Lesson Plan Title: Understanding Indigenous Societies Philip Braun

Date: February 16, 2018

Subject: Social Studies 9 Grade: 9
Topic: Canada’s Societies

Essential Question: How can the different dimension of Canadian society be applied to gain a better
understanding of the broad Canadian history?

Materials: computers, pens/pencils/markers, poster paper, glue, scissors, YouTube

Stage 1- Desired Results – you may use student friendly language

What do they need to understand, know, and/or able to do?
Students will come to understand different Canadian First Nations Societies and how they ran prior to
European contact.

Broad Areas of Learning:

Life Long Learners: students will be encouraged to inquire about the societies around them which in turn will
inspire them to actively research the questions they have.
Sense of Self, Community, and Place: students will gain a better understanding of their countries past and
present and therefore better understand their place within it.
Engaged Citizens: through learning about other societies other than their own, particularly First Nations,
students will be engaged in their society and commit to being more involved in it.

Cross-Curricular Competencies:
DT: researching a society other than their own will cause deep thinking.
DSR: learning about other societies, particularly ones that have had their voices silenced, will inspired them to
be more responsible citizens.
DII: students will reflect on what they know and what they have learned in order to reflect on how that
shapes them.
DL: learning about different cultures and the way their societies ran will help them gain new understandings
of literacies that they may not be familiar with.
Outcome(s):
IN9.1 Explain what constitutes a society.

IN9.2 Compare the factors that shape worldviews in a society, including time and place, culture,
language, religion, gender identity, socio-economic situation, and education.

IN9.3 Analyze the ways a worldview is expressed in the daily life of a society.

IN9.4 Determine the influence of worldview on the choices, decisions, and interactions in a society.
PGP Goals:
 2.3 knowledge of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit culture and history (e.g., Treaties, Residential
School, Scrip and Worldview) – FNMI knowledge will be displayed and researched further
throughout this lesson.
 4.2 the ability to incorporate First Nations, Métis, and Inuit knowledge, content and perspective
into all teaching areas – this will be seen in the study of different First Nations groups and how
their geographical location impacted their society.

Stage 2- Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning (formative) Assess the students during the learning to help determine next steps.

 In their ongoing journals students will fill in a KWL chart about First Nations societies, thinking about
geographical location, leadership, roles, etc.

Assessment OF Learning (summative) Assess the students after learning to evaluate what they have learned.

 In groups students will create posters that represent what they have learned about the First Nations
society that they studied. Students will be evaluated on the posters content as to whether or not it
contains the essential aspects (goals, needs, geographical location, roles (within institutions,
expectations of roles), institutions, etc. and how well they are represented represents them.
 Stage 3- Learning Plan

Motivational/Anticipatory Set (introducing topic while engaging the students) (10 minutes)
 Students will be asked to create a KWL chart about historical First Nations societies. Students should
keep in mind geographical location and how that impacts a society, roles, institutions, etc. Students
should also comment on worldview and how that impacts a society day to day.

Main Procedures/Strategies: (35 minutes)

 Once students have finished their KWL charts they will be split into six different groups based on
Woodland, Iroquoian, Plains, Plateau, Pacific, and Mackenzie and Yukon River Basins to do a jigsaw
activity. Each group will read/research a different historical First Nations society within the
geographical location they are given. (the computer lab will be booked for them to do their research).
 Students will work together to gather information of the different elements of the society they study.
During this time students will be allowed to use computers, books, etc. to conduct their research.
 Students will represent their findings on a poster that will show what they have learned with the use
of symbols, drawings, and minimal writing.
 Once students have completed their posters, groups will take turns sharing their posters with the rest
of the class, given students a chance to compare the society that they studied and the ones that were
studied by other students. During this time of sharing, students who are not sharing will be asked to
record what they learn in their journals.

Adaptations/Differentiation:
Students will be encouraged to choose roles within their groups based on strengths, weaknesses and overall
comfortability with their role. For example, students who are not comfortable talking in front of the class will
not be required to speak, instead they could take on a different role during the research and recording time.
Note: the work portion of the class may be extended another class if needed.

Closing of lesson: (5 minutes)

 The lesson will close with students recording in their journals some new things that they learnt about
First Nations societies and comment on how it will impact them going forward.
 The teacher will re-emphasize how important it is to understand that there are various First Nations
societies, and each society conducted themselves in a different way and their geographical location
had a large impact on this. It is important that we do not generalize or make assumptions about
people or societies without knowing the entirety of their story.
 The teacher will also provide answers to any questions that students may still have about the lesson
and/or the group project.

Personal Reflection:

M. Wilkinson ’16 *Adapted from Understanding by Design (McTighe and Wiggins, 1998)
 Lesson Reflection/Explanation

This lesson is meant for a Grade 9 Social Studies class focusing on the outcomes;

 IN9.1 explain what constitutes a society.

 IN9.2 compare the factors that shape worldviews in a society, including time and place, culture,

language, religion, gender identity, socio-economic, and education.

 IN9.3 Analyze the ways a worldview is expressed in the daily life of a society.

 IN9.4 Determine the influence of worldview on the choices, decision, and interactions in a

society.

Prior to this lesson, there will have been lessons taught on the general things that make up a society

such as; worldview, roles, institutions, leadership, location, religion, socio-economic makeup, education,

language, etc. Students will also have been taught that a society is a group of people working towards a

common goal and during this lesson they will collectively search for the common goal within the society

that they research. This will have been done so that students understand the makeup of a society and

therefore know what things to look for as they research the different societies presented to them in this

lesson. Following this lesson, there will be lessons taught on other societies that came to impact First

Nations societies, for example, different European societies. After seeing a diverse amount of societies

students will have a better understanding of the many different forms that a society can take, and the

ways in which a society can be run poorly, as well as ways that they can be run well.

As the students go through the lesson they will be asked to reflect in their journals on what they

know, and what they have learned. This reflection will be helpful for them as they prepare for their final

project for the unit. The journals will also be a useful tool for the teacher to assess where students are at

in their learning. The jigsaw activity will help students learn about several societies as they learn from

and teach each other. Through this mini assignment the students will be given more ideas of possible
societies they may want to study, as well as gain a better understanding of what things they will need to

include in their final assessment piece. The posters they create will also give the teacher a good

opportunity for assessing where they students are at, whether they are understanding the material, and

possible areas that may need a little more clarification. The posters will be placed around he classroom

as reminders for the students as they continue through the unit and work on their final projects.

Roles within the group project should be divided up based on strengths, weaknesses, what they

students are comfortable with doing. This way students will not have to worry about having to do

something that they are not comfortable with and each student will have a chance to participate in the

group work. It is likely that the group work will take longer than the class will allow. If that is the case

students will be given another class to finish up their posters. Groups will be assigned by the teacher

based on student strengths so that no one will be left out or fall behind. If the group work carries over

into the next class, the first class will close with a few reminders from the teacher. The teacher will re-

emphasize how important it is to understand that there are various First Nations societies, and each

society conducted themselves in a different way and geographical location had a large impact on this. It

is important that we do not generalize or make assumptions about people or societies without knowing

the entirety of their story. The teacher will also provide answers to any questions that students may still

have about the lesson and/or the group project. Once the lesson is finished, either in the first or second

class, students will do a final reflection in their journals considering the new things that they learned

about the different societies studied, particularly the societies that were not researched by their group.