History of the Legal Status of First Nations in Canada:

Objective: Students will understand:

  • How First Nations in Canada started out having no indigenous rights.
  • That First Nations have won significant court cases giving them dispensations
  • What those rights are and what it means to a “Status Indian”
  • The important land claims and civil disobedient movements that FN have engaged in.

The student will also

  • Using Government of Canada websites research how FN came to have the relationship they do with the Crown
  • Produce a report outlining this relationship
  • Work cooperatively in groups
  • Focus on how FN were/are able to maintain their culture in a society that openly admitted to wanting to assimilate them into Western European ideologies.

Rationale: It is important that:

  • FN did not factor in Europeans’ plans for North and South America
  • That the FN have been moving from being subjugated and persecuted, to obtaining autonomy, respect, and acknowledgement of their achievements.
  • FN have been involved in civil disobedient movements that have resulted in some major achievements for them and for the environment.

Relevant PLOs: This unit would be best suited to Social Justice 12, Law 12 and SS 11

Social Justice 12

A1 demonstrate understanding of concepts and terminology of social justice, including

  • anthropocentrism
  • equity and equality
  • ethics
  • diversity
  • dignity and worth
  • hegemony
  • human rights
  • oppression
  • peace

A2 demonstrate effective research skills, including

  • accessing information
  • assessing information
  • collecting data
  • evaluating data
  • organizing and presenting information

A3 apply critical thinking skills to a range of social justice issues, situations, and topics

A4 analyse selected social justice issues from an ethical perspective

A5 assess how belief systems can affect perspectives and decisions in relation to social justice issues

A6 conduct a self-assessment of their own attitudes and behaviours related to social justice

A7 demonstrate attributes and behaviours that promote social justice, including

  • recognizing injustice
  • fair-mindedness
  • embracing diversity
  • empathy
  • taking action
  • Recognizing and Analysing Social Injustice

B1 describe social injustice based on characteristics including

  • race and ethnicity

B2 analyse causes of social injustice

B3 describe consequences of social injustice

Law 12

Foundations of Law
It is expected that students will:
A1 describe principles of law, including
  • rule of law
  • rule of precedent
  • justice
A2 describe concepts of law, including
  • moral vs. legal issues
  • jurisdiction
A3 analyse the inter-relationships among the three sources of law:
  • common law
  • statute law
  • constitutional law
A4 describe the structure and jurisdiction of the Canadian court system, including
  • levels of court
  • A5 describe the processes involved in resolving disputes, including
  • analyse the impact of the following on Canadian society
  • the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
  • human rights legislation

Social Studies 11

  • demonstrate knowledge of the challenges faced by Aboriginal people in Canada during the 20th century and their responses, with reference to
  • residential schools
  • reserves
  • self-government
  • treaty negotiations
  • represent what it means to be Canadian with reference to
  • distinctive Canadian programs and policies
  • important Canadian cultural and scientific achievements
  • Prescribed Learning Outcomes

LESSON PLANS: THESE MAY TAKE MORE THAN ONE PERIOD

Lesson #1: Introduction to History of legal rights of FN

Objective:

  1. To have students recall what they learned in SS 8, 9, 10, & 11
  2. To work together and make the recall process dynamic
  3. To take random brain storming and turn them into notes
  4. To develop their oral presentation skills

Process: “Jig-saw”

On large pieces of chart paper write the following topics:

Fur Trade/fishing/metal implements

Residential Schools/assimilation/Reserves

European discovery and exploration of North and South America/European diseases

Treaties/Bison

Riel Rebellions/Metis

Indian Act/White paper/Red paper/outlawing FN ceremonies

In groups have the students write everything they can remember from previous years about these subjects. If they can’t remember anything new or different have them doodle pictures of what it already there. Visiting the groups encourage and help students to remember things they have learned. After 3 to 5 minutes have the students go to the next paper and add to what is there.

When all the students have visited all the papers and they are back where they started. The students will take the brainstorming sheet and as a group generate notes around the topic. Either provide books, information, or allow them to look up information on their own devices. (See Handout)

The notes should be in point form. This would be collected and checked for accuracy.

Next class:

Pass back notes and have students get into groups and each group will present.

Students will write down notes/make a power point on each topic. OR put students into groups, one person representing the topic they researched and have students exchange information.

Lesson #2 Role of Organized Religion and First Nations

Objective:

  1. Catholic Church’s influence on the settlement of North and South America
  2. How gov’t used religions to assimilate FN
  3. Why Christian churches participated in the assimilation of FN
  4. The effect Christianity had on FN.

Process:

Notes on Papal bulls dividing up North and South America

Discussion Points:

Why would the Pope believe that he had any jurisdiction over “New World”?

Why would European men believe that they were entitled to this territory?

Pass out Article on Residential Schools and have the students answer the following questions.

  1. What is a Residential School and why were they formed?
  2. Why would the gov’t allow religious organizations to run them?
  3. In 1967 a report was published saying that one of the root causes of FN impoverishment was residential schools. When and why did the gov’t close residential schools and why would it take so long?
  4. Look through A Survey Of The Contemporary Indians Of Canada and highlight the passages that expressly state that Residential Schools should be closed.
  5. Pope Benedict XVI and the Anglican Church have express remorse for what happened in residential schools. Is that enough? Why or why not.

Lesson #3

Objective:

  1. To understand the process FN went through to achieve their rights.
  2. Creativity depict this history for public display in hopes of educating others
  3. To work collaboratively.
  4. Write a research paper

Research project:

Have the students working in pairs or threes research and create a large and colourful timeline that explains the legal status of FNfrom the discovery of North America to present. As they research have them pick one event in which FN won a legal victory and have them detail that on their timeline.

They will then turn that detail into an individual research paper. (you may have to take a class and explain what a research paper is and how to write one.)

See Project sheet.

Lesson #4: Ecstasy of Rita Joe: Enrichment

  1. To look at the lived experience of FN
  2. To read a play, promote literature.
  3. To understand that the victories that FN have gained came at high price.

The Ecstasy of Rita Joe recounts the life of Rita Joe, a FN woman who comes to Vancouver from the Shuswap looking for work. Her life ends in her murder on skid row.

Have the students perform this play for other SS classes.

First Nations: A Review Name ______

  1. Topic:
  1. Explanation of the topic:
  1. History:
  1. Outcome for First Nations:

First Nations: Timeline and research paper.

A timeline is a useful tool. It gives a brief overview of events, highlighting the important points and gives the reader the essential information. Your assignment is to research the history of one tribe of FN in Canada and create a timeline about their journey from pre-Columbian contact to the present. (pairs or group of three)

Choosing your FN group: You may choose any Canadian FN’s group you like as long as it meets the following criteria:

  1. It is Canadian
  2. The group is in existence today.
  3. It has won a significant court case or right
  4. That it has made substantial improvements in the lives of their members

Your timeline must be thorough! It needs to include maps, pictures, and explanations. It must also be poster size and visually appealing.

Your research must this timeline using a variety of websites, at least 5 and one of them must be a government of Canada website. Works Cited is an expectation.

Timeline:

Information: /30

Complete

Correct (works cited)

Presentation: /20

Care and attention

Creativity

Court Case or Right/20

Explained

/70

Using the research you will then write a research paper (3 to 5 pages typed) that explains the court case or right won by the FN group. Explain why is was significant, what they achieved, why this is precedent setting, how it has improved their lives.

Research paper/40