Phase 2: Investigate: Inquiry Project Brainstorm

Key Highlights and Key Questions

Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ rights (can add in as well different abilities, Jewish). I have decided to focus on black rights as my main topic regarding diversity. If students bring up alternative aspects to human rights, these will be welcomed and discussed as well.
History of slaves, residential schools
Key questions
- What are human rights?
- Do human rights differ from human-to-human?
- What responsibility do we have to the rights of others?
- What impact does our history have on our human rights today?
- Why (and when) do people treat others poorly?
- What do people find difficult about treating others well?
- How do we help our society become truly equal in our human rights?
- How do we become respectful of other cultures, abilities, skin colors, etc.?
- How can we become accepting of individuals who are different from ourselves?
- How do we embrace diverse individuals?
- What right do we have to partake in our cultural traditions and holidays?
- Are certain populations more at risk of/more exposed to diseases?
- How do groups work together to have their mission known and spread?
- Why do you believe what you believe? What impact do other people have on your beliefs and values, and therefore your actions, about acceptance of others?
- What impact can citizens have on policy making regarding acceptance of others?
- How do we improve the lives of others around us?

Broad Strokes Plan and Questions

I would like to do a year-long project regarding this topic where each week it is worked on at least once per week. I think that doing it each week will ensure it stays in the forefront of student’s minds, rather than just a short, intense couple week unit on it. This is something that can be worked on throughout the year and continually developed as students grow, mature, and learn more without feeling rushed and be able to continually add on to their knowledge.
There would be some whole class learning activities (such as a novel study that relates to diversity/human rights), some group work, and individual work (a personal novel study where students choose from a set of books), among many other activities.
Lessons/activities to be taught/done
- Lesson on different types of books (informational, biography, memoirs etc.) which students will then be exploring to develop their knowledge on the topic of black rights
- Lesson on informational books and how to navigate them
- Lessons on history about times when differences were not accepted/celebrated, such as:
  - Holocaust [Edit: August 4, 2020 – this does not relate to topic of Black Lives Matter so would be taken out]
  - Slavery (this would be main focus as this relates to black rights more than the others)
  - Colonization of Canada regarding Indigenous/European relations (would have learned in previous grades, but can review here) [Edit: August 4, 2020 – this does not relate to topic of Black Lives Matter so would be taken out]
  - Disabilities (different abilities) [Edit: August 4, 2020 – this does not relate to topic of Black Lives Matter so would be taken out]
- Lessons/discussions about police brutality (http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/public-interest-inquiry-racial-profiling-and-discrimination-toronto-police-service/collective-impact-interim-report-inquiry-racial-profiling-and-racial-discrimination-black)
- Lessons on Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- Lessons about author’s purpose (for when they do writing pieces – who is your audience?)
- Activity – have students write from perspective of a person of color
- Research project to create timeline of events that affect that individuals of color
- Throughout the year celebrate key holidays/traditions from the different cultural backgrounds of the students in the class as well as other key ones if they are not represented in our class and those related to African Americans
- Relate to music/poetry and study lyrics of African American singer/song-writers
- Study African-American art
- Final project – plan and partake in a peaceful protest displaying their knowledge and viewpoints?

Questions
- How often do I provide direct lessons/instruction for the students?
- Would doing novel studies as part of the project still be considered inquiry?
- How do I introduce the topic? (I was thinking listening to part of Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream speech)

