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Racism in Canada: Elementary lesson plans
These lessons are to be taught in a series. The intent of this sequence is to have students clearly
understand the differences between racism, discrimination, and bullying, prior to teaching
specifically about racism and black history in Canada.
Lesson one: Understanding racism
Learning outcomes
To teach students the meaning of racism and how discrimination can manifest itself.
To make students aware of racism towards black people in the past and present in Canada.
To help students formulate personal action plans to ensure that racism does not continue.
Preparation and context
Make sure that you understand the difference between discrimination and racism so that you can
explain it to your students. Have a variety of picture books and novels that portray the history of
racism towards black people in Canada and the US.
Lesson plan
Divide your class into groups of four students each. Give each group a concept attainment sheet
(see blackline master 1—Placemat chart). Some groups will have the word “discrimination” on
their chart, some will have “bullying” and some will have “racism.” Ask the students to initially
do a silent write in their quadrant of the chart about what that term means.
Then have students discuss the word with their group to arrive at consensus about what the term
means to their group. Once a decision has been made, students will scribe the keywords and/or
common meaning in the centre of their placemat chart. A reporter from each group reads this to
the class. The remaining students in this group can also add additional comments. The teacher
will scribe the key points on a Triple Venn Diagram at the front of the class so that students can
see similarities and differences between these three concepts (see blackline master 2—Triple
Venn Diagram).
Role plays (pre-assessment and post-assessment)
Give students the enclosed blackline master (see blackline master 3—Scenarios) of scenarios to
write down their initial responses (gut instinct) as to whether or not they think this scenario is an
example of racism, bullying, or discrimination.
Have triads of students practice and role-play these scenarios for the whole class to observe.
After watching the role-play, if they want to change their answers they may do so. Collect these
at the end of the lesson and use them as your guide to your students’ level of understanding of
these three concepts. Additional teaching about bullying, discrimination, and racism may be
required prior to the next lesson.
Scenarios
Sarah wants to go with Naseem cross-border shopping on Saturday. Her mom tells her “no”
because “those terrorists will get hassled at the border and we’ll never get across.”