Overview
Grade 7 students will explore the origins, histories, and movement of peoples who impacted the creation of Canada as a new nation (Confederation). They will examine how the political, economic, social and population changes that have occurred since Canada became a country in 1867 have shaped today’s Canada.
Rationale
By examining events before and after Confederation, students will come to understand why Canada is a multicultural and bilingual society that embraces and celebrates all individuals for their differences. Students will further build an understanding of how Canadian identity was founded on these ideas and appreciate what it means to be a citizen in Canada.
Key Issues
1. To what extent did the roles and relationships among Canada’s
three founding peoples: Aboriginal, French, and British, contribute
to Canada’s development as a new nation?
2. To what extent have changes in politics, economy, society, and
population since Confederation impacted Canada?
Key Outcome
Students will understand, assess, and respond to
the impact historical foundations & changes
have shaped identity and citizenship in Canada today.
COURSE ASSESSMENT
You will be assessed and evaluated for evidence of learning in the following areas:
Excused absences DO NOT excuse YOUR OBLIGATION to fully participate in the course, its assignments, projects, tests, quizzes, and learning activities. YOU are responsible for your learning, even if you are absent from class.
ATTITUDE, ATTITUDE, ATTITUDE
You choose your attitude, and you are personally, socially, and academically responsible for it. This is especially true in social studies where you are developing skills, knowledge, and attitudes towards positive, active, and engaged citizenship, both globally and nationally.
Social Studies 7/8
You will only get from your education what you put into it! Be an active learner – think critically and ask questions. There will be ample opportunity for discussion in class. However, in order to create an environment where all feel welcome to participate, regardless of one’s perspective, it is essential for some basic rules to be followed:
1. RESPECT IS KEY: this includes respect for SELF, for OTHERS, and for SCHOOL RULES!
TREAT GUESTS, TEACHERS AND OTHER STUDENTS WITH RESPECT!
· Show respect for anyone who is speaking by being a good listener
· Before speaking please raise your hand to be acknowledged - do not interrupt another person
· Do not make disparaging remarks that would in any way offend someone – THIS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
2. ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN CLASS, and ON TIME!
Missed class time will result in making up that time at the end of class, or during lunch hours.
3. ABSENCES.
It is your responsibility as a student to come to see me about what you have missed. I will not chase you about missed assignments. There will be folder with missed handouts, notes, or assignments for Social 7.
4. TESTS.
Expect to write a missed test upon the day you return, unless otherwise arranged with your teacher. At your teacher’s discretion, missed tests must be made up at lunch or after school. It is your responsibility to make these arrangements. If you choose not to write the test the day you return, or if the marked test is handed back before you return, an alternate test will be written.
For test retakes, you will be required to complete a review assignment and make an apt with the teacher to show demonstrate your knowledge that you are ready for the retest.
5. ASSIGNMENTS
All assignments are expected to be handed in on the due date. Missing may result in students missing lunch time. Extremely late assignments (of more than a week) may be subject to a % penalty. If a missing assignment is not handed in before the end of the reporting period, it will not be accepted and will be awarded a permanent NHI. If an assignment has been marked and handed back, any assignments that are missing will not be accepted.
If you need an extension, you must discuss this with me prior to the due date. Depending on the circumstances, extensions may be granted at the discretion of the teacher.
6. Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated.
Students are expected to do their own work. A zero will be given to any student caught cheating. In short, do not put yourself in a position where this might apply to you. If there is a question of “who copied who”, all parties involved will receive a zero. I will NOT enter into a discussion about who copied from whom.
7. MATERIALS
There are certain things that all students will be expected to bring to class every day. These materials include: pen, pencil, social studies binder/notebook, and appropriate textbooks.
8. HATS ARE NOT TO BE WORN IN CLASS!
9. FOOD/BEVERAGES ARE NOT PERMITTED, except at the discretion of the teacher.
10. Music with EARPHONES MAY be permitted, at the direction of the teacher, during work time ONLY!
*PLEASE feel free to come see me if you have any questions concerning the class, its content, or the assignments. I am available before and after school, as well as during lunch time.
