan wanted a democratic society (the right to vote).
They only planned to be at war until October of 2003.
However, they continued to renew their commitment in funds and troops until current day.
Just in the new year Canada has announced it's withdrawal from Afghanistan. They majority of
the troops left at the end of July. The plan is to have everyone back home by December 31st of
this year.
Some will continue to work there to train the Afghan Army and Police.
157 Canadians have died in the war to date. Most were killed through improvised explosive
devices.
Canada is also helping in Libya.
Libya was run by a leader named Muammar Gadhafi.
He was a dictator in that his people were not allowed to vote.
He treated his people poorly keeping his military weak, his people poor and without proper
medical aid. His country was rich in oil but he kept most of the profits for himself and his close
family and friends.
In 2011 the people started a protest which lead to an armed war.
Gadhafi opened fire on his own people.
Countries such as Canada and France have stepped in to help the people of Libya.

Articles
http://www.globalnews.ca/afghan+women+fear+setbacks+as+troops+withdraw/282972/story.html
http://www.globalnews.ca/sadness+pride+as+canada+marks+navy+centennial/75074/story.html
http://www.globalnews.ca/bodies+of+soldiers+and+journalist+return+to+canada/68938/story.html
http://www.globalnews.ca/canada+to+extend+libya+mission+by+three+months+harper+says/6442485
625/story.html
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/07/05/156226.html

Name:
Date:

Current Conflicts and Canada Worksheet

INSTRUCTIONS: Please write the name and date at the top of this
assignment. Write your answers in full sentences. Make sure you
complete this assignment as you will be handing it in at the end of
class for marks.
Who are the countries involved in this article?
What is Canada doing in this country?

How are the people of Canada affected by our Canadian troops being
overseas?

Provide a brief summary of your article.