Courses
- British Columbia History
- Canadian History
- British North American Colonial History
- Daily life in the Crown Colony of Vancouver Island around 1858
- Important events in the historical development of British Columbia
- Primary and secondary source analysis including visual sources
- Continuity and change in history
Daily Life in Victoria before and after the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
Step 6: Identify continuity and change in Colonial Victoria
Invite students to consider which aspects of daily life in Victoria have changed and which aspects have remained constant from the pre-gold rush to post-gold rush periods. Encourage students to consult the records of their observations and inferences and those of their fellow students. If students have worked in groups to analyze all the documents, arrange for each group to review its findings. Alternatively, post copies of the documents and completed activity sheets around the classroom, and invite pairs of students to examine the findings.
Distribute a copy of the activity sheet, #11 Looking for Continuity or Change, to each student (or pair of students). Inform students that their task is to identify evidence from the two time periods of continuity and change for four aspects of daily life. Students are to rate the degree of change or continuity for the four aspects using the scale included on the activity sheet. Remind students to justify their rankings with evidence.
Before embarking on the activity, review with students the rubric, #12 Assessing the Rating of Continuity and Change. After completion of the activity, in addition to your own evaluation you may want students to assess their own or each others’ identification of examples of continuity and change and their ratings of the degree of similarity and difference.
Arrange for individuals or groups to share their most notable examples of continuity and change and their ratings for various aspects of daily life, encouraging other students to offer evidence that supports or challenges the ratings.
