Lesson Two - Who are We?

Description
Students analyse Canadian civilization and use an advance organizer to record their information. They create and discuss a definition of civilization in groups and as a class.

Expectations
– use media works, oral presentations, written notes and descriptions, drawings, tables, charts, maps, and graphs to communicate information about early communities;
– use graphic organizers and graphs to sort information and make connections (e.g., Venn diagrams comparing governments, subject webs illustrating physical needs, year-round calendar to show agricultural cycles, bar graph for temperature data);
– describe the physical features and climate of two or more regions where early civilizations developed (e.g., the flood plains of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, the Nile River Valley, the inland delta of the upper Niger River, the mountainous islands of Greece, the fertile plains of China, the rain forest of the Amazon, the deserts of the United States);
- use a variety of resources and tools to investigate characteristics of a number of early civilizations, including their significant innovations and technological advances;

Teaching / Learning
DAY ONE - Concept Clarification:
1. Write the word beliefs on one piece of chart paper in red.
2. Write the word notebook on another piece of chart paper in blue.
3. Ask the class to look at each word closely and think of a category each word could belong to. Tell the students to keep their ideas to themselves for now.
4. Add the word economy to the red list. Add the word baseball to the blue list. Pause.
5. Add the word language to the red list. Add the word sneakers to the blue list. Pause.
6. Continue in this way, adding the following words to each list and pausing after each addition to allow students time to think about the groups and how they could be categorized.
Red List: clothing, religions, music, art, technology, food, celebrations.
Blue List: goldfish, light bulb, compact disc, poster, movie, hamburger, cat.
7. Organize students into groups of three or four.
8. Ask student groups to share their individual ideas about the possible categories these lists represent.
9. As a group, students should agree on the most appropriate category headings.
10. Ask one person in each group to tell the rest of the class what the categories they selected are. Also have the student explain the group's reasoning.
11. DO NOT TELL THE STUDENTS IF THEY ARE CORRECT. ALLOW ALL ANSWERS TO BE SHARED, THEN TELL THE STUDENTS TO KEEP THINKING ABOUT THIS AS THEY COMPLETE THE NEXT TASK.

Think/Pair/Share:
12. Instruct a different member of each group to draw a circle in the middle of their chart paper big enough to write one or two sentences in. Next, have them divide the remaining space into enough equal-sized parts for each group member to have one to work within. (This activity is called placemats.)
13. Tell the class that they will need to think about what defines a civilization, and to write a definition of civilization in their space on the chart paper ( not the center space).
14. Once students are finished, tell them to circulate around the classroom and read the definitions written by their peers. Allow about five minutes before students return to their groups.
15. Challenge student groups to come to a consensus about the best definition of civilization and to write this definition in the circle in the center of their chart paper.
16. Have students read their group's definition to the class.
17. Discuss the definitions shared and sum up the definitions as a class. Relate the definition back to the concept clarification exercise from earlier in the lesson by saying: "Look at the lists on the two charts. Do your definitions include many of these words? What do you think the categories for these lists are?" Discuss as a summary of the lesson.

DAY TWO - Advance Organizer:

18. Review definitions and the concept clarification/definition charts from last day. After hearing all definitions, ask the class: "If archaeologists in the future were to look back at us, what would they see? How would they describe us as a civilization?" Discuss.
19. Have students create a chart with seven sections, using the words from the red list as headings.  Students should then work in pairs to fill in what they know about each category in relation to Canadian civilization. Model expectations by completing the economy section, as this is the most difficult term for students to complete independently.
20. As groups finish, pair them with other groups and ask members to share their ideas and add any new ideas to their charts.

Role Playing (Optional - See Notes To Teacher):
21. Tell students that you are going to briefly step out of the classroom to activate a time travel machine.  When you activate the machine, students become archaeologists from the future who have to tell their museum curator, in a very important meeting, about what they believe to be a terrifically exciting civilization they have discovered called Canadian.
22. Step out of the room and put on a hat, or jacket, or otherwise change your appearance enough to help the students see you in role. (This is a drama technique called Teacher in Role).
23. Walk into the room and say: "Well staff, I understand you have made many interesting discoveries about this so-called "Canadian" civilization. I am still not convinced that it is a civilization, however. You will have to prove it is a civilization if I am going to authorize any extra funding for the Ancient Canada Exhibit you have requested. Is there anyone out there who can prove that Canada was a civilization?"
24. Have student volunteers in the class use their charts to help them present information to you about the characteristics of Canada as a civilization. Encourage them to stay in role by trying to call them Mr. or Ms. Archaeologist.
25. After the role play seems to have served its purpose, tell the class you have decided to authorize the Ancient Canada Exhibit on one final condition - that all archaeologists submit the charts of their data about Canada to you with their names clearly written on top. You plan to look the data over, then get back to them. Thank the hard-working team of archaeologists for their assistance and exit the room.

Adaptations
To accommodate the needs of students with learning difficulties, in this lesson the following accommodations have been incorporated into the lesson plan:
* provide opportunities for smaller, more frequent writing assignments as an alternative to longer writing requirements;
* allow opportunities for alternatives to writing (e.g., graphic representations, drama, media presentations, timelines, collages);
* provide extra time for processing; warn the student in advance that you are going to ask them to read or speak in front of the class so s/he can have some extra time to review or rehearse the material.

To accommodate the needs of students identified as gifted, in this lesson the following accommodations have been incorporated into the lesson plan:
* provide product alternatives based on multiple intelligences;
* allow for flexible pacing in keeping with the demonstrated needs and abilities of the student;
* provide opportunities to: question, experiment, reflect, and to engage in complex and intense thinking.

Assessment
- take anecdotal notes on student discussions as they work in groups.  Observe and note students' use of vocabulary related to civilizations.  Do they use many of the words accurately?  Do they look up words they are not familiar with, then attempt to apply the definition to the activity?  How well are students able to describe components of civilization in context of what they know about Canada?

Assessment Strategies
- Performance Task

Assessment Strategies
- Anecdotal Record

Resources
junior dictionary
chart paper
markers hat or jacket for role playing

Notes to Teacher
The focus for learning in this lesson is the idea that all civilizations have similar features, whether they be civilizations of the past or present. An understanding of the definition of civilization is developed that students require for success in further studies throughout this unit.

The categories for the concept clarification exercise are:                                                                             Red List = characteristics of a civilization;                                                                                              Blue List = NOT characteristics of a civilization.

The purpose of the role-play portion of this lesson is to ensure that students understand the components of a civilization. If they are able to demonstrate that modern Canada is a civilization, it is believed that students will be able to identify the features of civilizations in general and therefore relate these to ancient civilizations. It is possible to leave this portion of the lesson out, but if you choose to do so, be sure to ask the question: "How can you prove that Canada is a civilization?" thereby developing a list of the features of civilizations.