Create a digital collection of historical documents related to the Holodomor, detailed lesson plans that examine human rights atrocities through use of the Holodomor as a historical example, provide professional learning to support educator understanding and ability, and provide marketing and communications actions to increase educators’ and learners’ awareness of the Holodomor.
Collaboration with Dr. Lindsay Gibson (UBC) developing an interactive and engaging online game experience for students and the broader community to learn about Canada’s history, interrogate which stories have and have not been told, and propose local, overlooked, or silenced stories that need to become part of collective awareness and memory.
Funded by Canada's National History Society.
Development of practical teaching and learning materials to support teaching and learning for Reconciliation.
This resource draws on research supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Analysis of data and development of strategic plans.
Creation of monthly prompts to guide educators in learning and leading in reconciliation and development of K-3 teaching and learning materials for social-emotional wellness.
Analysis of data and development of strategic plans.
Development of grade-level multi-unit instructional guides, creation of sample lesson sequences designed to develop teacher understanding of instructional patterns that support inquiry-focused and competency-based learning, and a sustained professional learning program.
Development of the first 20 of 40 lessons (classroom teaching and learning materials) and facilitation of in-person professional learning in Canada, July 2023.
Leading the implementation of the revised language curriculum.
This is a two-year project that will develop an online platform consisting of four digital modules that will serve to educate youth about2SLGBTQ+ history in Canada.
Developing a multi year strategic plan based on data analysis.
Collaboration with the Matawa Education & Care Centre in Thunder Bay, ON to develop learning materials in history, geography, and learning strategies for their students from eight First Nations communities in Northern Ontario.
Learn more about the collaboration between the Matawa Education and Care Centre (MECC) and TC².
Collaboration with the Matawa Education & Care Centre in Thunder Bay, ON to develop learning materials in math, science, and traditional knowledge for their students from eight First Nations communities in Northern Ontario.
Learn more about the collaboration between the Matawa Education and Care Centre (MECC) and TC².
Collaboration with the Matawa Education & Care Centre in Thunder Bay, ON to develop a website to showcase and share the MECC teaching and learning materials, develop a course featuring up to 20 lessons, and to develop lesson presentation materials of up to 48 sets of slides designed to support classroom or online implementation of existing MECC teaching and learning materials. Additional collaboration around conference presentations that showcase the TC² and MECC work and approach, development of legacy professional learning materials designed to support professional learning of new members of the MECC team, in-person professional learning facilitated by TC² for the MECC team, and a community content developer mentoring program designed to support up to four community members (e.g., Elders, cultural workers, students, families, alumni) to become writers/developers of education materials.
Development of resources to support understanding of queer history in New Brunswick. Collaborated with the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick to develop five collections of source documents, related notes for teachers, and inquiry tasks for students.
Creation of Thoughtbook, creation of 3 lessons to support use of Thoughtbook in the Civics course, creation of 30-minute narrated PPT describing how a Thoughtbook might be used in the Civics course.
Design and development of a course that will examine practical applications of critical thinking in workplace contexts, virtual facilitation of a pilot of the course; and ongoing facilitation of the course, on an as-requested basis.
Design and implement FireSmart BC teaching and learning resources aimed at BC teachers and students in grades K-12.
Learn more about the collaboration between FireSmart BC and TC².
Developing a multi year strategic plan based on data analysis.
Design of inquiry activities with a focus on urban planning and climate change.
Development of learning activities to support the use of The Camps video series and learning about Canada’s first national internment operation.
Development of a self-guided professional development course consisting of 5 narrated PowerPoint sessions and accompanying course materials.
Development of materials to support school-based professional learning inquiry.
Development of a multi-layered online document that include both general/transferrable inquiry questions/challenges and specific examples with teacher and student materials (photos, videos, links to resources, etc.). Topics are Kindergarten approach to critical inquiry and land based learning and Grade 5/6 approach to critical inquiry and social justice.
Creation of 24 learning activities in grades K-12 to nurture the development of scientific-thinking competencies.
Development of resources to support understanding of Black history in New Brunswick. Collaborated with the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick to develop five collections of source documents, related notes for teachers, and inquiry tasks for students.
Collaboration with Dr. Lindsay Gibson (UBC) developing five lessons and all accompanying materials to support thinking critically about historical commemorations. Partial funding from University of British Columbia’s Hampton Fund New Faculty Grant.
