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Learning Evaluation Situation

Title: First Occupants and Contemporary Relevance
Unit/Social Phenomena: First Occupants
Course: History and Citizenship
Grade: 9 (Cycle 2 Year 1)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Unit Informaton page 3
2. Unit Focus/Goals pages 3 5
o Ratonale and Social Posture
3. Links to the QEP pages 5 9
o Subject Specifc Competencies
o Cross-Curricular Competencies
o Broad Areas of Learning
4. Topics pages 10 15
o History of the Canadian Iroquois Populatons
o History of the Canadian Algonquin Populatons
o Early Colonizaton by the Europeans
o Conficts Between the European Colonizers and Aboriginal Populatons
o Stereotypes Throughout Canadian History and Now
o Future Directons and Solutons
5. Culminatng Assignment pages 15 18
6. Instructonal Tools page 18
7. Lesson Plan One pages 18 28
8. Lesson Plan Two pages 28 34
9. References page 35

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UNIT INFORMATION

Title: First Occupants: Conflicts in the Past and Present
Grade: 9 (Cycle 2, Year 1)
Theme/Social Phenomena: First Occupants

UNIT FOCUS/GOALS

This unit will take place in a 9th Grade History/Citizenship class in Montreal over the
course of one month. The unit is following an ongoing theme of stereotypes and respect for
other cultures. The focus of this unit is to educate students about the initial Aboriginal
conceptions of the world and how they relate to contemporary Quebec society, looking at both
positive and negative results of colonization and why they are relevant now. This will be
approached using methods that are educational, but also very interactive, in order to
accommodate diverse learning styles and the curriculum that is required by the Ministre de
Lducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS). Historically, we are primarily focusing on geography,
subsistence, and spirituality/values and how they have changed or remained static over time. In
order to bring the focus to the present, we will look at stereotypes that currently exist, where
they originated, and what can be done to prevent them from becoming exacerbated. The unit
will involve looking specifically at Iroquois societies, Algonquin societies, European settlement,
early conflict, stereotypes, and modern conceptions of Canadian history in these respects.
Although each of the topics surrounds issues of the First Occupants, they will take different
approaches with different focuses in each case. In this sense, the unit may stand alone, or can
be incorporated and interchanged with other lessons or units involving the First Occupants of
Canada if necessary.

The information in this unit is approached as though the students have no pre-existing
knowledge of the topics, beginning with the basics and working forward. Initially, the focus will
be primarily educational with little focus on personal opinions, as students may not have
enough knowledge to form opinions about such topics. Nevertheless, these early lessons will be
interactive and engaging in order to maintain the interest of the students while providing them
with the information that they will need later in the unit. Towards the second half of the unit,
students will be able to provide educated opinions and suggestions for overcoming the issues
that are being discussed. Ultimately, the goals of the unit are for students to have an in-depth
understanding of early Canadian history, which meet the requirements of the Quebec
Education Program (QEP), which will be indicated by a unit exam. Additionally, our aim is that
students will be able to tie this understanding to the present and indicate thoughtful
consideration of how contemporary issues may be addressed through the culminating
assignment. We understand that these topics can be highly sensitive and will enforce zero-
tolerance for any inappropriate language or actions throughout the unit. This is to encourage
the ongoing focus of respect and understanding of other cultures.

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In order to encourage students to critically think about historical issues, we will
approach the unit in the form of several unsolved questions. Although there are no clear
answers to these questions, students may formulate their own ideas and provide a defense for
their own theories. These unsolved questions include Why does racism exist? Despite initial
relations being cordial between the Aboriginal population and the European settlers, conflict
has arisen and today there is a clear divide between the Aboriginal population and the rest of
Canada. What accounted for this divide in the past and what accounts for it now? Are they
related? The goals of these questions are to facilitate our focus by having students make the
connection between current societal problems and where they originated in Canadian history.
They are also inquiry questions as opposed to research questions. Mike Denos (2008) suggests
that inquiry questions are beneficial because there is not necessarily a correct answer and
students are able to defend their opinions. We believe that using inquiry, as our overarching
guiding questions are beneficial in order to encourage deeper thinking instead of simply having
students repeat what they were told in class. Additionally, assignments are geared towards
these unsolved questions (and, therefore, our focus), by having students consider what can be
done to prevent such issues in society today. Students will learn that understanding history is
crucial in order to prevent history from repeating itself, so the goal of these questions is for
the students to contemplate how we can prevent discrimination now and in the future. Overall,
these guiding questions will promote the ongoing theme and allow students to become better
acquainted with the material.

LINKS TO THE QEP

QEP Subject Specific Competencies (SSCs) Addressed in this Unit:
The subject specific competencies (SSCs) that we will be assessing in the final assignment are
competency 1: Examines social phenomena from a historical perspective and competency 3:
Strengthening his/her exercise of citizenship through the study of history.

SSC 1: Examines Social Phenomena from a Historical Perspective:
The unit will address the first subject specific competency through the required criteria for the
culminating activities. These criteria are derived from the QEP guideline of helping students to
understand the present by looking at the past and develop a reflex to continue doing so in the
future (http://www1.mels.gouv.qc.ca). To elaborate, this means that students will learn to see
how the present cannot be taken at face value and has many factors from the past that
contribute to social norms not only in this case, but in future research as well. By giving
students the skills to look at historical factors instinctively, students will be able to better
comprehend and explain how the past has influenced contemporary phenomena. This aligns
with our social posture by facilitating intellectual development of history as well as the ability to
make connections between the past and the present. In this case, the phenomenon that
students will be examining is that of stereotypes and conflict between the Aboriginal
population and the rest of Canada. Initially, students may believe that this is a relatively new
topic; however, between the lessons and the culminating assignment, they are guided to a

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conclusion that is much different. Instead, they will be able to understand that this problem,
like many others, is rooted deeply in the past. By developing these skills, students will be able
to apply them in the future when looking at other social phenomena.
As teachers, we are looking for students to be able to address the following in their final
assignment:
Conduct research of past conflict between the European settlers and Aboriginal peoples
that have influenced contemporary stereotypes
Indicate other major people and event events from the past, which have influenced the
present in some way
Differentiate between correlational links from the past to the present and direct
(causational) changes as a result of historical factors
See a trend between these instances of historical influence and how history influences
almost all social phenomena, not simply what is covered in this unit.
Evaluation criteria:
Uses primary sources from the past when researching for the culminating assignment
and includes these sources in a meaningful way
Draws from the past throughout the assignment
Links the historic events to the modern phenomena of First Occupants relations
Demonstrates understanding that historical events influence modern social phenomena

SSC 3: Strengthening his/her Exercise of Citizenship through the Study of History:

This unit on the First Peoples and Occupants is designed to go beyond the surface of historical
study about a group of people at the time of colonization. The aim of the LES, unit, and lesson
plans are to get students to begin formulating their own identity as conscious and well-
informed citizens. Students will be able to critically assess past and present events and assess
and address the social issues that have arisen from such events. They will also learn the
importance of voicing their opinions in an ethical and responsible way to see that they too can
be advocates for change. They will learn that actions have consequences and they will be able
to make connections between past and present events. This corresponds to our social posture
because it encourages students to have an opinion about the topic, facilitating personal
development within the classroom. Additionally, students will explore options to diminish the
effects of stereotypes in their own community in the culminating assignment, relating to our
rationale of social reformation. Both of these factors can strengthen the exercise of citizenship
using historical content.
As teachers, we are looking for students to be able to address the following in their final
assignment:
Making a link between past Aboriginal groups and contemporary Aboriginals today
looking at values, traditions, society and culture.
Looking at how human actions can lead to social change.
Being able to clearly speak to contemporary issues facing Aboriginal groups today by
incorporating historical and present day facts.

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Being able to establish and express their opinion in an ethical, educated, and
responsible manner.
Evaluation criteria:
Incorporating historical knowledge in their formulation of their opinion.
Being able to address present day social issues.
Understanding social participation and how they can participate as citizens in a
pluralistic society.
Critically evaluating sources of information.

QEP Cross-Curricular Competencies (CCCs) Addressed in this Unit:
The CCCs that the students will be using in their culminating project are the following:
Exercise Critical Judgment, Uses Creativity, Uses Information and Communication Technologies,
Cooperates with Others, and Communicates Appropriately.

Competency 3: Exercises Critical Judgment:
Students will learn to go beyond prejudices and intuitive assumptions, and to replace
unconsidered opinion with judgment. (www.mels.gouv.qc.ca)
Because of the nature of this unit plan, students will be required to exercise critical judgment
since they are living in a pluralistic society, which means that there are numerous viewpoints to
consider. As responsible citizens, it is imperative that students learn to look beyond
assumptions and prejudices. They need to consider factual evidence, compare ideas and
viewpoints, learn to distinguish between facts that are based on evidence vs. those based on
emotion and be able to formulate an opinion from their analysis.
Teachers will look for the students position in the culminating activity and see if they are able
to justify their opinion considering the factors and information involved.

