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Understanding By Design Unit Template

Title of Unit Relationships: Peoples & Paradigms Grade Level 12

Subject History 30: Canadian Studies Time Frame 15 Hours

Developed By Tyson Pylypow

Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results

Broad Areas of Learning


How are the BAL incorporated into this unit?

1. Building Lifelong Learners:


Students will demonstrate a passion for being lifelong learners in this unit by having the ability to do inquiry based
projects, and through the sharing of thoughts and ideas with classmates and instructors. This unit is intended to be both
interactive and informational, as students learn and develop understanding of their own culture and how it relates to other
cultures of the world. This specific unit focuses heavily on FNIM content, and the goal of this unit is to improve the
students’ knowledge of FNIM cultures and belief systems, and how FNIM cultures have had to change and adapt as a
result of colonialism. Students will gain an appreciation of FNIM cultures and worldviews through this unit, and will
hopefully continue to gain knowledge about world cultures in their pursuit of being lifelong learners.
2. Building a Sense of Community & Self:
Students will demonstrate a sense of self, community, and place throughout the duration of this unit. Students will first
learn about the Indigenous peoples, the communities, and the places that were of importance. They will develop an
understanding of diverse cultures, and how various cultures having interacted historically. Students will also have an
opportunity to develop a sense of self, as they trace their family’s lineage to see where their own personal culture has
come from. Sense of community will be strengthened by learning about how Canada was created. Emphasis will be placed
on “place” as an integral sense of identity, as it relates to FNIM content and the history of Canada.
3. Building Engaged Citizens:
Students will demonstrate their capability to become engaged citizens by learning about the history of our nation and how
it has shaped current relationships between the government of Canada and FNIM individuals. Students will recognize the
benefits that they are afforded as a result of the numbered treaties. Students will also investigate the constitutional rights
of Canadians and how they were formed as a result of relationships with Indigenous peoples. This unit will provide
students with the opportunity to think critically and become engaged with various topics relating to FNIM content as it
relates to Canadian history. One of the goals of this unit is to get students interested in the history of relationships
between Europeans and Indigenous peoples, which will hopefully inspire students to become interested in contemporary
Canadian issues involving FNIM cultures and peoples. Through this process, students will be acting as engaged citizens and
developing their ability to become engaged citizens and contribute to their communities and society.

Cross curricular Competencies


How will this unit promote the CCC?

1. Developing Thinking:
This unit will allow students to develop their knowledge, as well as their strategies regarding how they learn and process
knowledge. Students will have the ability to learn and think contextually, and to be creative in their learning and sharing of
knowledge. Students will also develop their thinking by participating in numerous learning exercises (independent and with
classmates).
2. Developing Identity & Interdependence:
This unit will allow students to develop their own personal identity as well as interdependence. Students will have the
opportunity to participate in personal reflection as a means of growth and learning. By learning about how Indigenous
cultures and peoples cared for and respected the earth and nature, students will develop their own capacity and aptitude
to think critically about their own decisions and how they affect the world. Students will develop skills required for working
with others by having the opportunity to work in groups for discussion and sharing of knowledge and opinions.
3. Developing Literacy:
This unit will provide students with the opportunity to develop different types of literacy which can be useful for
interpreting the world and expressing understanding of it. By learning about this history of Canada and the relationships
that forged this great nation, students will be able to critically examine the relationships between Canada’s government
and FNIM peoples. Students will develop skills to make sense of Canada’s history, and to examine and express how past
relationships have culminated to create our contemporary Canadian society. Students must incorporate multiple forms of
literacy in order to deepen their understanding of the content and be able to express thoughts and opinions on the subject
material.
4. Developing Social Responsibility:
This unit will provide students with the knowledge that is necessary to contribute to changing the physical, social, and
cultural environments around them. Students will learn about the history of European and FNIM peoples relations, and how
past events have led to some of the animosity between the government and Indigenous peoples that occurs in
contemporary society. With this background knowledge, students will be able to develop ideas about how to move forward
in a socially responsible way that will take into consideration all peoples and cultures, and what is right and just.
Learning Outcomes
What relevant goals will this unit address?
(must come from curriculum; include the designations e.g. IN2.1)