Design of three inquiry activities with a focus on climate change.
Development of 20 science-focused inquiry projects designed to advance goals regarding equity, anti-oppression and climate change.
View the completed resource (search for "tc2").
Development of an inclusive lesson plan and booklist. Collaborated with teachers from Limestone District School Board.
Development of a multi-faceted training module to support the learning of international development organizations seeking to work with the YET4H Youth Council. Developed collaboratively with Plan International Canada and the YET4H Youth Council, the module includes a narrated series of slides, youth voices from around the world, interactive activities and links to background reading and opportunities for further learning. The module responds to the Youth Council’s Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Call to Action and recognizes the direct link between anti-racist anti-oppressive approaches and meaningful youth engagement in international development work.
Document set
Document set for student use to be developed in English and French.
Teacher support resources
Support resources for teacher planning and implementation. Examples of resources may include a teacher’s guide, development of tasks, “look fors”, correlation guide, and templates that provide step by step guidance for teachers. All documents to be developed in English.
Collaboration with BC Hydro’s Power Smart for Schools program to develop 56 energy-focused learning activities for grades 8, 9, 11, 12 science and math, revise 44 existing Power Smart learning activities, and facilitate a review of 44 existing Power Smart learning activities for Indigenous content and approach.
Development and implementation of a strategy to broaden awareness of resources designed to promote understanding of Canada’s first national internment. The strategy includes facilitation of online professional learning opportunities and distribution of teaching and learning resources to faculties of education in Canada and school districts in close proximity to internment sites.
Collaboratively conceptualized and developed by TC² and member school boards of the Northern Ontario Education Leaders (NOEL), led by Superior Greenstone District School Board, this professional learning resource features detailed facilitation materials for seven professional learning sessions designed to support educators in thinking critically about how to best meet the needs of all learners.
Dr. Gibson in collaboration with TC² developed the Snapshots in Time card sets. Set 3 of the Significant Events in Canadian History series has been developed. A Quick Guide book will also be developed to accompany the sets of cards.
In collaboration with BC Hydro Power Smart for Schools, development of activities and lessons in grades 3 and 6 to support energy literacy in the new British Columbia science curriculum.
Resource development
1) Development of resources to support K-3 teachers, particularly supporting their student(s) in an online or blended environment, with a focus on reading, science, and math.
2) Development of materials to support middle and high school students in engaging in independent inquiry, particularly in an online or blended learning environment. Resources will include materials suited to research in a variety of formats and subjects, e.g., historical research, scientific research through labs and experimentation, using artifacts to understand a context, etc.
Development and contribution to content items aligned with BC Curriculum
Contribution of 200 content items that highlight and link to existing resources on The Critical Thinking Consortium’s website. Content items will be entered in three categories: Classroom Ready, Resources for Planning, and Professional Learning.
Development of 22 science-focused inquiry projects designed for online learning.
View the completed resource (search for "tc2").
Development of four literacy-focused tip sheets for teachers, parents, and students to support The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation’s Summer Reading Challenge.
Development of four grades K-3 and four grades 4-8 literacy-focused lesson plans to support The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation’s Summer Reading program.
Development of an instructional design framework to guide the creation of teaching and learning materials that will support the goals of a joint initiative by the Asia-Pacific Foundation and the government of British Columbia.
View the completed lessons:
TC² collaborated with the Matawa Learning Centre in Thunder Bay, ON to develop materials to support their students from eight First Nations communities in Northern Ontario.
TC² translated the Developing Understanding through the Arts and Recognizing an Historic Injustice resources from English to French. These two titles are part of the Pivotal Voices series and were funded by the Endowment Council of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund.
Dr. Gibson in collaboration with TC² continued to develop the Snapshots in Time card sets. Set 2 of the Significant Events in Canadian History series is completed.
TC² received funding to develop twelve lessons designed to nurture the competencies required for inquiry into local histories. The resource is available in English and French and uses critical inquiry as a pedagogical approach to engage students.
In collaboration with ELSE (Alberta) and the Calgary Board of Education and funded by a Community Action Grant from Alberta Education, TC² developed 24 K-12 lesson challenges to support learning about solar-generated electricity, school-based solar energy systems, and energy literacy. Teacher piloting of the lessons took place in the 2018-19 academic year in the Calgary District School Board.
