Information Unit for

Elementary School Teachers

Prepared by SchoolNet

(www.schoolnet.ca)

for the

Prime Minister of Canada's Web Site

(www.pm.gc.ca)

August 2001

Table of Contents

I.	Background Information	Pages 3 - 7

1.	History	Page 3

2.	Government	Page 4

a)	A Constitutional Monarchy	Page 4

b)	A Parliamentary Democracy	Page 4

c)	Prime Minister	Page 5

d)	Cabinet	Page 5

e)	House of Commons	Page 6

f)	Senate	Page 6

g)	Speakers	Page 6

h)	Responsibilities of Federal Government	Page 7

3.	Election Process	Page 7

a)	Calling an Election	Page 7

b)	Who Can Vote	Page 7

c)	Who Runs the Federal Election	Page 7

d)	Voting Day	Page 8

II	Evaluation	Page 9

1.	Research Skills Rubric	Page 9

2.	Technology Rubric	Page 10

3.	Evaluation Form	Page 11

III	Student Activities	Page 12

1.	Social Studies / History	Page 12

a)	Prime Minister Database	Page 12

b)	Classroom or School Election	Page 12

c)	The Right to Vote	Page 13

d)	Prime Ministers of Canada Time Line	Page 14

e)	Who Am I Game	Page 14

2.	Language Arts Activities	Page 15

a)	Reading Comprehension	Page 15

b)	Interview with the Prime Minister (Role Playing)	Page 16

c)	Dear Member of Parliament (letter)	Page 16

d)	Prime Ministers of Canada Word Search	Page 17

e)	Meaning Matches	Page 18

3.	Technology Activities	Page 19

a)	Internet Scavenger Hunt	Page 19

b)	Election Time	Page 19

c)	Graphing Election Results	Page 20

IV	Student Activity Pages	Page 21-28

V	Resources and Bibliography	Page 29

I	Background Information

1.	HISTORY

Confederation and Canada's Provinces and Territories

The British North America Act, (renamed the Constitution Act, 1867, at the time of the repatriation of the Constitution in 1982), signed by Queen Victoria on March 29, 1867, allowed for the formation of the Dominion of Canada. The Dominion of Canada, also known as the Confederation, came into effect on July 1, 1867. It should be noted that a federal system of government was established. By federal we mean that the powers of government were divided between the federal government and the provincial governments. Four provinces originally joined the Confederation: Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. However, both Quebec and Ontario were much smaller than they are at the present time and Canada did not spread from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, as it does now.

In 1869, the large tract of land owned by the Hudson=s Bay Company was transferred to Canada. This increased the size of our country by six times! The land, called the Northwest Territories and administered by the federal government, was inhabited by Aboriginals, a few white settlers, and Metis.

The Manitoba Act came into effect on July 15, 1870, and created a new province, Manitoba, although it too was much smaller than the Manitoba we know today.

A year later, on July 20, 1871, British Columbia became the sixth province to enter Confederation. Now, Canada stretched from sea to sea or : A Mari usque ad Mare, as it is said in Latin.

Although Prince Edward Island was the Abirthplace@ of Confederation, it was not until July 1, 1873, that Prince Edward Island decided to join the other six provinces, bringing the union to seven.

In 1905, following the development of the west, the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were created as the eighth and ninth provinces respectively. Alberta joined on September 1, 1905, and Saskatchewan joined three days later, on September 4.

In 1912, part of the Northwest Territories was divided between Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, thereby bringing these provinces to their present boundaries.

The area of Labrador did not become part of the Dominion until Newfoundland joined Canada on March 31, 1949.

Our country is now made up of ten provinces and three territories. The territories - the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut - created in 1898, 1905 and 1999 respectively, remain under the legal control of the federal government, but are endowed with institutions and responsibilities approaching those of the provinces. Our nation now spans the area from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Arctic Ocean in the north!

Independence

On July 1, 1867, our country did not become an independent nation. The Constitution Act, 1867, limited the powers of all levels of government in Canada to domestic matters, so the conduct of diplomatic relations with foreign countries remained in the hands of the British government. In Canada, unlike our neighbours to the south, there was no war or large scale conflict to gain independence from Great Britain. Rather, independence or sovereignty came in small steps. For example, in 1931 with the Statute of Westminster, we gained the authority to conduct our international affairs. In 1949, the Supreme Court of Canada became our highest court of appeal, replacing the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council. Finally, with the Constitution Act, 1982 the Constitution was repatriated.

2.	GOVERNMENT

a)	A Constitutional Monarchy

Canada is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the powers of the monarchy in Canada are limited by the Constitution. The Constitution is a set of basic principles, laws and rules that explain the powers and duties of the government and the rights and freedoms of the citizens. Our formal head of state is a monarch. Our monarch is now Elizabeth II, who is also the Queen of the United Kingdom. As our Queen does not live in Canada, she appoints, under the advice of our Prime Minister, a Governor General to represent her authority in Canada. The Governor General is usually appointed for a five-year term.

