20-LEVEL RESOURCES

Part A

High school students analyze and explore the concept of ideology:

• by investigating a range of ideologies and their application and impact on citizenship at the national level (10);
• by evaluating the impacts of ideology, historically and contemporary, at international levels (20); and,
• by examining, analyzing, and de-constructing the concept of ideology as a tool for understanding how it impacts Canadian (30):
  • beliefs and actions, nationally and globally; and,
  • participation as a citizens from a national and global perspective.

• Social Studies students will consider how ideology influences our perspectives toward the application of Human Rights.
• History students will consider how historical events of the 20^th century influence our perspectives of and about citizenship.
• Native Studies students will consider how imperialism and colonization have affected historical and contemporary Indigenous populations.

• Injustices of today have roots in the past.
• Canadian society is challenged to manage the co-existence of diverse worldviews.
• Canadian citizens work to achieve a balance between rights and responsibilities through learning and action.
• Canadian society has inequities and elimination of these is beneficial for all Canadians.
• For each individual, becoming aware of racism in Canadian society is an evolutionary process and a precursor to change.
• As citizens of local, national, and global communities, Canadians are conscious, self-reflective, and critical of their own beliefs and actions and seek to make positive change.
• Citizens show flexibility of mind.

• The definition of ideology and its role in society.
• Characteristics and assumptions of ideologies along the ideological spectrum.
• Historical and contemporary ideological issues.
• The role of worldview in ideologies.
• The rights and responsibilities of Canadian and Global citizens.

Students will practice the skills of dialectical thinking and:

• Make inferences about ideologies based on responses to a variety of issues.
• Identify ideological assumptions.
• Examine multiple perspectives.

• In what ways is ideology useful in guiding human beliefs and behaviour?
• What are the limitations of ideology in guiding beliefs and behaviour?
• How does ideology influence our view of social justice?
• How does a society structure itself to find a balance between the responsibilities of citizens to society and society’s responsibilities to its citizens, and what factors influence the finding of this balance?
• Has Canadian society been organized to reflect our national values and beliefs?

The order in which they are listed suggests a general idea of the learning plan to follow.

Students will:

• Continue to examine how ideology and worldview affect action.
• Understand that human rights are those rights which people in society collectively have decided they will honour because people are morally entitled to them and that societies vary in their understanding and application of human rights and responsibilities.
• Consider which obligations and responsibilities individuals, and groups, should collectively assume for each other’s human rights.
• Examine how imperialism and colonization have affected the application of human rights.
• Explore the interconnections between social, economic, political and cultural systems in order to understand how change in one affects the others.
• Examine how the relationship between collective and individual rights varies according to the political system of the society.
• Examine how groups seek to have control over the decision-making processes which have an impact on their cultural distinctiveness and well-being.
• Consider how a society structures itself to find a balance between domestic considerations and international and/or colonial considerations; and,
• Understand that individual welfare is the feeling that one’s personal potential is being developed so that a fulfilling and satisfying life is possible.

Part B Learning Plan – Social Studies 20, History 20, Native Studies 20

Inquiry

What responsibilities do we have to one another?

• Are Human Rights Universal?

Big Ideas Explored:

• individuals in society make decisions as to what degree they will honour human rights;
• Societies vary in their understanding and application of human rights and responsibilities;
• Citizens decide which obligations and responsibilities individuals, and groups will collectively assume for each other’s human rights; and,
• Imperialism and colonization have affected the application of human rights.

Inquiry

How did events of the 20th and early 21st century influence our perspectives of and about citizenship and human rights?

• What role did conflict play in this development?

Big Ideas Explored:     

• There are interconnections between social, economic, political and cultural systems that are important to examine to understand how change in one affects the others;
• The relationship between collective and individual rights varies according to the political system of the society;
• Groups seek to have control over decision-making processes which have an impact on their cultural distinctiveness and well-being; and,
  • Society structures itself to find a balance between domestic priorities and international considerations.
  • From whose perspective are these decisions made?
  • What are the responsibilities of citizens to society?
  • What are the responsibilities of society to its citizens?

• In what ways is ideology useful in explaining human beliefs and behavior?
  • What are the limitations of ideology in guiding beliefs and behavior?
  • How can governments be held accountable for their human rights violations?
• What are the limitations of ideology in explaining beliefs and behaviours?
  • Perspective?
  • What role do the following play in achieving human rights?
    • Economy
    • History
    • Compassion
  • How does ideology and worldview influence our view of social justice?
    • What are the historical and international influences on social justice?
  • How does society achieve a balance between the responsibilities of citizens to society and society’s responsibilities to its citizens?
    • In considering its best interests, what should a nation consider:
      • The needs of its citizens and the state as being of paramount concern; or,
      • The needs of the nation as being part of a larger whole which must be considered.
    • Has Canadian society been organized to reflect national values and beliefs?

Surface additional questions that students have.

Exploring our responsibilities to one another

This inquiry examines the range of responses that exist internationally to protecting and ensuring human rights.  Students examine the links between ideology, economic prosperity, and human rights.

Structured suggestions are provided here but teachers familiar with inquiry are encouraged to use the questions to allow the inquiries to develop according to student interests.

Inquiry

What responsibilities do we have to one another?

• Are Human Rights universal?
• How have our perspectives on this issue changed?
  • How did events of the 20^th and early 21^st century influence our perspectives of and about human rights and citizenship?

Hook Questions Think about… Talk about…

• What human rights do you have?
• How do we decide what should be a human right within a society?
• What happens when people’s ideas of human rights come into conflict?
• Can countries/governments be held to account for violation of basic human rights?

