Running head: Unit Plan 1

Educational Unit Plan

Chris Rankin

University of Manitoba
Unit Plan 2

Table of Contents

Unit Plan Theme…………………………………………………3

Rationale…………………………………………………………….3

Learning Objectives…………………………………………….5

Duration and Components………………………………….7

Key Learning Activities and Sequencing………………7

Student Learning Resources………………………………..9

Assessment…………………………………………………………11

Teacher Resources………………………………………………12

Formal References………………………………………………14
Unit Plan 3

Unit Plan Theme

The focus of this paper is to develop an educational unit plan that delivers multicultural

content to students based on:

- Research;

- Analysis;

- Perspectives;

- Action.

My aim in delivering this unit to students will be to immerse them in the world outside of their

classroom, so the students will be able to understand, appreciate and empathize with those

individuals and families who have already and those who are making the life changing decision

to travel to Canada for a new life. Newcomers to Canada, be it through immigration, refugee

sponsorship or asylum seekers, students must be made aware of the multitude of reasons as for

why people make the decision to leave their homelands in order to make a new life in Canada.

The theme I have chosen to develop a unit plan on is Social Justice and Human Rights. This is an

area of inquiry found in the Grade 12 Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability 40S Manitoba

provincial curriculum.

Rationale

I believe that it is of paramount importance that students are engaged in world issues for

which those issues effects can be seen here in Canada. Overall, I believe students must be aware

that not all countries enjoy the same freedoms that most citizens of Canada take for granted, or

that are expected based on the United Nations (UN) Declaration of Human Rights and UN

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This unit will address the topics:
Unit Plan 4

- What is social justice/injustice;

- Why is social justice/injustice important and how has it changed the world;

- Poverty;

- Labour;

- Gender;

- Immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

These topics, though just a few, are all interconnected with respect to some of the many reasons

that individuals and families choose to leave their homeland in search of a safe country to live in

freedom. Students must be prepared and arm themselves with all the information that is

necessary to allow them to engage in critical thinking and become critical analysts of the world.

Students must be aware of the many violations of rights that people endure around the world

that give reason for them to flee.

The Grade 12 Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability 40S Manitoba provincial

curriculum document defines social justice as:

The full participation and inclusion of all people in society, together with that

promotion and protection of their legal, civil and human rights. The aim of social

justice-to achieve a just and equitable society where all share in the prosperity of

that just society-is pursued by individuals and groups through collaborative social

action. (p.1)

This unit plan, will be designed for a grade 12 class, focusing on social justice, human rights,

poverty, gender and how they are interconnected and give reasons for individuals and families

to leave their homeland in search of safety in Canada. These topics are all interconnected with
Unit Plan 5

regards to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. In order to ensure there is a greater impact

of the issues newcomers have dealt with and why they made their decision to leave their

homeland. Those same issues will be highlighted here in Canada, allowing these issues outside

of Canada being juxtaposed to issues inside of Canada.

This unit will be designed to elicit empathy from the students on the multiple perspectives

of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, which will engage the students to take actions to

dismiss any stereotypes, “Despite the differences among multicultural educational policies across

Canada, a synthesis of the components of multicultural education identifies three specific goals:

"1. equivalency in achievement; 2. more positive intergroup attitudes; and 3. developing pride in

heritage.” (Kirova, 2009). The big project for this unit is for the students to develop an program

that will help integrate, not assimilate recent immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers into the

school community, “Acknowledging intragroup and intergroup differences expands and

complicates any simple notion of singular identity-a tribal sameness.” (Harper, 1997). In this

political climate focusing on social justice, human rights, poverty and gender are current and

timely subjects that are featured in the news daily. There will be no shortage of real time data

for the students to analyze.

Learning Objectives

1. Students will be able to assess the importance of human rights both here in Canada as well as

globally.

2. Students will be able to apply specific rights and freedoms from the Canadian Charter of Rights

and Freedoms and the Declaration of Human Rights and apply them to specific situations.
Unit Plan 6

3. Students will be able to empathize with people around the world who suffer human rights

abuses on a daily basis.

4. Students will be able to describe labour practices around the world.

5. Students will be able to empathize with workers around the world that are forced into poor

working conditions.

6. Students will be able to understand the implications of child labour.

7. Students will be able to recite the child labour laws in Manitoba and apply them to areas

around the world.

8. Students will be able to empathize with children around the world that are forced into the

labour market at young ages.

9. Students will be able to identify gender issues both here in Canada and around the world.

10. Students will be able to identify gender stereotypes.

11. Students will be able to empathize with women, girls, and other genders who suffer human

rights abuses on a daily basis.

12. Students will be able to explain the differences between immigration, refugees and asylum

seekers.

13. Students will be able to identify the reasons that people had to leave their home country.

14. Students will be able to understand those who leave their family and friends to make a new

life.
Unit Plan 7

Duration and Components

This unit will take place over a three-week period during fifteen, sixty minute periods.

