Lesson Plan Title: Introduction to The Social Experience Oppression, Authority and

Resistance
Date: 3/26/2017
Subject: English Language Arts Grade: 12
Topic: Brainstorming on Oppression Essential Question: Which groups in
society are oppressed? Which groups in society
are the oppressors?

Materials: Smartboard, journals, writing materials

Stage 1- Desired Results you may use student friendly language

What do they need to understand, know, and/or able to do?

Students will need to understand the difference between the oppressed groups in
society and the oppressed. Students will also need to understand how to communicate
their opinions in a respectful and equitable manner (for example: They need to
understand that it is not appropriate to say Indians are oppressed, rather, they would
say Indigenous peoples or First Nations peoples).
Students will also need to be able to be respectful of themselves and the opinions other
students in the class.

Broad Areas of Learning:

Lifelong Learners - Through the observation and understanding of content that

addresses oppression, students will gain understandings and lasting knowledge of social
and identity issues around them. Students will be able to apply this knowledge
throughout their lives, and will understand that these issues of oppression exist no only
in Canada, but around the world.

Sense of Self, Community and Place - Students will additionally get a chance to think
about and share their own experiences and thoughts regarding oppression. They will
develop a sense of identity as they consider their own thoughts, opinions and
experiences during this lesson. They will also develop a sense of community, as they will
be able to share these thoughts, opinions and experiences with their peers in a safe and
equitable environment. They will learn to value and thoughts and ideas of their
classmates.

Cross-Curricular Competencies:

Developing Thinking- Through this lesson, students will be given an opportunity to think
critically and creatively as they brainstorm together. Additionally, students may be
exposed to a paradigm shifts or change of opinion throughout the class discussion. This
lesson will give students a chance to expand and even change their knowledge when
regarding oppression in society.

Developing Social Responsibilities: Students will gain knowledge of social issues within
and around them. They will develop a sense of agency and responsibility surrounding
these issues. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of the social issues that
their peers may be experiencing. As a result, students will develop a sense of
responsibility that is more personal as they realize that social issues affect the friends
and peers that surround them daily.

Outcome(s):

AR B 30.2 - Reflect on and assess understanding of self as a self-directed, self-

appraising, and strategic learner.
c. Identify appropriate steps and implement plans to improve comprehension and
communication skills.
e. Assess the effect of new understandings and strategies on self and others.

CC B 30.3 - Create and defend an informed critical response to a global issue in formal
(including a workshop presentation, a debate, and an oral reading of poetry or a prose
passage related to the issue) and informal (including discussion and collaborative group
work) situations.
a. Function both as a group member and a group leader, and demonstrate effective
group interaction skills and strategies:
-Demonstrate ability and commitment to work effectively with diverse teams
- Represent and promote respect for contributions of other team members

PGP Goals:
2.4 ability to use technologies readily, strategically and appropriately The Teacher
Candidate will have to utilize the SmartBoard technology yin the classroom in order for
the students to contribute their ideas through a digital Mindmap. The Teacher Candidate
will have to relay this knowledge onto their students to ensure their own success with
using this technology.
1.1 the ability to maintain respectful, mutually supportive and equitable professional
relationships with learners, colleagues, families and communities As the brainstorming
activity in this lesson contains sensitive content and topics, it is the job of the Teacher
Candidate to ensure that the relationships between themselves and the students is
respectful, supportive and equitable when the opinions and experiences of the students
are shared.

Stage 2- Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning (formative) Assess the students during the learning to help
determine next steps.

Students will be assessed formatively throughout the MindMapping activity. Most

importantly, the group discussions will allow the teacher Candidate to assess the
following curricular indicators:
-Demonstrate ability and commitment to work effectively with diverse teams
- Represent and promote respect for contributions of other team members

At the end of class, students will be also be assessed formatively through an exit slip
that will ask the following questions:
1) List 3 things that you have learned today regarding oppression.
2) Did anything you learned today change your perspective? Why or why not? Do
you believe it may have changed any of your classmates perspectives? Without
listing names, explain why or why not.

The first question will generally assess the students competency regarding whether or
not they understand how oppression works. This will be essential to ensure their success
throughout the rest of the unit.

The second question serves to assess the following indicator:

e. Assess the effect of new understandings and strategies on self and others.

