Lesson: Global Connections – Sweatshop Labour
Lesson: Global Connections - Sweatshop Labour
Geography of Canada, Grade 9, Academic
Three Periods (225 min)
Rationale
In our ever increasingly globalised world, citizens within North America are connected to people across the globe in many different ways. One such global connection is based upon the very clothes we wear on our backs. Major brand-name companies rely heavily on producing clothing at the lowest possible costs for themselves. As a result, sweatshop abuses are a common reality in many countries around the world, including Canada. This lesson is designed to encourage students to become more aware of their connections to the geographic issue of sweatshop labour, as well as the economic, human, and social costs associated with it.
Teaching Strategies
Lesson Outline
Period One
1. Introduce the outline of the lesson and set the agenda for the class period.
2. Write the word “SWEATSHOPS” on the black board. Ask students to think-pair-share with a partner as to any and all key words they associate with the term “SWEATSHOPS.” Call on random pairs to offer their perspective and record the information on the blackboard. Students are to copy the information down in their notebooks.
Ask students in their pairs to discuss the following questions and record their answers in their notebooks.
· Where do sweatshops exist?
· Who works in sweatshops and why?
· What companies or brands use sweatshops to produce their clothing?
As a class, enter into a guided discussion around the above three questions, ensuring that all pairs have the opportunity to express their opinions. Record all students’ answers on the blackboard.
3. Introduce The Label Check Activity. Ask students to pair up with their neighbour and examine the label attached to her/his shirt. Each student is to check the brand name and the country where the item was made. Ask them to look for other information on the label, such as fabric content, washing instructions, size, and the “CA number.”
Together as a class brainstorm answers to the following questions, with teacher acting as the recorder in the creation of a class board note.
· What are the well-known brands?
· What countries do our clothes come from?
· What other information did you find on the labels?
· Is there any information about the factory where the clothes were made?
· Is there any information about wages and working conditions?
Compare the lists of the well-known brands and countries where students’ clothes were made from this activity with the responses of the students from the previous activity. What are the similarities and differences? Next, using the lists from this activity, rate each according to how often the brands and countries are mentioned. Following from this, enter into a guided discussion around the reasons as to why students think they did not find any information regarding the later two questions. Ask students whether they think access to this information is important and why.
4. Introduce The Labour Behind the Label Activity. Provide background to the issue of how our clothes are made by presenting students with the information provided on TIS 1.
5. Bring closure to class.
Period Two
1. Introduce the agenda for the class period.
2. Inform students that they will be participating in a jigsaw exercise designed to provide them with new information regarding sweatshops. Introduce the concept of co-operative learning and the jigsaw activity through the use of OS 1 and OS 2 respectively. Ensure that students understand the steps and purpose behind the activity.
Divide students into home groups of four students each. Ask students to letter off A to D, distribute PMI Sheets (HO 1) and Articles A to D respectively to students, and ask them to form expert groups from A-D. Each expert group will read and analyse their respective article using the PMI Sheets and then collectively agree on how they will “teach” the key points raised in the article. Students return to their home groups to “teach” what they have learned in the expert groups.
3. Within their home groups students are next required to create a graphic organiser as a means to effectively visualise, clarify, and interpret the new information acquired during the jigsaw exercise. Introduce the notion of mind maps (one particular type of graphic organiser) to the class through the use of OS 3, ensuring that students understand the steps and purpose behind it.
Distribute copies of the Mind Map Checklist (HO 2) to the students. Ensure that students understand that they are responsible for evaluating their group’s mind map using the criteria outlined on HO 2.
Distribute flipchart paper and coloured markers to each home group. Using the information from Articles A-D, as well as the learning from the previous activities, students are to construct a mind map regarding sweatshop labour. Working co-operatively, students construct the mind map as a way to organise their thoughts in a visual manner. Once completed, each group reports back to the entire class.
