CBC Archives

Introduce or review the game “Who am I?” by explaining that the class will attempt to guess the identity of an important historical figure by responding to clues. The objective is to identify the figure from the fewest clues, while the objective of the contestant giving the clues is to stump the class. Play one round by choosing a figure to portray and creating a list of five to ten clues about that person. Give students one clue at a time, inviting guesses after each clue. Continue giving clues until the students guess your identity.

Direct students to the topic Mr. President Goes to Ottawa on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Assign small groups one of the presidents or prime ministers profiled on the site. Groups prepare for the game by making a list of facts, or clues, about their assigned politician, referring to the “Did you Know?” sections. Groups should select one representative to impersonate their politician and present the clues. Groups should also spend some time reviewing the whole site in preparation for guessing the other groups’ politicians.

Play the game as a class. Remind the impersonators that their goal is to keep the class guessing for as long as possible while the goal for the class is to identify the impersonator as quickly as possible.

Discuss how the various contestants succeeded in impersonating their politician. Ask: What did you learn about the politicians from playing this game? How do you think their personalities affect Canadian-American relations?

Groups can present a more in-depth impersonation, possibly a speech or news conference, in which they assume the role of one of these figures and present it to the class.