Course Profile
Geography of Canada, Grade 9 applied, Public
Unit 3
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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, OAGEE Representative
Doug Hinan, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Kim Kasperski, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Mark Lowry, Toronto District School Board, OAGEE Representative
Anthony Lynn, Trillium Lakelands District School Board
Dan McMaster, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Todd Pottle, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Brian Schouten, York Region District School Board, OAGEE Representative
Jeanette Van Loon, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Internal Review and 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
Cec Knight, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Gale May, York Region District School Board, OAGEE Representative
Sonja Vandermeer, Trillium Lakelands District School Board
Unit 3: Humans in the Environment
Activity 1 | Activity 2
| Activity 3 | Activity 4 | Activity 5 | Activity 6
Development Date: August 9, 1999
This unit centres on our place within the local bioregion and the natural systems inherent within a specific bioregion. On a national scale, concentration is on natural resource use with a focus on energy creation and consumption. The conflicting demands we place on our environment are addressed both through a study of our unique ecological footprint and the culminating activity which looks at the components of a consumable good and its relationship to environmental sustainability.
Strand(s): Space and Systems, Human-Environment Interactions, Understanding and Managing Change, Methods of Geographic Inquiry
Overall Expectations: SSV.01B, SSV.02B, SSV.04B, SSV.05B, HEV.01P, HEV.02P, HEV.03B, UMV.01B, UMV.02B, MIV.01B, MIV.02B, MIV.03P.
Specific Expectations: SS1.01B, SS1.03B, SS1.05P, SS2.01P, HE1.01B, HE1.02B, HE1.03B, HE1.04B, HE2.01P, HE2.02P, HE2.05P, UM1.02B, UM2.01B, UM2.02B, UM2.03B, UM3.02P, UM3.05P, MI1.01B, MI1.02B, MI2.01P, MI2.03P, MI2.04B, MI2.05B, MI2.08B, MI2.10P, MI2.11P, MI2.12B, MI2.13B, MI3.01B, MI3.03B.
|
Activity 1 |
Developing Ecological Footprints |
225 minutes |
|
Activity 2 |
Studying Human Activity in the Local Region |
375 minutes |
|
Activity 3 |
Making an Inventory of Canada’s Natural Resources |
225 minutes |
|
Activity 4 |
Researching and Discussing Energy Sources |
150 minutes |
|
Activity 5 |
Evaluating Energy Mega-Projects |
150 minutes |
|
Activity 6 |
Investigating the Environmental Impact of the Hamburger |
375 minutes |
From the Grade 7 and 8 curriculum, it is expected that students have some experience with:
· the themes of geographical inquiry, (location, place, environment, region, interaction, and movement);
· using a variety of multi-level information sources;
· producing maps and graphs;
· an understanding of the concepts of sustainable development and the implications for the environment and communicating results of their inquiries;
· an understanding of the use and value of natural resources;
· how human activity affects humans and the environment.
Students need to draw upon information learned in previous units:
· ecozones and ecoregion;
· physical and human systems;
· relationship between human systems and ecozones;
· locality study.
· Present the culminating activity to the students at the beginning of the unit. This provides a focus for the unit, and provides opportunity for student input.
· An understanding of the terminology is essential to the successful teaching of this unit. The primary term in the unit is bioregion. For the purpose of this unit, bioregion is defined as: a region defined by its natural and human characteristics. It constitutes a natural ecological community.
· Collect appropriate resources in the form of local planning maps, commercial street maps, or Ontario Base Maps (topographic), either digitized or hard copy, from local sources. Air photos of the local areas can also be obtained from similar sources.
· Check with the science department for overlap/resources (especially Energy Educators of Ontario Fact Sheets) and for connections to the Grade 9 Science curriculum (Electricity).
· Activities using geotechnologies can be done on paper if software is not available
· Book time for field trip if necessary.
· Arrange for a guest speaker for the culminating activity if needed.
· Contact local fast food restaurant if the field work is included.
· Collect examples of student work at different levels for use with future classes.
· Plan to display exemplary student work throughout the unit to clarify expectations for students.
· Prepare key terms word lists to assist with accommodations for students with special needs.
