Transit Across Canada 2000
Distributed by National Film Board of Canada, 1123 Broadway, Suite 307, New York, NY 10010; 800-542-2164
Produced by National Film Board of Canada in collaboration with The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and with the assistance of Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, Canada Information Office, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Canada Post Corporation, Enviro
Directed by Michael Barbeau
VHS, color, 5 tapes; 20 to 27 mins. each (available as a set, or individually) Available in English and French
Jr. High - Adult
Geography, Social Sciences
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Kristin Jacobi, J. Eugene Smith Library, Eastern Connecticut State University, WillimanticThe five documentaries in this series examine all of Canada from different themes: air, water, land, fire, and life. The Transit Across Canada videos are ideal for Social Studies classes learning about all aspects of Canada from natural resources to the diversity of the society and culture. They are designed to bring an overview of the vast resources and history to the school-aged child of 8 to 12 years old. A user’s guide is printed inside each video-jacket for the educator.
These fact-filled travelogues have the same look and feel to create a solidified unit. Each program has eye-catching animation and visuals with original music that entertains while it educates.
The Air - Climate video visually relates the topographical regions, and variations in temperatures and precipitation that exist in this enormous country. It is has several ‘climates’ and they are explained using weather extremes. The viewer is taken from the Atlantic Maritimes to the farmlands to the prairies to the ‘Land of the Midnight Sun’ in the far North. Natural disasters caused by weather are covered: floods, droughts, forest fires, and ice storms. The history and topography of Canada during the Ice Age is shown as it relates to glaciers and permafrost.
Fire - Energy depicts all of the natural resources found throughout the country. There are oil, natural gas, and mineral deposits that provide Canadians with a standard of living above many of the world’s nations. Canadians are the world’s largest consumers of power. The viewer is shown the many ways Canadians transform their energy resources into fuel and power.
In Land - Territory and Resources, the variety of Canada’s physical geography in North America is showcased. Canada is the second largest country in the world in area. Its’ terrain includes the rugged Rocky Mountains, mighty rivers and the Great Lakes region, Artic barrens, fertile plains in which to grow produce, and seacoasts on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The Water - Reserves and Networks video shows that Canada has more water than any other country in the world. Using historical examples from the past to contemporary uses of today, the viewer learns how water influences the daily lives of all Canadians. The abundance of fresh and saltwater resources makes a compelling video.
Life - People, Fauna and Flora surveys the cultural diversity of the population, animals and plant life. The video touches on how each of these areas have adapted to their environs over the course of time. Some highlights include the economies of the traditional Canadian landscape.
These information-packed videos are an excellent, broad study of Canada. The number of Canadian organizations that provided assistance to its creation affirms its content. These videos would be a welcome addition to any elementary or secondary curriculum, especially in citizenship, societies and cultures, fisheries and oceans, physical geography and climatology, and environmental and natural resources. Very highly recommended.