Chapter
7
The Canadian Shield
Region
What makes the Canadian Shield region a unique part
of Alberta?
Hi! My name is Alec. I live in Fort Chipewyan. People who visit
our area are impressed by the landscape and wildlife. It’s a land of
rocks, lakes, and spruce trees. The challenge of getting to and
around remote areas is one reason why many Albertans have not
seen this wonderful part of the province.
Fort Chipewyan is one
of Alberta’s fly-in
communities.
In summer, some people travel by boat on the rivers to and
from surrounding communities. In winter, people might use a
snowmobile or drive a truck on the snow-packed roads.
My father flies the plane that brings people from Fort McMurray.
People in the Canadian Shield depend on the delivery of goods by
air all year long. I want to be a pilot just like my Dad when I grow
up. I already build my own planes—model airplanes, that is!
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What I Want to Know…
…About the
Canadian Shield Region
The Canadian Shield
region covers a large
area of Canada. In
Alberta, it covers the far
northeast corner of the
province. Connections
to communities in other
regions, such as the
Boreal Forest region,
are very important.
What shaped the land
and bodies of water
in the Canadian
Shield region?
What are some
features of the
environment that are
important to people
in this region?
How are communities
in the Canadian
Shield connected to
other communities
in Alberta?
What do you value
about the Canadian
Shield region?
What is life like in
Fort Chipewyan?
NEL
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Landforms
What shaped the land and bodies of water in the
Canadian Shield region?
The Canadian Shield is an area of low rocky hills, forests, lakes,
and low swampy areas. Glaciers shaped this rocky landscape.
Fort Chipewyan is located along the shore of Lake Athabasca
and on red granite bluffs. These are high banks overlooking Lake
Athabasca.
North of Lake Athabasca is an area of low, rolling hills and rocks
that were scraped, pushed, plucked, and polished by moving glaciers.
These rounded rocks
were polished to a
shine by glacial ice.
The glaciers also left
long sandy beaches on
the shores of lakes in
the region.
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Bodies of Water
Low marshy areas, muskeg, and lakes are found throughout the
region. Lake Athabasca is shared by northern Saskatchewan and the
Canadian Shield region of Alberta. It is fed by the Athabasca River,
which starts at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park.
NAMES IN ALBERTA
The name “Athabasca”
is from the Cree word
Athapison (at tip ask
cow). It means,
“where there are reeds
or grass.”
This is a muskeg area
typical of those in the
Canadian Shield
region.
There are many rocky
islands on Lake
Athabasca.
Rock and gravel hills, sand dunes, wet boggy areas, and lakes
can make it a challenge to travel around the region. That’s why
we rely on air travel so much.
Pause
1. Are there signs of glacier activity where you live? What evidence do you see?
2. Why is it difficult to build roads in this region?
3. How could people get to the lakes to go fishing?
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Climate
What are some features of the environment that are
important to people in this region?
The Canadian Shield region has short, dry summers with warm
temperatures. Occasionally, though, summer temperatures in the
region can reach 30 degrees Celsius. Most of the rain falls between
July and October.
Overall, the region is one of the coldest parts of the province
because of its northerly latitude, or distance from the equator. It is
further from the equator than most other Alberta places. Winters
are long. Some days, the temperature can drop to –40 degrees
Celsius. Most winter days are closer to –20 degrees Celsius.
The Canadian Shield region is so far north that during part of the
summer the sun doesn’t set until 11:30 pm, and it comes up at 3:30
in the morning. In the winter, we have only a few hours of daylight.
The northern latitude also means this is a great location for fantastic
views of the northern lights, or aurora borealis.
It is a Dene Sù¬iné belief that the northern lights are the link
between the human world and the spirit world. It is said they are
our ancestors dancing in the sky and watching over us. The
northern lights are of great importance to us.
Pause
1. Use an atlas to find
the latitude of Fort
Chipewyan.
Compare the
latitude of your
community or
Edmonton to the
latitude of Fort
Chipewyan. Which
community has a
colder climate?
Why?
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During winter, we usually get about 160 centimetres of snow.
That’s about the height of my aunt! All that snow is great for
snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing,
and of course, dogsledding, which is my newest activity.
NEL
The Bear Stole the Sun
The tale “The Bear Stole the Sun” is told in many ways and
by various First Nations in Canada’s north. This is one part of the
story. It tells of the animals’ struggles over control of the sun and
its heat.
