Type / Content / Curriculum / Elaboration / Curricular Competency Group
Big Ideas / People create art to express who they are as individuals and community. / Arts Education K
Big Ideas / People connect to others and share ideas through the arts. / Arts Education K / includes but is not limited to the four disciplines of dance, drama, music, and visual arts
Big Ideas / People create art to express who they are as individuals and community. / Arts Education 1
Big Ideas / People connect to others and share ideas through the arts. / Arts Education 1 / includes but is not limited to the four disciplines of dance, drama, music, and visual arts
Big Ideas / People connect to the hearts and minds of others in a variety of places and times through the arts. / Arts Education 2 / includes but is not limited to the four disciplines of dance, drama, music, and visual arts
Big Ideas / People from diverse cultures and societies share some common experiences and aspects of life. / Social Studies 3
Big Ideas / Learning about indigenous peoples nurtures multicultural awareness and respect for diversity. / Social Studies 3
Big Ideas / Indigenous knowledge is passed down through oral history, traditions, and collective memory. / Social Studies 3
Big Ideas / Indigenous societies throughout the world value the well-being of the self, the land, spirits, and ancestors. / Social Studies 3
Big Ideas / Engaging in creative expression and experiences expands people’s sense of identity and belonging. / Arts Education 5
Big Ideas / Interactions with other people reveal their varied perspectives and thus expose human diversity. / Français langue seconde - immerson 5
Big Ideas / Engaging in creative expression and experiences expands people’s sense of identity and community. / Arts Education 6
Big Ideas / With basic French, we can describe important people in our lives. / Core French 6
Big Ideas / Engaging in the arts develops people’s ability to understand and express complex ideas. / Arts Education 7
Big Ideas / Religious and cultural practices that emerged during this period have endured and continue to influence people. / Social Studies 7
Big Ideas / Changing ideas about the world created tension between people wanting to adopt new ideas and those wanting to preserve established traditions. / Social Studies 8
Big Ideas / The arts provide opportunities to gain insight into the perspectives and experiences of people from a variety of times, places, and cultures. / Arts Education 9
Big Ideas / Music provides opportunities to gain insight into perspectives and experiences of people from a variety of times, places, and cultures. / Arts Education 9
Big Ideas / Drama provides opportunities to gain insight into perspectives and experiences of people from a variety of times, places, and cultures. / Arts Education 9
Big Ideas / The visual arts provide opportunities to gain insight into perspectives and experiences of people from a variety of times, places, and cultures. / Arts Education 9
Big Ideas / Dance provides opportunities to gain insight into perspectives and experiences of people from a variety of times, places, and cultures. / Arts Education 9
Type / Content / Curriculum / Elaboration / Curricular Compt. Group
Content / traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and arts-making processes / Arts Education K / dances, songs, stories, and objects created by Aboriginal peoples for use in daily life or to serve a purpose inspired by ceremonies or rituals as part of cultural tradition
Content / local First Peoples uses of plants and animals / Science K / First Peoples practice and knowledge of plant and animal use (e.g., local berries or food, plants and animals, conservation of resources)
Content / First Peoples knowledge of seasonal changes / Science K
Content / people, places, and events in the local community, and in local First Peoples communities / Social Studies K /
  • Sample topics:
  • people (e.g., political leaders like the mayor or band council, school officials, local businesspeople)
  • places (e.g., school, neighbourhoods, stores, parks, recreation facilities)
  • events (e.g., new buildings, seasonal changes, sports)
  • natural and human-built characteristics of the local physical environment
  • Key question:
  • What people, places, or events are most significant to you? Is your list the same as your classmates or family?

