'Exploring the Newspaper' Activity

The 2023 Canada Remembers Times contains stories ranging from the First World War of 1914-1918 to the War in Afghanistan at the beginning of the 21^st century. As a way to introduce readers to the wide variety of stories in the newspaper, the teacher could distribute the papers and ask participants to find one interesting fact on each page and record what war or peace support operation it is from, what happened and why it interested them. Once complete, the teacher could then debrief the class with each youth sharing what they learned, allowing the class to gain a good overview of the content from one another. Alternately, a similar activity could be done where youth find three interesting stories to share—one from the First World War or earlier, one from the Second World War, and one from the Korean War or a more-recent Canadian peace support effort.

Another activity is to do a 'newspaper quest' where students must find the answers to the questions below by exploring the pages of the Canada Remembers Times. Once the students have answered the questions, the teacher could then run through the answers as a group, using it as an opportunity to explore the existing student knowledge.

‘Newspaper Quest’ Questions and Answers

Page one

1. How many Canadian Armed Forces members have served in peace operations over the years?
   More than 125,000
2. When was Reconciliation—the Peacekeeping Monument unveiled in Ottawa?
   In 1992
3. What was the name of the command ship for the Swissair Flight 111 recovery efforts?
   HMCS Preserver
4. When was the armistice signed that ended the fighting in the Korean War?
   The Korean War armistice was signed on July 27, 1953.
5. What was the codename for the Allied invasion of Sicily during the Second World War?
   Operation Husky

Page two

1. How many Canadian Armed Forces members took part in the 1998 Ice Storm efforts?
   More than 15,000
2. When did Canadian soldiers spearhead the attack in the Battle of Amiens?
   August 8, 1918
3. Where will the first hybrid summer-winter Invictus Games be held in 2025?
   British Columbia
4. Which First World War battle saw Canadians face the first poison gas attacks?
   The 2nd Battle of Ypres took place in 1915.
5. In what country did over 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces members serve between 2001 and 2014?
   Afghanistan

Page three

1. In what city was Clarence “Gus” Este born?
   Montreal
2. Name of the chemist who took command of the Canadian Army Hydrological Corps in 1914.
   George Nasmith
3. How many Japanese Canadian soldiers died during the First World War?
   More than 50
4. How old was Wendy Jocko when she joined the Canadian Armed Forces?
   19 years old
5. What job did Miriam Freedman do as a member of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps?
   Miriam Freedman was a driver with the Canadian Military Headquarters.

Page four

1. In what famous acting troupe did Ross Hamilton perform during the First World War?
   The Dumbells
2. What was the name of Ross Hamilton’s female stage character during the First World War?
   Marjorie
3. Which Indigenous soldier was named commander of the Canadian Army in June 2022?
   Jocelyn Paul
4. Southeast Asian country where Canadian peacekeepers served from the mid-1950s to early 1970s.
   Vietnam
5. Where are the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the National War Memorial located?
   Ottawa