CO - For Teachers - Activities

For Teachers - Activities - Sacrifice

Many Canadians made sacrifices because they supported the war. Conscientious objectors made sacrifices because they did not support the war. For this, they suffered discrimination and hardship because they were different. The sacrifices that the COs and their families made were unique because of their dedication to peace. This section gives some concrete examples of how conscientious objectors, and Mennonites in particular, experienced hardship during the war.

Activities

• Take one of the photos from the web site and use it to write a story. Imagine what the people in the picture were thinking and feeling and why the picture was taken.

• Ask a police officer to speak to the class about fairness, the law, and how to treat others.

• Find one example of mistreatment or discrimination during the war. You can use material from this web site or research how Japanese-Canadians or Ukrainian-Canadians were treated. Then write a paper arguing either “This couldn't happen again in Canada,” or “This could happen again in Canada.” Organize a debate on this topic.

• Find a modern example of discrimination or hate in the newspaper. Research why the incident happened and how the victim feels.

• Write a story of a time when you suffered an undeserved punishment.

• Film a news report on one of the stories in the “Sacrifice” section. Pretend you are a reporter arriving at the scene and are interviewing witnesses.

• Do you know someone who speaks a language other than English? Do people make fun of him or her? Why?

• Write and perform a drama focusing on

• a CO in prison

• saying goodbye to a girlfriend/wife/young family

The “Sacrifice” section can help students:

• appreciate the hardships endured by COs during the war

• learn that every decision has a consequence

• see that discrimination and prejudice are wrong in any form

• promote active democratic citizenship:

• make decisions that reflect fairness and equality in their interactions with others

• use a variety of strategies to resolve conflicts peacefully and fairly

• recognize bias and discrimination and propose solutions

• develop critical and creative thinking skills:

• draw conclusions based on research and evidence

• distinguish fact from opinion and interpretation

• observe and analyze material and visual evidence for research

• assess the validity of sources

• compare differing accounts of historical events

• compare diverse perspectives in a variety of information sources

• recognize that interpretations of history are subject to change as new information is found

• communicate better by listening to others to understand their perspective

• recognize cultural stereotyping and social prejudice

• understand the unique pattern of local histories as well as the connection to national and international events.