At one time, the Governor General had a lot of power in our government, but this is no longer the case. The office of Governor General is now largely ceremonial. The Governor General meets foreign dignitaries, accords medals, honours and decorations, signs bills passed in Parliament, and opens Parliament with a formal address known as the Speech from the Throne. It is indeed true that the Governor General has the authority to summon, adjourn and dissolve Parliament, however he or she can only do so on the advice of the Prime Minister. It is also true that the Governor General has the responsibility of choosing the Prime Minister, but he or she is bound to choose the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons.

b)	A Parliamentary Democracy

Canada is also a parliamentary democracy. In such a system, the citizens elect the Members of Parliament to represent them in governing the country. The main function of Parliament is to legislate, that is to make laws for the country. In addition, Parliament controls the executive branch of the government, i.e. the Prime Minister and Cabinet. This control of the executive by the legislature is what we mean by responsible government. Our Parliament consists of the Queen, represented by the Governor General, the House of Commons or the Lower House, and the Senate or the Upper House.

c)	Prime Minister

The Prime Minister, as we saw above, is chosen by the Governor General, but the choice of the Governor General is usually determined by the results of the elections. After an election the leader of the political party which holds at least a plurality and normally a majority of seats in the House of Commons must be called upon to become the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister sits in the House of Commons with the other elected Members of Parliament. He or she represents the people from his or her constituency.

The Prime Minister is the head of government. The powers of the Prime Minister are not clearly defined in the Constitution. Nevertheless, he or she has broad powers at his or her disposal. He or she is the leader of the party which, normally, has the majority of the seats in the House of Commons and thereby which controls the House. The Prime Minister appoints his or her ministers and their tenure as well as their portfolios depend almost solely on him or her. The Prime Minister also makes a wide range of appointments - senators, judges, ambassadors and many other senior bureaucrats. He or she controls the organization of government. Moreover, by advising the Governor General to dissolve Parliament, he or she decides when the elections are held. Finally, the Prime Minister is responsible for representing Canada in international affairs.

d)	Cabinet

The Cabinet is made up of approximately 30 ministers chosen by the Prime Minister. By convention the provinces are fairly represented in the Cabinet. Usually each Cabinet minister is in charge of a ministry or a department. As the political head of the department the minister determines its orientation and makes its important decisions and consequently is individually responsible for it to the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister and Cabinet, referred as the government, are the corner stone of our system of government. Indeed, the government brings forward Parliament's legislative program and controls public finances. However, the government is responsible to the House of Commons. It must have the confidence of the House of Commons and if it loses it, the government must resign.

The Prime minister is the dominant figure in Cabinet: his or her duties include deciding on the agenda for Cabinet meetings, chairing the meetings and being the government spokesperson in the House of Commons and in the country.

e)	House of Commons

The House of Commons is made up of all the elected Members of Parliament. There are 301 seats in the House of Commons, which represent the 301 constituencies across Canada. The members are elected for a five year term, unless an election is called before that time is up.

The main function of the Members of Parliament is to debate and pass or defeat the bills brought forward by the government as part of its legislative program. These bills are known as government bills. The passing or the rejection of a government bill demonstrates whether the government possesses the support or confidence of the House of Commons or not. Furthermore, Question Period allows Members of the House, especially Opposition Members, to question activities and policies of the government in place.

The Members of Parliament may also introduce their own bills, known as private Members' bills, provided that such bills do not involve the raising or spending of money. These bills, however, have little chance of being voted upon, let alone of being passed by Parliament. In addition, the Members present petitions from their constituents and make statements on relevant issues.

f)	Senate

The Senate is made up of 105 people representing every province and territory. Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, and may hold their position until they are 75 years old.

The Senate shares the function of law making with the House of Commons. Indeed, all bills have to pass in the Senate as well as the Commons before they are sent to the Governor General for royal assent. Although the Senate may reject any bill that is presented to it, it seldom uses this right once a bill has been passed by the House of Commons. The Senate also has the power to initiate bills except for money bills, that is, those that entail public expenditures or the raising of taxes.

The Senate has also conducted successful investigations into social problems.

g)	Speakers

The House of Commons and the Senate each have a speaker. The Speaker of the House of Commons is elected by secret ballot by the members of the House of Commons after each election. The Speaker of the Senate is appointed by the Governor General upon recommendation from the Prime Minister.

The Speaker of the House of Commons presides over the deliberations of the House and ensures that Members conform to the Standing Orders and parliamentary practices. The Speaker must be an impartial arbiter. In the case of a tie vote, the Speaker must cast the deciding vote. The Speaker of the Senate plays a similar role in the Upper House.

h)	Responsibilities of the federal government

The responsibilities of the federal government include:

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and National Defence

Canada Post

Employment and immigration

Transportation

Foreign Policy

Criminal Law

Aboriginals

Trade and Commerce

Money, banks

and many others

3.	ELECTION PROCESS

a)	Calling an Election

It is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to decide when the federal elections are to held. In order for an election to be called the Prime Minister must ask the Governor General to dissolve or end Parliament. Once this is done, all the seats in the House of Commons are open and candidates must be elected or re-elected to fill them. The Prime Minister sets the date for the election and the candidates begin campaigning. The Prime Minister must call a federal election at least every five years. Usually an election is called before the five-year term is up.

b)	Who Can Vote?