The unit will consist of the following topics:

Week 1:
 Introduction into Social Justice/Injustice
 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
 UN Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
 UN Declaration on the Rights of Ingenuous Peoples
 Inquiry Assignment - Start

Week 2:
 Poverty
 Gender
 Gender Violations
 Human Rights Violations
 Human Rights Violations - Canada

Week 3:
 Immigrants
 Refugees
 Asylum Seekers
 NGOs
 Inquiry Assignment - Completion

Key Learning Activities and Sequencing

1. In order for students to understand Social Justice/Injustice, students will read 2 articles
relating to social justice found on the website: http://time.com/tag/social-justice/. After
reading the articles, the students will discuss the questions:
a. Define the term ‘Social Justice’.
b. How is social justice effective in dealing with issues?
c. Analyze the methods used in promoting social justice?
d. Did the social justice activists behave within the law to achieve their goal?
Defend your position?
e. What do you think ‘Social Injustice’ means? Provide examples.

2. The students will work in pairs to analyze the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,
UN Declaration of Human Rights and UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
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Students will prepare a presentation discussing the merits of each document, ensuring
that the answer the following:
a. In your opinion, what do you think are the two most important freedoms for
Canadians found in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? Explain?
b. How do each of these documents protect an individual?
c. What is the function of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?

3. Inquiry Assignment - Students will choose a Topic for their inquiry project. The inquiry
project will be choosing an immigrant, refugee or asylum seeker group, prepare a
backgrounder on their group and develop a program that will help that particular group
as well as the school integrate into the school community.

4. Students will navigate the website, http://jubileedebt.org.uk/. Here they will research the
worlds debt crisis and correlate it with Statistics Canada.
a. Students will determine if there is a correlation between immigration, refugees
and asylum seeker from the world’s poorest countries into Canada
b. Students will then read “The new developing world debt crisis” and answer the
following questions:
i. What are some of the effects of high debt on low income countries?
Explain.
ii. Describe how the events in this article relate to you or someone you know.

5. Students will participate in a Gender Role exercise in which student’s perceptions of

gender will be challenged based on culture and stereotypes.

6. Students will research Human Rights violations in Canada and around the world. Students
will find one violation from each Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, North and South America
and report them to the class and what actions have been taken to solve them.

7. Students will play the simulation, “Against All Odds” in which they are immersed in the
journey of a refugee. Upon completion of this activity, which may take several attempts,
will give the students some perspective on the issues and decisions a refugee must go
through in order to flee to a safe country. Students will write a reflection on their
experiences.

8. Students will conduct a letter writing campaign for one of many found on the Amnesty
International website.

9. Students will participate in a forum in which they will have the opportunity to discuss
experiences, needs, wants and mental health with a new immigrant, refugee and/or
asylum seeker to assist students in preparing for their inquiry project.

10. Students will Complete their inquiry assignment.

Unit Plan 9

Students Learning Resources

Resource Centres:

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

http://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation

http://nctr.ca/map.php

Immigrant Centre
http://icmanitoba.com/

Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba

http://www.ircom.ca/

Voices of Manitoba
https://manitobavoices.wordpress.com/about/resources-for-refugees-in-winnipeg/

Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council

https://miic.ca/

Hospitality House Refugee Ministry

http://www.hhrmwpg.org/

Manitoba my new home: Resources on refugee resettlement

http://www.immigratemanitoba.com/community-stakeholders/refugees/refugee-resources/

Newcomers Employment and Education Development Services Inc.

http://www.needsinc.ca/

Canadian Muslim Women’s Institute

http://www.cmwi.ca/

Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies: Refugee Resources

http://www.amssa.org/resources/quicklinks-resources/refugee-resources/

Articles/Reports:

Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC: Cultures West

http://www.amssa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Transitions-Immigrant-and-Refugee-
Women-in-BC.pdf
Unit Plan 10

Social Workers and the Protection of Immigrant and Refugee Rights:

http://www.ssa.uchicago.edu/social-workers-and-protection-immigrant-and-refugee-rights

And Who Is My Neighbor?

http://www.thecritique.com/articles/and-who-is-my-neighbor-immigration-human-rights-
sovereignty/

Social work with asylum seekers in Canada

http://refugeeresearch.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Lacroix-2006-Social-work-with-
asylum-seekers-in-Canada.pdf

Newcomer centre has no more room for border-crossing refugees

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/welcome-place-call-for-help-1.3979227

‘Completely racist’: Rental ad posted online offers discount to ‘local white Canadians’
https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/completely-racist-rental-ad-posted-online-offers-discount-to-
local-white-canadians-1.3715588

‘It’s getting worse’: Former refugee speaks about racism faced almost daily in Winnipeg
https://globalnews.ca/news/3759675/its-getting-worse-former-refugee-speaks-about-racism-
faced-almost-daily-in-winnipeg/