Content / traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and arts-making processes / Arts Education 1 / dances, songs, stories, and objects created by Aboriginal peoples for use in daily life or to serve a purpose inspired by ceremonies as part of cultural tradition
Content / the knowledge of First Peoples
  • shared First Peoples knowledge of the sky
  • local First Peoples knowledge of the local landscape, plants and animals
  • local First Peoples understanding and use of seasonal rounds
/ Science 1 / e.g., may include oral history with Elder—origins and local stories, Seasonal rounds refers to a pattern of movement from one resource-gathering area to another in a cycle that is followed each year
Content / key events and developments in the local community, and in local First Peoples communities / Social Studies 1 /
  • Sample topics:
  • community milestones (e.g., the founding of the community, the opening and closing of local businesses, the construction of new buildings)
  • celebrations and holidays
  • cultural events
  • growth or decline of a community
  • Key questions:
  • What is the most significant event in your local community’s history?
  • How is your community different now from what it was like before settlers arrived?

Content / traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and arts-making processes / Arts Education 2 / dances, songs, stories, and objects created by Aboriginal peoples for use in daily life or to serve a purpose inspired by ceremonies as part of cultural tradition
Content / First Peoples use of their knowledge of life cycles / Science 2 /
  • stewardship: sustainably gathering plants and hunting/fishing in response to seasons and animal migration patterns (e.g., clam gardens, seasonal rounds, etc.)
  • sustainable fish hatchery programs run by local First Peoples

Content / local First People’s knowledge of water:
  • water cycles
  • conservation
  • connection to other systems
/ Science 2 / cultural significance of water (i.e., water is essential for all interconnected forms of life)
Content / diverse characteristics of communities and cultures in Canada and around the world, including at least one Canadian First Peoples community and culture / Social Studies 2 /
  • Sample topics:
  • daily life in different communities (e.g., work, housing, use of the land, education, access to public services and utilities, transportation)
  • key cultural aspects (e.g., language, traditions, arts, food)
  • cultural diversity within your community
  • Key question:
  • What does community mean to you?

Content / how people’s needs and wants are met in communities / Social Studies 2 /
  • Sample topics:
  • how people acquire goods and services (e.g., by buying or renting, or through public funding)
  • needs and wants in different communities: different needs and wants depending on the climate; different goods and services depending on the size of the community (i.e., small versus large)
  • differences between psychological and physical needs and wants
  • Key questions:
  • How do the local environment and culture affect the goods and services available in your community?
  • How do different communities help people who can’t meet their basic needs?

Content / relationships between people and the environment in different communities / Social Studies 2 /
  • Sample topics:
  • impact of different economic activities and ways of life on the environment
  • impact on the environment by small and large communities
  • impact of recreational activities on the environment
  • community values regarding conservation and protection of the environment
  • Key question:
  • What types of environmental challenges do people face in different communities (e.g., natural disasters, climate change, lack of natural resources)?

Content / traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and arts-making processes / Arts Education 3 / dances, songs, stories, and objects created by Aboriginal peoples for use in daily life or to serve a purpose inspired by ceremonies as part of cultural tradition / Content
Content / the knowledge of local First Peoples of ecosystems / Science 3 / the interconnection between living and non-living things in the local environment; our shared responsibility to care for the local environment (i.e., stewardship); information shared from the local First Peoples community and Elders,
  • population: all the members of the same type of living thing (species) in an area
  • communities: different populations in an area living together

Content / local First Peoples knowledge of local landforms / Science 3
Content / cultural characteristics and ways of life of local First Peoples and global indigenous peoples / Social Studies 3 /
  • Sample topics:
  • potential First Peoples and global indigenous people for study could include:
  • Local BC First Peoples
  • Canadian and other North American indigenous people
  • local indigenous peoples of South America
  • ethnic Chinese and Koreans
  • ethnic European groups (Germanic, Slavic, Latin, Celtic)
  • worldview, protocols, celebrations, ceremonies, dance, music, spiritual beliefs, art, values, kinship, traditional teachings

Content / oral history, traditional stories, and artifacts as evidence about past First Peoples cultures / Social Studies 3 /
  • Sample topics:
  • tools
  • earth mounds
  • petroglyphs
  • oral stories
  • sacred or significant places and landforms
  • weapons

