Teacher Contributions

Approaches to a Study of The Battle of Hong Kong

Author: Nancy Hamer Strahl Grade level: Secondary (gr. 9-12)

Overview:

These activities are based on the invasion of Hong Kong and explores its nature and role during World War Two.

Aims:

Based on Howard Gardner's theories on multiple intelligences, these activities will give teachers a wider range of learning strategies. Multiple intelligences gives students a choice as to how they wish to present the information they have researched and also to showcase their talents or particular intelligence.

Resources:

A great resource is the HKVCA website. It will direct you to information, pictures and references to help you complete this assignment.

Activities:

1. Guest Speaker: (optional)

Invite a guest speaker to your school. Invite a local Hong Kong veteran to your school. Call you local Legion or contact the Memory Project to send you a veteran who will give you a first hand account of their experience during the Battle of Hong Kong. Check the Hong Kong Veteran Commemorative Association website at www.hkvca.ca and make a request through them.

2. Library Research and Final Product:

Have students go to their school library and do research on the battle for Hong Kong. This multiple intelligences activity gives students a choice on how to present the information they have researched and lets them showcase their particular talents. Students will be required to collect 4 pages of handwritten notes and include at least 4 sources in their bibliography, at least two of which should be electronic sources. They will take home their information and create a portfolio which includes work from four different areas. They have five intelligence categories to choose from: logical, intrapersonal, linguistic, spatial/visual and musical/rhythmic. Assessment and Evaluation:

The assessment and evaluation conforms to the Ontario Ministry of Education requirements of knowledge / understanding, thinking / inquiry, application and communication using an achievement chart tailored to the activity.

3. Student Research Project:

The Battle of Hong Kong and World War Two

This project gives you a choice as to how you wish to present the information you have gathered on The Battle of Hong Kong. This is your opportunity to showcase your talents in a creative way and get to know more about the battle of Hong Kong and the valiant efforts of “C” Force.

From the list provided below pick 4 activities that fascinate you. Each activity must come from a different intelligence category. Once you have researched the battle of Hong Kong, create a portfolio to showcase your work.

A) LOGICAL:

Draw a map of the island of Hong Kong
Prepare a time line of events from December 8 to 25, 1941
Do a mind map Create a battlefield tour brochure for the battle of Hong Kong
Develop a glossary of terms

B) INTRAPERSONAL:

Write a biography of Gander, the Royal Rifles mascot
Draw up a list of the rations given to a POW in Japan
Critique a documentary on the battle of Hong Kong
Read a history book and write a book review
Research the career of a soldier Write a veteran's letter home or journal entry dated August 1945
Critique a Hong Kong Veteran web site
Write a letter to a living Hong Kong Veteran dated the present

C) LINGUISTIC:

Write a biography of a nurse associated with the battle of Hong Kong
Write a secret diary entry from a prison camp
Write an obituary of a fallen soldier or nurse Create a newsreel telling the story of the return of the soldiers to Canada
Write an investigative report on the conditions in the prison camps for the Red Cross
Create a debate on the decision of sending our troops to Hong Kong

D) SPATIAL / VISUAL: Create a

Poster
Collage
Photo album
3 D model of a prison camp
Build a commemorative monument to the fallen of Hong Kong Storyboard for a movie or documentary
Draw a picture of the Hong Kong Veterans insignia

E) MUSICAL/RHYTHMIC: Create a

Song
Poem
Rap song
Music video with an appropriate song to honour the veterans

In your final product be sure to:

include at least four sources, including at least two electronic sources.
include a bibliography using proper format.
include at least four pages of notes taken from at least four sources. Make sure you indicate the sources and pages taken. Always put your notes in point form and in your own words.
explain the role and nature of the battle of Hong Kong
design an effective layout that makes use of space, colour and images to present the information.
use proper sentence and paragraph structure, spelling and grammar.

Teaching/Resource Guide and Student Question Book

Teacher: Flora Fung Oshawa Central Collegiate Institute Oshawa, ON

Grade level: Secondary (Gr.9-12)

Flora Fung has put together two items, a Teaching/Resource Guide and a Student Question Book that she has used with great success in the classroom. There is much important information in the Hong Kong Teaching/Resource Guide as well as opportunities for testing students’ understanding of the material provided in the Hong Kong POW Question Book which follows.

Graeme Stacey’s work with “Savage Christmas” from the “Valour and the Horror” video

1. A Powerpoint presentation summarizing the war in the Pacific
NOTE: If you do not have MS Powerpoint you can download a free Powerpoint viewer.

2. Working with the “Savage Christmas” segment from “The Valour and the Horror” video

Debbie Jiang & the Lest We Forget Cenotaph Research Project

Debbie Jiang, a former teacher, is a member of HKVCA in the Ottawa area. She has a very special role to play in assisting us to become more informed about the Battle of Hong Kong, and the soldiers who fought there. She is the Co-ordinator of the Lest We Forget Research Project as an Education Officer at Library and Archives Canada.
Lest We Forget Cenotaph Research Project | Projet nous nous souviendrons d'eux