FO1: Know that the organization of a society and its behaviour is influenced by a number of assumptions that surround certain
relationships.
FO2: Know that every society will evolve assumptions and practices that surround the key societal relationship between the
peoples and the land.
FO3: Know that within every society, there will exist a contest among groups to gain influence over the societal decision-
making processes.
FO4: Know that the well-being of every society will be influenced by sustained contact with other societies.
FO6: Know that every society will evolve, through debate and consensus, assumptions and practices concerning key societal
relationships.
Enduring Understandings Essential Questions
What understandings about the big ideas are desired? (what What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the
you want students to understand & be able to use several years content? (open-ended questions that stimulate thought and
from now) inquiry linked to the content of the enduring understanding)
What misunderstandings are predictable?
Students will understand that... Content specific….
Both Indigenous peoples and Europeans had unique ways of -How were First Nations and European Cultures different
knowing and living prior to first-contact (politics, education, prior to first-contact? (Government, Education, Beliefs, Etc.)
family relations, etc.). At the time of first-contact between -How did trade relations between Europeans and Indigenous
Europeans and Indigenous peoples, both groups were hesitant, peoples benefit each party? What were the pros and cons of
but respected one another. Both groups offered items to trade this relationship?
that were valuable to the other, and this created a relationship -How did the relationship between Europeans and
that was mutually beneficial to both parties involved. This Indigenous peoples evolve? What was the cause of this
relationship progressed this way, and Europeans began to evolution? What was the result?
increase settlement on “Great Turtle Island”. A number of -Looking back, if Indigenous peoples would have known the
factors contributed to a decrease in the Indigenous population result of European settlement on “Great Turtle Island”, do
(disease, famine) as the European population continued to you think they would have acted the same towards
increase. Eventually, and for a number of different reasons, European settlers? Why or why not?
there was a shift in European mentality as they attempted to -What were the negative impacts of European settlement on
colonize the Indigenous peoples of the land. The Europeans Indigenous peoples?
used treaties to get land from Indigenous peoples, but colonial -How has events from the past impacted contemporary
methods were also present in the treaties which stripped Indigenous peoples and cultures? What were these events?
Indigenous peoples of their cultures and identities. Assimilation
was the goal of the government for many generations, and it
was not until recently that people have begun to apologize and FNMI, multicultural, cross-curricular…
attempt to reconcile the past injustices that have been done to
Indigenous peoples and their families. Students will hopefully This unit contains a large amount of FNMI content. It
develop a complete understanding of the history between attempts to incorporate FNMI world views and ways of
Europeans and Indigenous peoples, which will make them more knowing into the content. This unit also aims to take into
informed in regards to the background information and how it consideration multiple cultures (British, French, numerous
has an impact on current events. Students should understand FNMI cultures), but students will also have the ability to
that they have the ability to participate in the reconciliation investigate their own cultures and heritage and present it to
process, and that they will play a very important role in the class as a fun way of sharing knowledge and gaining
contemporary and future relations between the government multicultural understanding. This unit also incorporates
and Indigenous peoples. aspects of other subjects and curriculums that will assist in
deepening the knowledge and understanding of students.
Related misconceptions…
-Indigenous peoples are all alcoholics
-Indigenous peoples are all unemployed
-Indigenous peoples are all lazy
-The government supports all Indigenous peoples at the
expense of the tax payer

All of these misconceptions can be addressed by educating


students on the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada, and
how some of these common misconceptions are a result of past
events that have impacted, and continue to impact, Indigenous
peoples and cultures.
Knowledge: Skills
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit? List
This content knowledge may come from the indicators, or the skills and/or behaviours that students will be able to
might also address pre-requisite knowledge that students will exhibit as a result of their work in this unit. These will come
need for this unit. from the indicators.

Students will know... Students will be able to…


-That the organization of a society and its behaviour, is -Learn to define the assumptions that underlie a paradigm
influenced by a number of assumptions that surround certain -Practice stating how the parts are related to eachother and
relationships the whole
-That every society will evolve a worldview that includes -Practice developing and applying criteria as a basis for
assumptions and practices that surround certain key societal making judgements
relationships -Practice making hypotheses based on reasonable
assumptions and inferences
-That both First Nations and European societies had evolved -Practice applying critical attributes of concepts and
paradigms and assumptions that surrounded key relationships paradigms to historical and contemporary situations
which formed their respective societal worldviews -Practice using consequences of a means of evaluating
-That when two different societies come into sustained contact, practices and actions
the differences in the respective societal worldviews can shape -Practice the skills of dialectical evaluations
the interaction of the two peoples
-That Europeans operated with a set of paradigms concerning
sovereignty, property, and equality of peoples and societies
that differed greatly from those of the First Nations peoples

