Syrup Tales: The Sweet Story of Canada's Maple Syrup

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• mavo
• Leerjaar 1-3

Syrup Tales: The Sweet Story of Canada's Maple Syrup

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson you will be able to understand the history, production, and cultural significance of maple syrup in Canada.

Introduce the learning objective to the students and explain the importance of understanding maple syrup in Canada.

What do you already know about maple syrup in Canada?

History

Maple syrup has been produced in Canada for centuries by the Indigenous peoples. When the Europeans arrived, they learned the process and started producing it commercially. Today, Canada produces 71% of the world's maple syrup.

Discuss the history of maple syrup production in Canada and encourage students to ask questions.

Production

Maple syrup is produced by tapping maple trees and collecting the sap, which is then boiled down to remove the water and concentrate the sugar. It takes about 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup. The season for tapping trees is late winter to early spring.

Explain the production process and show images or videos to help students visualize the process.

Types of Syrup

There are four main types of maple syrup: golden, amber, dark, and very dark. The different types are based on the color and taste of the syrup, which depends on when the sap was collected during the season.

Describe the different types of maple syrup and encourage students to taste different types if possible.

Cultural Significance

Maple syrup is an important part of Canadian cuisine and culture. It is used in many dishes, such as pancakes, waffles, and maple taffy. It is also used in traditional Indigenous ceremonies and represents the sweetness of life.

Discuss the cultural significance of maple syrup in Canada and its importance in Canadian cuisine.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.