Bear and Squirrel argued over the length of daylight and
nighttime. Bear wanted darkness and long cold winters to allow
him time to reach a deep sleep. Squirrel insisted the animals needed
more light and long summer nights. The other animals agreed.
Bear was unhappy
with their decision
and told them he
would gain control
of the weather. Bear
went to live alone.
Soon after, the
darkness of night
came very early. The
snow became deeper
and deeper. Plants
and bushes were covered and only the top of the tallest pine
trees were visible on the Earth. The Earth froze over like a huge
glacier. All the animals were hungry and very cold. The animals
figured out what had happened. Bear had stolen the sun!
The animals had to find Bear and get the sun, and then
return it to its proper place in the sky. The animals found the
sun in a bag in Bear’s den, on an island. Bear had been using the
sun to heat the den.
Caribou hooked the bag in his antlers. All the animals began
to swim away from the island. SPLASH! Beaver’s tail warned the
animals that Bear was coming back. Bear jumped in a canoe and
paddled after Caribou. Suddenly, a loud CRACK was heard.
Bear’s paddle broke and he fell into the water. Earlier, Mouse had
chewed through the paddle!
On the way home, Mouse cut a small piece of the bag to repair
his worn-out moccasins. Warmth began pouring out of the bag!
The snow began to melt. The bird, Ptarmigan, quickly knitted
repairs to the bag. It was too late, and the Earth flooded. Even the
mountains were covered. The animals believed it was the end of
the world, but “Old Man” had built a boat and saved the animals.
—told by Lorraine Hoffman-Mercredi and Phillip R. Coutu,
Inkonze: The Stones of Traditional Knowledge
NEL
Pause
1. How did the actions
of the animals in
the story affect the
environment?
2. Do you think
we affect the
environment in
similar ways to
the animals?
For example, do
you think we are
being selfish with
the environment
like Bear or careless
like Mouse? How
can we care for our
environment?
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Vegetation
Vegetation in different areas of the region varies depending on
the amount of soil and moisture. Along the rocky shoreline of Lake
Athabasca, there are forests of spruce trees and jack pine ridges.
Black spruce and tamarack trees grow in the wet, marshy areas.
Birches and aspen can be found throughout the forests. Along the
riverbanks, there are often mixed forests of aspen, balsam, poplar,
and white spruce.
Pause
1. Do you think it
would be easy to
harvest the trees in
this area for use as
wood products?
Give reasons for
your answer.
2. Compare the
vegetation of the
Canadian Shield
with the vegetation
in another Alberta
region.
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Bushes can grow where it is wet or where there is less soil.
Labrador tea, wild blueberry, saskatoon, bearberry, bog cranberry,
wild raspberry, and juniper are common. Cattails are found along
lakes or marshes. Marsh grasses and reeds are found in marshes or
along rivers.
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3. Predict which
animals would
thrive in the
different areas in
the region. Check
your predictions
after you read
page 127.
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Reindeer lichen often grows in the
forest areas. It is a favourite food
of caribou.
NEL
Animal Life
The forests in the Canadian Shield provide habitats for a variety
of animals, including birds, lynx, black bears, foxes, moose, wolves,
and snowshoe hares. The graph following shows there are
45 different types of mammals in the Canadian Shield region.
Types of Living Things in the Canadian Shield Region
Mammals:
Fish:
Amphibians:
Birds:
Key:
= 10 types
= 10 types
= 10 types
= 10 types
Golden eagles and osprey nest near the lakes. Bald eagles nest
on the granite cliffs along Lake Athabasca. Loons, ducks, gulls,
moose, beaver, muskrat, and mink are found in the wet boggy areas
and near lakes.
Arctic animals, such as the arctic fox, barren ground caribou,
and ptarmigan, sometimes migrate south to this region.
Visitors come from across North America to fish for northern
pike, walleye, and lake trout. The record for a lake trout caught
in Lake Athabasca is 46.4 kilograms!
Someone who hooks a northern pike, like the one in this photo,
had better be ready for a struggle. These fish can grow to
22 kilograms and nearly one metre in length. This is like two
10-kilogram sacks of potatoes laid end-to-end! Pike hide in the reeds
at the edges of lakes and rivers and will attack almost anything.
They eat mice, frogs, muskrats, ducklings, and fish—even other pike!
Pause
1. How might the
animals be
important to the
people in the
region?
2. Many wet, boggy
areas have been
drying up over the
last 100 years. How
might this affect
the wildlife?