Competency 4: Uses Creativity:
Creativity is less a matter of using new resources or knowledge than of the way in which
resources and knowledge are used. (www.mels.gouv.qc.ca)
The culminating activity allows students to convey their knowledge in a creative way, which
allows them to use their imagination. This allows the students to express themselves and their
ideas in non-traditional ways, which can mean greater diversity in expression.
Teachers will look for the ways in which the student uses their knowledge and technology to
formulate and express their ideas. They will also look to see how the students express
themselves in new ways. They will also look at students openness in trying new things, how
they are receptive to other views and ideas and the diversity used in the culminating activity.

Competency 6: Uses Information and Communications Technologies (ICT):

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ICT accelerate the acquisition of many cross-curricular and subject-specific competencies.
(www.mels.gouv.qc.ca)
A major part of the students assessment comes from the culminating activity of creating a
short video within groups. This involves using audio-visual resources that will be provided by
the school if students do not have their own at home. This activity requires students to use
these ICT to record and edit the videos. In a world with constantly changing technology, this
cross-curricular competency is valuable to develop skills that will be useful for years to come.
Students will not be evaluated on this competency because they will all be using ICT for the
assignment in some way. Some students may have greater experience or equipment so it is not
necessarily fair to grade students on how they use ICT. Effort, on the other hand, will be
considered in the grading process.

Competency 8: Cooperates with Others:
The fact that students work together does not necessarily mean they are cooperating.
One of the culminating activities is for the students to produce a short video in a group. This
requires the ability to develop social skills where they work towards a common goal and share
ideas and opinions in a positive and solutions focused manner. Cooperation requires students
to respect the opinions and values of others, work in collaboration, support each others
endeavors and be able to give and receive positive and constructive feedback.
Teachers will look at the final video project and also consider the roles that each student was
assigned for the activity, to see if students completed their tasks accordingly. They will also look
for group cohesiveness, conflict management, the ways in which the students contributed to
the video, and how students interacted with each other during class time.

Competency 9: Communicates Appropriately:
Communication is an interactive process that demands constant adjustment to a range of
possible meanings and reciprocal expectations. Language is the key tool for communication.
Both culminating activities require different forms of expression (collaborative and personal)
and a strong competency in communication. Communication is a valuable skill that has the
potential to benefit students for their entire lives. Communication requires the ability to convey
and express information and opinions between individuals and groups. It also has the power to
bring people together or push them further apart.
In the culminating activities, students will be communicating a message and their thoughts
using two different mediums. Teachers will look for the appropriateness of the communication
depending on the medium used depending on the audience. They will also look for respect in
the communication, grammar and vocabulary used, and the coherence of the message in their

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ideas and opinions.

Broad Areas of Learning (BALs) Addressed in this Unit:
The BALs that the students will be using in their culminating project are the following: Media
Literacy and Citizenship and Community Life.

Media Literacy:

Educational Aim: To enable students to exercise critical, ethical and aesthetic judgment with
respect to the media and produce media documents that respect individual and collective
rights. (www.mels.gouv.qc.ca)

By having students produce their own video, they will learn to think about the ways in which
media content can have a positive or negative affect in conveying messages or ideas. It will also
have them consider the audience they are trying to reach and how to appeal to this target
audience. Students must present the information in a way that is clear and educational, but
also engaging enough to keep the target audience interested. They will learn that there is a
difference between fact and opinion and the responsibility they have in ensuring that the media
accurately reflects their position. Through this BAL, students will become aware of the influence
that media has in shaping opinion and how integral media is in our global community today.

Citizenship and Community Life:

Educational Aim: To enable students to take part in the democratic life of the class or the
school and develop an attitude of openness to the world and respect for diversity.

As active citizens, students will learn, through the culminating activities, that we live in a
democratic society where all individuals are equal and have the same rights. Through the letter
activity, teachers will look for reflections on respect for others, egalitarian relationships,
acceptance of diverse cultures and a society that is void of exclusion.
Also teachers will look for an adoption of a culture of peace, where students will reflect upon
the negative consequences of stereotypes, exclusion and other forms of discrimination as well
as how societies/cultures have become dependent and intertwined with one another.

TOPICS

The topics that will be discussed in this unit are as follow:
1. History of the Canadian Iroquois Populatons
2. History of the Canadian Algonquin Populatons
3. Early Colonizaton by the Europeans
4. Conficts Between the European Colonizers and Aboriginal Populatons

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5. Stereotypes Throughout Canadian History and Now\
6. Future Directons and Solutons

1. History of the Iroquois Population

This topic will consist of the first lessons of the unit, and will take approximately two 60
minute classes. This concept has been emphasized by the QEP as a crucial part of the First
Occupants theme. By the end of this topic, students will understand the background of the
Iroquois peoples from a historical perspective as a foundation of the First Occupants of Quebec
and in the larger North American context. There will be a focus on the spirituality and cultural
values, beliefs, geography and ways of life held by the Iroquois peoples pre-colonization.
Students will also learn about how these societies changed and are represented in
contemporary Canadian society post-colonization, however these are topics that will be further
developed in later lessons. This topic is essential as a base for students to understand topics
that will follow later in the unit. These will address contemporary issues of Aboriginal peoples,
using historic and cultural context as a foundation. The history of the Iroquois population
clearly relates to our theme of First Occupants, but also to our emphasis on stereotypes and
respect for other cultures. It does this by giving an in-depth historical look at the early
Aboriginal culture, giving students the information to fully understand the progress of this
issue. It also addresses the SSC of examining social phenomena from a historical perspective,
giving students the key elements of the culture that underlie modern Aboriginal values in
society. This topic is particularly relevant in the present, as the Iroquois people have a presence
in contemporary Montreal, and nearby in the community of Kahnawake. This makes the topic
further relevant to the students own lives because this population is a part of the communities
in which they live. Additionally, students will gain insight about the cultural values held by
others, which will broaden their worldview, and encourage a reflection on their own values. In
order for one of the guiding questions, Why does racism exist? to be addressed, a whole
picture must be painted of the group that is targeted in this question, which involves the
Iroquois peoples. In order for the culminating assignment to be created, background knowledge
on different Aboriginal groups is essential. Additionally, students are required to draw on
history in the culminating assignment and may use the first topics as a source of information.
This topic will provide students with a basis for information on various topics they may choose
to address in their video. It will be the role of the teacher in this lesson to ensure that unbiased
and accurate information is provided, which illustrates the vibrant and diverse picture of
Iroquois life.

2. History of the Algonquin Population

This topic will follow the topic of Iroquois societies and will also take up two 60-minute
long lessons of the unit. The aim of the topic is to follow the concepts put in place by the QEP in
order to provide students with the opportunity to learn about First Occupants, both prior to
colonialism and post colonialism. We will specifically focus on their history and their relation to
Canada in accordance with the QEP requirements. We will begin by discussing how the

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Algonquin people first influenced Qubec. This is significant because the Algonquin population
have a historical connection with Qubec and played a role in the early growth of this land. The
lesson will first provide students with an overview of who the Algonquin are, their patterns of
migration, and their ties to the land. It will then give students the information to better
understand the role that Aboriginal communities play in Canadian society and in the conception
of Canada as a nation. Students will gain insight into the cultural practices, spirituality, how
economic activities occurred and the different roles of members of the community. This will
encourage intellectual development through the introduction of new information and
knowledge (Case & Clark, 2013). Through this approach, students will develop new skills to
critically analyze historical events, which will help them when approaching the final assignment.
Students are required to include primary sources in their culminating assignment and they must
first be able to comprehend the biases included in the sources that they use. By critically
analyzing the sources that they use, students are better able to understand history and the
phenomenon of the First Occupants. Additionally, this topic will prepare students for the
culminating assignment by giving accurate, historical information to the students that they may
draw from. This topic will also address a SSC competency of examining social phenomena from
a historical perspective, as students will be exposed to the different parties who were the first
to occupy the land of Canada. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to communicate
their discoveries in an effective manner using the unit quiz and the culminating assignment.
Similarly to the topic of Iroquois history, this topic is associated with our social posture because
it can provide the basis that students need to excel as citizens of Qubec and Canada. Before
students can learn the skills to reform their society, they must form a basis of information that
can guide them in their endeavors. This topic is meant to provide such a basis and give students
the intellectual development necessary to make a difference in contemporary society. In order
for students to prepare for the both video and open letter portion in the culminating
assignment, students must have past knowledge and must be able to analyze it in order to think
about the historical events that took place. Students will be able to exercise their knowledge of
Algonquin societies and culture in this activity as providing them with context will allow them to
better understand contemporary conflict and will give them the power and knowledge to
create their own stance on the events and promote social reform (Case & Clark, 2013). This will
also affect contemporary thought, as students will be able to create solutions to resolving this
conflict in a more appropriate manner. Through this topic, students will be able to openly
discuss their opinions and beliefs with their peers and contribute to society as they are
developing the skills to become tolerant individuals. In addition to learning about other culture,
this provides an aspect of self-learning, as students will be exposed to different opinions and
statements that can help shape their own personal ways of thinking.

