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To Walk a Mile in Your Shoes

Elementary, Middle

Description

This lesson promotes empathy and understanding of the challenges related to citizenship.  Specifically students explore the situations and resulting feelings and actions of immigrants as they come to Canada.

To begin, the teacher will read to the class a selection of children’s literature about immigration and allow the class to discuss the passages.

Students are then divided into small groups and presented with the task of creating a dramatization of a situation that a new Canadian might find themselves in.

In their groups, students will brainstorm scenarios and then research online by visiting sites such as Passages and Citizenship and Immigration Canada. They will then write a script based on their findings and practice their presentation. The final class will see groups present their dramatizations followed by a question and answer period on immigration.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

The focus of this resource is on the development of an awareness of the situations and feelings that new immigrants face moving to Canada.

Strengths

  • interesting and engaging activity that allows the students to explore the issue in a creative manner
  • straightforward and easy to implement lesson without a lot of prep needed

Weaknesses

  • there are no suggestions for accommodations for struggling learners
  • there are no evaluation tools included

Recommendation of how and where to use it

To Walk a Mile in Your Shoes is a great resource to teach understanding and empathy to upper elementary and middle school students.  With its focus on the experiences of immigrants coming to Canada, this lesson plan helps to teach the outcomes related to citizenship, minorities and immigration in the Social Studies classroom.

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 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Citizenship: Understanding local, national, and global issues empowers individual and collective action toward an inclusive society
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Citizenship: Understanding local, national, and global issues empowers individual and collective action toward an inclusive society
  • British Columbia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Canadian Issues and Governance: Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies
        • Canadian Issues and Governance: Immigration and multiculturalism continue to shape Canadian society and identity.
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Global Issues and Governance: Economic self-interest can be a significant cause of conflict among peoples and governments.
        • Global Issues and Governance: Media sources can both positively and negatively affect our understanding of important events and issues.
        • 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
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    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Cultures
        • Empowerment: Civics
        • Atlantic Canada and the World:
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Cultures
        • Cultures
        • Empowerment: Civics
        • Empowerment: Geography
        • Atlantic Canada and the World:
        • Atlantic Canada and the World:
  • Newfoundland & Labrador
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Socities: Social Structure
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Canada: Reflections on a Multicultural Mosaic
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Cultural Empowerment
  • Northwest Territories
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Canadian Issues and Governance: Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies
        • Canadian Issues and Governance: Immigration and multiculturalism continue to shape Canadian society and identity.
    • 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: Media sources can both positively and negatively affect our understanding of important events and issues.
        • Global Issues and Governance: Systems of government vary in their respect for human rights and freedoms.
  • Nova Scotia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Societies: Structure
        • Social Studies 5
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Social Studies 6: An Introduction to Culture
  • Ontario
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Heritage and Identity: Communities in Canada, Past and Present
  • Prince Edward Island
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Canada: Reflections on a Multicultural Mosaic
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Canadian Studies: Canadian Identities
  • Yukon Territory
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Canadian Issues and Governance: Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies
        • Canadian Issues and Governance: Immigration and multiculturalism continue to shape Canadian society and identity.
    • 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: Media sources can both positively and negatively affect our understanding of important events and issues.
        • Global Issues and Governance: Systems of government vary in their respect for human rights and freedoms.

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (1)

  • Community-Building and Participation

Human Rights (2)

  • Cultural Diversity
  • Refugees and Immigration

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

This resource has as its foundation the consideration of the point of view and experiences of immigrants to Canada. It helps to develop a culture of understanding of people in this position.

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

As students make a choice of the scenario they wish to explore, they will research the different situations that immigrants face and different dimensions of the issue.

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 Very Good

Researching the issue, the students will gain a more complete understanding of the challenging situations that new immigrants to Canada face.

Respects Complexity:

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

Acting on Learning Poor/Not considered

The resource is not structured for this type of learning.

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

Through the hands-on role playing experience combined with their research, students will be able to clarify their understanding of what it is like to move to a foreign country.

Values Education:

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

Empathy & Respect for Humans Very Good

This is the foundation of the lesson, to develop empathy for those people who choose to come to Canada and the difficulties they may face by coming to a different country.

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 the 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

Students are required to 'walk a mile in your shoes'.

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 Satisfactory

Students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the past and how it affects the present and 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

This lesson allows for the students to explore the difficulties in moving to a different country and develop their own sense of the process.

Open-Ended Instruction :

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

Integrated Learning Good
  • Literacy
  • Social Studies
  • Geography
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 Satisfactory
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 lesson responds very well to the majority of learners in a classroom setting.  There is a lack of suggestions for those learners who may struggle with the material.

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

The role playing opportunity provided by the resource allows the students to have a direct experience of the immigrant's reality and to develop an understanding of the difficulties they may face.

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
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 Poor/Not considered

There are no assessment tools provided in the resource.

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

Peer teaching opportunities can be provided for in through the student presentation and Q&A sessions that follow.

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 research online that the students complete using the Passages and Citizenship and Immigration Canada websites could involve case studies.  The students use this research to learn about immigrants' experiences coming to Canada.

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

The students are allowed some choice in that they choose the scenario that they wish to present to the class.

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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