Course Profile Geography of Canada, Grade 9 academic, Public

Unit 1

Course Profiles are professional development materials designed to help teachers implement the new Grade 9 secondary school curriculum. These materials were created by writing partnerships of school boards and subject associations. The development of these resources was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. This document reflects the views of the developers and not necessarily those of the Ministry. Permission is given to reproduce these materials for any purpose except profit. Teachers are also encouraged to amend, revise, edit, cut, paste, and otherwise adapt this material for educational purposes.

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Acknowledgments

Public District School Board Writing Team - Canadian and World Studies

Lead Board

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Fiona White, Manager

Course Profile Writing Team

Rob Andrews, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Charlotte Barnoski, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Ron Chasmer, York Region District School Board

Doug Hinan, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Mark Lowry, Toronto District School Board

Dan Macmaster, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Todd Pottle, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Jeanette van Loon, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Internal Review & Support Team

Laina Andrews, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Bruce Brydges, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Carol Carr, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Leigh Facey-Crowther, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Mike Filip, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Kim Kasperski, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Cec Knight, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Sonja Vandermeer, Trillium Lakelands District School Board

Unit # 1: Natural Systems

Time: 1500 minutes

Unit Developer(s):

Development Date: April 7, 1999

Unit Description

In their study of natural systems, students will use the concept of a region in their investigation of Canada’s ecozones and the physical processes which shape them. Their work on National Parks and on planning a tour of ecozones will develop their decision-making skills and provide a foundation of knowledge regarding Canada’s varied and extensive natural systems. Students will apply these skills and concepts in the two final activities by creating a travel brochure and participating in a simulation aimed at selecting an ecozone for protection. The culminating activity for the unit will be introduced.

Strand(s) and Expectations

Strand(s): Geographic Foundations: Space and Systems, Human-Environment Interactions, Global Connections, Understanding and Managing Change, Methods of Geographic Inquiry

Overall Expectations: SSV.01B, SSV.02B, SSV.03B, SSV.O4B, SSV.O5B, HEV.O1D, HEV.04D, GCV.02B, UMV.01B, MIV.01B, MIV.02B, MIV.03D

Specific Expectations: SSI.01B, SSI.02B, SSI.04B, SSI.05D, SS2.01D, SS3.01D, SS3.03D, SS3.04D, SS3.05B, HE1.03B, HE3.03D, GC1.05D, UM1.02B, MI1L01B, MI1.02B, MI2.01D, MI2.02B, MI2.03D, MI2.04B, MI2.08B, MI2.09D, MI2.10D, MI2.11D, M12.12B, MI2.13B, MI3.04D

Activity Titles (Time and Sequence)

Activity 1	Creating a Mind Map: Geography Is Everything	75 min
Activity 2	Identifying Local Regions	150 min
Activity 3	Discovering Ecozones Using Thematic Maps and Organizers	225 min
Activity 4	Investigating Physical Processes	225 min
Activity 5	Developing a Proposal for a National Park	225 min
Activity 6	Planning a Tour Across Canada	150 min
Activity 7	Designing a Travel Brochure	300 min
Activity 8	Presenting an Ecozone Proposal	150 min

Prior Knowledge Required

This unit builds on concepts and skills developed in the elementary curriculum, especially in Grade 7 Geography where expectations relating to geographic inquiry, physical geography and natural resources are addressed. As well, students will be expected to utilize communication skills addressed in the Language curriculum and data management skills addressed in the Mathematics curriculum.

Unit Planning Notes

Review information on ecozones, an ecological land classification system developed for use by Environment Canada and Statistics Canada that represents large and very generalized land areas based on particular combinations of abiotic and biotic features in conjunction with human activities. Canada 's ecological landscape is comprised of 15 terrestrial and 5 marine unique ecozones. These zones may be subdivided into eco-regions which have distinguishable characteristics, based upon the ecosystems that exist within these regions. A good starting point for information is the Environment Canada website (see Resources section on p. 9).