3. Early Colonization by Europeans

This topic will take two lessons, each 60 minutes long, and will build off of the previous
lessons in the unit. It will provide students with a basic understanding of the first interactions
between European colonizers and the Aboriginal community. The students will already have a
good understanding of life prior to colonization, so they will be able to see how these changes
impacted Aboriginal ways of life. Students will learn about how land organization and

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management changed as new group stepped foot onto the soil and caused Aboriginal peoples
to suddenly lost control over the land. Through this lesson, students will see how colonization
became a catalyst in assimilating Aboriginal people; as European explorers arrived, they began
to establish claims, viewed the indigenous groups as uncivilized and pressured them to
disconnect from their culture. With this knowledge, students will be able to better understand
how colonization caused Aboriginal life to change drastically forever, as well as the challenges
that occurred and how these challenges are still faced in the contemporary world. In order for
students to understand the roots of the social transformation that occurred, students must
apply their previous knowledge about the culture and way of life of Aboriginal communities
prior to colonization. This lesson plan will address the SSC competency 3 of strengthening
his/her exercise through the study of history, as students will be exposed to other cultures,
giving them a larger worldview, and they will be able to apply component of knowledge learned
in this lesson to everyday life. Students will be able to establish a more appropriate opinion
towards the Aboriginal population and their rights after being given the opportunity to learn
about their traditions and cultures and how many were stripped away. They will be able to
make connections between their cultural traditions as well as Aboriginal cultures. This lesson
aims to broaden students sense of cultural acceptance. By the end of the lesson students will
be able to interpret historical events critically and create an awareness regarding how past
events still effect the present and future (Bain, 2005). The overarching goal is to remove any
bias students may have towards the Aboriginal and provide them with both the colonial side of
the story and the First Occupants story. This will help to prepare them for the next topic
surrounding conflicts between these two groups. By understanding the interactions between
the different communities, students will be able to create connections to the past by using
contemporary events as tools to identify the injustices that are often hidden. This will prepare
them for the final culminating activity, as students will foster an ethical dimension and become
aware of the cultural differences that existed and still exist in societies around them.
Colonization was a key turning point in the theme of First Occupants and is crucial when
considering how stereotypes have developed into their present state. They can use their
understanding of the consequences created by negative actions and reconciliation and further
develop solutions that can provide both the Canadian government and the Aboriginal
community a better way to mend the events of the past. The main objective for this assessment
is to allow students to engage through the use of student-made videos by making their own
interpretations based on their knowledge of the European colonizers and Aboriginal
communities. Writing a letter to the government of Canada will allow students to improve and
transform their societies. They will become investigators of history and provide different
perspectives of the historical events that took place in Canada (Case & Clark, 2013).

4. Conflicts Between the European Colonizers and Aboriginal Populations

This topic will be covered over a course of two lessons, which will be 60 minutes long
each. It will focus on themes of cultural differences and conflicts that occurred between the
Aboriginal community and European colonizers. Students will also understand the interaction
between the different communities in this time period and how it affects contemporary life.

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This topic will first introduce the differences between the Aboriginals and Europeans and allow
students to better understand how these differences gave rise to frustrations. The lesson will
then move on to showing students that these conflicts have occurred not only in Canada but
worldwide and in our day-to-day lives due to lack of respect, feelings of entitlement,
perceptions of knowledge and the unwillingness to accept other cultures, beliefs and traditions.
Often the media has presented us with biases about such topics and we live in a world where
industrialized traditions take precedence over many cultural traditions. This topic will address
SSC competency 1, Examine social phenomena from a historical perspective. Students will
examine colonization, and how the diffusion of European and Indigenous culture transformed
Algonquin culture. Students will understand the impact and consequences colonization had,
and colonization as an on going phenomenon that is connected with where we are today. The
topic aligns with our theme of First Occupants by tying together the three major First Occupant
groups as defined by the QEP: The Iroquois, The Algonquians, and the European colonizers
(www.mels.gouv.qc.ca). These conflicts also relate to the theme of stereotypes, in that the
conflicts we will look at begin a long timeline of problems that have shaped contemporary
divides. This information will prepare students for the final culminating assignment by
promoting a social reform mindset, as students will be provided with the understandings,
abilities and values necessary to improve or transform their societies (Case & Clark, 2013).
Additionally, these initial conflicts will provide insight into the idea that current problems go
further in history than we often realize. Modern stereotypes are not a result of the past ten
years, or even residential schools. Students will realize that contemporary issues were set in
motion at the earliest points of contact between the Aboriginal population and the Europeans.
The activity will produce an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge of the
different Aboriginal communities and use this to create a policy or other suggestions that will
seek reconciliation and avoid mistakes of the past. Students often believe only what they are
taught by teachers and history texts, this assignment will encourage them to look for other
perspectives of the conflict (Wineburg, 1991). It is important for students to see who the two
different groups where and the events that occurred in order for them to become productive
citizens who are able to make informed decisions, ensuring that groups are not marginalized.

5. Stereotypes Throughout Canadian History and Now

This lesson will be two classes in length (60 minutes long each) and will address
stereotypes as a contemporary issue faced by Aboriginal communities. Students will learn
about stereotypes of Aboriginal peoples such as homelessness and substance abuse, and will
examine these stereotypes more critically. Past knowledge from previous lessons will be
brought in, so students will be able to see how past conflicts in history have shaped and
affected the present. This will address SSC 1 Examines Social Phenomena from Historical
Perspective as students will be expected to make critical links between a current societal
problem in Quebec and Canada by drawing on past conflicts. Other social phenomena will be
brought into the lesson and examined critically as well, such as residential schools, so students
will be able to further analyze colonialism, and more contemporary forms of it. Overall, this
lesson aims to get students thinking critically about how past events have informed the
present. In this situation, our aim is to have students consider how consequences of colonialism

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have led to stereotypes, and for students to see just how detrimental this contemporary
conflict is on society. In addition, the aim is to combat many of these stereotypes in a safe
space, thus creating citizens with more open-minded and worldly views. We will have students
begin to brainstorm potential solutions in order to prepare for the next topic. The main portion
of the culminating assignment will be to present these ideas while drawing on the past. This
topic will allow students to begin the early stages of the assignment and consider how all of the
topics that we have covered so far are interrelated. For the second part of their assignment,
where students are expected to write a letter, contemporary conflicts between the Aboriginal
population and the rest of Canada will be a significant part of the assignment. This topic will be
helpful to prepare students when choosing a topic and creating this letter. It will aim to
motivate students to want to be agents of change through the issues that are presented, which
can also be applied in their letter. Students will also be shown the Harper Apology and asked to
analyze it when learning about residential schools, so this can act as an example and inspiration
for their own work. This topic begins a shift away from the theme of First Occupants and more
into the theme of stereotypes. Nevertheless, up to this point, students will have received the
background to understand how the past has exacerbated these issues. Overall, this lesson will
facilitate the shift into a more contemporary setting and allow students to see why this topic is
so important.

6. Future Directions and Solutions

This topic will be the last of the unit and will really get students thinking about their
culminating assignment. This topic will also be two classes in length, each consisting of a 60
minute period) and will tie together everything that has been discussed throughout the unit. It
is meant to end the unit on a hopeful note for students, as it deals with contemporary
initiatives and political issues that exist or are in progress in Quebec and Canada that promote
and protect cultural values of Aboriginal peoples. It also aligns with our social posture by giving
the students the tools for social reform by considering how to address this problem in society.
In short, the topic is designed to show how we as citizens can combat stereotypes in minor and
major ways. Students will also be able to see history as a continuation of events, in which they
are part of and able to engage with. SSC 1: Examines Social Phenomena from Historical
Perspective will be addressed from this, as students become more aware that the past forms
the present. Additionally, links will be made with previous lessons on the history of different
First Occupant groups. Various initiatives taken by the Aboriginal community (for example, the
Idle No More movement, Friendship Centers, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and
government funding for Aboriginal university and language classes) will be discussed, and
examined critically. Students will be encouraged to consider if these initiatives are enough or if
more can be done. In addition, this topic will promote democratic citizenship, as it targets the
skills and values of critical awareness, participation, involvement by presenting students with
contemporary issues in the society which they are a part of (Osborne, 2008). This means that
student involvement in the community will be encouraged, and guidance by the teacher to do
so will be offered. It will present students with the values that they need in order to improve or
transform their society, as students will learn about social strategies that fight against colonial

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damage (Case & Clarke, 2012). This will address SSC 3: Strengthening his/her Exercise of
Citizenship through the Study of History, which aims to make students conscious and well
informed citizens as many contemporary issues within the reach of students are involved
(www.mels.gouv.qc.ca). Overall, the aim is to get students actively thinking about how they can
transform their society, and overcome issues like cultural loss from colonization and
contemporary racism, as well as to discuss Aboriginal culture in a contemporary context. It will
highlight values held by Aboriginal peoples, which is a central theme that has come up in
various classes of the unit. This topic will come full circle to integrate our two themes of First
Occupants and stereotypes, where students can see how each topic in the unit has contributed
to their lives today in some way. This topic will be most useful for the second culminating
activity, where students will be expected to write an open letter. Awareness will be raised in
this lesson on various solutions to contemporary issues, which will be useful for students to
use in their arguments. It will provide a background and suggestions to encourage students to
become agents of change, which will act as a guide in their letter writing, and the topic they
may choose to address. As cultural values are a key element in many of these movements, it
will also help students in deciding on a topic for their video, and give them the tools to
approach conflicts in a respectful and peaceful manner.