· The following framework was used in writing the unit; it may be useful in planning for teaching it, especially if modifications are made.
|
Activity |
Overalls |
Specifics |
Strategies |
Assessment |
Timing,
comments |
|
1. Developing Ecological Footprints |
SSV.05B, HEV.03B, MIV.03P |
SS1.01B, SS1.05P, HE1.01B, HE1.02B, HE2.05P, MI2.01P, MI2.08B |
Teacher explanation, student-generated graphs and analysis, calculations, report writing |
Checklist (formative, peer/self) Rating Scale (formative, self/teacher - T/L 3) Rubric (formative, teacher - T/L 8) |
225 minutes Appendix 3.1.1 Appendix 3.1.2 |
|
2. Studying Human Activity in the Local Region |
HEV.01P, SSV.01B, SSV.02B, SSV.05B, UMV.01B, MIV.01B, MIV.02B, MIV.03P |
HEI.02B, HEI.03B, HE2.05P, SS1.01B, 03B, SS3.06B, UM2.02B, 03B, MI1.01B, 02B, MI2.03P, 04B, 10P, 11P, 13B, MI3.01B, 03B |
Mapping, inventory, comparison |
checklists (formative, self - T/L 1) Rubric (formative, self/peer - TL 4) marking scheme (summative, peer/teacher - T/L 4) Rating Scale (formative, self/peer - T/L 3) Rubric (summative, teacher - T/L 5) |
375 minutes Appendix 3.2.1 Appendix 3.2.2 Appendix 3.2.3 |
|
3. Making an Inventory of Canada’s Natural Resources |
SSV.04B, HEV.02P, MIV.01B, MIV.02B, MIV.03P |
SS1.03B, SS2.01P, HE1.02B, MI1.02B, MI2.04B, MI2.12B |
Inventory, research, evaluate, mapping |
quiz (diagnostic, peer - T/L 1) checklist (formative, teacher - T/L 5) Rubric (formative, teacher - T/L 6) |
225 minutes |
|
4. Researching and Discussing Energy Sources |
HEV.02P, HEV.03B, UMV.02B, MIV.01B |
HE1.04B, HE2.01P, UM3.05P, MI2.03P, 05B, 10P |
Brainstorming, scored discussion |
Score sheet (formative, peer - T/L 3)) |
150 minutes |
|
5. Evaluating Energy Mega-Projects |
SSV.01B, HEV.02P, HEV.03B, UMV.01B, MIV.01B, MIV.03P |
SS1.03B, HE1.04B, HE2.02P, UMI.02B, UM2.01B, MI1.02B, MI2.03P, 04B |
Listening to audio, comparison chart, paragraph writing |
checklist (formative, peer/self - T/L 3) marking scheme (summative, self/teacher - T/L 4) |
150 minutes Appendix 3.5.1 |
|
6. Investigating the Environmental Impact of the Hamburger |
HEV.01P, HEV.02P, HEV.03B, UMV.02B, MIV.01B, MIV.02B, MIV.03P |
HE1.02B, HE2.05P, UM2.01B, UM2.02B, 03B, UM3.02P, MI2.03P, 04B |
field trip, mapping, class discussion, group work, flow charts, guest speaker, report writing |
rubric (summative, peer/teacher - T/L #6) checklist (formative, teacher - T/L #4) |
375 minutes Appendix 3.6.1 Appendix 3.6.2 Appendix 3.6.3 |
|
Teacher explanation |
Creating graphs |
Graph analysis |
|
Data analysis |
Report writing |
Thematic mapping |
|
Inventory creation |
Inventory analysis |
Comparative analysis |
|
Research |
Brainstorming |
Scored discussion |
|
Listening |
Developing organizers |
Written interpretation |
|
Field trip |
Class discussion |
Group work |
|
Flow charts |
Guest speaker |
Presentation |
|
Letter writing |
Press release |
Small group discussion |
During this 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 enables individual goal-setting. In addition, rubrics are used for the more complex tasks involved in the different types of written reports and maps; (some rubrics are included in the appendix as models, and demonstrate connections between their criteria and the categories in the achievement charts). Student input into rubric creation should be encouraged (see Activity 3 for details on how this can be done). Rubrics should be shared with students beforehand and students should be given the opportunity to view exemplary student work to support improving student learning.
The learning activities are designed to meet a cluster of expectations, and the variety of assessment tools allow for students to demonstrate their achievements of the expectations at all levels and in all categories of the achievement charts. While self- and peer-assessment of individual and group activities are used for formative assessment, teacher assessment of individual student work is used for summative assessment and evaluation.
In addition to the listings in the Resources section on pages 9-10 of Phase I, the following resources are useful for this unit:
Wackernagel and Rees. Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth. New Society Publishers. ISBN 1-55092-251-3
Yamada, Karen. Ecoquest: Reducing Our Ecological Footprint. Toronto: Lever-Pond’s, 1996.