Learning Outcomes from Alberta Program of Studies

https://www.alberta.ca/programs-of-study.aspx

Language Arts
- 1 – explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences
  - 1 engage in exploratory communication to share personal responses and develop own interpretations
  - 2 select from the ideas and observations of others to expand personal understanding
  - 2 use talk, notes, personal writing and representing, together with texts and the ideas of others, to clarify and shape understanding
- 2 – comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print, and other media texts
  - 1 apply knowledge of organizational structures of oral, print and other media texts to assist with constructing and confirming meaning
  - 1 identify, and explain in own words, the interrelationship of the main ideas and supporting details
  - 1 use definitions provided in context to identify the meanings of unfamiliar words
  - 1 monitor understanding by evaluating new ideas and information in relation to known ideas and information
  - 1 use text features, such as charts, graphs and dictionaries, to enhance understanding of ideas and information
  - 1 identify and use the structural elements of texts, such as magazines, newspapers, newscasts and news features, to access and comprehend ideas and information
  - 2 experience oral, print and other media texts from a variety of cultural traditions and genres, such as autobiographies, travelogues, comics, short films, myths, legends and dramatic performances
  - 2 explain own point of view about oral, print and other media texts
  - 2 discuss common topics or themes in a variety of oral, print and other media texts
  - 2 discuss the author’s, illustrator’s, storyteller’s or filmmaker’s intention or purpose
  - 2 observe and discuss aspects of human nature revealed in oral, print and other media texts, and relate them to those encountered in the community
  - 2 identify or infer reasons for a character’s actions or feelings
  - 4 choose life themes encountered in reading, listening and viewing activities, and in own experiences, for creating oral, print and other media texts
- 3 – manage ideas and information
  - 1 distinguish among facts, supported inferences and opinions
  - 1 use note-taking or representing to assist with understanding ideas and information, and focusing topics for investigation
  - 1 decide on and select the information needed to support a point of view
  - 1 develop and follow own plan for accessing and gathering ideas and information, considering guidelines for time and length of investigation and presentation
  - 2 locate information to answer research questions, using a variety of sources, such as printed texts, bulletin boards, biographies, art, music, community resource people, CDROMs and the Internet
  - 2 use a variety of tools, such as bibliographies, thesauri, electronic searches and technology, to access information
  - 2 skim, scan and read closely to gather information
  - 2 evaluate the congruency between gathered information and research purpose and focus, using pre-established criteria
  - 3 organize and develop ideas and information into oral, print or other media texts with introductions that interest audiences and state the topic, sections that develop the topic and conclusions
  - 3 make notes on a topic, combining information from more than one source; use reference sources appropriately
  - 3 use outlines, thought webs and summaries to show the relationships among ideas and information and to clarify meaning
  - 3 quote information from oral, print and other media sources
  - 4 select appropriate visuals, print and/or other media to inform and engage the audience
- 4 – enhance the clarity and artistry of communication
  - 1 work collaboratively to revise and enhance oral, print and other media texts
  - 1 ask for and evaluate the usefulness of feedback and assistance from peers
  - 1 revise to provide focus, expand relevant ideas and eliminate unnecessary information
  - 3 use various styles and forms of presentations, depending on content, audience and purpose
  - 3 respond to the emotional aspects of presentations by providing nonverbal encouragement and appreciative comments
- 5 – respect, support, and collaborate with others
  - 1 compare personal challenges and situations encountered in daily life with those experienced by people or characters in other times, places and cultures portrayed in oral, print and other media texts
  - 1 use appropriate language to participate in public events, occasions or traditions
  - 1 demonstrate respect by choosing appropriate language and tone in oral, print and other media texts
  - 2 assume a variety of roles, and share responsibilities as a group member
  - 2 identify and participate in situations and projects in which group work enhances learning and results
  - 2 contribute to group knowledge of topics to identify and focus information needs, sources and purposes for research or investigations
  - 2 address specific problems in a group by specifying goals, devising alternative solutions and choosing the best alternative
  - 2 assess own contributions to group process, and set personal goals for working effectively with others
- Health
  - W–6.6 examine and evaluate the risk factors associated with exposure to blood-borne diseases—HIV, AIDS, hepatitis B/C; e.g., sharing needles, body piercing, tattooing, helping someone who is bleeding, being sexually active
  - R–6.6 develop strategies to maintain and enhance appropriate cross-age relationships; e.g., within the family, school and community
  - R–6.7 apply a variety of strategies for resolving conflict; e.g., practise treating differences of opinion as opportunities to explore alternatives
  - R–6.8 analyze the influence of groups, cliques and alliances on self and others; e.g., at home, in school, in the community
  - R–6.9 make decisions cooperatively; e.g., apply a consensus-building process in group decision making
  - L–6.3 analyze influences on decision making; e.g., family, peers, values, cultural beliefs, quality of information gathered
- Social Studies
  - 1.1 recognize how individuals and governments interact and bring about change within their local and national communities:
    - recognize and respect the democratic rights of all citizens in Canada (C, I)
    - value the role of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in protecting individual and collective rights and freedoms (I, PADM)
    - recognize the influence of historical events and legislation on democratic decision making in Canada (TCC, PADM)
    - value citizens’ participation in a democratic society (C)
  - 1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles of democracy by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
    - How does Canada’s justice system help protect your democratic and constitutional rights? (C, PADM)
  - 1.3 analyze how the democratic ideals of equity and fairness have influenced legislation in Canada over time by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
    - How does the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protect the individual rights and freedoms of all Canadians? (I, PADM)
    - How does the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protect collective rights in Canada (i.e., Aboriginal rights, the linguistic rights of official language minorities)? (I, PADM)
    - Why is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms entrenched in the Canadian Constitution? (C, I, PADM)
  - 1.6 analyze how individuals, groups and associations within a community impact decision making of local and provincial governments by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
    - How can individuals, groups and associations within a community participate in the decision-making process regarding current events or issues (i.e., lobbying, petitioning, organizing and attending local meetings and rallies, contacting elected representatives)? (C, PADM)
  - Math
    - Number
      - Demonstrate an understanding of percent (limited to whole numbers), concretely, pictorially and symbolically. [C, CN, PS, R, V] (through using percentages for data)
    - Patterns and Relations
      - Represent and describe patterns and relationships, using graphs and tables. [C, CN, ME, PS, R, V]
    - Statistics and Probability
      - Graph collected data, and analyze the graph to solve problems. [C, CN, PS, R, T] (could have them use data they collected and graph it)
    - Art
      - Expression 10(i)
        
