
Environmental
Activism
through the art of
Joyce Wieland
Environmental Activism through the art of Joyce Wieland
Joyce Wieland (1930–1998), one of Canada’s most iconic artists, was deeply interested in a wide range of social issues, in particular the environment. The exercises in this guide introduce students to several of Wieland’s artworks about land and the environment, and they give students opportunities to explore contemporary environmentalism and creative advocacy.
- Spotlighting the Words of Environmental Activists
- Innovative Representations of Land
- Advocating for the Environment
- Biology
- Environmental Science
- Geography
- Canadian and International Politics
Explore
Other Resource Guides

Clearcutting
through the art of
Emily Carr
Explore Emily Carr’s work as a starting point for a rich investigation of the impact of clearcutting.
Geography, Social Studies, Visual Arts
Maritime
Environments
and Industry
through the art of
Edward Mitchell Bannister
Explore maritime environments through the works of Black Canadian-American artist Edward Mitchell Bannister.
Canadian Studies, Science, Social Studies, Biology, Oceans, Environmental Science
Prairie Landscapes
through the art of
Lionel LeMoine FitzGerald
This guide explores how FitzGerald’s artworks and Western Canadian landscapes relate to science, art, and history.
Science, Social Studies, Visual Arts
Colour, Language
& Storytelling
through the art of
Yves Gaucher
Abstract painter, printmaker, and collagist Yves Gaucher grew up in Montreal and was known for his rebellious spirit.
Language, Media Literacy, Visual Arts
Modern Canadian Landscapes & the Group of Seven
through the art of
Tom Thomson
This guide challenges students to reflect on the achievements and limitations of works by Thomson and the Group of Seven.
Visual Arts, Social Studies, Canadian and World Studies
Holocaust Remembrance
through the art of
Gershon Iskowitz
This guide explores Iskowitz’s Holocaust-related art and encourages students to think about tragic moments in history.
Social Studies, Visual Arts, the Writer’s Craft
Early 20th Century Women
through the art of
Prudence Heward
Prudence Heward is best known for her provocative representations of female subjects.
English, Media Studies, Health and Physical Education, Social Studies, Visual Arts, the Writer’s Craft
Decolonization
through the art of
Robert Houle
Robert Houle is one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary artists.
Visual arts, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies, History, Social studies
Land & Indigenous Worldviews
through the art of
Norval Morrisseau
Norval Morrisseau is considered by many to be the Mishomis, or grandfather, of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada.
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies, Visual Arts
Fundamental Principles in Computer Science
through the art of
Michael Snow
As a visual artist, experimental filmmaker, and musician, Michael Snow (b.1928) uses different technologies to create complex images and experiences.
Computer Science, Media Arts, Technology, Visual Arts.
Urban Environments
through the art of
Jean Paul Lemieux
Jean Paul Lemieux (1904–1990) was one of the most innovative and important painters in twentieth-century Canada.
Geography, Urban Studies, World Issues
Early 20th Century Childhood
through the art of
Helen McNicoll
One of the most notable female artists in Canada, Helen McNicoll was known for her Impressionist rural landscapes and intimate child subjects.
History, Language Arts, Social Studies
Living Things
& Habitats
through the art of
Homer Watson
through the art of Homer Watson
Homer Watson was one of the country’s most important nineteenth-century artists, and he is best known for his landscapes of Canada.
Biology, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Visual Arts
Canadian Identity
through the art of
Greg Curnoe
the art of Greg Curnoe
An artist based in London, Ontario, Greg Curnoe promoted regionalism to help define Canadian Identity.
Canadian Issues, World Issues, Civics, History
Musical Composition
through the art of
Bertram Brooker
through the art of Bertram Brooker
Throughout his career Bertram Brooker looked to capture the ephemeral and magical qualities of music in his paintings.
Music, Visual Arts, Composition and Production
Multiculturalism
through the art of
William Kurelek
the art of William Kurelek
William Kurelek, a second-generation Canadian of Ukrainian descent, had a deep respect for his family’s Eastern European culture and background.
History, Social Studies, Visual Arts
Women in the
Second World War