ISBN 0-9698878-3-3
The approved textbooks for this course are also useful for this unit, and are referred to in many of the activities.
Cartwright, F., G. Birchall, and G. Pierce. Contact Canada 3rd Edition. Oxford University Press Canada, 1999. ISBN 19-5414-896
Clark, B.W. and J.K. Wallace. Making Connections: Canada’s Geography. Prentice Hall Ginn, 1999. ISBN 0-7702-6633-9
Draper, G. and W. Andrew. Perspectives: Canadian Geography. Irwin Publishing, 1999.
ISBN 0-7725-2757-1
Wright, I.A., L.A. Swatridge, W. Hildebrand, C.A. Oliver, and G.D. Pyzer. Canada: Exploring New Directions. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1999. ISBN 1-55041-377-5
Resources useful for specific activities are listed under the Resources heading for each activity.
Time: 225 minutes
In this activity students study the concept of an ecological footprint. They learn about the carrying capacity of our environment, compare footprints of selected countries, develop their own footprint, understand the idea of sustainability, and learn ways to reduce the size of their own footprint. At the completion of the activity, the teacher introduces the culminating activity for the unit - the environmental impact of the hamburger - to provide a focus for the unit, and provide opportunity for student input.
Strand(s): Space and Systems, Human-Environment Interactions, Methods of Geographic Inquiry
Overall Expectations: SSV.05B, HEV.03B, MIV.03P.
Specific Expectations: SS1.01B, SS1.05P, HE1.01B, HE1.02B, HE2.05P, M12.01P, MI2.08B.
· Review culminating activity.
· Prepare handouts to explain the activity.
· Provide graph paper, blank sheets of paper, and markers.
· Prepare notes on footprints, carrying capacity, and sustainability.
· Download questionnaire from web site (see Resources). Questionnaire should be sent home with students to discuss with their parent/guardian. The information on the questionnaire requires parent/guardian input.
Students need to draw upon prior learning in Grade 7 and 8 in which they demonstrated an understanding of geographic inquiry and the different methods in which to communicate graphic information, and demonstrate an understanding of how human activity affects people and the environment.
1. The teacher introduces the concepts of an ecological footprint and carrying capacity.
2. In groups, students develop a list of criteria that could be used to assess the size of a footprint.
3. Students prepare a graph of ecological footprints of selected countries. (See Making Connections, p. 479, fig. 36-4: Our Ecological Footprint.) They then compare the size of the various footprints and analyse the resulting patterns. Students should ponder the questions: Are Canadians living at a level beyond the earth’s carrying capacity? Are we taking more than our share?
4. Students identify how Canada’s ecological footprint is calculated and compare it to selected countries. (Making Connections, chapter 36: Our Ecological Footprint)
5. Students develop their own ecological footprint. They then trace their footprint on a blank piece of paper, put their name and the number of hectares. These can be posted in the classroom to generate discussion.
6. The teacher builds on the concept of sustainability that students have from Grades 7 and 8. A quick think/pair/share brainstorming session about sustainability is a good diagnostic tool to find out what students already know/remember from previous years.
7. In groups students describe their footprint. Each group develops a checklist of methods by which the size of an ecological footprint can be reduced (in their home, local ecozone, province, Canada, and the world).
8. The group submits a report which includes the following: title page (with an appropriate illustration); definitions of ecological footprint, carrying capacity, and sustainability; the graph and analysis; individual footprints; checklist of methods to reduce the size of ecological footprints.
9. The teacher introduces the culminating activity for the unit - the environmental impact of the hamburger - to set the stage for the activities in the rest of the unit which develop the skills and concepts needed.
|
Tool |
Purpose |
Who |
Activity |
|
checklist (teacher-generated) |
formative |
peer/self |
group work evaluation |
|
rating scale (see Appendix 3.1.1) |
formative |
self/teacher |
bar graph (Teaching/Learning Strategy 3) |
|
rubric(see Appendix 3.1.2) |
formative |
formative |
report (Teaching/Learning Strategy 8) |
· Encourage collaboration among students.
· Provide flexible timelines and explicit directions.
· Provide the opportunity for verbal responses for those students who have difficulty expressing themselves on paper.
http://www.wwfcanada.org/footprints/index.shtml
Time: 375 minutes
Students create a land-use map of their specific bioregion (see definition). They use local maps that include planning, topographic, and/or Ontario base maps to create a personal map that demonstrates the activities that take place in the local community. From this map they create an inventory of these specific activities and the systems that are related to the land use. Special emphasis is placed on the energy consumption inherent in the various land-use activities and on ways to improve the balance between human needs and natural systems through waste and energy use. They then compare their bioregion with a bioregion within Nunavut.
Strand(s): Human-Environment Interactions, Space and Systems, Understanding and Managing Change, Methods of Geographic Inquiry
Overall Expectations: HEV.01P, SSV.01B, SSV.02B, SSV.05B, UMV.01B, MIV.01B, MIV.02B, MIV.03P.
Specific Expectations: HE1.02B, HE1.03B, HE2.05P, SS1.01B, SS1.03B, SS3.06B, UM2.O2B, UM2.03B, MI1.01B, MI1.02B, MI2.03P, MI2.04B, MI2.10P, MI2.11P, MI2.13B, MI3.01B, MI3.03B.
· Collect resources and baseline information for the local bioregion. (This activity is based on a variety of tasks that build on the understanding of the local bioregion and the systems both human and natural that are in play within a specific bioregion. There is a great deal of flexibility in what resources are used.)
· Determine the dimensions of the bioregion to be studied. (The dimensions have been left quite vague in order that the teacher be able to tailor it to the resources that they have available.)
· Determine the approach that is taken in the mapping activity, which is dependent on the base map resources available. Possible base maps might be:
a) Ontario Base maps - hard copy or digital;
b) air photos of the local bioregion from the local planning office or companies such as Triathalon or Geovisuals;
c) local planning maps;
d) commercial street maps - hard copy or digitized;
e) topographic maps;
f) planning maps.
· Determine whether to have the mapping activity involve the production of a hand-drawn hard copy, a computer drawing made with MS Paint, or with GIS software such as Arcvoyager, Thinkspace, or IDRISI.
Students need to draw upon the information learned in the previous units on ecozones, ecosystems, and land-use maps, as well as their prior learning in Grades 7 and 8 to demonstrate an understanding of mapping skills, regions, and geographic inquiry.
1. The teacher leads a discussion around the practical definition of a bioregion and extracts examples of human and natural systems in both the local bioregion and Nunavut. The various human activities are listed in an organizer that has a number of extra columns to allow students to add data in following tasks. This could be a created blank master by the teacher.
|
Land use |
Related human
activity |
Natural
systems involved |
Natural and
Human energies involved in activity |
Per cent of
total land use |
|
|
|
|
|
(to be filled in at Task 3) |
2. The students create a land-use map of their local bioregion. Students create this map using the proper cartographic conventions and symbols that are representative of topographic maps (charts of topographic symbols can be found in all of the new textbooks).
3. Students take their previously created local bioregion land-use map and, using the master chart created in task 1, create a chart specific to their bioregion. After the chart is completed they also create a pie graph to demonstrate the land use by percentage. This should include all land that is within the boundary of the map.
4. Students use the outline of the previous map to create other thematic maps. It is important for the teacher to prompt the students ahead of time to save the outline of their first map prior to entering topographic symbols. As a class, the teacher can discuss the concept of thematic maps, and, with the students, brainstorm the various traditional and non-traditional types. Some of the non-traditional types may include energy use, waste generation, and demographics as it relates to items such as car parking. Students are expected to create two other maps.
5. Nunavut Comparison: Students then take their local bioregion maps and, using supplied data, compare their local region to that of Nunavut. If it is possible, this can be obtained from Canada base map data or from the textbooks required for this course. As interpretation at this level the teacher could supply a number of photographs to show urban and rural situations in Nunavut. There are many good sites on the web that are included in the Resources section. Students use the previous organizer and create a pie chart similar to task 3. Students then complete a two- to three-paragraph comparison of the land use and the resource consumption in their local bioregion and Nunavut.
|
Tool |
Purpose |
Who |
Activity |
|
checklist |
formative |
self |
human activity chart (Teaching/ Learning Strategy 1) |
|
rubric (see Appendix 3.2.1) |
formative |
self/peer |
local bioregion map (Teaching/ Learning Strategy 2) |
|
marking scheme (see Appendix 3.2.2) |
summative |
peer/teacher |
thematic maps (Teaching/ Learning Strategy 4) |
|
rating scale for graph criteria (see Appendix 3.2.3) |
formative |
self/peer |
pie graph (Teaching/ Learning Strategy 3) |
|
rubric (teacher-generated) |
summative |
teacher |
Nunavut comparison (Teaching/ Learning Strategy 5) |
· Extend time lines if required.
· Have students work in pairs or groups.
· Have vocabulary review easily accessible.
· Have students do a ˝ day field trip to establish the parameters and activities within their bioregion as an extension.