CULMINATING ASSIGNMENT

This unit will involve three evaluations to assess the students knowledge of the topics covered.
They will include:
1. Short Video in Groups of Five - 10%
2. Open leter to an MP or Parliament - 5%
3. Unit Exam - 5%

At the end of the unit we would like our students to produce two things. First we would
like them to produce a sixty second short video as well as an open letter to either parliament or
their MP. The goal is that they will create a video in groups of five that will show both the
history of Aboriginal population and how it affects their contemporary standing in Canadian
society. The video requires that students draw on their historical knowledge of the Aboriginal
population from the unit and other research in order to demonstrate the understanding that
the past influences the present. Then they must choose one contemporary issue or stereotype
that is affecting the Aboriginal community and link both of them together in a 60 second short.
The context of this video must either address a current problem faced by Aboriginal
populations or must address a stereotype and work to break it. This video requires students to
call upon their knowledge of First Occupants and encourages students to think critically about
how history has influenced the present. Critical thinking will also be required by having the class
view one anothers videos for a critique. They must be sure to have a video that is as stereotype
and bias free as possible, depicting it as accurately as they can. Also, the students will have to
use historical examples to back up their claims, which requires careful thought. For example if
they choose to do a video about the alcoholic stereotype within the Aboriginal community, they

15
could use both historical and contemporary examples to disprove it, and use historical
knowledge to show the root of the stereotype. In order to achieve this, they will have to go
through the course material and carefully think about how they as a group will use a key event
in Canadian First Occupant history to disprove a stereotype while avoiding the trap of biases. If
the stereotype is in fact true, students should provide a background and explain how this
problem came to exist. Not all stereotypes are false, but most have a larger story to tell about
the cultures in which they exist. The video assignment will help in developing the SSC of
interpreting social phenomena from a historical perspective because students are aware that
they must draw on the past in this assignment. In this sense, students will be looking at
contemporary phenomena and how the past has shaped them. This will directly develop this
competency in students, which they can hopefully use further in the future. This assignment
also addresses and improves the CCCs of using creativity, using ICT, and cooperating with
others. Overall, this assignment will increase the competencies in students that have been put
in place by the QEP in many ways. The video will be worth 10% of the students final grade and
is worth more than the other assignments in the unit. This is because students have time to
formulate their opinions and can demonstrate their knowledge in a way that does not require
memorization. Additionally, it reflects the ability to be concise when presenting information
while still addressing a major real world problem.

The second assignment will be done individually. This is where the students will write an
open letter to either parliament or their MP. In the letter, students will give one or more
suggestions for a policy, program, or other initiative that could help prevent stereotypes. If
students genuinely feel that the current initiatives are beneficial or could be improved in some
way, this it also acceptable. Overall, the aim is for students to understand how they can play a
role in reducing stereotypes through the use of policy. Nevertheless, within the classes, they
will learn that minor actions can also play a role, such as avoiding racist terms and encouraging
their peers to do the same. This assignment is designed to have the students connect both their
historical knowledge from the course along with knowledge about contemporary issues facing
the Aboriginal community. The assignment is also meant to show students that they can act as
an agent for change. In addition to outlining the problem, the students must give suggestions
for policy or other actions that can improve the social problems derived from stereotypes
surrounding the First Occupants. Writing a letter demonstrates to students one of the many
tools they can use to create a change in their own society. This is meant to show students that
it can be easy to take action and make their voice heard. The hope is that by completing this
assignment they will become inspired to become active citizens and push for the changes that
they want to see. This is a key aspect of our social posture because it gives the students the
ability to actually initiate a change in their own society and become more active citizens. The
students may realize that simple gestures do not always make a difference, but they can also be
simple ways to keep society from moving backwards. The assignment will address the SSC of
strengthening his/her citizenship through the study of history by giving students a simple tool
that can make a difference in their society. As citizens, they are able to promote change and
influence the future for the best. This assignment will also incorporate the CCCs of exercising
critical judgment and communicating appropriately two skills which are beneficial for any
student. This assignment will be worth 5% of the students final grade in the class and once

16
again seeks to address the real world problem of stereotypes, primarily those that are directed
towards the Aboriginal community.

Both of these assignments connect to our theme/social phenomena of First Occupants
and stereotypes while incorporating everything that has been learned throughout the unit.
Additionally, both are structured in a way that makes students recall past information from the
course and their own research followed by conducting a critical analysis to produce a final
project. This not only serves to educate others but can also be an agent in promoting change in
the way we think of First Occupants. One of the most important factors is that both of
these assessments can be used outside the classroom and in the real world to promote change.
This aligns with our social posture in the domain of social reform, because students are given
the skills and understanding to transform their own society. Additionally, students will
demonstrate intellectual development by drawing from the past and demonstrating the new
ideas that they have learned in class and in their research. Lastly, we aim for students to have
personal development by increasing their passion and interest in the topic. This cannot be
forced, however, learning about the harsh realities in our society will hopefully move students
to take action to create a more equal future. The video can be shown to family and friends of
the student and the letter is being sent to a member of the government. Both of these can be
used to help disprove or explain stereotypes that are used against the Aboriginal community.
Therefore both methods of assessment are teaching students how to solve a real world
problem by giving them the tools to engage in social action. This achieves both our goals of
promoting students to engage in social change and also our other goal of making sure students
just don't accept history at face value, but instead to deeper in order to find biases and move
past them. Both of these culminating activities call for students to link the lesson material with
contemporary issues and to think critically about history in order to create a final opus that can
be used for social change.

In addition to the culminating activities, there will be a unit exam at the end of the unit
to test the students understanding. This serves the purpose of ensuring that students truly
understand the information and can produce educated arguments for their beliefs about the
topic. Additionally, this aligns with our social posture of intellectual development. We do not
believe that a strong citizen should only focus on intellectual development, but education is
crucial to promote social change. After ensuring students have adequate background
knowledge, they are better able to represent their own viewpoints. Nevertheless, the exam will
only be worth 5% of the final grade because our focus is not on memorization of facts, but
understanding, which will be reflected in the culminating activities. By having students engage
in a final assignment that forces them to create a product that can be used to create a social
change we are addressing the subject specific competency of ensuring that our students are
strengthening their exercise of citizenship through the study of history. Also we address the SSC
of students examining social phenomena from a historical perspective. To have success in the
final assessment it is crucial that students are able to link the past to the present and examine
the influence that history has had on a contemporary issue. Knowledge is the foundation of
change and an exam will allow us to interpret the students knowledge in an objective way.

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INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS

Required textbook: the teacher will reference the textbook in the lecture and tell students
which pages the lecture aligns with so that they can read more about it if they need any
clarity.
Computer with Internet access: this will be used to access various informaton and videos
online.
PowerPoint Projector: This lesson will be accompanied by a PowerPoint presentaton, which
will serve as a visual aid for students. There will also be several slides with informaton for
students to copy in their notebooks. Photos used in the slides will be used to atempt to
engage students further and to accommodate those students who learn visually.
Access to YouTube: We will use YouTube videos in the hooks to generate interest and
discussion. This requires access to the projector and a computer with access to YouTube.
See the hook/intro for links to the videos.
Government records of Indigenous peoples: Two documents will be used in this lesson: an
excerpt about Jacques Carter and the apology Prime Minister Stephen Harper made in
2008. Additonally, a map of Canada will be used to illustrate important places in the lesson.
This map can be labeled according to current geography or as it was believed to be earlier
in history as long as the locatons are accurate.
Journals: Journals will be used at the end of class for refecton and to answer guiding
questons. Students are responsible for bringing their own journals but keep extra paper on
hand in case any students forget their journal.

LESSON PLAN ONE

Created by Lindsey Johnson and Meghan Traynor (February 2014)
Lesson Title: "Iroquois Society and Discrimination" - 1st lesson of the unit
Time Allocated: 60 Minutes
Description: This lesson will aim to teach students historical information surrounding the
Iroquois population and the ways in which they lived up to European settlement. It will serve
the purpose of giving the students the historical background they will need for lessons later in
the unit relating to more contemporary issues within Quebec society.

Lesson Focus
The focus of this lesson is to teach students about the history of Aboriginal conceptions of the
world by focusing primarily on the five Iroquois groups in North America and their roles within
the larger Aboriginal society. It will explain Iroquois beliefs, eating habits, conflicts, and
geography. This will be the 1st lesson within the unit and will prepare students for issues

18
surrounding conflict between the Aboriginal population and the European settlers and
eventually will lead into contemporary conflicts between the Aboriginal population and the rest
of Canada. The lesson aims to provide an informational foundation to lead into these topics and
give students enough information to make educated connections and decisions later on in the
unit.

