Lesson Plan Title: Governance

Date: N/A
Subject: History 30 Grade: 12
Topic: Governance Essential Question: What is governance and what does it do?
Materials:
- Governance PowerPoint
- Sticky Notes
- Article from - http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/todays-letters-canadas-broken-child-welfare-
system
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Grh2XPGNlg- Institute on Governance- What is Governance?

Stage 1- Desired Results you may use student friendly language

What do they need to understand, know, and/or able to do?
Students will understand that governance defines how governments, corporations, communities, countries, and
business makes decisions.
Students will understand how the Government of Canada makes decisions.
Understand the process that decisions are made in Canadian government.
Students will understand through this lesson that decisions for government programs have pros and cons that
need to be considered.

Broad Areas of Learning:

Engaged Citizens In this lesson students will gain an understanding of the way that decisions are made in
Canada. This lesson will help students become more engaged citizens as it will enlighten them to the way that
their government and society runs, and to the role that they play as citizens. By introducing students to the issues
within Governance and to analyzing and questioning the decision-making process in Canada they will become
aware of injustices and inequalities within the systems of Government. These aspects will play a role in shaping
them for being active and engaged citizens for Canada.

Cross-Curricular Competencies:
Develop Thinking- By taking part in this lesson students will develop their thinking skills by being introduced to the
dialectic thinking and reasoning process. As students are introduced to topics of conflict within Governance they
will practice understanding both sides of the conflict to help them understand the arguments more thoroughly and
be able to engage with them as they enter into society after leaving high school.
Develop Social Responsibility-This lesson and the following lessons in the unit will build upon students knowledge
of the way that social relationships are effected by governance and democracy. By taking part the dialectic
thinking and reasoning process throughout the unit, students will have to practice moral reasoning. In this lesson
students, will be introduced to how we make decisions and what effects our moral reasoning as citizens. In this
way students, will gain an understanding of the responsibility that must be shared as citizens in Canada, and they
will understand that they have a part to place in social responsibility.
Outcome(s):

DR30.4 Analyze how central Canadas decision making effected its relationship with other parts of Canada.

PGP Goals:
2.1 knowledge of Canadian History, especially in reference to Saskatchewan and Western Canada;4.1 knowledge
of Saskatchewan curriculum and policy documents and applies this understanding to plan lessons, units of study
and year plans using curriculum outcomes as outlined by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education;

Stage 2- Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning (formative) Assess the students during the learning to help determine next steps.
Before watching the video on Governance, I will ask the students what they know about Governance. At this point
in the course Governance would have been touched on and summarized in the previous Units so I would expect
them to be able to explain that Governance is about the policies that define how a group of people makes
decisions for the good of the group.
Continue by asking students questions. Asking them if they are understanding or if there is need for clarification
about content.
White board write after the PowerPoint and video.
Thumbs up, thumbs down, thumbs in the middle

Assessment OF Learning (summative) Assess the students after learning to evaluate what they have learned.
Quick Write/ Exit Slip responding to the questions: What is Governance, and what does it do? If Governance is
supposed to do good for Canadians what needs to be taken into consideration when questions surrounding welfare
arise? Do you think Governance is doing a good job of taking care of the people in Canada?
Stage 3- Learning Plan

