CBC Archives

Engage students in a discussion about public protests. Have them distinguish between peaceful and confrontational forms of public protest, giving examples of each. Ask: What can turn a peaceful protest into a violent one? Have them gather in small groups and make notes about protestors they have heard of, both peaceful and non-peaceful, such as Mohatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Che Guevara, and Malcolm X. Gather as a group to share the profiles. Create a chart that shows students' opinions on whether it is acceptable to break the law when protesting.

Direct small groups of students to The Battle for Aboriginal Treaty Rights on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Have them view Clips #4 and #5 and read the attached information, then ask them to record what two approaches were used in these protests. Discuss their results. Ask: What factors can make a protest successful or not? What factors made the Haida's efforts successful? Coon Come's efforts successful?

Working in small groups, students do further research to create an illustrated handbook that details how to plan a protest or that profiles a well-known protest. Students display their handbooks in the class and do walk through the room to review one another's work.

After students have viewed their classmates work, compare and contrast the handbooks. Ask them to identify a plan that would be effective at getting a message across and explain why they think that plan would be effective. You might create a class list of some of the key steps outlined by students in their handbooks, as well as a brief outline or timeline of the events noted in those handbooks that profiled protests.

Students can research a local environmental issue of importance and create signs to indicate peaceful protest and offer solutions.