Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697721372197.pdf (Canada)
What Is Parliament?

Level: Grades 8-12, QC Secondary II-V, CEGEP Time: 60-90 minutes Overview This lesson prepares students for their virtual experience of Centre Block – the historical seat of Canada’s Senate and House of Commons – by giving them a background on the role of Parliament and parliamentarians.

Students will watch a series of short videos, followed by a group mind-mapping exercise, then test their knowledge with a quiz.

Inquiry Question How does Canada’s parliamentary democracy function?
Learning Outcomes Students will understand the basics of parliamentary democracy in Canada and the work of Parliament.
Curriculum Links Students will be able to: • Explain the meaning of parliamentary democracy • Describe the role of the Senate and House of Commons • Describe the role of parliamentarians • Explain how parliamentarians are selected • Describe how laws are created at the federal level Competencies Students will: • Develop critical thinking skills • Demonstrate collaboration, consensus building and cooperation • Apply skills in oral, visual and written literacy • Synthesize and communicate information • Develop media literacy skills • Demonstrate decision-making and problem-solving skills 1 Lesson 1 Materials & Setup • What Is Parliament?
PowerPoint presentation • Computer and projector • Parliament Explained video series • What Is Parliament?

quiz (optional) Minds on (10 minutes) Step 1: Using the What Is Parliament?

PowerPoint presentation (on-screen or using printouts), show students the three images of Centre Block.

Initiate a discussion about the photos, using the following prompt questions: Image Prompt Questions Guiding Answers Centre Block 1.

Have you seen this building before?

2.

What do you think it is?

3.


Where do you think it is?

The image shows the Centre Block building of Parliament in Ottawa.

The building is the historical home of the Senate and House of Commons.

House of Commons 1.

What details do you notice about this room?

Senate 2. Who do you think worked here?

3.

What work do you think happened in this room?

1.

What similarities and differences do you notice between the Senate and the House of Commons?

2. Who do you think worked in this room?

3.


What kind of work do you think they did?

Members of the House of Commons worked in this room.

This is where proposed laws were debated and issues were discussed that affected the whole country.

The layout of the rooms is very similar, but the Senate is smaller because it has fewer members.

Senators gathered here to debate proposed laws passed by the House of Commons, as well as to propose 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 almost 100 years, until it closed for rehabilitation in 2019.

The virtual experience of Centre Block will take students inside this iconic building, including its most famous spaces: the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament and Peace Tower.

2 Lesson 1 Activity (35 minutes) Step 1: Write the word “Parliament” in the centre of the board.
Explain that you will be creating a class mind map based on the video series Parliament Explained, which will give students an overview of the role of Parliament and parliamentarians.

Step 2: Show the video series Parliament Explained.

After each video, give students 3-5 minutes to jot down the keywords and concepts raised in the video.

You can use the prompt questions in the PowerPoint slides and the table below, if necessary.

Step 3: Ask for volunteers to present their keywords for each video.
Based on the terms, create a mind map on the board.

Ask students to indicate where their keyword should go on the mind map and if there are any connecting ideas.

Video Keyword examples Questions Video 1: What is Parliament?

Senate, House of Commons, Monarch, Governor General, Senators, Members of the House of Commons 1.

What are the three parts of Parliament?

2. Who are the people involved in each part?

Video 2: How does a Bill become Law?

Video 3: Who are Parliamentarians?


Senate, House of Commons, Governor General, debate, vote, bill, amendments, law, Royal Assent, committee, citizens 1.

What is the main job of Parliament?

2.

What are the steps to create a law?

3.

What is the role of each part of Parliament in creating laws?

4.

Where do ideas for laws come from?


Senators, Members of the House of Commons, elected, appointed, Prime Minister, Cabinet, Leader of the Opposition, Government Representative/Leader in the Senate, citizens 1.

How are Senators chosen?

2.

How are Members of the House of Commons chosen?

3. Who do parliamentarians represent?

4.

What different roles can they take on at Parliament?
3 Lesson 1 Consolidation (15 minutes) Step 1: Get students to identify some of the major themes highlighted in the class mind map.

You may want to ask why they think it is important to learn about Parliament, based on what they see in the mind map.

Assessment Step 2: Assess what students have learned through a quiz.

This can be completed using the What is Parliament?

PowerPoint presentation and loose leaf paper, or using the worksheet copy of the quiz.

Check their responses using the answer key.


Online Teaching Tips • Minds on: For self-directed learning, have students download the PowerPoint slides with the Centre Block images and proceeding questions.

Have them share their answers using an online discussion forum or during an online group chat.

Alternatively, students can submit their answers for initial assessment.
• Activity: After watching the Parliament Explained videos at home, have students jot down answers to the questions found in the table above (Step 3).

Based on their answers, get students to submit four keywords for each video.

Create a class word cloud based on students’ keyword submissions.

• Consolidation: During an online group chat or using a discussion forum, post the word cloud.

Ask students to comment on what it tells them about the work and role of Parliament.
For assessment (Step 2), have students download, complete and submit their answers to the worksheet copy of the What is Parliament?

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 • Parliament: An Overview • Parliament 360 video series 4 Lesson 1