THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
BRITISH COLUMBIA – GRADE 9-10
Train of Thought: An Annotated Timeline of
Western Railroads and Critical Analysis of Events.
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, students combine critical thinking, chronology, writing and representation
skills to create an annotated timeline of the development of the railway and its impact on
Western Canada. Using both multimedia and internet resources, students research major
events in the progress of the western railway system and categorize these events
chronologically and in order of importance. The end result is a well researched timeline
featuring illustrations, annotations and student insights into the building of the railroad and
the nation.
Grade Level
Grade 9 and 10
Time Required
Teachers should be able to conduct the lesson in one or two classes.
Curriculum Connection
British Columbia, Social Studies 9, Social Studies 10
This lesson is applicable to secondary school students across Canada, although the primary
focus is on Western Canada.
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required
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Scissors
Activity Sheet 1: List of Events (attached)
Activity Sheet 2: Events & Impacts (attached)
Timeline Assessment Rubric (attached)
CANADA'S STEEL ROADS poster-map
Access to computers and the internet
Websites:
Canadian Atlas Online Tracking rail theme
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
Canadian Encyclopedia
www.canadianencyclopedia.ca
Historica Dominion Institute
www.histori.ca
Main Objective
Students will create an annotated timeline of events using critical thinking skills and
analysis.
Learning Outcomes
By the
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end of the lesson, students will be able to:
arrange events by chronology and theme;
present events through illustration and annotation;
write a short composition discussing the three most important impacts of the
development of the railway in Western Canada.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
BRITISH COLUMBIA – GRADE 9-10
The Lesson
The Lesson
Introduction
Teacher Activity
Student Activity
Distribute copies of CANADA'S STEEL
ROADS poster-map or display the
poster-map at the front of the room.
Examine CANADA'S STEEL
ROADS poster-map.
Generate a class discussion about the
kinds of information (legend, titles,
dates, explanations, captions, etc.) maps
and brochures should contain. Review
the use of effective annotations and
images.
Contribute to the whole class
discussion.
Inform students they will be creating a
timeline inspired by the poster-map.
Lesson
Development
Organize students into pairs or small
groups.
Form a group or find a
partner.
Distribute Activity Sheet 1: List of
Events. Explain that the events are out
of order. Tell students to cut out the
events with scissors, then research and
reorganize them into the correct
chronological order. Instruct students to
record this order for future reference.
Cut out the event strips,
research the events and
consult with peers to organize
them into chronological order.
Record the order for future
reference.
Distribute Activity Sheet 2: Events &
Impacts. Review the instructions and
reorganize the strips into categories.
Instruct students to record their belief as
to the most important event in each
category, its impact and their criteria for
selection. Assign the writing assignment
on Activity Sheet 2: Events & Impacts.
Reorganize the event strips by
their impact on Canada.
Select the most important
event in each category and
record it on Activity Sheet 2:
Events & Impacts. Complete
the written response.
Once the written response is complete,
students will create their own illustrated/
annotated timeline using the facts
provided on Activity Sheet 1: List of
Events. Timelines should be
chronological, with the high importance
events highlighted.
Create an annotated and
illustrated timeline of the
Western development of the
railway.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
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Conclusion
Invite students to present their timelines
or display them around the room and
allow students time to participate in a
gallery walk.
BRITISH COLUMBIA – GRADE 9-10
Submit the annotated timeline
for assessment.
Use appropriate rubrics to assess the
writing response and the timelines.
Lesson Extension
• Create a brochure set during the timeline. Include images and important information
of the era.
• Create a non-chronological timeline, categorizing events from most important to
least, within the four categories of Activity Sheet 2.
Assessment of Student Learning
• Timeline Assessment Rubric (attached)
Further Reading
• Railway Association of Canada
http://www.railcan.ca/education/facts
Link to Canadian National Standards for Geography
Essential Element #4: Human Systems
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Regional development in Canada and the world
Transportation and communications networks in Canada and the world
Geographic Skill #3: Organizing geographic information
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Select and design appropriate forms of graphs, diagrams, tables and charts to
organize geographic information.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
BRITISH COLUMBIA – GRADE 9-10
Activity Sheet 1: List of Events
The following events are out of chronological order. Cut out the events , research them and
re-organize them into a timeline in the correct chronological order. (Sources – can also be
used for research: Canadian Atlas Online Tracking rail theme; Canadian Encyclopedia
Online; Historica Dominion Institute Online)
Sir Sandford Fleming appointed Engineer-in-Chief of Canadian trans-continental
railway, with the promise to be completed by 1881.