Overview: This lesson will cover some of Canadas earliest known history by studying the
Iroquois from their early history to their interaction with European settlers. The lesson will
begin by explaining the lifestyle of this society (food, societal roles, beliefs, etc.) and how they
had changed and stayed the same over time. Students will compare and contrast these values
with their own in order to establish personal relevance for the students and they will be
encouraged to think critically about where the sources come from. We will explain how the
interaction with European settlers influenced the Iroquois populations way of life and changed
the ways they ate, their spiritual beliefs, and more. This lesson will connect with other lessons
in the unit about First Occupants, including the Algonquin population, colonial societies, early
conflict, modern stereotypes, and directions for the future.

Key Learning and Objectives:
1. Students will think critically about the current sources presented to them and what they can tell
us about Iroquois society. Bain (2005) argues that many students cannot pinpoint a specific
source or any evidence for understanding an event. We will give students a concrete primary
source to encourage students to think about where their information comes from.
How might these sources be biased?
2. Students will be able to make connections between early Iroquois society and the ways in
which Aboriginal peoples are represented/fit into modern Canadian society. They will also
compare these similarities and differences to their own by taking a perspective of the early
Iroquois society and relating it to their own values. This uses one of the big six historical
thinking concepts: taking historical perspective as is suggested by Seixas and Morton in The Big
6 Historical Thinking Concepts (2012). We want to implement this strategy because it
encourages students to look at historical events from multiple sides and really imagine what life
was like in this time.
3. Students will understand information about Canadas earliest occupants and gain a better
understanding of their Countrys history. This is important because it follows the QEP
competency of strengthening the students knowledge about citizenship and their country. Our
aim is to connect students by looking at the past and understanding what this country was like
prior to colonization.
QEP Subject Specific Competencies Addressed in this Lesson:
Examine social phenomena from a historical perspectve. This will be done in the frst half
of the lesson when students look at the Jacques Carter document. Students will look at the
Aboriginal populaton in Quebec today and compare/contrast it with the values of the First
Occupants. Some questons to consider are: How was their society organized from an
outsider's perspectve? What could have been the First Occupants perspectve of The
European explorers? By refectng on the First Occupants and their way of life by examining

19
diferent angles, students will be able to describe and artculate life in that tme and begin
to develop their noton of citzenship.
Constructs his/her consciousness of citzenship through the study of history. This
competency will be addressed by looking at a historical document, coupled with Prime
Minister Stephen Harper's Apology. The idea is to highlight how the difcultes found in
societes that are made up of diferent cultural groups. Through the journal entries,
students will think about their social identty and how identty can be shaped by both social
and personal experiences. They will also be asked to consider how social phenomena is
something that shifs and changes over generatons but that they can be part of what
infuences citzen democracy.

QEP Cross-Curricular Competencies Addressed in this Lesson:
Cooperates with others. This will be emphasized at the beginning of the lesson through the
hook actvity. Having students describe what the chosen words mean to them and how
Aboriginals would interpret them is a way to generate discussion that might elicit diferent
opinions. As mentoned earlier, living in a pluralistc society means that there are marked
diferences in opinions and values. As students are beginning to develop their own
opinions, they will learn that they need to respect and to listen to others points of view.
They will learn how to compromise, manage confict and see that the group might not
share their thoughts. Students will learn to self-afrm and stll be respectul as students and
citzens.

Broad Areas of Learning (BALs) Addressed in this Lesson:
Media literacy through use of diferent resources. With the prevalence of media in our daily
lives, these diferent means of communicaton expose students to a wide variety of sources,
informaton and opinions. Because of this, the media can infuence and shape our thoughts
and views. This BAL is an important element to develop in this lesson because it will teach
students to compare facts and reality, show how media can distort or enhance opinions and
views, and the ways in which media can be used to target certain audiences and convey
specifc messages.
Citzenship and Community Life. This lesson plan is not only designed to teach students the
history of the First Occupants, it is also designed to expose students to the diversity of the
Canadian populaton. As the students compare and contrast the lives of Aboriginal peoples
in modern society and pre colonizaton, it will allow them to consider and queston what it
means to have equal rights, to be considered an actve member of society, if Canada afords
equal rights and inclusion towards all of their citzens and how discriminaton can lead to
exclusion and marginalizaton.

Rationale and Social Posture
We believe that to have a knowledge of the past can help us to understand why things are the
way they are today. We also want to encourage students to be critical and to question the
information that they are presented with in a positive way looking to improve or to make

20
positive changes. Additionally, we aim to help students be inclusive and aware of cultural
differences in a way that is ethical, responsible and socially aware. Drawing from the Clark and
Case article, as teachers, we need to be clear where we stand in our social posture in helping us
decide what our goals are and our educational aims. This lesson plan is designed on the First
Occupants and will present the students with information that they may not have a lot of
expertise in. For this reason, our position on the citizenship education matrix falls within the
domain of intellectual development. Before students can think critically about this information,
they must be presented with it in a way that is unbiased and educational. Nevertheless, we
seek to engage the students and develop their passion to change societal issues in general. This
orientation means that we also fall within the domain of social reform on the citizenship
education matrix. Ultimately, our goal is to give students the necessary skills to revise societal
problems in order to fully engage in the world as citizens. We believe that intellectual
development is a part of this process and that these two factors interact to promote strong
citizenship skills in our students. By encouraging students to compare and contrast Aboriginal
life pre and post colonization, as well as critically analyzing different sources of information,
students will be empowered to think about and challenge historical events, as well as see how
they are active participants in their own society who have the power to make change. This is an
important topic considering the prevalent issues facing Aboriginal communities today. In terms
of intellectual development, we will combine it with Seixas and Mortons historical significance
from The Big Six. As Clark and Case suggest, the world is complex and there are numerous
explanations and ideas that move in and out of practice and popularity. By introducing them to
differing viewpoints and bodies of knowledge, students will begin to assess what is important
to learn and if events and people have left a lasting impact. In the case of the First Occupants,
and looking at the present day issues they face, the students can address whether their journey
is historically significant to Canadian history.

Aim
To increase the ability of students to think critcally about the sources that they are
presented as suggested by Bain (2005). Bain encourages students to queston the historical
sources used in order to think historically. He argues that many students only know about
historical events from what they learn in school but rarely consider where this informaton
originally comes from. For this reason, we want to challenge this trend and encourage
students to consider the importance of sources when learning about history.
For students to be able to make connectons between the Iroquois society and the way in
which it infuences modern Canada. We have this aim because relatng this informaton to
the students lives will make the informaton relevant. Furthermore, when addressing
current issues, students can feel like they have a role to play and an infuence in how these
issues unfold in the future.

Assessment of Aim
We will assess students ability to think critcally about their sources by using the strategy of
problematzing history as Bain suggests. This is a useful strategy because it is instructve
and interestng to students but also remains historically signifcant (Bain, 2005). In this

21
context, we could ask, How were the inital relatons between the Europeans and the
Indigenous people? followed by asking how they know this. We will give the students a
primary source about Jacques Carters voyage to look at, but stll ask students to think
about the biases that any piece of primary informaton can have. By guiding the discussion,
we will be able to guide the students learning and ensuring that they come to the correct
conclusions.
The ability of students to link early Iroquois society to the present will be assessed using
journal entries. This assessment leaves open many possibilites, as students can link these
ideas to their own lives, modern Indigenous peoples beliefs, and/or societal issues that
currently exist. Regardless, students will simultaneously demonstrate an understanding of
the early Indigenous culture by comparing or diferentatng it from the present. In order to
compare or diferentate, students need to know the factors that they are relatng to one
another. This means that they will have knowledge of the historical informaton as well.
Journal entries are also an opportunity for the student to develop their sense of citzenship
and values by relatng present day issues to the past. Students will be marked on their
journals with a rubric that they have had since the beginning of the semester. We have
atached this rubric in the appendix at the end of the lesson plan.

Teaching Strategies

Where to Being: Introduction/Hook (15 Minutes)
Students will be divided into groups of 4 and asked to think discuss five words that will be on
the board. The board will say discuss your own ideas and values about: life cycle, birth, death,
religion, and spirituality. After five minutes, we will discuss the answers as a class. We are
doing this as a way of setting students up to think about these topics from the perspective of
the First Occupants and make the topics personally significant.
Next, we will show a 1-minute YouTube video of an unfortunate but common stereotype about
Aboriginal people abusing substances (LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-
fAhiG54To). The video involves a man drinking mouthwash in public but is not verbally explicit
or offensive in any other way. Still in their groups, students will discuss what they believe are
Aboriginal values about the words on the board that they discussed a minute ago (life cycle,
birth, death, religion, and spirituality). Briefly discuss these as a class but ensure them that
there is much more to Aboriginal culture than the stereotypes such as the one displayed in the
video.
Now we will show a second video of an outdoor Pow Wow. It is long, so only play the first
minute or two with the drums (LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcnA5nUNSE4). If
time permits, also play a minute from the middle of the video with the actual dancing. One last
time, have students discuss the questions that they had discussed a minute ago (life cycle, birth,
death, religion, and spirituality). Ask students the following guiding questions: If students dont
mention the Aboriginal value of the environment, ask, did you notice the atmosphere in the
second video? Where they indoors or outdoors? What values might this reflect? More general
questions might include did your view of their values change between the two videos? How
did they relate to your own from the beginning? This exercise sets students up to take

22
historical perspectives (the 5
th
of Seixas and Mortons Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts). In
the upcoming lesson, they will be learning about the history of these Aboriginal values and how
they shape the contemporary values of the Indigenous population. This exercise gets students
thinking about the topics and keeps it personally relevant at the same time! This is important
because Seixas and Morton (2012) state that taking historical perspective allows students to
better understand the events of history.
Lastly, before beginning the lecture, ask students What do you know about the Iroquois and
the Aboriginal peoples, historically and in present day? If you could choose one word to
describe the culture, what would it be? Stockard (2006) suggests that identifying key words
that relate to the content may help to focus the students attention. It transitions from the
hook to the actual content and lets the students aid with this transition. We are also doing this
because it lets students reflect on what they already know and allows the teacher to gauge the
students knowledge of the topic.

