TKI - More than a Holiday: Labour Day: Unit Plan [Social Studies Online]
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More than a Holiday: Labour Day

Unit Plan
More than a Holiday: Labour Day

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TEACHER Christina Ward

YEAR
6-8
LEVEL
4
DURATION
Half a week

Strand Achievement Objectives to be Assessed Learning Outcomes
Social Organisation
How and why people exercise their rights and meet their responsibilities 		Students will be able to:
- Describe how Samuel Parnell exercised his rights to establish the eight hour working day in New Zealand
- Explain why Samuel Parnell promoted the eight hour working day
- Explain why countries have a responsibility to address work issues
Processes Learning Outcomes
Inquiry Students will be able to:
Conduct an inquiry into Labour Day
Requirements
Settings:New Zealand; Global
Perspectives:Current Issues; the Future
Essential Learning About New Zealand Society (ELANZS): - The nature and organisation of paid and unpaid work
- Major events in New Zealand's history
- People in New Zealand's history

Note: This unit could contribute to a school meeting the requirement of National Administration Guideline 1:vi to provide career education programmes from Year 7 onward.

Assessment
Assessment Activity 1
Assessment Schedule 1

Assessment Activity 2
Assessment Schedule 2

TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Smiley Select and adapt these learning activities to best meet the needs of your students, and to fit the time available:

  1. Biography
    Read this biography of Samuel Parnell to the class.

  2. Mind map
    Ask different students to mind map the main characters, ideas, events on the board after each section.

  3. Assessment Activity 1

    1. Cartoon Strip
      Create a cartoon strip that describes the story of how Samuel Parnell introduced the eight-hour working day in New Zealand. Explain why he did this.

      Your cartoon will need about seven frames.

      For example:
      Life in London.
      On board ship en route for New Zealand
      Hunter asks Parnell to build him a shop
      Parnell insists on eight hour day
      Parnell meets other ships arriving in Wellington
      Labour day established

      Your cartoon must:

      • give accurate information about key events in Parnell's campaign.
      • describe how Parnell established the eight hour day in New Zealand
      • explain why he wanted an eight hour day
      • explain how Parnell's ideas apply to your own life

    2. Add one extra panel to explain why Samuel Parnell promoted the eight hour working day.

    3. Read about the history of Labour Day in New Zealand.

  4. Assessment Activity 2

    1. In small groups view this presentation: Of Every 100 Children - Child Labour today.

    2. Write down at least five facts from the presentation.

    3. In small groups talk about the difference between child labour and doing chores at home.

    4. Read about New Zealand's ideas about child labour.

    5. Write down some reasons why our government has laws to protect New Zealand children at work.

    6. Write a letter or an email that links Samuel Parnell's ideas about the working day with a current issue about work. Your letter should have:
      • accurate facts about Parnell
      • accurate facts about a current work issue
      • a clear statement of your own view on this issue
      • an idea about what the New Zealand government could do about this issue
      • a reason why the government should act

      Visit these sites to find out about some of the working conditions Parnell had seen in Victorian England.

FOLLOW UP

Enjoy your long weekend knowing a little more about the history and issues of Labour Day.




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