Present a current human rights issue and have students debate and consider the following responses to the questions above based on the issue, then develop some parameters for responses above.  Possible examples:

Does everyone have the right to:

• clean drinking water?
• food?
• housing?
• health care?
• education?

Identify your students’ responses.

Examine where your response to question came from.

What influenced or guided your response?  What are the similarities and differences arising?  What themes are students noticing?

Vocabulary

• Dignity
• Compassion
• Concern
• Human Rights
• Individual Rights
• Collective Rights
• Universal Rights

Define:

• human rights,
• collective rights
• individual rights
• universal rights

In examining human rights issues have students use the Action Cycle strategy. For chosen issues have students Identify:

• Conditions, Objectives, Actions, Result

As a class Think about… Talk about…

Choose 3 events that were turning points in the development of contemporary Human Rights.

Defend your choices.

Discussion of these points will clarify issues and mis-understandings that students may have.

What were the tipping points that culminated in the declaration of:

• Human Rights?
• Indigenous Declaration of Human Rights?
• Declaration of the Rights of the Child?
• Identify
  • What rights were infringed upon/violated/abused?
  • Context that allowed situation to exist
  • Prevailing ideology/worldview
  • Effects of agreements

Surface student thinking in response to the prompts or guiding questions.  Chart or record their thinking for later reflection.

The statement: Geography is destiny.

• What difference / how does your birthplace, time of birth, impact your human rights?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages that are inferred upon you because of your place of birth?

Basic Human Rights

• Safe from violence,
• Free,
• Literate and Educated,
• Access to Technology,
• Live in a Democracy

Exploring a Universal Human Rights, Finding an International Other

Research some international human rights issues. 

See Section C for suggestions.

• Tell why the issue or individual was chosen
  • Refer back to International Development Index – Indices of Well-being. Identify these indices and have them name why that issue or person was chosen
  • Rights that issue/ individuals do not have – impact on self/person
  • Prevailing ideology/worldview in country that allows issue to exist

Options for investigation

a) Pick a human rights inequity, undertake an action to address/redress the inequity.

Sources – http://www.amnesty.ca/

Find “their/my international other” and examine their issue.

Have students go to the website – choose an international issue they want to examine.  What privileges do you have as a Canadian that you can leverage to assist your international other?

b) Interview a refugee, newcomer to community about their human rights issue that brought them to Canada

Identify:

• Conditions
  • Evidence that there is a problem
  • Current ideology of country/government that allows that situation to exist
  • Current state of human rights in the country
• Objectives
  • What human right do you have that if applied to your international self would change their expected outcome?
• Actions
  • What actions are you willing to assume to redress issue?
  • What collective actions are required to redress issue?
  • What actions can Canadians do to redress issue?
• Results
  • What happened as a result of your actions?
  • What are your next steps?

How did events of the 20th and early 21st century influence our perspectives of and about citizenship and the rights of the individual?

• What role did conflict play in this development?

Placing events in history

The purpose of this discussion is to surface students’ understanding of the interplay between historical events and ideology on citizenship and human rights issues.  Students are exploring themes of behaviour and looking for principles of civil interaction among them, rather than identifying the chronology of specific events.  Teachers may wish to use a timeline in the classroom to help students see that issues of power inequity, struggle for rights, etc. continue to recur through time.

Historical events

• What are some of the historical events that have had an impact on our views of citizenship and human rights? Identify:
  • the issues and perspectives involved,
  • the ideologies or opposing constructs
  • the consequences of the event
  • the primary historical influences on current thinking of human rights

Effects of Imperialism and Colonialism

• How have citizens in Canada been impacted / continue to be impacted by imperialism and colonialism? Identify:
  • the issues and perspectives involved,
  • the ideologies or opposing constructs
  • the consequences of the event
  • the primary historical influences on current thinking of human rights
• How have imperialism and colonization affected the application of human rights
  • In Canada?
  • Globally?

Develop a list of events that students may wish to explore to find the answers to the questions posed above.

Research options

Choose a specific event to research either in groups or individually.  Students are reminded that there are many options to research other than reading text.  Video and audio files can supplement research.  What resident experts are available to be interviewed for their views on the issue?

Allow students to present their findings.  Identify the time period of the event on the posted class timeline.

What did we learn? 

• What similarities are students noticing?
• What themes are arising?

• What were/are the world conditions that allow the event to occur?
  • How often did the event have global consequences?
  • Why did that happen?
• What constructs / principles are/were nations / stakeholders trying to balance?
  • rule by majority or greatest common good (greatest good for the greatest number)
  • What were the similarities and differences in philosophy?
    • What were the determiners, primary impacts on decisions?
    • Whose perspective / worldview was not represented?
  • What were the prevailing ideologies that impacted the decisions made and the forming of societal structures?
  • What was guiding their decision making? What were nations striving to achieve? i.e.
    • national security and international peace
    • wealth and power
    • competition vs. cooperation

Historical Thinking Connections 

Historical Significance: How do we decide what is important to learn about the past?

Primary Source Evidence: How do we know what we know about the past?

Cause and Consequence: Why do events happen and what are their impacts?

Historical Perspectives: How can we better understand the people of the past?

Ethical Dimension: How can history help us to live in the present?

Continuity and Change: How can we make sense of the complex flows of history?

