Canadian Government and Identity
Statement of Inquiry: A nation's identity comes from its government systems and ideologies.
Key Concept: Systems
Related Concepts: Governance and Ideologies
Global Context and Exploration: Identities and Relationships - Identity Formations
Guiding Questions:
Factual: What is the structure and form of our government?
Conceptual: How can Canadians affect change in their government?
Debatable: To what extent does Canada embrace democracy and equality?
Lesson One: Canadian Identity
Lesson Two: Introduction to Government
Lesson Three: Structure of Government
Lesson Four: Bills to Laws
Lesson Five: Elections
Lesson Six: Political Ideologies
Lesson Seven: Canadian Political Parties
Lesson Eight: Elections Effecting Change
Lesson Nine: Charter
Lesson Ten: Test Day
In case you are not able to attend the candidate debate on Oct 15th at the Lakeside 7pm, please watch some of the previous debate and report back to me who you would vote for and 2 reasons why.
Key Concept: Systems
Related Concepts: Governance and Ideologies
Global Context and Exploration: Identities and Relationships - Identity Formations
Guiding Questions:
Factual: What is the structure and form of our government?
Conceptual: How can Canadians affect change in their government?
Debatable: To what extent does Canada embrace democracy and equality?
Lesson One: Canadian Identity
- This course is about Canada and Canadian identity. Each student will come up and on the board, write something about Canada.
- Show I am Canadian Anthem and I am Canadian.
- What is a Canadian? List on board. What is Canadian Identity? Discuss Negative construction vs. positive construction (What we are vs. What we are not) Discuss how we create our identity – we are NOT Americans etc… Beer company (no other country in the world has a beer company that creates their identity). How many of you can tell me the first three PMs or sing the national anthem, how may of you can tell me the head of state? , beer commercial not government, helps form out culture. How does he end his speech? With a thank you – very Canadian.
- Students will sculpt something in play-dough with a partners that means Canada to them and present. Be Creative.
- Wab Kinew: 500 years in 2 minutes.
- This is how Canada Talks.
- Play a game of Swat.
Lesson Two: Introduction to Government
- Show the Simpsons, Das Bus. Play 6:30-9:20, 10:00-15:00, 16:00-18:15, 19:26-21:54 (about 12 minutes).
–why would I show this in the government unit?)
-- what does this clip say about human nature in general? Society?
-What happens to our society when we don't have rules? - Discussion: how are cereal, an ipad and a piece of clothing influenced by government?
-go outside, use cell phone to take a picture of something they think is influenced by government (in pairs). Present to the class. - Define Key Terms:
- Government: formal decision making sytem
- Democracy: gov't where the people make the decisions
- Direct Democracy: (referendums) every citizens votes on every decision
- Representative Democracy: elect a representative to make decisions on their behalf
- Constitutional Monarchy: monarch is head of state, but must work within parameters of a constitution
- Rick mercer Clip: Canada Explained
- What is government? What does gov't look like in Canada? Chapter overview. Government Notes
Lesson Three: Structure of Government
- Govt and Democracy video.
- Govt and You matrix (student sheet) with info from GSlides.
- On the Right Level: student complete individually, then in pairs the discuss as a class.
- Field trip: In random pairs with 1 cell phone between them, students will go out into the real world and find examples of the different levels of govt. Photos of 3 Municipals, 3 Provincials and 1 Federal examples are needed. Be ready to explain/justify which level this is. Ex. Mr. Wiebe is an administrator --> Provincial.
- When students are back they will upload the photos to a Google Doc that will be shared with me. They need to explain what is in their pictures, which level of government it pertains to and why.
Lesson Four: Bills to Laws
- Review the levels of Govt
- Follow the lesson in the Gslides.
- How a Bill becomes a law, show School House Rock Video
- Go over textbook diagram. Why does it take so long? ( so there are not mistakes and all viewpoints have been considered.)
- -Review free-vote and party whip
- Give Students name tags (steps) and an explanation of what they do. Have one student “bill” walk through all the steps until he becomes a law. Each step reads their card.
