CBC Archives

Discuss with students what factors (people, events, and ideas) influence their lives. Ask: What do you think are the influences that are most likely to lead to a person’s success? Working in small groups, students create a concept web to show the various factors that influence a person’s life. Share these and discuss which factors they feel have the greatest impact.

Direct students to the topic Lester B. Pearson: From Peacemaker to Prime Minister on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. In their groups, have students browse Clips 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8. Students should note information about the major influences on Pearson at different points in his life. Students may use the download sheet Life at a Glance to organize their findings.

Each group will prepare a dust jacket for a book about the influences in Pearson’s life. Groups can discuss how best to represent the major influences in his life, and can draw or find visuals to support their ideas. They select an appropriate title for the book.

Have students display and discuss their book title and dust jacket, comparing and contrasting the ideas in each group’s work. Ask students to consider the title and visuals used and offer any comments and suggestions.

Students can select another Prime Minister of Canada and research the influence that family, sports, career, and political party had on his or her life. What other factors were influential? They can create a compare and contrast chart for the two Prime Ministers.