Presented by Katy Whitfield and Kim Snider CODE Conference, Ottawa, October 2014

 The revised (2013) Canadian and World Studies Curriculum for History in Ontario includes a strand focusing on the application of historical thinking concepts as part of the historical inquiry process. This process of applying these concepts is to be used to help students to do “historian’s work”- while investigating and studying events, developments, issues and ideas.  There are 6 Historical Thinking Concepts (Seixas et. al): Use of Primary Source Material, Historical Significance, Cause and Consequence, Continuity and Change, Historical Perspectives and the Ethical Dimension.  Schools and communities can equip students with the appropriate tools, concepts and strategies for doing historical thinking activities and to do the procedural work that historians do (Seixas and Morton, 2014).  For more information about Historical Thinking, go to

 A drama methodology created by Dorothy Heathcote in the United Kingdom  Students undertake an ‘enterprise’ and adopt a ‘Mantle’ role of expertise to deal with an emerging problem, bringing the worlds of inquiry and imagined experience together  Emphasizes the establishment of students as a ‘responsible team’ and the use of drama sources and differentiated tasks in the imagined exploration of the problem under investigation.

 Primarily a residential area that existed in Toronto’s city- centre, located on the land upon which Nathan Phillips’ Square now sits. (Bordered by College Street, Yonge Street, Queen Street and University Avenue)  Families from almost every immigrant group that settled In Toronto in the 19 th and 20 th centuries settled in this area. Including: Irish, English, Scottish, Africans (from a variety of countries), Germans, Italians and Jewish people  By 1910 the Ward becomes overcrowded due to the construction of Factories belonging to T. Eaton Company, City Hall-Courthouse Complex, Toronto General Hospital and the Toronto Armouries.

 Homes and other buildings in the Ward are razed to the ground to allow for the construction. Some families were forced to leave their homes, others relocated by choice.  The Ward became overcrowded and becomes a slum where residents faced challenges to meet basic needs of food, drink, clothing, shelter and privacy; lived and worked in unsanitary conditions; and where diseases spread extensively.  When the new buildings were built, the residents of the Ward were poorly compensated, forced out of their residences and many couldn’t afford to live elsewhere.  A lot of primary source evidence (photographs, first-hand accounts etc.) about the experiences and challenges faced by people in the Ward, there has been little done to commemorate the lives and experiences of the residents (with the exception of the Heritage Toronto plaque which commemorates the first Chinatown established in )

To show how history thinking, inquiry learning and drama can be used as tools for exploring a range of topics and issues, especially those related to social justice.

 Established 2006  A company of artists interested in exploring history through various media (photography, drama, dance, music, etc.)  Our most successful project to date has been ‘Stories from the Market’, a site-specific storytelling performance at Byward Market in Actors and musicians toured audiences through the market and told them of the history of French and Irish immigrants who settled there, and how the market came to be what it is today.

Heritage TorontoDoors Open  Heritage Toronto is a charitable arms- length agency of the City of Toronto established in 1949 to promote a greater appreciation for the city’s rich architectural, cultural, archaeological and natural heritage.  Programs include free neighbourhood walking tours, our downloadable iTours program, the annual Heritage Toronto Awards and William Kilbourn Memorial Lecture, a heritage plaques and markers program, participation in Doors Open Toronto and Building Storeys, our photography exhibition.  Doors Open Toronto is an annual event when approximately 150 buildings of architectural, historic, cultural, and social significance to the city of Toronto open their doors to the public for a free city-wide celebration.  Doors Open Toronto was developed as a millennium project in 2000, by the City of Toronto (developed from a European model) and has since attracted over 1.7 million residents and tourists. Doors Open Toronto gives people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn about Toronto's history, get involved and celebrate Toronto's built heritage.

What or who in the Ward’s History should be recognized and why? (Historical Significance, Multiple Perspectives) How should individuals, groups and/or historical spaces be commemorated? (Creative Process and Product, Application) Are there any ethical concerns that have been raised for you about doing this project? (Creative Process and Product, Application)

Brainstorm potential ideas for an exhibit on the history St. John’s Ward for Doors Open Toronto. Consider:  What aspects of the ward’s history are most important for us to communicate to our audience?  What artistic tools and conventions will we use to create the ‘living history’ of the ward?  What message do we want our audience to take away from our exhibit?  What is our ethical responsibility in telling these stories?

 You can find all the resource materials for our workshop at: