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Curriculum Connections for Ontario

A Teachers’ Guide is available for each of the twelve Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History, and includes background materials, activity sheets and detailed lesson plans for one or more grade-specific units for elementary or secondary students. Some suggestions are relevant for college and university classes. Just fill in our online registration form and download the guides in PDF format.

There are short, focused, age-specific, single-lesson MysteryQuests lesson plans relating to one or more of the Mysteries.

You can also download classroom posters.

1. Where is Vinland?

“Where is Vinland?” can be used effectively in the following courses. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are ones where the teacher may need to do a little improvising to ensure that the lessons – designed specifically here for intermediate and junior secondary students – are at the appropriate level.

  • Grade 6- First Nation Peoples and European Explorers (Heritage and Citizenship)
  • Grade 7 – Geography
  • Grade 9- Geography (Methods and Communication strands)*
  • Grade 11 – Geography: The Americas: Geographic Patterns and Issues*
  • Grade 11- World History to the 16th Century
  • Grade 12- Adventures in World History
  • MysteryQuest 28 – Plotting the Course A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 11–14
    • Grade 6- First Nation Peoples and European Explorers
    • Grade 7- Geography
    • Grade 8- Geography
    • Grade 9- Geography
    • Grade 11- The Americas Geography
  • MysteryQuest 29 – Is Cape Cod the Real Vinland? A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 14–16
    • Grade 6- First Nation Peoples and European Explorers
    • Grade 11- World History to the 16th Century
    • Grade 12- Adventures in World History
    • Grade 12- History, Identity, Culture *
  • MysteryQuest 30 – Norse Profiling A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 11–14
    • Grade 6- First Nation Peoples and European Explorers
    • Grade 11- World History to the 16th Century
    • Grade 12- Adventures in World History

2. Torture & the Truth: Angélique & the Burning of Montreal

A unit of study designed to foster critical thinking in the intermediate and junior secondary level Canadian history curriculum.

“Torture and the Truth: Angélique and the Burning of Montréal” can be used effectively in the following courses. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are ones where the teacher may need to do a little improvising to ensure that the lessons – designed specifically here for intermediate and junior secondary students – are at the appropriate level.

  • Grade 7- New France
  • Grade 11- Understanding Canadian Law
  • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, Culture

3. Jerome: The Mystery Man of Baie Sainte-Marie

A unit of study designed to foster critical thinking in the senior secondary level Canadian history curriculum.

Jérôme could be used effectively in the following courses:

  • Grade 8- Development of Western Canada and Canada: A Changing Society
  • Grade 11- Understanding Canadian Law
  • Grade 11 – Canadian Politics and Citizenship
  • Grade 12 – Canada: History, Identity and Culture
  • MysteryQuest 25 – Explaining the Mystery
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 14–16
    • Grade 8- Development of Western Canada and Canada: A Changing Society
    • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
  • MysteryQuest 26 – Worthy of Attention?
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 14–16
    • Grade 8- Development of Western Canada and Canada: A Changing Society
    • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
  • MysteryQuest 27 – Was Jerome Mistreated?
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 16–18
    • Grade 8- Development of Western Canada and Canada: A Changing Society
    • Grade 11- Understanding Canadian Law
    • Grade 11- Canadian Politics and Citizenship
    • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture

4. Who Killed William Robinson? Race, Justice & Settling the Land

Unit 1:William Robinson and the Law Teaching Unit for Law, Senior Secondary Courses

A unit to further the development of critical thinking in the senior secondary law and history curricula using the website “Who Killed William Robinson? This could be used in the following courses:

  • Grade 11- Understanding Canadian Law
  • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture

Unit 2: Murder in Our Own Backyard: Who Killed William Robinson? A Three-week integrated Language Arts unit for Intermediate Students

If students have enjoyed the experience it can easily be reproduced using geography, mathematics, history, science, and other areas of fine arts and language arts as appropriate with prescribed learning outcomes.

Individual Lesson Plans: Who Killed William Robinson?

Teaching Unit for Intermediate and Junior Secondary History and Social Studies Courses “Who Killed William Robinson?” could be used effectively in the following courses. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are ones where the teacher may need to do a little improvising to ensure that the lessons – designed specifically here for intermediate and junior secondary students – are at the appropriate level.

  • Grade 8 – The Development of Western Canada
  • Native Studies 9 – Expressing Native Cultures*
  • Native Studies 10 – Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
  • Grade 11- Understanding Canadian Law
  • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture

5. We Do Not Know His Name: Klatsassin & the Chilcotin War

Unit 1 is aimed at Intermediate (grades 7 and 8) or junior secondary (grades 8, 9 and 10) students, while Unit 2 is directed towards students in senior secondary classes, or for first or second year undergraduates.

