created by Julie Disher 

Grade Level: 5/6 

Critical Task: Do you feel the conditions of your contract with the Hudson's Bay Company are fair or unfair? Based on your feelings, will you renew your contract with the Hudson's Bay Company? 

Overview: Students will decide the criteria that are necessary for drawing up a contract. Students will then pick a job and sign a Hudson's Bay contract. Once the contracts have been signed, the class will split in half and students will have a debate. Half the class will argue that their contracts are unfair and they will not renew their contracts, the other half will argue that their contracts are fair, and they will renew. 

1. what is a contract (a legal document)
2. an idea of what "fairness" and "responsibility" means
3. some knowledge, practice, or skills necessary for working in a group situation
4. some knowledge, practice or skills necessary for participating in a class debate 

1. was the group able to work together efficiently (i.e. students were able to stay on task and focused, students were able to take turns speaking and were all students in the group listening and participating)
2. was the group able to provide sound reasons and justifications for their thoughts and ideas
3. did each student complete a contract that was practical and realistic 

1. "fair"
2. "responsibility"
3. "contract" 

1. guided questions by the teacher to promote discussion
2. analysis of cases or excerpts from the text (pages 32 and 34 on working conditions and an actual example of a contract)
3. creating a chart or list of the "pros" or reasons why the contract conditions are fair and renewable and the "cons" or reasons why the contract conditions are unfair and not to be renewed. This will help students to organize their thoughts and ideas. 

• For this critical challenge, I used the basic format used in the teacher's guide for the grade five social studies textbook on page I -IO in the blackline masters:

• I slightly adapted this template in include some further information such as a job description.
• I also used some of the questions from the teacher's guide that are recommended to start discussion on the section in the chapter (pages 47 to 61)

Together as a class, the teacher will read chapter one, section four called "Signing A Contract" in Canada: Building Our Nation. The teacher will focus questions for discussion on the writing of and conditions of a contract. Questions might include what is a contract, and what might be the reasons The Hudson's Bay Company made all its workers sign contracts. The teacher will reread the excerpt on page 32 of the textbook on working conditions and the excerpt on page 34 outlining a contract between the Company and a worker. Both excerpts will be discussed as a class in further detail. For example, are the working conditions fair in your mind or unfair.

Students will brainstorm a list of criteria or terms necessary for a contract drawing on the information from the textbook. Students will be asked to review the chapter and to pick a job position in the Fort and write out a description of that job. The job description will include a description of the work, living conditions, pay, and the skills needed for that job. Students are given a blank contract form to be filled out and signed by the Chief Factor (the teacher!).

Once students have had their contracts signed, the class will be split in half. One half will be expected to generate a list of reasons why their contact is fair and will eventually renew their contract when it expires and the other half of the class will be expected to generate a list of reasons why their contracts are unfair and will not renew their contract when it expires. In addition, this second group opposed to their contracts are wanting to leave the Company before their contract expires. Students are given time to generate their lists and are called back to the whole class. The teacher acts as the chairperson to organize the debate, set the conditions or rules for the debate and keeps track of the time. All students are aware that they must listen to and respect the chairperson. At the end of the debate students are asked by the chairperson to sit on the side of the room they agree with; either they are for their contracts or against. Students are then asked to justify why they switched sides or stayed the same. This last part, depending on class time could be in written form or done orally.

Grade 5, Grade 6

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