Grade 10 Academic English lesson plan.

Lesson Plan for a Grade 10 Academic English Classroom

	Strand/Topic:                    English: “Mikomosis and the Wetiko”; First Nations history and differing perspectives				Grade: 10 Academic			Date: February 3rd 2019
	Expectations ·         Making Inferences 1.4: Make and explain inferences about texts including increasingly complex texts, supporting their explanation with well-chosen, stated and implied ideas from the texts(The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-10, 73) ·         Extending Understanding of Texts 1.5: Extend understanding of increasingly complex texts, by making connections between the ideas in them and personal knowledge, experience and insights, other texts and the world around them (74) ·         Critical Literacy 1.8: identify and analyse the perspectives and/or biases evident in texts, including increasingly complex texts, and comment on any questions they may raise about beliefs, values, identity, and power (74) ·         Audience Responses 1.4: explain why the same media text might prompt different responses from different audiences (80) http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/english910currb.pdf				Connections ·         The Indigenous perspective is often disregarded or ignored in the documents of the Ontario Curriculum (aside from a small amount in the Grade 10 history curriculum), and is not touched upon at all in the English curriculum ·         Students should be aware of how a dominant culture can create a certain lens to view the world, and that there is more than one perspective to any story, despite what the dominant perspective says. ·         Students will be able to critically think about the Social Justice issues that surround Reconciliation and the current and past relationships with the Canadian Government.
	Learning Goals By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: ·         Define the impact that the European colonizers had on First Nations people and their ways of life ·         Understand the difference between written law and oral law or tradition and look at it in the context of Social Justice ·         Demonstrate understanding of differing perspectives, in relation to First nations and Europeans ·         Work in groups to make Intertextual references using the comic ·         Students will be able to critically analyze and discuss First Nations issue in a sensitive and respective manner
		Questions to Ask								Accommodations/ Modifications (content/process/product)
	Part 1:  Minds On	·         Students will be asked in the beginning of the class to think of different perspectives and viewpoints on issues such as First Nations and European settlements. ·         They will share their opinion in a Think, Pair Share style with their neighbour ·         Students will think about the difference between Written law and Oral Law					What kind of different perspectives are there regarding the settlement of Canada? How does the way of life of First Nations people compare to the life of a European settler in the 19th century? Is one style of life more relevant than another? Is there a single story regarding the settlement of Canada, or are there other perspectives that matter as well? How does Oral Law differ from Written law?		Teacher will help lead the class discussion to help the students focus on the idea of different perspectives. Teacher will ask the class guiding questions that help the class think regarding the topic at hand before reading the graphic novel “Mikomosis and the Wetiko”
	Part 2:  Action	·         Students are to read the graphic novel “Mikomosis and the Wetiko” independently, and then with a neighbour discuss the setting, plot, theme, characters ·         Students will also point out any other interesting facts that can be brought up in the class discussion ·         Teacher will circulate and guide discussion, taking the role of a facilitator ·         Students will  be making connections between the comic book and the current action of Reconciliation, with the teacher using guiding questions in order to facilitate the discussion					What can we say about Oral laws of the Cree Nation? What kind of artefacts from the First Nations side and the Canadian side draw your attention? What part from the graphic novel spoke to you? Why? Using the knowledge and context learned from reading the book, what can be said of the power dynamic between the Government and First Nations peoples? Is the current program of reconciliation effective? Why or why not?		Teacher will go around the class and help facilitate the discussion if students have a hard time understanding the novel Guiding questions will be asked and given if students are struggling
				Questions to Ask		Accommodations / Differentiation (content/process/product)				Materials
Part 3:  Consolidate Debrief			After reading the comic, students will pair up with their neighbours and discuss the significant aspects of the graphic novel: ·         Students will discuss characters, setting, plot, theme ·         Students will discuss the difference and the impact of Oral Law and Written law ·         Students will fill out the comparison T chart that will highlight differences between Canadian and Cree civilizations ·         Teacher will finish the lesson by asking guiding questions that will help students focus on the topic when looking for the artefact and doing the write-up post trip.	Are both groups in the novel represented fairly? How does Oral Law of the First Nations differ from Written law of the Canadian government? Which one is more correct? Is one more correct than the other? What kind of artefacts from both sides stand out to you?		Teacher can provide extra context and background information on both groups and the relationship between First Nations and Canadian settlers in the 19th century Help students determine significant cultural symbols, that would help students choose their artefact during the field trip				Graphic novel will be used for the comparison Worksheet will be given for the comparison between the lifestyles
Assessment Tools (diagnostic/formative/summative) ·         Diagnostic will be performed in class as a type of Assessment as Learning ·         Students will be provided with a comparison table, which they will use during the Think, Pair, Share portion of the class to discuss the differences between First Nations and Settler life
Prior Knowledge ·         Intertextual analysis and the ability to make inferences ·         Basic understanding of European colonization of Canada ·         Proper research techniques and citation practices
Next Steps ·         For the next class, students will be looking at the aspect of Reconciliation between First Nations peoples and the Canadian Government

The lesson plan listed here is for a Grade 10 Academic English class, and is made to tackle the difficult topic of First Nations History and Reconciliation in the present. It allows students to engage with sensitive material through a comic medium, and discuss the issues presented in the comic book and compare them to the issues faced by First Nations peoples in the real world today. In addition, the lesson is meant to open a dialogue in the classroom between the students, where they can add in their input as to how Reconciliation must proceed in contemporary society.