Unit 1: Teaching Unit for Intermediate and Junior Secondary Students

“Contact and Conflict: The Tsilhqot’in People and the Colony of British Columbia” could be used effectively in the following courses:

  • Native Studies 9 – Expressing Native Cultures
  • Native Studies 10 – Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
  • Grade 11- Canadian Politics and Citizenship
  • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture

Unit 2: Teaching Unit for Senior Secondary or University Students

This Unit, “Murder, Terrorism or War? The 1864 Conflict between the Tsilhqot’in people and the colony of British Columbia” could be used effectively in the following course:

  • Canada: History, Identity and Culture – Grade 12
  • MysteryQuest 4 – Media Bias: The Chilcotin War
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 14-16
    • **This mystery deals with media literacy- could be tied to language arts media literacy expectations in most grades 8-12.**
    • Native Studies 9 – Expressing Native Cultures
    • Native Studies 10 – Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
    • Grade 11- Canadian Politics and Citizenship
    • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
  • MysteryQuest 7 – War, Massacre, or Terrorism?
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 16–18
    • Native Studies 9 – Expressing Native Cultures
    • Native Studies 10 – Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
    • Grade 11- Canadian Politics and Citizenship
    • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
  • MysteryQuest 17 – Protecting the Nation?
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 14–18
    • Native Studies 9 – Expressing Native Cultures
    • Native Studies 10 – Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
    • Grade 11- Canadian Politics and Citizenship
    • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are ones where the teacher may need to do a little improvising to ensure that the lessons – designed specifically here for intermediate and junior secondary students – are at the appropriate level.

  • Native Studies 9 – Expressing Native Cultures
  • Native Studies 10 – Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
  • Grade 11- Canadian Politics and Citizenship
  • Grade 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture*

6. Heaven & Hell on Earth: The Massacre of the “Black” Donnellys

A unit of study designed to foster critical thinking in the intermediate and junior secondary level Canadian history curriculum.

“What Killed the ‘Black’ Donnellys?” can be used effectively in the following courses.

  • Grade 8: Confederation
  • Grade 11- Canadian Politics and Citizenship
  • Gr.12- Canada: History, Identity and Culture

7. Who Discovered Klondike Gold?

A Unit for Intermediate and Junior Secondary Students.

A Unit for Intermediate and Junior Secondary Students.

“Who Discovered Klondike Gold?” could be used effectively in the following courses. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are ones where the teacher may need to do a little improvising to ensure that the lessons – designed specifically here for intermediate and junior secondary students – are at the appropriate level.

  • Grade 8 – Canada: A Changing Society
  • Grade 9 – Geography of Canada (Academic)
  • Gr. 9 – Expressing Native Cultures*
  • Gr. 10 – Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
  • Gr. 12 -Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
  • Gr. 12- World Geography
  • MysteryQuest 22 – Who Should Receive the Credit?
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 16–18
    • Gr.8- Canada: A Changing Society
    • Gr. 9- Geography
    • Gr. 10- Aboriginal Peoples in Canada **
    • Gr. 12 -Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
  • MysteryQuest 23 – Should I Join the Rush?
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 11-14
    • Gr.8- Canada: A Changing Society
    • Gr. 9- Geography
    • Gr. 12 -Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
    • Gr. 12- World Geography
  • MysteryQuest 24 – Impact of the Gold Rush
    A critical thinking challenge for students, ages 14-16
    • Gr.8- Canada: A Changing Society
    • Gr. 9- Geography
    • Gr. 9 – Expressing Native Cultures*
    • Gr. 10- Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
    • Gr. 12 -Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
    • Gr. 12- World Geography

8. The Redpath Mansion Mystery

A unit of study designed to foster critical thinking in the intermediate level Canadian history curriculum.

“The Redpath Mansion Mystery” could be used effectively in the following courses:

  • Grade 8: A Changing Society
  • Grade 12: Canada: History, Identity and Culture
  • Grade 11 – Understanding Canadian Law, University/College prep
  • Grade 12 – Canadian and International Law, University Prep

9. Death on a Painted Lake: The Tom Thomson Tragedy

A unit of study designed to foster critical thinking in the senior secondary level Canadian history curriculum.

This mystery could be used effectively in the following courses:

  • Grade 10: Canadian History Since World War I, Grade 10, Academic and Applied
  • Grade 11 – Understanding Canadian Law, University/College prep
  • Grade 12 – Canada: History, Identity and Culture
  • Grade 12 – Canadian and International Law, University Prep

10. Aurore! The Mystery of the Martyred Child

Provides a Teaching Unit for Intermediate and Secondary Students.

We have identified the following courses as ones in which this Unsolved Mystery about Aurore Gagnon could most easily fit into your provincial curriculum.

  • History 10-- Canadian History Since World War I, Grade 10, Academic and Applied
  • Civics 10
  • Gr. 11 – Understanding Canadian Law
  • Gr. 12- Canada: History, Identity, and Culture

11. Explosion on the Kettle Valley Line: The Death of Peter Verigin

“Explosion on the Kettle Valley Line: The Death of Peter Verigin” can be used effectively in the following courses. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are ones where the teacher may need to do a little improvising to ensure that the lessons – designed specifically here for intermediate and junior secondary students – are at the appropriate level.

  • History 10-- Canadian History Since World War I, Grade 10, Academic and Applied
  • Gr. 10 - Civics
  • Gr. 11 – Canadian Politics and Citizenship,
  • Gr.11- Understanding Canadian Law
  • Gr. 12 – Canada: History, Identity and Culture,
  • Gr.12- Canadian and International Law

12. Death of a Diplomat: Herbert Norman & the Cold War

A unit of study designed to foster critical thinking in the intermediate and senior secondary level Canadian history curriculum: “To what degree was Herbert Norman’s death the result of Canada’s own version of a Cold War ‘witch hunt’”?

The Herbert Norman mystery could be used effectively in the following courses:

  • Grade 10: Canadian History Since World War I Academic and Applied
  • Grade 12: Canada: History, Identity and Culture
  • Canada and World Politics, Grade 12 University Prep

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