I believe that all Social Studies lesson plans need to incorporate the BAL of lifelong learning. This BAL is it always a final goal of mine to encourage
students to be advocates for change and empower one another to create a community that embraces equitable treatment and systems It is important
to incorporate social justice education as a part of every unit topic in social studies so that students have more of an opportunity to fully understand the
implications of history and how it impacts present life. Any social studies topic is not fully being represented without the concept of perception and
power being incorporated and explained for students. In my first couple weeks in the elementary school I was place I experienced many students
shutting down when they walk into classroom knowing that we would be working through straight lecture style content in regards to treaty education,
they had expected to sit through classes and take notes for the majority of their time with me but I made an effort to change those expectations and
make this unit as interactive as possible. I utilized this strategy as I feel it gave students the opportunity to develop a better sense of self and others in
working together in large small and individual settings much like they might have to in the real world therefore helping these students to understand
concepts that seek to balance all aspects of their lives. This holistic strategy not only seeks to keep students more engaged but also offers a less
colonized strategy of classroom instruction.
Developing an understanding of treaties provides students the opportunity to challenge their own understandings of treaties as well as how
understandings may vary from person to person and the possible rationales as to why our society and peers may think a certain way. With an end goal
to understand how they can apply these concepts of understanding treaties to become an advocate for treaty rights and an educator to provide their
peers with a better sense of self, community and understand that there is always a place to participate and help in debunking harmful
stereotypes/inaccurate understandings/representations of indigenous people especially in Saskatchewan.
Through successful participation throughout this unit the students should also be given the opportunity to demonstrate confidence, and courage
in/throughout their communities.
Cross curricular Competencies
How will this unit promote the CCC?
Developing thinking, developing identity and interdependence, developing literacies, developing social responsibility
Utilizing a better, more whole understanding of treaties will be a great tool to utilize throughout the whole school year in-between other units as help
increase motivation through understanding of Canadian identity and how that applies to every classmate no matter their history/background as this is
the reason Canada is what it is today, hopefully also this strategy will seek to maximize class participation if executed correctly.
These understandings will also seek to develop identity and interdependence by the various elements examined throughout a comprehensive
understanding of treaties.
When understanding all concepts surrounding treaties an apparent application will clear for students to work towards further developing overall
understanding and advocacy for contemporary issues surrounding the injustice that is felt by indigenous communities everywhere. This unit will give
students the opportunity to create action plans in which they may have the opportunity to further impact their communities.
Students will also learn how to promote social responsibility by not only being responsible for their own education and participation throughout this unit
but by also helping their peers and working together to gain a better perspective of what it means to be positive advocates for change. Another huge
responsibility in teaching is to be inclusive of all students with exceptionalities and this can often be addressed in this unit through an understanding of
all the different implications of each individual agreement made between the settlers and different groups of indigenous peoples. .
Learning Outcomes
What relevant goals will this unit address?
(must come from curriculum; include the designations e.g. IN2.1)
DR8.1 Develop an understanding of the significance of land on the evolution of Canadian identity.
DR8.3 Assess how historical events in Canada have affected the present Canadian identity
Social Studies is a subject in which BAL’s and CC’s will constantly be Why is it important to consider treaty specifics
incorporated into each lesson plan
Why is it important to challenge perspectives of treaty relationships?
This unit will seek to further students understanding of treaties in
Saskatchewan How will your peers understandings differ from yours/why?
This unit will seek a holistic understanding of how treaties impact all people
residing in Saskatchewan. How will these understandings impact your daily life?
First Nations people do not deserve special treatment FNMI, multicultural, cross-curricular…
The treaties are being upheld to their intended standards Why is it important to introduce understandings from different
perspectives?
Treaties only benefit First Nations people
How will this encourage students to become better learners?
Knowledge: Skills
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? This content What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit? List the skills
knowledge may come from the indicators, or might also address pre- and/or behaviours that students will be able to exhibit as a result of their
requisite knowledge that students will need for this unit. work in this unit. These will come from the indicators.