Content / interconnections of cultural and technological innovations of global and local indigenous peoples / Social Studies 3 /
  • Sample topics:
  • transportation
  • clothing
  • pottery
  • shelters and buildings
  • navigation
  • weapons
  • tools
  • hunting and fishing techniques
  • building techniques
  • food cultivation and preparation
  • ceremonies
  • art
  • music
  • basketry and weaving

Content / governance and social organization in local and global indigenous societies / Social Studies 3 /
  • Sample topics:
  • consensus
  • confederacies
  • Elders
  • reservations
  • band councils
  • traditional leadership

Content / communication strategies:
  • active listening
  • turn-taking in a conversation
  • consideration of other people’s perspectives
/ Français langue seconde - immerson 3 / the recipient is physically and intellectually engaged, and reacts to what is heard, waiting one’s turn to speak, raising one’s hand, etc.
Content / traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and arts-making processes / Arts Education 4 / dances, songs, stories, and objects created by Aboriginal peoples for use in daily life or to serve a purpose inspired by ceremonies as part of cultural tradition
Content / the effects of the relative positions of the sun, moon, and Earth including local First Peoples perspectives / Science 4 /
  • phases of the moon, tides, etc.
  • tides affect living organisms
  • lunar and solar eclipses
, teachings and stories about the sun and the moon
Content / communication strategies:
  • active listening
  • expressions of courtesy
  • consideration of other people’s perspectives
/ Français langue seconde - immerson 4 / the recipient is physically and intellectually engaged, and reacts to what is heard, use of “tu” and “vous”
Content / early contact, trade, cooperation, and conflict between First Peoples and European peoples / Social Studies 4 /
  • Sample topics:
  • early explorers: Cabot, Frobisher, Hudson, Cartier, Champlain
  • voyages of Cook and Vancouver
  • provision of muskets to First Peoples by Europeans
  • spread of horses to the Prairies
  • marriages between First Peoples and Europeans
  • colonial wars and alliances between Europeans and First Peoples (e.g., between Maquinna (Nuu-chah-nulth) and the Cook expedition or between French colonists and the First Peoples living around the Great Lakes)
  • Key questions:
  • What motivated explorers and settlers to come to Canada?
  • How did the geography of Canada affect European exploration?

Content / demographic changes in pre-Confederation British Columbia in both First Peoples and non-First Peoples communities / Social Studies 4 /
  • Sample topics:
  • disease
  • European and American settlement and migration
  • increases in raids causing decreases in population
  • relocation/resettlement of First Peoples

Content / the impact of colonization on First Peoples societies in British Columbia and Canada / Social Studies 4 /
  • Sample topics:
  • disease and demographics
  • trade
  • more complex political systems
  • loss of territory
  • impact on language and culture
  • key events and issues regarding First Peoples rights and interactions with early governments in Canada (e.g., the Indian Act, potlatch ban, reserve system, residential schools, treaties)

Content / the history of the local community and of local First Peoples communities / Social Studies 4 /
  • Sample topic:
  • local archives and museums

Content / traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and arts-making processes / Arts Education 5 / dances, songs, stories, and objects created by Aboriginal peoples for use in daily life or to serve a purpose inspired by ceremonies as part of cultural tradition
Content / First Peoples concepts of interconnectedness in the environment / Science 5 / everything in the environment is one/connected (e.g., sun, sky, plants and animals) and we have a responsibility to care for them
Content / First Peoples knowledge of sustainable practices / Science 5
Content / levels of government (First Peoples, federal, provincial, and municipal), their main functions, and sources of funding / Social Studies 5 /
  • Sample activities:
  • Distinguish between the different levels of government in Canada: municipal, provincial, territorial, federal
  • Summarize the responsibilities of government (e.g., providing and administering services, making laws, collecting and allocating taxes)
  • Through role-play, simulation, or case study, examine the election process (e.g., different political parties, voting)
  • Sample topics:
  • key roles within provincial, territorial, and federal governments in Canada (e.g., premier, prime minister, MLA, MP, speaker, lieutenant governor, governor general; cabinet, senate, government ministries)
  • elected and appointed provincial and federal government leaders in Canada (e.g., local MLA and MP, local First Nations leaders, premier of BC, the lieutenant governor of BC, prime minister, governor general)
  • Key question:
  • Which level of government has the most effect on your daily life?

