Social Studies 11
Canadian Politics and Government
Charity Franczak
EDUC 496
November 25, 2010
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Table of Contents
Unit Rationale
3
Introduction, Scope, and Sequence
3
Unit Overview
5
Developed Lessons
Lesson 1
7
Lesson 2
9
Lesson 3
11
Resources
13
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Unit Rationale
In an ideal world I would root all of my unit plan rationales in Reconstructionist philosophy.
However, the Provincial Exam of Social Studies 11 is heavily weighted in favour of knowledge retention,
which requires more traditional lecturing than I would advocate. Nevertheless, this need does not
preclude supplementation of Reconstructionist philosophical practices. The aim of the unit is to
develop critical thinking and questioning skills in students, while exploring the characteristics of
Canadian politics and government. This will be accomplished in many ways, one of which is through
exploration of Counterpoints: Exploring Canadian Issues by Michael Cranny. In addition to the textbook
readings, the students will be exposed to a variety of supplementary texts in order to offset some of the
shortcomings of textbook learning, such as superficial content, difficult reading, and contextual
problems. For instance, the students will analyze a variety of articles on Canadian politics and
government and access the popular online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia. The extremely unpredictable and
changing nature of truth will be well encapsulated thorough an exploration of the problems and
benefits of Wikipedia. The exposure to multiple stories will allow the students to reflect on the
consequences of constructing knowledge in the form of a singular voice of authority reflected in a
textbook, while enhancing content and appealing to a variety of learners. This activity exposes the
students to multiple perspectives, texts, and stories of history. The goal of this unit is to weave the best
features of each philosophy together in order to decrease student disinterest in government and
politics. Hopefully an increased understanding of the purpose of government and the students’ ability
to produce change will inspire them to increase their knowledge of Canadian government and politics.
Introduction, Scope, and Sequence
Students are required to study Canadian government and politics as part of their Prescribed Learning
Outcomes for Socials Studies 11. In addition to satisfying these content requirements, this unit will
require students to use many of the skills and processes that are required also required by the PLOs.
This unit will be comprised of ten lessons that will each feature a PowerPoint component, activity, and
skill building strategy. In Lesson One (the first expanded lesson) students will employ critical thinking
skills to compare the information on “Westminster Government” on Wikipedia to their textbook and
other sources in they find online or in the library (depending on resources available). Students will
search for errors or omissions individually or in small groups and then present their findings to the class.
The problems that need to be addressed will be catalogued and divided amongst the students in order
to edit the existing entries or submit new entries. The second expanded lesson (lesson two) will explore
the complexity of the political ideology and engage the students by asking them to investigate their
own ideologies.
By the end of this unit it is expected that student will:
1. Explain the political spectrum, and how it relates to Canada both at a federal and provincial
level.
2. Describe the 3 different branches of the federal government (the executive, legislative, and
judicial) and how their officials are selected.
3. Explain how governments are elected and formed at the federal and provincial levels.
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4. Describe major provisions of the Canadian constitution, including the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms, and assess its impact on Canadian society.
5. Explain where the top Canadian and British Columbian political parties fall on the Nolan chart;
describe their own position on the Nolan Chart.
6. Identify and describe the characteristics of the most significant ideologies.
7. Describe and be comfortable using the various processes to attain change at the federal and
provincial levels.
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Unit Overview
Lesson 1
What is Government?
What is government?
How are we governed?
Who governs us?
Lesson 2
Ideology
Left Wing
Right Wing
The Nolan Chart
Totalitarianism
Democracy
Lesson 3
The Most Significant Ideologies
Communism
Socialism
Liberalism
Conservatism
Fascism
Lesson 4
From Ideology to Party
Ideologies on the Spectrum
Federal Political Parties (The
Big Three)
Provincial Parties (The Big Two
and the Old One)
Lesson 5
How to Produce Change within the Government
Vote/Contact
Your Local
MP
Join a Political
Party
Lobbyists
Civil
Disobedience
Court Action
Media
Campaigns
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Unit Overview Continued
Lesson 6
Elections and the Electoral Process
Six Stages of an
Election
Elections and
Money
Electoral Systems
Election Outcomes
Lesson 7
The Legislative Branch
Components of the Legislative Branch
The Lawmaking Process
Committees
Lesson 8
The Executive Branch
Components of the Executive Branch
Bureaucracy
Lesson 9
The Constitution
History of the
Constitution
The Canada Act of
1982
How to Change
the Constitution
Key Elements of
the Constitution
Lesson 10
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Limits to the Charter
Important Sections of the
Charter
History and Impact of the
Charter
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Lesson 1
Introduction to Canadian Government
Class #1
70 minutes
Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:




Understand and explain the purpose of government.
