We plan on discussing which aspects of the Second World War impacted Canadian women in the past and today. We want to discuss how some elements of the Second World War have changed certain people’s lives, specifically focusing on the lives of women. We will do this by examining women’s roles before, during and after the Second World War and how their movements and roles impacted the roles of women today.
2. Discussion
You should have three sticky notes on your
desk, answer each question on a separate
sticky note.
Before the Second World War where do
you picture a woman?
Where do you see a woman during the
Second World War?
Where do you see a woman after the
Second World War?
Once you’ve answered, post your sticky
notes up on the board and see if you can
group them together with your fellow
classmates
3. A Woman Before the Second World War
Restricted to
their gender
sphere
Stay at home
No income of
their own
Relied on their
husbands
4. During the War
The men were sent to war yet the war
effort at home still needed to continue
Factories
Farms
Commercial businesses
Food in general
Clothing
Women were recruited to work on
several fronts during the Second World
War
5. Women at Home
Code Breaking and Espionage
Recruited for the navy and royal air
force
Ammunition factories
Constructing air planes
conserving food
Making clothes
Taking over family farms
Raising funds to finance hospitals,
ambulances and hostels
Overall, women helped maintain the
Canadian economy
7. What did you take
away?
After watching the film, were there any
phrases, words or parts that stood out to
you?
If you were a woman, would you want to
go sign up for a job now?
8. The NFB and the Profile of Female
Workers
How does this
photo reject
the female
gender sphere?
(Let’s talk)
9. This is also the Bren Girl.
How does this picture contrast the other?
11. Women on the
Home Front
Women were in the work force
during the war
How were women photographed in
means of actually recruiting them?
How were recruitment videos used
to relate to women?
12. What about today? Do these images
relate to Rosie and Veronica (Bren Girl)?
13.
14.
15.
16. Activity
Using a personal device, google careers for
females. What are the first three careers that
pop up?
Are these generalized ‘female’ jobs?
If you’re looking at photos, what do the women
look like?
Why do you think these ideas are prevalent?
How is it connected to The Bren Girl or Rosie the
Riveter?
You have 10-15 minutes to discuss with an elbow
partner and then we will be having an open
discussion.