All Canadians who are 18 years of age or older can vote in a federal election. Elections Canada, the organization in charge of federal elections, maintains and continuously updates the list of all eligible voters in a federal election. Information about eligible voters in a federal election is provided to Elections Canada by a number of other organizations such as: Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, as well as provincial and territorial departments.

c)	Who Runs the Federal Election?

Besides maintaining the voters' list, Elections Canada informs the Canadian public of their rights and responsibilities in the election process. It makes sure that the ballot boxes and ballots are ready on the day of the election. It counts the ballots and it provides quick up-to-date information on the results of the election.

The Chief Electoral Officer, or CEO, runs the election, watching over all aspects of the election. Through the whole process, the CEO must remain neutral or impartial.

d)	Voting Day

Most people will vote on the day of the election. However, those who are unable to vote on that day can vote in an advance poll.

Once the voting time period is over, the ballot box is opened and the votes are counted. The votes from the advanced poll are also counted at this time. Once all the ballots for a constituency have been counted, one candidate is declared the winner. The candidate who receives the greatest number of votes in the constituency is the elected Member of Parliament (MP) and will represent that constituency in the House of Commons.

The party with the largest number of elected MPs becomes the government party and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. If the government party has an absolute majority of MPs it will form a majority government and if it obtains only a plurality of MPs, it will form a minority government.

II	EVALUATION

1.	Research Skills Rubric (sample)

[Lowest level] ---------> ----------------->----------------> [Highest level]

Knowledge/ Skills	Level 1 / Level D	Level 2 / Level C	Level 3 / Level B	Level 4 / Level A
Understanding of Concepts	* knows topic of research

* with assistance, can define purpose of investigation	* with limited assistance can identify the purpose of the investigation

* needs help to define audience	* can define the purpose before starting the research

* identifies the audience and one or more appropriate formats	* clearly defines the purpose

* identifies audience and generates several appropriate formats for presentations
Research and Inquiry Skills	* knowledge of only most obvious and traditional research materials

* no strategies for sorting and selecting relevant data

* no awareness of primary and secondary sources	* limited knowledge of sources of information other than the most obvious and traditional

* few strategies for sorting and selecting data

* little awareness of primary and secondary sources	* knowledge of a number of sources of information including electronic sources, non-print media, people

* uses appropriate methods of sorting and selecting information

*usually shows awareness of primary and secondary sources	* knowledge of many sources of information including non-print, electronic sources, interviews

* competence in sorting and selecting information

* consistently demonstrates awareness of primary and secondary sources of information
Writing for Clarity	* few strategies for recording material from source

* has difficulty with common conventions of spelling and punctuation

* no evidence of editing or revising work

* weak note taking skills for recording information

* uses common conventions with some accuracy

* work shows some evidence of editing and revising after teacher suggestions

* competence in note- taking, recording sources, and inclusion of bibliography

* uses punctuation, spelling, and grammatical conventions correctly

* works shows development through editing and revision	* competence in note- taking and recording and use of sketches, diagrams, and charts to record information

* uses conventions of spelling, punctuation, and grammar with high level of accuracy

* work shows overall quality through editing and revision
Communica- tion of knowledge	* message is disorganized and unclear

* uses incorrect grammar and imprecise grammar	* presents a basic message satisfactorily but without detail

* uses some slang, informal usage which can be understood by the audience	* presents some detail and examples to explain and illustrate

* uses appropriate language in a sensible manner appropriate for the audience	* chooses examples and details to explain and elaborate

* uses sophisticated vocabulary and precise language in a clear and organized manner

2.	Technology Rubric (sample)

Skills	1	2	3	4
Overall Presentation

* project does not flow at all

* is poorly presented	* project is somewhat disjointed

* presents some in- formation in a logical manner	* project flows from topic to topic easily

* information is presented in a logical order and manner	* project flows smoothly with no gaps in presented information

*information is presented in a creative and interesting manner
Text Information

* information is missing

* poor use of grammar and punctuation

* no evidence of editing or revision

* includes some of the required areas of research

* some grammatical and punctuation errors are evident

* some attempt to edit and revise work	* most areas of required research have been included

* few errors in gram- mar, punctuation and spelling

* editing and revising is evident	* all areas of required research have been included

* student has included extra information

* no errors in gram- mar, punctuation, and spelling

* well edited
Research	* few resources cited

* incorrect manner of citing resources

* some areas are not completed	* some resources cited in the appropriate manner

* few gaps in information that was to be included	* most resources cited accurately and in standard form

* no omissions of required information	* all resources correctly and completely cited

* all information required has been included

3.	Evaluation Form

Student Name:____________________	Date:________________________

Assignment / Work / Title:___________________________________________

Marks: Circle the appropriate level: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4	[1 is lowest; 4 is highest]

1	2	3	4

needs work	satisfactory	well done	excellent

The student can write a factual research project:

1.	Enough and relevant information and

sensible, logical organization of the

information	1	2	3	4

2.	Use of appropriate conventions

of writing, spelling, grammar and

appropriate vocabulary	1	2	3	4

3.	Variety of sentence structures and

effective paragraph structures	1	2	3	4

4.	Evidence of editing and revisions

to improve overall quality	1	2	3	4

5.	Complete bibliography or reference

list	1	2	3	4

Total Marks:__________/20

III	STUDENT ACTIVITIES

1.	Social Studies / History

a)	Prime Minister Database

Purposes:

•	Students will have the opportunity to research the Prime Ministers of Canada using a variety of sources (traditional research materials, Internet, non-print media sources, etc.)

