History

• June 5, 2025

  Teaching the Treaties through art and artifacts

  

  

  Join us for a live webinar in collaboration with the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

  Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Arts, Economics, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• May 22, 2025

  Speculating on the piggy bank

  By: Graham Iddon

  
  

  

  Ever since the first currencies allowed us to store value, we’ve needed a special place to store those shekels, drachmae and pennies. And the piggy bank—whether in pig form or not—has nearly always been there.

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Arts, Business, Economics, English language arts, Financial literacy, Geography, Health, History, Math, Science Grade level(s): Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• September 13, 2024

  Five bucks: the economics of Treaty relationships

  

  Explore treaties using art, artifacts and historical thinking.

  Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Arts, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• September 12, 2024

  You are the economy

  

  A set of six lessons to explore economics with your students.

  Content type(s): Educational toolkits Subject(s): Business, Economics, Financial literacy, Geography, History, Math, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• August 6, 2024

  Treaties, money and art

  By: Krista Broeckx, Frank Shebageget

  
  

  

  The Bank of Canada Museum’s collection has a new addition: an artwork called Free Ride by Frank Shebageget. But why would a museum about the economy buy art?

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Arts, History
• July 16, 2024

  Rai: big money

  By: Graham Iddon

  
  

  

  An item is said to have cultural value when it can be directly associated with the history, people, beliefs or rituals important to a society. It’s the same with a rai—its value can be greater depending upon who authorized it, who carved it and who subsequently owned it.

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economics, Geography, History Grade level(s): Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• April 18, 2024

  Lessons from the Great Depression

  By: Graham Iddon

  
  

  

  What the stock market crash of 1929 did was starkly reveal the weaknesses of economic systems that had evolved from the unregulated capitalism of the late 19th century.

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Financial literacy, History Grade level(s): Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• July 31, 2023

  The Scenes of Canada series $100 bill

  By: Graham Iddon

  
  

  

  Few of us ever get a chance to see a Scenes of Canada $100 bill. Which is a pity, because it is an example of great bank note design with even greater imagery by a master engraver.

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): History
• December 5, 2022

  Surprise, It's Money!

  

  Onsite program: See and touch an amazing array of objects that have served as money at one time or another.

  Content type(s): School programs Subject(s): Financial literacy, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2
• November 18, 2022

  A bank NOTE-able Canadian

  

  Students will use the concept of historical significance to choose an iconic Canadian as a portrait subject for the Bank of Canada’s new $5 bank note.

  Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4