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Lesson Plan: The Softwood Lumber Dispute
Lesson Plan
Introduction
Canada and the United States are the world's largest trading partners, but have faced an ongoing dispute in one area of trade: softwood lumber. The dispute dates back hundreds of years, but was exacerbated in the 1980s when the U.S. government slapped billions of dollars of fines on Canadian wood, jeopardizing thousands of jobs. The dispute raises serious questions about trade, sovereignty, and the real nature of Canada-U.S. relations.
The Task
Students will use presentation software to create a presentation explaining both sides in the Canada-U.S. softwood lumber dispute. Students will begin by defining the following terms and phrases, which recur frequently in the debate:
softwood lumber
board foot
stumpage fees
countervailing duty
at loggerheads
Students will use the CBC Digital Archives website and other resources to explore the main issues in the softwood lumber dispute. Students will then create two word webs, one outlining Canada's position, and the other outlining the position of the United States.
The Process
Students can work individually or in
small groups. Students should begin their research on the topic At Loggerheads: The Canada-U.S. Softwood
Lumber Dispute. The clip titled "The softwood war begins" and its
supplementary information will help students define the relevant terms and
phrases.
Students will continue to review the topic on the CBC Archives and then expand their research to include other relevant resources. Once they have completed their word webs, students will prepare a presentation that introduces and explains both sides in the dispute. Students may use pictures and text from the CBC Archives site as well as other Internet resources, but they must be sure to cite and credit all their sources.
Conclusion
Have groups share their presentations with one another or with another class. Students should be prepared to ask and answer questions. Students should give their personal opinions on the dispute, supporting their opinions with details from their research.