Historical Thinking Lesson Plan

“Woodstock, Kingsclear & the Wolastoqiyik resistance to the federal relocation plan – Part 1”

In the 1940s, the Government of Canada undertook plans to centralize Indigenous peoples of the

Maritimes. Ottawa’s New Brunswick centralization plan started to seep through some

communities and had a profound effect on the lives of the people and their land. However, strong

opposition from the Wolastoqiyik effectively mobilized against federal centralization schemes,

demonstrating the limits of state power at the time, and the power that a marginalized population

can hold when we consider the historical perspectives of the time.

The following lesson is part of a larger series which will explore historical perspectives at the

local level using primary and secondary source evidence. The lesson series will attempt to

engage students in local history of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi'kmaq populations in New Brunswick

and their place in history over time. The lesson below is an introductory lesson where students

will investigate sources and attempt to paint a picture of the socio-cultural landscape of the time,

specifically inferring on changes that may have happened to cause differences in perceptions, use

of land, traditional knowledge systems and diets, household dynamics, cultural values, with

special attention to Ottawa’s Indian Relocation Plan. Ultimately, this first lesson is a class on

examining sources and their meaning at the local level.

The lesson is designed to bring out some of the prominent components of Evidence and

Historical Perspectives with respect to “The Big Six” Historical Thinking Concepts (Seixas &

Morton, 2013). Arguably, the lesson also explores elements of Ethical Dimensions. This lessons

has the following objectives:

➢ To engage students in the major guideposts of Evidence through exposure to primary

source information

➢ To allow students to explore some concepts of Historical Perspectives and Ethical

Dimensions through discussion and analysis

➢ To have students demonstrate an understanding of some of the impacts that colonial

initiatives have had on the peoples of New Brunswick

Lesson Plan for Woodstock, Kingsclear & the Wolastoqiyik resistance to the federal

relocation plan – Part 1”

Tappan Adney described Kingsclear as a site with "nothing whatever to recommend it" and as an

area which represented "no spot the Indians would have chosen."1 According to federal plans,

Kingsclear was to become a farming community as of 1945. Yet the Wolastoqiyik of the time

only farmed on occasion, hunting and game meat representing the bulk of their diet (Hall, 2015).

This was not the first attempt at “civilization” programs in the region. A century earlier, an

Indian Agent by the name of Moses Perley proposed a program to move the Wolastoqiyik to

Kingsclear where they would be placed under tutelage and taught to farm; the main funding from

the program would come from selling reserve land that the Wolastoqiyik would have to abandon

when relocating. This plan failed, but a later plan proposed in 1897 partially succeeded (Upton,

1975, p. 100). The lesson below explores some historical sources which highlight colonial

attempts to train Wolastoqiyik people to farm in New Brunswick throughout the late 1800s and

mid-1900s.

Approximate time

1 period of 90 minutes

Materials

- Student netbooks or mobile devices (optional for additional research)

- Computer and projector/smartboard + hookup connection

- Presentation with images and sources

- Class set of Data Organizers

- 4 Sheets of paper, one with each excerpt: Excerpt1, Excerpt2, Excerpt3, Excerpt4

Setup

- Tables set up in groups of three to four

Background knowledge

- Students are familiar with historical thinking concepts

- Students have some knowledge of colonialism and its impacts

1 (Walls, 2008) via Adney notes, undated, E. Tappan Adney Fonds, case 4, file 7, no. 9, UNBASC

Lesson Plan Breakdown

Time Activity Students are… Historical

Thinking Concept

10

A picture of Wolastoqiyik women farming in Woodstock (Image1) is presented on the

projector as students come into the classroom.

• Students are asked to take some time to look at the picture and to make notes on their

observations. They are also asked to make inferences about the people in the picture,

who they are, where they are, what they are doing, how they got here, the time period

(etc.)

• After a few minutes, students are to speak with their table partner about their

observations. And to imagine what was happening before the picture was taken and

immediately after.

• The students are encouraged to share their inferences with the wider class.

Looking at the picture

and making

observations by

themselves.

Discussing what they

have observed with their

table partners.

Sharing their inferences

with the class

Evidence

(1)(3)

10

The teacher engages the class into a small discussion where she asks questions to the group

about the picture. Some questions may include:

• Who are the people in this picture?

• What are they doing?

• When was it taken?

• Who was taking it?

• Where was it taken?

• What is the larger story behind this image?

• What kind of source is this?

• What are the facial expressions? What can we infer from these expressions about

the subject’s feelings?

Answering questions

and discussing the

picture with the whole

group

Filling out their data

organizer

Evidence

(1)(2)(3)

The teacher splits the class into four groups and hands out Excerpt1, Excerpt2, Excerpt3,

Excerpt4, one for each group.