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

Direct Questioning
What is governance?
Who makes decisions in Canada?
How does that effect people?
View YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Grh2XPGNlg- Institute on Governance- What is
Governance?
Main Procedures/Strategies (include time):
(~3 mins) Direct questioning introduce the topic
-What is governance? - students might respond with: laws, practices, guidelines, how we rule/oversee
ourselves or others etc.
-Who makes decisions in Canada? - students might respond with: Justin Trudeau, government, Brad Wall,
Liberal Party, Conservative Party, NDP, Municipal representatives, the house of commons, the cabnet etc.
-How does that effect people? - students might respond with: Good, takes peoples voice into consideration,
bad, the needs of the people are not being met, there is misrepresentation, political bias is exclusive to the
needs of the people, etc.
(~7 mins) YouTube video
- Tell students to take notes during the video and that we will go over the information after
(~20 mins) PowerPoint for review/discussion and further notes and recap/summary of the video. As you go
through the slide show continuously ask students what they think. Ask them if the information they heard about
expands their knowledge? Ask them to be specific. Ask them if the information wasnt helpful, or if anything was
unclear, get students to respond with thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumbs in the middle . As you go through the
slides they should be concise enough to bring clarity and review important points. At the end of this PowerPoint
and video section have students all like up around the white board in the class and have them answer the question
What did you learn today about governance? As an assessment tool the teacher can see where the students
thinking is at, along with giving the students an opportunity to see what their peers think and have learned. It
allows the students to quickly reflect on what they have just learned and allows the teacher to see where the
students are at if there needs to be further explanation or not.
Below are questions that you can pose to students when on certain slides:
Q: slide 2: so, who has as voice in making decisions based on this model? Do we see the needs of the
people represented in our society?
 Q: slide 5: What might be some of these unwritten or written rules and practices in our society?
Q: slide 6: Does everyone actually have equal rights?
Q: Slide 9: Where do we see disparity of Governance in our society?
(~15 mins) welfare as an example of an attempt for Governance
Have students read in pairs the article from National Post about the failings of the welfare system
- Remind students to focus on the good sides of welfare. Remind them that the creation of the system was
initial for the good of the people.
- Remind students to use literary strategies that will help them succeed in their reading.
- Remind students of the word wall and to take note of any words they are not sure of, as well as reminding
them to look them up.
- http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/todays-letters-canadas-broken-child-welfare-system
- This is a response to a larger discussion about children in welfare systems in Alberta
(~6 mins) Think- Pair-Share pros/cons for the Welfare system
At this point in the lesson ask students to think about the pros and cons that come out of the welfare system and
from the information that they read. Ask them to include any information that they already knew about the welfare
system and those pros and cons, again encouraging them to use their prior knowledge.
- Students will have an opportunity to write out their analysis of their initial impressions on the welfare
system on sticky notes and together we will create a visual pros/ cons list. Gather the sticky notes and go
through them as a class, creating a pros and cons list on the board with the sticky notes. The reading might
not take a lot of time but this portion could take more time, so it is ok if the reading is quick. During this
time, if you have extra time for this portion, ask students Why they believe certain sentiments should be
placed in pros and cons.
- This will model for students the process of understanding both sides of a conflicting topic and will help
students make decisions in terms of moral reasoning
(~3 mins) Exit slip Before the students are dismissed hand out the exit slip. Read the question aloud from the
template and clarify and questions about the question. When students are finished, they are dismissed. The
question is: If governance is supposed to work for the good of the people, how do we make sense of the ways that
the system fails individuals? Can you think of a different solution to meeting the needs of the people?

Adaptations/Differentiation:
- For Students with difficulty writing notes from the video or following along from the power point I would provide
them with printed off notes and slides of the same information so that they can make notes on the notes. This will
allow students to follow a long easier.
- Provide students with difficulty reading more one-on-one conferencing about what they are reading, encourage
students to read together and discuss what they are reading.
- For those with poor reading skills I could provide a summary of the brief article for them, outlining the main
points
Closing of lesson:
- Students will fill out an exit slip after taking part in the pro/cons discussion on the welfare state.

Personal Reflection:

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

Student sources for the Lesson.

Article:

Re: Overzealous & Secretive, Dec. 13; A Broken System, Dec. 15.
The National Post should be congratulated for adding to the national conversation on the direction of child welfare in
this country. In a research project I have been leading, which looks into child protection failures, there are two
uncomfortable themes that keep arising: That the system is largely racist and focused on the economically
disadvantaged. Aboriginal people make up the largest percentage of children in care across the country. Other
minority populations follow. The vast majority of families involved in the child protection systems are also poor.

Government policies are at the root of these issues. Child protection cannot solve poverty and racism. For example,
the federal government must stop under-funding child protection on reserves. Poverty, which results in the neglect
of children, must be directly addressed by economic programs. Child protection is left as the cleanup system for
large social problems that we, as Canadians, appear unwilling to collectively resolve.
Peter W. Choate, assistant professor, Social Work, Mount Royal University, Calgary.

