People of the CPR and the Building of the West - Create a game

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Introduction

You will study the CPR and the Building of the West and its importance to Canada. You will show your understanding of the people an dramatic conflicts by creating a game.

Background: Read this article in The Canadian Encyclopedia

Here is the assignment:

STEP ONE: Choose a theme of conflict / and a name for your game (Choose a lively conflict full of historical facts, events, problems and solutions.). You will write a storyline for your game.

For example:

1. Workers (Immigrants: Navvies and /or Chinese Coolies) versus Bosses ( European British Columbians versus workers)
2. Canadian Government versus British Columbia Government /East versus West
3. Railroad and the Metis (effect on outcome of North-West Rebellion)
4. Bribery in allocating contracts to build the railway (Pacific Scandal)
5. Battle of the routes
6. Economic savings versus safety concerns
7. Climate and geography versus man ( Environmental history)
8. Your own ideas (check with teacher)
   

STEP TWO: Research and take notes

Your game pieces must be based on 3 or more real historical persons and/or groups.

Use this note-taking template.

Name of person or group
Background of person or group
What responsibilities did they have?
Who were their adversaries and what happened
What problems did they encounter?
What were their solutions?
What were the results?
Theme & setting for game

STEP THREE: Plan and create your game

The game will be like Trivial Pursuit. Here’s how to do it.

CREATE A GAME BOARD: The board can be a map or a particular scene. Take players on a path through the conflict (e.g. the problems building a railway in BC through the mountains; or a day in the life of a Chinese Railway worker

• Create a historically accurate STARTING AND ENDING POINT (and a goal/ reward for winning the game).
• Draw a path with places for players to land.
• Create some barriers or spots that allow the player to stop and pick a card.
• Create setbacks where players go backwards ( e.g. 10 Chinese workers killed by dynamite)
• Create opportunities to jump ahead  ( e.g. Good weather allows a work ahead of schedule)

CREATE CARDS with the image of the person or group and a question on one side; and the answer to the question on the other. Put various values on the cards, depending on how hard the question is.

CREATE GAME MARKERS for 3 players that are appropriate to your theme.

RUBRIC FOR MARKING

• Research Notes - filled in templates for 3 people or groups
• Choice of theme and brief description of storyline
• Accurate historical facts
• Game Production - creativity
• Playability (in class!)