•	Students will gain an understanding of the backgrounds, education, political history and the contributions made by the Prime Ministers in Canada's history

•	Students will learn how to create a database using features commonly found in word-processing packages in the school community

Students will share their research with other students in their school

•	Students may share their research with other schools if they publish their work on their school Web site

Grade Level:	Grades 4 - 8

Materials:

•	Biographical Data Sheet (pages 22 & 23)

•	Access to a variety of research materials (library, encyclopedia, Internet, non-print, journals,etc.)

•	Computer access

Evaluation:

•	Develop a rubric that looks at both the research skills and the technological skills used by the students (check sample Research Skills Rubric included)

•	Self Evaluation

b)	Classroom or School Election

Purposes:

•	Students will explore issues that are relevant

•	Students will prepare speeches and deliver them

•	Students will participate in an election process

•	Students will learn and use appropriate vocabulary related to elections

Grade Levels: Grades 7 and 8

Materials:

•	Information on elections (see: Information pages 7 & 8) Internet and book resources

•	Recent information about federal, provincial, or municipal elections

Method:

•	Review general information about elections in a class setting

•	Discuss issues that the class may consider to be important to the class or school as a whole. How are issues of importance chosen? Why are some issues more important than others to the class?

•	Break into smaller groups (political parties) to discuss one or two of the issues. What are the issues?

•	Each group will choose a "candidate" from their group to represent them and the one or two issues that they believe are most important. How is your party and your candidate going to address the issues and deal with them? What promises can you make? Can you actually live up to the promises you make?

•	Candidate, with support from the "political party" will write a short (2 - 3 minute) speech to present outlining the issues and how the party proposes to deal with the issues

•	A secret ballot vote, complete with scrutineers, a voters list, and ballot box with ballots, should be conducted. Why is a secret ballot an important part of the election process in Canada? How would an election be different if everyone knew who you were voting for?

•	Candidate with the most votes is "elected" as class (or school) Prime Minister and the other members of his/her political party become Cabinet Ministers

Evaluation:

•	Rubric for oral presentation

•	Use of terminology in class discussion

•	Group participation and on-task behaviour

c)	The Right to Vote

Purposes:

•	Students will learn that men and women fought and won the right to vote

Grade Levels: Grades 4 - 8

Materials:

•	Background information on the topic: Books and Internet resources

•	Close activity sheets (one per student) : Women and the Right To Vote (pages 24)

Method:

•	Provide each student a copy of the close activity and have them complete it. Students in grades 4 - 6, or students with special learning needs, could be provided with a "word bank" to assist them in completing the work. Older students could be expected to complete the work with information discussed in class

Evaluation:

•	Completion of the activity sheets

•	Participation in the class discussion

d)	Prime Ministers of Canada Time Line

Purposes:

•	The students will research the lives of the Prime Ministers of Canada with emphasis on the major historical and political events that occurred during the time each was Prime Minister

•	The students will create a time line outlining the main events and major contributions of each of the Canadian Prime Ministers

Grade Level: Grades 6 - 8

Materials:

•	Canada's Prime Ministers Web site:	http://www.archives.ca

•	Prime Ministers of Canada Web site:	http://cnet.unb.ca/achn/pme/learning/lessons

•	Book: The Kids Book of Canadian Prime Ministers

•	Book: Canada's Prime Ministers, Governors General and Fathers of Confederation

•	Book: Prime Ministers of Canada

•	Paper, writing tools, straight-edge (ruler)

Method:

•	As a class, investigate resources available concerning the Prime Ministers of Canada

•	Make a list that includes each Prime Minister

•	Assign each student at least one Prime Minister to investigate. Students should find the full name of each Prime Minister, the political party he or she represents, the years the individual was in office. Special attention should be given to major events, crises, and political contributions made during his or her time in office

•	Make a large "class-size" time line with the main events and happenings since the time of Confederation

Evaluation:

•	Active participation

•	Wise use of time and resources

•	Accuracy of information

e)	Who Am I?

Purposes:

•	Students will review the facts and contributions about the Prime Ministers, Fathers of Confederation, and Governors General of Canada in a game format

Grade Levels: Grades 6 - 8

Materials:

•	List of facts and contributions of Canadian Prime Ministers, Governors General, and Fathers of Confederation (collect from books, newspapers, internet sites)

•	Small slates, white boards or writing pads with appropriate writing tools

•	Team prizes or incentives (free time activities, computer time, etc.)