through the art of
Molly Lamb Bobak
Molly Lamb Bobak was the first female war artist in Canada. Canadians played an important role in the Second World War, both on the home front and overseas.
Dramatic Arts, English, History, Visual Arts
Entrepreneurialism
& Business
through the art of
William Notman
William Notman was a Scottish immigrant who settled in Montreal in 1856 and soon opened a photography business that he later expanded into a network of photography studios.
Visual Arts, English, Social Studies, Business Studies
Politics & Social Change
through the art of
Paul-Émile Borduas
An artist, a teacher, and an anarchist, Paul-Émile Borduas drove social change in Quebec throughout his career.
Canadian and World Studies, English, French, Social Studies, Visual Arts
Ways of Knowing
through the art of
Iljuwas Bill Reid
Iljuwas Bill Reid is one of the most significant Northwest Coast art figures from the second half of the twentieth century.
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Studies, Visual Arts, English Language Arts, Social Studies, History
Simple Machines
through the art of
Sorel Etrog
Drawing on a wide array of forms, Sorel Etrog created works with remarkable energy and tension.
Science, Technology
Community & Land Stewardship
through the art of
Pitseolak Ashoona
This guide encourages students to explore the Inuit principles of knowledge and understandings of land and community as represented in works by Pitseolak Ashoona.
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies
Astronomy
through the art of
Paterson Ewen
Paterson Ewen’s fascination with astronomy followed that of artists and communities throughout history.
History, Science, World Issues
Perspective Drawing, Slope, and Equations
of Lines
through the art of
Kazuo Nakamura
Kazuo Nakamura was passionately interested in art and mathematics, and the activities in this guide connect these subjects.
Mathematics, Visual Arts
Early Colonial Canada
through the art of
Louis Nicolas
This guide explores the production of knowledge in early colonial Canada through the work of Louis Nicolas.
Geography, History
The Properties of Light
through the art of
Mary Pratt
This guide explores how Mary Pratt's masterful paintings are connected to the world of science and optics.
Science, Physics
Professional Illustration and Graphic Design
through the art of
Oscar Cahén
Oscar Cahén (1916–1956) came to Canada in 1940 as a political refugee, and within a few years he established himself as a professional artist in Canada.
Language Arts, Media Arts, Visual Arts, English
Shading Techniques & Mathematical
Analysis of Circles
through the art of
Jock Macdonald
Jock Macdonald (1897–1960) was one of the most radical artists in Canada in the mid-twentieth century.
Mathematics, Visual Arts
Clothing and Fashion
through the art of
Gathie Falk
Gathie Falk is one of the most celebrated artists in Canada, whose work explores personal apparel.
Visual Arts
Regional Heritage
through explorations of
Historical and Contemporary Art in Ottawa
Beyond the landmarks that Ottawa is known for, the city is home to artists affecting historical meaning.
Visual Arts, Science, Social Studies, History, Geography
Global Citizenship
through the art of
Paraskeva Clark
Paraskeva Clark (1898–1986) was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1898 and emigrated to Toronto in 1931.
Canadian and World Studies, Visual Arts
Food and Nutrition
in Canada
through the art of
Ozias Leduc
Ozias Leduc (1864–1955) was a painter who believed passionately in the potential of art to communicate important messages about the human condition.
Health and Nutrition
Literary Devices
through the art of
Alex Colville
Alex Colville (1920–2013) is one of Canada’s most celebrated painters.
English, Dramatic Arts, Visual Arts, The Writer’s Craft
Systemic Racism and Resistance
through the art of
Zacharie Vincent
Zacharie Vincent is a unique figure from the Huron-Wendat Nation who adopted European painting traditions.
Canadian History, First Nations, Inuit Studies, Métis Studies, Social Studies
Plein Air Painting
through the art of
William Raphael
William Raphael was one of the first Canadian artists to perfect the art of painting outdoors (plein air painting).
Visual Arts, Social Studies, Geography
Western Canada in
the Early 1900s
through the art of
C.D. Hoy
Explore history using the photography of C.D. (Chow Dong) Hoy
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies; History; Social Studies
Topography
through the art of
Takao Tanabe
Takao Tanabe is revered for his ability to create landscape works of great depth and subtlety
