Lesson Plans

A selection of lesson plans and classroom activities from Canadian museums

The following lesson plans and educational resources have been created to help inform teachers in Canada about the wealth of resources available at the Virtual Museum of Canada. Discover a variety of lesson plans and learning resources from Canadian museums to help develop learning and classroom activities.

History & Society

Living Traditions: Museums Honour the North American Indigenous Games
Classroom activities related to traditional Aboriginal games.

EduWeb
Resources for exploring Canadian history, including pedagogical tools in ClioClic, Vox Populi, and more.

The War of 1812 in the Western District
Lesson plans and resources on the War of 1812.

Open Hearts, Closed Doors
Lesson ideas, discussion questions and supporting resources related to the War Orphans’ project.

Armoured Warrior
Questions for discussion on the topic of tanks in World War II.

Women of Aspenland Edukit
Lesson plans and homework help based on the role of community building by the women of Aspenland, Central Alberta.

Folklore of le Detroit
Learning activities related to traditional folklore.

Cariboo Gold Rush
Teachers’ corner with lesson plans and classroom activities related to the gold rush.

John Beverley Robinson – Letters and Opinions
John Beverley Robinson’s journal from his days as Attorney General of Upper Canada during the War of 1812. Includes a study guide to help teachers use the resource in the classroom.

Settling Canada’s South: How Windsor was Made
Learning activities and lesson plans related to the early settlement of Windsor (the link is at the bottom of the page).

The Spirit of Islam: Experiencing Islam through Calligraphy
Lesson plans for students to explore Islam and perceptions and stereotyping.

Before e-commerce
Everything you need to integrate over 40 online mail-order catalogues into your classroom.

Science & Nature

Canada in Space
The ‘just for teachers’ section includes space information and off-line activities designed to help educators connect the Canada In Space experience with hands-on classroom instruction.

Getting Better
A Lesson plan provides ways to integrate this exhibit on tuberculosis into the classroom.

Bears
A teachers’ guide to learning about bears and ecology.

Journeys and Transformations
A teachers’ guide with curriculum links and suggestions for in-class activities related to the environment, and human interaction with the environment.

Dinosaurs
Background information on dinosaurs; includes lesson plans for K – 5.

Endangered Species in Endangered Spaces
Lesson plans for Grades 2 – 7 on animals and their habitats.

Whale Tales
Lesson plans about whales, dolphins and porpoises off British Columbia’s coast.

Whales Teachers’ Kit
Lesson plans and other resources on the world of Whales.

Medi-Centre
Classroom activities based on this Canadian Medical Hall of Fame resource.

Arts & Leisure

Design Traveller
Highschool classroom activities for students to explore design.

Drawing with Light
This lesson plan studies the origins of, and technological developments in photography.

Holman: Forty Years of Graphic Art
Grade appropriate suggested activities related to art appreciation or social studies.

Panoramas: the North American Landscape in Art
These resources provide thematic ways to explore landscape art.

Art2Life
Lesson plans to help teachers integrate this Canadian art resource in the classroom.