The activities in SS seek to achieve more than one outcome each lesson Confidently and competently articulate the treaty regions of
Saskatchewan
This unit will seek to further students understanding of treaty relationships
in Canada. Understand treaty agreements
Seeking a holistic understanding of treaties will provide all students the Understand contemporary issues surrounding treaty rights
challenge of learning something new and applying it to their everyday lives
in general perceptions and understandings of First Nations peoples and the Understand how treaties benefit all Saskatchewan residents
challenges they are still facing in regards to their treaty agreements and
promises that are yet to be made. Feel confident in their ability to identify as a treaty person
Treaties were created in history but tare still contemporarily relevant. Not hesitate in applying their knowledge of treaties through day to day
life and advocate for treaty rights.
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. Typically, the P.T. describes a scenario or situation that requires students to apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate their
understanding in a real life situation. Describe your performance task scenario below)
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task
G – Goal G –Students will confidently and competently work through the outcomes specified in stage one. Students will
What should students accomplish by see an increase in understanding of treaty education and goals they should seek in improving their overall
completing this task? understanding of the psychological, social, spiritual, and environmental impacts that they have.
R – Role R- The students will be taking on the learner perspective throughout the beginning of the unit until they gain a
What role (perspective) will your students good base knowledge of the content then they will move forward they will have the opportunity to be leaders
be taking? in creating an action plan for creating awareness and advocating with and for fair treatment and justifiable
A – Audience compensation for First Nations peoples. This will not only help students become better educated and well-
Who is the relevant audience?
spoken in the topic but it will also allow them the opportunity to experience advocacy and ask questions as to
what they are feeling/experiencing in the moment.
S – Situation
A- The relevant audience is myself as an educator for assessment as well as all other participants – as
The context or challenge provided to the
student. mentioned before the students will be given the opportunity to help one another so it is essential that
everyone is on the lookout for those that need help and to react/offer support appropriately.
S- The initial challenge will be set by each individual lesson plan but from there it will be up to the student to
P – Product, Performance decide and place themselves in the environment that best suits their understanding (I will be providing various
What product/performance will the options)
student P- The initial challenge will be set by each individual lesson plan but from there it will be up to the student to
create? decide and place themselves in the environment that best suits their understanding (I will be providing various
options)
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)
I will engage students by giving them an overview of expectations before the unit begins outlining most of the activities that they will be participating in
and then discussing the importance of participation each and every day as well as have the students brainstorm what skills they think they will be
learning/improving on throughout the unit – as well as giving students an opportunity to suggest activities that they would like to participate in and find
ways to try to incorporate those activities appropriately – maybe as they are or maybe through adaptations/modifications. Students will also be given a list
of expectations for this unit, that will include information on how to create/keep the learning space a safe space for sharing and a respectful space in which
participants can feel safe that the potentially sensitive information they share will stay in the class.
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 Resources
Why is worldview important to consider when creating agreements between two different
cultures?
- What privileges impact you? Are they all positive? Negative? Both? Why?
- What can you do to help those that are not privileged, or help yourself if you feel that
society/the system is against
Understanding specific components of First Nations Traditional Worldviews brief brainstorm on
what each of these mean/how they connect and are applied holistically – jot not understandings
from page 29 of the OTC Treaty Essential Learning Package (if time this lesson – if not beginning
of next lesson.5-10)
- Spirituality
- Values
- Knowledge
- -Culture
- -Oral Traditions
- Language
- Governance
- Natural World
4 JIGSAW Intro to Treaties – sharing common knowledge with previous knowledge post-it not challenge DT, DL
introduction - -students are challenged to each fill out a post it on their knowledge of treaties – cover other
Creation of essential aspects of treaties (sample in Appendix D)
Treaties/impact
s of worldview Jigsaw/background knowledge/impacts of differentiating worldview on creation of treaties
Students will be split into 5 groups of 5-7 and they will have the class period to read through their
groups section, where they will have to pull out key insights from their readings that they feel are
applicable to their unit end exam and present to the class their main insights from their specified
section (Group One sample found in Appendix C)
Groups will be encouraged to present material in a variety of ways, if they want to draw pictures,
create a poem, or a power point on the essential information of each section. They will have 4-8
minutes to present the material from the previous class and offer their classmates strategies to
remember this material in jot note formats.
Class will be taking notes on their classmates presentations as a form of studying for material they
can use in their inquiry projects that they will be finishing the unit doing.
