Activities
Secondary Level
Secondary Level
Information and reservation:
reservation@mccord.mcgill.ca
(514) 398-7100, ext. 222
An area to eat lunch is available for $50; reservations required.
Three ways of satisfying your curiosity :
At the Museum | At School | Online
We offer specially designed activities to meet the expectations of every age group.
Our Five Keys to History approach is a fun and informative way to be introduced to history and the language of objects.
At the Museum:
- Our dynamic guides will open the doors to history for you and your group.
- The Museum offers online visit preparation resources for all secondary level activities. Watch for our Web @ctivity reference.
At School:
- Our educational collection provides students with direct access to objects.
- Our activities can be conducted in class with or without the help of a Museum interpreter.
Online:
- The McCord Museum Web site offers an important educational tool, EduWeb, whose content is based on the Five Keys to History approach.
- In order to encourage the exploration of Canadian history, you will find lesson plans, more than 135,000 images free to use for educational purposes, as well as tools, games and virtual exhibitions.
Download the Educational Activities Program 2010-2011 [pdf, 2Mb]
At the Museum
Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the 19th Century !
In the 19th century, high society was controlled by the strict rules of etiquette. Nevertheless, there was plenty of intrigue hidden under layers of refinement and good manners! Students will explore the surprising ways in which people lived their lives and spent their free time, and they will better understand the clearly defined roles of men and women in this innovative century. Come discover a universe of rules and appearances -- and the power plays that resulted from them.
Duration : 120 minutes
Fee : $5.50 / student
Number of students : 60
Web @ctivity
Game : Mind you Manners! The Victorian Period
Simply Montreal
Budding historians: ready, set, go ! Discover Montreal by way of countless fascinating detours through objects found at the McCord Museum. How did our ancestors live ? How did they learn to survive the harsh winters ? What were their hobbies and pastimes ? Why did this city prosper and attract people from around the globe ? Students can find the answers to these questions and more in Simply Montreal.
Duration : 90 minutes
Fee : $5.50 / student
Number of students : 80
Web @ctivity
Virtual exhibition : Urban Life through Two Lenses (Montreal past and present)
Thematic folder : Montreal 1850-1896: The Industrial City
In Dawson's footsteps
Here is an activity that relives the captivating early days of Canadian archaeology. Follow the path of the groundbreaking 19th-century geologist William Dawson. Students will have the chance to discover the remains of an Aboriginal village dating from before the arrival of Jacques Cartier, as well as the opportunity to visit the Redpath Museum. You will have exceptional access to the material evidence and places of the past.
Duration : 120 minutes
Fee : $5.50 / student
Number of students : 60
Web @ctivity
Game : John William Dawson - Geologist
Aboriginal Dance and Drumming
To understand the full vitality of Aboriginal culture, we need to take a closer look at the reality of their lives in the 19th and 20th centuries. Dive into history, follow the rhythm of the drum, and introduce yourself to traditional dance. Everyone will be able to see how Aboriginal cultural traditions have changed over time and how the culture has stayed alive.
This actvity is generously supported by the J.A. Bombardier Foundation.
Duration : 120 minutes
Fee : $6.50 / student
Number of students : 60
Web @ctivity
Thematic folder : Continuing Negotiations: First Nations and the State
At School
Educational Kit
Montreal during the Industrial Revolution, 1820-1905
An activity that brings countless examples to your classroom from the era when industrial development created a revolution ! Students approach this historical period via a diverse range of activities where they explore the impact the Industrial Revolution had on Montreal. Through a selection of significant objects, students will be able to identify the major events that have irrevocably altered social customs, the economy and the world of industry. The Educational Kit can be used in the classroom independently, or with the assistance of a Museum interpreter.
Duration : 10 days
Fee : $150 / Kit*
Half-day with interpreter : $175* extra
Full day with an interpreter : $325* extra
Number of students : Unlimited
Cycle(s) : Cycles 1 and 2
*transportation not included
Promotional brochure [pdf document]
Web @ctivity
Thematic folder : The splendour and misery of urban life
Online
For or against corsets?
Inquiry idea (investigation and debate)
In the late 19th Century, while women of all social classes were squeezing their bodies into corsets, voices citing the adverse effects of these undergarments were making themselves heard. Opinions, in fact, were mixed on the subject. Fearing the loss of a lucrative market, manufacturers replied... Students will be asked to gather arguments for and against corsets. Through observation games and investigation, students, alone or in groups, will carry out an inquiry, in accordance with the learning approach used in the social sciences. The students' work will take the form of a Web folder, a visual and written presentation saved on the McCord Museum Web site.
Cycle(s) : Cycle 2
Social Phenomenon : Formation of the Canadian Federation
Web @ctivity
Inquiry Idea : For or against corsets?
The Formation of the Canadian Federation: Industrialization and Economic Policies
Series of activities using vintage and contemporary cartoons
This lesson plan is designed to lead students in interpreting the birth of Canadian federation, particularly through concepts of industrialization and the « National Policy.» It also encourages them to reflect on economic changes and political power in today's world. This activity notably draws upon vintage editorial cartoons of the 1870s.
Cycle(s) : Cycle 2
Social Phenomenon : Formation of Canadian Federation
Web @ctivity
The Formation of the Canadian Federation: Industrialization and Economic Policies
Introduction to Interpreting Contemporary Editorial Cartoons
Exercise with contemporary editorial cartoons
This lesson plan introduces students to the interpretation of editorial cartoons. It aims to show them how to analyze this type of visual document and how to extract information from it. Discovering the symbolic significance and meaning of editorial cartoons often involves more than just a simple decoding. This activity is based on recent editorial cartoons, dating from 1970 to 2000, and relating to the social phenomena « The Modernization of Québec Society» and «Issues in Québec Society since 1980. »
Cycle(s) : Cycle 2
Technique : Interpretation of an iconographic document
Web @ctivity
Introduction to Interpreting Contemporary Editorial Cartoons
Tensions and Conflicts: The Role of the United Nations Organization (UN) in Conflict Management - The Cases of Somalia and the Balkans
A series of activities using contemporary editorial cartoons
In connection with the theme of tensions and conflicts, this activity enables students to examine UN-backed external interventions in sovereign territory. The activity is based on editorial cartoon pairs relating to two key events: the military intervention in Somalia (1992) and the conflicts in the Balkans (1991-1995).
Cycle(s) : Cycle 2
Theme(s) : Tensions and Conflits (Contemporary World)
The 2010-2011 programme of activities was made possible with the financial support of the Fondation J. Armand Bombardier and Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life.
