Canadian Studies · Grade 10

Active learning ideas

Black Canadian History & Resistance

Active learning helps students engage with the complex realities of Black Canadian history, moving beyond passive listening to uncover suppressed narratives and analyze systemic resistance. By examining primary sources, collaborating on research, and discussing lived experiences, students connect emotionally and intellectually with a history that is often minimized in Canadian curricula.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: Canada since 1982 - Grade 10
• ON: Identity, Citizenship, and Heritage - Grade 10

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Story of Africville

In small groups, students research the history of Africville, a Black community in Halifax that was destroyed by the city in the 1960s. They identify the reasons for its destruction and the long struggle for an apology and compensation, discussing the impact of systemic racism on community life.

Explain the historical significance of figures like Viola Desmond in Canadian civil rights.

Facilitation Tip

For the Collaborative Investigation on Africville, assign specific roles to students (e.g., researcher, note-taker, timekeeper) to ensure balanced participation and accountability.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How did the experiences of Black Loyalists differ from those who arrived via the Underground Railroad, and what does this tell us about the evolving challenges and forms of resistance?' Facilitate a small group discussion, asking students to cite specific historical examples to support their points.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Viola Desmond's Legacy

Students read about Viola Desmond's 1946 protest against segregation in a movie theater. They discuss with a partner why she is now featured on the $10 bill and what her story reveals about the history of racism in Canada compared to the United States.

Analyze how systemic racism has manifested within Canadian institutions.

Facilitation Tip

During the Think-Pair-Share on Viola Desmond, provide sentence stems for students to structure their responses and encourage quieter students to begin with their pairs before sharing with the class.

What to look for

Present students with a short excerpt from a primary source document (e.g., a letter from an early Black settler, a newspaper clipping about segregation). Ask them to identify one specific challenge faced by Black Canadians mentioned in the text and one potential form of resistance implied or stated.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Black Excellence and Resistance

Set up stations on Black Canadian leaders in different fields (e.g., Lincoln Alexander, Rosemary Brown, Oscar Peterson). At each station, students identify their achievements and the barriers they overcame, noting the diversity of the Black Canadian experience.

Evaluate the impact and significance of the Black Lives Matter movement in Canada.

Facilitation Tip

In the Station Rotation, rotate groups every 8 minutes and circulate with targeted questions to push thinking beyond surface-level facts.

What to look for

On an index card, ask students to write the name of one Black Canadian historical figure or community discussed and explain in 1-2 sentences their primary contribution or significance to Canadian history. Then, ask them to list one contemporary issue in Canada where the legacy of historical racism is still evident.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching Black Canadian history requires intentional de-centering of dominant narratives and centering of Black voices and perspectives. Avoid framing the topic solely as a comparison to U.S. history; instead, highlight Canada’s unique policies and resistance movements. Research in culturally responsive pedagogy suggests that students benefit from connecting historical events to present-day social justice issues, so include contemporary connections deliberately.

Successful learning looks like students recognizing the depth and diversity of Black Canadian experiences, articulating specific forms of resistance, and applying historical lessons to contemporary issues. Students should move from broad awareness to nuanced understanding, citing evidence from primary sources and class discussions.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Collaborative Investigation on Africville, some students might assume Africville’s destruction was an isolated incident or inevitable outcome.

  Use the Africville Collaborative Investigation materials, particularly the timeline and eviction notices, to redirect students toward analyzing systemic policies and patterns of displacement, asking them to identify who benefited and who was harmed.

• During the Station Rotation activity, students may assume Black Canadians only resisted through organized activism like the Underground Railroad.

  In the Station Rotation, use the Black Excellence stations to highlight everyday forms of resistance, such as Black entrepreneurs, artists, and community builders, and ask students to categorize examples as individual or collective resistance.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share
• Stations Rotation