Lesson (30 Minutes)
We will begin by showing students a primary source written by Jacques Cartier after first
travelling to Canada (a translation is found here on the Library and Archives Canada website):
http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/206/301/lac-
bac/explorers/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/explorers/h24-1330-e.html). After reading the
passage, students will look at a map of Canada to have a visual of where things are and will be
given the following notes from the reading to copy in their books from the PowerPoint as the
teacher explains in more depth. These notes may arise on an exam later in the unit:
Jacques Cartier Explores Canada:
1535 - Carter guided by Taignoagny and Domagaya
Carter the frst European to explore the St. Lawrence River to "Canada," (Iroquois name
for part of the region that became known as Quebec)
Natve people of Stadacona (Quebec) refuse to accompany Carter
Carter found other guides near present-day Portneuf to lead him to Hochelaga
(Montreal).
Carter was brought to the top of Mount Royal, where Iroquois explain the major
waterways by showing him the rivers on the horizon that came from freshwater seas to
the west
Next, we will have a class discussion about the reading. We will encourage students to take
historical perspective by asking, What do you think Quebec and Montreal looked like at this
time? When the Indigenous people took Cartier up to Mount Royal, how would it have looked
without all of the buildings that now exist? What do you think the Iroquois people thought of
the Europeans? Where they scared/worried by these new people in their land? Why were they
reluctant to show Jacques Cartier around? These questions encourage historical perspective
taking, which Mike Denos (2008) suggests to do in order to promote historical thinking. Denos
emphasizes that it is not always best to encourage students to imagine being a historical figure,
because they will have a contemporary filter and may not be able to accurately imagine this.
Instead, we have students focusing on how things would have looked and felt to appeal to their
senses without corrupting the information. We want students to develop this skill so that they

23
may understand why these events are important. Additionally, emphasize to students that
there was a divide early on between the Europeans and Iroquois. Why did this occur? How did
the Europeans approach the Iroquois in the reading? We will discuss all five major Iroquois
groups and how they were different and the same.
Break!
Students will have 5 minutes to make a brief concept map of what they believe are the largest
events or issues in First Occupants history based on what they have learned. These can include
past and present. If they feel that they fit anywhere in these issues, they may draw where but it
is not necessary. Afterwards we will discuss a few of them as a class. This is based on the
example by Seixas and Morton and is being used to allow interaction but also to gauge where
the students learning is at so far in the lesson.
The last half of the lecture begins with a look at another primary source the official apology of
Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Canadas First Nations People for the treatment they
received (available here: http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2008/06/11/prime-minister-harper-
offers-full-apology-behalf-canadians-indian-residential). This connects to the first half of the
lesson by once again focusing on the divide between the Aboriginal population and the rest of
Canada. Emphasize that the apology is a good thing but does not solve all problems that exist.
Students will be instructed to copy the following notes in their books from the PowerPoint,
which may arise on a test later in the unit:
Initiatives to Undo the Mistakes of Colonialism
Stephen Harper apologizes in 2008
Bill C-31
o Ended some discriminatory factors towards women
o Aboriginal bands could defne own membership rules
o Changed the meaning of status to allow reinstatement for those who lost
status in the Indian Act
Truth and reconciliaton Commission of Canada (TRC)
o Acton taken to encourage healing from residental school system
Modern stereotypes stll exist and inhibit the lives of Aboriginal people
Discuss these topics with the class but make it clear that these initiatives did not solve all
problems associated with colonization and that a divide still exists. Ask students: What caused
the divide? Was it because of residential schools, colonization, or something else? Why do you
think this? What other actions could be taken to promote healing and better relationships? If
you were in the Canadian government, name some policies/programs you would implement.
How can WE change this and prevent further dissociation between cultures? Really encourage
students to think about how they are the future and can play a role in reducing discrimination
and creating a more equal society. This allows students to feel personally involved in what they
are learning.

Summary (10 Minutes)
In order to see what the students have retained from the lesson, the summary will begin with a
short brainstorm race. Have students put away all books and have only a blank sheet of paper
with their name on it and a pen on their desk. Give them a countdown and after 321 they

24
can begin! They have 30 seconds to write down any terms that they remember from the lesson.
It doesnt have to be a specific key term, just words and ideas that were covered in the lesson.
Because this is the first class of the unit, students will have 45 seconds. As the unit goes on,
students will have more time but will have to accumulate terms from the first lesson on. These
sheets are collected after each class and are not for marks, but students will be penalized if
they do not write anything on the sheet. Upon completing the activity, I will ask what terms
students came up with. After two or three students go, I will ask if anyone had anything extra.
We will use a ball to discuss the ideas to incorporate some movement into the classroom for
kinaesthetic learners. Overall, this portion of the conclusion should only take a maximum of 5
minutes.
After completing the Brainstorm Race, I will follow with a 5-minute summary of the important
terms from the lesson.
We will summarize the lesson tying in the initial key objectives. How does the past relate to the
present? Has colonization shaped our relationships today?
Give key names and terms that students should be able to understand and will come up again
in the unit:
Jacques Carter
Stadacona
Harper Apology
Bill C-31
TRC
Lastly, we will ask if the students have any questions about the material or anything that they
do not understand. Next class will begin by reviewing these terms and asking if any questions
have arisen from this lesson.

Journal Entry (5 Minutes)
Students will be given 10 minutes to write in their journals. Following Mike Denos article on
Embedding Historical Thinking in the Curriculum, students will be asked to answer one or
more of the following questions. As Denos suggests, there will be emphasis on inquiry
questions as opposed to research questions. This will encourage deeper thinking instead of
simply having students repeat what they were told in class.
What were three of the biggest difference between pre-colonial and post-colonial life for the
Iroquois? List in importance and state why you believe this.
Reflect on one new thing you learned today.
We will use a journal exercise to bring the students full circle and allow students to reflect on
that they have learned. This may also encourage students think of questions about the lesson
that they did not think to ask earlier in the lesson. Emphasis is placed on reflection and
engaging with the material presented by the teachers as well as their fellow students.

Tools
Instructional Tools:

25
Required textbook: the teacher will reference the textbook in the lecture and tell students
which pages the lecture aligns with so that they can read more about it if they need any
clarity.
PowerPoint Projector: This lesson will be accompanied by a PowerPoint presentaton, which
will serve as a visual aid for students. There will also be several slides with informaton for
students to copy in their notebooks. Photos used in the slides will be used to atempt to
engage students further and to accommodate those students who learn visually.
Access to YouTube: We will use YouTube videos in the hook to generate interest and
discussion. This requires access to the projector and a computer with access to YouTube.
See the hook/intro for links to the videos.
Government records of Indigenous peoples: Two documents will be used in this lesson: an
excerpt about Jacques Carter and the apology Prime Minister Stephen Harper made in
2008. Additonally, a map of Canada will be used to illustrate important places in the lesson.
This map can be labeled according to current geography or as it was believed to be earlier
in history as long as the locatons are accurate.
Journals: Journals will be used at the end of class for refecton and to answer guiding
questons. Students are responsible for bringing their own journals but keep extra paper on
hand in case any students forget their journal.

Additional Information
Additional Exercise if Time Permits:
Students can compare two different sources of their choice in groups and analyze them by
answering the following questions:
Where did these sources originate and who wrote them?
Which two sources are you comparing and why?
Are there any similarites or diferences?
What biases can you fnd?
Which account do you agree with and why?
Who was the target audience?
The point of this exercise is to advance students abilities to look at sources carefully and how
several factors can influence their accuracy.

Reflection
After the lesson, the following questions can be used to reflect on how well the lesson was
received by students. This reflection can shape the lesson for next time and help to make it
more effective.
What worked well?
Did the actvites correspond to the objectve?
Did students actvely partcipate?
Were the instructons clear?
Did the teacher provide adequate resources and tools?
What could be done beter next tme?

