Joining Four Colonies to Make Canada in 1867
About this lesson
In this 45-minute Grade 2 lesson, children work in groups of four. Each child decorates a paper piece for one colony, then the group tapes the pieces together to see how Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick joined to form Canada on July 1, 1867. They also talk about why people chose to join. You need paper, markers, scissors, tape and chart paper.
Objective
Students will identify the four original provinces that joined at Confederation in 1867 and explain, in their own words, one reason the colonies decided to join together to form Canada.
Materials
- Construction paper or printer paper cut into rectangles about 20 cm by 15 cm (four per group, in four different colours if possible)
- Markers and crayons
- Scissors
- Clear tape
- Chart paper and whiteboard markers
- Pencils
Hook
Hold up a single pencil and ask a student to try to snap it gently. It bends easily. Then tape four pencils together into a bundle and ask the student to try again. Ask the class: 'Which was stronger, one pencil alone or four pencils together?' Tell them that a long time ago, four places decided to join together to be stronger, and that is how Canada began.
Main Activity
On chart paper, write 'July 1, 1867 = Canada's birthday' and explain simply that before this date, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were separate colonies. They decided to join together so they could help each other, protect each other and build a railway to connect their towns. Tell students that First Nations and Inuit peoples had lived on this land for thousands of years before 1867, and they were not asked to help make these decisions. Place students in groups of four and give each child one paper rectangle labelled with a colony name. Each child writes the name in big letters and draws one picture of something found there today, such as the ocean and fishing boats for Nova Scotia, forests and rivers for New Brunswick, the city of Québec for Quebec, or the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa for Ontario. When everyone is finished, each group tapes its four pieces together in one row (New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on the east side, then Quebec, then Ontario on the west) and writes 'Canada 1867' across the top. To finish, the teacher tapes all the groups' creations onto the board and explains that Canada kept growing after 1867, and today it has 10 provinces and 3 territories.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think the four colonies wanted to join together instead of staying apart?
- What is something your class can do better as a team than one person can do alone?
- How do you think the people who already lived here, like First Nations and Inuit peoples, felt about others making big decisions about their land?
- Canada started with four provinces and now has 10 provinces and 3 territories. Why might more places have wanted to join over time?
- How does your family or community celebrate Canada Day on July 1?
Exit Ticket
On a small piece of paper, students write or draw the answers to two prompts: 'Name one of the four first provinces' and 'One reason they joined together was…'. Collect these at the door to check understanding.
Differentiation
Support: Write the four province names on the board so students can copy the spelling. Give struggling learners a simple sentence frame such as 'They joined together to ______.' Pair them with a supportive partner in their group, and offer picture ideas (a boat, a tree, a building) they can choose from for their drawing.
Extension: Advanced learners can use a map of Canada to find where their own province or territory is, then make an extra paper piece for it and write one sentence about how it is part of Canada today. They can also write a short 'birthday card' to Canada that names the year 1867 and the four first provinces.