• What have been the consequences of the events on:
  • human rights,
  • traditional order and values?
  • other?
• What was the progress achieved as a result of the event? i.e.
  • allowing as many people as possible to live;
  • giving as much wealth and power as possible; or,
  • learning to live in harmony with the environment.
  • other?
• What was the impact on the relationship between competition and cooperation and the impact of each on (dealing with conflict in) society?
• Were human rights expended in favour of the maintenance of order and security? i.e. What is more important to do?
  • Maintain order and security regardless of the legal protection of human rights; or,
  • Protect human rights regardless of the short-term effect on order and security?
• Which was more critical to meet; the needs of the citizens or the needs of the state/country as a whole?
• How was the global community impacted?

• Should the future be viewed as something to be:
  • Resisted as threatening and dangerous; or
  • Welcomed as a natural process of change and development?
  • Does your answer depend on which side of privilege you lie?

Prepare a response to your thinking that is represented in a manner other than paper pencil presentation.

Are Human Rights Universal?

How did the events of the 20th and early 21st century influence our perspectives of and about citizenship?

Essential Questions 

• In what ways is ideology useful in explaining human beliefs and behaviour?
• What are the limitations of ideology in guiding beliefs and behaviour?
• How does ideology influence our view of social justice?
• How does a society structure itself to find a balance between opposing constructs of:
  • freedom and order, individual rights and collective rights, hierarchy and equality; and,
  • what factors influence the finding of this balance?
• Has Canadian society been organized to reflect our national values and beliefs?

What kind of summary statements can students make regarding their understanding of the following:

• Individuals in society make decisions as to what degree they will honour human rights.
• Societies vary in their understanding and application of human rights and responsibilities.
• Individuals and groups choose the obligations they will collectively assume for each other’s human rights.

• Is it important for a citizen to be compassionate? Caring?
• What did students learn about themselves in their research?
• Should Canada continue to respond to global human rights issues when there are basic human rights that are not being fulfilled in Canada? (i.e. clean drinking water for First Nations reserves)

Part C

• Democracy Watch
• RationalRevolution.net
• Redefining the Political Spectrum
• Student Vote
  • Activity 3.5, Saskatchewan Social Studies 10 Curriculum (1994)
  • Activity 3.6, Saskatchewan Social Studies 20 Curriculum (1995)
• PoliticalCompass.org
• Ideology and Decision Making Unit Plan (Elgin Wyatt, STF Website)
• Parliament of Canada Website
• MulticulturalCanada.ca
• WilliamsSocial (videos intended to support Alberta Socials Studies program) – https://www.youtube.com/user/WilliamsSocial
• Civics and Citizenship: Canadian Investigations
• Amnesty International – http://www.amnesty.ca/
• http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/
• Millennium Development Goals – http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
• Averting AIDS and HIV – http://www.avert.org/
• United Nations Development Program – http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home.html
• Better Life Index – http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/
• Well Being Around the World – https://web.archive.org/web/20141210132922/http://blog.healthways.com/2014/09/infographic-well-being-around-the-world/
• Human Rights Watch – http://www.hrw.org/our-work
• Holocaust Encyclopedia – http://www.ushmm.org/
• Commemorating 80th anniversary of the Holodomor: sharethestory.ca
• Holodomor website: sharethestory.ca
• Fighting Antisemitism Together (FAST): http://www.fightingantisemitism.ca/
• Voices into Action: http://www.voicesintoaction.ca

“If students are to become lifelong learners, develop a sense of self and connection to others, and become engaged citizens and achieve the Cross-curricular Competencies and the outcomes for English language arts, students require meaningful, authentic contexts for learning. Students need many opportunities to explore questions and concerns about themselves and about the world.”

The Concentus Citizenship Education Resources provide teachers with a framework of inquires with which to further students’ explorations of their roles and responsibilities as Canadian citizens, in authentic contexts.  These inquiries are directly connected to Social Sciences (History, Native Studies, Social Studies) foundational outcomes and the broad goals of learning identified above.  Specific connections to English Language Arts and Treaty Education are identified and suggested as starting points for teachers.

English Language Arts 20 (Unit 2):

Contexts/Themes

Moving Forward – Establishing and Realizing (possible sub-units include: Turning Points and Transitions; Evolving Roles and Responsibilities; Opportunities and Obstacles; Risks and Rewards; Beliefs and Goals)

Essential Questions

• How do our relationships with others evolve and influence us as we mature and age?
• Are all the roles and the work associated with those roles valued or respected equally? How can you ensure that the work you do and the roles you play will be valued and respected equally?
• What are contemporary expectations of adults? How do the roles and expectations of adults vary among cultures and through the various stages of adulthood?
• As we mature and age, what are our responsibilities to self and to others? How do these responsibilities change?
• What does the concept of a balanced life mean? How and why do we plan to achieve balance in our lives? Is the quest for balance universal?
• How do our values and beliefs determine the paths of life that we may explore? What influences or necessitates the re-evaluation of our values and beliefs?

Treaty Education

• TR11: Examine how Canada’s process of treaty making could be applied to situations in other parts of the world where Indigenous people have struggled to have rights recognized.
• SI11: Analyze how the unfulfilled aspects of treaties, with international indigenous people, have resulted in inequities.
• HC11: Evaluate specific treaties that have been, or currently are, in place globally to determine their effectiveness.
• TPP11: Analyze the impact Canadian treaties could have on resolving global conflict.

• Is there a limit on individual rights? / Should individuals, because of their actions, have their rights limited?
• What obligations do individuals have to maintain the dignity of each and every individual?
  • How does a society structure itself to find a balance between domestic considerations and international and/or colonial considerations?
  • From whose perspective are these decisions made?
  • What are the responsibilities of citizens to society?
  • What are the responsibilities of society to its citizens?
• What rights are people entitled to regardless of their contribution to society and what obligations should everyone/people in society assume for others?
  • What rights are you entitled to?
  • What are the requirements for basic human rights?
  • What are the historical impacts on application of basic human rights?

