The Rights and Responsibilities of Workers and Employers

 

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Lesson 1

19

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Intermediate ETFO Resource

 | 

Learning from Labour

Task Component

Instruction

Assessment Focus 
Look Fors

Notes for Teachers*

During

(Working on it)

5 minutes

Explain to students that 
throughout the unit they will 
be examining and comparing 
the rights and responsibilities of 
workers and employers from 1850 
to 1915 with workers’ rights today.

As a class, make predictions about 
the rights and responsibilities of 
each group in 1850. 

Record these predications on an 
anchor chart (titled “Predictions” 
or “Our Predictions”).

Ask questions such as:

• What do you think is similar/

different?

• How was the workforce 

similar/different?

• How might the working 

conditions have been 
different?

• What kinds of jobs might 

have been available during 
this time?

• Who would have the most 

power at this time?

Assessment for Learning

During the discussion and 
brainstorming, assess the 
amount of knowledge the 
students have about the rights 
and responsibilities of workers/
employers during this time period.

Assess during the discussion if 
further instruction is required 
around this time period. 
The extension activity at the 
conclusion of this lesson could be 
used to further develop student 
knowledge before continuing with 
the unit.

After

(Reflecting/Connecting/
Consolidating)

10 minutes

Review how to write “thick” 
questions to help guide inquiry on 
a topic. (“Thick” questions cannot 
be answered by yes/no, may have 
more than one possible answer  
and may prompt additional 
questions, etc.)

Collaboratively develop criteria 
for these questions to post on an 
anchor chart for use in the next 
step.

Model “thick” questions by 
creating some of your own and 
explaining your thinking. 

Assessment for Learning

Based on student responses, assess 
how much review is needed on 
how to write “thick” questions. 

Since these questions will frame 
the students’ thinking throughout 
the unit, it is important to ensure 
that students understand how to 
write good research questions.

Assessment as Learning

Collaboratively develop criteria 
that they can use in self-
assessment of questions.

Take time to describe the concept 
of “thick” questions and how they 
can assist in guiding research. 

“Thick” questions will help avoid 
yes/no answers and will create rich 
discussion along the way.

Examples of “thick” questions 
could be: “In what ways has the 
labour movement improved 
the quality of life for Canadian 
workers?” or “Which groups of 
people(s) have benefited from the 
labour movement?”