TC² collaborated with Defining Moments Canada to build pedagogical resources to support teacher and student learning applicable to the 100th anniversary of the Spanish Flu Pandemic.
TC² was contracted by the Grand Erie District School Board to collaboratively develop a set of grade 6 lessons focussed on the issue of residential school and reconciliation. The lessons were developed in consultation with community members. The resource assists teachers in effectively planning and implementing learning experiences for their students. Teachers will be able to develop and deepen student understanding of this crucial chapter in Canada’s history.
In collaboration with the Department of Physiotherapy, TC² created two modules for the Bridging Program for internationally trained physiotherapy students seeking to be certified in Canada. Funded by the Department of Physiotherapy in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, the self-directed modules support students and practitioners in developing core understandings and reflexive stances to support their work as professionals.
TC² was contracted to develop questions and lines of inquiry for the Indigenous learning resource and facilitating focus group discussions.
TC² was contracted to develop the pedagogical content for the on-line learning experience (Atlantic Units). All content was developed in a manner that fosters an inquiry-based approach to learning and addresses global academic competencies for middle schools across Canada.
TC² was contracted to develop a facilitators’ guide for the Learning for All policy document with a focus on Special Education and Math in collaboration with 6 school districts.
Dr. Gibson in collaboration with TC² produced the first set of 50 timeline cards to teach K-12 students about the most significant events, people, and developments in Canadian history.
View the completed resource: English | French (Clichés d’histoire)
TC² analyzed and reported on two Right to Play core resources and their overall leadership framework with a focus on the effectiveness of the approach for nurturing thinking, leadership and engagement, as well as offering suggestions for further improvement and resource development.
TC² was contracted by Parkland School District, Alberta to translate several lessons from the Tools For Thought online resource into French.
TC² developed and disseminated four elementary teaching modules that focus on Ukrainian and other immigrant experiences, especially during the First World War Internment period. The modules draw upon poetry, drama, visual arts and literature to build students’ knowledge of these historical events and to develop appreciation for the hardships enduring and the courage displayed.
TC² is working collaboratively with the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto todevelop a comprehensive, articulated set of thinking competency targets for program graduates. Assessment, instructional practices, faculty collaboration and ongoing program planning are being examined in light of the targets.
TC² has partnered with the Science Teachers' Association of Ontario/L'Association des professeurs de sciences de l'Ontario (STAO/APSO) to develop resources geared towards enhancing student engagement in science through innovative teaching and learning practices. The resources will provide background information and tips to assist teachers embedding critical thinking into their classroom practice. The resources will be delivered via the STAO/APSO website and workshops.
View the completed resource.TC² is working with the Academic Success Centre (ASC) at the University of Toronto to develop a series of online, self-directed modules to nurture the development of critical thinking and other core competencies at undergraduate and, potentially, graduate levels. The TC² framework for critical thinking will be integrated into the broader work of the Academic Success Centre through work with peer mentors, workshop development and the infusion of critical thinking pedagogy into resources as they are developed.
TC² has partnered with the British Columbia Heritage Fairs Society and the Vancouver School Board to develop two online teacher resources and offer 20 one-to-two hour professional development opportunities to support teachers in Vancouver and around British Columbia in infusing enhanced Heritage Fairs projects into their teaching.
TC² is developing and implementing a five-year national plan to embed the topic of World War I internment into a diverse array of educational programs, resources and professional development opportunities. The goal is to promote widespread teacher and youth knowledge of and empathy for the treatment of various groups interned during World War I in Canada.
TC² is developing a French-language resource document on critical thinking for social studies teachers from grades 1-6 based on TC² documents, and translating and adapting four current TC² publications into French-language versions.
TC² is producing a new publication, Exemplars in Geographical Thinking, providing model lessons illustrating six concepts in thinking critically in geography.
TC² worked with the BC Principals’ and Vice-Principals’ Association to co-sponsor a professional resource for teachers and educational leaders on how to make sense of and implement the growing and diverse calls for educational reform.
TC² co-developed with The Learning Network a series of 8 professional videos in a series called Focus on Critical Inquiry. The FOCI videos are between 12 to 15 minutes in length and explore topics such as engaging students through inquiry, differentiation in an inquiry classroom, teaching habits of mind, using technologies to support collaborative thinking and promoting critical and creative thinking.
