Lesson 5 My Community

GUIDING QUESTIONS OVERVIEW LEARNING OUTCOMES Local governments provide essential By the end of the lesson, students ❶ What are the community services and are can: responsible for the planning, growth features of • explain the structure and and well-being of their community function of local government in municipalities and through legislation, by-laws and ; rural communities? policies. • analyze how the physical In this lesson, students will review the environment has shaped life and ❷ How has the composition and function of local work in their community; physical governments in New Brunswick, and • assess ways to improve their gather information about their own community and evaluate the environment shaped community. Through a self‑directed outcomes from specific actions; my community? project, students will work • evaluate why it is important to independently or collaboratively to be an active member of the What actions can be create an action plan to improve their community. ❸  community. In the Consolidation taken to improve my activity, students reflect on why it is community? important to take an active role in their community.

2021 Local Government Elections - Elementary/Middle Level Resource 31 Teacher Tips 4. Using Activity 5.2, ask students to create an action plan to make a positive change or improve • Please use the activities and combine them in a way sustainability in the community. This can be that is appropriate for your class. completed independently, in pairs or small groups. • Supplies/Needs: Slide Deck 5, access to or copies Guiding questions: of 5.1 and 5.2. • Any videos, slide decks, handouts and activity • What is the issue you would like to focus on? sheets in Word can be found on the project website. • What are the underlying factors or causes related to the issue? • What actions would you suggest and why? Starter • How could the local government help? How could Invite students to share any knowledge or opinions they community members play a role? have about their community. Questions to prompt • Which members from the community would discussion: benefit from the plan and how? • Could some members of the community be • What do you love most about our community? impacted negatively? If so, how? • What makes it special? What makes it different than other places? 5. Have students present their action plan through any • What makes it a good place to live? format they choose – it could be an op-ed article, • Why do people come to live here or visit? poem, poster, video, slide deck or diorama.

Fundamentals Consolidation Have a brief closing discussion about your community, or 1. Use Slide Deck 5 to discuss the structure and ask students to write a reflection on one or more of the function of local governments in New Brunswick. following questions: 2. Ask students to investigate their own community • Why do you think it is important to involve using their local government’s website and other community members in decisions or projects? sources. Independently or in pairs, have students fill Explain your thinking with specific examples from out Activity 5.1. the lesson. • What are the geographic boundaries of our • Why is it important for community members to community? take an active role in their local government? • What are some landforms and waterways in our • What are some personal actions you can take to community? improve your community? What would be the • How does the physical environment impact where impact? people live and how they live? How does it influence jobs and economic activities? • What is the composition of our local government council? (Number of positions, titles) • What are some recent announcements by our local government? 3. Through a whole class discussion, pose one or more of the following questions to your students. • Can you identify any problems or challenges in our community? • Do you see any opportunities for improvement or innovation? • What actions could be taken to make a positive change in our community? • How can we share/protect the natural resources in our community? How can we create a more sustainable community?

32 Lesson 5: My Community ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITIES Below are some guiding questions for teachers for each section of the lesson.

Starter Can students explain what they like about their community? Can students think critically about what makes their community unique?

Fundamentals Are students asking questions about their community? Can students analyze how the physical environment in their community influences jobs and way of life? Can students make connections between their community and their own lives? Can students identify any challenges or opportunities for change in their community? Can they analyze different actions that can be taken to make a positive change in their community? Can students assess who would be impacted by these changes and how? Consolidation Can students understand why it is important for community members to take an active role in their community?

ADAPTATIONS AND SUPPORTS

Individual Education Modifications Plans • Written work can be presented orally. • Guide students and provide extra time when working with primary and secondary resources. • Use ability grouping to support students. Enrichment • Challenge students by asking them to take on a more detailed action plan project, such as a diorama or extensive slide presentation. • Students could also explore the demographics of the community to draw deeper conclusions about industry and daily life, and compare it to another local government in the province.

Language Learners • Allow students to explore home communities as well as the community in which they now live.

Culturally Responsive • Depending on the community, students could choose to focus on a particular Pedagogy ethnic or religious group and see how they fit into the larger community. • Focus research on programs and services for youth in the community. • If applicable, encourage students to explore nearby Indigenous communities, and their changes over time, or how these communities fit into the larger community. • Analyze how Indigenous perspectives on land use have influenced the idea of sustainability.

