Here are few ways to combine Supreme Law and this website's educational materials. These are only a few ideas to help frame the discussion questions and activities. If you have others, let us know!
sample Activity 1
Watch one of the videos from the website in class (any video can be selected)
Assign a "deep dive" article to be read in class. Here are some suggested pairings of videos and "deep dives" to get started:
For homework, assign a few discussion questions to be answered in short paragraphs
Repeat with others videos in subsequent class periods (videos can be watched in any order)
After all five videos have been watched, assign the glossary as homework reading
Quiz students at the end of the five assignments on the meaning of various terms
Sample activity 2
Have students complete a Know-Wonder-Learn chart about the Canadian Constitution
Know: "What do I know about the history of the Constitution?"
Wonder: "What do I wonder or want to learn about the history of the Constitution?"
Learn: "What have I learned about the history of the Constitution?" (This can be completed at the end of the period after the next step: watching the videos)
Watch all five videos in class together, and have students complete the "Learn" portion of the K-W-L chart
Assign some or all of the "deep dive" articles as homework reading. See Sample Activity 1 above for some suggested readings to start with.
Have students complete a Describe-Analyze-Reflect-Question chart for each reading
Describe: In a few sentences, describe the ideas in this reading.
Analyze: What are the major ideas or issues explored in this reading?
Reflect: How did this reading make you feel, emotionally or intellectually?
Question: After the reading, what questions were you left with?
Review by quizzing students with terms from the glossary
Sample activity 3
Split students into groups of 3–4 students.
Give four words from the glossary to each group, allow them to research the definitions, and have them define these terms in their own words.
After their research is complete, groups present their definitions to the class, and give examples of how or when these terms would be used. Elaborations to these definitions can be part of a class discussion.
Following the discussion, assign some discussion questions about a specific theme or subject.
Have students answer a few discussion questions in short paragraphs, or have students write an essay exploring a discussion question of their choice. Students may use the videos and "deep dive" articles as research material, and must cite their sources.
Sample activity 4
Identify a learning outcome relevant to your provincial curriculum
Watch one or more videos together in class, relevant to the learning outcome
Have students complete a Describe-Analyze-Reflect-Question chart relevant to the video and your selected learning objective
Describe: In a few sentences, describe the ideas in this video.
Analyze: What are the major ideas or issues in this video?
Reflect: How did this video make you feel, emotionally or intellectually?
Question: After watching this video, what questions were you left with?
A delegation representing one of these groups: Indigenous peoples; Western provinces, Québec; women.
A moderator and their social-media team
The voting public
The Prime Minister is seeking re-election. To gain the opposing delegation's support, the PM has proposed renegotiating powers and rights from the Constitution—within reason.
In a class debate, the moderator presents questions to both sides in turn. The moderator may also collect questions from the voting public, the best ones being chosen by the moderator's social-media team.
The PM and the opposing delegation answer the questions, make arguments for their side, make proposals, rebut opposing viewpoints, debate issues, and cite precedents from history.
Between question rounds, the moderator may summarize or even "spin" statements made by the debaters, reflecting the role of the media in political discourse.
At the end of the debate, the public votes for either the PM or the opposition.