Prohibition

Usha's comments in Blue.

Your name: Andrew Maynard

**Initial Reading and Assessment of Textbook Treatment of the Topic**

Name of Gr. 10 Textbook examined:

Name of more "scholarly" source examined:

__Your Initial Thoughts:__ Please provide a **brief** (5-10 sentences) initial assessment of the textbook's treatment of the subject. We have not developed any particular criteria by which to assess the textbook so this is really simply you initial reactions, feelings, questions about what you have read. Thanks!

The grade 10 textbook that I referenced for my topic concerning prohibition was Canada: Face of a Nation. It gave an understandable but rudimentary description of the events that were part of the prohibition movement. It just scraped the surface concerning the many facets of prohibition history and barely discussed its relevance to today. The reason I say this is because the textbook only had 4 pages available that discussed prohibition. With that in mind, the textbook really couldn’t give a thorough description of prohibition’s history, which began in the middle of the 19th century. Or that prohibition as a movement was a worldwide phenomena. The textbook also didn’t elaborate on how each province developed its own ideology and culture regarding prohibition. It focused primarily upon American and Canadian relations throughout. It could have discussed the relationship between Christian social values and liquor a little further or even the creation of the Liquor Control Boards in each province but it didn’t. This textbook provided a half decent analysis on the topic of prohibition for the grade 10 level and also met the requirements set by the curriculum but it didn’t encompass as much information regarding the topic as it could have.

Thanks for your comments, Andrew. I'm glad you looked at the text coverage in light of the curriculum and you seem to suggest that it's adequate. But it sounds like there might be opportunity for students to grapple with some of the broader issues related to prohibition rather than just being exposed to some basic facts. I look forward to seeing you you proceed.

Critical Thinking Question: Can the effects of the implementation of prohibition be seen to this day? Provide three examples to support your answer. This is framed as a critical question, Andrew, but I'm not sure it's framed around the historical context as much as it's framed around the present day. You might want to frame your question around the historical context and then use the present day as a mental set. Or you could ask about significant long term consequences but I'm not sure if you'd have to teach a whole lot of stuff that was outside the time period for the lesson for them to answer that. What do you think?


 * Lesson Design - Initial Planning Stages**

Grade: 10 Course: CHC2D Unit: One, 1914-1929

Prohibition was a social issue that was moral in nature and was driven by individuals that wanted to reform the ills of society by outlawing its production, transportation and sale. Well framed.
 * Identify Key Learning/ ”Big Idea”/ Learning Target**

Was the Canadian government sincere in its pursuit of the prohibition of alcohol or were they just following a global trend (the example of the Americans perhaps)? Interesting approach - I like the idea of looking at sincerity. I have to say I was unsure about how we would frame criteria but I think you've got a good start below!
 * Frame Critical Challenge**

This lesson will challenge students to come to terms with how they view social issues, such as alcohol, and will get them to develop critical thinking skills through analysis, reflection and discussion. These skills will be seen later via the homework they would have completed. Good - also consider explicitly stating how these skills will help them on the final summative (i.e. the newspaper spread).
 * How will this lesson help students build skills they will need for the summative assessment task for the unit?**

The two dimensions of historical thinking that will be utilized in this lesson are moral judgment and historical perspective taking. Moral Judgment will be the primary vehicle that will be navigating this issue since prohibition is moral/religious stance on a public/social issue. Historical perspective will be riding shotgun on this trip to provide the incite into the issue so that it will be possible to see the moral context that engulfs it.
 * What dimension of Historical Thinking will students actively engage in during this lesson?**

The students will need to know the particulars of how prohibition came about. This could be done through a mini lesson on how the Temperance movement developed through the 1800s and how their dream of prohibition came to fruition after the First World War.
 * Background Knowledge**

Students will need to decide how dedicated you said "sincere" above - I would choose one word or the other just to make sure it stays straightforward for the kids the Canadian government was in prohibiting it’s from citizens the producing, transporting and selling alcohol. This can be discerned through how federal allowed the provincial governments to come to a decision.Did the federal government guide the provincial government so that there would be uniformity throughout the country towards alcohol policy or did they allow the provinces to do as they pleased? What was Canada’s relationship throughout the prohibition period with the United States? Did Canada really stop producing, transporting and selling alcohol within the country and abroad? Did the provinces regulate alcohol efficiently or was that left up to the municipal government? This is a good start. I'm worried that some of these are more "requirements" than criteria - i.e. the students will just go through them like a checklist, answer yes or no and then have their answer - less critical thinking happening if that's the case. I wonder if we generalize the criteria to beyond this content if that would help. For example, how do we know when the federal government is being sincere in its efforts. It's efforts are sincere when it: - follows through to support or engage other levels of government in the decision (i.e. to close loopholes) - aligns other laws / initiatives to support the effort (i.e. to ensure consistency between its stated aims and its actions) - etc.
 * Criteria for Judgment**

What do you think about that? Just a thought.

Empathy will be a crucial habit of mind for this lesson because the students will need to understand how the moral views that emplaced prohibition, set the tone for the rest of the 1920s and into the 1930s. There are two thinking strategies that are being considered. The first thinking strategy involves the students making a poster advertisement that discourages other students from drinking alcohol based upon the values of the Temperance Movement. The second thinking strategy involves the students making a report card assessing the Canadian government’s commitment to the prohibition of alcohol. Egocentricity is the word that will be focused on for the critical thinking vocabulary section. Since Prohibition was a moral issue, it is important to understand the thinking and feelings of those people at that time. Current values getting intermingled with reasoned judgment and fact should be avoided.
 * Habit of Mind**
 * Thinking Strategies**
 * Critical Thinking Vocabulary**