Lesson Name: Philosopher’s Friday with “Foreign Assignment”

Category: Canadian and World Politics

Course Code: CPW 4U1

Created By: Mark Melnyk

School: Markville Secondary School

Level: Grade 12

Time: 76 Minutes

 

 

 

 


Rationale:

Friday’s classes are split into three component parts: Academic Readings, Foreign Assignment and Solving the World’s Problems.

Academic Readings: This is an essential element of this course. Students are given 14 Academic readings as part of the Course Pack from several well respected Journals: The Atlantic Monthly, Foreign Affairs, The Economist, Foreign Policy, etc… Students are challenged to read at a high level and critically deconstruct these articles. Each Friday will start with a short 5 questions quiz to check for understanding and comprehension. This element of the course is critical for preparing students for the rigours of University reading.

Foreign Assignment: This is the excellent show from CBC Newsworld covering global issues and current events. Many high school students are unaware of the world around them, this 30 minute show opens their minds to some of the horrors and wonders of all areas of the world. Essential for the study of World Politics is an understanding of the practical difficulties that the majority of the world’s population endures.

Solving the World’s Problems: This is an opportunity for students to voice their opinions about the Academic Readings, and the contents of the Foreign Assignment show. Essential to Social Studies is debate, interaction and the exposure to varying viewpoints.

 

 

Expectations:

Ø      use political knowledge, skills, and values to act as responsible citizens in a variety of contexts.

Ø      think creatively and analytically to develop potential resolutions to a series of given issues and issues that they select;

Ø      demonstrate the ability to seek and respect the opinions of others;

Ø      describe various career opportunities related to the study of politics (e.g., in research, the civil service, law, journalism);

Ø      communicate and exercise their own political views and convictions in a responsible, democratic manner.
distinguish among opinions, facts, and arguments in sources;
demonstrate an understanding of the commonality of human aspirations for a better, more secure life. analyse the main differences between the social beliefs and ideologies in developed and developing countries (e.g., individual and community property ownership, private and public capitalism, inter-party democracy and intra-party democracy);

Ø      explain the key arguments for and against the processes of “globalization” in economics, politics, and culture, as well as their relationship to values, beliefs, and ideologies.

Ø      describe the factors (e.g., resources, economy, wealth) that contribute to Canada’s power;

Ø      identify the most important factors shaping Canadian foreign policy (e.g., economic objectives, commitments under international treaties);

Ø      describe the types of influence exerted by other nations and groups on Canada and Canadians;

Ø      evaluate the role and influence of Canadian individuals and groups on the world stage;

Ø      evaluate the nature and quality of Canada’s influence within selected world and regional organizations (e.g., the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee, the Organization of American States).

 

 

Instructions:

  1. Introduction: Begin the class with the Academic Reading Quiz. As students are expected to be in class on time, distribute the quiz for the first five minutes of class. To save paper, put the quizzes on Overhead Transparency, make them 5 multiple choice questions. Give each student one Quiz Recording Sheet that will be used to record all 14 quizzes. Upon completion of the quiz, have students switch papers and correct together as a class to save time. When that is finished, have a student collect the Quiz Recording Sheets and return into the folder for recording by the instructor.

 

  1.  Immediately following the quiz introduce the Foreign Assignment for the week and begin. The show runs for 20 minutes (without commercials). The show is excellent and will incite debate and analysis of the world we all inhabit.

 

  1. When the show ends, allow for time to analyze the contents of the show. Relate the theory that students are learning in the course to see if they would be applicable in “solving the world’s problems”. For example, how do you begin to address mass killings in The Congo? What role can Canada play in addressing the disintegration of Nigeria? How can the violence in the Middle East stop? The teacher should guide the discussion, but not be overbearing. Students must feel free to speak, and must be able to question each other and themselves without the fear of being judged. It is in the open exchange of idea and debate that critical higher order thinking occurs.
     
  2. Lesson Closure: In the last few minutes of class try to provide examples that inspire hope. Some of the challenges that exist in our world often overshadow the small or large successes. Students should not leave the room thinking that “we are all going to die”. They should leave with more questions, and the desire to solve the world’s problems in their own way.

 

 

 

Materials:

Þ    Television & Overhead

Þ    CBC’s Foreign Assignments Episodes (Scheduled on Sundays at various times)

Þ    Course Pack

Þ    Develop Short 5 question quizzes based on Academic Readings – put on Overhead

Þ    Folder with Student Academic Reading Evaluation Sheet.

 

 

Assessment & Evaluation:

Part 1: Take the top 10 of 14 Academic Reading quiz scores to make a Mark out of 50.
Part 2&3: Individual involvement in solving the world’s problems and extent of knowledge and values about the issues in question.