Demonstrate their knowledge of how Canada is governed.
Explain the parties that are responsible for governing Canada.
Take effective notes and have a variety of skills they can apply to note-making.
Time
25
Minutes
Lesson Component
Connect:
 Begin with group discussion to ascertain
prior knowledge:
o What is Canadian Government?
o How does it work?
o Who governs us?
 Watch Rick Mercer’s video on Canadian
Government.
o Ask students if their conception of
Canadian government has
changed?
10
Minutes
Process:
 Note-making Review:
o Students will brainstorm the notemaking skills they were introduced
to the previous class.
o Students will be reminded of the
note taking skills they were
introduced to on the first day of
class. Examples of the skills are:
 Locating main ideas
 Highlighting supporting
ideas
 Realizing the importance of
existing knowledge
 Using abbreviations
 Recognizing key words
 Identifying gaps in
knowledge
 Asking questions in order
Materials or Notes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi1yh
p-_x7A
Due to the emphasis on lecturing in this
course, I have chosen to incorporate a
session on explicit instruction for notemaking.
Photocopy of “Top-Level Structures and
Note-making Frameworks” from
Stepping Out (Course Book)162-164.
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o
30
Minutes
5
Minutes
to increase their knowledge
Students will be reminded to refer
to their copy of note-making
frameworks
Transform:
 Present PowerPoint on “Canadian
Government”
 Wikipedia activity:
PowerPoint links to the Wikipedia page on
“Westminster Government”. Students will be
break into small groups and asked to research
one of eight characteristics of Westminster
Government. There are only six, but I will
manufacture errors by going in before class and
adding two erroneous pieces of information for
the students to find. Students may draw from
the textbook, online sources, reference books,
or any other source they perceive to be valid.
We will then come back together as a group to
debunk the page.
 Group Discussion:
o The class will then explain the
importance of accessing the
accuracy, reliability, and relevance
of information
Reflect:
 Students will complete an exit ticket on
three things they learned and one question
they have about the PowerPoint or notemaking strategy.
Extension:
 Students who are finished their reflection
early will correct the erroneous information
in Wikipedia.
Assessment:
 Formative:
o Throughout the class check
students note-making progress (or
lack thereof)
 Summative:
o Students will have a
comprehension quiz every second
class.
PowerPoint on “Canadian Government”
Wikipedia Page on “Westminster
Government”
Laptop with internet access
Reading Quiz 1.1 and 1.2 Attached
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Lesson 2
Introduction to Ideology
Class #2
90 minutes
Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:


Demonstrate skills and attitudes of active citizenship, including ethical behaviour, openmindedness, respect for diversity, and collaboration
o Identify attributes associated with active citizenship, including:
 Ongoing examination and reassessment of own beliefs
Demonstrate understanding of the political spectrum:
o Define totalitarianism, democracy, liberalism, conservatism, socialism, fascism, and
communism.
Time
20
Minutes
30
Minutes
Lesson Component
Connect:
 Ideology Word Sort (to assess prior
knowledge):
o Totalitarianism, democracy,
liberalism, conservatism,
socialism, fascism,
communism, political
spectrum, and Nolan Chart.
o Students will be asked to sort
the words individually into
“Know, Might Know, and Don’t
Know”.
o I will ask for volunteers to help
define the word and we will
establish the specific
vocabulary restraints of the
class.
Process:
 Start with PowerPoint to supplement
students established knowledge.
 K-W-L Strategy for Nolan Chart
Activity.
 Students will title three columns on a
piece of paper “Know, Wonder, Learn”
 Before we begin the Nolan Chart
Materials or Notes
Sheet with words on it. Scissors.
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
Activity I will ask students what they
know about their own political opinions
or philosophies.
Then I will ask the students if there is
anything they wonder about their own
belief system.
