Canadian Symbols at Parliament
How to Use This Resource
This resource is comprised of eight collections of photos which make up the Symbols Gallery. These photos form the basis for teaching young learners about the stories behind the symbols found at Parliament.
Activities have been organized into three sections (pre-activities, activities and post activities) to assist you in teaching your students about these symbols. Printable, photocopy-ready blackline masters are available for most activities. For your convenience, you can print all of the activity sheets at once.
When you bring your class to visit Parliament, be sure to request the level-specific tour for your young group. Searching for Symbols was developed for visitors from Kindergarten through Grade 3 (primary cycles 1 and 2 in Quebec).
The Gallery
The information in the Symbols Gallery is for teacher reference and can be incorporated into the lessons at an appropriate level.
For added class visuals, full-colour wall posters of the Parliament Buildings (Centre Block), and the interior of the Senate and House of Commons Chambers are available for purchase from the Parliament Hill Boutique. (This link is a secure connection and opens in a new window.)
The Activities
The pre-activities are designed to help students understand the concept of a symbol and offer warm-up activities that will generate discussions and ideas. The activities are related to the symbols found on the Web site and serve as consolidation and review exercises, while post-activities can be used as extension projects or for wrapping up the unit.
The Tour
Take your class on a tour of Parliament! A specially designed interactive tour uses props and visuals to help younger students discover the meaning of the symbols found in the Centre Block of Parliament. For more details and to book a reservation, visit Searching for Symbols Tour.