Welcome to Winnipeg: Where Canada’s racism problem is at its worst

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/welcome-to-winnipeg-where-canadas-racism-problem-
is-at-its-worst/

Racism Is An Integral Part of Winnipeg’s History

http://www.themanitoban.com/2017/09/racism-integral-part-winnipegs-history/31917/

How can I help eliminate racism and discrimination in my community? Prepared for Winnipeg
CMARD 2013
http://www.winnipeg.ca/clerks/boards/citizenequity/pdfs/CombatRacism.pdf

Canadian Council for Refugees

http://ccrweb.ca/en/issues/gender

Gender in action: Successes and shortfalls in the Syrian refugee crisis

https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/news/journal-articles/2195-gender-in-action-
successes-and-shortfalls-in-the-syrian-refugee-crisis
Unit Plan 11

Persecution based on Sexual Orientation and/or Gender Identity

http://www.rstp.ca/en/refugees/persecution-based-on-sexual-orientation-andor-gender-
identity/

Canada Must Pay Attention to Refugees in Poverty

https://cpj.ca/canada-must-pay-attention-refugees-poverty

Refugees Face Enormous Barriers in Canada, Particularly Women

https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2017/04/04/Refugees-Face-Barriers-in-Canada/

Assessment

This unit will not be assessed by means of a test but more on the student’s ability to

rationalize, analyze and present their ideas in a way that suits them. “Too often, assessment is

cast as a synonym for test.” (Tomlinson, 2017).

Students will be assessed through a series of assessment tools that will engage the

students in the material that they are learning. This will allow the gathering of real-time

assessment of knowledge for the student in order to provide them with meaningful feedback.

The first form of assessment that will be implemented in this unit will be quick writes. This

assessment will provide the necessary information on what my students have learned and if they

are able to articulate their thoughts in a way that will demonstrate their comprehension. It will

also help the students in improving their critical thinking and analyzing skills. This assessment will

be useful for both myself and the students as they will write their reflections for each class in a

daily journal.

Inquiry project will be another form of assessment which will have the students focus

what they have learned and present it in a format of their choice. Projects can include websites,

blogs, videos, presentation, rallies, assemblies, etc. The choice is up to the student. Projects will

be their summative assessment as they will need to create a project based on a set of higher-
Unit Plan 12

level thinking questions. The students will rely on the information they have gathered and

learned throughout the unit. This information could be from the discussions, media and their

investigations.

The final assessment tool will be the self-assessment. This assessment tool will allow the

students to provide their own feedback in the assessment process. Engaging with the students in

this way will allow me to further assess the students understanding and knowledge of the subject.

This will also allow me to provide immediate feedback to the student and clarify any matters or

concepts that they may have difficulties with. “Using assessment for learning increases student

ownership of learning, student performance, and student learning efficacy.” (Sousa, Tomlinson,

2011, p. 76)

Teacher Resources

Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.ca/

Against All Odds – Simulation Game

http://www.playagainstallodds.ca/

Against All Odds Teacher’s Guide

http://www.playagainstallodds.ca/teachersupervision/us/index_uk.html

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const/page-15.html

UN Declaration of Human Rights

http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf

Grade 12 Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability (40S)

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/global_issues/index.html
Unit Plan 13

Gender Stereotypes Activity

http://breakingprejudice.org/teaching/group-activities/childrens-gender-stereotypes-activity/

Gender Role Boxes Activity

https://www.pcc.edu/resources/illumination/documents/gender-role-boxes-glbtq-and-sexism-
exercise.pdf

Jubilee Debt Campaign

http://jubileedebt.org.uk/

Social Justice Research Activity

http://time.com/tag/social-justice/

United For Human Rights: Human Rights Violations

http://www.humanrights.com/what-are-human-rights/violations-of-human-rights/freedom-to-
move-and-thought.html
Unit Plan 14

Formal References

Education and Training. (n.d.). Retrieved Fall, 2017, from

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/global_issues/index.html

Kirova, A. (2009). Critical and Emerging Discourses in Multicultural Education Literature: A

Review. Canadian Ethnic Studies,40(1), 101-124. doi:10.1353/ces.0.0065

Harper, H. (1997). Difference and Diversity in Ontario Schooling. Canadian Journal of Education
/ Revue canadienne de léducation,22(2), 192. doi:10.2307/1585907

Tomlinson, Carol Ann. How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms,

Third Edition ASCD. Kindle Edition.

Sousa, David A.; Tomlinson, Carol Ann. Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience
Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom. Solution Tree Press. Kindle Edition.

Mossman, B. W. (1981). Teaching Strategies for Ethnic Studies (Second Edition) James A. Banks
Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1979. Journal of Teacher Education,32(1), 50-51.
doi:10.1177/002248718103200117