Have students explore some of the UN codes of conduct, Universal Human Rights Codes i.e. Rights of the child, Disabled people, etc.

• Identify a client, advocate for them and represent their issues in:
  • a court of law
  • a social media campaign
  • your community

Part A

High School students will identify and examine the effects of inequity and conflict using Canadian and world history as content and context.  They consider the impact of worldview in dealing with conflict and inequity (10); examine Canada’s reputation and role as a global citizen (20); and, consider the root causes of inequity and the challenges that multiple perspectives bring to resolving conflict (30).

Throughout the study, students engage in critical and dialectical thinking in order to ensure that multiple perspectives, consistent with Canada’s multicultural policy are considered.

Students explore a variety of worldviews to understand their impact on human rights and economic well-being.  They study the circumstances that allowed cultures and societies to accept intolerance and the practices of genocide.  Students will also examine the various ways that Indigenous cultures have attempted to deal with the legacy of colonization.  This area of citizenship encourages investigation of the roles and responsibilities of citizens within the world so that citizens can act to address issues of injustice.

• Social Studies students will consider how conflicting worldviews have affected human rights and the economic well-being.
• History students will consider how the application of a 20 century view of citizenship created the climates for intolerance and genocide.
• Native Studies students will consider different approaches to overcoming the legacy of colonization and struggles for self-determination.

• Injustices of today have roots in the past.
• Canadian society is challenged to manage the coexistence of diverse worldviews.
• Canadian citizens work to achieve a balance between rights and responsibilities through learning and action.
• Canadian society has inequities and elimination of these is beneficial for all Canadians.
• For each individual, becoming aware of racism in Canadian society is an evolutionary process and a precursor to change.
• As citizens of local, national, and global communities, Canadians are conscious, self-reflective, and critical of their own beliefs and actions and seek to make positive change.
• Citizens show flexibility of mind.

• The role and impact of International and National codes of Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, Children, and Disabled Persons;
• The backgrounds of various human rights and social justice issues;
• Various forms of conflict and dispute resolution forums including: Court Trial, Sentencing Circles, Town Hall Meetings, Mediation, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, Human Rights Tribunals; and,
• A variety of negative examples of conflict resolution and their residual impact including: assimilation, annihilation, and segregation.

Students will be able to:

• Use strategies for persuasion and advocacy and apply processes of ethical decision-making
• Use criteria to evaluate personal and others perspectives
• Learn to make and test hypotheses and organize data so that it can be analyzed.

• What does it mean to be a citizen?
• Why is there conflict between worldviews?
• What is required for conflicting worldviews to coexist?
• What range of responses have citizens used throughout history to respond to conflicting worldviews?
• How do engaged and respectful citizens respond to conflict in a modern democracy?
• How does an ethical and democratic society define and pursue justice?
• What issues and opportunities does Canada’s multicultural policy and affirmation of diversity create?

The order in which they are listed suggests a general idea of the learning plan to follow.

Students will:

• Examine relevant social and historical issues for the purpose of understanding the impacts of differing worldviews;
• Evaluate imperialist policies, practices and attitudes of the past and analyze the residual effects of such policies and practices in contemporary society;
• Scrutinize the evolution of Citizenship as it pertains to Canadian and our World issues;
• Examine the role diversity plays in society, noting the opportunities and inequities that arise in trying to affirm multiple perspectives;
• Identify examples where the rights of the minority have not been respected in the 20th century;
• Examine the challenges of protecting the rights of the minority while advancing the goals of society; and,
• Generate conflict resolution strategies that create an atmosphere of respect for difference.

Part B Learning Plan 20 -History, Native Studies, Social Studies

Can global social justice be achieved?

• Are nation’s citizens part of the global community?
• Is Global citizenship a way to achieve global justice?
• Is Canada a responsible, respectful and participatory Global citizen committed to social justice?

Big Ideas Explored:

• History has contributed to the development of various solutions to Human Rights and Social Justice issues and Canada played a role in addressing these challenges.
• Canada has a history of action in seeking global justice and continues to have a presence in actions in seeking global justice.
• Canada’s citizenship performance can be contrasted to that of other nations.
• An ethical and democratic society defines and pursues justice and evaluates the effectiveness of those processes. Issues include:
  • International Human Rights and Social Justice issues;
  • conflict and dispute resolution forums (Court Trial, Sentencing Circles, Town Hall Meeting, Mediation, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, Human Rights Tribunals)
  • negative examples of conflict resolution and their residual impact (assimilation, annihilation, segregation).
• Countries must evaluate the use of force to achieve peace; and,
• Historic foundations impact current international issues.

• Why is there conflict between worldviews?
  • With the current state of instant access to global information, what is the impact of conflict?
  • Why do some conflicts gain global attention while others do not?
• How can conflicting worldviews coexist?
  • Why do some conflicting worldviews co-exist while others do not?
  • How does the immediacy of information impact global conflict?
• What range of responses have citizens used throughout history to respond to conflicting worldviews?
  • Have responses changed significantly? What has caused those changes?
• How do engaged and respectful citizens respond to conflict in a modern democracy?
  • What are the responses to conflict in a democracy vs. totalitarian state?
• How does an ethical and democratic society pursue justice?
  • How do we evaluate the ethics and justice of a society?
  • What role does ethics play in conflict?
  • How do engaged and respectful citizens and nations respond to conflict in a fair and just way?
  • What are the international change processes? How do we determine their success?
• What issues and opportunities does Canada’s multicultural policy and affirmation of diversity create?
  • Does Canada’s multicultural policy result in a socially just society?