TC² created five new MysteryQuests to support the latest mystery featured on the Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History website: The Franklin Mystery: Life and death in the Arctic.
The Conseil des écoles catholiques du centre-est and TC² worked to increase the critical thinking resources available to Francophone teachers. The project created a parallel TC² website in French and translated many TC² materials into French.
TC² created a series of educational resources and lesson plans at the secondary and post-secondary level related to the Statistics Canada interdisciplinary project, Measuring Ecosystem Goods and Services.
TC² created nine new MysteryQuests, three for each of the following Mysteries: The Redpath Mansion Mystery, Death on a Painted Lake: The Tom Thomson Tragedy, and Death of a Diplomat.
This project involved the development of a teaching program that uses a critical thinking approach to link a number of aspects of the Alberta grade 7 science program of study to Low Impact Development (LID). Students learn general scientific principles and gain investigative tools as they explore challenges and issues related to storm water management in their own city.
TC² developed a publication in the Tools for Critical Inquiry series on thinking about archaeological sites and heritage conservation. Building on the work done on historical and geographical thinking, the resource focuses on exploring six portal concepts.
The Learning Network and TC² co-developed 60 modular inquiry strategies using interactive whiteboard technology that can be easily used to embed engaging critical thinking activities into many teaching situations and subject areas.
TC² co-developed a series of 10 student tutorial videos in a series called Take 2. The videos are under 2 minutes in length and introduce students to key critical thinking tools and include strategies for investigating textual material, preparing for a U-shaped discussion, learning to recognize and filter extraneous information and asking powerful questions.
TC² developed lesson plans and related learning materials to support the Komagata Maru website developed by Simon Fraser University.
TC² developed sample lessons across a range of subjects and grades that integrate Microsoft programs, Kinect and OneNote. OneNote was used as a digital “Thought Journal” to assist students in assembling, organizing, revising, extending and sharing their ideas.
TC² partnered with the UBC Community Historical Recognition Program to produce various online learning resources to support student examination of the Chinese Canadian Stories website.
TC² collaborated with Lorimer Publishing to develop a series of lesson plans on historical perspective taking, causation, continuity and change, consequences, and ethical judgment.
The goal of this project was to develop print and online resources for use in social studies and language arts classrooms in Canada, and to support their use through professional development workshops. The multi-faceted teaching resource will increase students' knowledge of and empathy for people in developing countries.
The print resource introduces a collection of interpretive strategies to teach elementary and middle students to read realistic literature that features development issues and projects on CIDA-related themes. Some of the themes addressed are: basic human needs, infrastructure services, human rights, democracy and good governance, environment, water/sanitation, HIV/AIDS, food/nutrition, basic education, child protection, health, economic development and quality of life, information and prevention programs, child labour, war-affected children, respect for and understanding of human rights, rights of women and children, help for developing countries to protect their environment and gender equality.
This classroom resource package, developed by TC², helps teachers to recreate mock parliamentary committees with their students.
TC² led the development of learning and teaching resources that raised the profile of Alberta's historic places and heritage conservation and complemented the existing Alberta curriculum.
This project involved development of eight self-contained, independent learning objects providing instruction and guided practice in core critical thinking "tools for thought". The objects can be used in online or face-to face courses to support independent student learning.
Course-pacs was a TC² initiative to develop a comprehensive digital resource containing detailed lesson overviews, ready-to-use student booklets and interactive visual displays for use with whiteboard technology. It provides teachers with effective tools to engage students in critical thinking as they develop understanding of the prescribed subject matter.
This project was a TC² initiative to develop high quality, inquiry-based online courses for students in varying subjects and grade levels that fully met specific provincial requirements. Key features of the online courses included emphasis on critical thinking as a way of engaging students in learning the subject matter; use of video and interactive self-contained tutorials to provide "tool" development; a rich online community for students to engage in collaborative interaction with other students and course mentors; differentiated learning and assessment for learning; provision to adapt self-directed courses for use in face-to-face classrooms, especially to support early career teachers.
This project explored the use of Activeboards in elementary, middle and high schools to transform teaching and learning and to help close the gap between high and low achieving students. TC² helped teachers integrate Promethean's Activeboards in their teaching to enhance student engagement with the curriculum.
