04 Recommended Links
Canadian Links
The Hill 70 Memorial Park in Loos-en-Gohelle, France, marks the victory of the Canadian Corps at the Battle of Hill 70 in August 1917. In addition to information on the battle, the website includes a free app featuring a virtual tour of the memorial park, short films, and the biographies of many who served at Hill 70 — including six Canadian soldiers who received the Victoria Cross for their gallant actions during the battle.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Dictionary of Canadian Biography – The First World War
To mark the centenary of the First World War, and to show the war’s effects on many aspects of Canadian history, the Dictionary of Canadian Biography has assembled a thematic online catalogue of Canadian life stories. Covering diverse topics such as the front, the battlefield, the economy, and politics, this rich biographical collection informs us about the people who lived through the war and shaped its characteristics through their involvement.
An organization devoted to promoting Canadian history education. Resources available on the site include lesson plans and student activities related to the First World War.
Recommended for teachers.
Created by the Dominion Institute in 2001 as an educational web site, the Memory Project includes a searchable First World War digital archive organized by theme.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
The Memory Project at globeandmail.com
Organized by the Globe and Mail, the government of France, and the Dominion Institute, this project contains photographs and letters of the First World War submitted by veterans and their relatives from across Canada. Historians from France and Canada selected the most historically significant documents from those submitted. The site also includes veterans’ stories, and articles from newspapers printed during the First World War.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.
CBC Archives – The First World War: Canada Remembers
This site contains audio and video clips on First World War topics ranging from Vimy Ridge to chemical warfare. Lesson plans, worksheets, and rubrics are also provided.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.
A detailed timeline of Canadian history. It includes short narratives on a number of key aspects of Canada’s participation in the First World War, including the personal stories of soldiers who were there. Some of the vocabulary may be difficult for younger students.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial
This site by Veterans Affairs Canada examines the Vimy War Memorial in France. It includes photos and a virtual tour of the memorial, in addition to historical background on the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.
The Canadian Letters and Images Project
This site, presented by Malaspina University-College in partnership with The University of Western Ontario is intended to “let Canadians tell their own story in their own words and images by creating a permanent online archive”. Canadians are urged to submit wartime family documents that will be scanned and then returned. The result is a large and growing collection of diaries, photos, personal effects, and correspondence between Canadian soldiers and their loved ones back home.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.
Canada and the First World War
This Library and Archives Canada site examines the contributions of Canadians to the war effort through various documents from their collections. The site includes eight profiles of Canadians who participated in the First World War in a variety of roles, as illustrated through items from Library and Archives’ collection.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Newfoundland and the Great War
This site by Memorial University features primary resources and articles relating to Newfoundland’s involvement in the conflict. The site contains excellent information on the contribution of Newfoundlanders to the war effort both abroad and on the home front. The articles on the site are suitable for older and advanced students, but the videos, photos, audio clips, and letters are also well-suited to younger students.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.
Aboriginal Soldiers in the First World War
This Library and Archives Canada site provides an essay detailing the contributions made by Aboriginals to the war effort, as well as their post-war struggle for equal rights. It also includes an image gallery.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
The First World War section of this Department of National Defence site includes a detailed summary of major events in the conflict. This site will appeal to older students. It contains vocabulary that may be difficult for younger students.
Recommended for ages 15 and up.
This site by Veterans Affairs Canada includes interviews with veterans, excerpts from diaries and letters, and summaries of key events.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Canadian Posters of the First World War
Produced by the Archives of Ontario, this Web site includes images of posters used during the First World War. A short description situates each poster in its historical context.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
An Archival Look at World War I
Developed by Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ontario, this Web site contains First World War-related documents from the university’s archives, and a description relating each item to First World War events.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Native Soldiers – Foreign Battlefields
This Veterans Affairs Canada page contains an extensive article on the participation of Aboriginal soldiers in the First World War, and several short biographies of First Nations soldiers.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum: Military History
The First World War section of this site includes narrative descriptions of wartime events, including the home front, from a Canadian perspective, in addition to primary sources such as cartoons, audio files, photos, and documents. An education page with activity suggestions and recommended internet links is included.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
This interactive web site, For King and Empire contains a reading list, in addition to maps and text describing the role of Canada in battles at Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele. Other features include detailed timelines, glossaries, and an archive of soldiers’ personal artifacts and biographies.
Recommended for ages 13 and up.