Unit 4 Project
Canadian National Identity Collage
You will be creating a collage of Canadian symbols of national identity, together with a personal statement and reflection in paragraph form.
Introduction
Canada has a rich and varied past that can often lie buried in the archives. Too often, the histories of Canada focus on political and military exploits, and the lives of rich and powerful figures. But there are many other stories of Canada's past to be told. Tales of the struggles and triumphs of Canadian labour, the journey to a new home of people from a multitude of former lands, and the trials and tribulations of growing up in Canada.
Step 1
Think of the symbols operating at the national level that might draw people together in Canada. Consider this list of common national symbols; the national anthem, the flag, the beaver, the maple leaf, the Queen.
Think about the kinds of features that a powerful national symbol will exhibit:
- distinctive—is uniquely associated with Canada
- recognized—is widely known across groups and regions
- attachment—has strong attachments for many people
- long lasting—had been a factor for many years.
Does the nickel with the beaver, pictured above, fit these criteria?
Step 3
Take a minute to look at the car logos below. Which ones do you think are the most powerful? Why?
Step 4
Research the symbols of Canadian identity that you will consider for your collage. You will then narrow this down to between five and eight symbols that you will use in your collage.
The symbols should meet the criteria for a powerful, national symbol as outlined above. You will also need to consider the variety of symbols that you use to achieve the greatest effect. Keep in mind the aspects of Canadian identity that we explored in this unit.
Step 5
Arrange the symbols on your collage so that each has the maximum impact while contributing to an overall message for the collage as a whole. Consider the size of each one. Think about whitespace. You may want to include a title on the collage or let the images speak for themselves.
Work your way through the link on visual design below.
Step 6
Write your artist's statement in proper paragraph form. Start with the purpose and meaning of the collage. Explain your symbols including why you chose each one and why you made the choices regarding how you arranged them.
This will be marked out of 12 for visual design and 12 for the paragraph.
Total - 24 marks