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Dra w
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People and Places
Fort Chipewyan
NAMES IN ALBERTA
The word “Chipewyan”
is Cree. It means
“pointed skins.” This
describes the traditional
hide garments worn by
the Dene Sù¬iné
people, which came to
a point in the back.
Cree trappers prepared
the hides for trade.
The area around Fort
Chipewyan was also
called Yahti Kuen (yah
tee kua) by the Dené
Tha’. This word means
“priest house.” The
Dene Sù¬iné word for
Fort Chipewyan is K’ái
Téli (guy tail eh),
which means “land of
the willows.”
What is life like in Fort Chipewyan?
The first people in the northern regions of Alberta were the
Dunne-za, Dené Tha’ (de nay thaa), and Dene Sù¬iné. Fort
Chipewyan was started by Roderick Mackenzie in 1788 on the
southwestern end of Lake Athabasca. It was moved to its presentday location on the northwestern end of the lake around 1800.
Fort Chipewyan was a base for northern and western
exploration. It also became one of the most important fur trading
forts in western Canada. It had an ideal location. Canoes carrying
furs or trade goods could travel on the surrounding rivers.
In 1848, Father Alexandre-Antonin Taché (ta shay) chose the site
for a new Roman Catholic mission. Bishop Émile Grouard (groo ar),
sisters of the Grey Nuns, and other Francophone missionaries set up
a school and orphanage and planted grain and gardens.
Fort Chipewyan is Alberta’s oldest permanent settlement and has
been named a national historic site by the government of Canada.
The original design of
the Athabasca Delta
Community School
reflected the area’s fur
trade history.
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The People
There are currently just over 1000 people living in Fort
Chipewyan. The population includes members of the Mikisew
Cree First Nation, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, and Fort
Chipewyan Métis Local, as well as people of other origins. There
are also a few hundred people living outside Fort Chipewyan.
They live in remote locations around the rest of the region.
Population of Fort Chipewyan
First
Nations:
Most of the people in
Fort Chipewyan are
First Nations or Métis.
Métis:
Other:
Key:
= 50 people
I am a member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. My
family is Dene Sù¬iné. We speak Dene Sù¬iné at home. Members of
the Mikisew Cree First Nation speak Cree. We study Cree, Dene
Sù¬iné, and English at school. Some Métis people in our community
speak Michif (mi chif). Michif is a language developed by the Métis
people. It combines parts of the French and Cree languages.
English
Cree
Dene Sù¬iné
Michif
Hello
tân’si
(tan si)
edláneté
(ed la net ay)
tánishi
(tah nish shee)
How are
you?
tân’si kiya?
(tan si
kee ya)
tanishi kiya?
(tah nis shee
kee ya)
This chart shows greetings that might be used by people in
this region.
NEL
Fast FACTS
The local Dene Sù¬iné
people belong to the
Athabasca Chipewyan
First Nation, and some
refer to themselves as
Chipewyan.
continued
129
People and Places
Jane Ash Poitras
Jane Ash Poitras (pwaa
traa) was born near Fort
Chipewyan in 1951.
When Ms. Poitras was
five, her mother died.
She was raised by a
German Canadian woman
in Edmonton. Art became
a way for Ms. Poitras to
reconnect with her Cree
and Chipewyan heritage.
Ms. Poitras uses a
collage technique and
symbols to tell stories
about First Nations
people. Many of her works
show the spiritual beliefs
of Aboriginal peoples.
Ms. Poitras’s artwork has been shown at galleries in Canada and
around the world. She was honoured with the Aboriginal
Achievement Award for Arts and Culture in 2006.
Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial
Museum
The Bicentennial Museum is a great place to learn about the
history of the area. There are items about the fur trade, fur traders,
trappers, and early European explorers. The museum was built to
look like the general store in the original Hudson’s Bay fort.
Pause
1. If you were creating
a collage to
represent your
culture or
community, what
symbols would you
include?
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The Winter Carnival
During the winter, the residents of Fort Chipewyan hold a
winter carnival. There are many contests: nail pounding, moose
calling, log sawing and chopping, dogsled racing, and bannock
baking. Bannock is a type of bread made from flour, baking
powder, and lard. It is cooked on a griddle or baked in an oven.
There is also traditional Cree and Dene Sù¬iné dancing and singing.
Pause
1. What do the
Winter Carnival
activities tell you
about the natural
environment of the
community? What
does it tell you
about the people
who live there?
2. How are special
events, such as a
winter carnival,
important to
quality of life in
a community?
NEL
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Mushing
Mushing means using dog teams and toboggan sleds for travel
through snowy areas. Mushing was once the common form of
transportation for people in the north.
