This section of the Archives' web site provides teachers with educational materials based on original records held by the Archives of Ontario. Intended to encourage the use of primary documents in education it provides classroom-ready, curriculum-based lesson plans, and printable contextual material.

The lesson plans found below represent the early stages of what the Archives hopes will become a vital collaboration with teachers throughout the province. As we move forward, this section will continue to grow as more lesson plans are developed.

We encourage teachers to get involved and share materials. For information on contributing to this project, click here.

As they relate to the study of history, primary documents are records "created in the past, which have survived into the present." Letters, photos, drawings, and other records that were created at or near the time being studied bring a dimension to the subject that is not available through any other means.

How are they valuable in the study of history?

Primary documents provide a unique perspective on historic events and situations. Unlike textbooks which provide a retelling of the events from the perspective of the author, primary documents are treasures that have emerged from history intact. The are time-capsules that provide windows into the past that are not available any other way.

For further information visit these sources:

• For an in depth introduction into teaching with primary documents read: Teaching History With Primary Documents - an Introduction By Ruth Sandwell
• To learn how Archives work and how they differ from libraries visit the online exhibit: Archives Unboxed and Revealed: A Guide to Understanding Archives
• For a brief introduction to the records held by the Archives of Ontario visit : Our Collections, An Overview

The Archives of Ontario has embarked on an innovative pilot project with professors and students at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (OISE/UT) to develop online educational tools based on archival records held by the Archives of Ontario. 

When OISE was created in 1968, an essential part of its mandate was to provide support to the schools and educational communities of the province.  It has become one of the largest, most research-intensive, and high regarded faculties of education in Canada.

The Archives of Ontario, Ontario’s premier source of documentary heritage, has joined forces with OISE/UT to create innovative learning tools to facilitate the use materials from the Archives’ collection in the development of teaching materials and provide students with a first-hand look at the province’s history.

Teacher candidates at OISE were invited to produce curriculum-centred lesson plans based on original records featured on the Archives of Ontario’s website.  The lesson plans included in this section represent the first contributions by the students and are here to be shared with colleagues and schools across Ontario and beyond.

This site also allows teachers to share their knowledge and enthusiasm by inviting them to contribute materials they have developed using records found on the Archives of Ontario website.

The Archives of Ontario has, through this web site, made digital copies of many original records available online.

• For in-depth explorations of many of the collections held by the archives visit Online Exhibits at the Archives of Ontario.
• There are over 20,000 photographs covering a wide variety of subject areas in the Archives Visual Database.
• There are over 700 images in the Government of Ontario Art Collection Database.
• For more information about what materials might be available for use in the creation of educational resources consult these pages:
  • Our Collections: An Overview
  • Search the Collections
• For information on how the Archives can help visit: Services for the Public.

This project is a co-operative effort among archivists and support staff at the Archives of Ontario, OISE/UT instructors and their teacher candidates as well as practising teachers.

We welcome and encourage teacher submissions, recognizing that we may need to edit and fine-tune lessons so they are easily accessible to those who wish to use them.

For information on how to structure lesson plans and background on teaching using primary documents follow these links:

• Components for Archives-Based Lessons
• Teaching History With Primary Documents - an Introduction By Ruth Sandwell

If you have questions or would like to contribute to the project please contact us at: education@archives.gov.on.ca

Please let us know what you thought of any of the material in this section. We also welcome any suggestions for ways in which they can be improved so please take a few moments to send us your comments by filling in the form below.