· This exercise would fit very well into Natural Resources Canada’s “Communities Schools Atlas project” and, if this is the case, comparison of bioregions across Canada is a viable extension to this activity. (Web site: http://www.CCAtlas@ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca)
Airphotos
Geovisuals, Box 42007, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6K5
Textbooks
Canada and the World Backgrounder
http://tor-pw1.netcom.ca/~canworld/index.html
Canadian Community Atlas Website
http://www.CCAtlas@ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca
Time: 225 minutes
Students prepare an inventory of Canada’s natural resources. Students are asked to construct an organizer to help them evaluate the resources base, benefits, and potential problems in each of Canada’s ecozones (based on previous knowledge). Once the problems have been identified each student chooses one and completes a mini-research paper.
Strand(s): Space and Systems, Methods of Geographic Inquiry, Human-Environment Interactions
Overall Expectations: SSV.03B, HEV.02P, MIV.01B, MIV.02B, MIV.03P.
Specific Expectations: SS1.03B, SS2.01P, HE1.02B, MI1.02B, MI2.04B, MI2.12B.
· Produce and distribute blank map of Canada’s Ecozones.
· Produce and distribute blank organizer sheets. (Optional)
Students need to draw upon prior learning in Grades 7 and 8 in which they demonstrate an understanding of the themes of environment and region, gather and communicate geographic information, demonstrate an understanding of how people use resources and understand the concept of sustainable development. Students build on their understanding of ecozones from Unit 1.
1. Students complete a teacher-generated quiz on renewable and non-renewable resources.
2. Students are asked to evaluate ecozones in Canada in terms of the benefits and problems that the existence of these resources present.
3. Students make reference to transportation, population distribution, and landform maps to help them evaluate the potential problems in each region.
4. Students may use the blank ecozone map to record the resources found in each region. Encourage students to develop symbols to denote different resources. Students can be paired to complete this activity.
5. If students prepare an organizer, the following headings could be used:
|
Ecozone |
Resources |
Population
Density |
Benefits to
the Region |
Potential
Problems |
Note: teachers may wish to break up the task for those students who might have difficulty with this type of activity.
6. Students write a one-page report naming three ecozones that are or will be under stress as identified in the organizer. They include in the report the reasons for their selections and identify the environmental stresses. Finally, each student selects one potential problem, and briefly describes the problem, its cause, and possible solutions. Students help generate the marking rubric for the report before they begin their writing.
|
Tool |
Purpose |
Who |
Activity |
|
quiz (teacher-generated) |
diagnostic |
peer |
quiz - renewable and non-renewable resources (Teaching/Learning Strategy 1) |
|
checklist |
formative |
teacher |
organizer (Teaching/Learning Strategy 5) |
|
rubric (student-generated) |
formative |
self/peer |
report (Teaching/Learning Strategy 6) |
· Allow for collaboration among students, with possible small group work.
· Pair students to allow for peer tutoring.
· Extend timelines.
Atlases
Textbooks
Time: 150 minutes
Students do directed research on selected renewable and alternative energy sources and take part in a scored discussion about their findings.
Strand(s): Human-Environment Interactions, Understanding and Managing Change, Methods of Geographic Inquiry
Overall Expectations: HEV.02P, HEV.03B, UMV.02B, MIV.01B.
Specific Expectations: HEI.04B, HE2.01P, UM3.05P, MI2.03P, MI2.05B, MI2.10P.
· Students need their resource list from previous class.
· Collect a series of articles on renewable and alternative energy sources - energy from waste, geothermal energy, hydro-electric power, passive solar energy, photovoltaic cells, tidal energy, wind energy, and hydrogen fuel cell.
Students need to draw upon prior learning in previous units on ecozones, as well as the prior learning in Grades 7 and 8 to gather and communicate geographic information, demonstrate an understanding of Canada’s natural resources and their value and impact on the environment, and links to human activities.
1. The teacher leads discussion on the need to use natural resources wisely for sustainable development. (Perspectives, pp. 154-156 has a section on energy sustainability.)
2. Students brainstorm what makes a good discussion (relevant comment, factual information, asking a clarifying question, moving the discussion along, recognizing contradictions, praising someone for a good point, building on another's idea or example, using evidence to support a point, etc.), and what makes a bad discussion (not paying attention, distracting others, interrupting, irrelevant comment, monopolizing, personal attack, etc.).
3. The class uses the brainstormed ideas to create a scoring sheet to be set up as follows:
|
Positive
points |
Student Names |
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