Center for the Study of Canada - The Canada Valise

Center for the Study of Canada - The Canada Valise

The Canada Valise is a loan kit for K-12 teachers filled with fascinating learning materials to assist in presenting Canada as part of the curriculum.  Valise means suitcase in French.  The Canada Valise is an amazing resource with supplies for teachers and students alike.  The Valise contains not only a variety of Canadian artifacts but a large notebook full of lessons and activities, which teachers may copy and use, or adjust to meet the particular needs of their curriculum. 

Resources for teachers to address some of the following sample topics are found in the Valise:

• Fur trade
• Canadian geography and ecology
• Peoples of Canada: Aboriginals, French Canadians, English Canadians, and Immigrants
• Canadian history
• Culture of Canada
• Canadian art: the Group of Seven, First Nations and Arctic Artists
• Industrialization
• Klondike Gold
• Symbols of Canada

Some showcase objects contained in the Valise include:

• Beaver pelt 
• Hudson Bay blanket coat 
• R.C.M.P. red surge jacket and arm patch
• Flags: Canadian national flag, Hudson Bay Company flag, and tabletop flags of each province and territory
• as well as license plates, Province cookie cutters, model rail cars, Canadian coins

Reserve the Canada Valise for use in your school:

Teachers may borrow the Valise for free, paying only the cost of transportation to the next school on the reservation list. The valise is housed at the Canadian-American Center, University of Maine. For scheduling information, please see www.umaine.edu/canam/teachingcanada.htm

The Center for the Study of Canada at SUNY Plattsburgh works in collaboration with the Canadian-American Center at the University of Maine to provide professional development opportunities and teaching resources to K-12 teachers who incorporate Canadian content into the classrooms.  

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

If you would like more information about the Center for the Study of Canada at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:

Christopher Kirkey, Ph.D.
Director, Center for the Study of Canada
Phone: (518) 564-2086
Fax: (518) 564-2112
E-mail: canada@plattsburgh.edu