I was pleased to see the National Post take up the cudgels on behalf of children in need of protection. As noted in
your article, these children risk further abuse, and even death, despite being under state supervision. Another risk
they face are too many disruptions: changes of social worker, moving from home to home, changing schools as they
move. Educational success is compromised. They are at greater risk of being drawn into street life and
homelessness. Family connections are lost; they are aged out of the system too soon and end up with poorer
outcomes than their contemporaries later in life.
Problems within the system are too numerous to document in a short letter, but a key issue is the failure to
recognize that decision making in this field requires an advanced set of skills. Close to 60% of workers have less
than four-years experience. Many do not even have a basic social work degree. We would not tolerate such lack of
standards in the medical world, which is analogous in that it also involves decision making that may have life and
death consequences. After a long career in this field, I advocate for change whenever I can.
Kathleen Kufeldt, adjunct professor, University of New Brunswick, Calgary.

EXIT SLIP: Name_________ Date_________

If governance is supposed to work for the good of the people, how do we make sense of the
ways that the system fails individuals? Can you think of a different solution to meeting the needs of
the people?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
PowerPoint Seminotes
Governance Canadian Studies 30

What is Governance?

Governance is how society, or groups within it ___________ to make decisions

Those who make decisions within a ______________ political culture must be _____________ by a significant fraction of the
population and then they must ensure that their practices ______________ to the needs of those people.

What is all the talk about the Crown about?

Parliamentary ______________

The British concept of parliamentary sovereignty means:

Parliament has the _________ to make or _________/change any ______

One Parliament ________ make laws that will _______ future parliament in any way;

All privately owned land is held as a form of delegation from the _____________ who can take it back at any time; and,

Parliament is the highest court in the land and cannot be ____________ by the courts that __________ laws.

But this changed

This changed mainly because the people were unhappy because their needs were not being met which created a new form of
the ______________.

Popular Sovereignty
Which is the belief that ______________ authority within society resides with the people themselves and cannot be ____________ to
any other individual or organization

Constitution

Is a body of ________ and practices, written and un written according to which the people and the political institutions of a
society are governed.

Rights

Rights are those claims for recognition by individuals and groups that take ______________ over the claims of other individuals or
groups that a society is duty-bound to ____________.

How are our rights protected?

Rights are protected by the tradition in ________________ to meet the _________ of the people

The charter of rights and the judiciary laws keep _________________ from violating rights.

Why does it matter?

Governance, specifically good governance matters today because it is ___________ for giving _______ to the needs of the
_________.

Governments are of the most ___________ organizations

Good governance leads to

Good governance good leadership good decisions and better __________ FOR THE PEOPLE

Why it matters today.

There are multiple ___________ in our society that need to be changed for our society today.

Indigenous peoples in health, education and economic development. The ______ between them and other Canadians needs to be
_________. Good governance needs to be achieved to make sure their _________ are being ________.

Governance agendas on __________ and __________, institutions and government structures that __________ self-government are
needed if change is to happen
Governance in Cities need to change as they too have _________ over time

Effective ____________________ of diverse population, aging citizen, integrating transportation networks and climate change

Good Governance = Constitutional Leadership = the welfare of ALL people

Canadas Welfare State

Comes from ________________ tradition

Referred to as __________ programs in Canada

These programs provide __________ payments to ________ individuals as well as a broad spectrum of programs

Welfare is run by the ________ which means it differs from place to place.

Originally run by the church, but the ______________ was transferred to government policy in the 1930s and 60s.

Much of the funding has been _____ in the 1990s as governments become focused on ______________ debt and deficit.
Lesson Plan Title: Culture and Governance? Do these things go together?
Date: N/A
Subject: History 30 Grade: 12
Topic: Governance - Culture and Governance. Do these things to together?
Essential Question: Why is it important to understand governance and different perspectives around issues
of governance?

Materials:
- http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/SenatorEugeneForsey/time_travel/index-e.html
- Zaretta Hammonds book
Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain.
- Laptops/ access to a computer lab
- Sticky notes
- Long role of white paper
- Performance task handout

Stage 1- Desired Results you may use student friendly language

What do they need to understand, know, and/or able to do?
Students need to understand that each persons cultural background will affect their view on governance.
Students will also learn and understand the history behind the governing/governance structures in Canada as they
create a time line that synthesizes and summarizes key and important moments in Canadas history.

Broad Areas of Learning:

This lesson will help to create engaged citizens as students learn that each of them have an important role to play
in society. By understanding themselves they will be better equip to understand others perspectives and how that
might affect their views of governance. Students in this lesson will also come to understand the history of their
government. As students go through the timeline of governance in Canada they will gain an understanding of the
cause and effect relationship in Canadas governance history. Understanding the timeline will help students to be
more informed about the context they find themselves in.