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills?
(describes the learning activity in “story” form.
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task
G – Goal
What should students accomplish by The main component of assessment for this unit will be ongoing blog postings that the
completing this task?
students will be required to do. The blog prompts will provide the students with a serious of
R – Role
What role (perspective) will your students
questions in which they can answer. The prompts will require the students to critically
be taking? engage with the course content, but may also ask the students to draw upon personal
A – Audience experiences and encounters in order to fully answer the questions. Students will have the to
Who is the relevant audience? take on different perspectives in their writing, but the instructor will be the main audience
for the blog posts. Students’ performance will be judged based on evidence of effort and
S – Situation critical comprehension and connections with the course material. The situations will be
The context or challenge provided to the
student. unique to the blog prompt, and the students will have multiple opportunities throughout the
P – Product, Performance unit to show that they are comprehending and connecting with the course material and
What product/performance will the curricular outcomes.
student
create?
S – Standards & Criteria for
Success see final page for rubric
Create the rubric for the Performance
Task
Other Evidence Student Self-Assessment
Through what other evidence (work samples, observations, How will students reflect upon or self-assess their learning?
quizzes, tests, journals or other means) will students
demonstrate achievement of the desired results? Formative
and summative assessments used throughout the unit to
arrive at the outcomes.
- 2 miniature quizzes throughout the duration of the unit During the group activities students will be asked to evaluate
- questionnaire about the documentaries watched during their peers as well as themselves. They will be asked to be
this unit critical of their own contributions to the group project, and to
- weekly blog postings be critical of their own learning.
- classroom discussions will be evaluated to see which
students are comprehending and thinking critically
about the course content
- students will have multiple opportunities to present in
groups which we be evaluated for learning
- Students will present individually on their own personal
culture and heritage.
- A unit exam will be issued at the conclusion of the unit

Stage 3 – Learning Plan


What teaching and learning experiences will you use to:
 achieve the desired results identified in Stage 1?
 equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they
are going?
What experiences do the learners bring to the unit? How have the interests of the learners been ascertained?
Have the learners been part of the pre-planning in any way? What individual needs do you anticipate will need to
be addressed?
Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to
enhance learning?
Students have the opportunity to grow as learners and as individuals as a result of this unit. Students will know where they are
headed and what they are expected to know and learn at the beginning of this unit. Every student has personal knowledge and
experiences that they can bring to this unit, which will benefit the learning and understanding of all students in the classroom.
These personal experiences serve to bring diversity to the classroom and students will be encouraged to share and reflect upon
their unique personal experiences. The students have the opportunity to shape and mold what will be learned in this unit. By
performing KWL exercises and asking for student feedback, the students will be involved in the process of deciding what content
we focus our time and efforts on. The subject material of this unit may be difficult for some, and so it is important to ensure there
is open-ended discussion between the class and the teacher to ensure that all students feel safe and comfortable in their learning
environment. To enhance the learning of all students, the teacher should attempt to make the physical environment inviting and
welcoming so that all students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions with their classmates and with the instructor.
This confidence and feelings of comfort are going to be an important aspect of this unit succeeding.
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)

