THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE QUEBEC – GRADES 6-8 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
How does climate change affect my pancakes?
Lesson Overview
Students will gain an understanding of how climate change may increase natural disturbances that, in turn, may affect the production of maple syrup in Quebec.
Grade Level
Grades 6-8 (middle school)
Time Required
Teachers should be able to conduct the lesson in one or two classes.
Curriculum Connection (Province/Territory and course)
Quebec, Social Studies (Geography, History and Citizenship Education)
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required
· Large piece of paper
· computer with projector or Smartboard (with internet access)
· sentence strips (attachment 1)
· anchor chart (copy of placemat)
· placemat (attachment 2)
· quick write (attachment 3)
· rubric (attachment 4)
Main Objective
The primary goal of the lesson is for students to explore the importance of the maple sugar industry in Quebec as well as understand how climate change may increase natural disturbances that may, in turn, affect the maple sugar trees.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
· Identify the needs of a healthy maple sugar tree;
· Understand that maple sugar trees create a valuable product for the Quebec economy;
· Understand the importance of maple syrup in Quebec tradition;
· Identify several natural disturbances that may increase in frequency or severity in Quebec due to increased global temperatures; and
· Identify possible solutions to the reduced production in already-established maple sugar farms in Quebec.
The Lesson
The LessonTeacher Activity / Student Activity
Introduction / Before the lesson teacher may wish to introduce new vocabulary.
Write “How will climate change affect my pancakes?” on a large piece of paper and tape it on the floor in the entrance to the classroom.
Ask: “Can you name something that is made in Quebec that is naturally sweeter than the rest?” (maple syrup).
Ask students to think about how settlers to Quebec might have found out how to make maple syrup. Give some “think time” and then ask students to share their idea with a neighbour.
Show videoclip about First Nations people sharing tradition with settlers.
http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=10128
Say: “Today we are going to learn about maple sugar production in Quebec and how our global changing climate is impacting the health of sugar maples and how we harvest its sap.” / Walk into the classroom and read the question as they pass.
Discuss and share idea.
Watch video clip.
Lesson Development / Write on board the 4 topics of interest:
a) Healthy trees
b) Importance in Quebec
c) Affect of climate change
d) Possible solutions
Jigsaw: Split class into groups of 4. This is their home group. Each student chooses to become an expert on one of the four topics. Set out a working location for each “expert group” (a,b,c,d).
Provide each expert group with cut out sentence strips that may or may not help explain their topic (attachment 1).
Once the students have selected the correct sentence strips have them glue the strips onto a large anchor chart posted at the front of the classroom.
Circulate while students are discussing their findings in their home group. /
Choose an expert topic and move to a new location.
Select the correct information that explains your topic choice.
Glue strips to anchor chart and then return to home group to explain findings to the other group members.
Students record information from each “expert” onto their own placemat (attachment 2)
Conclusion / Full class discussion to review findings.
Final task:
Students will use information from placemat to complete a quick write (attachment 3). Students must use NEW ideas from the lesson to answer the question “How will climate change affect my pancakes?”.
Show rubric (attachment 4) / Participate in discussion
Use placemat to fully answer the quick write question.
Review rubric
Lesson Extension
Students could visit a traditional sugar shack or arrange a pancake breakfast in class where students assemble a meal with as many local ingredients as possible.
Students could brainstorm other local products that may be affected by climate change.
Assessment of Student Learning
Rubric (attachment 4)
Observation: Participation in discussion and group work
Further Reading
Canadian Geographic October 2010 issue: “Maple Syrup Forever” (page 21-22).
Link to Canadian National Geography Standards
Essential Elements
Environment and Society: Affects of human modification of the physical environment, and Environmental Issues
Geographic Skills
Asking Geographic Questions, Acquiring Geographic Information, and Answering Geographic Questions
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE QUEBEC – GRADES 6-8 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
STUDENT ACTIVITY – SENTENCE STRIPS
A maple sugar tree will be ready to tap for maple syrup when the day time temperatures reach 5 degrees Celsius and the night time temperatures drop to -5 degrees Celsius.
Spring weather patterns must be consistent so that the sap will run well.
Healthy, deep, fertile soil is a sugar maple's preferred home.
Unstressed living conditions.
Well drained soil.
Clean air.
Growing conditions shift north as the average global temperature increases.
Risk of fire increases.
Infestations of insects can affect maple sugar trees.
Disease can take over the maple sugar forests.
More droughts mean less water available to the sugar maples.
Even more severe storms.
Acidic soil can limit tree growth as well as stop the trees from seeding altogether.
85% of maple syrup that is produced comes from Quebec.
Quebec's maple syrup production earned $354 million in 2009.
A family tradition that dates back hundreds of years.
Sugaring techniques were taught to settlers by the First Nations people of Canada.
People's jobs are based on the success of the maple sugar industry.
It is a typical Canadian breakfast treat!
Farmers can try to time the tapping of the trees to the best of their ability.
Use high tech techniques such as vacuums to draw the sap out.
Tap more trees to increase the total amount of sap produced.
Use pellets to reduce the acidity of the soil that can limit tree growth.
Attachment 1
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE QUEBEC – GRADES 6-8 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
Importance to Quebec/ Needs of a Healthy Tree
Effect of Climate Change /
Possible Solutions
Attachment 2
Name: ______
How does climate change affect my pancakes?
Use new ideas and vocabulary from your placemat,
video, discussions and readings to answer the question.
______
Attachment 3
Student Name:______
Rubric for Quick Write Final Task
1 / Student does not successfully discuss possible affects of climate change to the maple sugar industry. Student does not include examples from the placemat. Student does not express any personal opinion or connections.2 / Student mentions possible affects of climate change on the maple sugar industry. Student includes examples from two or less of the sections of the placemat. Student does not express any personal opinion or connections.
3 / Student satisfactorily explains some possible affects of climate change on the maple sugar industry. Student includes strong examples from two sections of the placemat. Student may include some weakly connected personal opinion.
4 / Student explains the possible effects of climate change on the maple sugar industry. Student includes examples from three sections of the placemat. Student may include some personal opinion or connections.
5 / Student thoroughly explains the possible effects of climate change on the maple sugar industry. Student includes examples from all four sections of the placemat. Student expresses strong personal opinion or connections.
Attachment 4