REVISED Canadian and World Studies Curriculum
CIVICS AND CITIZENSHIP, GRADE 10 OPEN (CHV2O)
The Political Spectrum
Lesson Overview (brief summary)
In this 75-minute lesson students are provided with an opportunity to explore the political spectrum, gain an understanding of what
it means to be on the right or left side of the spectrum, apply it to Canadian politics, and understand their personal position on it.
Students gain insights into how beliefs and values are associated with democratic citizenship in Canada and to appreciate the way
their own beliefs and values shape their perspectives on civic issues. Students will also make use of the following phases of the
inquiry process: gathering and organization information, interpreting and analyzing information, evaluating information and
communicating findings.
Inquiry Process/Cycle Phases:
Discipline-Specific Thinking Concepts:
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Formulate Questions
Gather and Organize
Interpret and Analyze
Evaluate and Draw Conclusions
Communicate
Political Perspective
Curriculum Document/Grade/Course Code (secondary) or Strand (elementary)
Curriculum Expectations
Learning Goals
A1. Political Inquiry: use the political inquiry process and the concepts of
political thinking when investigating issues, events, and developments of civic
importance.
B1: Civic Issues, Democratic Values: describe beliefs and values
associated with democratic citizenship in Canada, and explain how they are
related to civic action and to one’s position on civic issues.
B1.2 describe fundamental beliefs and values associated with democratic
citizenship in Canada.
B1.4 communicate their own position on some issues of civic importance at
the local, national, and /or global level.
At the end of this lesson, students will
 understand the concept of a political
spectrum is
 understand what it means to be on the
right or left of the spectrum
 be able to explain various political
perspectives on a variety of issues.
 appreciate their own positions on the
political spectrum, connecting it to their
personal beliefs.
OHASSTA & OHHSSCA Sample Curriculum Supports
2013 Revised Canadian & World Studies
Instructional Components and Context
Readiness
Materials
There are various political perspectives.
Political parties exist and what they are.
Students should have at least a rudimentary
understanding the platforms of the major
political parties
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Terminology
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Political Spectrum
Right Wing
Left Wing
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OHASSTA-OHHSSCA Concepts of Political Thinking poster
CHV2O Concept Formation handout
Party platforms for cooperative group work for Canadian and Ontario
political parties can be found at:
o Liberal Party of Canada http://www.liberal.ca
o Conservative Party of Canada http://www.conservative.ca
o New Democratic Party of Canada http://www.ndp.ca
o Green Party of Canada http://www.greenparty.ca
o Bloc Quebecois Party http://www.blocquebecois.org
o Ontario Liberal Party http://www.ontarioliberal.ca/
o Ontario Progressive Conservative Party
http://www.ontariopc.com/
o Ontario New Democratic Party http://ontariondp.com
o Ontario Green Party http://ontariondp.com
o A list of smaller parties at the federal and provincial level can
be found at:
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Federal:
http://elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par
&document=index&lang=e
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Provincial: http://www.elections.on.ca/enCA/CandidatesAndParties/PoliticalParties/
Sample political spectrum questionnaires:
http://www.markville.ss.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/history/civics/polspec.html
http://l-lists.com/en/lists/0isll4.html
OHASSTA & OHHSSCA Sample Curriculum Supports
2013 Revised Canadian & World Studies
Minds On
Connections
 Establishing a positive learning environment
 Connecting to prior learning and/or experiences
 Setting the context for learning
Small Groups / Whole Class  Perspective Statement Sorting
Assessment:
Assessment for learning
Description
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1.
Refer to the Concepts of Political Thinking poster and, more specifically, the
criteria for Political Perspective and indicate that this lesson focuses on
developing a better understanding of how to use the criteria to “think
politically”
2.
Divide students into small groups of 3 to 4. Distribute an envelope or paper
clipped “package” of statement strips (prepared in advance of the lesson).
See CHV2O Concept Formation.
3.
4.
Use a concept formation strategy for this task. Invite the students to review
the series of 12 “I believe” statements. Then, provide the following
instructions: Your first task, as a group, is to divide them into groups or
categories based on similar characteristics. Focus on whether the
statements reflect shared beliefs and values or common perspectives. Your
second task is to label each group of statements - give each group a name
that helps to explain clearly how/why the statements in each group belong
together. Students should group the perspectives into categories based on
similar values and beliefs that are either explicitly/directly stated or which
they can infer.
Circulate among the small groups of
students and, through observations and
conversations, assess the students’ ability
to find commonalities and their ability to
identify political perspectives.
Differentiated Instruction:
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Provide oral and written materials.