Surface and note additional student questions.

Identifying the factors that influence the achievement of social justice.

This inquiry focuses on the considerations of nations when trying to achieve social justice on global issues.

Inquiry

Can global social justice be achieved?

• Is global citizenship a way to achieve global justice?
• Are nations citizens in the global community?
• Is Canada a responsible, respectful and participatory Global citizen committed to social justice?

Hook Questions

• What is justice, and how do we determine this?
• Do we all agree on what is right? Why or why not?
• Whose perspective do we use to determine what is right?
• What do you have to think about when you are trying to achieve justice across a broad range of ideologies?
• What processes and institutions do Canada and the world communities have in place to protect justice and the rights of others?
• What happens when justice is not achieved?
• How do different societies and cultures administer justice?
• How do these processes compare to the way we, as Canadians perceive justice?
• How does Canada’s reputation compare to other historical applications of justice?
• What kind of a global citizen is Canada?

Pose questions and allow students opportunities to discuss.  Note their thinking for review after completion of some research. How has their thinking changed?

Vocabulary

• Imperialist
• Assimilation
• Annihilation
• Segregation
• Democracy
• Totalitarian
• Ideology

Using the jigsaw study approach have students choose one of the following to research individually or in groups.  Specific suggestions are offered here but students are encouraged to identify any social justice issue that resonates with them to research.

Case Study Exploration suggestions

• the 5 genocides officially recognized by Canada
  • the Holodomor (Ukrainian Famine),
  • Rwanda,
  • Srebrenica,
  • the Holocaust, and,
  • the Armenian genocide
• Hiroshima/Nagasaki

Contemporary Case Studies suggestions

• Global responses to Terrorism
• Global response to refugees and establishing of Immigration policies
• Global Warming
• Global treatment of Indigenous people
• Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women
• UN Refugee Agency – http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home
• United Nations Development Programs – undp.org

For the example chosen identify:

• the stakeholders and the issues from their perspective
• the worldview/ ideology, and historical context that allowed this issue to exist.
• the response of global citizens to the events
• Canada’s response
• Evaluate the responses
• the influence of the event on individual and societal views of justice
• the impact of the event on differences in perspective and worldview on our perception of justice
• the influence of the event on your perception and pursuit of justice

• How well have nations been doing?
• What considerations do nations have to think about now, that were not factors historically?
• Which nations are doing well? Explain your thinking.
• Evaluate Canada’s role as a global citizen. Identify strengths and suggest areas where growth is needed.

Pursuit of Justice and Conflict Resolution Studies

Have students choose a topic of concern within one of the following areas and:

• Identify the issues on both sides of the debate
• Critique recent resolutions
• Propose alternative solutions
• Develop a media campaign to address some of your recommendations to address the shortcomings.
• Charter of Rights and Freedoms,
• UN Codes,
• race,
• religion,
• morality,
• law,
• politics,
• culture,
• economic trade sanctions,
• global warming – extremes in weather,
• use of global resources,
• response to global debt in Third World countries
• other

Historical Thinking Connections 

Historical Significance: How do we decide what is important to learn about the past?

Primary Source Evidence: How do we know what we know about the past?

Cause and Consequence: Why do events happen and what are their impacts?

Historical Perspectives: How can we better understand the people of the past?

Ethical Dimension: How can history help us to live in the present?

Continuity and Change: How can we make sense of the complex flows of history.

• Should respect for differing worldviews affect our pursuit of justice?
• Do universal human rights exist?
• How does technology and social media impact the outcomes of global justice issues?
• What kind of leadership is needed to address global issues?

Ted Talks – Ted Global 2014

http://www.ted.com/talks/fred_swaniker_the_leaders_who_ruined_africa_and_the_generation_who_can_fix_it?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2014-10-25&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_content=bottom_left_button

Can global social justice be achieved?

• Are Nations citizens in the global community?
• Is global citizenship a way to achieve global justice?
• Is Canada a responsible, respectful and participatory Global citizen committed to social justice?
• What responsibility do we have to pursue justice?
• Should respect for differing worldviews affect our pursuit of justice?
• Do universal human rights exist?

• Why is there conflict between worldviews?
  • With the current state of instant access to global information, what is the impact of conflict?
  • Why do some conflicts gain global attention while others do not?
• How can conflicting worldviews coexist?
  • Why do some conflicting worldviews co-exist while others do not?
  • How does the immediacy of information impact global conflict?
• What range of responses have citizens used throughout history to respond to conflicting worldviews?
  • Have responses changed significantly? What has caused those changes?
• How do engaged and respectful citizens respond to conflict in a modern democracy?
  • What are the responses to conflict in a democracy vs. totalitarian state?
• How does an ethical and democratic society pursue justice?
  • How do we evaluate the ethics and justice of a society?
  • What role does ethics play in conflict?
  • How do engaged and respectful citizens and nations respond to conflict in a fair and just way?
  • What are the international change processes? How do we determine their success?
• What issues and opportunities does Canada’s multicultural policy and affirmation of diversity create?
  • Does Canada’s multicultural policy result in a socially just society?

• What did I learn about myself as I did these inquiries?
• What kind of leadership is needed/required to address global social justice issues?
• What kind of leader would I be? Why?
• How would I have reacted upon hearing about the genocides, Holodomor, Holocaust, etc. at the time it was occurring?
• What advice would I offer Canada’s Prime Minister when creating policy pertaining to specific conflicts like Rwanda, the Armenian Genocide, etc.?
• What should be the global response to international acts of terrorism?

