The following section places the student lessons into a curriculum and instructional context for teachers. In developing the unit of study, an attempt was made to adhere to the following principles:

• The unit of study should be tied to significant curriculum outcomes to help support the province's graduation learning outcomes related to aesthetic expression, citizenship qualities, communication, personal development, problem-solving, and technological competencies.
• A cross-curriculum approach should be used to enhance the significance of the study.
• Teaching methodologies should support transactional learning; that is, encourage students to be active participants in the learning process.
• Teaching methodologies should also support transformational learning; that is, encourage students to apply their preferences and values to what they are learning.
• The skills selected should be those that have life-long value.

The unit of study is designed with two to three 6-day teaching cycles in mind (i.e., 480-720 minutes of instruction). The 9 student lessons are sequenced from the least to the more difficult. It is not suggested that students complete all the lessons, but that they, in consultation with the teacher, make the selection based on interest and difficulty level.

If students are to experience success with the lessons they wish to complete, it is suggested that they read the section "Developments 1939-1949". These short readings give a brief description of events and issues that led to Newfoundland and Labrador's decision to join Canada as the nation's tenth province.