Assessment OF Learning (summative) Assess the students after learning to evaluate

what they have learned.

As this is an introductory lesson, not summative assessment will be completed for this
lesson.

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Motivational/Anticipatory Set (introducing topic while engaging the students)

(10 mins) Birdcage activity:

If the school in question has a bird, the Teacher Candidate will use a real bird for this
activity. If not, the Teacher Candidate will use a model or replica for the bird.

The Teacher Candidate will show the birdcage to the students, and allow it to be passed
around and examined. Referencing Fryes metaphor of the birdcage, the Teacher
Candidate will explain that if one simply looks at a single rung of the birdcage, it appears
that it is not particularly constraining.

However, when viewing the cage in full, it is obvious that the bird is trapped, with no
way out.

This is how oppression works most people just see the single wire and believe that all
one has to do is to work hard or slip through in order to escape. However, the reality is
that oppressed peoples are often surrounded by several of these wires which all come
together to create a cage, which represents their oppression. Some of these wires are
stronger, while others are easier to bend. However, they still all work together to create
the cage, which is very stable and difficult to escape just like oppression

Main Procedures/Strategies:

(15 mins) Chart Activity:

On the Smartboard, the students and teacher with create a chart (as a group) in which
they illustrate which social groups/systems/people are oppressed and which social
groups/systems/people are the oppressors. Teacher will ask questions in order to draw
on the individual experiences of each student, but will take caution not to pressure
students to talk about experiences that they do not feel comfortable sharing. The
Teacher Candidate will additionally warn the students to use appropriate and inclusive
language during this activity.

If the students are having difficulties producing ideas, the Teacher Candidate can provide
a few ideas in order to scaffold the learning, as so:

If students are having difficulties, they can feel free to use their Smartphones to conduct
research throughout the brainstorming activity.

Example:

Oppressed Oppressors

Indigenous Peoples
Residential Schools

(20 mins) MindMap Activity:

Students will then be required to brainstorm, together as a class, how the oppressed
group has shown resistance and how the oppressors have shown authority. If they
wish, students can feel free to approach the Smartboard and write in their own words. As
they brainstorm, they will take notes in their journals. This will be done by completing a
mind map like so (one mind map for the oppressors, and one mind map for the
oppressed):
 Evidence
of
Resistanc
Evidence e2 Evidence
of of
Resistanc Resistanc
e 1 e 3
Oppress
ed
Group

Through using the mind map, the teacher will additionally emphasize on how the
classroom exists holistically (make sure to emphasize that holism is a common
Indigenous worldview), and that everyone in the classroom is connected. All of the
students experiences and beliefs are valuable, and they all come together as a whole,
as shown above.

(10 mins) Discussion:

At the end of the MindMap activity, the class will have a short discussion about what
they learned. Additionally, this is when the Teacher Candidate must address any
challenges that occurred during the lesson this can range from inappropriate language
use (such as saying Indian instead of Indigenous,) or any misconceptions (such as
stating Whites or Males as an oppressed group).

It is important, however, to consider each and every students opinion as valid thus,
the Teacher Candidate must facilitate discussion and ask the students why they feel the
way that they do, and engage in a respectful and inclusive discussion.

Adaptations/Differentiation:

-While students are encouraged to speak and provide their opinions during the
discussion and brainstorming activities, they will not be required to speak up if they do
not feel comfortable doing so. However, through emphasizing the holistic and safe
environment of the classroom, the Teacher Candidate should create a welcoming and
inclusive classroom environment in which every student can feel safe providing their
opinions and ideas.
-If any EAL students are in the classroom, the exit slip provided will be both in English
and their home language in order to maintain their reading fluency in their home
language, as well as to further increase their fluency in English.
Closing of lesson:

(5 mins) Assessment - Exit Slip:

At the end of class, students will be also be assessed through their completion of an exit
slip that will ask the following questions:

1) List 3 things that you have learned today regarding oppression.

2) Did anything you learned today change your perspective? Why or why not? Do
you believe it may have changed any of your classmates perspectives?
Without listing names, explain why or why not.
3) What challenges or difficulties did you encounter during this lesson? What can
your teacher and/or classmates do to help you with these challenges?

*Adapted from Understanding by Design (McTighe and Wiggins, 1998)