Lesson 1 What Is Parliament? Level: Grades 8-12, QC Secondary II-V, CEGEP Time: 60-90 minutes

Overview Curriculum Links This lesson prepares students for the Students will be able to: virtual reality (VR) experience of Centre • Explain the meaning of parliamentary Block – the historical seat of ’s democracy Senate and House of Commons – by • Describe the role of the Senate and giving them a background on the role House of Commons of Parliament and parliamentarians. • Describe the role of parliamentarians Students will watch a series of short videos, • Explain how parliamentarians are selected followed by a group mind-mapping • Describe how laws are created at exercise, then test their knowledge the federal level with a group or individual quiz.

Competencies Students will: Inquiry Question • Develop critical thinking skills How does Canada’s parliamentary democracy • Demonstrate collaboration, consensus function? building and cooperation • Apply skills in oral, visual and written literacy

Learning Outcomes • Synthesize and communicate information Students will understand the basics of • Develop media literacy skills parliamentary democracy in Canada and • Demonstrate decision-making and the work of Parliament. problem-solving skills

1 Lesson 1

Materials & Setup • Computer and projector • Parliament Explained video series • What Is Parliament? PowerPoint presentation • What Is Parliament? quiz (optional) • Flipchart paper and markers (optional)

Minds on (10 minutes)

Step 1: Using the What Is Parliament? PowerPoint presentation (projected or using printouts), show students the three images of . Initiate a class discussion about the photos, using the following prompt questions:

Image Prompt Questions Guiding Answers

Centre 1. Who has seen this building before? The image shows the Centre Block Block 2. What is it? building of Parliament in . The building is the historical home 3. Where is it? of the Senate and House of Commons.

House of 1. What do you notice about this room? Members of the House of Commons Commons 2. Who do you think worked here? worked in this room. This is where proposed laws were debated and issues 3. What do you think happened in were discussed that affected the whole this room? country.

Senate 1. What similarities and differences do The layout of the rooms is very similar, you notice between the Senate and but the Senate is smaller because it has the House of Commons? fewer members. Senators gathered here 2. Who do you think worked in this room? to debate proposed laws passed by the House of Commons, as well as propose 3. What do you think they did? and debate their own bills.

Step 2: If it has not emerged during the discussion, explain that these are images of Centre Block in Ottawa. Centre Block was the seat of Parliament for more than 100 years, until it closed for rehabilitation in 2019. The VR experience will immerse students in this iconic building, including its most famous spaces: the Senate, House of Commons, and Peace Tower.

2 Lesson 1

Activity (30 minutes)

Step 1: Divide students into small groups. Distribute flipchart paper and markers (if available). Ask students to write “Parliament” in the centre of their paper.

Step 2: Explain that students will be creating mind maps based on the video series Parliament Explained, which will give them an overview of the role of Parliament and parliamentarians.

Step 3: Show the video series Parliament Explained. After each video, give students 5-10 minutes to write down the keywords and concepts discussed, and then link them together to form a mind map. If needed, provide the following prompt words and/or questions to students:

Video Keyword examples Questions

Video 1: Senate, House of Commons, 1. What are the three parts of What is Parliament? Monarch, Governor General, Parliament? Senators, Members of the 2. Who are the people involved House of Commons in each part?

Video 2: Senate, House of Commons, 1. What is the main job of Parliament? How does a Bill Governor General, debate, 2. What are the steps to create a law? become Law? vote, bill, amendments, law, 3. What is the role of each part of Royal Assent, committee, Parliament in creating laws? citizens 4. Where do ideas for laws come from?

Video 3: Senators, Members of the 1. How are Senators chosen? Who are House of Commons, elected, 2. How are Members of the House of Parliamentarians? appointed, Prime Minister, Commons chosen? Cabinet, Leader of the 3. Who do parliamentarians represent? Opposition, Government Representative/Leader in the 4. What different roles can they take Senate, citizens on at Parliament?

3 Lesson 1

Consolidation (20 minutes)

Step 1: Have each group present their mind maps to the class. Review the major themes brought up in the videos and highlighted in the mind maps (see Activity, Step 3). You may want to create a class mind map on the board, if time allows.

Assessment Step 2: Assess what students have learned through a group or individual quiz. This can be completed using the What is Parliament? PowerPoint presentation and loose leaf paper, or using the paper copy of the quiz.

Enhancements • Ask students to find a news story about Parliament. Have them identify the key people mentioned in the story, the issues discussed and if any citizens or outside groups were involved. • Ask students to choose a federal department whose work interests them (a full list of departments is available at www.canada.ca). Have them identify issues the department is working on and discuss why those issues matter to them and other Canadians.

Additional Resources • Parliamentary Primer • Parliament Illustrated video • Parliament 360 video series

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