Accessibility & • If working in pairs or small groups is not possible, considering using Google Docs Accommodations for collaborative discussion/brainstorming. • The artwork/media for the Fundamentals activity can be created and shared in an entirely digital format. If physical productions are being created, ensure that enough materials are available to reduce the need for sharing.

2021 Local Government Elections - Elementary/Middle Level Resource 33 recreation, garbage collection, and Local government councils are BACKGROUND fire protection to areas of the province the democratically elected bodies INFORMATION FOR that are not incorporated (do not have that make decisions on behalf of the TEACHERS a mayor and councillors). These municipality or rural community, and services are coordinated by the Most communities in New are accountable for those decisions to provincial government through the Brunswick are classified as either a their community. They are comprised Department of Environment and Local city, town, village, regional of a head of council called a mayor Government. municipality or rural community. and several councillors, collectively called council members. Each municipality and rural A town, city, or village operates on community has a specific geographic its own and is categorized as a single Councils are responsible for the area and is responsible for delivering municipality, whereas regional planning, growth and safety of the local services for the people living municipalities and rural communities community. Council members govern within its jurisdiction, such as water include one or more communities. the local government by listening to and sewage treatment, public transit, This allows various local the concerns of their constituents roads and bridges, local parks and responsibilities to be shared among a (people living in their community), recreational facilities. group of communities for efficiency. attending meetings and creating, discussing and voting on bills and Local governments receive their Municipalities and rural by-laws they believe will improve their powers and responsibilities from the communities represent the most community. Councillors also support provincial government. They also have local level of government in New and participate in various activities the ability to tax people in order to pay Brunswick. They are responsible for and events in their communities. for the services they provide to meeting their communities’ needs and citizens. fulfilling duties, such as managing the A local government council makes decisions collectively, meaning that it growth and well-being of the Property taxes are established by is not individual council members but community. each local government and may vary, rather the council as a whole, based based on the type of property owned. There are 104 local governments in on a majority vote, that decides and Each year, local governments New Brunswick and they vary greatly acts for the community. determine how much money they in composition. need to collect from property taxes to New Brunswick also has 236 local contribute to the cost of services, and service districts (LSDs). An LSD is a determine the tax rate based on that structure that allows for the amount. administration and delivery of local services such as streetlights,

34 Lesson 5: My Community REGIONAL MUNICIPALITIES • Tracadie

RURAL COMMUNITIES • Beaubassin-est/East • Hanwell • Saint-André • • Haut-Madawaska • Upper Miramichi • Cocagne • Kedgwick

VILLAGES • Alma • Doaktown • Millville • Rogersville • Aroostook • Dorchester • Minto • Saint-Antoine • Atholville • Drummond • Neguac • Saint-Louis de Kent • Balmoral • Eel River Crossing • New Maryland • Saint-Léolin • Bas-Caraquet • Junction • Nigadoo • Sainte-Anne-de- • Bath • Gagetown • Norton Madawaska • Belledune • • Paquetville • Sainte-Marie-Saint- • Bertrand • Grande-Anse • Perth-Andover Raphaël • Blacks Harbour • Harvey • Petit-Rocher • Salisbury • Blackville • Hillsborough • Petitcodiac • St-Isidore • Cambridge-Narrows • Lac Baker • Plaster Rock • St. Martins • Canterbury • Le Goulet • Pointe-Verte • Stanley • Cap-Pelé • Maisonnette • Port Elgin • Sussex Corner • Centreville • McAdam • Rexton • Tide Head • Charlo • Meductic • Riverside-Albert • Tracy • Chipman • Memramcook • Rivière-Verte

TOWNS • Beresford • Hampton • Riverview • Shippagan • Bouctouche • Hartland • Rothesay • St. George • Caraquet • Lamèque • Sackville • St. Stephen • Dalhousie • Nackawic • Saint Andrews • Sussex • Florenceville-Bristol • Oromocto • Saint-Léonard • Woodstock • Grand Bay-Westfield • Quispamsis • Saint-Quentin • Grand Falls • Richibucto • Shediac

CITIES • Bathurst • Dieppe • Fredericton • • Campbellton • • Miramichi • Saint John

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