Domagaya's Dilemma

Summary:

‘Through factual and conceptual inquiry, critical thinking, and by taking different perspectives, students engage with traditional principles of Aboriginal learning, especially the emphasis on collaboration and reciprocal relationships.  Furthermore, by breaking down the inquiry into tasks that are manageable for each student, adapting the texts for different reading levels, offering a variety of ways to achieve success and through direct teacher-help, this inquiry process hopes to reflect the Aboriginal teaching value of creating an inclusive, safe and non-competitive environment.  


General tasks:

Part 1: in groups of four, students take a Native’s perspective to resolve a historical dilemma using evidences from primary and secondary sources (taken from a documentary, a movie and historical studies).

Part 2: Students share their results with the whole class and note the ideas of other groups. Groups have now to take a decision to resolve the dilemma.

Part 3: after watching other documentaries, the groups must evaluate the consequences of the decision made by the Natives concerning the dilemma, and give a hypothesis about the equality of the relationship between French and Native people. They then test the hypothesis with a comparison with a historical study made by a Native. Conclude on a shared reflection about the differences and evolution between the relationship in the past and in present times.


Evaluation Criteria:

Detail of knowledge; deepness of the investigation; quality of the communication of a historical perspective; objectivity of critical thinking; understanding of the consequences; deepness of the presentation on historical significance; deepness of the test of the hypothesis; thoughtfulness of comparison of past and present relationship.
Domagaya's Dilemma

Dan Conner

9

West Vancouver, British Columbia

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