Railways adopt Sir Fleming’s proposed standardized system of keeping time, using
hour-wide time zones.
The New Vancouver Coal Mining Company opens the first railway in Western
Canada. Moving ballast and coal through the Nanaimo area, the "Pioneer", was its
first locomotive, and it was imported by the Canada Works of Brassey & Co, England.
On August 15th regular service is commenced over the White Pass and Yukon
Railway between Skagway, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon.
On August 13th Sir John A Macdonald drives the symbolic last spike at mile 25, at
Cliffside on the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway, located on Vancouver Island.
On November 8th, the CP special train arrives in Port Moody, the first railway train
ever to cross Canada from sea to sea.
On July 1st, the Dominion of Canada is formed by Confederation of Ontario, Quebec,
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. One of the conditions of Confederation was the
building of a railway by the newly constituted Dominion Government to connect
Halifax with the St. Lawrence at or near Quebec.
The CP main line is extended 12.2 miles along Burrard Inlet to Vancouver. The first
train is pulled by locomotive No. 374, now preserved at the Vancouver Drake Street
roundhouse.
On February 15th an Act of Parliament brings Canadian Pacific Railways into being.
On July 20th British Columbia joins the Dominion of Canada. One of the conditions of
entry is the promise within two years the construction of a railway from the Pacific
towards the Rocky Mountains to connect with Eastern Canada.
On November 7th the “last spike” is driven in the first Canadian transcontinental main
line at Craigellachie B.C. in the Eagle Pass. Canadian Pacific Railway vice president
Van Horne makes his famous fifteen-word speech "All I can say is that the work has
been well done in every way".
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
BRITISH COLUMBIA – GRADE 9-10
Activity Sheet 2: Events & Impacts
Now that you have organized the events chronologically, you need to re-organize them into
the categories below. For each event, decide if there was a social, political, economic or
military impact. An example has been provided below.
Category
Description of
Immediate
Long-term
Reason why this event is
Event
Impact
Impact
‘most important’ in this
category
Economic
Example:
CP Mainline
Trains can now
Industry builds
The arrival of rail system to
extend to
be loaded &
up around port of
Vancouver transforms the
Vancouver
unloaded directly
Vancouver.
port into a major city.
to boats in
Vancouver
Harbour.
Social
Political
Military
Written Response: Based on the chart above, explain which railway event(s) had the greatest
impact in Western Canada. Give your opinion and evidence in a written response.
Annotated Timeline Task: Create your own annotated/ illustrated timeline explaining the
important developments of the railway in Western Canada.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
BRITISH COLUMBIA – GRADE 9-10
Timeline Assessment Rubric
Criteria
Total
1
2
3
4
Student does not
have command of
information; does
not sufficiently
complete all
aspects of
assignment.
Timeline is
attempted but
effort or
information is
insufficient.
Student is able
to demonstrate
basic
understanding
of concepts.
Student is at
ease with
content, some
insights but
student does
not elaborate.
Student
demonstrates full
command of
knowledge,
numerous insights
and elaboration.
Some events
are not listed in
correct
chronology;
annotations are
incomplete or
missing.
Timeline events
are listed
chronologically,
but annotations
do not explain
the importance
of the event, or
are not clear
and concise.
Timeline events are
listed
chronologically,
and annotations
accurately explain
the importance of
the event.
Information
Gathering
Information is
missing.
Organization
Sequence of
information is not
logical and lacks
structure.
Information is
limited and
gathered from
few sources.
Some difficulty
following work
due to
illogical
sequencing and
sentence
structure.
Information is
gathered from
multiple sources
and cited properly.
Well organized
information in
logical, interesting
sequence.
Sophisticated
sequencing and
sentence structure.
Communication
Mechanics
Work has four or
more spelling
errors and/or
grammatical
errors.
Work has three
misspellings
and/or
grammatical
errors.
Presentation
Ideas are not
clear, little effort
in presentation.
Some ideas are
unclear,
presentation is
very basic.
Information is
gathered from
multiple
sources.
Information
presented in
reasonably
logical format,
with some
illogical
sequencing or
sentence
structure.
Work has no
more than two
misspellings
and/or
grammatical
errors.
Timeline shows
creativity and
effort, visuals
add to impact of
information.
Content
Knowledge
Timeline
Teacher Comments:
Work has no
misspellings or
grammatical errors.
Clearly and
creatively
presented with
attention to detail.
Effort is evident.