Cross-Curricular Competencies:
Students will develop thinking skills in the lesson as they analyze the important and notable moments of Canadas
governance history during the timeline activity. Students will also learn to think differently about their culture and
cultural background and the way in which it effects the lens through which they see governance. Students will be
introduced to learning to think critically about what they read and interact with in the unit.

Outcome(s):
DR 30.2 Discuss and evaluate different viewpoints, to make a tentative judgment or how an issue may cause
controversy.
DR 30.3 - Assess how historical events in Canada have affected the present Canadian identity

PGP Goals:
2.1 knowledge of Canadian History, especially in reference to Saskatchewan and Western Canada I will
accomplish this in the lesson by giving student current information about Canadas governance system and by
teaching students how to examine the historical causes of contemporary issues and trends within Governance.
1.3 a commitment to social justice and the capacity to nurture an inclusive and equitable environment for the
empowerment of all learners I will accomplish this PGP goal by using culturally responsive methods of modeling
my own understanding of my culture in the opening activity, and by inviting students to understand theirs as well.
By addressing the variants of culture within the classroom the students will begin to relate with one another in
respectful and inclusive ways as we work to create an environment of understanding and acceptance of others to
ensure the empowerment of all learners.

Stage 2- Assessment
Assessment FOR Learning (formative) Assess the students during the learning to help determine next steps.

- free write to see how students understand their own culture and how it might affect their view of governance.
After the first activity, the teacher can collect these quick writes to see what the students are thinking about
understanding culture and its relationship with governance. Doing this at the beginning of the lesson allows for the
teacher to re-address it at the end of the lesson when they have gone over some of the governance content where
disagreements might arise. Using this formative assessment in this way the teacher is also able to see how the
learning about understanding culture before governance changes after the timeline activity.
- going over the timeline is a form of formative assessment and summative assessment as students will go
through what they learn and the teacher can see what they learned along the way as well as offer feedback if
things are missing. Teacher can fill in the holes or ask the students to research further around things that might be
missing. Statements like I wonder if .. you should consider that and find how that will affect the timeline.

Assessment OF Learning (summative) Assess the students after learning to evaluate what they have learned.
- Student created timeline that includes a historical analysis of governance in Canada that is presented to the class
and will be approved by all members before it becomes a permanent fixture on the timeline. In this way, the
teacher is also a part of the learning process as this activity enables the teacher to see what the students
understood from the timeline and the extra context research they did. This activity also gives the teacher the
opportunity to see if there are any missing parts and ideas in what was learned in this activity.
Stage 3- Learning Plan

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

~15 minutes hook activity: How does understanding your culture help you understand Governance students will do an activity
to understand their culture out of Zaretta Hammonds book Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain. In this lesson the
teacher will address her culture as a white European settler and how that affects her views on governance. This is an
important exercise to do with the class before we start doing the Unit so that students can understand themselves and why
the think what they think about governance.

Main Procedures/Strategies:
~15 minutes hook activity: How does understanding your culture help you understand Governance students will do an activity
to understand their culture out of Zaretta Hammonds book Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain. In this activity,
the teacher will model and address her culture and the different levels of culture as a white European settler explaining how
that affects her views on governance. p.58
This is an important exercise to do with the class before we start doing the Unit so that students can understand
themselves and why the think what they think about governance. Teacher models for students with each example how
teachers culture has affected their perspective on the questions that are asked. Students can see this modeling and
make connections for their own lives and cultures. Teacher reads the phrases out loud and the students write down
their answers on a piece of paper.
- make sure to check in with students how this activity is going and If they are getting it and understanding how to
answer the questions. By directly asking if we are ready to move on the students will offer a response.
Quick write after brief sharing of answers if students choose to.
- Quick write will be handed in for Formative assessment (essential question) Students will respond to their
experience of understanding their own culture and will address whether they think it is important to do this activity at
the outset of a unit about Governance.
~ 25 mins: student led teaching- students make notes about what they learn about from this timeline website
http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/SenatorEugeneForsey/time_travel/index-e.html and students will create a timeline
of how Canadas Government came to be on a long poster board that will hang in the classroom as point of reference
throughout the course. Students will summarize main points answering who, what, where, when, why and historical
significance of the specific time they choose. Students will write these points on sticky notes that will be put onto the paper
timeline and discussed as a class. If the whole class agrees on the information and significance of the note, that note will be
glued to the timeline. Students will have the option to work in pairs, or alone. Students can do research in the computer lab,
library or classroom. The timeline will be assigned to groups and the students will make groups to work on various parts and
times within the timeline. (this might take two class periods if students are not close to finishing research at 10 to, bring
students back to the classroom and recap and address the student free write to close the lesson. If students working quickly,
feel free to go on to the other two elements of the lesson, however if another class period is needed students will have more
time for research if they are working productively, and time to go through the final elements of this lesson)
~ 15 mins- go through the timeline as a group- each group that did research will speak about the points they chose to
highlight and why they were important enough to put on the timeline. Teacher will fill in any holes that might be missing from
the timeline.
~15 mins introduce final project performance task and set date for first check-in
~ 5 mins recap and re-address the students free write- Teacher will clarify the importance of understanding our own
cultures as we learn about Governance in Canada to help everyone remain open to different perspectives.