Content / First Peoples land ownership and use / Social Studies 5 /
  • Sample topics:
  • treaties
  • burial grounds
  • housing
  • hunting and fishing
  • land claims disputes
  • Key questions:
  • How do First Peoples balance economic development with traditional uses of the land?
  • How fair has BC’s treaty process been? Explain your answer.

Content / communication strategies:
  • active listening
  • consideration of other people’s perspectives
  • registers of language
  • self-correction
/ Français langue seconde - immerson 5 / the recipient is physically and intellectually engaged, and reacts to what is heard,
  • colloquial language: language that does not conform to proper usage, is spoken between friends, and can include slang or popular expressions
  • standard language: language that conforms to proper usage and is used in daily life
  • examples:
    colloquial: “Ché pas oùest ton bouquin.”
    standard: “Je ne sais pas oùest ton livre.”

Content / traditional and contemporaryAboriginal artsand arts-making processes / Arts Education 6 / dances, songs, stories, and objects created by Aboriginal peoples for use in daily life or to serve a purpose inspired by ceremonies as part of cultural tradition
Content / mixtures:
  • separated using a difference in component properties
  • local First Peoples knowledge of separation and extraction methods
/ Science 6 /
  • density (e.g., centrifuge or settling, silt deposits in a river delta, tailings ponds, Roman aqueduct settling sections)
  • particle size (e.g., sieves, filters)
, historical and current First Peoples use of separation and extraction methods (e.g., eulachon oil, extraction of medicines from plants, pigments, etc.)
Content / the urbanization and migration of people / Social Studies 6 /
  • Sample topics:
  • land usage
  • access to water
  • pollution and waste management
  • population density
  • transit and transportation
  • Key questions:
  • Why do the majority of people in the world now live in urban centres?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of urbanization?

Content / roles of individuals, governmental organizations, and NGOs, including groups representing indigenous peoples / Social Studies 6 /
  • Sample topics:
  • United Nations
  • International Criminal Court
  • World Trade Organization
  • international aid
  • activists
  • lobby groups
  • international aid groups (e.g., Medecins sans Frontieres [Doctors without Borders])
  • Private foundations (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)

Content / economic policies and resource management, including effects on indigenous peoples / Social Studies 6 /
  • Sample topics:
  • deforestation
  • mining
  • oil and gas
  • fisheries
  • infrastructure development
  • relocation of communities
  • Key questions:
  • How should decisions about economic policy and resource management be made?
  • How should societies balance economic development with the protection of the environment?

Content / literary elements:
  • characteristics of the youth novel
  • characteristics of the legend
  • elements of oral tradition in Aboriginal texts
/ Français langue seconde - immerson 6 / characters, chain of events, imaginary narrative, chapters, etc., storyteller, characters, mood, reality and fantasy, figures of speech, etc., oral narratives, songs and circular thinking
Content / traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and arts-making processes / Arts Education 7 / dances, songs, stories, and objects created by Aboriginal peoples for use in daily life or to serve a purpose inspired by ceremonies as part of cultural tradition
Content / First Peoples knowledge of changes in biodiversity over time / Science 7
Content / evidence of climate change over geological time and the recent impacts of humans:
  • physical records
  • local First Peoples knowledge of climate change
/ Science 7 / change in climate affects:
  • the interconnectedness of plants and animals, and their local environment
  • e.g., changes to harvesting dates, changes to schedules due to early/later ripening and runs, lowered water levels in creeks, rivers and lakes, change in humidity impacts the ability to preserve salmon, etc.
,
  • humans are capable of changing Earth’s landscape, climate, and systems
  • efficacy of sustainable practices
, ice flow data, fossil record, etc., oral history, change in traditional practice (e.g., the timing of harvest has been impacted by climate change), etc.