Split into 4 groups Evidence

(1)(2)(3)(5)

20-25

The teacher then asks the students to discuss the excerpt. The students need to work in their

group to attempt to corroborate their excerpt with the first source (Image1) using their Data

Organizer. The teacher tells the students that they will have to present their inferences to

the class.

Answering questions

and discussing the

excerpt in their small

group.

Filling out their data

organizer

15

The teacher asks the groups to present their Excerpt and their inferences to the rest of the

class; which is inputting the information into their Data organizers as it is presented to

them.

Students are encouraged to discuss and ask questions to the presenting group to make sure

they investigate the source to the best of their collective capacity. She may ask the

following questions to prompt discussion:

• What kind of source is this?

• What do you think could be the larger story behind this text?

• Who made this source?

• Who or what is left out of this source?

• What is similar about these sources? How do they differ?

Presenting their excerpts

Answering questions

and discussing the

sources with the whole

group

Working as a group to

answer the questions in

the data organizer

Evidence

(1)(2)(3)(5)

15

The teacher asks the students to attempt to answer the following questions on a piece of

paper using historical perspectives and reflecting on the day’s activity. The students are to

answer the question in three paragraphs or more. They may discuss with their table partners

before answering and may choose to use their personal devices to strengthen their

inferences. The teacher reminds the students to use Historical Perspective concepts when

answering the question. She may choose to share the summative assessment with her

students.

▪ Why might the English settlers have not truly understood in the importance of the

land for the Wolastoqiyik?

▪ Why is it difficult to determine the perspective of Wolastoqiyik people during this

time?

Applying what was

learned to answer a

question

Evidence

(1)(3)(4)

Historical

Perspectives

(1)(3)(5)

Ethical

Dimension

(1)(2)

Assessments

There are two types of suggested assessments for this lesson, one formative assessment and one

summative assessment. The formative assessment is a self-assessment and can be taken on after

the final group presentation. It has for primary purpose to assess the students’ understanding of

“asking good questions” and of their level of engagement with Historical Thinking Concepts.

However, the learners’ ability to collectively address the questions in their graphic organizers

will make up the bulk of the assessment. Other aspects, such as the students’ abilities to make

insightful inferences, corroborate their sources and their ability and confidence in sharing their

inferences with the rest of the group will be at the forefront of this evaluation. This will help

guide instruction for future lessons which have primary and secondary source analysis and gage

the student’s level of understanding with the historical thinking process.

The summative assessment will be given at the end of the lesson and should be done on an

individual level. The students will be asked to answer two questions using the inferences

showcased in class and throughout the activity. This will require the student to take historical

context, perspectives and worldviews into account. The assessment has for primary purpose to

help us understand the learners’ ability to use Historical Perspectives based on sources and

discussions throughout the class.

Historical Thinking Concepts

This lesson is driven by Evidence and, if conducted properly, can reach all guideposts within this

category. The first guidepost, where interpretations and inferences are made from the primary

sources, can be reached at every level of the lesson through having students reflect back to the

original picture of the Wolastoqiyik women. The second guidepost is mostly reached through the

help of the teacher, prompting the students with questions and directing them towards making

inferences about the sources’ stories and valuing those sources within their context. This is also

why the third guidepost in this category can be reached as frequently – especially when students

are introduced to the Data Organizer. The Data Organizer allows for the learner to ask the right

questions about the sources they are exposed to and directs them towards corroboration (5) and

eventually, amid more subtlety, the sources’ historical setting (4).

Historical Perspectives and its guideposts can be indirectly seen throughout the lesson but make

a notable appearance in the last section where learners are asked to use the experience and

inferences they have had and have drawn throughout the activity to answer a set of question.

These questions guide the learner to take on the worldviews of English settlers and of the local

Wolastoqiyik peoples (1) while considering their historical context (3). The two questions also

allow the learner to dive into the difficulty behind finding Wolastoqiyik perspectives (5).

This last section of the lesson can also indirectly touch on Ethical Dimensions by pushing the

learner to think about the relationship between the English settlers and the local Wolastoqiyik (1)

and questioning why the English settlers may have wanted to train the local Wolastoqiyik into

farming against their own will (2).