Adaptations/Differentiation:
- a scribe for those students who have a hard time writing down the answers to the questions from the Culturally
Responsive Teaching and The Brain activity.
- partners for the timeline activity for those who want to work in partners, and options for individual work if there
are those who want to work independently.
- students can present their information seated in their desk, or at the front of the room, whatever they are
comfortable with.
- structured questions for students to answer about the time periods if they have a hard time getting started.
- availability of laptops for in class work if work in the library or computer lab is too distracting
- talk to the student to ask them what they are struggling with in the lesson if they are having difficulties.
- Re-assess the classroom environment

Closing of lesson:
recap and re-address the students free write- Teacher will clarify the importance of understanding our own
cultures as we learn about Governance in Canada to help everyone remain open to different perspectives.
Teacher will ask students why they think it is important to address culture before we address governance in this
unit. Teacher will ask them what they learned from understanding how our individual cultures shape our
perspectives. Teacher will ask students leading questions that will get them to the desired answer: The goal of
understanding culture before we address governance is to create an open environment where we come learn and
understand that every person has a different view of governance that is a result of their culture and the way they
view this topic. It is important to understand this to create an open and honest environment for learners with
differing/ various opinions to all have an opportunity to learn the content and from one another.

Personal Reflection:
M. Wilkinson 16 *Adapted from Understanding by Design (McTighe and Wiggins, 1998)

Lesson Plan Title: Debate Central

Date: N/A
Subject: History 30 Grade: 12
Topic: Aboriginal Governance vs. Eurocentric Ideology of Governance
Essential Question: Why is it important to understand all perspectives before understanding or reaching a personal
stance on a topic?

Materials:
- individual white boards for those without cell phones
- Debate Presentations Rubric
- Student Evaluation
- Class set of computers/ access to computer lab
- student handout for WordPress assignment
- google docs class sheet for exit slip

Stage 1- Desired Results you may use student friendly language

What do they need to understand, know, and/or able to do?
Students will know how to analyze perspectives and represent the differing views while succinctly creating a
debate culminating in a consensus that represents both sides. Students will be able to see the connections that
have changed Canada in the decisions that people with power make in this country. Students will learn how to use
technology as the base for their debate and what content is appropriate for debate issues. Students will be able to
represent all ideas, while coming to their own moral conclusion that persuades others to believe their stance.

Broad Areas of Learning:

Engaged citizens this lesson will help students to become engaged citizens as they will know how to research
and make sense of the many political conflicts within their culture. The practice of debate helps students formulate
strong dialectic reasoning which will be used in their lives as they enter new stages of citizenship. As students take
part in this activity they will be able to practice their skills of understanding conflict and representing both sides,
while coming to a personal conclusion. Students will also learn how to take part in debate in a healthy and helpful
way that is backed up in research and evidence. In todays world that gives anyone a platform for debate with
social media, students need to decipher through rhetoric to understand contribute truth in such conversations.
Life-long learners- this lesson will help students become lifelong learners as they will learn that the art of debate is
something that they will carry with them into life and relationships in the future. Students will recognize the
importance of understanding conflict in their daily lives, as it is all around them. This lesson will give students tools
to know how to understand all perspectives in conflict while making a personal stance on the topic.