Method:

•	Use this activity after the class has studied the contributions and facts about the Prime Ministers and other officials listed above [Note: This is a culminating activity for reinforcing information in a "fun" game-like format]

•	Divide the class into two or more teams

•	State a fact [Note: The facts should be well-known ones studied in class rather than obscure pieces of information!]. Teams will decide who the person is and write the answer secretly on their board or slate

•	Award points to each team that correctly answers the question in an allotted period of time [10 points for each correct answer]. Subtract points for teams who shout out the answer [2 points for each outburst]

•	Team with the most points at the end of the game will be awarded the team prize or incentive

Evaluation:

•	Active class participation [Note: Because this is a fun team-building activity, individual should be evaluated only on the active participation and the contribution they make to the group rather than on their individual answers]

2.	Language Arts Activities

a)	Reading Comprehension

Purposes:

•	The students will practice their reading comprehension through a variety of reading activities

•	Students will read a variety of fiction and non-fiction material for a purpose

Grade Levels: Grades 4 - 8 (vary the complexity of the material to meet the needs of the students)

Materials:

•	Reading materials (could include excerpts from magazine articles, newspaper articles, stories, or web articles)

•	Dictionaries

•	Teacher-generated questions created from the material that has been read in class

Method:

•	Choose a variety of reading materials from a number of different sources (see suggestion above) Older students would benefit from reading newspaper articles that are current where younger students may find it easier to read from a story-like format

•	Break students into small groups and provide appropriate reading material to each group. It may be appropriate to provide different material to each group, dependent on reading ability, interest levels, and availability of material

•	Have students read the articles together and write down words or vocabulary that they are unsure of. Have students use a dictionary to find the meanings of the words

•	Provide each group of students teacher generated questions on the articles or reading material

Evaluation:

•	Responses on comprehension questions

•	Group work

•	Wise use of time

b)	Interview with the Prime Minister (Role Playing)

Purposes:

•	Students will learn to use appropriate language

•	Students will develop research skills and interview skills when role-playing an interview with a current or past Prime Minister

•	Students will present information to a specific audience

Grade Levels: Grades 4 - 8 (some simplification may be required for the younger student)

Materials:

•	List of the Prime Ministers of Canada (see resource list)

•	Access to information on the Prime Ministers (Web sites, books, encyclopedia, reference books, magazines, journal, radio or television clips)

•	Video camera, tape recorder (optional)

Method:

•	Explain that students will work in pairs - one acting as the chosen Prime Minister and one acting as a television or radio reporter

•	Students must generate a series of appropriate questions concerning the life and times of the Prime Minister they have chosen to "interview". The questions should include the five Ws - Who? What? When? Where? Why?

•	Students must jointly research the chosen Prime Minister and find answers to the questions that they have generated

•	Students practice the interview and present it to the class as if in a studio audience situation

•	Optional: Students tape or video the interview for a more realistic interview situation

Evaluation:

•	Rubric - Accuracy of information, oral questions and answers

•	Peer evaluation of public speaking and presentation

•	Wise use of time and group dynamics

c)	Dear Member of Parliament (Letter)

Purposes:

•	Students will learn the parts of a well written letter

•	Students will use appropriate conventions of language (i.e. spelling, punctuation, grammar)

•	Students will write for a specific purpose (e.g. congratulations, explore an issue, concern, etc)

•	Students will review issues that they believe are important for Canada as a whole and for their local area of the country or constituency

Grade Levels: Grades 4 - 8

Materials:

•	Information on local Member of Parliament (e.g. address, political party represented, election platform)

•	Writing materials (i.e. paper, envelopes, pens, pencils)

•	Sample letters and addressed envelopes (on overhead transparency) with parts labelled correctly

Method:

•	Show transparency of letter and discuss parts of both a friendly letter and a business letter

•	Discuss when each type of letter would be used and why

•	Brainstorm some ideas or issues that students feel are important in the running of the country and in their local constituency. List all ideas on the board. [Note: If cross-jurisdiction issues come up in the discussion, it may be an appropriate time to discuss federal responsibilities and provincial responsibilities in governing the country]

•	Have students write a draft copy of a letter to their local Member of Parliament, outlining issues that they feel are important

•	Students should self-edit their letters using dictionaries for spelling. Then they should have one or two of their classmates edit their letters. When this step is completed, students should ask the teacher for a final edit of their draft letter

•	Students will rewrite their letters, in their best handwriting or using a word processor, and have their good copy edited once again for obvious errors

•	Address the envelope and mail the letter

Variation:

•	Rather than writing a traditional letter, students will write an e-mail letter to their Member of Parliament

•	Students and teacher will need to research the e-mail addresses of the Member

•	Teacher will teach students how to use the school e-mail programs [Note: Most older students will already have their own e-mail addresses and will be familiar with the process. Older students may be "buddied" with younger students for this activity in order to implement some peer teaching opportunities]

•	The same process of editing should be used, but it may require more teacher intervention to ensure that non-edited work is not accidentally sent. This is an ideal opportunity to bring in parent volunteers to assist in the process.