Curricular links

This lesson can fit well within many New Brunswick social studies curricula as it can be used to

springboard to moments in history which involved Indigenous and colonialist relationships. The

most appropriate curriculum remains the Social Studies Grade 9 curriculum where the lesson can

be easily transferable through most of the units. For the purpose of this exercise, the Canadian

History 122 curriculum will be used as our major curricular link, especially with regards to the

general course outcomes including section A) “Historical Understandings” and section B)

“Historical Thinking”. The most applicable “Understandings” include the following:

(1) Students will understand the regional nature of the country as reflected in the

federal system

(3) Students will understand the evolving face of Canada as various cultural groups

become part of the Canadian multicultural reality

(Department of Education, 1998, p. 26)

Historical Thinking makes numerous appearances throughout the document, but is especially

mentioned in the first few pages, with the following outcomes being targeted in this lesson:

(1) Students will appreciate that historians are selective in the questions they seek to

answer and the evidence they use

(2) Students will recognize that interpretation is an essential ingredient of history

(3) Students will employ processes of critical historical inquiry to reconstruct and

interpret the past

(Department of Education, 1998, p. 26)

Within the curriculum itself, “Unit 1: 1867-1896 the MacDonald era – expansion and

consolidation” and “Outcome #2” where students are to “demonstrate an understanding of the

policies of Canadian western expansion” could be tied to this lesson.

Most importantly, this lesson and its overall series, was designed to adhere to “Essential

Graduation Learnings” where students are to engage with their learnings to develop senses of

citizenship, personal development, expression, communication and problem solving (Department

of Education, 1998, pp. 7-13). More specifically, within Citizenship, “to demonstrate

understanding social, political and economic forces that have shaped the past and present, and

apply those understandings in planning for the future” and “to examine human rights issues and

recognize forms of discrimination”. Within Personal Development, “ to reflect critically on

ethical issues” and within Problem Solving, “to frame and text hypotheses”, “to ask questions,

observe relationships, make inferences, and draw conclusions” and “to identify, describe and

interpret different points of view and distinguish fact from opinion.” (Department of Education,

1998, pp. 7,8,10,15)

Self-Assessment: Evidence

Data Organizers & Presentations

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ________________________

Criteria Always Mostly Sometimes Rarely

Research Questions

I understood my inquiry question before looking at

my source

Research

I was able to recognize where and when I needed

more information

Analysis of Sources

I described all of the key details from my sources.

I analyzed the possible purpose and values of the

creator(s) of the sources (author, photographer,

etc.).

I drew conclusions about how the sources

answered my questions and what they did not tell

me.

I was able to make strong connections between my

sources and corroborate them effectively

Conclusions

I drew thoughtful conclusions and inferences about

my inquiry to the best of my knowledge

Presentation

The presentation helped other students understand

the major questions and inferences tied to my

excerpt

Adapted from (Seixas & Morton, 2013, p. 73)

Summative Assessment: Historical Perspective Questions: Why might the English settlers have not truly understood in the importance of the land for the

Wolastoqiyik? Why is it difficult to determine the perspective of Wolastoqiyik people during this time?

Name:______________________________ Date:______________________________

Criteria for Historical Thinking

Very

well

(4)

To some

extent

(3)

To a

limited

degree

(2)

Not at all

(1)

Notes

Student identifies an example of relevant

difference between the worldview of an

historical actor and current worldviews by

considering, for example,

– social norms

– dominant belief systems

Student uses historical context to make sense

of the perspective of an historical actor.

Student uses textual, visual, oral, or artifactual

evidence to make valid inferences about an

historical actor’s thoughts and feelings.

Student identifies a variety of perspectives

among historical actors participating in a given

event.

Adapted from (Seixas & Morton, 2013)

Summative Assessment: Historical Perspective (Rubric) Questions: Why might the English settlers have not truly understood in the importance of the land for the

Wolastoqiyik? Why is it difficult to determine the perspective of Wolastoqiyik people during this time?

Name:______________________________ Date:______________________________

Criteria for Historical

Thinking Very well (4) To some extent (3) To a limited degree (2) Not at all (1)

Student identifies an

example of relevant

difference between the

worldview of

Wolastoqiyik/English Settler

actor(s) and current

worldviews by considering,

for example,

– social norms

– dominant belief systems

Has attempted to use

one or more worldviews

and has considered

social norms and

dominant belief

systems

Has attempted to use

one or more worldviews

and has attempted to

consider social norms

and dominant belief

systems

Has addressed one or

more worldviews

Has not addressed

worldviews, social norms

or dominant belief

systems

Student uses historical

context to make sense of

the perspective of either

Wolastoqiyik/English Settler

actor(s).

Uses examples of

writing/examples in

history of the local

region to explain events

Attempts to use general

examples in history in

North America to

explain the historical

context

Has used examples

and attempted to make

sense of the historical

context.

Has not attempted to

make connections to the

historical context

Student uses textual, visual,

oral, or artifactual evidence

to make valid inferences

about Wolastoqiyik/English

Settler thoughts and

feelings.

