Lesson Plan

Grade/Subject: Grade 5 Social Unit: Fur Trade Part 4 Lesson Duration: 50 minutes OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES General Learning Outcomes: Students will: 5.1.1 value Canadas physical geography and natural environment 5.2.1 appreciate the complexity of identity in the Canadian context 5.2.2 examine, critically, the ways of life of Aboriginal peoples in Canada 5.2.4 examine, critically, ways of life of the fur traders Specific Learning Outcomes: Students will: acknowledge the contributions made by diverse cultural groups to the evolution of Canada (CC, I, TCC) appreciate how the land sustains communities and the diverse ways that people have of living with the land (GC, LPP) How were the natural environment and geography of each region of Canada determining factors of the diversity among Aboriginal groups (e.g., languages, symbolism)? (LPP, TCC) How are the stories of the Mtis people, their culture and heritage rooted in the fur trade? (CC, I, TCC) LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will: 1. Appreciate the difficulties associated with trading during the fur trade. 2. Determine a common language that can be understood, and how the Metis influence helped with this. 3. Recall how the Metis heritage was started, and the contributions they made to the fur trade. 4. Describe the difficulties associated with trading across geography during the fur trade. ASSESSMENTS Observations: Key Questions: 1. What were some emotions and thoughts I will observe during beginning discussion from the European group when they came to ensure that students are taking certain into their classroom and everything had factors into account when establishing been rearranged? (LO #4) rules and language. 2. How would this be similar to the way the I will observe during the role play that English and French voyageurs would have students are obeying the rules. felt when first entering Alberta? (LO #1) I will observe during the role play that 3. What were some of the difficulties of children are participating. trade for the Blackfoot with the European I will observe during open discussion that traders? (LO #2) children are allowed to express individual 4. What role did the Mtis play in the trade? ideas. Why was this role important? (LO #3) 5. If we were in a different region of Canada, would we have made different signs language to communicate? Are there different animals in the different regions of Canada? (LO #1,4) Written Performance Assessments: Personal Journal Entry

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED Resource #1: Glenbow Museum Activity MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT Construction Paper Classroom Desks PROCEDURE

INTRODUCTION:
Children will be told to remove all of their binders from their desks, and only need a writing utensil. The rest of their things will be put in their lockers so that they are not a disturbance during the role playing. Hook/Attention Grabber: We will be drawing popsicle sticks to separate the class into three groups.

BODY:
Activity helping children understand the difficulties of trading between the indigenous people and the European settlers. 1. Split class into 3 groups; Blackfoot, Europeans, Metis all equally numbered 2. Send English students in the hallway, they should not be able to hear what is happening inside the classroom. They need to decide how much they will be charging, in beaver pelts, for the following items A Hudson Bay Blanket A pound of glass beads A hatchet head 3. Meanwhile the Metis and Blackfoot come up with hand signals to represent the following, the signals and meanings can be written down if needed. Can we trade? I accept that price. I will not pay that much. Can we negotiate a different price? 4. The Blackfoot and Metis can then rearrange the furniture as landscape and then set up a trading post. 5. All groups will as well have to pick two representatives for their groups, as they will be responsible for the trading. The representatives need to be brave, good listeners, generous and people comfortable and confident to represent their groups in the best possible way. 6. The English can now be let back into the room. They must then navigate their way through the terrain towards the trading post. 7. The trading starts by having the Europeans and Blackfoot meet. Blackfoot cannot speak, cannot understand the English, and are only allowed to use hand signals. 8. After trade has been progressing or comes to a standstill, have the class take a step back and discuss the difficulties with trading and communicating. 9. Resume the trade now with the Metis being involved and allowed to translate the words of Blackfoot to the Europeans. After the activity have the classroom involved in an open discussion, by asking the following questions. What were some emotions and thoughts from the English and French groups when they came into their classroom and everything had been rearranged? How would this be similar to the way the English and French voyageurs would have felt when first entering Alberta?

CLOSURE:

What were some of the difficulties of trade for the Blackfoot with the English and French traders? What role did the Mtis play in the trade? Why was this role important? If we were in a different region of Canada, would we have made different signs language to communicate? Are there different animals in the different regions of Canada?

Sponge Activity: Consolidation: RATIONALE The activity was well accepted by the children in my eyes. They really enjoyed being able to create an activity for themselves, and run the activity. When we opened the floor for discussion the kids were openly discussing their ideas and thoughts, in an appropriate matter. I was also surprised at how the kids were relating their experiences to those of the actual fur traders without even being prompted to. They had a great understanding of what was going on and how certain people aided or prevented war. They also took into account the land and territory boundaries so that they were being considerate of other tribes, and how they might have been affected by people charging through their lands.I would for next time take into consideration involving more of the children in the actual trade. Some kids were disappointed that they didnt actually get to trade. I could try and have multiple trading spots that many students can visit therefore involving more of the kids. As well some students were disappointed over choosing their representatives, and so this discouraged them from the activity which was disappointing, and was a reason the reflections were involved.