We just got done studying Canada and I wanted to share some of the things we did since resources on Canada seemed to be a bit sparce.
This was one of our most interesting finds. "The Heritage Minutes collection is a bilingual series of history-focused public service announcements. Each 60-second short film depicts a significant person, event or story in Canadian history. First released in 1991, the Heritage Minutes have been shown on television, in cinemas and online. They have become a recognizable part of Canadian culture." Some of them are pretty dorky, but the kids really enjoyed them.
Our next favorite find was a book called The Maple Syrup Book by Marilyn Linton which we found at our local library. Not only does it tell in detail how maple syrup is made, but it also includes some Canadian history, science, and some wonderful activities. (We made a paper model of bark baskets which the Native Americans used for carrying sap.) If your library doesn't have it, this might be one to purchase. It is published by Kids Can Press.
This is a link to a website talking about Inuksuk (or "Inukshuk"). We gathered some rocks from our yard and built some of our own. Very easy and fun!
We also used a coloring page on the Enchanted Learning website as a pattern to make a construction paper Canadian maple leaf quilt. If you want something a little fancier, this is a link to a Canadian symbols "quilt" you can print and make.
Finally, we tried the blueberry dessert recipe from Galloping the Globe and. although I thought it was a little too sweet, the rest of the family loved it. The children decided we will have to go blueberry picking this year so I can have plenty of blueberries on hand to make it often. And I know my husband liked it because he ate most of it and he's really not big on desserts. Definitely a keeper! We had pea soup too, but I followed my own recipe.
I've actually been to Canada a few times, so I was able to show the kids some pictures from the top of the CN tower. What a view! But if you ever go there, do NOT eat at the McDonalds next to it (if it's still there), unless you like your burgers extra greasy. I never though anything could be worse than American fast food. American fast food in Canada is much worse! My only memory of Canadian food is a potato and lettuce soup I had in a hotel restaurant in Toronto. It was wonderful, though I'm not sure how "Canadian" it actually was. I'm still looking for a recipe. The most interesting thing I noticed about Canada was the foreigners there had foreign accents with a Canadian accent. I'd always taken for granted that a Middle Eastern or Japanese immigrant speaking English would sound the same in any country.