Cross-Curricular Competencies:
Students will develop thinking skills in the lesson as they learn to understand and analyze the ways that decisions
are made on topics that involve debate and understanding strengths and weaknesses of a topic. Students will
practice dialectic reasoning as they strive to understand and represent BOTH sides of a topic of conflict within
Governance. As students research their debate topic they will also practice their moral reasoning as they are
asked to decide for or against a specific side of the argument/conflict. In giving students this type of assignment
that is counter to their natural way of thinking, students will grow in their ability to reason and make decisions.

Outcome(s):
DR 30.1 Analyze decision making models that involve debate and consensus for their strengths and weakness; DR
30.4 Analyze how central Canadas decision making effected its relationship with other parts of Canada

PGP Goals:

Stage 2- Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning (formative) Assess the students during the learning to help determine next steps.
Formative
Exit slip - Essential Question: Why is it important to understand all perspectives before understanding or
reaching a personal stance on a topic?
Quality and transformation of research findings as students go along throughout the period.
Debate presentations rubric co-constructed with the students
WordPress Debate forum, responses, and posts
Assessment OF Learning (summative) Assess the students after learning to evaluate what they have learned.
Summative
Debate Forum presentation Students will be marked on their debate presentation and how clearly they
represent both sides of the arguments, as well as their own understanding that leads to their moral
decision. Students will be graded on the quality of their forum they create for their debate topic and its
followability for the viewer, the teacher and fellow students.
Research students will be graded on the quality of research that they produce to understand both sides of
the conflict they represent. The depth and connections that students make in their research will all
contribute to the overall strength of their argument and debate, therefore strong research will contribute to
the formative assessment. Students contributions to the research will be noted on google sheets as the
teacher, you are able to see who contributes what to the group creates.
WordPress page- debate forum completeness and quality of interactive posts

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Motivational/Anticipatory Set (introducing topic while engaging the students)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB3vEzu6gUo - students will watch a video called Introduction to the
Debate. This video will identify how students participate in a debate and introduce them to the process of
debating.
Main Procedures/Strategies:
~ 5 mins Hook question: What creates conflict or debate among citizens?
This initial question of the unit will take place using www.polleverywhere.com - text responses will not be
anonyms
For those who do not have a cellphone to use in class, students will write their answer on a personal
white board.
Students will generate ideas about what creates conflict in society.
~ 30-35 mins- student research for debate on these three issues in governance students will be split into groups and will
choose a topic to research. Half of the group will take on the pro side and the others will take on the con side. Students will
research for their topic for the online debate forum and the shortened in-class debate. There may be different groups of each
topic. Students will do research separately but all information they find will be collected on a shared google document that the
students will use in their debates. Students will have the autonomy to decide within their group who will research what and
develop the talking points that will be used.
 Power and wealth- Guide Question: How is power distributed? Should the wealthy have all the power in society, or
should they pay for the poor?
Culture conflict- Refugees to Canada and how Governance is effected in the mixing of cultures within a society.
Guide questions: How might conflict be created as cultures mix within a society?
Differing political customs- Liberal views vs. Conservative Sask. Party views within Saskatchewan? Guide questions:
How can one political party claim to have better ideologies in Saskatchewan?
o These questions might be subject to change depending on what the students want to debate within these
topics.

~ 20 mins debate time (modified, shortened debate)

Each group will have approx. 10 minutes to debate. In a shortened debate, students must be precise in their
speaking and presentation.
Students will be assessed against the rubric that is co-constructed in class time.
~5-7 mins Debrief/ Student Evaluation discussion
What went well? What was hard? What was easy? How could you improve in your debate skills?

