Age group: 12 - 18
Aim
To encourage students to reflect upon the sacrifices and achievements of young Canadians who served during the Second World War.
Objectives
Students:
- will gain a better understanding of the sacrifices and achievements of Canadians who served in the Far East during the Second World War;
- will learn about the horrific conditions that prisoners of war (POWs) experienced; and
- gain a better appreciation for the long term physical and mental effects that incarnation had on POWs.
Target Audience
This activity is suitable for students in grades 7-12, ages 12-18.
Sequence of Activities and Anticipated Time Frame
[This activity can be modified to fit available class time.]
- Background: 10 minutes
- Canada's Food Guide Activity: 25 minutes
- Optional Activity: 10 minutes
Suggested Class Materials
- Class set of PDF Handout #6 - "The Aftermath"
- Computer with internet access to Veterans Affairs Canada's (VAC) - Heroes Remember Website; and
- LCD Projector, electronic white board or other device to display material.
Background: 10 minutes
In preparation for today’s activity students should read Handout #6 - "The Aftermath".
Then ask your students to watch the personal reflections of Hong Kong Veterans Kenneth Ewing [Heroes Remember Clip 5 (04:12 min) - "Life in A Prisoner of War Camp"] and Ross Purse [Heroes Remember Clip 3 (02:46 min) - "The diet fed to the Hong Kong POW"].
Discuss with your students what was the major theme of the stories. What messages were the Veterans trying to convey?
Canada’s Food Guide Activity: 25 minutes
In his "Heroes Remember" interview Ross Purse describes his daily diet as a (POW):
"......I think we started off at about, if I remember correctly, in the neighbourhood of 500-750 calories a day. It was generally, you know rice and a few greens. But that quickly was reduced and I think within a year, we were down to about 250 calories a day. .........Oh gosh, I would say that a couple of big spoonfuls of rice. That's about it and it was all polished rice, as you know. It certainly didn't fill the tummy."
Most of today’s youth eat a variety of foods. Have students think about what they normally eat. If they opened their fridge and cupboards at home, what types of foods would they find?
What does Canada’s Food Guide say about healthy eating? In their daily diet Hong Kong POWs consumed anywhere from 250-750 calories per day. How many calories should young adults consume in a day according to the Canada Food Guide? Using the Guide, ask your students to count the approximate number of calories that they consume in a day. Then have them compare the number of calories they consume with the number of daily calories Mr. Purse consumed as a POW.
Enter into a discussion on the diets of Hong Kong POWs versus the information they found in the Canada Food Guide.
Optional Activity: 10 minutes
Ask students not to eat anything following supper the night before their next class with you. The following morning have a light breakfast. During class give each of the students the equivalent of two full tablespoons of plain white rice. Now ask them if they are still hungry. How do they think they would feel at the end of the day if they had nothing else to eat? What if they had to work all day on that amount of food. How would they feel?
Have students research the effects that the type of diet Mr. Purse endured for more than five years could have on a human body? What illnesses or diseases might one be exposed to? Do those diseases have any long term effect on the body?