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Nelson Mandela: Biography and Autobiography

Elementary, Middle

Description

"Nelson Mandela" is the last of a series of lessons under the general subject of Global Citizenship and Literacy. These series' of lessons demonstrate how Global Citizenship can be incorporated into literacy. The lessons are structured so that students can develop understanding and awareness of Global Citizenship issues while also practicing skills important to their progression in literacy skills. The students will:

  • Articulate personal responses to literature.
  • Contribute to shared discussion about literature, responding to and building on the view of others.
  • Distinguish between biography and autobiography.
  • Begin to develop the skills of biographical and autobiographical writing in role, adopting distinctive voices as those of historical characters in the context of Nelson Mandela's on-going life story.
  • The students are presented with a variety of accounts of Nelson Mandela's early life story. The students are encouraged to discern for differences, similarities, and how those occur- in other words, to begin to understand different points of view.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

  • The students begin to develop skills in detecting bias or listening for a particular voice in reading and responding to biographical/autobiographical material.
  • The students begin to develop skills in distinguishing between implicit and explicit points of view and how these can differ.
  • Students reflect on their own life story and write about it.

Strengths

  • The resource presents motivational and interesting information about the early life of Nelson Mandela.
  • The resource includes helpful excerpts from a variety of sources describing the early life of Nelson Mandela.
  • The activities described are easy to understand and to implement.
  • Many of the materials needed to implement the lessons are contained within the resource.
  • The activities in the resource provide students the opportunity to begin to look at writers' biases and how that affects the message of the text.
  • The students begin to appreciate the difference between writing biographical as opposed to autobiographical material utilizing the example of a dynamic figure, Nelson Mandela.
  • The subject of Nelson Mandela provides a very strong and inspirational case study for students to learn from.
  • The resource addresses the complexity of issues by inviting the students to look at one period of Mandela's life from many different points of view.

Weaknesses

  • This resource does not direct the students into an action oriented project. The resource did not move from the theoretical to the action perspective.
  • The students are not invited to move beyond the classroom walls in pursuing the activities in this resource.
  • The resource does not provide the direction or activities to further investigate the life and times of Nelson Mandela. Although the resource laid the groundwork for further study and inquiry, it does not specifically take the students in that direction.

Relevant Curriculum Units

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  • Alberta
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    • Grade 3
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      • English/Language Arts
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        • Writing: Ideas and information can be articulated accurately and imaginatively through the use of writing processes and an understanding of the author’s craft.
    • Grade 4
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        • Writing: Ideas and information can be articulated accurately and imaginatively through the use of writing processes and an understanding of the author’s craft
    • Grade 5
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      • English/Language Arts
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        • Comprehension: Text comprehension is supported through applying varied strategies and processes, and considering both particular contexts and universal themes.
        • Writing: Ideas and information can be articulated accurately and imaginatively through the use of writing processes and an understanding of the author’s craft
    • Grade 6
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        • Oral Language: Listening and speaking form the foundation for literacy development and improve communication, collaboration, and respectful mutual understanding.
        • Writing: Ideas and information can be articulated accurately and imaginatively through the use of writing processes and an understanding of the author’s craft
  • British Columbia
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        • Texts can be understood from different perspectives.
    • Grade 6
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        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens
    • Grade 7
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      • English/Language Arts
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        • Exploring and sharing multiple perspectives extends our thinking.
        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens
  • Manitoba
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  • Northwest Territories
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    • Grade 4
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        • Comprehend & Respond
        • Interpret and Analyse
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        • Comprehend and Respond
        • Texts can be understood from different perspectives.
    • Grade 6
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        • Enhance Clarity and Artistry of Communication
        • Explore Thoughts, Ideas, Feelings and Experiences
        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens
  • Nova Scotia
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  • Ontario
  • Prince Edward Island
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    • Grade 6
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        • Writing and Other Ways of Representing
  • Quebec
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    • Grade 3
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        • To represent her/his literacy in different media
        • To write self - expressive narrative and information -
    • Grade 4
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        • To represent her/his literacy in different media
        • To write self - expressive narrative and information -
    • Grade 5
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        • To represent her/his literacy in different media
        • To write self - expressive narrative and information -
    • Grade 6
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        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • To represent her/his literacy in different media
        • To write self - expressive narrative and information -
  • Saskatchewan
  • Yukon Territory
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    • Grade 5
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      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Texts can be understood from different perspectives.
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Exploring and sharing multiple perspectives extends our thinking.
        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens

Themes Addressed

Human Rights (2)

  • Cultural Diversity
  • Social Justice

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Good
  • The resource recommends a variety of texts for the students to read in order to arrive at their own interpretation of Nelson Mandela's early life.
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 Good
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 Good
Respects Complexity:

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

Acting on Learning Poor/Not considered
  • The action experience in this resource is under-developed in that it does not lead to a specific action or decision.
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 Good
Values Education:

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

Empathy & Respect for Humans Good
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 resource does not lend itself to any special personal affinity with non-humans and with Earth. The lessons are structured to fit a more traditional classroom setting.
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 Very Good
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
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 Good
  • The strength of this resource lies in the way it exposes students to the writing of biography and autobiography by using the example of a very influential personality, Nelson Mandela. It provides the students with multiple examples of stories about his early life experiences.
  • I believe that the students would come away from this experience curious to find out more about Mandela and all the social justice issues surrounding his life and his time in South Africa.
Open-Ended Instruction :

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

Integrated Learning Good
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
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 Satisfactory
  • This resource does not directly include suggestions for addressing a range of learning styles or give suggestions for adaptations for those students with learning challenges.
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 Good
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 Good
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 Satisfactory
  • The assessment and evaluation suggestions are brief and fairly superficial in their ability to evaluate the students' understanding of the intent of the lesson.
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 Good
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
  • The life of Nelson Mandela is a brilliant example of an individual who was instrumental in affecting a fundamental societal shift in South Africa, and around the world. His life story is a strong and inspirational case study of a person who dealt with social justice issues from the grass roots level and much beyond.
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 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.