Teaching Social Studies
So many students grimace at the thought of learning about history, and I recognize that historical thinking and appreciating multiple perspectives can be very challenging. However, I was genuinely impressed with how my students became enthralled with both the Fur Trade unit and the People on the Move Unit. Students benefited from unique, hands on experiences, and they really surprised me with their knowledge, when it came to review activities.
Fur Trade Introductory Lesson
GLO 5.2: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the people and the stories of Canada and their ways of life over time, and appreciate the diversity of Canada's heritage.
5.2.1 - appreciate the complexity of identity in the Canadian context:
acknowledge the contributions made by diverse cultural groups to the evolution of Canada
During my first day of practicum, students had the opportunity to engage with a variety of materials pertaining to the fur trade, such as a miniature birch bark canoe, a Hudson's Bay Blanket, and a map of Canadian trading posts. They then had to record their observations on a sticky note and participate in a whole class discussion about what they noticed at each of the following stations: History of the Fur Trade, Fur Trade Symbols, and Life at a trading post.
Trading Card Assignment
5.2.4 - examine, critically, ways of life of the fur traders by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
-
How are the stories of the Métis people, their culture and heritage rooted in the fur trade?
-
How do stories about ways of life in fur trade forts reflect the British influence in Canada?
Students were tasked with creating a trading card, which outlined specific information related to a term associated with the fur trade. Some examples included Metis Buffalo Hunt, beaver, trading posts, pelts, and pemmican. They had to list the following: what it was, three to four interesting facts, and why it was important to the fur trade. Students got the opportunity to engage in the research process by using the grade five textbook and by exploring pre-assigned websites. They then got to share their trading cards with one another when they were finished their good copies.
Loyalist Comic Strip Assignment
5.2.5 - examine, critically, ways of life of the United Empire Loyalists by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
-
What do stories of the United Empire Loyalists tell us about British culture and presence in Canada?
Students were required to create a comic strip which summarized the life of a United Empire Loyalist. They had to use their creativity to come up with a story-line, which highlighted one or more historically accurate challenges faced by Loyalists and their families. The comic had to show both the challenge and the solution, supplemented with speech bubbles and captions, to enhance the story-line.