Uses multiple sources

covered in class (and

out of class) as

examples to back up

their inferences

Uses one or two

sources from class to

back up their inferences

Attempts to use

sources to back up

inferences

Has not attempted to

make inferences

Adapted from (Seixas & Morton, 2013)

Worksheet 1: Data organizer adapted from (Seixas & Morton, 2013) BLM 2.3 Data Organizer (p.72)

Question: What is the story of the Wolastoqiyik people and their colonial relationships in New Brunswick over time?

Guiding questions Source 1: Image1 Source 2: Excerpt1 Information ✓ Type of source ✓ Creator/Author ✓ When and Where

Context ✓ What events were happening at the

time?

Description ✓ What’s important? ✓ What’s interesting? ✓ What can’t you explain?

Inferences: creator ✓ Who was the audience of the

source? ✓ What did they want to hear? ✓ How may the background of the

creator have influenced this source?

Inferences: inquiry ✓ What can you learn from this

source? ✓ What links can you make with the

inquiry question? ✓ What other questions do you have?

Source 3: Excerpt2 Source 4: Excerpt3 Source 5: Excerpt4

Image1: picture of Wolastoqiyik women farming in Woodstock (Library and Archives Canada, n.d.)

Excerpt1: excerpt from (Upton, 1975, p. 50) via “A Plan for civilizing the Aborigines of New-Brunswick” New Brunswick Courier,

October 1, 1825

“The Indians should be enabled to obtain and enjoy the

conveniences and benefits of a social life, taught

Agriculture, and some of the most useful arts, and instructed

in the principles of sound knowledge; by which their

manners might be humanized, a rational submission to

wholesome laws, and regulations introduced, and their

minds prepared for the reception of moral and Christian

doctrine; - by which, in time, they might be fitted to

intermarry with our people, and become profitable members

of the British Commonwealth, and faithful subjects to His

Majesty”

Excerpt2: excerpt from (Upton, 1975, p. 53) via “Petition of Chief Pemmeenauweet”, received at Colonial Office January 25, 1841,

CO 217/179, ff. 406-408, PRO.

“My people are in trouble. I have seen upwards of a

Thousand Moons. When I was young I had plenty: now I

am old, poor and sickly too. My people are poor. No

Hunting Grounds – no Beaver – no Otter – no nothing.

Indians poor – poor for ever. No Store – no Chest – no

Clothes. All these Woods once ours. Our Fathers

possessed them all. How we cannot cur a Tree to warm our

Wigaum in Winter unless the White Man please. The

Micmacs now receive no presents, but one small blanket for

a whole family.”

Excerpt3: Jonathon Odell to Gerves Say, May 11, 1789, REX/PA, Indians, n.p., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick via (Upton,

1975, p. 49)

“If they are ready to learn, we are willing to teach them… all

the methods of agriculture which an unfailing Subsistence is

secured to all civilized and industrious Planters”

Excerpt4: Tappan Adney notes, undated, E. Tappan Adney Fonds, case 4, file 7, no. 10, UNBASC. Via Walls, M. (2008). Countering

the "Kingsclear blunder": Maliseet Resistance to the Kingsclear Relocation Plan, 1945-1949. Acadiensis.

A Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) woman explained to Tappan Adney:

"If we wanted to farm we would have farmed long ago."

Tappan Adney summed up this opinion:

"Why in hell must they keep on trying to make an Indian here

into a farmer, and how in hell can anybody farm on three

acres, and who in hell wants the stink of goats?”

E.T. Adney to Chief S. Paul, 24 June 1947, E. Tappan Adney Fonds, MIC 572 A1, no. 2, reel 1, UNBHIL. A herd of goats had

recently been moved from the Golden Lake reserve in Ontario to Kingsclear, with the idea being that "goats from this herd will be

moved to other reserves in New Brunswick to provide additional supplies of milk." See Department of Mines and Resources, "Report

of Indian Affairs Branch for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 1948," p. 212.

References

Department of Education. (1998). Canadian History 122. Fredericton: New Brunswick Department of

Educaiton Curriculum Development Branch.

Hall, J. (2015). Maliseet Cultivation and Climatic Resilience on the Wəlastəkw/St. John River During the

Little Ice Age. Acadiensis, 2(44).

Library and Archives Canada. (n.d.). Three First Nation Women, a young girl and an infant in a potato

field. MIKAN No. 3425858(Series tite:SC), FA-001. (W. J.-1. Topley, Ed.) Woodstock, New

Brunswick: PA-010755.

Seixas, P., & Morton, T. (2013). The Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts. Toronto: Nelson Education

Ltd.

Upton, L. (1975). Colonists and Micmacs. Journal of Canadian Studies, 10(3), 44-57.

Walls, M. (2008). Countering the "Kingsclear blunder": Maliseet Resistance to the Kingsclear Relocation

Plan, 1945-1949. Acadiensis.