Social Justice Theme

As our culminating inquiry project focuses on “People and Environments: The Role of Government and Responsible Citizenship” using “How is a responsible citizen created in Canada?” as our key inquiry question,  the prior lesson and culminating inquiry project could be connected to the social justice theme of Power, Authority, and Governance and Civic Ideals and Practices. 

This means that students will be understanding the development of structures of power, authority, and governance and their evolving functions is essential for the emergence of civic competence. In addition, all people have a stake in examining civic ideals and practices across time and in diverse societies, as well as in determining how to close the gap between present practices and the ideals on which our democratic nation is based. An understanding of civic ideals and the practice of citizenship is critical to full participation in society. Students are encouraged to visit this resource to assist them in their research within this inquiry lesson and culminating project.  This is  a great website developed by the Government of Canada to educate citizens on their rights and roles of their citizenship. Furthermore, it allows students to look into the history and laws of where these decisions come from and how it impacts their responsibility as a citizen.  

Social justice themes could be incorporated into the many strands of history, geography and social studies as different patterns of globalization could be observed through history (early civilization and nation/citizen relationships), geography (local or global location disparities) and social studies (how relations develop over time and what implications this has for today). This can look different from grade to grade depending on the approach educators take within the instructional strategies in the unit (ex. group work, individual work, inquiry, class discussion, project, etc...) The type of unit organization depends on the academic and social level of the class, where the teacher's discretion  must be utilized. 

Teachers are encouraged to have a range of instructional activities within their unit as this allows for student engagement to be high within the unit. It also allows for educators to target multiple intelligences within their class which ultimately allows for greater student achievement. Questions that should be addressed within the unit should be broad, open ended questions that allow students to make connections and apply critical thinking skills. 

Critical Literacy for Citizenship Role Lesson

This lesson is based on the big idea that to be active and effective citizens, Canadians need to understand their rights and responsibilities as well as how governments work. The curriculum expectation that is being addressed is from the strand “People and Environments: The Role of Government and Responsible Citizenship” which is B3.1 describe the major rights and responsibilities associated with citizenship in Canada. This lesson connects to our groups culminating activity as we had chosen our inquiry question from the strand “People and Environments: The Role of Government and Responsible Citizenship” focusing on “How is a responsible citizen created in Canada?” as our key inquiry question.

Teacher will begin by telling students to crumble up scrap pieces of paper and to sit at their desks. Students will be instructed to aim and throw their pieces of paper at the recycle bin (at the front of the class) when the teacher counts to 3.  The teacher will explain “The game is simple — you all represent the country’s population. And everyone in the country has a chance to become wealthy and move into the upper class. To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded-up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat.” The goal is for everyone’s paper to be in the bin. After students throw the paper, they will soon realize that not everyone will have a fair location to throw from.  Teacher will emphasize “the closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like. Did you notice how the only ones who complained about fairness were in the back of the room? By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal. Your job — as students who are receiving an education — is to be aware of your privilege. And use this particular privilege called “education” to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you.” (ecurious, 2014)

For the core learning activity, students will be divided into groups of 3-4 where they will be required to brainstorm the key roles and responsibilities of citizens on chart paper. Students may use their iPads or laptops to search for ideas and examples (inquiry). The class will then come together to share their ideas with each other as each group presents their information relating it back to why it is important (critical literacy). Teacher will use anecdotal notes for ongoing formative assessment. At the end of the lesson, students will be required to complete an exit card (formative assessment) whereby a brief reflection on what they learned will be submitted and any further questions they have. 

Book Talk

When planning instruction, lesson/unit organization can be based upon the following factors:

• Theme or Survey: Organizing instruction around a historical or contemporary event (ex. A local election) or phenomenon, a place (local, national or international) or a particular time period. Many curriculum guidelines and textbooks are organized around similar themes.
• Generalization: A broad relationship statement (ex. People adapt their environments to meet their needs and they, in turn, adapt to their environments)
• Concept: How a particular concept (ex. Equality) relates to a particular example (ex. The treatment of disabled people in Canada)
• Issue: focus on an issue of concern (ex. What should be done to deal with climate change in our community?)
• Inquiry: a question that is answered by the students (ex. What rules govern our community?)
• Problem: focusing on courses of actions concerning what oneself or others ought to do to solve a particular social problem (ex. What can we do to make students more globally aware?)
• Project: Organizing instruction around the creation of something tangible (ex. Mural, video, newspaper, website or drama)
• Narrative: organizing instruction around a story or other narrative such as a biography (ex. Biographies/autobiographies/development of a city or an invention, etc…)

Whichever method is chosen, teachers need to map out what would be required to study the theme, answer the inquiry question, and so on. Webbing tends to be a very powerful tool to do this: 

• Semantic mapping: Diagramming the information and concepts  students already know (useful for assessment for and as learning)
• Webbing: Diagramming the elements of a topic and their relationships

Educators are advised to consider these factors and options when planning a unit as it may assist in planning through a backwards design whereby the final assessment task is at the heart of the instruction. Teachers are encouraged to have a range of instructional activities within their unit as this allows for student engagement to be high within the unit. It also allows for educators to target multiple intelligences within their class which ultimately allows for greater student achievement. Questions that should be addressed within the unit should be broad, open ended questions that allow students to make connections and apply critical thinking skills. 

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