4. Bring closure to class.
Period Three
1. Introduce the agenda for the class period.
2. Introduce the activity on Planning for Action Against Sweatshops. Begin by asking students to brainstorm within their home groups some of the ways organised citizens can promote awareness around the issue of sweatshops and their desire to take action for social change.
Students discuss what they as individual and global citizens can do in order to affect change and create an action list. Students report back to the class with their action list. De-brief as a class and create a class list. Ensure that student responses include the following strategies:
· Write a letter to the editor / a politician / a business representative
· Create a petition
· Organise a delegation to meet with local store manager
· Write and read a speech
· Hold a public rally / parade / march / sit-in / demonstration / road blockade
· Organise a teach-in or panel discussion on the issue
· Hold a vigil or a mock-trial
· Create a banner, play, song, etc.
· Leaflet a local store or mall
3. Introduce the second part of the Planning for Action Against Sweatshops Activity. Distribute AS 1 and the Action Proposal Rubric (HO 3) to each student. Provide students with instructions on how to develop three criteria for evaluating their action list, as well as the instructions for developing their Action Proposal (AS 1). Students then work co-operatively within their home groups creating criteria and ranking their action ideas from most to least desirable.
Once students have ranked their action ideas, they are to chose the most desirable action and draw up an action proposal based on the criteria outlined in the Action Proposal Rubric. Students work co-operatively for the rest of the period on developing their Action Proposal.
4. Bring closure to class and to the lesson. Assign student homework. Home groups are to complete their Action Proposal and hand it in along with the Action Proposal Rubric at the beginning of the class one-week from the assigned date.
Assessment and Evaluation
Student learning will be assessed and evaluated through the use of the following:
Expectations / Class Period / Activity / Assessment / Evaluation Tool1. Demonstrate an understanding of the interdependence of Canadian and world economies. / Period One: The Label Check / Formative
Teacher Assessed
Observation
2. Research the impact of transnational corporations and international trade on people. / Period Two: The Labour Behind the Label: Part Two / Formative
Teacher Assessed
Observation
3. Use graphic organisers effectively to visualise, clarify, and interpret geographic information pertaining to sweatshop labour. / Period Two: Mind Mapping Sweatshop Labour / Formative
Student
Assessed
Checklist
4. Produce a proposal for a solution to the global geographic issue of sweatshops. / Period Three: Planning for Action Against Sweatshops / Summative
Teacher Evaluated
Rubric
Resources
Lessons at a Glance
Period One
Time / Activity / Assessment / Resources5 min / Introduction/Agenda (T)
20 min / Sweatshop Brainstorm Activity
· Think-Pair-Share key words re. sweatshops (S)
· Pair answers to the five questions (S)
· Class discussion and creation of board note (S/T)
30 min / The Label Check Activity
· Examine labels on partners clothing (S)
· Brainstorm answers to questions (S/T)
· Creation of rating list and guided discussion (S/T) / Formative
Assessment
Expectation #1 (T)
15 min / The Labour Behind the Label Activity: Part One
· Introduce the issue via quotation on OS 1 (T)
· Direct instruction re. how our clothes are made (T) / - TIS 1
5 min / Closure (T)
Period Two
Time / Activity / Assessment / Resources5 min / Introduction/Agenda (T)
40 min / The Labour Behind the Label Activity: Part Two
· Division into home groups A-D / instructions / distribution of Articles A-D (S/T)
· Expert groups A-D work co-operatively on analysing the respective articles (S)
· Report back to home groups (S) / Formative Assessment Expectation #2 (T) / - OS 1
- OS 2
- Articles A-D
- HO 1
25 min / Mind Mapping Sweatshop Labour Activity
· Instructions/handouts (T)
· Co-operative group work on mind map (S)
· Report back (S) / Formative Assessment Expectation #3 (S) / - OS 3
- HO 2
- Chart Paper
- Markers
5 min / Closure (T)
Period Three
Time / Activity / Assessment / Resources5 min / Introduction/Agenda (T)
20 min / Planning for Action Against Sweatshops: Part One
· Brainstorm types of actions within home groups (S)
· Report back to the class and debriefing (S/T)
45 min / Planning for Action Against Sweatshops: Part Two
· Introduction and instructions (T)
· Create criteria and rank the actions (S)
· Elaborate action proposal (S) / - AS 1
- HO 3
5 min / Closure
· Bring closure to lesson and assign student homework (T)
· Complete Action Proposal for homework (S) / Summative Evaluation Expectation #4 (T)
Teacher Resources
Teacher Information Sheet One (TIS 1)
Taken and adapted from “The Labour Behind the Label: How our clothes are made.” The Maquila Solidarity Network. www.maquilasolidarity.org/resources/garment/labour-label.htm>
“Together, the apparel and textile industries are the largest industrial employer in the world. The apparel sector represents about half that global industry. More than 23.6 million workers are employed in the garment industry world-wide. Close to 75 percent are women.”
