Lesson plan

Adele Wiseman

Adele Wiseman (May 21, 1928 – June 1, 1992) was a Canadian author. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she received a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and psychology from the University of Manitoba in 1949. Her parents were Russian Jews who emigrated from Ukraine to Canada, in part, to escape the pogroms that accompanied the Russian Civil War. In 1956, Wiseman published her first novel, The Sacrifice, which won the Governor General's Award, Canada's most prestigious literary prize. Her novel, Crackpot, was published in 1974. Both novels deal with Jewish immigrant heritage, the struggle to survive the Depression and World War II, and the challenges the next generation faced in acculturating to Canadian society. Wiseman also published plays, children's stories, essays, and other non-fiction. Her book, Old Woman at Play, examines and meditates on the creative process while paying tribute to Wiseman's mother and the dolls she made. Wiseman was lifelong friends with Margaret Laurence who was another Canadian author from Manitoba. She was an active and accessible Writer-in-Residence at the University of Windsor in her final years. At a campus rally against the First Gulf War, she read passionately a new poem denouncing war.

Back to article

Article summary

Adele Wiseman (May 21, 1928 – June 1, 1992) was a Canadian author. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she received a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and psychology from the University of Manitoba in 1949. Her parents were Russian Jews who emigrated from Ukraine to Canada, in part, to escape the pogroms that accompanied the Russian Civil War. In 1956, Wiseman published her first novel, The Sacrifice, which won the Governor General's Award, Canada's most prestigious literary prize. Her novel, Crackpot, was published in 1974. Both novels deal with Jewish immigrant heritage, the struggle to survive the Depression and World War II, and the challenges the next generation faced in acculturating to Canadian society. Wiseman also published plays, children's stories, essays, and other non-fiction. Her book, Old Woman at Play, examines and meditates on the creative process while paying tribute to Wiseman's mother and the dolls she made. Wiseman was lifelong friends with Margaret Laurence who was another Canadian author from Manitoba. She was an active and accessible Writer-in-Residence at the University of Windsor in her final years. At a campus rally against the First Gulf War, she read passionately a new poem denouncing war.

Key claims

  1. date of birth: 1949 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. publication date: 1974 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of birth is "1949". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the publication date is "1974". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378028480

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.