In the 1960s, snowmobiles started to replace the dog teams.
People used the toboggan carryall by attaching it to the back of the
snowmobile. Today, some people keep dogsled teams for recreation.
My aunt is a nurse at the nursing station. In her spare time, she
raises sled dogs and runs her team in dogsled races. She’s been
teaching me. Not long ago, I made my first solo run!
First, I untied the dogs from their posts and hooked up the lead
and swing dogs to the harness. My aunt reminded me to harness
them in the correct order or there would be a dogfight. Each dog
has their own special place on the team. Blackie is the lead dog.
I gave the command, “Line out!” to get the dogs straightened
in the harness. Once I had checked the dogs’ snow booties,
I positioned myself at the back of the sled. I checked that my
headlight was operating properly, and I gave the command,
“Hike!” There was a surge of power as we headed onto the trail.
It was perfect dogsledding weather. We’d had flurries and cold
temperatures. The trails were hard-packed snow with an icy crust.
The sled slid quickly over the trail.
I loved my first solo run. My next goal is to compete in our
Winter Carnival dogsled race.
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Natural Resources
The forests, lakes, and wildlife of the Canadian Shield have
always been the region’s most important natural resources.
Many residents of the region still follow a traditional lifestyle.
They hunt for food or run a family trapline. Some residents fish
commercially for walleye on Lake Athabasca. More than 80 000
kilograms of walleye are caught on Lake Athabasca during the sixweek fishing season. The fish are flown to Edmonton and then to
places across North America.
Whitefish, shown here, is
one type of fish caught in
the region.
Each year, there are more jobs in the tourism industry. Some
residents work as guides for tour groups. Others have jobs in
restaurants and lodges.
Fast FACTS
More and more visitors are travelling to the region to stay at
wilderness lodges. They come to fish, hunt, or go bird watching.
NEL
People in the region
also work for the
government in health,
education, social
services, and at Wood
Buffalo National Park or
the post office.
Sometimes, residents
get jobs in the summer
fighting forest fires.
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Community Connections
Northern Alberta
How are communities in the Canadian Shield
connected to other communities in Alberta?
Northern communities sometimes share services and facilities to
meet the needs of the scattered, remote population. People travel
between communities to work and use the services. Residents of
Fort Chipewyan and surrounding areas have this kind of a
connection with Fort McMurray.
Fort Chipewyan has a First Aid and Medical Nursing Station.
The medi-vac service flies patients by air ambulance to Fort
McMurray for hospital care. Twice a month, a dentist flies to town
from Fort McMurray.
The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation owns an environmental
clean-up company. Fort Chipewyan residents who are employed by
the company work in the oil sands near Fort McMurray. Fort
Chipewyan workers fly to these jobs.
Pause
1. Look on a map of
Alberta to find the
three closest
communities to
Fort Chipewyan.
Use the scale
measure. How far
apart are the
communities?
2. What other kinds
of community
connections might
Fort Chipewyan
have with Fort
McMurray and
other communities?
134
Many residents of Fort Chipewyan work in the oil sands
industries near Fort McMurray.
NEL
The Peace-Athabasca Delta
A delta forms at the mouth of a river or stream. As the water
slows, it is no longer able to carry sand and soil. The sand and soil
settles out over a broad, triangular-shaped area.
Just west of Fort Chipewyan, sand and soil from the Athabasca,
Peace, and Birch Rivers have settled out and collected over many
years. The waters spread out to form marshes, lakes, and mud flats.
This is now one of the largest freshwater deltas in the world.
About 80 per cent of the delta is in Wood Buffalo National Park.
Although this is mostly in the Boreal Forest region, it is very
important to the people of the Canadian Shield region.
The delta is a habitat
for wildlife, especially
migrating waterfowl,
such as ducks, geese,
and swans.
Dropping Water Levels
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1. What concerns do
you think residents
of Fort Chipewyan
have about the
delta? What could
they do about their
concerns? How
might communities
cooperate to
address their
concerns?
TR
Residents of Fort Chipewyan are concerned
about the changing water levels in the delta.
We use the delta for fishing, hunting, and
recreation. Tourists come to the delta to watch
the millions of birds that go there to feed or
nest. What will happen if water levels in the
delta continue to go down?
Pause
SK
The annual flooding of the Peace River used to provide enough
water for the delta to stay wet all year. The Bennett Dam was built
in British Columbia in the 1960s. Since then, the water levels in
the delta have changed because the dam holds back the spring
flood waters.