- Re-write School House Rock lyrics for Canada on big paper. Present one stanza (sing or say)
- Reading p 308 from the textbook, why it takes so long; what process is. Highlight debate after second reading.
- Why are there so many steps?
- Do you agree with the amount of steps?
- Do we need the senate?
- Why are so many politicians former lawyers and teachers? (education)
- What stage is the most important?
- Review steps by playing a game of Kahoot!
Lesson Five: Elections
- Review the steps from last day.
- Hold a mock parliament where students create a bill.
- Explain the difference between a minority government, coalition and majority government
3 types of government outcomes:
Minority --- less than 51%
Majority – More than 51%
Coalition – 2 or more parties band together to create a majority - What are the potential problems to this system? Are all voters being heard and represented?
- Watch these videos to show FPTP and the other options out there. Canadian Voting Explained. Canada's Voting System, Our Electoral System and The Problems with FTPT Explained.
- BC recently had a referendum (what is that?) on this matter in late 2018. Here is the package that was sent to registered voters.
- BC STV video and example to explain
Lesson Six: Political Ideologies
- Political Ideaologies GSlides.
- Have students create a straight line in the room and line up according to how far left or right they think they are. Take a picture to refer back to.
- Students will complete the first column of My Political Views. We will come back to finish it.
- Students will go to votecompass.ca to take the online test and have them screenshot their result.
- Draw the spectrum diamond on the board and have students mark off their results (use initials) Compare this to where they thought they were on the line. Any one close? Drastically different?
- Students will complete fill in the blank notes from the GSlides.
- Put students in groups of 4. Have them sort out where each of the slips should go. Check for accuracy.
- If time, have students try out a different survey and screenshot the results.
- When done this, students will be given the Government ASR in prep for their Govt test. The test and the Political Parties project (see below) will form the assessment for this unit.
Lesson Seven: Canadian Political Parties
- Watch Canada 101 Parties.
- Review the Cnd parties.
- Create your own party. Decide on due date and criteria for project.
- G = the goal is to make your own political party
- R = You are a political candidate in an up and coming political party
- A = The target audience are Canadian citizen/voters.
- S = The context you find yourself in is you are a disillusioned citizen, unhappy with aspects of Canada, and have decided to create own political party to affect change.
- P = You will create a political party with a campaign(political poster, video and speech) to win the election.
- S = You will be assessed on Criterion A & Ci, ii
- The next day we will be holding a vote to see who "won". Voting for your own party, while allowed in a real election, will not be allowed this time. While the votes are being tallied, you will complete a self reflection and assessment. Circle the achievement that you think you and your group has earned. On the back write a paragraph reflecting on the experience by answering the following:
- Did you work to your best ability?
- Did your other members work to their best ability?
- Should all group members get the same mark? Why/Why not? What should they be?
- If you were to do this project again, what would you do differently?
- How can the project be changed to be better for future classes?
Lesson Eight: Elections Effecting Change
- How to influence govt GSlides
- Read p291-296 in your textbook and complete the worksheet.
- Work on Govt ASR.
Lesson Nine: Charter
- While following along the Gslides on the Charter students will complete the following.
- Work on Govt ASR. Last class time for this.
Lesson Ten: Test Day
- Students are required to attend the tutorial that day with me. (Both classes) We will be reviewing the ASR and answering any outstanding questions. Students can bring work from other classes if we have time after.
- Good luck! Students will complete the test and then hand in a completed Govt ASR for bonus marks.
- Reminder: If a student attends the candidate debate on the environment at the Lakeside Oct 15th 7pm, and takes a selfie/provides evidence of attendance, they will receive a bonus mark on their test. If a student is unable to attend but would still like an option for a bonus mark come see me during school Oct 15th and we can discuss it.
In case you are not able to attend the candidate debate on Oct 15th at the Lakeside 7pm, please watch some of the previous debate and report back to me who you would vote for and 2 reasons why.