Lesson Idea: Experiential Learning

Subject/Course: Social Studies

Lesson Topic: European Exploration

Lesson Duration: 100 minutes


1. Curriculum Expectations
Overall:
A3. Understanding Context: describe significant features of and interactions between some of the main communities in Canada prior to 1713, with a particular focus on First Nations and New France

Specific:
A3.3 describe the main motives for Europeans’ exploration in early Canada and for the establishment of permanent settlements


2. Lesson Learning Goal(s)
SWBAT:
Demonstrate the understanding of the Europeans’ exploration in early Canada
Apply their previous knowledge about the Europeans’ exploration as their own point of view



3. Assessment

Key Question: How will I know each student has learned the concept(s)?

a) Indicator(s) of Lesson Learning Goals:
I can:

• Use the tools to mimic the European’s when they first arrived to Canada
• Identify the various ways European’s maintained their living through exploring the area 

Materials:
Map of European’s travels, Smartboard, iPads,

Instructional Plan

Setting the Stage

· Class discussion with the students (What do we know about the Vikings and their arrival in Canada?)

· The teacher will inform the class that they are explorers who have recently landed in Canada. It is getting dark and the weather is cold in late November. You only have your clothes and whatever you can use in this area here. Consider what you will use for food (hunting, fishing), transportation, shelter and protection. In your groups, you will travel together and the person with the iPad will take pictures of the items you will use. They must be natural.

· Class will review behavioural expectations for before, during and after the walk (boundaries, walking, crossing roads, iPad use)

Core Learning Activity:

· Students will walk to and explore the region

· The teachers will remind students about boundaries and expectations for areas and items they can use

· The teacher will prompt students to consider how they could use different resources and objects

· Students will complete the various challenges at the different stations, documenting their evidence on their iPads

Lesson Consolidation:
· On the walk back, Teacher will ask students what they found that may be able to help them settle onto their new land
Teacher will ask students How do we think it was for the Europeans’ when they first came to Canada? What types of obstacles might they have had once they arrived here?

Apply New Learning:
· Teacher will ask students, as an exit card, to briefly explain how they felt being an European settler while they were outside (some advantages or disadvantages)

· Teacher will explain to students their homework is to explore the New World Colony app on their iPads

Follow-up/next steps:

· Students will use the pictures and ideas to present in a knowledge building circle
· Homework: to create pic-collage of pictures they took (send to all group members)