Teachers should ensure:

• an adequate supply of textual and graphic resources on Canada's ecozones, natural systems, tourist information, and National Parks;

• appropriate bookings of technology facilities;

• reservation and preview of appropriate videos; and

• visitation to related web sites.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Student learning will take place in this unit through their involvement in a variety of the following:

Creating graphs	Creating maps	Data analysis
Small group discussions	Class discussion	Simulation
Oral presentation	Written interpretation	Report writing

Assessment/Evaluation

During this first unit checklists and rating scales are used to provide frequent feedback to support the development of good learning skills for the course. Self and peer assessment will enable individual goal- setting. In addition rubrics are used for the more complex tasks involved in the written reports, the brochure and presentations.

Resources

See Resources section on p. 9 - 10 for complete information on the following types of resources, which are used in many activities throughout the course.

• Texts, Periodicals and Atlases

• Geotechnology Programs and Data

• Multimedia and Software

• Organizations and Internet Sites

• Assessment and Teaching Strategies

General reference to the types of resources needed for each activity are included with the activity, along with specific information for any resource that is used in that activity only.

Activity #1: Creating a Mind Map: Geography is Everything

Time: 75 minutes

Description

Students will brainstorm the topic “What is Geography?”. Students will draw from their previous knowledge as well as the visuals displayed in the classroom. Students will then categorize the words and create a mind map using their headings and all of the words from their list. Students will add symbols to their mind map and identify where connections can be made between some of the words in different categories.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Geographic Foundations: Space & Systems, Methods of Geographic Inquiry

Overall Expectations: SSV.04B, MIV.01B

Specific Expectations: SS1.01B, SS1.05B, MI2.04B

Planning Notes

• Have many visuals showing different aspects of Geography available in the room.

• Have prizes available (optional)

• This is a good diagnostic tool for assessing prior learning about geography

Prior Knowledge Required

From the Grade 7 and 8 curriculum for geography it is expected that the student be familiar with the five themes of geographic inquiry (location/place, environment, region, interaction, and movement), understand and identify how physical patterns affect human activity, identify natural resource and understand their economic and environmental impact, understand global patterns in human geography, economic systems and the factors that influence them, as well as the major types of migration and factors affecting mobility.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The teacher will start by explaining how brainstorming works - no bad ideas, no laughing at others, put everything down and sort it out later.

2. Individually, students will generate a list of 5 to 10 concepts (use both nouns and verbs) which answer the question “What is Geography?”. Teacher can give out prizes for the students with the most words.

3. Once students have their individual list, a class list will be generated on the board. Teacher may want to prompt students so that a wide variety of concepts are used.

4. Individually, students will organize the board list into 5 or 6 categories. They must choose an appropriate title for each category (not “Other”). Option: use the five themes of geography.

5. When students finish categorizing their words, they will create a mind map with “Geography is Everything” in the middle of their paper. The teacher may want to model one facet so that students know what to do. Maps is an easy one to model as students should have many words tied to this.

6. Once students complete their mind map they are to add as many symbols as they can think of beside the words.

7. Students will complete a check list of each other’s mind maps to check for completeness and creative symbols.

8. Have students answer the following questions about their mind map:

How many categories did you use? Can you think of other ways to put together your categories? Are there any connections you can see between some of the words in your different categories? Compare your mind map to another student’s - what similarities and/or differences do you see? After comparing your mind map to another student’s mind map, is there anything you would do differently if you could do it all over again?

9. The teacher will lead a guided discussion based on the interconnections between the elements of geography and the systems of which they are a part; e.g., ecosystems, hydrological cycle...).

10. The teacher will introduce the final two activities as the focus for the unit, so students understand that the other activities will enable them to develop the concepts and skills needed for the travel brochure and simulation activities.

Assessment/Evaluation

Tool	Purpose	Who	Activity
Checklist	formative	peer	mind map
checklist	diagnostic	teacher	mind map

Accommodations

• For students with writing difficulties - have them start by using symbols, and/or give them sample headings for their organization

• Use of atlas to generate word lists

• Work with a peer/buddy or scribe

Resources

• A variety of posters and maps for the room

• Atlases

Activity #2: Identifying Local Regions

Time: 75 minutes

Description

Students will review the concept of regions and have the opportunity to discern regions within their local community or surrounding environment or that of an area for which remotely-sensed images (aerial photos or satellite images) are available.

Strands & Expectations

Strands: Geographic Foundation: Space & Systems, Understanding and Managing Change, Methods of Geographic Inquiry

Overall Expectations: SSV.01B, SSV.03B,SSV.04B SSV.05B UMV.02B, MIV.01B,

MVI.02B

Specific Expectations: SS1.01B, SS1.02B, SS1.05D,S2.01D,SS3.01D,UM1.02B,MI1.02B, MI2.01D, MI2.03D, MI2.08B, M12.09D, M12.10D, MI2.11D, MI2.12B, MI2.13B, MI3.04D

Planning Notes

• Get copies of local Ontario Base Map from a local Planning or Engineering Dept.

• Review definitions of region and transition zone.

• Have remotely-sensed images available if necessary.

• Students can simulate a GIS in this activity by drawing the boundaries of each land use or land cover onto a series of transparencies, then overlaying them to identify patterns and relationships.

• If a GPS is available, have students geo-reference their local maps.

• A possible extension to this activity is to have students identify the barriers posed to infrastructure by the land uses, land cover, or topography.

Prior Knowledge Required

From the Grade 7 and 8 Curriculum it is expected that the student be familiar with the five themes of geographic inquiry, the concepts centred around creating maps and graphs to organize and display information, be able to gather information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, demonstrate an understanding of patterns and the factors affecting population distribution and demonstrate an understanding of the concept of sustainable development and its environmental impact.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. Using Think-Pair-Share students will identify the various regions that are found within a community or within a wilderness area. Students will identify the factor(s) they considered when thinking of the regions.

2. (If applicable) the teacher will explain the processes involved in remote-sensing interpretation, provide the class with examples of remotely sensed images and guide students through the process of identifying different land uses or different land covers in these images.

3. The teacher will identify and explain the various types of land use such as Residential, Institutional, Industrial, Commercial, Recreational, Transportation, Agriculture, and Green Space. The teacher will identify the various forms of land cover frequently found in wilderness areas.

4. Students will either:

a. use the OBM (and, if available, a local remotely-sensed image) to construct a land-use map that shows how the community is divided into “land-use” regions; or,

b. construct a land-use map of a community for which remotely-sensed images are available; or,

c. use a remotely-sensed image of a wilderness area to discern regions based on dominant cover.

Note: Students will need to include all of the basic cartographic requirements in their maps.

5. Once students have completed their land use or dominant cover maps, they will either:

a. identify land-use patterns, and provide a rationale for the location and distribution of land- uses; Where land-uses have changed over time, have students identify possible reasons. (e.g. abandoned buildings, factories converted to other uses, houses converted into stores.) or

b. identify dominant cover patterns, and provide a rationale for the location and distribution of vegetation.

Resources:

Ontario Base Map

Remotely-Sensed Images (Aerial Photos or Satellite Images)

Textbooks and Atlases

Accommodations:

• stronger students can assist weaker students and work as a team

• use of peer-helpers

• have copy of note on land uses for weaker students or those with scripting problems

• maps can be constructed using desktop publishing software such as Claris Works or Corel (both Ministry Licensed), Paint or Super Paint or a GIS, such as ArcView.

Assessment/Evaluation

Tool	Purpose	Who	Activity
Checklist	formative	Peer, Teacher	Land-use map
Checklist	formative	Self, Teacher	Description of land-uses in local community

Activity #3: Discovering Ecozones Using Thematic Maps and Organizers

Time: 225 minutes

Description

This activity will introduce students to the concept of ecozones. After constructing overlay maps of Canada’s Climate, Soils, Vegetation and Landform Regions they will develop maps of Canada's ecozones compare these to Canada's actual ecozones, create an organizer, and research the physical and human characteristics of each ecozone. They will examine factors affecting climate in each ecozone, relationships between physical components, and natural values. They will also use the data collected and apply a decision-making matrix to choose and report on the most suitable ecozone for them to live in the future.

Strands & Expectations

Strands: Geographic Foundations: Space and Systems, Methods of Geographic Inquiry

Overall Expectations: SSV.01B, SSV.03B, SSV.04B, MIV.01B, MIV.03D

Specific Expectations: SSI.01B, SSI.02B, MII.02B, MI2.01D, MI2.03D, MI2.09D,

MI2.I0D, MI2.12B, MI2.13B

Planning Notes

1. Make overheads available if using overlay technique for analysis.

2. Book computer lab if geotechnology is used as a resource.

Prior Knowledge Required

From the Grade 7 and 8 curriculum, it is expected that the student be familiar with the five themes of geographic inquiry, use a variety of geographic representations, tools, and technologies to gather , process and communicate geographic information, demonstrate a knowledge of physical patterns and regions, and use a decision making model.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The teacher will review the concept of regions, introduce ecozones (definition and purpose) and discuss the diversity in Canada’s ecozones. The teacher will also review the principles of collaborative learning and proper cartographic conventions. This could be done by having students assist in the development of a rubric for assessing maps. The teacher will also discuss the relationships and links between natural systems using the map layers.

2. In groups of four the students will produce overlays of the following thematic maps of Canada: Landforms, Climate, Vegetation, and Soils. (These maps can be found in the Canada: Land of Diversity, 2^nd ed., pages 34, 68, 80, and 91 respectively or from any Canadian Atlas.). They will then use the overlays to produce their own Ecozones map of Canada.

3. The students will compare and contrast their Ecozone map with a map of Canada's actual ecozones provided either by the teacher or found in an atlas (e.g. p. 19 of the Canadian Oxford Intermediate Atlas or p.55-56 of Canada and the World: An Atlas Resource, 2^nd Ed.)

4. Students will then answer the questions such as the following based on the ecozone map: Which ecozone: is your community located in, occupies most of coastal B.C., occupies much of the Mackenzie River drainage basin, occupies most of southerly Canada, matches the area known as the Hudson Bay Lowlands, matches the area known as the Near North, matches the southern portion of the physiographic region called the Interior Plains, contains over 50% of the population of Canada, contains portions of at least 5 provinces…

5. Using available resources (see Resources section on page 9) such as:

• The Ecozone Posters produced by Environment Canada

• State of Canada's Environment

• Thematic Maps of Canada from Atlases

• ArcCanada (database for use with ArcView)

• ArcVoyager,

students will collect and record descriptive and numerical data on the landforms, environment, relief, physiography, climate, vegetation, forests, plants, wildlife, and human activities of each ecozone and then complete the following organizer:

Ecozone	Climate Region and General Type of Climate	Factors Affecting Climate	Relationships between Physical Components	Natural Values
	e.g. Lower Lakes: cold winter with heavy snowfalls; hot humid summers (See p.17 of Canadian Oxford School Atlas, 6^th Ed.)	e.g. nearness to water, elevation, etc.	e.g. soils and vegetation, vegetation and wildlife	e.g. Habitat for a species at risk, see p. 55-56 of Canada and the World: An Atlas Resource, 2^nd. Ed.), major watershed, etc.

6. The students will select 5 candidate ecozones that they may wish to live in one day and 5 criteria from the organizer in #5 that would be helpful in making this decision. They will record this in a decision-making matrix such as the one below, and evaluate the alternatives according to the chosen criteria.

Criteria and Weighting

Alternatives

(Criteria 1)

(Criteria 2)

(Criteria 3)