Grade Level: 11 Subject: Social Studies – History of

Canada
Big Idea/Essential Question:
Understanding the Historical Significance thinking concept using the 1972 Summit
Series
Lesson Objectives:

This lesson will have students practice the historical significance thinking concept.
Students will learn about what makes an event historically significant and how
significance can be different for everyone. To practice this skill, they will be using the
1972 Summit Series as an example. Students will first think of events in Canadian
History, rank them by their significance, and explain what makes each of them
significant. This thinking will then be applied to the 1972 Summit Series to determine
its historical significance. While learning about the historical significance thinking
concept, students will also be learning about Cold War politics and Canada’s
relationship with the Soviet Union.

Historical Thinking Paragraph:

In this lesson, students will be challenged to think about what makes an event
historically significant and apply that thinking to the 1972 Summit Series.
Historical significance is the best historical thinking concept for this lesson as the
1972 Summit Series at the time engulfed the mind of all Canadians. This was also the
first instance of a true Team Canada to compete in hockey internationally. Before this
series, Canada fielded teams of amateur athletes to compete at International
competitions. Historical significance is engaged through the lesson by asking students
questions about what makes an event historically significant. Instead of telling them it
is important, students decide how significant they believe the event to be. This
thinking then gets applied to the 1972 Summit Series and students decide how
significant they believe it to be.

Lesson context:

This lesson works to introduce the Historical Significance Thinking Concept. This lesson could
be done at the beginning of the year to introduce the idea of Historical Significance to
students. This lesson could be one 6 lessons to introduce all the Historical Thinking Concepts
before getting into the course content. Since Historical Significance may be one of the easier
thinking concepts to grasp, this could be one of the first lessons.

Students Teacher Materials

Activating/Introductory

Students are given 5 Students are The teacher will

minutes to write down on brainstorming as be going
loose leaf what they many Canadian around making
believe to be important historical events students are Loose leaf
events in Canadian that they can think staying on task
history. They need at of. After which they listing historical Pen/pencil
least 10 but they can add rank them 1-10. events.
as many as they want. When ranking whiteboard
After the 5 minutes, them, they should When students
students then choose think about what are paired up,
their most important makes each event the teacher is
events and rank them 1- significant and going from
10. what justifies its group to group
ranking to see how
When everyone is done their discussion
ranking their list, they will When paired up, is, making sure
pair up with another students are they are
student and share their sharing their lists explaining their
lists, explaining what and discussing rankings. When
makes each event more why they included the class
important than the other. each even and rejoins they are
After this, the class will why it deserves recording every
rejoin, and students will that ranking. If their student’s #1
share their #1 selection. partner can selections on
After a student shares convince them to the board. If
their answer, the teacher change their many students
will ask who else had it at rankings they can. have the same
#1, tallying up all who When the class #1 selection
also have it. Repeat this rejoins, every then they can
until every student’s #1 student’s #1 ask for #2
selection is on the board. selection should be selections.
recorded on the
After every student’s # 1 board. The teacher is
selection is on the board, facilitating
the teacher will go down Students should be discussion,
the list and ask, “why did engaged in asking students
you chose this as your meaningful to justify their
#1?” which all students discussion about #1 selection. If
who have it can answer. why their selected student’s
event deserves to answers are
This should take about be #1. As, well too simple they
15-20 minutes. they should be should be
thinking about asking follow-
what makes an up questions to
event significant challenge the
and worth student.
remembering.
Acquiring/Developmental

