Mackenzie House School Trips
Mackenzie House, located at 82 Bond St. (Yonge/Dundas), is the restored home of William Lyon Mackenzie, Toronto’s first Mayor, a radical journalist and publisher and leader of the Rebellion of 1837 in Upper Canada. This house was given to Mackenzie by friends and supporters, when he retired from public life, and in recognition of his many years of serving the community.
Programs at Mackenzie House offer students the opportunity to experience hands-on printing on the 1845 press and discuss topics connected with the history of media and activism, via the newspapers of William Lyon Mackenzie and Mary Ann Shadd Cary, the first Black woman to edit and publish a newspaper in North America. Currently the historic house is undergoing restoration.
Explore the school trips below.
How was the printing press historically used as a tool of activism? How is critical thinking applied to the media of today? Taking inspiration from the lives and work of Mary Ann Shadd Cary and William Lyon Mackenzie students use wooden type and an 1845 printing press to create their own “one word” posters. Which word holds significance to each student, and why?
In this program, students will:
- Typeset a poster using wooden type and design elements
- Print the poster using the 1845 printing press
- Share why the word was chosen
Duration
1 hour
Group Size
10 to 25 students
Cost
$4.42 plus HST per student
One supervisor free per 15 students or part thereof. $4.42 plus HST per additional supervisor.
Accessibility
Please advise of accessibility needs when contacting the museum.
Ontario Curriculum Connections
Grade 9 English: Literacy Connections and Applications, A1, A3
Grade 9 English: Foundations of Language, B1, B2
Grade 9 English: Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts, C
Grade 9 English: Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts, D2
Grade 10 English: Oral Communication
Grade 10 English: Reading and Literature Studies
Grade 10 English: Media Studies
Grade 10 History: Historical Inquiry and Skill Development, A
Mary Ann Shadd Cary was a teacher, an abolitionist and the first Black woman to publish a newspaper in North America. Students print their own copy of her newspaper, The Provincial Freeman, on the 1845 printing press, while discussing anti-racism and critical thinking in media.
In this program, students will:
- Typeset a personalized copy of The Provincial Freeman
- Print the poster using the 1845 printing press
- Use steel nib pens and ink wells to write a letter to the Editor, Mary Ann Shadd Cary
Duration
1.5 hours
Group Size
10 to 25 students
Cost
$5.31 plus HST per student
One supervisor free per 15 students or part thereof. $5.31 plus HST per additional supervisor.
Accessibility
Please advise of accessibility needs when contacting the museum.
Ontario Curriculum Connections
Grade 5 Language: Media, Audience and Production, A2.2
Grade 5 Language: Critical Thinking in Literacy, C3
Grade 5 Language: Creating Texts, D2
Grade 6 Social Studies: Heritage and Identity: Communities in Canada, Past and Present, A3
Grade 6 Social Studies: Understanding Context: Canada’s Global Interactions, B
Grade 6 Language: Research and Information Literacy, A2.3
Grade 6 Language: Media, Audience and Production, A2.5
Grade 7 Language: Research and Information Literacy, A2.3
Grade 7 Language: Media, Audience and Production, A2.5
Grade 7 History: Canada, 1800–1850: Changes and Challenges, B
Grade 8 Language: Research and Information Literacy, A2.3