Activity One

This activity is to accompany Unit Four of the Curriculum Guide.

Incorporating the C.E.L.s:

• Independent Learning
• Critical & Creative Thinking
• Personal & Social Values & Skills

Concept Application Lesson for:

• Diversity
• Tolerance
• National Unity
• Groups
• Group Identity
• Needs

This concept application activity is intended to promote an increased student understanding of the interplay between group needs and the `needs' of the larger society. The two forces can create tensions within a state. This activity allows students to identify the critical attributes of the two concepts and construct mechanisms/policies that will accommodate the two forces.

Knowledge Objectives

The student will:

• know that many nations, societies and geographic regions are a common home to diverse groups of people;
• know that people are categorized into groups on the basis of broad criteria including race, ethnicity, language, class, wealth, age, and power.
• know that the interests and perceived "needs" of a group may be in conflict with the interests and "needs" of the general society; and,
• know that a degree of agreement among the members of a society on certain fundamental issues is necessary for that society to successfully maintain itself.

Skills Development

The student will:

• practise establishing criteria to evaluate ideas and decisions;
• practise making hypotheses based on reasonable assumptions and inferences;
• practise the following analytical skills:
  • defining the main parts,
  • describing cause and effect relationships; and,
  • describing how the parts of the whole are related to each other.
• practise defining a problem or problems facing a society; and,
• practise relating evidence and assumptions to an argument and/or conclusions.

Values Issues

The student will:

• discuss whether a society should insist that its members accept similar social practices to ensure the well-being of the society;
• discuss whether the interests of the society should take precedence over the interests of individuals or groups within that society;
• discuss whether a policy promoting the maintenance of cultural diversity is harmful to the unity of a nation; and,
• discuss whether it is possible for diverse populations to live together "successfully" in a common political unit and to accept certain conditions in order to be members of that political unit.

Outline of the Activity

Step One

Canada is not a homogeneous nation. It is composed of many population groups who differ in terms of their religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. A number of issues have arisen because of Canada's diversity. Identify and discuss some of these issues.

• Note that the two largest defined groups in Canada are English Canada and French Canada.
• Note that the so-called Constitutional issue is largely focused on the relationship between English Canada and French Canada.
• Note that other nations, such as Belgium, Nigeria, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia have or are facing similar challenges.

Have the students identify some criteria that have traditionally been seen as legitimate categorizers of people:

race; ethnicity; language; religion; culture;

class; wealth; power; age; etc.

Note that historically, people have been able to live as separate groups that promoted their "distinctiveness." Increased population growth and urbanization has now led to different populations coming into more sustained contact.

Note that a number of factors have created situations in that diverse groups are grouped together geographically and politically.

• The borders that distinguish nations are not always based on the locations of distinct populations.
• On occasions, population groups migrate (willingly or through the use of force) into regions settled by other population groups.
• Wars, the establishment of colonies, overcrowding, and persecution and famine all contribute to the movement of distinct populations.

Have the students, working in groups, identify some of the problems/challenges created by diverse groups living in the same geographical/political unit (nation, state or region).

Have the groups report to the class. The class can create a comprehensive list of challenges facing diverse populations living "successfully" together.

Step Two

Discuss the need for a nation to have some degree of unity among its population.

• Note that a nation needs to protect its territorial integrity, maintain common social practices, and maintain some common institutions such as currency and postal services.

Have the students identify certain "imperatives" that a nation's citizens have to agree upon in order for the nation to survive and function effectively.

Examples could include:

• recognizing the nation's constitution and/or the defined and accepted process for changing that constitution;
• agreement not to undertake actions, such as espionage, that would endanger the nation's well-being; and,
• accepting common laws and regulations (traffic laws, business practices, etc.).

Have the students identify certain "imperatives" to which citizens and groups within the society should be entitled in order to maintain their individual/collective well-being.

Examples could include:

• the right to form associations;
• the right of free speech;
• the right to elect the leadership of the nation; and,
• the right to practise one's religion.

Evaluations

Have the students construct concept maps that illustrate how the general society and individuals and groups within that society are dependent on each other in order to satisfy "essential needs".

Have the student groups construct a constitution (bill of rights) that will allow diverse ethnic populations to live together "successfully" in one political unit (nation).

Individual students or group could prepare position papers on one or several of the following issues/questions.

• Is it possible for diverse groups of people to live "successfully" together in an "united" nation?
• Should there be certain conditions (requirements) that all groups must agree upon and practise to ensure the unity and functioning of the nation?
• Should such conditions be included in a constitution or stated in law, or should such conditions merely be implied?
• Should the interests of the nation take precedence over the interests of the individual or groups within the society?
• Should the interests of the individual or group take precedence over the interests of the nation?