Part C

• http://rover.edonline.sk.ca/

ROVER (Recommended Online Video Education Resources) is a video streaming service for Saskatchewan teachers and students in the PreK-12 education system. It is managed and maintained by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education.

The ROVER service is video-on-demand which provides teachers and students with the convenience of immediate access to streamed, educational videos that support curriculum. ROVER videos are housed on a server located in a school or school division network so there are no bandwidth issues, resulting in better picture quality and continuous play of videos without pauses. The videos are intended for viewing on the streaming site and not for copying or downloading.

There are over 1000 videos on ROVER that can be accessed by teachers and students to enhance learning in the classroom. All the videos found on this site have been evaluated by educational professionals and recommended to support Saskatchewan’s K-12 curricula. The ROVER collection of videos continues to evolve as new videos are added annually and old videos expire.

Case Studies Resources

• Choose Your Voice (FAST – Fighting Antsemitism Together)
• Fighting Antisemitism Together (FAST): http://www.fightingantisemitism.ca/
• Voices into Action: http://www.voicesintoaction.ca
• Facing History and Ourselves
• Historical Thinking Project
• The Critical Thinking Consortium – find website
• Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre
• Burma and the Great Awakening – CBC News in Review (R.O.V.E.R.)
• Mandela (R.O.V.E.R.)
• Nelson Mandela (R.O.V.E.R.)
• North to Freedom: The Underground Railroad to Canada (R.O.V.E.R.)
• The Dark Side of Chocolate (R.O.V.E.R.)
• White Man’s Country (R.O.V.E.R.)
• Women’s Rights: Raising the Glass Ceiling (R.O.V.E.R.)
• EconomicJustice.ca
• Holodomor Website: sharethestory.ca

Possible Resources for Conflict Resolution Procedures:

• PLEA
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission
• Conflict Resolution Saskatchewan
• Restorative Justice Online
• Ontario Justice Education Network
• The Centre for Justice and Accountability
• Creative Spirits Website (Australia)
• SaskDebate.com
• Fundamental Freedoms: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms Video (R.O.V.E.R.)
• Egale – http://egale.ca/
• PFLAG – http://pflagcanada.ca
• Williams Social – variety of videos with factual information to support Social Sciences https://www.youtube.com/user/WilliamsSocial/featured
• Canadian Investigations: Civics and Citizenship , Bolotta, A., al (Donaldson, C., Duncan, I., Keirstead, M. Oxford University Press. 2014.  (Add to other resources list gr. 8 – 12)

“If students are to become lifelong learners, develop a sense of self and connection to others, and become engaged citizens and achieve the Cross-curricular Competencies and the outcomes for English language arts, students require meaningful, authentic contexts for learning. Students need many opportunities to explore questions and concerns about themselves and about the world.”

The Concentus Citizenship Education Resources provide teachers with a framework of inquires with which to further students’ explorations of their roles and responsibilities as Canadian citizens, in authentic contexts.  These inquiries are directly connected to Social Sciences (History, Native Studies, Social Studies) foundational outcomes and the broad goals of learning identified above.  Specific connections to English Language Arts and Treaty Education are identified and suggested as starting points for teachers.

English Language Arts 20 (Unit 2):

Contexts/Themes

Moving Forward – Establishing and Realizing (possible sub-units include: Turning Points and Transitions; Evolving Roles and Responsibilities; Opportunities and Obstacles; Risks and Rewards; Beliefs and Goals)

Essential Questions

• How do our relationships with others evolve and influence us as we mature and age?
• Are all the roles and the work associated with those roles valued or respected equally? How can you ensure that the work you do and the roles you play will be valued and respected equally?
• What are contemporary expectations of adults? How do the roles and expectations of adults vary among cultures and through the various stages of adulthood?
• As we mature and age, what are our responsibilities to self and to others? How do these responsibilities change?
• What does the concept of a balanced life mean? How and why do we plan to achieve balance in our lives? Is the quest for balance universal?
• How do our values and beliefs determine the paths of life that we may explore? What influences or necessitates the re-evaluation of our values and beliefs?

Treaty Education

• TR11: Examine how Canada’s process of treaty making could be applied to situations in other parts of the world where Indigenous people have struggled to have rights recognized.
• SI11: Analyze how the unfulfilled aspects of treaties, with international indigenous people, have resulted in inequities.
• HC11: Evaluate specific treaties that have been, or currently are, in place globally to determine their effectiveness.
• TPP11: Analyze the impact Canadian treaties could have on resolving global conflict.

• Using various historical and contemporary examples of injustice, have the students engage in various justice forums:
  • Court Trial,
  • Sentencing Circles,
  • Town Hall Meeting,
  • Mediation,
  • Truth and Reconciliation Commissions,
  • Human Rights Tribunals.

Part A

Citizens connected to Self, Community, and Place value and demonstrate a commitment to understanding the connections between people, the societies they create, and the environment in which they live.   They strive to right inequities of social injustice.

Students begin by examining causes of injustice and the considerations that must occur when trying to redress wrongs (10).   They move to understanding the implications of injustice at the international level (20) and consider the additional complications of working with many countries with differing ideologies and political structures.  In the final year of study (30) students continue to examine the historical and contemporary issues that arise from injustice and the structures, societal, and political that perpetuate ongoing inequities, including acceptance of the status quo.

Students examine the history of cultures living together; examine the impact of ideology on the way society responds to current inequities; and, consider historical mechanisms to address injustice.

