Social Studies 6
Environment

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

It is expected that students will:

• interpret and use graphs, tables, aerial photos, scales, legends, and various types of maps
• identify the relationship between time zones and lines of longitude
• locate and describe major geographic features and selected nation states of the world
• assess settlement patterns and population distribution in selected countries
• relate population growth and settlement patterns to resource consumption and depletion in selected countries
• compare use of resources and conservation practices in Canada and other countries

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

• Provide students with aerial and satellite photos and have them locate topographic features (e.g., bodies of water, watershed systems) and urban settlements.
• Ask students to work in groups to examine relationships between urban settlement patterns and proximity to bodies of water. Encourage them to consider what human needs led to these relationships.
• Invite students to research and chart three examples of how Aboriginal people in Canada used their environment to develop their economy (e.g., building boats from cedar, constructing longhouses and igloos). Ask them to extend the chart by researching similar Aboriginal economies in other countries (e.g., Aborigines of Australia, Yanomamos of Brazil).
• Have students create glossaries to define environmental terms associated with resource management (e.g., sustainability, stewardship).
• Ask students to choose one natural resource and chart how it has affected settlement, the economy, and the environment in five countries.
• Challenge students to select topics for debate, such as:
  • "Jobs are more important than forests."
  • "Current fisheries policies meet the needs of commercial, sport, and Aboriginal fishers."
  • "Selling fresh water to the United States is a good idea."
• Introduce the concept of ecological footprint (a visual metaphor for the amount of land required to produce the energy, food, and goods consumed annually by an average individual, measured in hectares). Inform students that the ecological footprint for the average Canadian is 4.8 ha and is 1.6 ha for the average world citizen. Have them compare consumption patterns in different countries.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

• When students analyse aerial and satellite photographs to locate topographic features, assess the extent to which they are able to:
  • use visual detail to accurately locate the required features
  • make inferences about the topographic features they see and urban settlements
  • pose questions about the relationships they observe
• When students analyse relationships between urban settlement patterns and proximity to bodies of water, look for evidence that they are able to:
  • accurately interpret data on settlement patterns
  • locate and identify relevant bodies of water
  • make detailed and accurate lists of relationships they observe between population and bodies of water
  • make logical generalizations based on their observations
• Before students prepare debates on topics associated with the environment, work with them to develop criteria such as:
  • all points are based on researched, documented information
  • reasons and arguments are relevant to the topic
  • conclusions are based on evidence presented
  • logical arguments are presented to counter the points made by opposing debaters
• After students have compared consumption patterns in various countries, prompt reflection and self-assessment using sentence stems such as:
  • I was surprised to find out ‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚ .
  • I worry that ‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚.
  • I wish that ‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚ .
  • Something I can do to reduce consumption is ‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚.