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Have students discuss what they know about legends. Prompt them by asking them to talk about:

legends they already know

how legends are derived

the place of legends in Canada's history

the creative elements of legends.

Students can review their understanding of the legend genre by reading legends in books or online.

Working in pairs, students research the development and origin of lacrosse as Canada’s national summer sport. Direct them to Lacrosse: A History of Canada’s Game on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site and the additional Web links, such as The National Lacrosse League’s Web site. Have them record their findings.

Have students read the legend in Clip #2, “The tale of Mong the loon and Kaikak the hawk.” They can use it as a model as they write their own legend about how the game of lacrosse originated and how it is connected with nature.

Have students share their legends orally with other classes and discuss lacrosse as Canada's national summer sport. Ask the students what impact did presenting information about lacrosse through an oral legend have? Would they have responded differently if you had presented the information in another way, for example, as a factual lecture?

Students can rewrite their legends as a play and act them out, or paint a mural to represent their legends.