Power and Authority Unit
Megan McCleary
Grade 1
Unit Plan Rationale
Power and authority will be the focus of this unit. The goal of this unit is to investigate the processes and structures of power and
authority, and the implications for individuals, communities, and nations. The timeline for this unit is January 7t to approximately
March 8th. The Power and Authority goal (PA), recognizes and encompasses the disciplines of political science and law. As a whole,
the social studies curriculum supports active and responsible citizenship by enabling students to:
• understand their rights and responsibilities in order to participate fully in society
• begin to understand the role of social, political, economic, and legal institutions as they relate to individual and collective wellbeing
• begin to understand and appreciate the unique nature of Canada
• begin to understand and honour the traditions, concepts, and symbols that are the expression of Canadian identities
• thrive in their evolving cultural and Canadian identities with a sense of belonging to their communities, Canada, and the world
• appreciate and respect diverse Canadian cultural perspectives, including Aboriginal and Francophone, and understand how these
perspectives have shaped Canada
• value the diversity, respect the dignity, and support the equality of all human beings
• begin to develop a sense of social compassion, fairness, and justice
• recognize, speak out, and take action against injustice as it occurs in their schools and communities
• begin to consider and understand historic and contemporary issues, including controversial issues, from diverse perspectives
• begin to understand geographic concepts and skills, and that humans exist in a dynamic relationship with the natural environment
• begin to develop a consciousness and sense of stewardship for the land, as well as an understanding of the principles of sustainability
• engage in problem solving and conflict resolution with an awareness of the ethical consequences of decision making • engage in
active inquiry and critical and creative thinking
• begin to conduct research ethically using diverse methods and sources, and organize, interpret, and present their findings
• begin to use and manage information and communication technologies
• develop effective communication skills
• develop collaborative and cooperative skills.
The following represent key principles that I strive to incorporate into each of my lesson plans and the unit as a whole.
Principle #1- Students will be successful most of the time- throughout this unit I will plan my instruction with the goal of providing
my students with various ways to experience multiple successes throughout. This will be done through differentiation and appropriate
progressions. If students are successful most of the time, they will gain confidence and enjoy what they are learning more.
Principle #2- Engaging lessons- it is important to include tasks and activities that are engaging and meaningful. We will do different
activities throughout the lessons that take into consideration of multiple modalities instead of just doing worksheet after worksheet.
Lessons will also include different formative assessment strategies this not only tells me where each student is at, but by incorporating
different strategies in regards to formative assessment (including technology) is more engaging for students.
Grade: 1 Unit: Power and Authority Dates: January 7-March 8
Date Lesson Title Outco Indicators Assessment Key Learning Instructiona Resources/
Planned me (F&S) Questions Activities l Strategies Materials
to Teach
Jan. 7 Power & PA1.1 A. Reflection -What does - -read aloud -book for
Lesson 1 Authority Represent sheet (F) peace and Reflection -discussion read aloud
(Day 5) Peace & situations harmony sheet -slideshow
Harmony depicting mean?
peace and -What does
harmony peace look
in like?
students’
daily lives
Jan. 10 Power & PA1.1 B. Resolving -What are -deciding -read aloud -book for
Lesson 2 Authority Describe conflict some ways whether or -whole read aloud
(Day 6) Peaceful personal cards to resolve not a group -resolving
Resolution actions in activity (F) conflict certain conflict
of Conflict the family peacefully? conflict is cards
and -What is resolved -peaceful &
classroom necessary in through non-
that order to peaceful peaceful
promote create a or non- resolution
peace and peaceful peaceful template
harmony classroom resolution -chart paper
(e.g., or family? activity (how can
sharing, we resolve
taking conflict
turns, peacefully?)
using
sensitive
word
choices).
Jan. 17 Power & PA1.1 C. Review -How can -students -read aloud -book for
Lesson 3 Authority Describe questions we fill help create -discussion read aloud
(Day 5) Bucket ways in about buckets in chart with -whole
Filling which peaceful our random group
people and non- classroom acts of
may peaceful and at kindness
influence resolution home?
the that get -How often
students’ students up do you take
lives at and moving the time to
home and (F) fill a
at school, bucket?
and ways -What are
in which random acts
each of kindness
student that could
may result in our
influence classroom,
the lives school or
of others home
feeling
more
harmonious
and
peaceful?
Jan. 18 Power & PA1.1 D. Explain Quiz on -Why are -Students -two -both
Lesson 4 Authority purpose of peace and rules answer reading readings
(Day 6) School rules in conflict necessary in key -discussion about rules
Rules the family resolution a school? questions -whole at school
and school Pear Deck -Why are group and at home
(S) rules
important to
follow at
home
Jan. 25 Power & PA1.1 E. Share Activity (F) -What -Share a -discussion -Variety of
Lesson 5 Authority examples would rule you - activity
(Day 5) School & of rules in happen if know independent templates
Family students’ these rules (Family, work classroom,
Rules families weren’t School, or school, or
and the there? (this Classroom home rule
school. is referring ) Activity
to the
readings
from the
previous
lesson)
Jan. 26 Power & PA1.1 F. Activity (F) These same -students -stations -“free time”
Lesson 6 Authority Participate three answer the -teacher led station
(Day 6) Decision in a questions questions stations as a activities (4
Making variety of will be that are whole total). 3
ways of asked after related to group popular
making each type of each choices like
decisions decision station and blocks,
(e.g., making is participate coloring, art
majority utilized in activities
vote, each of the and 1
consensus, four unpopular
individual scenarios: like class
selection -Is everyone work station
and happy with
choice, the activity
autocratic) chosen?
