Education 460

Suggested Activities w/ Focus Questions

 

1) Thinking about Constructing Identity (2-3 days)

 

 

• Class 1: To begin the unit, students create "identity boxes," (https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teaching-strategies/identity-charts)in which they address how the outside world thinks of them and how they think of themselves. An example is here: https://www.facinghistory.org/sites/default/files/identity_chart.jpg Students will then discuss, in a class seminar, what elements they have chosen to include in their identity boxes and why they are significant to them. After the seminar, students will form small groups(2-3) 　and share their responses to these question prompts:

  
   

  • What elements do you focus on in thinking about their identity? (religion, culture, socioeconomic status, history, experiences, hobbies, etc.?)

  • Why are these elements important to you?

  • What do you prioritize over other elements in thinking about identity?

  • What points illustrate how you think of yourself and what points illustrate how you perceive the outside world thinks of you?

 

Once completed, students will watch a myth-buster video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlkuRCXdu5A) and identify via worksheet the following questions:

• • What stereotype(s) are addressed in the video?

  • Where do you think the stereotypes originate and who is impacted by the stereotypes?

  • Can you think of a time where you have been affected by a stereotype? If so, how were you impacted by it? How do you think the stereotype originated?

  • These will then be collected along with the identity boxes as assessment for learning to inform the teacher of insights students have had in thinking about identity

 

 

• Class 2: In the next class, this paragraph (minus the last sentence) will be written on the board/projector so it is visible to the whole class (http://ineducation.ca/ineducation/article/view/69). Using this as a hook for the rest of the lesson, two avenues could be pursued:

   

  A lecturer from the University of Calgary’s Native Centre could be asked to present a condensed version of the "Aboriginal Ways of Knowing" module (http://www.ucalgary.ca/careers/aboriginal-relations-leadership-certificate-program) to get students to realize how conceptualizing a Canadian identity for Aboriginals has unique elements not present in other groups. Or,

  Students will watch this 21 minute video (trailer: http://www.bearpaweducation.ca/videos/understanding-aboriginal-identity) for similar purposes of the workshop above.

 

After the activity, students will be asked to reflect on the following questions and respond to them via a short, point form page of paper:

 

Using perspective presented from the workshops/video, what difficulties do you think Aboriginals face in the conceptualization of identity? Do you experience similar problems?

 

To end the class, the teacher will prompt the students with the video project, presenting it as an opportunity for students to debunk unfair myths and promote more positive and just outlooks on Aboriginals from non-Aboriginals. As a motivator, the teacher can present to the student this link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-artist-fights-stereotypes-about-aboriginal-people-1.2741709 The teacher will then mention that in preparation for creating these videos students have already familiarized themselves with Aboriginal ways of knowing, but must also become more familiar with the history of Aboriginals in Canada.

 

 

2) Background Knowledge on Aboriginal Myths (2-3 days)

 

 Class 3: Students will review or gain background knowledge of the impacts of European peoples on Aboriginal identity. (Students ideally will have been exposed to some Aboriginal history in grade nine.)

 

As a review, students will listen to Thomas King’s "What Is It About Us that You Don’t Like?" lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW2ETIxnYyo or https://theabysmal.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/the-truth-about-stories/

 

2. Students will post a brief discussion on a D2L discussion board about Thomas King’s lecture. They will pick one of the following three questions to answer (totaling 100 - 150 words):

 

• • Describe what the coyote and duck story represents. What is the purpose of this story?

  • Compare/contrast United States and Canada in their approach to dealing with "the Indian Problem" 　

  • Explain how King’s experience as a deer culler relates to the rest of the chapter

 

Resources for Thomas King analysis:

https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~rnelson/ASAIL/teaching/TK.pdf

 

Class 4: Activity:

Students will be provided with news articles and short videos based on Aboriginal myths. Students will work in groups of three to choose three myths they are interested in from the collection of news articles. Students will briefly present their myths to the class and describe which historical event their myth might relate to (the historical event may be described in the article). Instructor will record myths on board, to provide students with 10-15 myths they will choose from for their myth-buster video.

 

Source examples:

http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/special/sg0612_aboriginal_myth.pdf

https://umanitoba.ca/student/asc/media/28_Myths_and_facts.pdf

http://www.lethbridge.ca/living-here/Our-Community/Documents/CMARD-Aboriginal-Myths-1.pdf

http://www.cbc.ca/8thfire/2011/11/its-time.html (choose clip from)

 

Myths may include:

• • All Aboriginal people do not pay taxes

  • Metis, Inuit, Status and Non-Acknowledged are all the same and receive the same educational benefits

  • All Aboriginal people do not pay for post-secondary education

 

5. Students will choose a myth from the list for their myth-buster video and make groups of three. The selected groups will work together on all subsequent parts of the unit.

 

Class 5

1. Students will watch this brief video clip on Evaluating Sources for Reliability, Credibility and Worth:

http://study.com/academy/lesson/evaluating-sources-for-reliability-credibility-and-worth.html

 

The clip will be followed by a seminar in which students are asked to summarize the clip’s main points, including the following criteria:

 

• • Recentness (look for copyright)

  • Verifiability (is there other research similar to it; does it include other references)

  • Author’s credentials (may be attached or may have to research)

  • Publisher (independent publisher or linked to organization)

  • Purpose/aim/audience

 

2. Students will be provided with three sources. (Some sources will be the same as in class 3. Additional sources that relate to Aboriginal stereotypes indirectly, but are potentially useful for their myth-buster videos, will be added.) Student groups will assess their three sources, and brainstorm whether or not they should consider each source valuable. Student groups will choose one source to briefly present to the class during discussion, identifying if it meets the five criteria.

