Social Studies Unit Plan

Building Infrastructure for Modern Energy Needs:

The Issues and Who is Being Heard?
Stage 1 - Desired Results
Established Goals/ Curriculum Expectations:

Social Studies
B. People and Environments: The Role of Government and Responsible
Citizenship
B1 Application: assess responses of governments in Canada to some

significant issues, and develop plans of action for governments and citizens to
address social and environmental issues
B2 Inquiry: use the social studies inquiry process to investigate Canadian social
and/or environmental issues from various perspectives, including the perspective
of the level (or levels) of government responsible for addressing the issues
B3 Understanding Context: demonstrate an understanding of the roles and key
responsibilities of citizens and of the different levels of government in Canada

Understandings/ Big Ideas:

Essential/Framing Questions:

Students will understand that...

Why are people in the affected

provinces for the Energy East
Pipeline?
Why are others against it?
Whose voices are being/not being
heard?
What are potential risks/benefits for
the construction of the pipeline?
(Decode the puzzle) What are the
messages [for and against the Energy
East Pipeline] embedded in the
videos/ads/websites?
(Judge the better or best) Which is
the more important aspect of modern
Canadian society the government
needs to protect, the environment or
the economy?
(Critique the Piece) How strong are
the arguments/messages for and
against the Energy East Pipeline?

Energy Corporations (such as

TransCanada Corporation) plan
to lay pipelines to transport
crude oil over vast distances
(crossing several
provinces/territories) across
Canada (and elsewhere).
Federal, Provincial and
Territorial governments of
Canada have the responsibility
to meet the needs of their
residents while also ensuring
the protection of the
environment.
The task is very difficult and
the issues surrounding the
project are highly controversial

Students will know

TransCanada (a Canadian energy company) plans to build/connect a pipeline

from the Alberta Tar Sands to St. Johns New Brunswick.
Some interest groups are in favour of the project while others are opposed to
it.
Students will be able to

Develop arguments that can be used to aid in their understanding of the

discourse around the Energy East Pipeline project and other similar projects.
Do research to find information needed to make an argument.
Develop media literacy skills to decode the puzzle and uncover the
arguments/messages behind different media outlets.

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks:

Other Evidence:

Learning journal
Class debate
KWL chart
Posters

Observations
Teacher/Student led
discussions/conferences
Anecdotal notes
Peer/Self-assessment
Rubric
Stage 3 Learning Plan

Learning Activities:

1. Oil: a crude-cial commodity, where it comes from and how it gets to us

KWL charts will be given to assigned groups to discover what the class
knows about oil and what they want to know. Through class discussion
and by watching some videos we will uncover some of the ways that
we use crude oil and its by-products in our everyday lives. Pipelines for
transporting oil will be introduced. Students will do some preliminary
research on the Energy East Pipeline.
2. Developing infrastructure for modern energy needs: TransCanadas
perspective
Students will be shown videos and websites that support the Energy
East Pipeline project and given a chance to decode the puzzle and
discuss the arguments that are made in favour of developing the
project. The group KWL charts will be updated to reflect what the
students have learned, what they want to learn and what questions
they still have about the project. Gathering internet resources and
research are to be started in class and at home.
3. Developing infrastructure for modern energy needs: affected First Nations
Peoples, small communities and special interest groups perspectives
See Lesson Plan
4. Developing An argument: for or against the Pipeline
KWL charts will be addressed to find out what student have learned
thus far and address any unanswered questions through research.
Groups will be assigned to argue for or against the Energy East Pipeline
project and begin to develop their main talking points for an up coming
debate at the end of the unit, taking into consideration all the
perspectives that have been introduced in the previous classes.
Persuasive/propaganda posters will be introduced to help in this
process and serve as a resource/template for their own posters
(research and preliminary work to be started as homework) as they
work towards creating arguments.
5. Building a campaign: poster making for your cause
Class time will be given to students to work on their posters and
continue strengthening their assigned positions for the upcoming class
debate.
6. Preparing for a throw down: planning and strategizing for a debate
Students will de shown some videos of official debates to get a sense
of what will be expected of them when it comes time for the class
debate.
Students will have the chance to finish their posters and hang them
around the room. Students will begin practicing for the debate.
7. Class Debate
The class will participate in a debate. They will also use peer and selfassessment tools to help determine a winner of the debate (no direct
baring on individual final mark).