Student Publishing Program

Designed for high school history classes across Ontario.

Mission Statement

We at the Ontario Historical Society (OHS) believe in giving Ontario high school students as many resources as possible to succeed. Students who participate in the program will benefit in a variety of different ways. By writing about their local history, students will have an opportunity to engage with their communities and learn first-hand about the multitude of resources in their own backyard. The OHS will publish as many articles as possible on our Website, providing students with province-wide exposure and an opportunity to enhance their university applications and resumes.

At the end of the year, the top three articles will receive our prestigious Student Research Award. All submissions will be carefully reviewed by a committee of teachers, authors, and historians.

Guidelines

Each project should be 500-750 words in length and should include a list of sources. The program presents a great opportunity for teachers to have their students engage in real performance tasks, thus making the articles a viable class assignment. By studying their local history, students will learn to identify significant topics, work with primary evidence, and analyze cause and effect within a relevant context.

We offer a few topic suggestions for your consideration:

A) Create a heritage timeline covering at least five major events in your town/community/city/region and explain the significance of each milestone.
B) Design a heritage tour of your local area using at least five plots on a map and discuss the significance of each landmark.
C) Research and discuss the historical significance of any landmark, event, individual or organization in your local community.
D) Research and discuss First Nations history in your region, discussing significant cultural traditions, individuals, landmarks or events.

We want teachers to incorporate the program into their course however possible, so there are few restrictions and the nature of the assignment is ultimately left to the instructor’s discretion. The objective is to help students gain valuable experience, make strong connections in their community and learn about the local history in their area. All aspects of this program are entirely compatible with the new Ontario curriculum. The assignment is intended for the following courses: CHC2P, CHC2D, and CHI4U.

Resources

As a provincial organization, we can help put students and teachers in touch with local resources. The OHS has a network of heritage organizations, institutions and societies from all across the province. A detailed list of their location and contact information can be found on our Heritage Directory & Map.

The Ontario Historical Society is happy to act as liaison between teachers and students and the numerous heritage organizations, institutions and societies across the province.

For help locating or contacting a group in your community (or for any other questions) please contact:

Daniel Dishaw, Executive Director

Tel: (416) 226-9011 or 1 (866) 955-2755
Email: ddishaw@ontariohistoricalsociety.ca
34 Parkview Avenue, Willowdale, ON M2N 3Y2

Twitter: @OntarioHistory | Follow the OHS on Facebook!

Published Student Projects 2015-16