Abstract:
Donated by Kim Snider, this unit integrates the Grade 3 Drama, Social Studies, and Language curricula. It is partly inspired by CODE’s ‘Building a Community’ unit for Junior students, as well as David Booth’s process drama about a mining community, which was presented at the 2013 National Drama conference in London, England.
To meet the expectations of this unit, students should have some familiarity with whole group role play and basic dramatic conventions such as tableau. If students have not yet engaged in inquiry-based research, the teacher should further scaffold research skills through discrete lessons, perhaps in collaboration with the teacher-librarian.
To complete the final culminating task, students should be familiar with paragraph structure and expressing an opinion in writing with supporting details. Finally, this unit provides further extension activities, such as treaty work based on First Nations, Metis, and Inuit notions of stewardship and taking care of the land.
To address all of the expectations of this unit, teachers should use available literacy blocks and arts time to explore the activities outlined, particularly for the completion of the culminating task.