Social Studies · Grade 5 · Responsible Citizenship · Term 2

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action

Students will explore selected Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, focusing on those relevant to education and youth.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: People and Environments: The Role of Government and Responsible Citizenship - Grade 5
• ON: Heritage and Identity: First Nations and Europeans in New France and Early Canada - Grade 5

About This Topic

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action outline 94 specific recommendations to address the legacy of residential schools and advance reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. In Grade 5, students focus on Calls relevant to education and youth, such as Call 62, which urges child-welfare agencies to work with Indigenous organizations, and Calls 63-65, which target curriculum changes to include Indigenous history and perspectives. Through this topic, students identify key Calls, analyze their intent to redress historical injustices like cultural loss and trauma, and craft personal responses on how they can contribute as citizens.

This content aligns with Ontario's Grade 5 Social Studies strands on Responsible Citizenship and Heritage and Identity. It builds skills in critical analysis, empathy, and civic engagement by connecting past government policies to present-day responsibilities. Students examine how these Calls promote equity in education and community healing, fostering a deeper understanding of Canada's diverse identities.

Active learning shines here because sensitive topics like reconciliation require personal connection to avoid superficial recall. When students engage in role-plays of Call implementation or collaborative action plans, they internalize the urgency, develop agency, and practice respectful dialogue that mirrors real-world citizenship.

Key Questions

1. Identify specific Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
2. Analyze how the Calls to Action aim to address historical injustices.
3. Construct a personal response to a Call to Action, outlining how you can contribute.

Learning Objectives

• Identify at least three specific Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission related to education or youth.
• Analyze how one selected Call to Action aims to address historical injustices faced by Indigenous peoples in Canada.
• Construct a personal action plan detailing two specific ways to contribute to reconciliation based on a chosen Call to Action.
• Explain the connection between the Calls to Action and the concept of responsible citizenship in Canada.

Before You Start

Understanding of Canadian History: Early Encounters

Why: Students need foundational knowledge of early interactions between European settlers and Indigenous peoples to understand the historical context leading to the residential school system.

Introduction to Government Roles and Responsibilities

Why: Understanding the roles of different levels of government is necessary to comprehend how the Calls to Action are directed at specific government bodies and institutions.

Key Vocabulary

Truth and Reconciliation Commission	A Canadian commission established to inform Canadians about the truth of the residential school system and to guide the country toward reconciliation.
Calls to Action	Specific recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the ongoing legacy of residential schools and promote reconciliation.
Reconciliation	The process of establishing mutually respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Residential Schools	Government-funded, church-run schools in Canada where Indigenous children were forced to attend from the late 1800s to the 1990s, leading to significant harm and cultural loss.
Indigenous Peoples	The first inhabitants of Canada, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, each with distinct cultures, languages, and histories.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Reconciliation is complete because the TRC report exists.

What to Teach Instead

The Calls to Action require ongoing implementation by governments, schools, and individuals. Role-playing stakeholder responsibilities helps students see the gap between report and reality, building commitment through peer discussions on barriers like resistance to change.

Common Misconception

Residential schools only affected the past and have no link to today.

What to Teach Instead

Intergenerational trauma persists in communities, influencing education and well-being now. Mapping personal family histories alongside TRC timelines reveals connections, while group pledges shift focus to actionable futures, countering historical distance.

Common Misconception

TRC Calls only concern Indigenous people, not all Canadians.

What to Teach Instead

All citizens share responsibility for reconciliation to build an inclusive society. Collaborative projects like class action plans demonstrate shared roles, fostering empathy and collective ownership through visible group contributions.

Active Learning Ideas

Jigsaw: TRC Calls Exploration

Assign small groups one Call to Action relevant to youth or education. Groups research its background, historical context, and goals using provided texts or videos, then create a one-page summary with visuals. Experts teach their peers in a class jigsaw share-out, followed by whole-class discussion on connections.

50 min·Small Groups

Personal Pledge Workshop: My Response

Students select one Call to Action and brainstorm personal actions they can take, such as advocating for Indigenous content in school or learning an Indigenous language phrase. In pairs, they draft and refine pledges, then share via a class commitment wall with sticky notes.

30 min·Pairs

Role-Play Scenarios: Implementing Calls

Divide class into scenarios where students role-play stakeholders (e.g., student, teacher, principal) responding to a Call like curriculum integration. Groups prepare skits showing challenges and solutions, perform for the class, and debrief on effective strategies.

45 min·Small Groups

Timeline Mapping: Path to Reconciliation

Individually, students plot key events from residential schools to TRC Calls on a shared timeline. In whole class, add personal future actions, discussing how individual efforts contribute to national progress.

35 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Students can research current initiatives by organizations like the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, which archives the history of residential schools and promotes education across Canada.
• Consider how school boards and provincial governments, like the Ontario Ministry of Education, are implementing curriculum changes based on Calls to Action, such as incorporating Indigenous histories and perspectives into subjects like Social Studies.
• Community leaders and educators involved in Indigenous education programs work to build relationships and implement reconciliation efforts, often collaborating with Indigenous elders and knowledge keepers.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a prompt: 'Choose one Call to Action we discussed. Write one sentence explaining its purpose and one sentence describing a concrete action you can take to support it.'

Discussion Prompt

Facilitate a class discussion using the question: 'How does understanding the history of residential schools and the Calls to Action connect to our responsibilities as citizens in Canada today?' Encourage students to share specific examples.

Quick Check

Ask students to individually list two Calls to Action relevant to youth and briefly explain the intended outcome for one of them. Review responses to gauge comprehension of the calls' purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the TRC Calls to Action relevant to Grade 5 education?

Key Calls include 63, which calls for building student capacity for intercultural understanding; 64, integrating Indigenous knowledge in curricula; and 65, sharing church records on residential schools. These emphasize anti-racism, treaty education, and language preservation. Provide excerpts and visuals to make them accessible, linking to Ontario curriculum expectations for responsible citizenship.

How can Grade 5 students respond to TRC Calls to Action?

Guide students to analyze a Call's purpose, then create personal pledges like organizing a school Indigenous awareness event or learning local First Nations history. Use rubrics for reflection journals to assess understanding of historical injustices and personal agency, aligning with key questions on contribution.

How does teaching TRC Calls connect to Ontario Grade 5 Social Studies?

It directly supports 'People and Environments: Role of Government and Responsible Citizenship' by examining government accountability, and 'Heritage and Identity' by addressing First Nations histories. Activities build analysis of policies' impacts, promoting skills in equity and civic participation essential for the strand.

How can active learning help students engage with TRC Calls to Action?

Active strategies like jigsaws and role-plays make abstract Calls tangible, encouraging empathy through perspective-taking. Students move beyond rote learning to analyze injustices and plan actions, as seen in pledge workshops where peer feedback refines ideas. This builds emotional investment and skills for lifelong reconciliation efforts, with debriefs ensuring respectful dialogue.