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:
- Workers (Immigrants: Navvies and /or Chinese Coolies) versus Bosses ( European British Columbians versus workers)
- Canadian Government versus British Columbia Government /East versus West
- Railroad and the Metis (effect on outcome of North-West Rebellion)
- Bribery in allocating contracts to build the railway (Pacific Scandal)
- Battle of the routes
- Economic savings versus safety concerns
- Climate and geography versus man ( Environmental history)
- 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 |
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Background of person or group |
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What responsibilities did they have? |
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Who were their adversaries and what happened
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What problems did they encounter? |
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What were their solutions? |
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What were the results? |
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Theme & setting for game
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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!)