Social Studies Grade Five

Unit 1: Identity

Module Two - Canadian Symbols
Concepts:

Identity, symbols
Knowledge Objectives
Students will know:

that various symbols have come to be associated with Canada and its regions.
Skills/Abilities Objectives
Students will:

identify and interpret some of the symbols of Canada and its regions.
design symbols relevant to them.
Attitudes/Values Objectives
Students will:

value Canada's symbols and what they represent.
Suggested Approaches

Identify ways students make statements about their individuality or uniqueness through clothes, hair styles, verbal expressions, or ethnic activities. Identify ways groups like countries and regions adopt symbols to represent them.
Explore ways in which Canada is unique. Learn about Canada's special features that have been recognized both nationally and internationally such as art forms, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , and peace keeping missions. Identify advantages and disadvantages to living in Canada. Have students read and discuss the Student Information Page: Canadian Symbols.
Have the students identify various national , provincial , and regional symbols and research their history and significance. What ideas and feelings do they communicate? Where are these symbols found and how are they displayed?
Understandings about symbols include:

People adopt symbols that may have historic, geographic, cultural, or economic significance.
Symbols may reflect the country's historical experiences and current identity.
Symbols may include animals, birds, trees, or other things from the natural environment; historical events and heroes; inventions or predominant technologies; and traditional holidays or festivals.
Symbols incl Aboriginal art (soapstone carvings of Inuit peoples, totem poles of west coast Indian nations).
Symbols are generally carefully chosen.
Symbols can change over time.
Various symbols have come to represent Canada, for example flag, maple leaf, beaver, RCMP, coat of arms, stamps, currency, themes in art, music, and museum collections.

If some students have collections of stamps or currency, they may want to bring them to school. (NOTE: Be sure students have parental permission to bring these collections to school and that they are kept in a secure place.)
Design flags, stamps, crests, or other symbols to represent themselves, the school, their families, or special events.

Module 2: Activity Guide

Canada is unique
Use case studies and news stories that highlight ways Canada is unique, its contributions, and issues facing the country. Work in small groups to read the articles and respond to a general question like, "What does the article tell us about Canada?" Summarize group discussions and report to the class.
Learn or create something that is uniquely Canadian, for example, learn the anthem in another language, create a Canadian collage, begin a scrapbook or portfolio titled "Canada, a Special Country".
In a small group brainstorming session establish what is already known about one of Canada's provinces or territories. Make a list of both facts and assumptions. Put the list aside and, using a variety of resources, learn about the diversity and uniqueness of that province or territory. Later, compare what has been learned about the province or territory to the original list. Were your facts accurate? Were your assumptions correct?
Identify reasons for assumptions. What assumptions or stereotypes do people have about Saskatchewan? Are they accurate?
The students may explore various symbols, both regionally and nationally.
Canada has some special features that have been recognized both nationally and internationally:

Aboriginal peoples and their cultures,
two official languages and cultures,
many cultures and languages,
wealth of natural resources,
wealth of human resources (inventors, writers, authors, musicians),
products created in Canada,
high quality exports such as grain and livestock, and
major events such as the Canadian Western Agribition.
The teacher and students may choose to visit a site that represents a Canadian symbol (e.g., the RCMP barracks and museum).

Student Information Page: Symbols

People of all countries have certain symbols which somehow seem to represent or symbolize their country. People take great pride in their national symbols. For example, a national symbol for the U.S.A. is the eagle. Eagles are powerful, beautiful and free, and this is how Americans like to think of themselves and their country.
The maple leaf
An important Canadian symbol is, of course, our flag. Canadians who travel in different parts of the world usually wear a red maple leaf pin so that they can be identified as Canadians. Everywhere the maple leaf is recognized as being a symbol of Canada.
The early explorers who travelled the many rivers of Canada often began their journey on the St. Lawrence River. These explorers were amazed at the beautiful trees which grew along the banks of the river. What interested them most was the shape of the leaves. They had never seen anything like them before. And some of the leaves were so large they could cover a person's hand! The explorers lucky enough to travel dowhn the St. Lawrence River in autumn, were treated to a beautiful display of colour, as the leaves changed into every imaginable shade of yellow, brown, gold and red. So it was that, early in Canada's history, long before the country became known as Canada, the maple leaf became a symbol of the beauty and richness of this interesting land.
In more recent times the maple leaf has taken on a new meaning for Canadians. The maple leaf flag, which we know today, has been the official flag of Canada only since 1965. When it was suggested that Canada should have its own flag, rather than one that had been borrowed from Great Britain, many Canadians did not like the idea. Many had fought during World War I and II under the old flag, and they believed that it symbolized Canada. Those who wanted a new flag, however, felt that Canada needed to become more independent from Great Britain. A new flag with a truly Canadian symbol, rather than one borrowed from Great Britain, was necessary to show that Canada had grown up as a nation. Although opposition to the new flag was great at first, it soon became very popylar. Canadians became proud of this symbol which set them apart from the rest of the world.

The RCMP
The Mounties soon gained a reputation for being tough but fair. They quickly established law and order in the west. They also earned the respect of both the Indian people and the new settlers. As a result, the settlement of Western Canada was, for the most part, peaceful. In this way, the Mounties helped avoid the war and bloodshed which often occurred in the United States between settlers and Indian people.
In 1920, the Mounties became a national police force and their name was changed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In 1974, women were allowed to join the force. The job of women officers is the same in every way as that of the men.
The RCMP are recognized in many parts of the world. For as long as the force has existed, it has attracted international attention. There have been hundreds of books about the Mounties, written mostly by American and British authors. There have also been many films about them. The books and films usually make the Mounties appear as heroes who can do no wrong. The RCMP museum is a very popular tourist attraction. It is located in Regina, along with the school where all RCMP officers are trained.
Art of Canada's Aboriginal peoples
Indian peoples were living in North America long before Europeans ever knew that North America existed. The Indian people are an important part of Canadian culture, and so are their symbols. Perhaps the best known Canadian Indian symbol is the totem pole. These poles are carved by Indian people of the northwest coast.
Indian people of the west coast carve totem poles to tell the history of their family. They use animals such as sharks, eagles, bears, wolves, beavers, frogs, and mosquitoes to represent events or periods in their life. There are different types of totem poles for differet purposes. For example, some are built as memorials, while others are welcoming poles in front of a house. Some poles are painted bright colours, others are not. Some are small, others may be more than 15 metres tall.
Indian people on the west coast have been carving totem poles for thousands of years. But when Europeans began coming to Canada, they disrupted the lives of Indian people. As a result, the tradition of making totem poles was almost lost. However, a few Indian artists kept the tradition alive, so that today there are once again artists skilled at carving them. Thanks to these artists, the totem pole is still a symbol of Canada. The poles are often displayed in international art exhibits.
There are many other forms of both Indian and Inuit art that have become popular in many areas of the world. As a result, people in other countries recognize Indian and Inuit art as being symbols of Canada. Because the art is in wide demand, it is often featured in international exhibitions of Canadian art. For example, the 1988 Winter Olympics, which was held in Calgary, featured a large display of Indian and Inuit art called "The Spirit Sings".
A wilderness
When many people think of the land of Canada, they think of a vast northern territory. Canada is a very large country, the second largest in the world, but has a very small population. Of that population, 90% live within 160 kilometres of the United States border. Few people live in the great northern part of the country. It can be said that most of the land of Canada is actually a wilderness, with large areas where few people have ever set foot. Most of the country cannot be reached by car or airplane. This symbol of Canada, as a harsh wilderness, has been the major theme of literature about Canada, and is a symbol widely accepted throughout the world.