Teaching Grade 5 students about the Canadian Government and judicial system can be quite dry and even overwhelming from the inside of a classroom. So, Pope John Paul II School teacher Jon Walters decided it was time to get the students out into the community to have a more hands on experience.
"I know that students will invest more of their time and energy in things that they enjoy, so being mindful of this I try to make connections with our local community, as well as having our students make their mark on a provincial scale," said Walters.
For this year's unit the students invited in local MP candidates, held their own mock election and visited the Kenora Courthouse. Walters said it being a federal election year was a huge bonus.
"Having the opportunity to view different platforms of parties really made the students be able to put things into perspective. We also had pictures of candidates both locally and federally for the students to be able to put a face to a name. Having Green Party Candidate, Kirsi Ralko, join us in our learning was also extra special. Students were able to ask many questions and be able to understand why people such as Kirsi have a passion for positive change in the world," he said.
After researching the different candidates and platforms for a few weeks students then took part in their own mock election. NDP candidate Rudy Turtle came out on top with 17 votes, followed by Kirsi Ralko with 11, Liberal candidate Bob Nault with 10 followed by Conservative Candidate Eric Melillo with 7.
The unit was wrapped up with a visit to the Kenora Courthouse where students held a Q & A with Judge David Gibson. Overall Walters said students had a great time with all the experiential learning.
"The students really love learning about things that can have an affect on them personally. Getting to know their local MPs and being able to watch them in action on multiple debates, really put things into perspectives," he said.