5 Presentation Students will have the opportunity to contemporary present on their sections this day and will be DSR -rubric
Day graded on their ability to convey the message of their sections as well as their ability to support
their peers learning with clear, succinct descriptors of their sections for their peers to take notes
on for their final inquiry project.
Reconvene with students and make sure that everyone is caught up with notes and understand
concepts, any questions or concerns moving forward should be addressed now – if time can
prompt students to look at and choose a specific contemporary treaty issue that they would like to
further research for their inquiry project- can work individually, or up to a group of 3
6 Place Based Walking to/bussing to campus to walk around – experience this place of education – DSR, DT
Learning/Wane
skewin How does this space represent the relationship of treaties (combine western/indigenous
worldview)
Go to the Gordon Oakes center and talk about why the structure and layout of this building is
different than the others and why?
Why is it important to have indigenous spaces on campus? Could this be connected to treaties?
How does this type of learning differ to classroom/lecture style learning. Do you prefer the
structure of the first few lessons or this structure?
Why do you feel you learn better a certain way – class can split up into group on campus, walk
around and seek answers to these questions, depending on trust level of class, etc.
7 Inquiry Have the students pick an topic surrounding contemporary treaty issues that they can research DSR, DI -OTC Resource
Project/Unit and word towards advocacy and how they can positively impact their communities –
Wrap Up
Students will be asked to submit a draft of their inquiry project idea/outline to be approved by the
teacher – all of the contemporary treaty issues outlined in the OTC manual are pre-approved
topics but if students would like to find their own contemporary issue related to treaties they are
welcome to bring it up and get it approved
- Once students decide on a topic they will submit a action plan to the teacher in which they
will outline the issue, the severity of the issue, the groups involved with the issue, and
possible solutions to the issue in their inquiry project
- Another part of the inquiry project will incorporate an educational format in which they will
present their contemporary treaty issue to the class along with their possible solution –
this presentation can take any format
- Students will be given full freedom from the start to research and present essentially
whatever they feel is relevant/most important – students that need more direction will be
prompted an given more structure/suggestion if needed
As well depending on the time of year, this sort of project can be applied to one of the annual
community competitions here in Saskatoon, competition rules can be found at
https://www.saskatoon.ca/news-releases/deadline-enter-city-saskatoon-living-harmony-awards-
wednesday-february-28-2018
Adaptive Dimension:
Have I made purposeful adjustments to the curriculum For struggling students:
content (not outcomes), instructional practices, and/or For some of the treaty education activities activities, I will create two groups of students
the learning environment to meet the learning needs and who will be at different levels of understanding – one that the students would prefer to
diversities of all my students? compete competitively and one in which the students would prefer to discuss more
traditional ideals of treaty knowledge, and another group that would like to take more
contemporary understandings to discuss overall advocacy strategies for this. I will provide
students time to further develop their understandings of the purpose and goals of these
understandings. Struggling students can have the option of join a master group with
myself in which we will discuss both ideals, where I will make an effort to contribute to all
understandings. As a class, we will join in separate groups where the struggling students
will now have the opportunity to gain more of an understanding through various groups of
their peers. This strategy gives these students the opportunity to learn through various
styles of teaching as well as from various student teachers, hopefully providing them with
the ability to grasp these concepts of wellness to the best they can.
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)
Appendix A
Worldview
Introduction / background
Worldview (Formal OTC Definition pg 26) - A comprehensive view or philosophy of life, the world and,
the universe. It is the view of life that shapes how people interact and respond to the world around
them; it influences, shapes, and interprets what people experience and provides them with a sense of
vision for the future.
Worldview (jot note definition): A set of beliefs; the way an individual or group sees and understands
the world.
First Nations people’s worldview is generally holistic and interrelated - all aspects of life and
understanding are interconnected and cannot be separate/self centered.
Western Understanding - less interconnected more linear.
Appendix B
Lesson Plan Two: Understanding Privilege
Date:
Subject: Social Studies Grade: 8
Topic: Understanding how privilege contributes to overall wellness
Materials:
Privilege walk document
Safety Considerations:
For the activities, today we will need to consider personal safety and privacy, we will need to discuss what it means to be respectful learners
and create a safe space for sharing. As well remind students to be aware of where their peers/what their surroundings are for the race.