Evaluation:

•	Teacher-created letter writing rubric or teacher-created e-mail letter writing rubric

•	Wise use of class time and participation

d)	Prime Ministers of Canada Word Search

Purposes:

•	Students will learn the names of the Prime Ministers of Canada

•	Students will have the opportunity to spell the names in an activity that is "fun"

Grade Levels: Grades 4 - 8

Materials:

•	Copy of Prime Ministers of Canada word search (page 21)

•	Pencil, pen, or highlighter

Method:

•	Provide each student with the word search

•	Explain that the names may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and backwards but are always in a straight line

Evaluation:

•	At a glance and anecdotal comments (time use)

e)	Meaning Matches

Purposes:

•	Students will review the information about the different parts of the Canadian federal government by matching the term with the appropriate meaning

•	Students will use appropriate vocabulary and terminology when talking about the government

Grade Levels: Grades 6 - 8

Materials:

•	Meaning Matches work sheet (page 28)

•	Pen or pencil

•	Team prizes or incentives (free time activities) for variations two and three

Method:

•	Review the terminology used throughout the unit on the Prime Minister and the Federal Government

•	Provide students with copies of the word match activity. Have them complete it individually or in pairs

Variations:

1.	Print the words and the definitions on tag board and cut them apart. Students match the word with its meaning

2.	Vocabulary Game: Print the words on tag board. Divide students into teams. Draw a word and have the teams take turns defining the words. Award points for each correct definition.

3.	Reverse Vocabulary Game: Divide class into two or more teams. Read the definition to the teams. The first team who correctly gives the correct term that matches the definition is awarded a point.

Evaluation:

•	Correct responses for the individual work sheet version

•	Self correction on the tag board version (number one variation)

•	Active participation and correct responses for alternate versions (numbers two and three variations)

3.	Technology Activities

a)	Internet Scavenger Hunt

Purposes:

•	Students will have the chance to discover interesting facts and information about Canada's Prime Ministers

•	Students will learn to use appropriate search mechanisms to find information on the Government of Canada Web sites

Grade Levels: Grades 7 and 8

Materials:

•	List of items to search for (page 26) (Answer key page 27)

•	Computers with Internet access

Method:

•	Introduce the students to the Government of Canada Web sites

•	Introduce students to the search mechanisms on the Web sites

•	Try a few sample searches to get students started; emphasize that when stating the location of the item that you found, you must also list the URL address

•	Provide each student with a list of items to search for and start the search

•	Help students along by directing them to the following Web sites:

http://cnet.unb.ca/achn/pm -- www.parl.gc.ca -- www.cio-bic.gc.ca

Evaluation:

•	Completion of the activity with the correct responses and URLs

b)	Election Time

Purposes:

•	Students will learn about the federal electoral process

•	Students will understand how things are organized in a federal election campaign

•	Students will use appropriate language related to the electoral process

Grade levels: Grades 6 - 8

Materials:

•	General information on elections and the election procedures

•	Elections Canada Web site

•	Activity sheet: Federal Election Time (page 25)

Method:

•	Read the information and discuss the processes; some thoughts may already be familiar to the students if they have experienced a recent election

•	If you are using the Elections Canada web site, allow students to explore the site

•	Provide students with the activity sheet and have them complete the activity

Evaluation:

•	Correct responses on activity sheet

•	Wise use of class time

c)	Graphing Election Results

Purposes:

•	Students will learn the basic attributes of spreadsheet and graphing features in word processing packages

•	Students will learn to represent data in a variety of formats to determine which type of format best suits the information being presented

Grade Levels: Grades 4 - 8

Materials:

•	Results of classroom, school, provincial, or federal election

•	Computer access - must include a word processing package that enables students to use a spreadsheet feature that will translate information into a number of different styles and formats of graphs

•	Access to a printer (colour is preferred but black and white is acceptable)

Method:

•	Create a simple spreadsheet with a set number of attributes to test and demonstrate how the spreadsheet functions will work

•	Graph the sample information in two or three ways. Discuss which type of graph is easiest to read and provides the best interpretation of the data

•	Provide students with the results of an election (federal is best because it provides additional information that can be used in a spreadsheet)

•	Decide as a class or predetermine the attributes that will be included on the spreadsheet (e.g. name of political party, number of seats that were won, regions where most seats were won, etc)

•	Create spreadsheets with the information. Print the spreadsheet

•	Graph the spreadsheet data

•	Determine which graph is the best representation of the data. Print the best representation of the data

Evaluation:

•	Wise use of class time

•	Completed and printed spreadsheet and graph

•	Teacher created rubric

Prime Ministers of Canada Word Search

ABBOTT	CHRETIEN	MACDONALD	STLAURENT
BENNETT	CLARK	MACKENZIE	THOMPSON
BORDEN	DIEFENBAKER	MEIGHEN	TRUDEAU
BOWELL	KING	MULRONEY	TUPPER
CAMPBELL	LAURIER	PEARSON	TURNER