• Social Studies students will consider the various ideological responses to current and/or historical inequities.
• Historical Studies students will consider and assess mechanisms to resolve inequity and injustice.
• Native Studies students will evaluate approaches to acculturation over time (annihilation, assimilation, accommodation)

• Injustices of today have roots in the past.
• Canadian society is challenged to manage the coexistence of diverse worldviews.
• Canadian citizens work to achieve a balance between rights and responsibilities through learning and action.
• Canadian society has inequities and elimination of these is beneficial for all Canadians.
• For each individual, becoming aware of racism in Canadian society is an evolutionary process and a precursor to change.
• As citizens of local, national, and global communities, Canadians are conscious, self-reflective, and critical of their own beliefs and actions and seek to make positive change.
• Citizens show flexibility of mind.

• Criteria to identify Social Justice Issues
• Strategies to affect change
• Systemic elements of injustice

Students will be able to:

• Identify and analyze social justice issues
• Compare and contrast strategies to address those issues
• Investigate the underlying causes of social injustice

• What is social justice?
• Why do injustices exist?
• What responsibility do individuals have to address injustices in society? How could this be accomplished?
• What responsibilities do governments have to address injustices in society? How can this be accomplished?

Students will:

• Investigate a variety of injustices: historical, social, religious, and cultural;
• Examine ways in which we/individuals contribute to current problems;
• Recognize issues of social justice and work towards a resolution for these issues, on a regional, national, global level;
  • Indigenous issues
  • Gender based issues
  • Environmental issues
  • Socio-economic issues
  • Cultural issues
• Understand the importance and purpose of community stewardship and take action at provincial, national, and global levels;
• Know that human rights are more than “demands for rights”; they involve a moral entitlement to the Rights in question which other people in society have collectively decided they will honour; and,
• Know that a human rights claim by an individual or group imposes a set of responsibilities and obligations which other individuals and groups must honour.

Part B Learning Plan 20 – History, Native Studies, Social Studies

How should nations address injustice?

• What are the considerations at the International level to redress injustice?
• What is required for global intervention?
• What happens when good people do nothing?

Big Ideas Explored:

• A variety of injustices: historical, social, religious, and cultural exist;
• Individuals contribute to current problems; and,
• Issues of social justice require a resolution that can exist at regional, national, and global levels and encompass a variety areas that include:
  • Indigenous issues
  • Gender based issues
  • Environmental issues
  • Socio-economic issues
  • Cultural issues.

Students will be asked to explore a variety of international social justice inequities to understand the moral entitlement to human rights and the differences in levels of human rights protection within countries.

• Do all countries have equal levels of human rights protection?
• What are the differences, similarities, and themes that students are noticing?

Exploration of these differences will raise questions about the considerations that arise when trying to address issues at a global level.

• What are the processes when trying to address issues of injustice in a foreign country?
• What responsibilities and rights do countries have to impose their belief system on one another?
• What are the written and unwritten rules of global resolution?

Finally students will understand the importance and purpose of community stewardship and be encouraged to take action on an issue.

• What is social justice?
  • How does social justice vary from country to county, culture to culture?
  • Are social justice standards/expectations the same?
  • From whose perspective is social justice considered?
• Why do injustices exist?
  • What is injustice? How do we know it is injustice?
  • What are the links between the causes and the country?
  • What are the patterns at the international level?
• What can be done about injustice?
  • How do we decide which injustice to address?
  • Are there similarities in the ways with which injustices are dealt?
• What responsibility do individuals have to address injustices in society?
  • Why do injustices exist in free and democratic societies?
  • How can engaged citizens affect positive change?

Inquiry

How should nations address injustice?

• What are the considerations at the International level when trying to redress injustice?
• What is required for global intervention?
• What happens when good people do nothing?

Hook Questions Think about… Talk about…

• What rights should people be entitled to regardless of their contribution to society?
• What obligations should everyone in society assume for others?
• What has been the history of dealing with injustice?
• What is the success rate?

Reflect upon/ have students research a specific injustice, historical or contemporary. (Students have been studying a number in other areas of citizenship.)

Present the results according to prompts below or have the students assume the historical persona of someone in the position to be able to combat a historical injustice.

• Who are/were the stakeholders and what are/were the issues? Why are/were they significant?
• What actions were taken to make a positive difference and what was the impact of those actions?
• What challenges were faced in trying to right this wrong?
• How would today’s world be different if success had been achieved in addressing this injustice?
• How has social media and technology influenced this issue?

• What are the similarities and differences between the issues?
• What themes are students noticing?
• Develop a list of important criteria to attend to in addressing social justice issues.
• Have students discuss / assess / rate the effectiveness of the criteria.
• Post thinking

Vocabulary

• Ideology
• Injustice
• Social Justice

What happens when good people do nothing?

Action for Change Symposium / Inquiry:

Clarify with students, reasons for choosing the issue they will be focusing on.

• Criteria to narrow their focus include:
  • relevance,
  • importance,
  • proximity,
  • interest,
  • possible impact [racial, social, economic, political],
  • urgency,
  • timeline,
  • likelihood of success,
  • available resources

Social Justice Issue Considerations

• Expose students to information from a wide variety of social justice issues.
  • Human Rights Watch – hrw.org for current international issues or
  • Democracy Watch – democracywatch.ca for Canadian issues.
• Group the class for further investigation.

How does the International community try to redress injustice?  What are the considerations at the International level?

For your particular area of research identify:

• Issue issues from stakeholders’ perspective
• What has already been done?
• Who has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo?
• What are the short term and long term targets for change?
• What skills/resources do we need to affect this change?
• What allies can I access?
• What barriers will I face?
• How will this help my personal citizenship growth?

