LEARNING SEQUENCE

The Great Canadian Questions is a versatile classroom resource. Educators can select an individual Question that meets their learning objectives and teaching schedule or explore all six topics with their students.

To create choice for educators, the Great Questions teaching tools have been created around the three-phase learning sequence outlined below. For each of the six Great Questions educators can chose to work through all three phases with their students or focus on a single learning activity. Regardless of the approach you take, we hope you will encourage your students to take part in the essay competition for a chance to win a $2000 cash prize.

Phase I

Students read articles for the Question (as determined by their teacher) to acquire factual information, critical reading skills and a deeper understanding of the issues involved.

To help students do this, each Question has a Setting the Stage section which prepares students for the readings by accessing prior knowledge and a Reading for Understanding section which asks a series of questions geared to the content of the essays. For more resources, see the Reading for Understanding and Critical Reading sections in the Index (left) under Generic Teaching Tools.

Phase II

Students break off into groups and use a learning approach called Creative Controversy to take turns representing the positions of the Great Questions contributors. This process encourages students to develop critical discussion and debate skills and think through arguments for a possible essay to submit to the Great Questions essay competition.

See the Critical Comparisons section of each topic for questions students can use to compare and contrast the views of the Great Questions contributors.

Phase III

Students return to the groups established in Phase II and write reports on the Question that they have been researching and discussing. Students then submit, via email, their final reports to the Dominion Institute and are automatically entered into this year's Great Questions Essay Competition.