The Labour Day Critical Design Challenge | 

Lesson 3

45

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Intermediate ETFO Resource

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Learning from Labour

Learning Goal(s)

The Learning Goals are the Overall/Specific Expectations written in student friendly 
language for students to access (post onto chart paper and review with students)

I can understand the ways some Canadian rights and freedoms are a result of the struggles of people in the past.

I can learn from the ways in which people met challenges in the past. I can learn what individual and collective agency people 
(individuals, groups and family members) had to demonstrate to meet their needs. I can think of ways I can meet similar challenges in 
the future.

I can learn how we as citizens recognize and celebrate our accomplishments and how this may change over time.

Materials

Technology to share various websites

Chart paper to post Big Ideas and Framing Questions

Chart paper, markers and post-it notes for student brainstorming 
activity

Online resources with access to technology or materials 
photocopied in advance

Chart paper and markers for anchor charts OR technology for 
Prezi or PowerPoint

A selection of current and historical images of Canadian Labour 
Day from Google Images

The Labour Day Critical Design Challenge Assignment

The Labour Day Critical Design Challenge Rubric

Implementation

Task Component

Instruction

Assessment Focus 
Look Fors

Notes for Teachers

Before

(Activation/Review)

5 minutes

Invite students to reflect on their 
prior experience of a variety of 
community festivals (i.e., Pow 
Wow, Halloween, Gay Pride, 
International Women’s Day, 
Caribana) and statutory holidays 
such as Remembrance Day or 
Thanksgiving. Ask:

•  What are the different 

reasons for community 
celebrations? What are the 
activities or participation 
that make a community 
celebration successful?

Focus in on Labour Day. Reflect: 

• How do you generally spend 

Labour Day? What happens 
in your community on 
Labour Day? What do you 
know about why we celebrate 
Labour Day?

Assessment for Learning 

These initial reflections allow 
students to access their prior 
knowledge and experience. 

The reflections also develop 
critical references for the reasons 
and practices around community 
festivals.

Use the public commemoration 
and celebration practices from 
other statutory holidays, such as 
Remembrance Day and Canada 
Day as examples.

However, do not limit the ideas 
only to those holidays. Develop 
an expanded list of activities 
and reasons for community 
celebrations, which might include 
education, entertainment, social 
control or fellowship, seasonal 
celebration, religious or historical 
commemoration, social justice, 
current protest or a combination 
of several of the above.