Changes in climate, with less snow in winter and drier
summers, have also affected the delta. Many of the once wet,
marshy areas and small lakes are becoming dry land.
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Transportation
We use all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and trucks for local travel.
In winter, when the ground, lakes, and rivers are frozen, we use
snowmobiles. For more distant travel, we depend on airplanes.
Aircraft carry everything: food, mail, drums of oil, passengers,
and more.
Planes take people and supplies to the remote fishing and
hunting camps and trapping cabins. Small charter aircraft also
carry tourists to wilderness camps and resorts. My father has
even transported canoes strapped under his plane.
Helicopters are used year-round to transport research, survey,
and firefighting crews.
Aircraft are equipped
with floats in the
summer for landing on
lakes and rivers. In the
winter, pilots use skis
and wheels to land on
frozen lakes and rivers.
Air Mikisew
Air Mikisew is owned and operated by the Mikisew Cree First
Nation. Air Mikisew flies passengers to Fort Chipewyan from Fort
McMurray and Edmonton. It also flies oil sands employees between
Fort McMurray and Fort Chipewyan. Tourists travel on Air Mikisew
to remote lakes between Fort Chipewyan and Fort Smith.
Air Mikisew operates
a medi-vac plane for
emergency transfers
to hospitals in Fort
McMurray or
Edmonton.
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Winter Roads
In the winter, we use a snow-packed ice road heading south
from Fort Chipewyan. This road goes to the highway we take to
Fort McMurray. The 280 kilometre trip to Fort McMurray takes at
least four hours in the winter.
Winter roads in the north are made by packing snow and then
icing the snow with water to form a hard surface. Once river
crossings freeze in the winter, they are flooded with water and
allowed to freeze. This is repeated until the ice bridges are thick
enough for vehicles to travel across.
Snow-packed ice roads can be
difficult to drive on. The surface is
very icy and slippery. Sometimes,
the weight of the trucks causes
the road surface to become
bumpy. People must plan ahead
to travel safely.
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http://www.nelson.com/albertasocialstudies
Fort Chipewyan Winter Road Update
March 21
Due to heavy overflow at the Athabasca River, the Fort
Chipewyan—Fort McMurray winter road will be closed
at 2 pm this afternoon until further notice.
Meanwhile, please
drive with extra
caution, especially
at the Athabasca
Ice Bridge.
NEL
CAUTION:
• Travel with a second
vehicle and in a 4x4
whenever possible.
• Carry a tow-strap, shovel,
and an emergency kit.
• Make sure to fill your fuel
tank before leaving.
• Carry warm clothing and
footwear for all
passengers in case of
breakdown.
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Many Points of View
My class discussed the advantages and disadvantages of building
a permanent, all-season road to join Fort Chipewyan and Fort
McMurray. Some students think it is a great idea. Others disagree.
We asked our family and community members to find out their points
of view. The photo on page 138 and 139 show us discussing the allseason road. Here are some of the community members comments.
Inquiry
“People in our
region could
drive to Fort
McMurray to
see a doctor or
dentist
whenever they
need to. We
could also shop
where products
are less
expensive.”
“Trees will be cut and road-building
machinery will damage the wilderness.
New traffic might disturb the habitat of
some wildlife. The number of animals
killed by vehicles would increase.”
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“A new road would bring
more business to our
community. Tourists and
visitors would be able to reach
our community and remote
areas more easily. More
Albertans could see and enjoy
our region.”
“There could be an increase in
people coming to hunt and
fish. Some areas might be
overhunted or overfished.
Many members of our
community have traplines and
hunt or fish for food. This road
might disrupt our way of life.”
“There are jobs in the industries
near Fort MacKay and Fort McMurray.
With a road, we could drive to our
jobs. We could also develop industries
closer to Fort Chipewyan.”
“Why must we build something
everywhere? How would we explain
this to our children and grandchildren?
We used to be proud that we left
things as we found them.”
Pause
Advantages
1. Is more information needed to decide about the road?
What questions do you have? Where might you find the
answers? As a class, discuss and find answers.
My Conclusion: Building a road
to Fort Chipewyan would...
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4. There are many points of view about the permanent road. What behaviour
and actions will be important to reaching a solution everyone can live with?
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w it h o t h e rs
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3. Have a panel discussion with your class so everyone can
share their point of view. Did your conclusion change as a
result of the discussion?
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2. Use a chart like the one here to summarize the ideas of
the community members. Add any other ideas you have.
