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Introduction

Curriculum Units:

Treaties

Traditional Games

Fur Trade

Northwest Rebellion

First Nations Past and Present

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LESSON #1                   WHAT IS A TREATY?

SUBJECT:  Language Arts/Social Studies

TOPIC:  Treaties in Saskatchewan

CONCEPT: Treaty

TIME FRAME:  1-2 classes

COMMON ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS:  Communication, Personal and Social Values, Independent  Learning.    

MATERIALS: Teacher made flashcards with examples and non-examples of a treaty

1. OBJECTIVES:          Saskatchewan Social Studies Objectives
                                           Saskatchewan Language Arts Objectives

Cognitive:  Students will...
- discuss that First Nations people have a unique history and are an integral part of society.
- discover through class discussion and research about First Nations heritage in Saskatchewan.
- know that First Nation peoples have inhabited this region for many thousands of years.

Affective/Spiritual: Students will...
- appreciate and value the cultures and traditions of various First Nations people in Saskatchewan.
- develop obedience by demonstrating the ability to listen through lecture and stories about First Nations people at the time of treaty.
- demonstrate respect for the ideas, language and communication styles of their and ability to respond sensitively and thoughtfully.
- demonstrate the ability to use oral and written language to generate, clarify and extend their personal understandings of what they observe, feel, hear, and read through personal reflection and interaction with others.

Physical: Students will...
- organize and present information on content related to the concept of treaty .

2.  RESOURCES: 

       http://www.inac.gc.ca/treatdoc/index.html
      http://collections.gc.ca/treaties/code

3. PURPOSE/TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION

    Teacher will need to write on flashcards the examples and non-examples of a treaty.

4.  ACTIVITIES/IDEAS:

Step One:
    The teacher tell students they will be playing a game.  The teacher provides a focus for the students--set boundaries of what they are looking for in examples.  (For instance, focus on the what the yes's have in common)

   Step Two:
   Present the examples and non-examples from the flashcards having the students' focus on the attributes of a treaty.  (For instance, is this is a YES?  It has all the attributes of this concept.  Or is this a NO?  It does not have the necessary attributes. Take a look at the YES replies, ask what do they have in common?).  Set out the examples on a YES table and the non-examples on a NO table and have a column for NOT SURE items.

                 YES- Criteria for a treaty                NO- Criteria for a treaty

             - agreement        - land                    

             - contract           - two people

             - resources         - written

             - legal                - exchange of goods
                                        or resources

Step Three:
Ask the students' to hypothesize about the concept. For instance, do you think this is a yes or no?  Why do you think this belongs with the NO'S?  Are you starting to get an idea of what the concept is?  Write down your ideas as we go along.

Step Four:
Have the students' name the concept of treaty.  Discuss with students' their thinking that took place to arrive at the concept. (How did your thinking go?)

Step Five:
Plan a follow-up activity;
- Have students' generate a definition of treaty using the examples.
- Have students' (or a small group of students (2-3) go on the internet to have a look at what treaties contain)

NOTE:  The vocabulary used in the treaties are above the grade four level -- if possible have a teacher's associate or a parent volunteer help the group of students that are on the internet.

5. EVALUATION:

Original Treaty One document.