Education 460
Winnie Gill, Melissa Kneeshaw & Andy Viani
MOCK LEGISLATURE: ISIS
Assignment: In this task students are assigned into political groups (Bloc Quebecois, First People’s National Party, Liberals and Conservatives) in order to develop a stance on the extent to which the war against ISIS is in the Canadian national interest. Students will present their party’s platform within a mock legislature. Specifically, groups will be asked to prepare a speech presenting their party’s platform on the issue, explanations for their reasonings, and will also prepare rebuttals to other political groups’ arguments.
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Task 1: THE HOOK! What is ISIS? The teacher (in a lecture style) will present students with the basics of the issue. This will include a brief history leading to the formation of the group, beginnings of the group, prominent events and impacts on Canada. This will include video clips, pictures and news reports. The class will then discuss what they think about the videos and how Canada should deal with this issue.
Timeframe: 1 Class Period
Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOGLesXQ4Tc
http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/14/world/isis-everything-you-need-to-know/
http://www.torontosun.com/2014/10/23/explained-everything-you-need-to-know-about-isis
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/10/middleeast/isis-video-israeli-killed/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwFV_aVj-lA
Outcome:
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Recognize and responsibly address injustices as they occur in their schools, communities, Canada and the world
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Understand historic and contemporary issues, including controversial issues, from multiple perspectives.
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Task 2: What are extremist groups? The teacher (in a lecture style) will present students with the basics of the issue. The class will begin with the teacher asking students what they know about these groups and ask if they can brainstorm some groups (past and present) they believe to be extremist. The teacher will then present students with information. This will include various extremist groups throughout history, their beginnings and ends, locations and foundational beliefs. Include video clips (excerpts), pictures, news reports. We will also review terms here such as nationalism, ultra nationalism, national interest and terrorism.
Timeframe: 1-2 Class Periods
Resources:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/extremist
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30393832
http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cntr-trrrsm/lstd-ntts/index-eng.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cayCYpxtIyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h826L6qh_Ac
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTzpd43HBzo
Outcome:
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Conduct research ethically using varied methods and sources; organize, interpret and present their findings; and defend their opinions.
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Recognize and responsibly address injustices as they occur in their schools, communities, Canada and the world
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Task 3: Mini Research Project. Students will be assigned into groups of 5 and an extremist group (FLQ, Nazi Germany, KKK, FARC, Hezbollah) to research the following: What are the 3 most significant events that led to the formation of this group? What are the foundational values and beliefs of the group? What is the current status of the group? At the end of the class students will present their findings to their peers. If the students would like to research another group which interests them (aside from ISIS) they may be given permission at the discretion of the teacher. Resources provided can be a starting point and students can further their research on their own means. At the end of the class period students will present their findings to the whole group. Each member of the group is responsible for sharing one of the following: significant events, values and beliefs and current status.
Timeframe: 1 Class Period
Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSeIpyHd_Cg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPyE4h8hH9o
http://www.canadahistory.com/sections/eras/cold%20war/FLQ.html
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Nazi%20Germany.htm
Outcome:
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Understand historic and contemporary issues, including controversial issues, from multiple perspectives.
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Recognize and responsibly address injustices as they occur in their schools, communities, Canada and the world
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Task 4: Who are you and what do you stand for? Students will research their assigned political party and it’s beliefs, values and history. They will begin to develop their party’s stance towards the war against ISIS. Conduct general research about their political party (through the internet or other materials) and what they think their stance would be on ISIS. Students task is to delve deeper in the material and make deeper connections between party ideologies and beliefs in regards to the war against ISIS. Further, students can make connection between different party beliefs and the Social Studies front matter. Each of the 5 group members are responsible to research one of these 5 topics and hand in a paragraph describing their findings.
1. Significant historical events that helped the create party.
2. Party beliefs in respect to Canadian national interest.
3. Important ideologies embedded in political beliefs.
4. There stance on the war against ISIS.
5. Connections between party beliefs and the Social Studies front matter.
Timeframe: 1 Class Period
Resources: N/A
Outcome:
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Thrive in their evolving identity with a legitimate sense of belonging to their communities, Canada and the world
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Conduct research ethically using varied methods and sources; organize, interpret and present their findings; and defend their opinions.
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Task 5: Meet the experts. A member of each party will be invited to give a short 20 minute presentation of who their party is and where they stand on the issue. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions and revise/add to the research they have already complied. This is a great way for students to receive formative feedback, from someone other than the teacher. Further, the specialist might have answers that the teacher can not provide, which can add great value to students debates.
Timeframe: 2 Class Periods
Resources:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/bloc-quebecois/
http://www.pdac.ca/docs/default-source/public-affairs/bloc-quebecois-platform.pdf?sfvrsn=6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_Peoples_Party_of_Canada
Outcomes:
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Understand how political and economic distribution of power affects individuals, communities and nations
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Task 6: Learning the Legislature. The teacher (in a lecture style) will present students on the process and etiquette of a legislative debate. Include clips of actual legislative debates. Teacher will highlight the important aspects as well as proper etiquette expected during parliamentary debates. Reminding students that Canadian parliament is modelled after British parliament.
Timeframe: 1 Class Period
Resources:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/House/compendium/web-content/c_g_parliamentaryprocedure-e.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4oKuEsoFzU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szRciQxMr7g
Outcomes:
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Understand how political and economic distribution of power affects individuals, communities and nations
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Task 7: How to Debate. The teacher (in a lecture style) will present students with the necessary information and/or tools to formulate a thesis and articulate their arguments and rebuttals. Students will participate in miniature mock debates where platforms are already given to them. Give students the criteria they need to include in their platform and also go over expectations for the final product.
Timeframe: 2 Class Periods
Resources:
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How to page on what to include in a debate speech: http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Debate-Speech
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Debate rules/format: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson304b.shtml
Outcomes:
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Communicate ideas and information in an informed, organized and persuasive manner.
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Task 8: Creating a Good Platform. Each group will receive verbal formative feedback for the research they have already conducted. Students will also continue to develop their platforms/speech/arguments/rebuttals, taking into consideration the feedback they have received from the teacher and their peers. Students may also use this time to practice and rehearse their debates among their groups.
Timeframe: 2 Class Periods
Outcomes:
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Communicate ideas and information in an informed, organized and persuasive manner.
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Task 9: Presentation Day. There will be two presentation days, one for each half of the class to present. Groups will present their debate platforms and engage in traditional debate among the other political parties. Students will be presenting their debates to the other half of the class, political representatives (that they met in task 5), the teacher, and other students from the school.
Timeframe: 2 Class Periods
Resource: N/A
Outcome:
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Understand the unique nature of Canada and its land, history, complexities and current issues.
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Engage in problem solving and conflict resolution with an awareness of the ethical consequences of decision making
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Appreciate and respect how multiple perspectives, including Aboriginal and
Francophone, shape Canada’s political, socio- economic, linguistic and cultural realities.
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Honour and value the traditions, concepts and symbols that are the expression of
Canadian identity.