-Was this
the best way
to decide
what
activity to
choose?
-When
would this
way of
making a
decision be
the best
option?
Feb. 3 Power & PA1.1 F. Journal How do you -Students -whole -Ask a chief
Lesson 7 Authority Participate prompt think a chief will group or
(Day 5) First Nation in a (F) of a First interview government
Communitie variety of Nation the chief if representati
s-Choosing ways of community they are ve to visit
a Leader making selected? able to the
decisions -How has visit classroom
(e.g., the process -Students
majority of being will
vote, selected as complete
consensus, chief the journal
individual changed prompt
selection over time?
and -How do
choice, different
autocratic) First
Nations
communitie
s differ in
the way
they make
these
selections?
Feb. 4 Power & PA1.1 G. -two -What are -Students -read aloud -book for
Lesson 8 Authority Describe activities rights and will -discussion read aloud
(Day 6) Rights & rights and both are responsibilit distinguish -whole -scissors
Responsibili responsibil distinguishi ies? rights group -glue
ties ities in the ng rights -What are from -coloring
classroom from rights and responsibil utensils
and responsibilit responsibilit ities by
playgroun ies (F) ies for coloring
d children at each
H. home and at statement
Illustrate school? a color
how -Are these that
individual the same for correspon
rights and children and ds with
responsibil adults? rights or
ities are -How are responsibil
related to they ities
a social different? -Students
environme will
nt of peace distinguish
and rights
harmony from
responsibil
ities by
cutting out
a variety
of words
and
determinin
g if they
are rights
or
responsibil
ities
Feb. 11 Power & PA1.1 i. Activity (F) -How can -Create -whole -Make sure
Lesson 9 Authority Participate we create rules and group students are
(Day 5) Creating in the Kahoot (S) rules to a play game -discussion aware of the
Rules creation of game that as a class criteria that
rules for we create as is
classroom a class? associated
tasks or with the
activities activity
-Materials
to play
game (chart
paper- rules,
dice, etc)
Feb. 14 Power & PA1.2 a.Identify Activities -What are -students -read aloud -book for
Lesson Authority decision- (F) emotions will -discussion read aloud
10 My making and how choose an -paper
(Day 6) Decisions approache can we deal emotion -coloring
s which with our and draw, utensils
may result emotions in scribble,
in positive positive and color
outcomes ways? the
and emotion
decision- then
making students
approache will guess
s which each
may result other’s
in less emotions
positive -how to
results deal with
anger in
positive
outcomes
activity
-how can
you show
kindness
on the
playgroun
d activity
Feb. 28 Power & PA1.2 B. Activities -What is -How to -Discussion -copies of
Lesson Authority Illustrate (F) conflict? make it - activities
11 Making how peace -What is better independent
(Day 5) Things and conflict activity work
Better harmony resolution? -Sharing
are -How can my
exemplifie peace and feelings
d in the harmony be activity
classroom, exemplified
playgroun in the
d, and classroom
family and
playground?
Mar. 1 Power & PA1.2 C. Gather Activities -When have -Conflict -whole -3 pieces of
Lesson Authority examples (F) you in the group chart paper
12 Disharmony of causes experience classroom, -discussion
(Day 6) of conflict? playgroun
disharmon -What are d, and at
y in the solutions to home (we
classroom, the conflicts will
the that complete
playgroun students these
d, and the have faced? charts as a
family. D. class and
Discuss discuss
examples solutions)
of -conflict
solutions resolution
to activity
disharmon -how to
y in the apologize
family, activity
classroom,
and the
playgroun
d.
Mar. 8 Power & PA1.2 Describe -Activity -How can Conflict -partner -copy of
Lesson Authority reasons for (F) we become managers work activity
13 Conflict recognizin - conflict worksheet -discuss as a -copy of
(Day 5) Managers g those Performanc managers? whole class performanc
people and e task (S) e task
events
designed
to work
for
harmony
(i.e.,
veterans
and
soldiers on
Remembra
nce Day,
conflict
managers
in the
communit
y and
school).
Summative Assessments: There will be two summative assessments included in this unit.
Summative Assessment Weighing:
Lesson 4- Quiz on peace and conflict resolution Pear Deck – 25%
Lesson 9- Kahoot! game – 25%
Lesson 13- Performance Task – 50%
Total= 100%
Formative Assessments: There are many different formative assessments that take place within this unit such as, activities,
reflections, reviews, and journal prompts.
Note: There are technological and Indigenous components that are included in this unit.
