1. Listen to Gerald’s story about Joseph Nadeau’s boxing
match over a wharf (The Early Settlers, # 4 and # 3). Pretend you are
a sports reporter for the Upper Canadian Daily News. Create a newspaper
article about the event. Remember to include the Who, What, When, Where,
and most importantly, Why.
2. Listen to Gerald’s story about the people of Buchanan losing
their land (Lost Community of Buchanan, # 2). Do some of your own research
about the settlers being expropriated. Work with a partner, and write
a short play about an encounter between a Buchanan resident and a Government
representative. Deliver your play in front of the class.
3. Many of Gerald’s humorous and interesting stories are anecdotes.
Define anecdotes. Choose 3 stories and write a paragraph about each, describing
what broad historical truths the stories are demonstrating. Possible choices
include: The Suit (The Vagabonds of Buchanan, # 4); The Boxing Match (Early
Settlers of Buchanan, # 4); Mrs. Richard and the pig (Women of Buchanan,
#1); Westmeath (Lost Community of Buchanan, # 1).
4. Pretend that you are a Government Representative in 1944 charged
with deciding where a nuclear research laboratory should be built. What
factors would you consider? Do you agree with the choice of Buchanan Township?
Write a short report (1-2 pages) to Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie
King explaining your rationale.
A. Listen to Gerald’s description about the food available in
Buchanan Township (The Early Settlers of Buchanan, # 1). Research the
food of Upper Canada. Pretend that you operate a Stopping Place, and create
a restaurant menu.
B. Listen to the story about Mrs. Richard chasing after the pig in the
middle of the night (The Women of Buchanan, # 1). Pretend that you are
Mrs. Richard’s son or daughter following her. Write a journal entry
about that night.
C. Listen to Gerald’s descriptions of Louis Oreille and Sam Abraham
(Vagabonds of Buchanan, # 1 and # 2). Draw a picture of them. Or, write
a poem about them.
D. Pretend that you were a pioneer in Buchanan Township selling berries
to the wealthy cottagers and you saw inside their summer homes. Or, pretend
that you are a pioneer in Buchanan Township and you saw the Steamboat
cruise going by. Write a letter to your friend in the next township about
what you saw, and how it made you feel. (The Outsiders to Buchanan, #
1 and # 2).
E. Pretend that you were a pioneer in Buchanan Township looking over
the Eaton’s catalogue (The Women of Buchanan, # 1). What things
do you think you would want most, and why? Write a birthday wish list.
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