M	X	J	R	E	D	Z	J	G	A	J	G	Y	I	P	N	E	B	I	C	S
E	U	P	R	K	E	M	U	N	Z	B	U	Y	B	E	G	Y	O	V	P	U
X	J	L	H	E	B	B	H	I	S	W	O	J	D	S	B	W	G	O	G	W
M	P	I	R	J	K	K	H	K	J	Y	I	R	P	S	A	X	V	L	D	X
S	O	P	N	O	T	A	R	C	C	B	O	E	E	P	V	D	V	D	L	O
A	U	V	T	Z	N	A	B	A	B	B	Z	I	A	B	B	O	T	T	A	N
K	B	R	C	C	W	E	V	N	L	K	E	R	D	E	A	L	B	K	N	R
M	E	I	G	H	E	N	Y	Q	E	C	M	U	K	V	N	K	K	Q	O	E
T	U	P	P	E	R	P	X	C	Y	F	B	A	Y	E	O	Q	C	I	D	C
E	U	R	S	F	T	J	B	P	J	X	E	L	B	W	Q	O	F	I	C	P
U	B	E	X	M	D	I	W	G	G	S	F	I	V	Q	V	S	P	A	A	V
A	E	V	P	J	F	G	R	B	K	K	F	L	D	N	S	O	P	E	M	O
E	L	D	C	H	R	E	T	I	E	N	L	Z	T	E	U	U	B	Y	X	H
D	F	T	G	Y	X	N	F	R	R	E	S	T	L	A	U	R	E	N	T	F
U	C	Z	R	G	Z	R	S	E	W	S	A	H	B	E	N	N	E	T	T	H
R	X	U	E	N	V	T	N	O	T	H	O	M	P	S	O	N	A	Q	A	R
T	U	C	G	A	X	R	B	P	C	A	M	P	B	E	L	L	E	D	W	L
M	H	R	D	H	U	W	Z	X	C	K	B	S	G	K	Y	F	E	N	D	M
Q	Q	L	P	T	F	P	E	A	R	S	O	N	D	J	E	C	L	R	L	I
M	A	C	K	E	N	Z	I	E	Z	G	Z	S	G	I	E	B	K	K	R	T
T	N	D	R	T	P	G	U	G	L	S	Y	R	K	W	A	S	F	Y	Z	U

Biographical Data Collection Sheet

Junior (grades four and five)

Student Name: _________________________	Date:______________________

Research Topic: ________________________

I learned about ________________________________(name) . This famous Canadian Prime Minister was born in _____________________(town/city) ____________________ (province/country) on___________________ (date).

Three important things that I found out about ___________________________ (name)

are:	(1)______________________________________________________________________

(2)______________________________________________________________________

(3)______________________________________________________________________

________________________________(name) was the Prime Minister of Canada between

_______________________(date) and ____________________(date). The political party that

______________________________________ (name) represented was ____________________ (name of the political party).

Biographical Data Collection Sheet

Intermediate/ Junior (grades six to eight)

Student Name: _________________________	Date:______________________

Research Topic: ________________________

Date of Birth:	___________________________________

Date of Death (if applicable):	___________________________________

Place of Birth:	(city / province / country) _____________________________________________

Early Family Life:

Siblings:_________________________________________________________________

Parents: _________________________________________________________________

Education:

Elementary School: ________________________________________________________

Secondary School: _________________________________________________________

College and / or University:__________________________________________________

Marriage and Family Life:

Spouse: _________________________________________________________________

Children:_________________________________________________________________

Political Career:

When it began:____________________________________________________________

Why and / or how it began: __________________________________________________

When first elected to House of Commons: ______________________________________

What political party :_______________________________________________________

When first elected Prime Minister:_____________________________________________

Length of time as Prime Minister:______________________________________________

Major Political Contributions:______________________________________________________

Additional Interesting Information: __________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

References and Resources Used:____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Women and the Right to Vote

Around 1910, Canadian ____________ began to demand the right to vote. The women who fought for this right were known as the ____________________.

In 1917 many men had been drafted into the armed forces to fight in the__________

__________ _________ and Prime Minister Borden was afraid that this unpopular policy would cause him to lose the ___________ in this year. He gave women ___________ overseas the vote because he thought they would vote for him. He also gave the mothers, sisters, and wives of the young men who were _________________ the vote. His idea and plan worked and _______________ won the federal election. The next year, all women over the age of ______ were given the right to vote in ______________ elections. Then, in 1919, women were given the right to become Members of ______________.

Three ____________ women in the battle to gain the __________ to vote were Nellie McClung, Agnes Macphail, and Therese Casgrain. They were not the only women to campaign and fight for the rights of women in the electoral process.

Word Bank

Parliament	drafted	first world war

suffragettes	right	20

federal	women	election

Borden	important	nurses

Federal Election Time

Many years ago, when Canada first became a country, we voted for a _________________

in an election by saying that person's name ______ _________. This caused many __________

because other people could ___________ the voters. This was a problem that needed to be changed.

Eventually, by the year 1874, the secret ________ became the law and in the election of 1878, the _______ secret ballot was used in Canadian elections.

People wanted voting to be _______ so there are people called ____________ who watch over the happenings at the polling stations. These people ensure that no one interferes with the _________.

When the __________ station closes, all the __________ are counted. The person or_____________ with the most votes will be declared the ___________ in that constituency.

The political party that wins the most ________________ is declared to be the winning party of the election. The ________ of that political party usually becomes Canada's _________ __________.