Sometimes students find the History 30 curriculum to be boring. Therefore, it is important to find out what the students are
interested in learning about and to present it in a way that makes it fun and exciting for them. By having the students involved in
the process of determining what they will learn, it will boost student engagement, as students are more likely to gain knowledge
when they are learning about something they are passionate or care about.
What events will help students experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in
the unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
# Lesson Title Lesson Activities CCCs Resource
s
1 Pre-Contact -Start of the lesson by having the students participate in a group KWL chart that you “Ways of
Indigenous will write and display on the whiteboard at the front of the class. Find out what Knowing”
students already know about pre-contact Indigenous societies, and what they want Textbook
to learn about pre-contact Indigenous societies. (10 min) (page 26-
-Turn to the textbook as a resource and have students read pages 26-47 which deal 47)
with various Indigenous cultures that were found across Canada prior to European www.learn
settlement. The readings explain the politics of these cultures and how they used alberta.ca/
their surroundings to thrive, for example the plains Cree relied heavily on the buffalo content/as
for all aspects of life. (30 min) wt/
- Have students come together in classroom discussion to share some of the
knowledge and points that stuck out to them, add these points to the “what we have http://first
learned” section of the KWL chart. (5 min) peoplesofa
-Explain the activity for next day which will be to split everyone into groups and canada/co
research a specific Indigenous culture in Canada and present findings to the class (5 m
min)
2 Pre-Contact -Start the lesson by explaining the assignment for the day. Students will be split into
Indigenous 6 groups representing 6 different regions of Canada. Each group will then do
Research research on Indigenous groups that originated in that region (Arctic, Subarctic,
Northeast, The Plains, The Plateau, Northwest Coast). Students should attempt to
investigate the economic and political views of these various cultures and how they
learned to survive off the land using the natural resources available to them. (15
min).
-The remainder of class time will be give to students to do research. They can use
computers but they must also incorporate written texts (see textbook for good
resource). Let the students know that the next class period will be used to present
their knowledge and findings. Each group will have 5-7 minutes to present. (35 min)
3 Pre-Contact Students have this class period to present their findings on their specific research
Indigenous topic. Students were assigned a region in Canada and were required to research the
Societies groups that inhabited this region, searching for economic, political, etc. ways of
Presentation knowing and living. Each group will have 5-7 minutes to present their findings. The
students in the audience should be paying attention and taking notes on the other
students’ presentations.
4 Pre-Contact -Start off the lesson by having students participate in a group KWL chart that you will
Europeans write and display on the whiteboard at the front of the class. The students will likely
have a good understanding of European societies from past history courses. (10 min)
-Have a group discussion about European society and gather all the information you
can that the students already know (politics, economy, government, way of knowing,
etc.) (15 min).
-On the whiteboard, compare and contrast Indigenous pre-contact societies with
European pre-contact societies. Have students copy out the notes in their notebooks
as well. Ensure to highlight the differences in European and Indigenous views of the
land, and how they historically survived off the land (Europeans farm the land vs
Indigenous hunt and gather). Look at Indigenous views on the land (respect, mother
nature, etc.) (25 min).
5 First Contact -Start of the lesson by discussing with students how first-contact relationships were “Ways of
Relationships formed on the basis of the fur trade and the mutually beneficial trades that were a Knowing”
& The Fur product of this relationship. (10 min) Textbook
Trade -Have students do the readings from the various resources and write down the
various ways that the Europeans benefited from the fur trade, and how Indigenous Readings:
peoples benefited from the fur trade. (30 min) The Fur
-Come together as a class to discuss the students’ findings and ensure that the Trade
students understand that at the time of first contact, the relationship between
Europeans and Indigenous peoples was mutually beneficial. (10 min).
6 Fur Trade -Start the lesson by recapping how the fur trade began as a mutually beneficial
Progression arrangement between two distinct societies. (10 min)
& European -Explain how the Europeans began to expand their population on “Great Turtle
Expansion Island” by sending over large amounts of settlers. They began to settle the East, and
some began to move westward. The European settlers brought with them many
diseases that the Indigenous peoples had no immunity to, and this caused
tremendous loss of life for the Indigenous population. Also, with more European
settlers came a larger impact on the natural resources (fur bearing animals, buffalo,
etc.). European Expansion impacted the lives of Indigenous peoples, and it would
never be the same again. Ensure that students are aware of the impact of European
settlement on Indigenous peoples and cultures. (30 min)
-Debrief class by talking as a group and answering any questions that students may
have on the topic of the fur trade or European expansion. (10 min)
7 The Creation -Start the class with discussion about the war of 1812 and how the American’s were
of Canada attempting to expand their territory into Canada. Explain how Indigenous soldiers
chose to side with the British and fight against the Americans in order to protect the
land that would eventually become Canada. (15 min)
-Explain to the students that after the war of 1812, the relationship between
Indigenous peoples and Europeans began to rapidly deteriorate, as the Europeans no
longer had a use for Indigenous peoples (the war was over) and the Indigenous
population had been severely depleted due to disease and war. (15 min)
- The British government began policies of assimilation (to be touched upon at a later
date) and in 1867 was the Confederation of Canada. Canada at this time was made
up of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The British government also
gave control of Indians and Indian Affairs to the Government of Canada. This is when
assimilation policies really took off. (15 min)
-Recap what was taught (5 min).

