1.2 What is nation?

Theme/ Name of Lesson: 1.2 What is nation?

Grade Level: 11

Duration of the Lesson: 80 minutes

Name of Instructor: Ms. Fontes

Faculty of Education

Date: September 1

Materials Consulted: Social 20-2 program of studies

Resources for Instruction: current events article, current events slips, sticky notes

Connection to the Program of Studies:

GLO (1) Students will explore the relationships among identity, nation, and nationalism.

SLO (1.6) develop understandings of nation and nationalism

SLO (1.7) examine the relationship between nation and nation state

Lesson Objective (SMART): Students will…

Identify what a nation/nation state is

Explore how nationalism is expressed.

Introduction

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 Time est: Introduce ‘political cartoon’ bell work:
20-25  Political cartoon/image/meme on the board at the beginning of almost every
class with an entry slip already sitting on your desks.
 After entering, you could begin the bell work
 Explain observe-inference meaning
 Complete today’s bell work as a class

Remind students of procedures rehearsed from the first day.

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What makes a nation great? – brainstorm in small groups (2-3) and add sticky notes onto the
board.
Debrief: ask students the following questions:
 How many of you thought about what you like about Canada?
 How many of you thought about what you DON’T like about Canada?
 Are nations that meet this criteria inherently better than nations who
don’t?
 Would you love Canada LESS if it didn’t meet this criteria?

Create a top 5-10 (depending on variety) of the most common criteria.

Apply criteria to Canada – is Canada a great nation?
 What are the benefits of creating this criteria?
 What are the dangers of judging all nations by this criteria?

Transition considerations: Key terms to pay attention to: nation, nation-state, ethnic nation, state,
sovereignty, multi-nation state, civic nation
Formative Assessment: N/A

Body (you may have a range of activities)

Activity 1
Concept attainment: nation vs nation states
20
Split class into four groups – ask each group to list as many nations as possible on the board –
start by listing 3 as a class. (2 minutes)

Discuss what each group has come up with – share similarities/differences.

Now, provide students with the definition of nation: a nation is people who share a sense of
belonging together and who want to control their own destiny.

With that definition in mind, ask students to add to their lists

Invite groups to come back up to the board and sort their list into two categories based on
similarities.
Students should have a list of what are ‘nation states’ and ‘nations.’
Prompt students through the activity – ask questions to guide them on the right track.
If students are struggling, provide them with the following ‘quality’ of nation:

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 Desire to gain sovereignty over a geographical territory that is a fundamental part of that
group’s history.

Talk about the categories chosen by students – is there a wrong answer? (NO).
‘Why did you pick these categories?’ ‘How does this nation fit into this category?’

Activity 2 Introduce concepts – nation vs nation state. Share that the lists could be organized into these
30 min categories.

Students should begin filling in their guided notes.

Nation: a group of people who recognize common characteristics that make them
different from other people, and work together to achieve common goals.

Nation-state: an internationally recognized sovereign nation that has a distinct

geographical boundary and political system (aka, a country)

Therefore, nations can exist within a nation-state. Canada may be considered as being
founded by three separate nations – who are they?
 Indigenous, French, British

What factors unify a nation? – students may think about one nation in particular (Blackfoot
nation) - think, talk to the person beside you, then talk with the pair behind/in front of you and
generate ideas (5 min)

Prompting question:
 What things unites the Quebecois nation?
o Shared language
o Ethnicity
o Culture
o Geography
o Relationship to the land
o Spiritual or religious values
 What things unit the Blackfoot nation?

Break down these unifiers on the slideshow presentation.

 Many Quebecois consider themselves a separate nation from Canada. Do you
agree with this interpretation, based on what you now know about nationalism?
 What about Indigenous peoples?

Ethnic nation: Jewish example – do not necessarily reside within a common geographical
area, but have a shared culture, faith, etc.

Definitions: state, sovereignty, multi-nation state, civic nation

Example case: nation/nation-state of Israel

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Transition Considerations:

Formative Assessment:

Conclusion
Time Est: If time allows, ask these questions:
5 minutes When someone asks you, “where is your family from?” How do you respond? Do you say
you’re an Albertan? Canadian? Ukrainian? Italian? Etc.
Do you belong to any ‘nations’ beside geographic ones?
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Formative consolidation of learning:
What is a nation?
What is a nation-state?
What 6 things unify a nation?
Assessment: Formative consolidation of learning, class discussions

Differentiation/modifications:

Extension Activity/brain break:

Reflection (How do I know that my learning objectives were met? What did the lesson do well? In
what ways would you improve the lesson in the future? How did you engage your learners?):

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