Word Bank

Prime Minister	problems	bully	winner

ballot	constituencies	leader	voting

secret	out loud	ballots	polling

candidate	scrutineers	candidate	first

Internet Scavenger Hunt

1.	Who was the oldest person to become Prime Minister?_____________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

2.	What political party did this person represent? ___________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

3.	What was the longest session of Parliament and how long was it?_____________________ _________________________________________________________________________

4.	Which two Prime Ministers were both in office for less than three months? _____________ _________________________________________________________________________

5.	What two languages does the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms allow Canadian citizens to receive services in? ________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

6.	How many square kilometres (km2 ) is Canada? __________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

7.	What date and year was our present flag adopted by Parliament? ____________________ _________________________________________________________________________

8.	Who composed the original French version of O Canada? __________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

9.	How many "Fathers of Confederation" were there? ________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

10.	Where and on what date was Prime Minister Jean Chrétien born? _____________________ _________________________________________________________________________

11.	What is the address of the official residence of the Canadian Prime Minister? ___________ _________________________________________________________________________

12.	Who was the first woman to become Governor General of Canada? ___________________ _________________________________________________________________________

13.	Who was the first woman to become Prime Minister of Canada? _____________________ _________________________________________________________________________

14.	What political party did she represent?__________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

15.	Who was the longest-serving Prime Minister of Canada and how long was this person the Prime Minister? __________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Internet Scavenger Hunt

(answer key)

1. Right Honourable Sir Charles Tupper

http://cnet.unb.ca/achn/pm

2. Conservatives

http://cnet.unb.ca/achn/pm

3. 32nd Parliament; 1326 days

www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/info/Parliament.asp?Language=E&View=Days &Hist=Y

4. Right Honourable Sir Charles Tupper and Right Honourable John Napier Turner

www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/PrimeMinister.asp?Language=E&Age=N& Ministry=N&Hist=Y

5. English and French

www.cio-bic.gc.ca/facts/juri_e.html

6. 9 093 507 km2

www.cio-bic.gc.ca/facts/canadagen_e.html

7. February 15th, 1965

www.cio-bic.gc.ca/facts/canadagen_e.html

8. Calixa Lavallée

www.cio-bic.gc.ca/facts/canadagen_e.html

9. 36

www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/aia/default.asp?Language=E&Page=students&Sub=historical&

Doc=19991022_e.htm

10. January 11, 1934, Shawinigan, Quebec

http://cnet.unb.ca/achn/pm

11. 24 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

www.pm.gc.ca/default.asp?Language=E&Page=ThePrimeMinister&Sub=Portraits

12. Right Honourable Jeanne Sauvé

www.gg.ca/history/bios/sauve_e.html

13. Right Honourable Kim Campbell

www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/WomenCabinet.asp?Language=E&Source= Cabinet

14. Progressive Conservatives

http://cnet.unb.ca/achn/pme/akccb.htm

15. Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King; 21 years 5 months and 1 day

www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/PrimeMinister.asp?Language=E&Age=N& Ministry=N&Hist=Y

Meaning Matches

Prime Minister	the head of the government in Canada
Governor General	the Queen's representative in Canada
House of Commons	the Lower House of Parliament, made up of 301 elected Members
Senate	the Upper House of Parliament, made up of 105 people appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister
Cabinet	a group of ministers chosen by the Prime Minister to head the various ministries within the government
Cabinet Shuffle	a change in the composition of the Cabinet either by adding or removing ministers or by changing their portfolios
July 01, 1867	the day the Dominion of Canada or Confederation came into existence
Speaker of the House	keeps the House in order and following the parliamentary rules and procedures
Question Period	opportunity during each sitting day of the House for questions from Members (mainly from the Opposition) to the Prime Minister and the ministers
Election	opportunity for Canadian citizens, 18 years and older to vote for the party and persons they want to represent them in the House of Commons
Constituency	one of 301 areas that the country is divided into for the purpose of holding an election.
John A. Macdonald	Canada's first Prime Minister
National Anthem of Canada	O Canada
Suffragettes	women who fought to gain the right to vote
1960	the year the Aboriginal people of Canada were given the right to vote
Speech from the Throne	formal address on the policies of the government at the opening of a new Parliament
Voter's List	list of Canadian citizens who are eligible to vote in a particular constituency
Jean Chrétien	Prime Minister of Canada at the present time

Resources and Bibliography

Books:

Canada's Prime Ministers, Governors General and Fathers of Confederation. Irma Coucill, Pembroke Publishers Limited, Markham, Ontario, 1999.

Connecting with Canada. Carol A. Wilson, Simon & Pierre, Toronto, Ontario, 1995.

Confederation: A New Nationality. Michael Bliss, Grolier Limited, Toronto, 1981.

Canada Votes.(fifth edition)Linda Granfield, Kids Can Press, Toronto, Ontario, 2001.

A Unit About Canada. Jane M. Coe, Evan-Moor Corporation, Monterey, California, 1995.

The Kids Book of Canadian Prime Ministers. Pat Hancock, Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, 1998.

Our Canadian Governments. Ruth Solski, S & S Learning Materials, Napanee, Ontario, 1999.

Prime Ministers of Canada. Jim Lotz, Bison Books Ltd., London, England, 1987.

Web sites:

http://www.cio-bic.gc.ca/facts/index_e.html

http://www.archives.ca

http://www.elections.ca

http://pm.gc.ca

http://www.educationworld.com

http://www.edhelper.com

http://www.civilisations.ca/membrs/canhist/elections/el_000_e.html