Social Studies Unit Plan Lesson Plan Grade 6: First Nations Peoples and European Explorers

Marylina Serio

Iroquoian Peoples Influence on Todays Society - Critical Challenge Lesson Plan Critique the Piece Judge the Better or Best Rework the Piece Name: Marylina Serio Course: Social Studies Grade Level: Grade 6 (Gifted) Decode the Puzzle Design to Specs Perform to Specs

Overall Expectations:
Describe characteristics of pre-contact First Nations cultures across Canada, including their close relationships with the natural environment; the motivations and attitudes of the European explorers; and the effects of contact on both the receiving and the incoming groups;

Specific Expectations:
Describe the attitude to the environment of various First Nation groups (e.g., Nisgaa, Mik`maq, James Bay Cree) and show how it affected their practices in daily life (e.g., with respect to food, shelter, clothes, transportation); Compare key social and cultural characteristics of Algonquian and Iroquoian groups (e.g., language; agriculture and hunting; governance; matriarchal and patriarchal societies; arts; storytelling; trade; recreation; roles of men, women, and children); Use and construct a variety of graphic organizers to clarify and interpret information (e.g., cause-and-effect diagrams linking the environment and First Nation cultures, mind maps to connect the results of early contact, diagrams and captions to illustrate technological advances that allowed exploration);

Critical Tasks/Question:
In what ways have the lifestyles of early Iroquoian Peoples influenced (or contributed to) todays societies?

Overview:
The students will embark on an adventure at Crawford Lake to determine the influences that Iroquoian lifestyles have had on our lifestyles today. On this trip, the students will look at the various tools, techniques, and conventions that Iroquoian Peoples have used over the years and link them to the tools, techniques, and conventions that we have and use in todays society.

Objectives:
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Social Studies Unit Plan Lesson Plan Grade 6: First Nations Peoples and European Explorers Lesson Objectives:

Marylina Serio

The students will gain an understanding of continuity and change and how ways of life in the past have influenced the ways of life of societies today. The students will gain hands on experience of what it was like for Iroquoian Peoples to live in a Longhouse Village as they explore a reconstructed Iroquoian Village during a field study at Crawford Lake. Throughout this field study, the students will look at the various tools, techniques, and conventions that were used by Iroquoian Peoples and compare them to the tools, techniques, and conventions that we use today to determine what things have stayed the same and what has changed.

Social Objectives: Work together cooperatively with classmates to explore the ways of life of Iroquoian Peoples and compare them to todays societies. Demonstrate mutual respect for the opinions of classmates and listen attentively as the students discuss the findings of their explorations.

Broad Understanding:
Many of the conventions of life and the tools and resources we use today have been influenced by the ways of life and the tools and resources used by Iroquoian Peoples from long ago.

Requisite Tools for Thinking Critically:

Background Knowledge: o Knowledge of basic tools, techniques, and conventions that we use in todays society. Criteria for Judgement: o As the students explore Crawford Lake and the Iroquoian Village the students will look at the following criteria for long-term influence on todays society: What are the tools, techniques, forms of transportation, and conventions that we still use or do today that Iroquoian peoples did or used in the past? For example: In an Iroquoian Longhouse, the source of heat is at the centre of the home. In todays society our heat sources in homes are still located centrally at the centre of the home so that heat can effectively reach all areas of the home. With respect to the tools that Iroquoian Peoples used, do we still use them today? How do we use them and what do we use them for? Have they changed or stayed the same?
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Social Studies Unit Plan Lesson Plan Grade 6: First Nations Peoples and European Explorers Critical Thinking Vocabulary: o Influence Thinking Strategies: o Graphic organizer/ chart Habits of Mind: o Remaining Open to Continuous Learning o Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision o Responding with wonderment and awe o Striving for accuracy and precision

Marylina Serio

Suggested Activities:
NOTE: Depending upon the time of day and duration chosen for this field study, the mental set, stated objectives, and input/modelling/demonstration portions of this lesson plan may need to be facilitated on a previous date.

Mental Set:

(1 minute)

Pose the critical thinking question to the students and post it either on the chalk board or on a piece of chart paper somewhere in the room for the students to see: o In what ways have the lifestyles of early Iroquoian Peoples influenced (or contributed to) todays societies? (1 minute)

Stated objectives and purpose:

In this lesson we are going to explore a reconstructed Iroquoian Village at Crawford Lake so that we can explore the ways of Life of Iroquoian Peoples and compare their ways of life to our ways of life today. We will look at the tools, techniques, and conventions that were used by Iroquoian Peoples in the past and compare them to our own tools, techniques, and conventions that are used today to determine the things that have either stayed the same or have changed over time and in effect influenced or contributed to our ways of life. Input/modelling/demonstration: (20 Minutes)

