Grade 5, Unit 2: Role of Government, Responsible Citizenship (Ontario Soc. Stu.)

The Grade 5, Unit 2: Role of the Government and Responsible Citizenship activity packet is a series of lessons, activities, readings, assignments and assessments that can be used to teach students about the Canadian government. This resource is aligned with the 2018 Ontario Social Studies curriculum. Please note that this resource has been recently revised as of 04/20/2020.

The purpose of this resource is to introduce students to what a government is, and what the roles and responsibilities are of each of the three levels of government in Canada. Through this unit students also explore their role and responsibilities as citizens in Canada, and how we can all work together to solve issues that affect many different individuals. Please note that this resource features issues that are of interest and relevance to the various levels of Canadian society.

There is a focus on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities alongside other communities found in Canada.

The Big Ideas:

As with other Social Studies units this resource is based around the following three big ideas:

• Citizens and governments need to work together in order to be able to address issues effectively and fairly.
• When examining an issue, it is important to understand who the different stakeholders are and to consider their perspectives.
• To be active and effective citizens, Canadians need to understand their rights and responsibilities as well as how governments work.

Lessons Included:

This activity packet features twelve lesson plans that address the overall expectations as well as specific expectations for the Role of the Government and Responsible Citizenship unit. The titles for each of the lessons are as follows:

• Lesson 2.1: Introducing the Unit
• Lesson 2.2: Rights and Responsibilities
• Lesson 2.3: Levels of Government
• Lesson 2.4: Indigenous Governments
• Lesson 2.5: Shared Responsibilities
• Lesson 2.6: Three Branches of the Federal Government
• Lesson 2.7: Elections and Political Parties
• Lesson 2.8: The Making of Laws
• Lesson 2.9: The Duty to Consult
• Lesson 2.10: Considering Issues
• Lesson 2.11: Coastal GasLink Pipeline
• Lesson 2.12: Bringing it Together

Activities, Assignments, Readings, and More:

This packet features 28 activities, 9 readings, 3 assignments, 2 grading scales, 2 exit cards, 2 assessment charts, 2 self-assessment charts, 3 rubrics, and 3 reflections.

A Note on the Activities:

The curriculum expectations for this unit are complex and require students to use critical thinking skills to think about the government and how key issues are and should be dealt with considering varying perspectives. As a result some of the lessons in this unit require whole-group discussion throughout the lesson. This is so that as a class you can brainstorm thoughts and guide student thinking. Please feel free to allow students to complete all, most, or some activities with a small group or with a partner.

Google Slides Link:

This resource also features the activity pages, assignments, as well as readings in a digital format. A Google Drive link is provided for you to use. You must make a copy of the digital file in order to use the digital activities, assignments, and readings. Please note that the pages included in the Google Slide link are not separated, but rather are all presented as one document. To assign students work to complete tell them the slide number(s) that they are to work on. This will allow you to have one main file for each students rather than separate files.

Answer Keys:

Please note that there are only answer keys provided for those activities that have set answers. The reason for this is that many of the activities draw upon students prior knowledge as well as discussions and inquiry exploration.

Questions? Concerns?

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