SCHEDULE (tentative)
*this schedule is a guideline and subject to change as we progress through the course material
Date Topics
Sept 1 -4 / Introduction / Introduction to Social Studies: Citizenship, Identity, & CDN geography, Important Canadian dates & events, people, symbols, etc.Sept 8 – 23 / Chapter 1 / Settlement in Canada
Canada’s First Nations: Mi’kmaq, Anishnabe, Haudenosaunee
First Contact
Sept 24 – Oct 30 / Chapter 2 & 3 / First Contact cont’d, European explorers, Exploration of early Canada, Early European Colonies: New France, Thirteen Colonies, & Rupert’s Land; French & British rivalry
Nov 2 – Nov 20 / Chapter 4 / Fur trade, Competition & Monopolies, Five Phases of the Fur trade, Hudson’s Bay Company vs Northwest Company, Metis
Unit Exam Nov 24
Nov 23 – Dec 18 / Chapter 5 / Towards Confederation
War in the New World, Britain’s dominance, Acadia, French vs English settlement
Jan 4 – Jan 22 / Chapter 6 / Rebellion in the Thirteen Colonies, United States, Loyalists, War of 1812,
Midterm TBA
Feb 1 – Mar 16 / Chapter 7 / Migrations Increases, Democratic rule in Canada, Upper & Lower Canada, Rebellion, Assimilation, Responsible Government, Act of Union
Mar 19 – Apr 5 / Chapter 8 / Confederation Issues, Symbols of Canada, Fathers of Confederation, Historical Regions of Canada, BNA, First Nations & Confederation, Provinces in Confederation
Unit Exam Apr 5
Apr 16 – May 4 / Chapter 9 / After Confederation
Metis Rebellion, Red River Resistance, Louis Riel, Manitoba Act
May 7 – May 25 / Chapter 10 / Expanding West, Numbered Treaties, Residential Schools & Assimilation, Railroad & National Policy, Immigration & Recruitment, Francophones in Alberta
May 28 – June 15 / Chapter 11 / Canadian Citizenship & Identity Today, Voting Rights, Population Changes, Bilingualism, Nunavut, Urbanization
June 18 – June 22 / Review / Review will focus primarily on content prior to the Midterm.
Final Exam TBA
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
Within the Social 7 class, there will be opportunity for the students to engage in a variety of learning activities. This will attempt to create a balance between teacher-directed & student-directed learning, as well as individual & cooperative activities. These will include, but are not limited to:
· Individual Activities: student notes, brainstorming, frayer models, sketching/cartooning, vocabulary, etc.
· Small group Activities: pair & shares, brainstorming, case studies, summary posters, etc.
· Large group activities: discussion/debate, jig-saw groups, article/video analysis, guided reading, etc.
Many of the learning activities in class will attempt to actively engage the students in their own learning, and activities that will emphasize critical thinking and effective communication. Meaningful discussion and total participation techniques will often be used to practice these skills. The teacher’s role is that of facilitator, offering up mini-lessons that use both print & visual resources, to explore concepts that students will then interact with individually or collaboratively (within a group).
RESOURCES
Primary Resource:
Our Canada: Origins, Peoples, Perspectives, Rees, Gerrits, Allaire; Nelson, Thomson Canada, 2006.
ONLINE RESOURCES:
A. Teacher Logic
This portal is used as a tool for teachers to communicate with students and parents about such things as attendance, marks, discipline, schedules, assignments, events, fees and graduation requirements.
Updates:
· Marks on teacherlogic will be updated as things are handed in and marked.
· Assignment marks will be updated before the end of unit & summative exam. Except if you have handed in late assignments, these may not be up-to-date.
· Further, a more thorough update will be made when marks are due to be submitted for the report card. Students will be given a progress report at this time to help them catch up on any missing assignments.
· Students may ask for a progress report periodically, but are encouraged to access the teacherlogic for themselves.
- Google Classroom
This is an online resource that contains class content, including activities & video resources. This can be accessed through the school division website & the students use their same username & password for their computer/email log-in. This is helpful if students have missed classes, or lost note resources or assignment instructions.
· I will be communicating with students at times through their school email, either with links to learning resources, assignments, or for reminders of due dates. Students should expect this and check their email regularly.
- Remind101 app will be used as well. Text
- Google Docs – accessible with your school log-in.
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
Alberta Education, Online Guide for Implementation (2007), Edmonton, AB: author. Retrieved on August 21, 2010, from http://www.onlineguide.learnalberta. ca/content-og/ssogscr/html/ summariesofcurrent research.html
Alberta Education, Social Studies 7 Program of Studies (2007), Edmonton, AB: author. Retrieved on July 3, 2011, from http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/curriculum/bySubject/
social/ soc10_1.pdf
Roland Case, Mike Denos, Penney Clark and Peter Seixas (2006) “Teaching about Historical Thinking”, McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2006.