Group projects

Come together as a team! Promote collaboration and celebrate women’s achievements through group projects that encourage creativity, generate discussion, and lead to new discoveries.

1. Stage a play

As a school or as a community, this is your opportunity to get dramatic! Create an original theatrical work (or a short film!) based on the life stories of women featured in the Women of Impact in Canada gallery. Here are some ideas to consider:

• the life of a historical figure, such as Laura Secord, Rose Fortune or Marie-Anne Gabourey
• the efforts of activists like Mary Two-Axe Early, Nellie Carlson, Rose Charlie and Jeannette Corbiere Lavell to advance the rights of Indigenous women
• the challenges faced by a trailblazer who was first her field, like Cora Hind, Manon Rhéaume, or Kate Rice
• a musical based on the life of artists like Joni Mitchell, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Portia White and Édith Butler

You can also adapt a play, novel or poem written by one of women of impact, such as:

• the feminist and dystopian tales of Margaret Atwood
• lyrical works by poets Rita Joe and E. Pauline Johnson or playwright Marie-Claire Blais
• stories set in rural settings by writers like Alice Munro, Margaret Laurence orMiram Toews
• an adaptation of a Canadian classic, such as Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery or The Tin Flute by Gabrielle Roy

2. Screen a movie

Watching a film as a group is a fun way to expand your knowledge and generate lively discussions. Prepare questions and lead a group discussion afterwards to give learners a chance to share their opinions and make important connections. Consider hosting a screening of one of the following films:

• The People of the Kattawapiskak River – Alanis Obomsawin’s award-winning 2012 documentary is set in Attawapiskat, a Cree community in northern Ontario. The film follows community members as they tell their stories, shedding light on a history of dispossession and indifference by officials. Many of Obomsawin’s other films are also available online.
• We Can’t Afford To Make the Same Mistake Twice: This 2016 documentary by Alanis Obomsawin is part of a cycle of films on children’s welfare and rights. It is centred on the landmark discrimination case filed by the Assembly of First Nations and the Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, led by Indigenous education rights advocate Cindy Blackstock.
• Through the Looking Glass – Michel Jones’ 2000 documentary about Kim Campbell and her election campaign features interviews with Campbell, her family, colleagues and members of the media.
• This Changes Everything – This documentary film by Avi Lewis is inspired by Naomi Klein’s non-fiction bestseller of the same name about the challenges posed by climate change in communities around the world.
• No Way, Not Me! – This 1987 short documentary by filmmaker Ariadna Ochrymovych features social activist and educator Rosemary Brown and examines poverty among women.

3. Create a work of public art

Find a public space in your school or community and turn it into a masterpiece! Before creating a public art display, make sure that you obtain permission from school or city officials. Here are some ideas to create public art inspired by the Women of Impact in Canada gallery:

• Create a mural – Use paint or chalk to create a mural or piece of street art that celebrates the contributions of women in Canada. If you would rather your art display be temporary, you can use chalk or create your mural as banner on paper, which can be displayed in a public space.
• Build a sculpture or public exhibit – Innovative sculptures don’t need to be made of metal or expensive materials. Get creative and use simple art supplies, household items or recycled materials to build a sculpture that celebrates gender equality. Or create a public exhibit with large-scale photos or posters to educate, engage and inform passersby.
• Performance art – Bring your art to life and create a work of performance art in a public space. Assign roles, prepare dialogue and dress us as women featured in the gallery while interacting with audience members. Make sure that your representation of each woman of impact – including your costume – is culturally respectful.

4. Design a trivia game

Creating a game that challenges learners to apply their knowledge is a fun way to learn about the women who have shaped Canada’s history. To create a trivia game, develop questions and clues using information from the Women of Impact in Canada biographies or the interactive timelines. The crossword puzzle in the Games and activities section can provide ideas on how to develop interesting clues and questions.

Be creative and don’t limit yourself to simply written clues, such as listing professional accomplishments. Consider reading a well-known quote, displaying a photograph or work of art, playing a piece of music or showing a video clip associated with a woman of impact. Divide your group into teams, test each other’s knowledge and engage in friendly competition!