Lesson Plan Template s34

THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE SASKATCHEWAN – GRADE 12 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas

Saskatchewan’s “Stone Frigates”

Lesson Overview The Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) was formed in 1923 in an effort to establish a naval presence in every major Canadian city. This lesson examines the importance of these Naval Reserve Divisions for recruiting personnel for service in the Canadian Armed Forces during wartime and for peace-keeping roles. It will focus on the two Naval Reserve Divisions located in Regina and Saskatoon. Grade Level Grade 12 Time Required Teachers should be able to conduct the lesson in one class. Curriculum Connection (Province/Territory and course) Saskatchewan – History 30/Canadian Studies (but can be modified for general Canadian history applications at most secondary grade levels). Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required Handouts:  Saskatchewan’s “Stone Frigates” Student Activity  The Canadian Atlas Online - Navy Life: http://canadiangeographic.com/atlas/themes.aspx? id=navy&sub=navy_life_regularreserve&lang=En#, one printed copy for each student.  Access to the internet Website: HCMS Queen – Regina’s Naval Reserve Division http://www.hmcsqueen.ca/history.htm

Main Objective The primary goal of the lesson is for students to understand the important role of tthe Naval Reserve Units in Regina and Saskatoon during war and peace time.

Learning Outcomes By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:  Explain the difference between the Canadian Navy and the Canadian Naval Reserve;  Explain the role played by Saskatchewan’s Stone Frigates to recruitattract naval reservists for positions in the Canadian Navy. THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE SASKATCHEWAN – GRADE 12 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas

The Lesson THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE SASKATCHEWAN – GRADE 12 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas

The Lesson Teacher Activity Student Activity Introduction Ask how many students know where two Guess the two ships and where they Canadian Navy ships are located in are located. Saskatchewan. What kind of ships are they? Lesson Expand the students’ knowledge of the Develop RCNVR before they attempt the student ment activity. Explain that in 1923 Naval Reserve training centers began to be established across Canada. Two were located in Saskatchewan and were designated as “ships” – HMCS Queen and HMCS Unicorn. Explain the acronym HMCS = His/Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship. Read “Saskatchewan’s Stone Introduce the Handouts “Saskatchewan’s Frigates – Student Activity” together Stone Frigates – Student Activity” and as a class or individually. “Navy Life”. Ask for an explanation of what a frigate is. Instruct students to complete questions Answer the questions at the bottom #1-4. of the activity. (Note: the “Navy Life” handout is required to answer Discuss the responses. question #3). Share the responses in small groups or as a class.

Conclusion Ask students to respond to the last Complete question #5 from the question on the handout (question #5). student activity. Explain why they would/would not join the Naval Reserve. Conclude with a statement about the importance of Naval Reserve Divisions during the Second World War and how many men and women from the prairies have become instrumental in serving the Canadian Navy since 1923.

Ask for volunteers to re-enact the Re-enact the original original recruitipromoting efforts (see promotionrecruiting efforts if time Lesson Extension) if time permits. permits.

Lesson Extension THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE SASKATCHEWAN – GRADE 12 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas

Re-enact the original recruiting efforts in 1923. Designate the following roles to students in small groups:  two recruiting officers;  at least one potential recruit who is intrigued with the romanticized naval life that is being presented;  at least two “bystanders” who are sceptical of the need for a navy during peace-time and who will try to undermine the recruiting effort. The performance should last approximately five to seven 5 to 7 minutes. Assessment of Student Learning Student will submit their completed question sheets to be reviewed for accuracy and completeness by the teacher. Further Reading and Online Resources  Canadian Navy Centennial http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/Atlas/themes.aspx? id=navy&sub=navy_fleet_namesake&lang=En  Men and Women of the Royal Canadian Navy http://www.junobeach.org/e/4/can-tac-per-e.htm  HMCS Queen (Regina)

o http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/navres/1/1-n_eng.asp? category=103&title=1119

o http://www.hmcsqueen.ca/history.htm  HMCS Unicorn (Saskatoon)

o http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/navres/1/1-n_eng.asp?category=104

o http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/hmcs_unicorn.html

Link to Canadian National Standards for Geography Essential Element #4: Human Systems  Patterns of global power and influence  Cooperation and conflict in the division and control of Earth’s surface Essential Element #6: The Uses of Geography  Influence of geographical features on the evolution of significant historic events and movements Geographic Skill #5: Answering geographic questions  Formulate valid generalizations from the results of various kinds of geographic inquiry. THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE SASKATCHEWAN – GRADE 12 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas

Saskatchewan’s “Stone Frigates” Student Activity In an effort to establish a naval presence in every major city in Canada for the newly formed Royal Canadian Navy, Commodore (later Rear Admiral) Walter Hose fought to form a “civilian navy” and the Canadian Naval Reserve was born. There was much public ridicule and a major lack of funds but Hose worked diligently and eventually a Naval Reserve Unit was formed in every city, including land-locked “ports” such as Regina and Saskatoon. Ironically, a Naval Reserve Unit was formed under the same conditions as a company of a ship. A Full Company required 100 members. Only the larger cities like Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver were expected to recruitattract that many personnel. Both Regina and Saskatoon, along with the majority of other communities across Canada, were expected to recruitattract Half Companies of 50 individuals including officers. There was much public mockery of the recruitingpromotion efforts in these cities in 1923. Canada was not at war and the need for such a navy was seen as an unnecessary expense on government funds. The minimum number were recruited attracted through hard work (and overlooking a few details, such as age restrictions). These individuals were considered naval reservists and participated in training and other activities on a part-time basis. HMCS UnicornUNICORN, an important part of Saskatoon for over eighty years, was established on April 27, 1923. In keeping with athe three-hundred-year-old naval tradition, of the navy she was commissioned as a land-based ship in November 1941, and took up permanent residence as a "stone frigate" at her present location in August 1943. The Regina Half Company was formed on June 26, 1923 and was christened HMCS QueenQUEENQUEEN, in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I in 1942. Since that time, both “ships” have been active in recruiting and training naval reservists that have served in the Canadian Navy all over the world.

Source: http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/navres/1/1-n_eng.asp?category=104&title=837 Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper: 1. What were some of the obstacles facing recruiting officersthe Navy in Regina and Saskatoon during 1923?

2. Read the history of HCMS Queen (http://www.hmcsqueen.ca/history.htm). THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE SASKATCHEWAN – GRADE 12 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas

a. Why were some of the recruiting regulations “stretched” to meet the minimum number of reservistscruits?

b. What role did HCMS Queen play during the Second World War?

3. Using the handout “Navy Life” from the Canadian Atlas Online, compare the differences and similarities between being a member of the regular navy and being a reservist.

4. What role does the Canadian Naval Reserve play today?

5. If approached by a recruiting officer wWould you be willing to join the Canadian Naval Reserve? Explain why or why not.