26

Appendix: Rubric for Journal Entries
A A- B+ B- C+ C- D+ D- F
Content
of
Journal
Entry
Student
Demonstrates
interest and
reflection of
content
covered in
class.
Students also
contribute
their own
ideas.
Student
repeats
what was
covered in
class but
does not
bring
forward
any
personal
thoughts
about the
material.
Student
mentions only
minor details
of the topic
covered in
class.
Student
posts and
entry but
does not
mention
any of the
content
covered in
class.
Student
does not
complete
a journal
entry.
Writing
Level
Student is
clear and
concise in
their
entry. The
entry is well
written and it
is clear what
the student is
trying to say.
Student
writes
very
clearly
with only
a few
misspelled
words or
grammar
issues.
Student makes
many grammar
mistakes
throughout the
entry and does
not appear to
have given an
effort in
writing clearly.
Students
post is
nearly
impossible
to read
due to a
high level
of
grammar
or spelling
errors.
Student
does not
complete
a journal
entry.
Evidence
of Effort
in the
Journal
Entry
Student
writes more
than one
paragraph
and is not
simply
reiterating
what was said
in class.
Forms own
thoughts.
Student
writes
more than
one
paragraph
but all
ideas are
just a
summary
of what
was
discussed
in class.
Minimal
reflection
and/or
summarization.
Entry is not
grounded in
class discussion
or topic.
Student
writes less
than one
paragraph.
Student
does not
complete
a journal
entry.

27
Ability to
Relate
Historical
Concepts
to the
Present
Student
makes an
effort to bring
forward new
ideas about
topic
Student
only
discusses
ideas of
historical
relevance
that were
covered in
class
Student
discusses
historical and
present topics
but does not
state how the
two are
connected.
Student
focuses
only on
the
present
with no
reference
to history.
Student
does not
complete
a journal
entry.

LESSON PLAN TWO

Created by Drew Wolfson Bell and Stephana Dehere (February 2014)

Lesson Title: "Cultural Differences & Collisions" - 7th lesson of the unit
Time Allocated: 60 Minutes
Description: This lesson will focus on themes of cultural differences, conflicts, the quest to
create a just society for the country, and our changing role in the international community. We
will explore the historical thinking concepts.

Lesson Objectives & Goals:
By the end of this lesson students will be able to:
Describe the cultural differences that existed between the Natives and Europeans
Understand the social relations and interactions between the Aboriginal population and
Europeans
Understand the ways in which these differences give rise to frustrations & conflicts
Will understand concept of change and continuity, and cause and effect
Be able to develop historical analysis skills such as being able to investigate different,
and perhaps competing perspectives of history through the examination of historical
evidence
Rationale & Social Posture:
Our rationale is for students to show how to interpret historical events critically. From
there, we would like this critical thinking to foster an awareness on how the past can incite
change on the present. The reason that we chose to focus on the Aboriginal population is two
fold. First, the history of the First Occupants is relevant to all those living in Canada, and
furthermore, it has emerged as a large issue in contemporary Canada. Secondly, the whole
nature of the history of the Aboriginal populations and colonizers conflict is rooted in a failure
to respect and understand cultural differences. Conflicts like this emerge all the time. Whether

28
it be racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. all are rooted in a failure to respect the differences that
make both individuals and cultures unique.
Our goal is by showing the mistakes that were made when encountering the First
Occupants; we can show students how to avoid those mistakes. When they graduate and move
on to their careers, our hope is that we have equipped them with the knowledge and skills to
make critically informed decisions to ensure that these injustices dont repeat themselves so
that they will become productive citizens who will also be able to contribute to society. The
historical dimensions that we will be using are cause and consequence and the ethical
dimension. The reason we are using the C&C dimension is because it states that people are at
the center of history, we alone imagine possible futures and take actions intending to bring
about favorable outcomes(Seixas & Morton, 2013). We are basing this lecture around people.
We want to show that the mistakes of our ancestors can be avoided through education. We
want to show our students that yes, people make mistakes, but we can change them and build
a better future. The second dimension that we have chosen to include is the ethical one. The
reason we found this important is because as Hill states it is about bringing the sadness and
drama of our own history to life (Seixas & Morton, 2013). We are hoping to do that with our
lesson. Showing the sadness of history will provoke change, as it will resonate with students
through touching them emotionally. This idea of making learning history a highly emotional
experience, will also allow them to put it into real world context.
Our social posture is one of understanding and expanding on the idea of why humans
seem to have a predetermination to incite conflict. We decided to focus on this to break the
cycle of conflict and show students how to create change. To fix a problem you must first
understand it. Looking through the lens of historical context, there has been multiple conflicts
were one group objectifies another. The root of this is complex, but generally, a lack of respect
and understanding between one or more parties is present. Through this historical analysis, we
hope to equip our students with three skills. First is the ability to recognize historical trends in
modern day society. This means using the context of history to better understand
contemporary conflicts and give them the power incite change they feel the need too. The
second is having them have the ability to understand the historical context, as we want
students to understand the consequences of a lack of understanding and respect for diversity.
In our lesson plan, we specifically look at the treatment of the First Occupants by the colonizers.
The motives behind atrocities committed, are again complex. Yet fear, and misinterpretations
from a lack of understanding of a different culture were driving factors. We often fear what we
dont understand, we want to show students it is necessary to respect and try to understand
different cultures. Thus, teaching tolerance is important to us. We aim to show the
consequences for not doing so are dire. The third and final thing that encapsulates our social
posture is we want student to use the first and second skill we have given them and use it on a
local level. We would hope that they use historical context to identify injustices, which is taught
through the first skill. From there we would like them to use the second skill to reach a peaceful
settlement. It is using both skills in combination that makes the ethos of our third skill, that we
hope to ingrain in our students. For example, if there is an incident of racism in the classroom,
or in the hallways, such as a fellow student saying a racist remark, we want their peers to
recognize these incidences as injustices through the context we have given them, so that they
can and will enact change. We want our students to change the world. Our social posture lies

29
close to the social change pole. The reason being is that we are trying to change the status quo.
Through using historical context, we are providing our students the tools to critically analyze
and enact social reform (Clark, 2013). We want to empower our students to believe that if the
status quo is unfair, they can and have the ability change it. Also, we are in between the two
poles of personal development and intellectual development. We want our students to have a
strong social change mandate, but we also want them to be capable of further critical analysis,
which requires intellectual development as well (Clark, 2013).

QEP Competencies Addressed in this Lesson:
We have chosen MELS competency number one. Which is to act as a professional
inheritor, critic and interpreter of knowledge or culture when teaching students (Teacher
Training: Orientations, Professional Competencies: p. 55. 2001, Qubec: Government du
Qubec, Ministre de lducations). The reason we feel this fits our lesson plan is as follows.
Our lesson plan centers on taking big historical concepts, interpreting them, analyzing them,
and finally applying them to contemporary issues. Also, another part of this competency is
continuously putting your rationale into practice (Teacher Training: Orientations, Professional
Competencies: p. 55. 2001, Qubec: Government du Qubec, Ministre de lducations). This is
very important to use because our rationale is rooted in the call for creating change. Therefore,
all lessons must continuously underline the point of social change. Finally, we believe that all
material taught should be rooted in a firm epistemological understanding by the instructor
(Teacher Training: Orientations, Professional Competencies: p. 55. 2001, Qubec: Government
du Qubec, Ministre de lducations). The reason for this is because history is grey; it is not
clear-cut. Thus, deeper the understanding of the instructor, the more understanding they can
pass along to their students.
Readings:
Two readings besides The Big 6 and Clark are Stockard and Denos. Stockard was relevant
for two reasons; both his sections on planning lessons for multiple intelligences and planning
thematic lessons were both very useful (Stockard, 2006). This is the crux of our rationale we
want to use historical context to teach students how to solve contemporary problems. The
second relevant section was on planning thematic lessons. We are using the theme of
Aboriginal populations in order to teach the greater lesson of injustice. This is important
because it not only makes the lesson interesting, but also provides background context for
future lectures. By focusing on a theme you create real world context and narrow the focus of a
broad topic. Denos was important because of his section on historical significance. Denos states
that it is impossible to teach every historical event. The important thing is that we teach
students the most significant events (Denos, 2008). Through these events we can show
students what constitutes an important historical event, therefore they will be able to apply
this to other events. This connects to our lesson because not only are Aboriginal peoples a large
part of our history, but there are also many issues in modern day Canada that involve them.
Showing what is significant gives students the ability to go back through history and find other
examples on their own. This creates the awareness necessary to enact change, which as
teachers is our ultimate goal. We want students to go on to be critically thinking citizens
capable of enacting change.

30
QEP Subject Specific Competencies Addressed in this Lesson:
Examines social phenomena from a historical perspective
Constructs his/her consciousness of citizenship through the study of history

QEP Cross Curricular Competencies Addressed in this Lesson:
Uses Information
Adopts Effective Work Methods
Achieves his/her potential
Cooperates with others
Communicates Appropriately

Broad Areas of Learning:
Citizenship and Community Life (www.mels.gouv.qc.ca)

Tools:
Computer with Internet access in order to access the website
http://parks.sandi.net/Pages/Williamsburg/Site%202/Teacher.html. Videos that
exemplify differences will be shown.
Copies of Reader's Theatre script that is evidence of different points of views. This script
can be printed here:
http://parks.sandi.net/Pages/Williamsburg/Site%202/Teacher_files/Reader%27s%20Th
eater%20Script.pdf. We feel this is very important as it adheres to the need to use
evidence in teaching history. Topics on which differences of perspective are highlighted
in these passages are the following: baskets, the home, clothing, shoes, head coverings,
and travel.
A PowerPoint presentation, which will provide a visual aspect for the lecture on the
differences between the natives and the Europeans. A PowerPoint should also be made
just in case there are technology issues in the school, such as the Internet not working.
Be sure to include many pictures depicting different aspects of the cultures. Having
these types of visual aids is important in terms of the varying learning styles of students,
and will cover students who learn best through images and seeing.

