Level 20 Lifelong Learning Citizens Part B Learning Plan

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

This section gives a brief overview of the students’ learning path, inquires students will be doing in class, and the various connections to larger concepts.

The citizenship inquiries incorporate the three perspectives of Social Sciences through exploration of historical and contemporary issues, which in Canada’s case must include Indigenous perspectives. Teachers may choose, however, to explore citizenship considerations specifically through the lens of their respective social science area.

Teacher Note

Inquiries are identified and connections to Big Ideas are noted. Teachers may begin with any inquiry or combine inquiries to use the approach that resonates best with their students.

Inquiry

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.

Questions to Guide Inquiry

Essential questions frame the enduring understandings. Guiding questions are more directly linked to inquiry and guide outline or progression of inquiry.

Teachers Note:
Essential questions are posted and discussed with students at the start of the exploration of study. These open-ended questions are continually revisited; encompass concepts that students will explore throughout the unit of study; form the evidence of understanding; and, frame the assessment at the end of the unit of study. Guiding questions are posed to support student thinking as they explore the answers to the larger overarching questions.

Teachers may want to consider putting the questions into a “Before, During, After” chart to note the changes in students’ thinking as a result of the inquiries.

Essential Questions: Guiding Questions

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.

CONNECT TO TOPIC AND SURFACE STUDENTS’ THINKING ABOUT …

This section indicates ways to introduce the lesson by engaging students. Essential questions are posed here to frame the context for student thinking and have students begin thinking about the topic. Vocabulary is introduced and noted here. Answers to essential questions establish a baseline regarding student understanding as they identify the basic knowledge that students have and give teachers an idea of what students will need to learn to explore these outcomes. This section may also frame the “We do” portion of the lesson where teachers guide the initial structure of the inquiry.

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?

Learn more

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

DEVELOPING UNDERSTANDING

This section is the core of the lesson. It describes the main activity(ies) involved. In inquiry-based learning, the teacher facilitates the activities that lead to the understandings that student make of the essential questions. It is critical then, that students be allowed to raise questions and talk about issues that develop as they explore the learning activities. This forms the “They do” section of the inquiry where students are finding answers to the overarching questions and then searching for themes and patterns as possible explanations. Teachers work with students to clarify understandings.

Strategies to develop and explore inquiries include:

Surfacing student thinking, posting, and then reflecting on thinking to note how thinking has changed and what has caused the changes. What is the evidence to support the new learning?
Jigsaw strategy approach: Students, individually or in groups, explore similar questions, present their findings to the group. The teacher helps to note similarities, differences, themes. Students are encouraged to develop summary statements to clarify their thinking and describe new learning.

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

Note: Similarities and differences between the topics; the themes that are arising.

Go back to the essential questions and have students reflect on their initial thinking. What changes are they finding after their research? How has their thinking changed?

Evaluate the response of nations to global justice issues.

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.

These are very “big” concepts. Throughout this study, it is critical that teachers help students to step back to see the big picture.

What themes are emerging?
What are the similarities and differences?
Why do students think this is so?

The independence level of the class, will determine how much teacher direction is required to do this.

APPLY AND EXTEND KNOWLEDGE

This section includes ideas to extend the inquiry or apply concepts explored. This section may also include additional reflective questions to promote student connection to the topic. This forms the “You do” section – extend thinking beyond the classroom discussions and inquiry experiences. Pose additional reflective questions that have been raised to encourage critical and creative thinking.

Possible Inquiry Questions for Extension:

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

EVIDENCE OF LEARNING

This section suggests ways in which students may demonstrate their understanding. Ideal demonstrations will be in authentic performance tasks. Each citizenship study may have its own smaller assessment piece or be compiled to support one larger performance task assessment. Assessment pieces vary, but should allow students to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways.

Have students demonstrate what they have learned about the questions posed in the inquiry. How has their thinking changed from their initial thinking? What evidence do they have to support their thinking?

Have students use the following prompts to connect to or answer any of the essential questions, the enduring understandings, or the inquiry questions to demonstrate their evidence of learning.

What do you think now about…?
What has caused your thinking to change?
What evidence supports your thinking?
Why is this information important to know?
How will you use this information?

Inquiry

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?

Enduring Understandings

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.

Essential Questions: Guiding Questions

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?

STUDENT CITIZENSHIP JOURNAL OPPORTUNITIES

Students will continue to explore their understanding of their role as a Canadian citizen and reflect on their perspective in an Ongoing Journal. Look for opportunities to include video journaling and blogging. Art should be included throughout the journal; some to accompany the journal entry and some that are random drawings and sketching. The journal entries are a record of the student’s thinking and chronicle their changing views of citizenship.

Students are keeping a Citizenship Journal to reflect upon their developing views of citizenship. This section provides prompts for student journals. Students are invited to choose one that interests them or propose their own. Students can also respond to any of the essential questions.

Students are encouraged to respond using a variety of genres.

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?

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