Canadian Geography, Regional Geography, Physical Geography, Environment and Resource Management, Humanities
Family and Intergenerational Knowledge
through the art of
Annie Pootoogook
This guide explores Annie Pootoogook's interest in the documentation of daily life.
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies; Social Studies; Visual Arts
Media and Advertising
through the art of
Margaret Watkins
Margaret Watkins was one of the most successful advertising photographers in Canada's history of photography.
Visual Arts, Media Studies
Drawing
through the art of
Historical and Contemporary Art
in Canada
This guide explores a range of techniques through studies of the observational drawings.
Studio Arts, Visual Arts
Abstraction and the Inspiration of Nature
through the art of
Jean Paul Riopelle
Jean Paul Riopelle (1923–2002) is one of the most celebrated and influential artists in the history of modern painting.
English Language Arts, French, History of Quebec and Canada, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Seasonal Changes
through the art of
Maud Lewis
Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, celebrated for presenting a singular view of life in rural Nova Scotia.
Dramatic Arts, Language Art, Science
The Big Questions
through the art of
Jin-me Yoon
Contemporary artist Jin-me Yoon (b.1960) has consistently explored some of the deepest corners of philosophical questioning and thought.
Philosophy, Visual Arts, Humanities, History, Media Studies
The Elements of Art
through explorations of
Historical and Contemporary Artists in Canada
The ability to discuss and employ the elements of art is an important skill for young artists to cultivate as they deepen their understanding of what makes an impactful creative work.
Visual Arts
War and Commemoration
through explorations of
Historical and Contemporary Art in Canada
through explorations of Historical
and Contemporary Art in Canada
War and conflict have wreaked havoc on the history of what we now call Canada for centuries.
Visual Arts, History, English, Social Studies
Finding Your Voice
through the art of
Carl Beam
through the art of Carl Beam
Through his work in painting, printmaking, ceramics, and performance art, Carl Beam challenged assumptions about First Nations creativity and the style and content of contemporary Indigenous art.
Indigenous Studies, Canadian History, Visual Arts
Form and Structure
through the art of
Eli Bornstein
the art of Eli Bornstein
Saskatoon-based artist Eli Bornstein changed the Canadian art world when he invented the Structurist Relief.
Science, Visual Arts
Regional Heritage
through explorations of
Historical and Contemporary art in Halifax
Halifax—also known as Kjipuktuk, or “great harbour,” in the Mi’kmaw language—is one of Canada’s oldest settlements.
Social Studies, History, Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Drama
Regional Heritage
through the art of
Historical and Contemporary art
in Quebec City
Quebec City, the capital of the province of Quebec, has a rich history of art that spans more than four centuries.
Geography, History, Visual Arts
Symbolism
& Memorials
through the art of
Walter S. Allward
Walter S. Allward (1874–1955) was a self-taught, Toronto-born artist who became one of Canada’s pre-eminent sculptors.
Drama, Visual Arts, Canadian History, English, Social Science
Photography
through explorations of
Historical and Contemporary Art in Canada
Since 1839, Canadians have used photography to capture moments that revolutionize how we see ourselves.
Integrated Arts, Media Arts, Visual Arts, History, Social Studies
The Faces of Canada
through the photography of
Yousuf Karsh
No artist in Canada is more famous for making photographic portraits than Yousuf Karsh.
Social Studies, History, Integrated Arts, Visual Arts, and more
Physical Regions of Canada
through the art of
Doris McCarthy
This guide explores connections between physical geography and McCarthy’s landscape works.
Visual Arts, Science, Social Studies, Geography
Printmaking
through the art of
Betty Goodwin
art of Betty GoodwinIntegrated Arts, Media Arts, Visual Arts

Abstraction and the Inspiration of Nature
through the art of
Jean Paul Riopelle

Ways of Knowing
through the art of
Iljuwas Bill Reid

Regional Heritage
through explorations of
Historical and Contemporary Art in Ottawa

Western Canada in the Early 1900s
through the art of
C.D. Hoy
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies; History; Social Studies, and more

Early Colonial Canada
through the art of
Louis Nicolas

Seasonal Changes
through the art of
Maud Lewis