- Maquila Solidarity Network
Shopping for clothes today can be quite a geography lesson. A label check around the classroom reveals that we are all wearing sweaters and shirts from Korea, Madagascar, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, China, Honduras, and El Salvador; as well as jeans from Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong. Check out any department or retail store – The Bay, Zellers, The Gap, Wal-Mart, Roots, Club Monaco, or Eddie Bauer – and you’ll find clothes from countries around the world.
A huge percentage will probably come form China and Hong Kong. On a recent trip to a Gap Kids Store in Toronto, The Maquila Solidarity Network identified labels from more than 35 countries.
And just as quickly as styles change, so do the countries where our clothes are made. In the globalised economy, retailers and super-labels are constantly searching for new opportunities to have their clothes made at a lower cost. Countries such as Canada, China, and El Salvador are forced to compete over who will accept the poorest wages and working conditions and the weakest labour, health, safety, and environmental standards. The lowest bidder gets the jobs.
Five Principles of Co-operative Learning (OS 1)
1. Students work in positive interdependence.
2. Students work in small heterogeneous groups.
3. Students are accountable both as individuals and as a group.
4. Students learn through purposeful talk.
5. Students learn and practice co-operative skills.
The Labour Behind the Label Jigsaw Activity (OS 2)
Purpose
Ø The need to “teach” gives an audience to student’s learning.
Ø In preparing and teaching the student synthesises the material.
Instructions
1. Students start in their home groups and letter off A-D.
2. Teacher distributes articles A-d correspondingly to students A-D.
3. Students meet with expert groups (all the A’s, all the B’s, etc.) who have the same material.
4. Expert groups master the material using the PMI sheets.
5. Expert groups decide collectively how the material is to be taught.
6. Students return to their home groups to teach the new material.
PMI Sheets (HO 1)
New information that the group feels is positive / Negative (-)
New information that the group feels is negative / Interesting
New information that the group feels is interesting
Mind Mapping Sweatshop Labour Activity (OS 3)
Purpose
Ø Makes it easier to access your ideas while enhancing your ability to organise them.
Ø Simple way to represent your ideas using key words, colours, imagery, etc.
Ø Non-linear format encourages you to begin generating ideas immediately and allows you to put a tremendous amount of significant information on one piece of paper.
Guidelines
1. Start your group map by drawing a picture of your topic in the centre of your paper.
2. Use key words (sweatshops, super-labels, garment industry, women, etc.).
3. Connect the key words with lines radiating out from your central image.
4. Print your key words
5. Print one key word per line.
6. Use colours, pictures, codes, etc. for emphasis.
7. Free-associate then organise.
Oxfam – Canada Developed by David Ast – OISE/UT Intern
Lesson: Global Connections – Sweatshop Labour
Mind Map Checklist (HO 1)
Group:
Expectation
Ø Use graphic organisers effectively to visualise, clarify, and interpret geographic information pertaining to sweatshop labour.
Criteria
The Mind Map ...
Achieves Standard Does not yet
With Distinction Achieve the Standard
Includes a high degree of understanding of facts and information 4 3 2 1