Quick Tips for Teachers:
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Be sure to prepare the statement strips in
advance of the lesson
Once each group has completed its categorization of the statements,
conduct a gallery walk to allow students to view the categories that other
groups have created. Reconvene as a class and briefly debrief the activity.
Ask students how they created the categories? What the common themes /
elements / ideologies in each pile? Transition into an introduction of the
concept of the “political spectrum”
OHASSTA & OHHSSCA Sample Curriculum Supports
2013 Revised Canadian & World Studies
Action!
Connections
 Introducing new learning or extending/reinforcing prior learning
 Providing opportunities for practice and application of learning (guided > independent)
Whole Class  Instruction of Political Spectrum
Assessment:
Assessment as
learning
Description
1.
Drawing upon the activity and using the students’ responses, explain the
political spectrum and the key differences between “right-wing” and “leftwing” perspectives and positions. You may elect to provide a graphic
organizer or other method to help students capture key points.
Assess students’ grasp of
the concepts as they complete
the activities in an informal
manner by listening to students
as they think through the
sorting/labeling activity
Ensure that the following are included in the instruction:
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People and citizens may position themselves at different points on the
political spectrum depending on their views, belief and values about specific
issues. Some may find themselves more toward one side than the other or
fall somewhere in the middle of the range/spectrum.
The political right generally believes in the following: individual freedom over
collective responsibility; smaller government with less involvement in
people’s daily lifes; lower taxes. In this view voluntary charity takes the
place of government assistance.
The political left generally believes that society has a responsibility to protect
its vulnerable or marginalized members. This puts collective rights and
protections over individual rights. There is a belief in larger government and
government which can do social good. Taxes have a role in sharing or
redistributing wealth.
Differentiated Instruction:
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Groups of 4  Group Discussion and Presentations
Description
1.
2.
3.
Divide the class into small groups of four students. Give each group a
different issue.
Invite students to discuss the issue and record a perspective that would
reflect a right-wing position and a left-wing position on the political spectrum
After about 5 minutes, have each group present their issue and left-right
perspectives to the class. Probe, where/when necessary to check for and
deepen understanding.
Sample issues might include, but are not limited to: Capital punishment; CBC
Ownership and Funding; Health Care; Immigration and Refugees; LCBO Ownership;
Marijuana Legalization; Military Spending; Prison Reform; Public Housing; Public
Transit; Welfare
4.
To support kinesthetic learners,
have groups find an appropriate
place (and stand) along an
imaginary “left-to-right” line in the
classroom based on their party’s
stand on issues.
For presentations students can
write their answers on paper,
interactive whiteboard, or other
medium in order to convey their
conclusions to the class as an
alternative to only an oral
presentation.
Quick Tips for Teachers:
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Next, give each group a copy of some policy platforms from one of the major
political parties. Include the party’s name. Give each group 3 to 5 minutes
to determine where the party might be positioned on the political spectrum
based on the party’s stands on the issues. Ask students to justify their
reasoning with reference to the political platform and the political spectrum.
Party platforms can be retrieved from the various political party websites (see the
Materials section for links).
OHASSTA & OHHSSCA Sample Curriculum Supports
2013 Revised Canadian & World Studies
Use visual cues to explain the
concept of a spectrum. For
example, consider using a
spectrum with black on one end
with white on the other and
shades of grey in the middle.
If students have sufficient
background knowledge / prior
learning about the names and
policy platforms of the parties in
Ontario/Canada, omit names from
the second activity and have each
group identify the name of its
party.
Consolidation
Connections
 Providing opportunities for consolidation and reflection
 Helping students demonstrate what they have learned
Individuals  Self-Assessment and Reflection
Assessment:
Provide descriptive feedback on the
answers to the question.
Description
1.
2.
3.
During the debriefing, highlight the fact that many variables contribute to
where a person might position themselves on the political spectrum and that
an individual’s position may vary over time.
Distribute to each student – or provide access online to – a political
spectrum self-assessment. Invite each student to individually complete the
self-assessment. The self-assessment will allow each student to explore
their personal political perspective.
Once they have completed the self-assessment, instruct students to
address the following question in paragraph form.
Given the results of your self-assessment, which Canadian political party might you
be most likely to support and why? Refer both to the political spectrum and to the
party platforms we examined to justify your answer.
Differentiated Instruction:
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The self-assessment can be done
online or in print.
The question can be answered orally
at school.
The question can be answered via a
poster or similar visual element.
Invite students to complete the
paragraph as a blog
Quick Tips for Teachers:

OHASSTA & OHHSSCA Sample Curriculum Supports
2013 Revised Canadian & World Studies
Question can assessed and/or
evaluated