30
Minutes
Transform:
http://politicalcompass.org/
 Students will now complete an
interactive Nolan Chart Activity in order
to determine their own personal
ideological stance. I will chart the axis
on the board along with five to ten
famous political figures from Canadian
and world history.
10
Minutes
Reflect:
 Students will return to their K-W-L
paper and input in what they had
learned about their own personal
beliefs and about ideology in general.
These notes will be returned for the next
class’ activity.
Extension:
 Students who complete their work
early will be asked to review for their
reading quiz the following class.
Assessment:
 Formative:
o Students will hand in their K-W-L
sheets so that I can check for
understanding and see the political
milieu of the class.
 Summative:
o Students will have a quiz the
following class.
Quiz attached.
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Lesson 3
Introduction to Ideology
Class #3
70 minutes
Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:



Demonstrate understanding of the political spectrum:
o Define totalitarianism, democracy, liberalism, conservatism, socialism, fascism, and
communism
Apply critical thinking – including questioning, comparing, and drawing conclusions – to make
reasoned judgment about a range of issues, situations and topics:
o Compare a range of point of views on an issue
Demonstrate effective written, oral, and graphic communication skills
o Communicate written ideas, opinions, and arguments effectively
Time
Minutes
Lesson Component
Connect:
 Students will connect with previous
lesson by comparing and contrasting
their ideology with a partner.
 I will model this by working with Mr.
Hudson to compare our ideologies.
 We will put a t-chart on the board and
label it “Mrs. Franczak/Mr. Hudson”
 We will then brainstorm as a group the
possible aspects of our ideologies that
we could compare:
o Economic freedoms
o Personal freedoms
o Government interventions
o Taxes
o Social stances
o Most important beliefs
Minutes
Process:
 Students will now compare and
contrast their ideology with their
partner.
 This process is intended for explicit
instruction on how to participate in
today’s activity.
Materials or Notes
Notes from previous day.
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
Minutes
Minutes
PowerPoint on Top Five Ideologies.
Transform:
 Students will each choose two
ideologies to compare and contrast
 Students will use a t-chart to analyze
the two ideologies
 Students will then write an effective
expository paragraph to compare and
contrast the two ideologies.
 The students will be instructed to
construct each paragraph with:
o A topic sentence
o 3-5 body sentences that explain
the ideologies similarities or
differences
o A concluding sentence
Reflect:
 Exit Ticket:
o After learning more about the
ideologies would you change
anything on your Political
Compass chart? Or do you feel
like today’s activities reinforced
your beliefs.
Extension:
 Students who are completed early can
begin researching Canadian or British
Columbian political party ideologies.
Assessment:
 Formative:
o Participation in discussion and
partner talk.
o Expository paragraph submissions
will be read and returned with two
stars (strengths) and one wish
(something to work on)
 Summative:
o Reading quiz next class.
Laptop access.
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Social Studies Quiz 1.1 and 1.2
Introduction to Canadian Government
1. Use the following political spectrum to answer question 1:
V
W
X
Y
Z
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEFT WING
RIGHT WING
What political ideology is located at letter V on the political spectrum?
a. Fascism.
b. Socialism.
c. Liberalism.
d. Communism.
2. What does it mean to say that Canada is a representative democracy?
a. Canadians have an opportunity to vote on every issue.
b. Canadians elect representatives to make decisions for them.
c. Representatives are appointed to make decisions for Canadians.
d. The House of Commons has the power to make laws for all Canadians.
3. What is the title of the Queen’s representative in the province of British
Columbia?
a. Governor General.
b. Legislative Council.
c. Lieutenant Governor.
d. Premier of the Province.
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4. Which of the following ideologies is considered a right wing ideology that
respects tradition and approaches change cautiously?
a. Liberalism.
b. Socialism.
c. Conservatism.
d. Communism.
5. What are the three levels of government in Canada?
a. Federal, provincial, municipal.
b. Legislative, executive, judicial.
c. Representative, constitutional monarchy, federation.
d. Federal, national, provincial.
6. What model of government is our system based on?
7. What three ways can you describe our government?
8. Who is our Head of State?
9. Who is our Head of Government?
10. Describe the reason the Nolan chart is considered to be more accurate than the
left to right political spectrum used in question 1. (3 marks)
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