Management Strategies:
For this class I will first have an essential conversation about being respectful of their peers in our classroom as well as outside where the
privilege walk/race will take place. As well I will review some class expectations for when we are sharing information to be respectful and
concise when sharing with the classroom, being sure to make comments that are on topic, relevant, and contribute to the classes learning and
better understanding of the concepts.
• Psychomotor: Will discuss how the physical nature of an individual can impact their privilege
• Affective: Will discuss the relational importance within why it is important to maintain positive relationships within a community and how
this can positively impact wellness. As well how they can seek to positively impact others with these relationship
• Cognitive: Students will seek to retain information and facts about how their privilege impacts their world and communities and how they
can seek to be an advocate for positive change in our communities.
Stage 2- Assessment
Assessment FOR Learning (formative) Assess the students during the learning to help determine next steps.
Throughout the lesson today students will be assessed by their willingness to contribute meaningful thoughts throughout our sharing circle
after the activity, as well students will be expected to be attentive throughout the entirety of classroom debrief. These indicators will show
whether or not students feel confident and competent to participate in the class’ discussion.
Assessment OF Learning (summative) Assess the students after learning to evaluate what they have learned.
At the end of the unit there will be an exam that will test the students overall understanding of wellness. See attached for unit exam.
Have participants line up in a straight line across the middle of the room with plenty of space to move forward and backward as the exercise
proceeds.
I will read statements aloud. Please move if a statement applies to you. If you do not feel comfortable acknowledging a statement that applies
to you, simply do not move when it is read. No one else will know whether it applies to you.
Begin reading statements aloud in a clear voice, pausing slightly after each one. The pause can be as long or as short as desired as appropriate.
When you have finished the statements, ask participants to take note of where they are in the room in relation to others.
3. If one or both of your parents have a college degree, take one step forward.
4. If you can find Band-Aids at mainstream stores designed to blend in with or match your skin tone, take one step forward.
5. If you rely, or have relied, primarily on public transportation, take one step back.
6. If you have attended previous schools with people you felt were like yourself, take one step forward.
7. If you constantly feel unsafe walking alone at night, take one step back.
8. If you are able to move through the world without fear of sexual assault, take one step forward.
9. If you studied the culture of your ancestors in, take one step forward.
10. If you often feel that your parents are too busy to spend time with you, take one step back.
11. If you were ever made fun of or bullied for something you could not change or was beyond your control, take one step back.
12. If your family has ever left your homeland or entered another country not of your own free will, take one step back.
13. If you would never think twice about calling the police when trouble occurs, take one step forward.
14. If your family owns a computer, take one step forward.
15. If you have ever been able to play a significant role in a project or activity because of a talent you gained previously, take one step forward.
16. If you can show affection for your romantic partner in public without fear of ridicule or violence, take one step forward.
17. If you ever had to skip a meal or were hungry because there was not enough money to buy food, take one step back.
18. If you feel respected for your academic performance, take one step forward.
19. If you have a physically visible disability, take one step back.
20. If you have an invisible illness or disability, take one step back.
21. If you were ever discouraged from an activity because of race, class, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation, take one step back.
22. If you ever tried to change your appearance, mannerisms, or behavior to fit in more, take one step back.
23. If you have ever been profiled by someone else using stereotypes, take one step back.
24. If you feel good about how your identities are portrayed by the media, take one step forward.
25. If you were ever accepted for something you applied to because of your association with a friend or family member, take one step forward.
26. If your family has health insurance take one step forward.
27. If someone has ever spoken for you when you did not want them to do so, take one step back.
28. If you come from a single-parent household, take one step back.
29. If you live in an area with crime and drug activity, take one step back.
30. If someone in your household suffered or suffers from mental illness, take one step back.
31. If you were ever uncomfortable about a joke related to your race, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation but felt unsafe to
confront the situation, take one step back.
32. If you are never asked to speak on behalf of a group of people who share an identity with you, take one step forward.
33. If you can make mistakes and not have people attribute your behavior to flaws in your racial or gender group, take one step forward.
