Socials 10-1:.
Students are currently working on a famous Canadians project. Their task is to prove to the class, using poster text only, that their chosen Canadian is the most important and influential person in the history of our country. This is their first work with persuasive text, which is a major focus of the Social Studies skill curriculum. The poster is due for Monday's class.
Today, students begin work on a textbook assignment about Canadian history and its contribution to our Canadian identity. This assignment is due for Tuesday's class.
Here are today's class notes:
Notes: Who We Are
Socials 10-1
Over the course of this unit, we are trying to find solutions to the following “big” questions:
1. What forces have shaped, and continue to shape, the Canadian national identity?
2. How has the relationship between Aboriginal, French, and English cultures contributed to the evolution of our nation?
3. How did Canada develop a policy of official multiculturalism?
4. What forces challenge Canada’s current identity, and what forces present opportunities for positive change?
So far, we’ve studied Canada’s geography. Geography shapes people in many ways. For example, warring aboriginal nations developed a system whereby they respected the land areas of other nations. Immigrants arriving in Canada could only travel so far east, west, and north due to lack of funds or transportation, so settled in common areas with individuals who spoke the same language or practiced the same religion. Landforms restrict travel as well, like large bodies of water or mountains. In addition, people settle where there are sustainable resources to support them, like arable land and fresh water. All of these factors shape our population.
In addition to geography, the people around us also shape our identities. When we interact with other cultures, we often adopt some of their practices or social norms. Humans typically surround themselves with people who share their ideologies or values, thus this shapes the people we become. Thus leaders emerge in societies who are shaped by us but in turn influence the development of the population. Canada’s first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, is a good example of this. In addition, societies develop media; media is both shaped by people and people are shaped by them. Consider the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and its influence on the national identity.
Challenges, like war or famine, also shape people. When humans face shared difficulties, they typically either come together or fall apart. In the case of Canada, we have been brought together by adversity. Take, for example, the war of 1812; Canada, a British colony, went to war against the U.S. We won that war, and in fact burned the White House, but most importantly, fused as a nation. The Battle of Vimy Ridge, during World War I is another example of a country taking pride in combating adversity as a nation. On a smaller scale, cultures come together and have stronger bonds due to common enemies; consider the Jews during Hitler’s reign or the Inuit who were relocated to Canada’s uber north.
History also shapes humanity. Canada has a rich First Nations and immigrant history in spite of its youth as a country. We’ve experienced revolutions, rebellions, and crises, along with positive and peaceful change.
Read the assigned textbook pages and complete the assigned questions in order to learn more.
English 30-2:
Students are completing their children's stories today. Next week, we'll take our books to buddy read at Nakasuk School. We'll also start a novel.
Enjoy your weekends, everyone!
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