Grade and Subject: Grade 5, Arts
(Music) and Social Studies
Lesson/Unit Topic: First Nations’ and Early Europeans’ Cultural
Traditions: Similarities and Differences
Overview
Students
will create their own musical compositions in pairs of in small groups by
blending both First Nations and European traditions surrounding the drum. Students will reflect on the different
connotations for drums in each culture (e.g. For Early Europeans, drums mean
war, but for First Nations, drums symbolize the heartbeat of the earth.). How might these different traditions have led
to conflict during the first contact between First Nations and Europeans in New
France? How might these conflicts still
be around today, and what can be done foster understanding in present-day
Canada? What would a blend of these two
traditions sound like? Students will
present their compositions to the class and reflect upon some of these
questions in their journals, blogs, or video diaries.
Some Materials
Needed (Some assembly may be required):
·
Drums,
from a variety of times and places.
·
Multiple
and varied video examples of both traditional First Nations drumming and
traditional European drumming.
·
Reflection
journals, access to blogs, or recording devices for video diaries.
Curriculum
Expectations
The Arts—Music
Overall:
·
C1.
Creating and Performing: apply the creative process (see pages 19-22) to create
and perform music for a variety of purposes, using the elements and techniques
of music.
·
C2.
Reflecting, Responding, and Analyzing: apply the critical analysis process (see
pages 23-28) to communicate their feelings, ideas, and understanding in
response to a variety of music and musical experiences.
·
C3.
Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a
variety of musical genres and styles from past and present, and their
sociocultural and historical contexts.
Specific
·
C1.2
Apply the elements of music when singing and/or playing, composing, and
arranging music to create specific effect.
·
C1.3
Create musical compositions for specific purposes and audiences.
·
C2.2
Identify the elements of music in the music they perform, listen to, and
create, and describe how they are used.
·
C3.2
Demonstrate an awareness of the use of music and musical instruments in various
traditions, from early times to today.
Social Studies—Heritage and Identity: First Nations and
Europeans in New France and Early Canada.
Overall
·
A1.
Application: analyze some key short- and long-term consequences of interactions
among and between First Nations and European explorers and settlers in New France
prior to 1713.
·
A2:
Inquiry: use the social studies inquiry process to investigate aspects of
interactions among and between First Nations and Europeans in Canada prior to
1713 from the perspectives of the various groups involved.
·
A3.
Understanding Context: describe significant features of and interactions
between some of the main communities in Canada prior to 1713, with a particular
focus on First Nations and New France.
Specific
·
A1.3
Explain some of the ways in which interactions between and among First Nations
and Europeans in New France are connected to issues in present-day Canada.
·
A2.1
Formulate questions to guide investigations into aspects of the interactions
between First Nations and Europeans in Canada prior to 1713, from perspectives
of the various groups involved.
·
A3.5
Describe significant aspects of the interactions between First Nations and
European explorers and settlers during this period.
·
A3.6
Describe some significant differences among First Nations and European
settlements in early Canada and identify some of the reasons for these
differences.
Big Ideas
·
How
might having different cultural traditions lead to conflict?
·
How
do conflicts from the past create conflicts today, and what can be done to
resolve them?
How does this
lesson matter to the student individually, as well as to the community around
him or her?
This lesson matters to the student
individually because the events surrounding first contact between First Nations
and Europeans in Canada still affects us today.
A growing number of students in Ontario classrooms are First Nations,
Aboriginal, and Métis, but teachers are often unaware of these students’
heritage. The history of power
imbalances and misunderstanding between Canada’s First Nations and Europeans in
Canada have had serious consequences for Canada’s First Nations, such as the
Canadian Residential Schools, the effects of which First Nations are still
living with today. For
European-descended Canadians, it’s important to recognize how the decisions
that their ancestors made have affected the First Nations to avoid making those
kinds of decisions in the future. Even
for students who are new to Canada and are neither First Nations nor
European-descended, exploring issues surrounding first contact is relevant
because misunderstanding and conflict can play out between any two
cultures. For example, students with
Muslim heritage often face Islamophobia, which can seriously affect their
ability to do well in school and to prosper in Canadian society.
These sorts of lessons are important
to the community around the student because here in southern Ontario, we are
living on what was traditionally, and what some would argue still is, First
Nations land. Old, unresolved treaties,
such as the six miles on either side of the Grand River that were granted to
Joseph Brant, are still a source of tension, racism, and misunderstanding among
Canadians. Exploring both European and
First Nations sounds and creating one, harmonious musical composition is not
merely fun, but it symbolizes the harmony between all Canadians that we should
all be seeking.
Explain how some of
these standards and concepts might be taught or connected through the arts.
|
Specific Curriculum Expectations
|
Possible Teaching Methods
|
|
The Arts—Music
|
|
|
C1.2 Apply the elements of music when singing and/or
playing, composing, and arranging music to create specific effect.
|
Teach different drum beats involved in different kinds
of drumming (e.g. creating a drum beat for a dance; or, the sound of using
two sticks on a snare drum for a military march).
|
|
C1.3 Create musical compositions for specific purposes
and audiences.
|
Ask students: how would you compose a piece that would
appeal to a First Nations, European-descended, and general audience, all at
the same time?
|
|
Social Studies—History
and Heritage: First Nations and Europeans in New France and Early Canada
|
|
|
A1.3 Explain some of the ways in which interactions
between and among First Nations and Europeans in New France are connected to
issues in present-day Canada.
|
Show, explain, and have students discover how a lack of
understanding each other’s cultural traditions created issues during first
contact and how stereotypes about First Nations’ Peoples are perpetuated
today.
Invite an Elder into the classroom to talk to the students
about First Nations cultural traditions.
|
|
A2.1 Formulate questions to guide investigations into
aspects of the interactions between First Nations and Europeans in Canada
prior to 1713, from perspectives of the various groups involved.
|
Give time for students to research first contact in the
library. Create a bundle of links for
the students on Delicious to help them narrow down their sources.
|
Connection to Home
As
always, communication with parents and/or guardians is important. It might not hurt to send a letter home to
parents or to post a letter on a classroom website explaining to parents the
learning and activities about first contact that are planned for the
class. Encourage parents to discuss
these social and political issues with their child, and encourage them to teach
him or her about their own cultural traditions.
Students are always welcome to share what they learn from their parents
and community with the class.
21st-century
Teaching and Learning Using the Arts
There
are two aspects of 21st-century teaching and learning to cover here:
(1) the inquiry method of learning, and (2) the availability of technology to
enhance students’ work.
By introducing students to big ideas
about historical conflict’s relationship with present-day conflict, cultural
traditions, and conflict resolution, the teacher is taking an inquiry based
approach to Canada’s History and Heritage.
Though this lesson or unit might begin with instruments, it could easily
expand to Dance, Visual Arts, and Drama, for which there are rich traditions in
both First Nations and European cultures.
Students will take responsibility for their own learning and direct
their own research and investigation.
By introducing technology as a means
through which students can express their creativity, students learn that
although art, history, and culture are rooted in tradition, the mediums through
which they are expressed do not entirely control their message. The same messages of love and community can
be expressed through new mediums, as well.
By introducing students to this idea, the teacher will show them that
they can be divergent and creative thinkers.
Collaboration
When
taking on the content of this lesson or unit, students are always encouraged to
share their ideas with their peers.
Students will work together to create their blended musical compositions,
and the group work involved in this project would be an excellent means to
teach students about the differences and similarities between First Nations and
European forms of government and about how both governments strive to ensure
that every voice is heard in the decision-making process.
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