TC² worked with subject area experts to plan, create and review the learning materials and progress of the project to support the educational value and appeal of the Virtual Museum website.
TC² worked with teachers and representatives from various community groups to develop a print and digital resource to teach about the 1907 riots in Vancouver by viewing the causes, circumstances and consequences of this event though the eyes of five pivotal groups.
The goal of thisproject was to develop a print and online resource for use in elementary and secondary social studies classrooms across Canada and to support the use of these materials through professional development workshops. The teaching resource, The World through Pictures, provides a powerful way to build knowledge about and create empathy for people in developing countries. The resource introduces a collection of powerful strategies to teach students to read and interpret photographs through featured Canadian development projects.
TC² developed eight critical thinking lessons and extensions for the new educational resource First Among Equals: The Prime Minister in Canadian Life and Politics.
The Critical Thinking Consortium developed a teaching resource to support students in thinking critically about the health, economic and environmental benefits of eating locally.
TC² worked with 60 teachers over two phases to develop two hundred online critical thinking activities and support materials for the new social studies curriculum in Alberta.
TC² created nine MysteryQuests, involving use of primary historical documents associated with three Mysteries: Where is Vinland?, Who Discovered Klondike Gold? and Jerome: the Mystery Man of Baie Sainte-Marie.
This project was conceived to nurture critical literacy and social responsibility in elementary school aged children. The series offers substantially self-explanatory companion reading guides that accompany exemplary literature for use by parents and teachers. Ten guides have been developed and produced as part of this project.
The Central Okanagan School District developed this program to articulate use of contemporary technologies to meet district goals such as improving literacy, numeracy and social responsibility. TC² helped teachers use laptop technology to meet district goals and conducted research into the changes in teachers' practice throughout the project.
The purpose of this project was to develop/articulate a scope and sequence of social studies skills for Grades K-12. The skills were derived from the dimensions of thinking associated with six social studies conceptual strands, and critical thinking, critical inquiry and dialectical thinking related to social studies.
The Inukshuk Project focused on the need to provide a distributed learning science curriculum that was innovative, engaging and effective. TC² has partnered with COOL Schools and The Central Okanagan School District to develop twelve Grade 7 science lessons designed to bring together the TC² method of embedding critical thinking with Cool School's expertise in innovative technical design and the organizational aspect of online learning. Lessons took the form of critical challenges to help students learn and use several "intellectual tools".
TC² produced a new publication, Exemplars in Historical Thinking: 20th Century Canada, providing model lessons illustrating six concepts in thinking critically about history.
This publication, produced by TC², articulates six central concepts in thinking critically in geography.
The Partners Network was a plan by SAPDC to sustain communities of practice in Alberta to assist local teachers with implementation of the new social studies program. TC² assisted in organizing and providing professional support to groups of urban and rural teachers who participated in face-to-face and online networks of professional development and collaborative inquiry. Concurrent with this, TC² conducted research on the effects of electronic learning technologies in nurturing these professional communities.
TC² developed eight learning activities based on the Census 2006 results to encourage the use of Statistics Canada census data, technology and critical thinking.
TC² created nine MysteryQuests, involving use of primary historical documents associated with various Mysteries in the Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History series.
TC² published a curriculum resource with an extensive online dimension to help secondary students understand the nature and scope of globalization and efforts by Canadian non-governmental groups in areas affected by globalization.
TC² created twelve MysteryQuests, involving use of primary historical documents associated with six Mysteries in the Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History series.
Three curriculum resources were developed to support the use of source documents and to foster understanding of historical thinking among teachers of Canadian history.
TC² worked with 60 teachers over two phases to develop two hundred online critical thinking activities and support materials for the Ministry website on the new social studies curriculum in Alberta. The primary-level lesson ideas are posted on Learn Alberta.
TC² developed, published and disseminated a curriculum resource for use by elementary and secondary teachers to foster understanding of the rights of young persons around the world and the role of Canadian non-governmental groups in furthering these rights. The print resource, Caring for Young Peoples' Rights, was published in 2004. ISBN 0-86491-249-8
TC² worked with 23 teams of teachers to develop, publish and disseminate curriculum resources to embed critical thinking into the teaching of social studies in British Columbia.