 

Additional sources:

http://cfs.bc.ca/section/105

http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100032291/1100100032292

http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/government-policy/the-indian-act.html#abolish

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/a-history-of-residential-schools-in-canada-1.702280

 

Class 6.

3) Myth-Buster Video: Promoting Positive Outlooks on Aboriginal Identity (3-4 days)

• • In written form, students will provide the following two components, approximately half a page each, for formative feedback before writing their scripts:

 

1a. Identify the particular myth/stereotype they are "busting," i.e., "Aboriginal peoples do not pay taxes," how this myth impacts Aboriginal identities, and the truth behind said myth/stereotype including historical evidence.

 

1b. Students will assess various sources related to their myth. Students may use the sources provided from previous activities but are welcome to research additional sources if they choose (additional resources are not a requirement). In written form, students will identify a minimum of three varied sources they will use for their video and a brief description of each source, including:

 

• • Recentness (look for copyright)

  • Verifiability (is there other research similar to it; does it include other references)

  • Author’s credentials (may be attached or may have to research)

  • Publisher (independent publisher or linked to organization)

  • Purpose/aim/audience

 

2. Students will create a script for their videos. The script should be 1 ½ pages (approximately 2 minutes of speaking). Student groups will be paired together (total 6 students) for peer assessment. Students will read their scripts for their paired group. The groups will provide debrief verbally and provide each other with brief notes assessing:

 

• • Ability to debunk myth using appropriate evidence/sources

  • Ability to make connection between thematic concepts

 

Class 7 - 10

3. Video creation introduction/review

 

Students will then review the feedback they received from their peers with the teacher. Appropriate suggestions to improve the script will be made in regards to the feedback. Once groups have done this they will be allowed the next two classes to work on their video. On (approximately) the 10th class students will present their videos to the class. This presentation will act as the summative assessment, and the teacher will grade the videos based upon the rubric outlined on the first page.

 

*In creating the videos please note different methods regarding the socio-economic status of the school:

 

The forum in which the students present their myth-debunking will depend on the school and student backgrounds. If students generally have smart phones (at least one phone per group), they are welcome to use their phone to make a video: Example resource for IPhone: http://iphone.appstorm.net/roundups/photography/a-beginners-guide-to-making-movies-on-your-iphone/

 

If the school has appropriate technology available, students could create videos on various forums, including PowerPoint, or:

https://studio.stupeflix.com/en/

 

Students should also be given the option to present their myth-buster on a poster:

http://www.artskills.com/listposters.aspx?postercategoryid=5&categorytext=History/Social%20Studies&alias=

 

Post-lesson Public Showcases

After presentations have been made in class the teacher will send the videos of to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/index.php?p=3. The teacher will also attempt to contact an indigenous studies professor at the University of Calgary and attempt to have students’ videos showcased to a class at the University.

 

Curricular Outcomes

 

Big Idea: Aboriginal identity and culture is often negatively impacted by the perpetuation of negative stereotypes. These stereotypes are perpetuated often due to a lack of understanding of Aboriginal history and how outsider narratives have unfairly influenced modern representations of many Aboriginal groups. Students will come to understand how dominant Eurocentric historical narratives of Canada have unjustly constructed these negative stereotypes surrounding collective Aboriginal identity in contemporary Canada. The deconstructing of these ‘myths’ of Aboriginal identity will promote a more positive and constructive outlook between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups in Canada.

 

Skills and Processes Explored:

• • Understand and think about how seen and unseen elements inform identity, and how these compare to Aboriginal perspectives on identity

  • Understand the processes of narrating and constructing history (historiography) and how this impacts certain groups

  • Work with historical sources to re-interpret historical narratives and examine biases within certain histories

  • Understand how historical factors have impacted contemporary representations of Aboriginal Identity in Canada

  • Enhance critical thinking skills through questioning dominant narratives of Aboriginal history and their impacts today

  • Become aware of what they can do as citizens to take action against the injustices of stereotypes surrounding Aboriginal Canadians, and what bodies already do so

  • Learn how to effectively construct a well-reasoned argument informed by historical evidence 　

  • Learn how to speak clearly and get points across concisely in a presentation format

  • Become more technologically literate with video-making software

 

Specific Outcomes from Program of Study:

 

Specific Outcomes Values and Attitudes:

 

• • 2.1 recognize and appreciate historical and contemporary consequences of European contact, historical globalization and imperialism on Aboriginal societies (TCC, CC, I, GC)

  • 2.2 exhibit a global consciousness with respect to the human condition (GC, C)

  • 2.3 accept social responsibilities associated with global citizenship (C, GC)

  • 2.4 recognize and appreciate the validity of oral histories (TCC, CC)

  • 2.5 recognize and appreciate various perspectives regarding the prevalence and impacts of Eurocentrism (TCC, CC, I)

 

Knowledge and Understanding:

• • 2.6 examine impacts of cultural contact between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples (exchange of goods and technologies, depopulation, influences on government and social institutions) (TCC, CC, GC)

  • 2.7 explore the foundations of historical globalization (rise of capitalism, industrialization, imperialism, Eurocentrism) (TCC, ER, PADM)