        PURPOSE 2: Students will illustrate or tell a story. Concepts A. A narrative can be retold or interpreted visually. B. An original story can be created visually. C. Material from any subject discipline can be illustrated visually. D. Slogans, causes and promotions can be told visually.
        
        PURPOSE 5: Students will create an original composition, object or space based on supplied motivation. Concepts: A. Outside stimulation from sources such as music, literature, photographs, film, creative movement, drama, television and computers can be interpreted visually.

Current Understandings

I am not very familiar with inquiry-based pedagogy or projects that have been done relating to acceptance of others with relation to black rights, however, with this movement gaining more traction recently, I think that I will be able to find a multitude of resources that will assist me. This will be a huge learning curve for me to plan this year-long inquiry project, but as I am planning it, I get excited about it’s possibilities and hope that I will be able to actually implement it next year (who knows with COVID?). There are a lot of black lives matter resources out there, such as the website https://www.facinghistory.org/, which can assist me in developing this project. Since this is a year-long project, I will be, with my students, continually moving through the inquiry cycle of ask, investigate, create, discuss, and reflect. I hope that my students will come up with even more questions regarding the topic of black rights as we work through this project.

Reflection of Feedback Given

As my instructor, Jodi, had suggested to me, it would be beneficial for me to narrow my topic down a bit. Diversity is such a huge topic and has many facets, such as relations to: skin color, ability, and cultural beliefs and traditions. I will narrow my topic down to how we as humans can embrace cultural differences and become respectful of other’s human rights with regards specifically to Black Lives Matter. I think that narrowing down my topic like this still allows for exploration into varying ways of life, but will help students focus their thinking more and really be able to relate to and form their own opinions about cultural differences and how this relates to human rights in Canada and throughout the world.
A peer in class, Ali Renwick, also gave me the suggestion of a question “how do I create a classroom environment and community that supports diversity and LGBTQ+ understanding?”. While I will not specifically use this as a guiding question, it assists me in that I need to also ensure that throughout the project I am creating a classroom community that supports acceptance of others and has routines set up that also demonstrate acceptance. Students must also be a part of creating this community, as they are the ones who it will truly impact.

Explanations from Sources

Bai, H. (n.d.). What is inquiry?. Key questions for educators.
- Discusses how inquiry is to prepare individuals for the inevitably unpredictable future, and how we use inquiry to search for meaning, value, purpose, and awareness of concepts/issues in the world today. This relates to the topic of how can we as humans be accepting to those that are different from us (and what are the consequences when we are not?) to see alternatives to the way we are currently doing things and re-imagine a future where acceptance truly happens.
Galileo.org. (2015). Focus on inquiry. Retrieved from https://inquiry.galileo.org/
- This website discusses how the “learning for later” style that is typically used in schools now-a-days is not beneficial to students’ retention of knowledge, or interest in learning about the topic. Students must learn about concepts that are important and immediately relevant to themselves in order to be meaningful. The topic of acceptance to others is relevant right now due to the protests and riots about black rights, about women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and so on. Students are very aware of what is happening in the world due to technology, so this is relevant to them and important that they learn how to be accepting of people who are different from them.
Clifford, P. and Friesen, S. (n.d). Hard fun: Teaching and learning for the twenty-first century.
- Clifford and Friesen discuss how learning has to be authentically tied to real life and must break the 19^th century barriers that continue to guide our education. Students must be able to be courageous and challenge the status quo. The topic of acceptance of those who are different from us relates to this as for many years individuals who are Indigenous, black, LGBTQ+, disabled, etc. have been seen as “less than” and segregated from white individuals. These issues have been increasingly brought to the forefront of media, and therefore our lives, which requires deep exploration by society, and therefore our students. Since our students are no doubt the future of the world, we need to challenge them and motivate them to break through barriers that have been set up for generations.

Some Resources