8 Film on War Have students watch the documentary about the war of 1812. Provide them with
of 1812 questions to answer as they watch the film to ensure they remain engaged.

http://www.pbs.org/wned/war-of-1812/film/watch-film-and-bonus-features/
9 Film on War
of 1812 http://www.pbs.org/wned/war-of-1812/film/watch-film-and-bonus-features/
10 Indigenous -Introduce the topic of treaties and the significance of treaties in Canada. Explain to “Ways of
Peoples and the students how treaties have a deep history with Indigenous peoples. (10 min) Knowing”
the History of -Have students read the textbook (page 78-84) about treaty making and early Textbook
Treaties treaties in Canada. Then have a discussion on the importance of treaties from an
Indigenous perspective. Talk about the traditions surrounding treaty making. (25
min)
-Do a think, pair, share activity where students reflect on what they have read, the
share with a small group, and then with the whole class as a classroom discussion.
(15 min)
11 The -Introduce the topic of the numbered treaties (1871-1877 and 1899-1921) and have “Ways of
Numbered students read about them in the textbook (page 84-92). (30 min) Knowing”
Treaties -Give students the handout with questions about the numbered treaties and have Textbook
them answer them in preparation for next class. (20 min)
12 The -Students will split into 7 groups and will investigate the various numbered treaties
Numbered from 1 to 7. Each group will research one specific treaty and will look at what the
treaty promised for Indigenous peoples and what the Canadian government was to
Treaties get in return. They will then decide who they think won the treaty and if the treaty
Continued was fair and just. (30 min)
-The students will have the last half of the class to share and discuss their findings
with the rest of the class. This process should be open so that students have the
ability to ask questions. (20 min)
13 Policies of -Explore the definition of assimilation and explain to students how the Canadian
Assimilation government used various policies in an attempt to assimilate the Indigenous
population. (15 min)
-Look specifically at the treaties and how they were created as a method of
assimilation. Education- the government promised Indigenous peoples education but
then sent them to residential schools where they were stripped of their language and
culture. Reserves- the government gave Indigenous peoples small plots of land that
they were forced to live and stay on. This disconnected Indigenous peoples from
sacred landmarks. (30 min)
-Introduce the movie we will be watching next class and warn the students that the
content of the movie is difficult to deal with (5 min)
14 Documentary -Show students the film “We Were Children” “We Were
on -Have students reflect on the film and debrief, talking about how the residential Children”
Residential schools would have impacted families and how it could still impact families today.
School
Experiences

15 Impact on -Look at contemporary Indigenous issues and see if the students can make
Indigenous connections to how the government has treated Indigenous peoples. There is
peoples intergenerational trauma and a loss of culture and ability to parent that stems from
some residential school experiences. Have students investigate this and think critically
about how society can move forward and support Indigenous peoples as they
attempt to recover from generations of lost culture.

Assess and Reflect (Stage 4)


Considerations Comments
Required Areas of Study:
Is there alignment between outcomes, The performance assessment was created to allow students the opportunity
performance assessment and learning to demonstrate that they know and understand the course material. By
experiences? showing evidence of their learning, the students will have met the various
outcomes that are indicated by the curriculum. The learning experiences
are differentiated so that every student has the opportunity to learn and
express their knowledge of the curriculum.
Adaptive Dimension: For struggling students:
Have I made purposeful adjustments to the The content of the curriculum will be presented in a way that it can be
curriculum content (not outcomes), differentiated to meet the learning styles of all students. There are various
instructional practices, and/or the learning forms of assessment given so that all students will have the opportunity to
environment to meet the learning needs and demonstrate their learning and knowledge in different ways. The learning
diversities of all my students? will be differentiated enough so that every student has an opportunity to
demonstrate understanding of the curriculum.
For students who need a challenge:
The content of the curriculum and the assessments will allow students to
be challenged and demonstrate their understanding of the curriculum.
Students who require a challenge will have the opportunity to show an
advanced understanding of the curriculum in their blog postings, as they
can demonstrate advanced comprehension and critical thinking in their blog
responses. They may also be challenged by some of the concepts provided
by the curriculum, and will be asked to critically think and reflect on these
concepts as a class.
Instructional Approaches:
Do I use a variety of teacher directed and Yes. There are numerous different approaches or teaching methods that
student centered instructional approaches? are used during this unit. For instance, there is independent study, group
projects, group discussions, think, pair, share, and various forms of media
used to ensure that all students have the opportunity to experience a
variety of instructional approaches.
Resource Based Learning:
Do the students have access to various Yes. The students have access to a number of different resources including
resources on an ongoing basis? the computer lab, the library, and number of resources that will be
provided by the instructor of this course.
FNM/I Content and Perspectives/Gender
Equity/Multicultural Education: Yes. This unit supports and encourages diversity. It focuses on FNMI
Have I nurtured and promoted diversity while cultures from a historical perspective, but each student will also have the
honoring each child’s identity? opportunity to investigate their own culture and heritage and share it with
the class. This will promote diversity in the classroom and ensure that
every student feels comfortable learning about culture.
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)

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