In reporting and reflecting upon their process in addressing a specific social justice issue have students:

• Identify strategy
• Examine and evaluate their strategy for change
• Identify the impact of their actions.
• What criteria did you use in choosing your specific social justice issue?
• What are the root causes of the issue?
• Where did you find your information?
• What criteria did you use in selecting the action you took?
• What were your successes?
• What challenges did you experience?
• What are the barriers to the change you are trying to create?
• Who has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, and why?
• What are the implications of change for all stakeholders (those with power, those seeking change, those indirectly affected, etc)?
• What would you do differently next time?
• How did your thinking about the issue evolve during the process?
• What are the next steps you will take?

Implement the Action Plan

(This will require time.  Should be started at beginning of year)

• Have the students assess the impact of their actions. Did they achieve the desire results? What more can be done?
• Conduct the Action for Change Symposium as a class.

• Do all countries have equal levels of human rights protection?
• What are the differences, similarities, and themes that students are noticing?
• What are the processes when trying to address issues of injustice in a foreign country?
• What responsibilities do countries have to impose their belief system on one another?
• What are the written and unwritten rules of global resolution?
• What happens when good people choose to do nothing?

How should nations redress injustice?

What are the considerations at the International level?

Social Justice Issue Reflection

For each prompt give your reasons and explain your thinking.

• How would you rate your resolution of your social justice issue?
• What were you most pleased about?
• What continues to cause you concern?
• What needs to change in order for you to achieve a stronger resolution?

Additional Inquiry Questions for Assessment:

• Can all social justice issues be resolved satisfactorily?
• Do citizens have an obligation to get involved in all social justice issues?
• What would be your criteria for satisfactory resolution of social justice issues?
• What is critical to attend to in resolving social justice issues at the international level?
• What is required from the global community for successful resolution of social justice issues to occur?
• What are some of the barriers that keep citizens from becoming involved in social justice issues?

• What is social justice?
  • How does social justice vary from country to county, culture to culture?
  • Are social justice standards/expectations the same?
  • From whose perspective is social justice considered?
• Why do injustices exist?
  • What is injustice? How do we know it is injustice?
  • What are the links between the causes and the country?
  • What are the patterns at the international level?
• What can be done about injustice?
  • How do we decide which injustice to address?
  • Are there similarities in the ways with which injustices are dealt?
• What responsibility do individuals have to address injustices in society?
  • Why do injustices exist in free and democratic societies?
  • How can engaged citizens affect positive change?

• What did you learn about social justice at the international level that surprised you?
• Why did you learn about yourself that surprised you?
• What makes you care about injustice at the international level? Explain your thinking.

Part C

• Take Action: A Guide to Active Citizenship (Kielburger)
• Service-Learning: From Classroom to Community to Career (Watkins and Braun)
• Active Citizenship: Student Action Projects (Case, Falk, Smith and Werner)
• The Complete Guide to Service Learning: Prove, Practical Ways to Engage Students in Civic Responsibility, Academic Curriculum, and Social Action (Kane)
• The Kid’s Guide to Social Action: How to Solve the Social Problems You Choose – And Turn Creative Thinking Into Positive Action (Lewis)
• WeDay.com
• Upworthycom
• The Rise of the Occupy Movement (R.O.V.E.R.)
• BC Teacher’s Federation
• Canadian Teacher’s Federation
• Teaching for Peace
• Canadian Civil Liberties Association
• Democracy Watch – democracywatch.ca
• Human Rights Watch – hrw.org
• Amnesty International:
  • http://www.amnesty.ca/get-involved/urgent-action-network
  • http://www.amnesty.ca/our-work/issues/indigenous-peoples
• Fighting Antisemitism Together (FAST): http://www.fightingantisemitism.ca/
• Voices into Action: http://www.voicesintoaction.ca

“If students are to become lifelong learners, develop a sense of self and connection to others, and become engaged citizens and achieve the Cross-curricular Competencies and the outcomes for English language arts, students require meaningful, authentic contexts for learning. Students need many opportunities to explore questions and concerns about themselves and about the world.”

The Concentus Citizenship Education Resources provide teachers with a framework of inquires with which to further students’ explorations of their roles and responsibilities as Canadian citizens, in authentic contexts.  These inquiries are directly connected to Social Sciences (History, Native Studies, Social Studies) foundational outcomes and the broad goals of learning identified above.  Specific connections to English Language Arts and Treaty Education are identified and suggested as starting points for teachers.

English Language Arts 20 (Unit 2):

Contexts/Themes

Moving Forward – Establishing and Realizing (possible sub-units include: Turning Points and Transitions; Evolving Roles and Responsibilities; Opportunities and Obstacles; Risks and Rewards; Beliefs and Goals)

Essential Questions

• How do our relationships with others evolve and influence us as we mature and age?
• Are all the roles and the work associated with those roles valued or respected equally? How can you ensure that the work you do and the roles you play will be valued and respected equally?
• What are contemporary expectations of adults? How do the roles and expectations of adults vary among cultures and through the various stages of adulthood?
• As we mature and age, what are our responsibilities to self and to others? How do these responsibilities change?
• What does the concept of a balanced life mean? How and why do we plan to achieve balance in our lives? Is the quest for balance universal?
• How do our values and beliefs determine the paths of life that we may explore? What influences or necessitates the re-evaluation of our values and beliefs?

Treaty Education

• TR11: Examine how Canada’s process of treaty making could be applied to situations in other parts of the world where Indigenous people have struggled to have rights recognized.
• SI11: Analyze how the unfulfilled aspects of treaties, with international indigenous people, have resulted in inequities.
• HC11: Evaluate specific treaties that have been, or currently are, in place globally to determine their effectiveness.
• TPP11: Analyze the impact Canadian treaties could have on resolving global conflict.