34. If you have always assumed you’ll go to college, take one step forward.
35. If you have more than twenty books in your household, take one step forward.
36. If your parents have told you that you can be anything you want to be, take one step forward
During and after the Privilege Walk, participants might experience an array of intense feelings no matter their position in the front or the
back. While the point of the Privilege Walk is indeed to promote understanding and acknowledgment of privileges and marginalization, it
would be detrimental to end the activity with potentially traumatic or destructive emotions.
The point of the debrief session is twofold. First, through the reflection provoking questions, help participants realize what exactly they
were feeling and muster the courage to articulate it to each participant’s acceptable level. This process will relieve possible negative emotions,
preventing possible damage. Second, as negative emotions are relieved, the debrief will help participants realize that either privileges
or marginalization’s are integral to the person’s being. Instead of casting off either privilege or marginalization, participants can learn how to
reconcile with themselves, and through the utilization of newfound knowledge of the self, have a better relationship with themselves and
others around them.
1. What did you feel like being in the front of the group? In the back? In the middle?
At the end of the exercise, students were asked to observe where they were in the room. This is a common question to use to lead into the
discussion and allows people to reflect on what happened before starting to work with those idea in possibly more abstract ways. It keeps the
activity very experience-near and in the moment.
2. What were some factors that you have never thought of before?
This asks students to reflect in a broader sense about the experiences they might not think about in the way they were presented in this
activity. It opens up a space to begin to discuss their perceptions of aspects of themselves and others that they might have never discussed
before.
3. If you broke contact with the person beside you, how did you feel in that moment?
This question focuses on the concrete experience of separation that can happen during the activity. For some students, a physical aspect like
this can be quite powerful. There are many iterations of the privilege walk that do not involve physical contact, but this extra piece can add
another layer of experience and be an opening for very rich student responses.
4. What question made you think most? If you could add a question, what would it be?
The first part of this question asks students to reflect more on the activity and the thoughts behind it. The second part of this question is very
important for creating knowledge. Students might suggest a question about which instructors had not thought. Asking students how they
would change the activity and then working to incorporate those changes is an important part of collaborative learning.
5. What do you wish people knew about one of the identities, situations, or disadvantages that caused you to take a step back?
This question invites people who would like to share about the ways they experience marginalization. It is a good question to ensure that this
part of the conversation is had. That being said, it is also important to not expect or push certain students to speak, since that would be further
marginalizing them and could cause them to feel unsafe. It is not a marginalized person’s job to educate others on their marginality. If they
would like to do so, listen. If they would not like to do so, respect their wishes.
6. How can your understanding of your privileges or marginalization’s improve your existing relationships with yourself and others?
This question is based on the idea that people can always use knowledge and awareness of the self to improve how one lives with oneself and
those existing within one’s life. It also invites students to think about ways that this understanding can create positive change. This is not
only for the most privileged students but also for marginalized students to understand those in their group who may experience other
marginalization’s. This can bring the discussion form the first question, which asks about how they are standing apart to this last question,
which can ask how can they work to stand together.
This activity was developed by Rebecca Layne and Ryan Chiu for Dr. Arthur Romano’s Conflict Resolution Pedagogy class at George
Mason’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. Some walk activity questions are commonly seen on other privilege walks while others
were written by these students for this specific walk. Procedures were written from experiences participating in other walks. Debrief
questions, excepting question one, were written by these students with the goal of this walk in mind. Question one is fairly universal for this
activity.
Important/Repetitive Insights:
-Treaties are solemn, treaties are sacred
-Treaties are beneficial to settlers and indigenous peoples
-Treaties benefit settlers by giving safe passage, access to land and resources
-Treaties should benefit FN peoples if parameters are followed through land access, education, access to
medicine and survival of cultural and spiritual traditions
-Treaties 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 completely cover Saskatchewan
Treaty Partners: Indigenous Nations (first nations) as original inhabitants, In SK, Cree, Dene, Saulteaux,
Dakota, Lakota, Nakota,
Crown of Great Britain, Queen’s representative, Lieutenant Governor,
Indigenous people were independent nations recognized by the crown.
Pre-Confederation Treaties
Confederation was in 1867, prior to that, “peace and friendship treaties” began in 1700s in Eastern
Canada, asked for peaceful settlement