Draw a conclusion by answering this question: Would the
new road improve the quality of life for people in Alberta?
Why?
Disadvantages
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What Have We Learned?
The Canadian Shield region in Alberta is an area of low rocky
hills, lakes, and forests. It is home to a variety of wildlife.
We also looked at some history of the region.
Fewer people live in this region than in others. There are few
roads in the region, and transportation, such as snowmobiles and
airplanes, is vital.
The inquiry on pages 138 and 139 centred on the question of
whether a permanent road should be built. We learned of several
points of view to help us draw our own conclusions about this
question.
Inquiring
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Ask
q u e sti o n s
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Fin d
infor m
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1. Do you think food and everyday supplies would be the same
price in Edmonton or Calgary as they are in Fort Chipewyan?
Using what you have learned, discuss these questions as a
class:
• How would the food and supplies be transported?
• How does distance make a difference?
• What effect do changes in weather have?
• How long would it take to transport items?
• How could foods that might spoil be transported?
• How often could food deliveries be made?
• Would people have the same choices as in some other
communities?
What other questions do you have? Where could you find
answers to your questions?
Developing Your Thinking
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2. What is it like to live in the Canadian Shield region? Think
about how the land and climate affect the daily lives of the
people who live in this region. Choose a graphic organizer to
help you list the benefits and the challenges of living in this
region.
Compare your list with a classmate. What new ideas did
you discover from your classmate? Why is it sometimes useful
to work both on your own and with a partner?
NEL
Appreciating Our Alberta
3. Look back at the questions on the strips of paper found
throughout the chapter. Think about how much you have
learned!
Now, it is time to share what you appreciate about our
Alberta. Write or draw your ideas to answer these two
questions:
What makes the Canadian Shield region a unique part
of Alberta?
What do you value about the Canadian Shield region?
Reflecting
4. As we have toured the province with our student guides, we
have learned many new things. Each region has interesting
facts and details that are unique to that region. We have also
been learning about the “big ideas” that help us connect the
physical geography to our ways of life.
What are some of the big ideas you have learned as you
have toured Alberta? What are some of the important things
you want to remember? Why is it important to think about the
big ideas? How do the big ideas help you make sense of what
you are learning?
The Alberta Project
Work with a group to create a television advertisement to encourage
tourists to visit this region. Create a model of one important part of the
region. Write a 30-second script that tells about quality of life in the
Canadian Shield region and why tourists should visit. Use your models
to create a multimedia presentation that could appear on the local
television station.
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Celebrating Alberta
Alberta celebrates its land and people in many ways. You have
learned about places such as the Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller,
and events such as the Calgary Stampede. Across Alberta, there are
many museums, exhibits, and other displays. These highlight the
importance of Alberta’s land and natural resources. They show the
many ways people in Alberta use, protect, and enjoy the land and
its many resources.
What other Alberta events and displays do you know about?
How do they help us celebrate Alberta’s land and people?
Children competed in
costume at a farm and
livestock show in
Edmonton.
The annual Honey
Festival in Falher
celebrates the
beekeeping industry
in the area. This is a
bee-beard competitor.
The Canadian Petroleum
Interpretive Centre is
located near Devon at
the site where crews
struck oil in 1947.
Visitors to the centre can
learn about the history
of the oil industry. The
Centre has displays and
oil field equipment.
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The Kerry Wood Nature
Centre in Red Deer offers
activities, displays, and
information about nature
in central Alberta.
The Rainbow Spirit Dancers
performed at a National
Aboriginal Day celebration
in Edmonton.
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Your Celebration
Recall the key questions in the introduction in this textbook.
Think about and discuss your ideas to answer these three
questions:
Does everyone see Alberta the same way?
What does it mean to be an Albertan?
What are some ways we can learn about Alberta?
Now, it is time to celebrate Alberta and show your appreciation
of the geography, history, and people of Alberta.
Using your ideas from the discussion, work with a small group
or as a class to plan and prepare an Alberta Fair. Plan displays that
will showcase your ideas about the land and people in Alberta. You
might want to select some of your favourite Alberta books to show.
You could include newspaper clippings related to Alberta’s history,
people, geography, and natural resources. You may wish to include
parts of your Alberta Project or other samples of your work from
Chapters 1 to 7.
As you plan your display(s), think about
• Alberta’s unique geography
• ways people use, protect, and enjoy the
land and its natural resources
• people and places in Alberta’s history
How will you explain the importance of
each part of your display? For example, do
you plan to talk about its parts or will you
include written explanations? Have fun!
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