Hook:
Students will walk into the classroom to find CONFLICT written in big letters on the black board
and we will have a discussion about what conflict means to them and what this word brings to
mind for them.
Mini Discussion: Students will be reminded that they are teenagers, and that being an
adolescent can be challenging. I will then give them a personal example form my childhood. The
example to use is the following: "When I was younger, I wanted to go party but my mom did
not want me to go, and we had the biggest fight". As a class we will figure out who the two
parties in this situation is, and what the differences of the wants of these parties are in order to
introduce students to the idea that differences may lead to conflict. Questions that can be
asked include the following: Who are the two parties? What does each party want? What did I

31
want? What did my mom want? Why did I fight with my mom? What is conflict? Where does
conflict come from? (5 minutes).
Visualization Exercise: After students come to the understanding that differences can lead to
conflict, students will be instructed to close their eyes and think of a time when they were in a
conflict with someone else. They are encouraged to think of personal examples, but as
teachers, we understand that some students may not feel comfortable with this so we will
allow them to invent and be creative. A few students will share with the class and as a class we
will analyze them focusing on the question of differences and conflict. I feel that this is quite
important because it will help with student engagement. The aim of this exercise is to create a
personal connection with the lesson. I want them to feel like they are able to relate, and this in
turn will create interest. (10 minutes)

Development and Procedure:
1. After the hook, begin the PowerPoint presentation, which gives a quick overview of
European Exploration and their reasons for exploring. The following questions should be
answered: Who were the Europeans? Who were the First Occupants? Then, explain the
differences in philosophy, religions & belief systems, economics, and politics between
the two cultures. The progression of learning will be followed so the following areas will
also be addressed: "Language Families, "Conception of the world", "Expression of the
Scared", "Relationship to the Universe", "Social relationships" (15 minutes)
2. Hand out the Reader's Theatre script and read it a loud as a class, but pause in between
to watch the corresponding clips. Students will then be placed in pairs and are asked to
push the desks to the side of the classroom in order for them to have space to re-enact.
In their pairs, students will be told that they must each pick their role (Native or
colonist) and are asked to role-play as they take on their roles as Native or colonist. This
is a good activity because it places students in their shoes. They are asked to imagine
being a part of these encounters and are asked to role-play. They are then asked to have
a discussion about cultural clashes and how these differences result in conflict. They are
also asked to brainstorm about the possible conflicts that arose among the two groups
i.e. land issues etc. (This activity will take approximately 20 minutes)
3. Culminating Assignment/Culmination/Wrap - Up: Due to the fact that students should
understand the concept of continuity and change, I will quickly ask them in what ways
do we see this issue of difference giving rise to conflict in today's society. We will bring
their attention to the example of the Quebec Charter, and hopefully they will give other
examples of French vs. English conflicts. One example we will give is the example of a
big story that the French wanted to change how English restaurants write their menus.
They wanted the word 'pasta' to be written in French. This is important because
students need to understand that history is not a far away, distant concept. History is
still living and continues on. This will also be helpful in creating a connection between
them and the content. The students will be then asked to write a 6 word short story
based on what they have learned from the class. They are allowed to write about
conflict, the First Occupant and European conflicts, or anything that they really took
away from the lesson. This not only allows students to be creative, but it will be a good
indication to see whether or not the goals of this lesson have been met. The choice of

32
this activity as a wrap-up activity, is based on Ernest Hemingway's first 6 six word story
of "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." (5 minutes)
4. Close off class with a brainstorm race as always. Because we are about halfway through
the unit, students will have 2 minutes to record as many ideas as they can from the
whole unit so far. (5 Minutes)
5. Homework: Have them take home their notes about the brainstorm of conflicts and
instruct them to do research to further explore their ideas. Have them write a 250-word
summary about what they discovered. The next lesson will begin with going over what
the students learned through their research, and a lesson can be done concerning
conflict resolution and its outcomes.

If the next lesson is one on exploring the different views each culture had of each other, and its'
possible impacts on their identities (as discussed in the Extension and Follow Up section in #1)
Then assign students to read the following documents so that they may have a solid
background and understanding:
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/becomingamer/peoples/text3/indianscolonists.pdf
http://www.peterpappas.com/journals/dbq/new-world/new-world-5.pdf

Extensions and Follow Up:

1) The teacher can aid the students in discovering other important differences between the two
cultures in terms of how each culture thinks of one another. These perspectives could be used
to explore to the impact of colonization of each of their identities. Has how the Europeans
viewed the Aboriginal peoples affected, aided, or caused damage to their self-identity? How
have the Aboriginal views on the Europeans impacted their identity, if at all? This is important
because we often overlook the psychological impacts and effects of colonization, and tend only
to focus on physical facts such as the demographic catastrophe occurring due to the diseases
and epidemics brought to the New World by the Europeans.
I found several documents that the students can be given in order to try to explore this issue.
Place emphasis on students being investigators, as this will help them in terms of being
interested and staying engaged.
The documents that show different perspectives on how each culture viewed the other:
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/becomingamer/peoples/text3/indianscolonists.pdf
http://www.peterpappas.com/journals/dbq/new-world/new-world-5.pdf
2) Due to the fact that history classes tend to only focus on and place importance on European
views, we feel there is a need to discuss the Aboriginal views. A good lesson would be a lesson
on Thanksgiving Day. Analyzing a public holiday could incite interest in the students. We are
aware of this holiday, but only have the understanding of one perspective of it. The importance
of teaching views is needed in today's society because having students realize that there are
different views will teach them about respect, and in turn will foster tolerance in society.
Students should also understand there is no single absolute view or truth in history. Students
should be exposed to these variety of perspectives to not only realize the existence of
multiplicity of history, but to understand that differing perspectives of different cultures of a

33
given historical event is valid, and should be respected. In addition, there is a clear lack of their
Native perspective in curriculum that cannot be denied, and should be addressed (Stone 2011).
Stone's essay can be found at the following link:
http://nativewriters.hklaw.com/ESSAYS/2011/131.pdf
Some examples include the following:
http://opi.mt.gov/PDF/IndianEd/Search/Social%20Studies/G78%20Colonization%20and%20Am
erican%20Indian%20Perspectives.pdf
http://www.tolerance.org/lesson/thanksgiving-mourning
http://nmai.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/thanksgiving_poster.pdf

3) History has also neglected the important role women have played in history which has
resulted in myths that women were just helpless, and passive observers to events. History
tends to focus on the perspectives of men, and thus there is a lack of the female point of view,
and especially a lack of the view of First Occupant females. Therefore, if related lessons to the
one described above are created, lessons on the female Aboriginal perspective should be
included in a unit. It is important to give minority groups of voice. They have been silenced for a
long time and this needs to end. However, we have tried to find historical documents and
evidence that portray the Aboriginal female perspective that could be used in the classroom,
and have not found anything substantial.

REFERENCES

Bain, R. (2005). They thought the world was flat? Applying the principles of how people learn
in teaching high school history, in How Students Learn: History, in the Classroom, eds.
M.S. Donovan and J.D. Bransford. Washington: The National Academies Press.
Clark, P. & Case, R. (2013). Defining the purposes of citizenship education. In The Anthology of
Social Studies: Issues and Strategies for Elementary Teachers, updated ed. Edited by
Roland Case and Penney Clark, 19-31. Vancouver: Pacific Educational Press.

34
Denos, M. (2008). Portals to understanding: Embedded historical thinking in the curriculum. In
The Anthology of Social Studies Volume 2: Issues and Strategies for Secondary Teachers,
edited by Roland Case and Penney Clark, 97-107. Vancouver: Pacific Educational Press.
Ministre de Lducation, du Loisir et du Sport. (2013). Government du Quebec: Quebec
education program. Retrieved from
http://www1.mels.gouv.qc.ca/sections/programmeFormation/secondaire2/
Osborne, K. (2008). The teaching of history and democratic citizenship. In The Anthology of
Social Studies Volume 2: Issues and Strategies for Secondary Teachers, edited by Roland
Case and Penney Clark, 3-15. Vancouver: Pacific Educational Press.
Seixas, P., & Morton, T. (2013). The big six historical thinking concepts. Toronto: Nelson
Education Ltd.
Stockard, J. W. (2007). Handbook for teaching secondary school social studies. Long Grove:
Waveland Press.
Wineburg, S. (1991). On the reading of historical texts. American Educational Research Journal,
28, (3). pp. 495-519.

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