1972 Summit Series Students will first During the PowerPoint

PowerPoint be responding to PowerPoint,
the questions in the teacher Questions
To start, the students will the PowerPoint should be handout
be shown a picture of and recording leading the
Paul Henderson after he them in the discussion on Pencil/Pen
scored the series accompanying the PowerPoint
clinching goal. The handout. While questions. All Whiteboard
teacher will ask the class watching the video, questions
questions: students are should be given
“What event was this” paying attention fully explained
“Who scored the goal?” and looking for the answers with
“What was the answers to the all necessary
significance of this questions given. contexts.
moment?” They do not need
“What was the to have them all Before the
significance of the entire answered by the video starts,
event?” time the video is the teacher
done since they should fully
After these questions will be pairing up to explain the
have been asked, there finish them up then instructions for
will be a 10-minute video going over them as students.
giving background a class. Students
information on the Series should fully
and its implications. While watching the understand that
video, students it is okay if they
After the video, students should be thinking do not have all
will pair up and answer about what makes the answers
these questions: this event filled out as
“What global conflict was significant in they will be
going on at the time? Canadian history. going over
“How was the Soviet them after.
Union trying to show it’s When the video
political power?” plays, the
“How did each team feel teacher should
going into the series?” also be paying
“What was the gameplay attention and
like? Was it clean or finding answers
rough?” to the
“How did Phil Esposito questions so
feel in his interview after they can lead
Game 4?” the discussion
“Why did tensions flare in afterwards the
the game 8?” best they can.
“How important was this
series in Canada?” After the video
“How did Canadians feel plays, they will
after winning the series?” be leading the
discussion,
Once all the pairs have asking on
answered all the students to
questions, the class will share their
go over all the answers answers to the
they got. question. They
should
This section should take elaborate on
about 20 minutes. every answer,
giving any
additional
context needed
to fully
understand the
event. The
teacher can
also write the
answers on the
whiteboard to
help students.
Applying/Consolidating

Students will receive a Students are filling While students Historical

historical significance out the historical work on their Significance
worksheet for the 1972 significance using historical worksheet
Summit Series. On the their answers from significance
worksheet there are the previous worksheets, the Pencil/pen
questions asking about questions to help teacher should
the historical significance them. While be circulating Phone/laptop
of the Summit Series. On working on this, the room
a scale of one to five, they should be making sure Previous
students will answer: thinking about who students Questions
would find this understand the handout
“How important was the significant as well. task at hand.
event at the time? Students make For students
“What were the work with others to that are stuck,
consequences of the help generate the teacher
event and are they still ideas, but they should guide
having an impact today?” should all have a them using the
“How is the series unique worksheet. answers from
remembered/commem- When explaining the previous
orated today” how historically questions. The
 significant they teacher should
With every answer, they believe the series reinforce that
are to add a few points to is, they should be the students
justify it. giving a should also be
meaningful thinking about
They will then answer: response pulling who would find
“How historically from the 3 previous this significant
significant do you think questions. and not just if
this series is?” they find it
They will also give a small significant.
paragraph explaining their
answer.

To answer how it is
remembered/commem-
orated they might need to
do extra research which
they can use their phones
or class laptops to do.

This should take about 20

minutes or the rest of
class.

Total time: 60 minutes

Special considerations (ways this may need to be adapted for particular learners)

Most of this lesson is accessible for all students, but there could be some
adjustments. For students who need special learning assists, the video question
sheet can be modified to be in a skeleton notes design. This way they just need to
follow along and write down the key words. All the answers to the questions during
the lesson will also be written on the board so all students can follow along easier.

Assessment considerations: these can just be ideas at this point, and do not need to
be fully developed or include student criteria sheets.

As assessment, the Historical Significance worksheet can be handed in to see

student’s understanding of the thinking concept. To show greater understanding of
the historical significance thinking concept, this worksheet could also be applied to
other historical events. As well, the final question on the worksheet could be
expanded to a larger assessment such as an essay or presentation.
 What event was this? Who scored this goal?

What was the significance of this moment? What was the significance of the entire event?

1972 Summit Series Video Questions

1. What Global Conflict was going on at the time?
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2. How was the Soviet Union trying to show its political power?

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3. How did each team feel going into the series?

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4. What was the gameplay like? Was it clean or rough?

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5. How did Phil Esposito feel in his interview after Game 4?

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6. Why did tensions flare in Game 8?

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7. How important was this series in Canada?

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8. How did Canadians feel after winning the series?

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 Historical Significance
Historical Event: ___________________________________________
How Important was the event at the time? 1 2 3 4 5

Evidence:

What were the consequences of the event and are they still having an impact today?

1 2 3 4 5

Evidence:

How is the series remembered today? 1 2 3 4 5

Evidence:

How historically significant do you think this event is? Why? 1 2 3 4 5

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