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Activity
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Methodology
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Resources
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1. Introduction to Course
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Distribute course title page. Discuss expectations in course. Course overview
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course title page
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Complete a geography trivia quiz as a diagnostic activity. Discuss answers with class elaborating to interest students in Canadian and world events
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Introduction to Geography Quiz
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2. What Is Geography?
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a. Types of geography
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Take a note on the types of geography (social, economic, physical, and historical) giving examples of how these are put into practise in the everyday world.
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b. Glossary of geographic terms
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Create a glossary of geographic terms with space for written and illustrated definitions of terms. Terms include place, scale, coordinates, region, equator, latitude, longitude, topographic map, etc...
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Glossary of Geographic Terms organizer
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3. Geographic Skills Review
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a. Place names of Canada and the world
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Complete an assignment that has students label important and newsworthy places on maps of Canada, North America, Ontario, and the world. Room is provided for notes from a class discussion about a selection of these places.
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Where are you? Where am I? assignment sheet; outline maps of Canada, North America, Ontario, and the world.
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b. Topographic maps
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Introduce topographic maps with a local map for the community. Complete a worksheet on topographic map features, including contour lines, scale, map symbols, and four and six digit grid references.
Complete a topo map hunt for the local area. Complete a second topo map assignment for another part of the country with completely different features of the natural and built environments. Create a profile of a hill on one of the maps (e.g. from Perspectives, p. 12)
Do several reinforcement activities on map scales and map distances.
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Topographic Map Features worksheet; portions of a local topo map (e.g. Severn Lake 1:50 000 federal series)
Bearskin Lake Topo Map Hunt worksheet; Hamilton-Burlington Topo Map study worksheet using Making Connections p. 32
Reading Different Map Scales worksheet (source unknown)
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c. Plan a topographic adventure assignment
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Complete a short assignment in which students create their own topographic map adventure similar to those they have already completed. They must use four and six digit grid references, contour lines, and make reference to several different human features of the landscape.
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Plan a Topographic Adventure assignment; selection of interesting topographic maps (e.g. from Ontario topo50 software).
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d. Pear Island mapping assignment
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Students create their own full-colour topographic map of a pear shaped island, requiring contours, human builts features and other elements. They must also create a short written description of their trip to the island.
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Pear Island Mapping Exercise assignment sheet; grid paper
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4. Natural Systems in Northern Ontario
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Introduce the Natural Systems unit by considering elements of these systems in Northern Ontario. Using a series of detailed maps of northern Ontario (north of 50oN), complete information on major population centres, landforms, soil types, drainage basins, vegetation types, wildlife from teacher led overheads.
From this information students complete a comparison of different locations within Northern Ontario in terms of these features (e.g. Fort Severn vs. Sioux Lookout).
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Ontario North of 50oN Physical Features outline maps; data on overheads from Ontario North of 50oN atlas;
Ontario North of 50oN comparison worksheets
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5. Physical Features
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Complete a worksheet on landforms in Canada, including the western cordillera, interior plains, Canadian shield, and Appalachian regions. Answer questions on the nature of these landforms
Read and answer several questions on how the land has been shaped by water and ice.
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Landforms Across Canada worksheet
readings and questions from Perspectives, p. 16
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6. Climate
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Complete a worksheet on climate emphasizing local and global factors with information extracted from a textbook reading.
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Climate Canada worksheet; Perspectives p. 21- 25.
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7. Vegetation & Soil
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Complete a worksheet on vegetation and soil types in Canada, that also emphasizes how soil is made. Information is extracted from a textbook reading, and figures copied from Perspectives.
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Vegetation & Soil Canada; Making Connections p. 145 -155; Fig 1.9d in Perspectives.
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8. Land Use
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a. What is land use?
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Introduce the concept of land use and a land use plan. Discuss the six types of land usages common in Canada, giving examples of how these may apply in Northern Ontario in a graphic and text note. Add terms to glossary as necessary.
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b. Urban planning
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Complete a worksheet where students create and draw an "urban" plan for their community, locating residential, industrial, recreational and commercial land use areas in appropriate locations.
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Urban Planning worksheet
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9. Ecozones
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a. What are ecozones?
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Students construct their own concept of the ecozone by recreating climate region, soil region and vegetation region maps for Canada, and then discerning patterns to create their own Ecozone map of Canada. Their concept of an ecozone is compared to the standard definition.
Using photos of ecozones (from textbook) discern characteristics of each ecozone. Complete a worksheet with this information.
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Four Steps to an Ecozone assignment;
Ecozones Canada worksheet; Making Connections p. 158-163.
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b. Personal ecozone evaluation assignment
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Using information about ecozones, students choose an ecozone where they would like to reside, and give reasons.
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Personal Ecozone Evaluation assignment sheet
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10. A New National Park
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Complete a multi-step authentic assignment designing a new national park in a chosen ecozone. Assignment requires interpretation of ecozone maps, knowledge of ecozone conditions, and understanding of national parks and recreational land usage. The final product is an electronically produced brochure used to advertise the new national park.
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A New National Park assignment sheet and blank electronic brochure; Canada's National Parks and Terrestrial Ecozones wall map (from Parks Canada); collection of national parks information brochures (available from Parks Canada)
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11. A Photo Album of Canada's Ecozones
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Using an Internet Google Image search students create scrapbook of images from a selection of ecozones. They must past together their photo album with captions, and complete an organizer describing the various elements of each ecozone chosen, and how it is reflected in the picture they have selected.
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My Canadian Photo Album assignment sheet
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12. Unit Test & Review
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Complete a review of all knowledge and skills developed in the unit
Write a paper and pencil test.
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Unit 1 Review worksheet
Unit 1 Test
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