Discuss with the students what makes something influential (i.e., it can contribute to or change our ways of life through the things that we use on a daily basis) Show the video on Continuity and Change from the Critical Thinking Consortium Website. However discuss with the students that we will be focusing on how the tools, techniques, and conventions used by Iroquoian Peoples have changed or stayed the same in todays society and how they have contributed to our lives (for example, fires/ heat sources at the centre of homes make it easier for the heat to reach all areas of the home). Ask and discuss with the students if they might be able to think of any tools, techniques or conventions that may have been used by First Nations Peoples years ago and are either still used today or that may have changed over time to be used for different purposes.
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Social Studies Unit Plan Lesson Plan Grade 6: First Nations Peoples and European Explorers

Marylina Serio

As a brief introduction for the field study at Crawford Lake that will follow, provide the students with a brief overview of Iroquoian Peoples and a Longhouse Village to provide the students with some background knowledge for the trip. o Child friendly information may be found on the following websites: Native Americans for Kids: http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/index.html Article on the culture of Iroquoian and Algonquian Peoples: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/native-people-easternwoodlands Iroquois webquest: http://www.mrvanduyne.com/iroquois/iroquois.html Prior to departure for the trip to Crawford Lake, divide the students into partners and demonstrate/explain the handout entitled Iroquoian Peoples Influence on Todays Society that they will all be working on as they explore the Iroquoian Village. Each student will have their own handout, but they may work with a partner to fill them out. (Duration of the Trip)

Practice:

Upon arrival at Crawford Lake, remind the students of their task to complete as they
embark on their exploration of the Iroquoian Village. Explain to the students that, during an activity they should be listening and looking carefully to see and hear about any tools, techniques, and conventions that were used by Iroquoian Peoples and are still used today so that, when time permits, they will be able to contribute information to their handouts. Checks for Understanding: o While the students are exploring and during breaks from activities, check to see that they are staying on task with the assignment and filling out their handouts. o Ask the students various questions about their findings as they are working to determine if they understand the purpose of this activity. o Example: What tools have you found or chosen to discuss? Have you made any connections to the tools, techniques, or conventions we use today? Closure: (15 minutes) Either prior to leaving Crawford Lake, if there is time, or upon arrival back at school, as a class the students will discuss some of their findings and (if at school) the teacher will use chart paper and markers to record the information provided by the students so that the class may visually see all of the tools, conventions, and techniques that we use today that have been influenced by the ways of life of Iroquoian Peoples.

Evaluation:
After returning from the trip and after the conclusion of the closure discussion, the students will be given the opportunity to write a reflection in their Social Studies Learning Logs to discuss what they have learnt about the influences that Iroquoian Peoples uses of tools, techniques and
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Social Studies Unit Plan Lesson Plan Grade 6: First Nations Peoples and European Explorers

Marylina Serio

conventions have had on the conventions we have today and our current uses of these tools and techniques. To assist them in their reflections, they will use their handouts that they have filled out during the field study. Upon completion, the students will hand in both their learning logs and their handouts to be evaluated based upon the following criteria that are based upon the various sections of the handout: Did the students name the tool, convention, or technique used by Iroquoian Peoples and todays societies? Have the students discussed how Iroquoian Peoples used the tools, techniques, and/or conventions? Have the student described our uses of the tools, techniques, and/or conventions today? Have the student provided insights into how the use of these things have either changed or stayed the same and in effect influenced our ways of life in todays society?

Extension:
o Once the students are completed their work, they may continue to work on their culminating tasks and find ways to incorporate the information learnt, through this field study, into their products where appropriate.

References:
This lesson was adapted from a lesson in the unit titled Inside the Circle: Aboriginal Peoples in Canada written by The Curriculum Review Team and a lesson from the unit

Social Studies Unit Plan Lesson Plan Grade 6: First Nations Peoples and European Explorers

Marylina Serio

entitled Hands-On Social Studies by Jennifer Lawson, Joni Bowman, Joan Murash, and Linda McDowell. Lawson, J., Bowman, J., Murash, J., and McDowell, L. (2002). Hands-on Social Studies: Grade 6. Winnipeg: Portage & Main Press. The Curriculum Review Team. (2005). Inside the Circle: Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. Ontario: N/A. Websites: Conservation Halton. (n/d). Education Programs. In Conservation Halton. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://www.conservationhalton.on.ca/ShowCategory.cfm?subCatID=1092. Lamb, K. (2007). Aboriginal People: Eastern Woodlands. In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/native-people-eastern-woodlands. The critical thinking consortium (2011 2013). Continuity and Change. In the Critical Thinking Consortium. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from http://tc2.ca/teaching-resources/special collections/thinking-about-history.php. Vanduyne. (n/d). The Iroquois of New York State. In Mr. Van Duyne.com. Retrieved March 20, 2013, from http://www.mrvanduyne.com/iroquois/iroquois.html.