~30 mins- Students will use this time to create a WordPress website
(~5 mins Explanation of the WordPress debate forum.)
o Students will create a WordPress page using their research and information from the debate research
o Students will create a webpage that is easy to access and understand all sides of the argument while
also incorporating their moral stance and explanation. In doing this, students will be able to see the
connections that were made in the debate while asking them to present them to the viewer in a way
that is understandable and easy to follow.
o Students will work in their groups and evenly divide the work between pairs.
o Students will evaluate their peers on the work they did on the website- to hold one another
accountable for the work they do.
o Once students are finished their websites, each student will be required to comment/ make a
rebuttal on the arguments of the two other debate pages for the admin page to then reply to,
simulating an online debate.
o Same rules for debate apply.
If students are having a hard time with creating a WordPress students will be directed to this YouTube video
to learn how to create the webpage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW3o7rSn-TY
This activity might take longer than 40 mins that are allotted, but students will have one more period to
finish their webpage and make comments on the other online debates.
 Students will receive a handout for further explanation and scaffolding ideas

Adaptations/Differentiation:
YouTube videos for further explanation
o WordPress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW3o7rSn-TY
Individual white boards
Google Documents
For those who need a challenge, they will be encouraged to identify the weaknesses in peoples debates
and identify steps for improvement.
One on one help if students need.
Give students more time to produce the debate website
Give students the ability to choose the topics they want to debate

Closing of lesson:

~ 5-7 mins exit slip to be responded to on class google docs sheet - Why is it important to understand all
perspectives before understanding or reaching a personal stance on a topic? How does creating a webpage about
the debate help you understand it further?

Personal Reflection:

M. Wilkinson 16 *Adapted from Understanding by Design (McTighe and Wiggins, 1998

Debate: Student Evaluation
Name: _______ /10

1) What went well in the debate?

2) What was hard about debating or about the debate?

3) What was easy? What areas did you find to be easy in debate?

4) How could you improve in your debate skills? What are three things you
could do to become more effective?

*adapted from https://esldebate.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/etp_3_classroom_debate_rubric-2.doc Online WordPress DEBATE

RUBRIC
 Levels of Performance

Criteria 1 2 3 4

1. Organization and Unclear in most Clear in some Most clear and Completely clear and orderly
Clarity: parts parts but not orderly in all presentation
over all parts
viewpoints and responses
are outlined both clearly
and orderly.

2. Use of Arguments: Few or no Some relevant Most reasons Most relevant reasons given in support
relevant reasons reasons given given: most
reasons are given to given relevant
support viewpoint.

3. Use of Examples and Few or no Some relevant Many Many relevant supporting examples and
Facts: relevant examples/facts examples/facts facts given
supporting given given: most
examples and facts are examples/facts relevant
given to support reasons.

4. Use of Rebuttal: No effective Few effective Some effective Many effective counter-arguments made
counter- counter- counter-
arguments made by the arguments made arguments made arguments made
other teams are responded
to and dealt with
effectively.
5. Presentation Style: Few style Few style All style All style features were used
features were features were features were convincingly
Website used; not used used, most
convincingly convincingly convincingly

Score: ___/20

History 30: WordPress Assignment /40

After the amazing work, you History 30 debaters did yesterday, I thought the world needs to know both sides of the
arguments! This next assignment is an opportunity for you to create a webpage that informs the viewer of the arguments and
the possible moral decisions that could be derived from your research. You will create a WordPress page using the research and
information that your group used to create yesterdays debates. Both the affirmative and the negative sides will create a
different webpage, and will draw on the arguments of the other to create a site that gives the viewer an understanding of the
argument. As a group, you will make webpage that is easy to access all sides of the argument, while also incorporating
their moral stance and explanation. In doing this, you will be able to see the connections that were made in the debate
while asking them to present them to the viewer in a way that is understandable and easy to follow.
Websites:
o work in groups and evenly divide the work between the members in the group piggybacking on others
work does not make you a helpful member to the task.
o You will be evaluating you peers on the work they did on the website- so make sure you are putting in
your effort, hold one another accountable for the work you do.

Once your groups website is finished its website, each student will be required to comment/ make a rebuttal on the arguments
of the two other debate pages. The website admin to each page will reply to the points their classmates make against their
arguments. ( __/ 10)

The object for this activity is to simulate an online debate for you to understand how to participate in online discussions as a
good, informed digital citizen.
** Same rules for debate apply. Be Respectful!
If you are having a hard time with creating a WordPress students check out this YouTube video to learn how to create the
webpage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW3o7rSn-TY

If you have any further questions, come talk to me!

Have fun!
History 30: Governance Syllabus

Exit Slips ___ /10

Debate
- In class Debate ___ / 15
- Online Debate Forum ___ / 15
- Self Evaluation ___ / 5

Performance Task ___ / 30

- Check ins ___ / 5
- Journals ___ / 10

Total: __ / 90