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Global Schools Program Grade 8

Middle

Description

Through a variety of activities and discussions, students will explore the theme of injustice: what is means, how it manifests in everyday life, and how it contributes to larger social dynamics. Students will also evaluate our shared values, discuss why it is important to ensure equality among all people, and brainstorm ways to promote equality and justice in their own lives. 

Lesson 1: What is Injustice to Me?

  • In this lesson, students will be encouraged to identify and to reflect on times they personally experienced injustice (i.e. to build intrapersonal skills and introspective reflection abilities).

Lesson 2: What is Injustice to Other People

  • In this lesson, students will develop the ability to recognize injustice happening in their surrounding environment, whether it is in the local community or global context. 
  • Students will look at a photo of injustice in a race and have a discussion about the injustices that are present in the race and in their surroundings. 

Lesson 3: What are our Shared Values and Why Should Everyone Be Treated Equally?

  • In this lesson, students will explore the concepts of human dignity, social dilemma, etc. and understand the nature of humanitarian acts. Afterwards, they will reflect on what they can do as bystanders. 

Lesson 4: What Can We Do?

  • Students will be expected to identify one situation where they have encountered injustices/seen injustices happen to other people and analyze that situation. 

Lesson 5: Take Action

  • In this class, students are expected to build on the previous session and strive to outline a list of challenges they encountered when proposing solutions. As a class, students pick one injustice they want to address and prepare a detailed plan on how to address this injustice. 

 

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

In this lesson, students will learn how to communicate effectively in group discussions. 

Strengths

  • Each lesson is equipped with a good description of each activity. 
  • Lesson are equipped with additional resources for the teacher and students.
  • While the lesson is designed to be thought in its entirety, teachers could choose to only do one activity from the resource.
  • An action project plan is included in the resource. 
  • Students will look at their own community for injustices which makes it that much more relevant to them. 

Weaknesses

  • Activities for struggling learners are not included in this resource. 
  • Although assessment ideas are included, no rubrics are provided for teachers. 

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This resource would be excellent in Social Studies courses where students are asked to take age appropriate action on an issue. 

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

  • Step 1Select a province
  • Alberta
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Democracy: Action and Participation: Citizens Participatiing in Decision Making
  • British Columbia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Global Issues and Governance: Complex global problems require international cooperation to make difficult choices for the future.
        • Global Issues and Governance: Systems of government vary in their respect for human rights and freedoms.
  • Manitoba
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • People & Places in the World: Global Quality of Life
  • New Brunswick
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Cultures
        • Empowerment: Economics
        • Atlantic Canada and the World:
  • Newfoundland & Labrador
  • Northwest Territories
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Global Issues and Governance: Complex global problems require international cooperation to make difficult choices for the future.
        • Global Issues and Governance: Systems of government vary in their respect for human rights and freedoms.
  • Nova Scotia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Social Studies 6: World Issues
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Social Studies 8 - A Changing Canadian Society: Advocacy and Action
        • Social Studies 8 - A Changing Canadian Society: Equity and Inequity
  • Ontario
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Geography
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Global Inequalities: Economic Development and Quality of Life
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Yukon Territory
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Global Issues and Governance: Complex global problems require international cooperation to make difficult choices for the future.
        • Global Issues and Governance: Systems of government vary in their respect for human rights and freedoms.

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (1)

  • General Guide to Taking Action

Human Rights (1)

  • Social Justice

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

In this resource, students will come up with their own definition of injustice and examples to share. Most of the lesson is centered on discussions where students can form their own opinion and take informed positions on the matter. 

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Satisfactory
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Satisfactory
Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Very Good

Throughout this lesson, students will discuss injustices in the global community. In lesson 5, they will choose one injustice and come up with an injustice that they would like to lessen. They will then develop an action plan to achieve this goal. 

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good

Most of the activities in this resource are class discussions or small group discussions which provides ample opportunities for students to share their beliefs and values. 

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Very Good

In this lesson, students will take a close look at injustices within their community that affect humans. 

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Poor/Not considered

This is not a focus of this resource.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good

Throughout the activities of this lesson, students will look at their own community or their own lives to search for injustices. This makes it very relevant to students. 

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Good

In lesson 5, students will be making an action plan to address one of the injustices they have encountered, therefore promoting a positive vision for the future. 

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

Throughout this resource, students will be asked to share their ideas and values therefore not steering them towards one right answer. 

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Satisfactory

This resource mostly connects to the social studies curriculum. However, depending on the injustices that students use there could be links to other curriculum. 

Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Good

In this resource, students pick one injustice they want to address and prepare a detailed plan on how to address this injustice. They learn to develop action plans to address injustices.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good

This resource has a variety of activities that will address a range of students learning styles. However, there is no modification of activities for struggling learners. 

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Satisfactory

Students are asked to place themselves in another person’s position to recognize and to acknowledge instances of injustice occurring in their context.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory

Students will work in groups in this resource. 

Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Good

Assessment ideas are included in each of the lessons. No rubrics are provided.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory

Students present to the class how they sought to correct injustices in their respective groups.

Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Very Good

Students will share the injustices they have observed in their community. 

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Very Good
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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