Stage

1 Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS

(Learning Outcomes from Program of Studies)

SOCIAL STUDIES
6.1.1 Recognize how individuals and governments interact and bring
about change within their local and national communities:
-
Recognize and respect the democratic rights of all citizens in Canada
(C, I)
-
Value the role of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in
protecting individual and collective rights and freedoms (I, PADM)
-
Recognize the influence of historical events and legislation on
democratic decision making in Canada (TCC, PADM)
-
Value citizens participation in a democratic society (C)
-
Value the contributions of elected representatives in the democratic
process (PADM)
6.1.6 Analyze how individuals, groups and associations within a
community impact decision making of local and provincial governments
by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
-
How can individuals, groups and associations within a community
participate in the decision-making process regarding current events
or issues (i.e., lobbying, petitioning, organizing and attending local
meetings and rallies, contacting elected representatives)? (C, PADM)
-
How do associations such as the Association canadienne-franaise de
lAlberta (ACFA), the Mtis Nation of Alberta Association (MNAA) and
the First Nations Authorities (FNA) provide their members with a
voice, at local and provincial levels, exercising historical and
constitutional rights? (C, I, PADM)
-
In what ways do elected officials demonstrate their accountability to
the electorate (e.g., respond to constituents, participate in local
events, represent and express in government meetings the concerns
of constituents)? (C, PADM)

MATH
Number Sense
3. Demonstrate an understanding of percent (limited to whole numbers),
concretely, pictorially and symbolically. [C, CN, PS, R, V]
Patterns and Relations
1. Represent and describe patterns and relationships, using graphs and
tables. [C, CN, ME, PS, R, V] [ICT: C62.3]

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to

Be an active participant in Canadas democratic processes
Critically analyze current events and issues from multiple
perspectives
Understand the benefits and expenses of environmental
conservation
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS
Students will understand that

What makes a decision fair?
Fair is not the same as
How do we make
equal.
decisions everyday?
Different groups of
What is the decision-
people have different
making structure in
needs.
Canada? (Is it fair?)
There are many different
What is the difference
perspectives to consider
between fair and equal?
when making a decision.
How can we ensure a
Making a fair decision is
decision is as fair as
very complex.
possible?
Who decides what is
fair? What do they have
to consider?
How do we know if a
decision is fair?
Acquisition
Students will know
Students will be skilled at


How Canadian
Collaborating with other
government is
individuals to make


SCIENCE
Trees and Forests
8. Identify modern human uses of forests, and compare and historical
patterns of use.
9. Identify human actions that enhance or threaten the existence of
forests.
10. Identify an issue regarding forest use, identify different perspectives on
that issue and identify actions that might be taken

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
-
Identify and use the structural elements of texts, such as magazines,
newspapers, newscasts and news features, to access and
comprehend ideas and information
-
Comment on the credibility of characters and events in oral, print and
other media texts, using evidence from personal experiences and the
text

Note: Many more learning outcomes will naturally be addressed within
the unit, but the above outcomes are the ones that guide our studies.

structured
How the three levels of
government interact in
Canada
How the voting process
works in Canada
How interest groups
lobby for their rights
The values of the
different political
ideologies that influence
Canada
The benefits of
protecting
environmental spaces.
The costs of protecting
environmental spaces.

Stage 2 - Evidence

Assessment Evidence
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
- Create an identity for Adanac (e.g. story, flag, dance, etc.)
- KWL chart about levels of government
- Persuasive videos about group interests
- Debates surrounding political and environmental issues
- Reflective piece on the fairness of a societal decision
- Final persuasive piece focusing on learning throughout the unit
OTHER EVIDENCE:
- Self-reflections
- Self- and peer-assessments
- Large-group discussions
- Small-group discussions

decisions
Critically analyzing media
sources and issues
Making informed choices
on key issues
Expressing and reflecting
upon their ideas through
different modalities
Analyzing data and
making predictions
Considering multiple
perspectives within
issues
Using technologies
authentically in order to
express opinions

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction

Learning Experience 1 (Approximately one week) Focus: How do we make decisions in our everyday lives?
o Students are presented with the scenario. They create an identity for Adanac, their new society, including stories/legends, a
flag, a dance, an anthem, and the societal Charter.
Learning Experience 2 (Approximately one week) Focus: What is the decision-making structure in Canada? (Is it fair?)
o Students create a KWL chart about the three levels of government in Canada (local, provincial, federal). At the start of the
week, they state what they already know and want to learn. Throughout the learning experience, they research the levels of
government and engage with experts. They then complete the chart with what they have learned.
Learning Experience 3 (Approximately one week) Focus: What is the difference between fair and equal?
o In their groups, students are randomly assigned the roles of different voter groups (e.g. Indigenous peoples, female voters,
large corporations, immigrants, etc.) and create persuasive videos to lobby for the interests of these groups, considering
what kinds of decisions would be politically important to each group.
Learning Experience 4 (Approximately one week) Focus: How do we ensure a decision is as fair as possible?
o Students are introduced to the different political ideologies that influence parties in Canada. The class then has a mock
election and students vote for the party that would best represent their groups interests.
Learning Experience 5 (Approximately two weeks) Focus: Who decides what is fair? What do they have to consider?
o Students are randomly and individually assigned roles that exist within Canadian government (e.g. cabinet ministers,
aldermen, etc.), or the roles of citizens (e.g. Indigenous citizen, female immigrant). From the perspectives of these roles,
they engage in debates to decide whether Adanac should pass a forest preservation act. Students then vote to pass or
reject the act. Individually, they reflect on the decision made, and the interests that it does or does not serve.
Learning Experience 6 (Approximately two weeks) Focus: How do we know if a decision is fair?
o Students will choose a real-world current event or issue and create a persuasive piece (students may choose the format) to
argue for a fair decision and explain their reasoning, considering the many different perspectives on the issue.
Ongoing Reflections
o Throughout the tasks, and particularly at the end of every week, students will reflect upon decision-making processes and
their classroom activities. These discussions will connect the various experiences to each other.
NOTE: The above is a summary; the learning experiences are further detailed under the Assessment tab of our website.