Social Studies 5
Society and Culture

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

It is expected that students will:

• demonstrate understanding of Canadian culture
• explain ways people preserve and transmit culture
• demonstrate appreciation of contributions of Aboriginal people, the French, and the British to the development of Canada
• demonstrate understanding of why immigrants come to Canada, the challenges they face, and their contributions to Canada

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Society and Culture in other grades click on an icon below.

• Ask students to make individual collages reflecting their impressions of Canadian culture. Share as a class, and discuss and analyse similarities and differences.
• Have students list possible ways of preserving a culture (e.g., learning a heritage language, practising traditions and celebrations). Ask them to bring cultural items from home or to show how their families maintain their cultures.
• Set up a Gallery Walk presenting historic and modern Canadian art. Ask students to determine how the art reflects a sense of Canada.
• Organize students in pairs to research subtopics related to the development of Canada (e.g., fur trade). Ask each pair to summarize the contributions of Aboriginal people, the French, and the British using the 5W-H method. Each pair compiles the information into a class booklet and presents its findings to the class. Reviews can be done using a Jeopardy-game format.
• Ask students to create timelines of their lives and those of parents, grandparents, or caregivers. Encourage them to add important Canadian events (as they see them) to their timelines.
• Have the class develop a questionnaire to obtain information on movement of students' families. Details should focus on reasons for moving, methods of transportation, and so on. Assist students in graphing the class results.
• Present case studies of specific immigrant groups, past and present. Ask students to create charts showing challenges faced by female and male immigrants (e.g., work, education, cultural differences) and showing their contributions to Canada.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

• Before students create collages reflecting their impressions of Canadian culture, discuss criteria such as:
  • creates a strong overall impression of Canada
  • uses a variety of images and words related to Canada
  • shows different groups that are part of Canada
  • includes at least one special feature that shows student's personal identity within Canada
• When students summarize their research on the development of Canada and the contributions of Aboriginal people, the French, and the British, work with them to establish criteria that they can use to guide and edit their contributions to the class booklet. (e.g., Have we provided accurate and detailed information about what, where, when, how, and why?)
• Ask students to choose a culture in Canada and research ways it has been preserved. Have each student share with the class an aspect of the culture (e.g., a song, story, celebration, game, food sample). Note the extent to which they:
  • provide accurate background information about the culture and its contribution to Canada
  • present specific aspects of the culture
  • explain the traditional use or form of the cultural aspects presented
  • show respect for cultural beliefs and practices
• Invite students to plan and perform role plays from the point of view of immigrants arriving in Canada. Look for evidence that students:
  • provide reasons why immigrants come to Canada
  • show understanding of the challenges faced by immigrants
  • distinguish challenges and contributions of different groups, based on gender, age, or social status