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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 prospectus. Discuss expectations in course. Course overview
Students complete short introduction surveys and compile data as a class, plotting it on a map and creating a bar graph.
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course title page
Getting to Know You Survey and Getting to Know Each Other
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2. What Is Geography?
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a. The geography of home
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Students begin by drawing a map of their own community from memory. Instruction is given on how to label maps neatly and effectively. Symbols to use and a model are provided. Things to think about include transportation (walking, skidoo/4-wheeler tracks, roads), community buildings, stores, lakes, rivers, streams, hills, forests, etc.
Begin a discussion about the different types of geography (social, economic, physical etc.) and how these are reflected on the map.
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The Geography of Home worksheet; large sheet of paper; pencil crayons; exemplar community map
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b. Glossary of geographic terms
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Begin a glossary of geographic terms with space for written and illustrated definitions of terms. Terms include place, scale, coordinates, region, bioregion, equator, latitude, longitude, topographic map, etc.
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Glossary of Geographic Terms organizer
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3. The Map of Canada
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a. Place names of Canada
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Complete an assignment that has students label important and newsworthy places on maps of Canada and Ontario. 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, and Ontario
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4. Regional Land Usage
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a. What are land use areas?
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Using a Sioux Lookout topographic map circle and identify different land use areas. Complete information about these land use areas in the space provided.
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Regional Land Use: Sioux Lookout (worksheet plus Sioux Lookout topo)
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b. Land use planning
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Reinforce understanding of land use areas by drawing a map of a new portion of their community designed to accommodate a new gold mine and the workers for that mine. Answer questions about the changes in the community this will yield.
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Land Use Planning Worksheet
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5. Natural Systems
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a. What are the natural systems?
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With teacher assistance class creates a mind map of natural systems.
A textbook reading assignment and written questions introduces students to climate (p. 24-25) drainage (p. 34-35), and soils (p. 26-27). Answers are discussed in class.
Landforms are introduced using a worksheet that requires students to graph a profile of Canada from west to east, and answer questions about the landform (including a pre-introduction to ecozones).
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Perspectives textbook
Landforms Canada worksheet
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b. Connections among natural systems and with humans
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Complete an arrow chart, with teacher assistance of the connections among soil, vegetation, climate, wildlife, drainage, and human activities. Answer interpretation questions based on this information.
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Natural Systems are All Connected worksheet
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6. Ecozones
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a. Developing a concept of the ecozone
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Using a series of detailed maps of northern Ontario (north of 50oN), complete information on climate, landforms, soil, vegetation, population density, and economic activities using teacher led overheads. The concept of an ecozone is illustrated by overlaying all transparencies. It is all these maps at once!
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Blank map package and overhead transparencies
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b. Reinforcing the concept of the ecozone
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Using textbook maps of landform regions, soil types, growing season length, and forest regions in Canada, record the approximate distribution of these regions, and create a key. To reinforce the ecozone concept, students divide Canada into four of their own "ecozones," providing a one sentence rationale for each. This must refer to at least two of the natural systems common to the area selected.
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Build Your Own Ecozone worksheet
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c. Researching ecozones
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Write a word about ecozones on a scrap of paper. With teacher assistance and scraps of paper, class creates a mind map of everything students know about ecozones.
Students are divided into groups of two with the task of finding out as much as they can about their ecozone as possible. Given a guiding table worksheet with reference pages to various atlas maps, the groups divide up the task and develop a profile of an ecozone. They are encouraged to use the Internet, if computers are available. Information sought in profile includes location, vegetation (types and adaptations), landforms, bodies of water, soil characteristics, climatic conditions, % of ecozone protected, major animal species (endangered species?), environmental issues, and a summary statement.
Each group of two presents their information, and rest of class records it in a table.
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Researching Ecozones assignment sheet; Canadian Oxford School Atlas |
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d. Surveying Canada's ecozones
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Given a table with selected information about all of Canada's 15 ecozones, students use the textbook and atlas to complete the information.
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Canada's Ecozones Detective sheet
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e. Demonstrating knowledge of a Canadian ecozone
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Create an ecozones postcard illustrating in graphic and written form seven different aspects of a chosen ecozone. Letter on postcard discusses a trip to the ecozone and tourist activities experienced.
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Ecozones Postcard
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f. Ecozones reinforcement activity: Elder visit
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Elder visits and discusses "living off the land" as an Aboriginal metaphor for the ecozone concept. Elder will provide vocabulary in orthography and/or syllabics for examples of natural systems (vegetation, weather, drainage features, animals, soil). This information in Native Language is added to the ecozones mind map.
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g. Ecozones reinforcement activity: Ecozones Jeopardy
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A series of "answers" about ecozones and natural systems are placed on the board in a Jeopardy format. Students "buzz" when they know the question associated with the answer.
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h. Ecozones reinforcement activity: Ecozones Slogans
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Using a list of slogans that summarize 10 ecozones, identify the ecozone in question. Students write a slogan (as if for advertising copy) for a selected ecozone on a slip of paper, and afterward whole class must identify the ecozone in the slogan.
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Ecozones Slogans worksheet
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i. Ecozones reinforcement activity: Ecozones slideshow
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Show students a series of 39 slides of all of Canada's ecozones (obtained from Internet searches for locations within these regions). Each slide presents a stereotypical image of that ecozone combined with a short clue. Students must determine what ecozone the picture and clue represent on a checklist sheet.
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Ecozones Slideshow PowerPoint presentation; Ecozones Slideshow Checklist worksheet
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j. Ecozones reinforcement activity: Write Your Own Ecozones Quiz
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Using a description sheet instructing students on how to create true/false, matching, fill in the blank, and multiple choice questions, students create their own Ecozones quiz. Information comes from their notes, textbook and atlas. For a subsequent class, teacher compiles one question from each student into a "Super Quiz" which all students must then answer. It is an open book quiz.
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Write Your Own Quiz description sheet; Ecozone Chart summary information about all ecozones; teacher compiled and student written Ecozones Super Quiz
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7. National Parks
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a. What is a national park?
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Brainstorm 10 reasons why national parks might exist. Write a quote on the board giving a "purpose for national parks" as guidance.
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b. Where are the national park? And which one should I visit?
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Using an atlas complete a table giving the locations, sizes, endangered species, and appropriate activities associated with the ten largest National Parks in Canada. Complete a decision matrix that requires ranking of three national parks according to student generated criteria. Write a paragraph explaining the result of this decision.
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Top Ten National Parks in Canada worksheet
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c. National Parks brochure
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After completing Internet research on Canada's national parks (e.g., at http://www.pc.gc.ca) construct a graphical and text brochure using the electronic (or paper template) provided.
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National Parks Brochure template (see CGC1D)
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8. Humans & Ecozones
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Using accumulated knowledge about natural systems, human systems, and their interactions in ecozones, create a map of human activities in Canada. Label a map of Canada with activities including tourism (summer, winter, and eco-), forestry, fishing, farming, hydroelectricity, hunting and trapping). Complete a table explaining the position of these labels.
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Humans & Ecozones worksheet
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9. Unit test & review
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Complete a review of knowledge and skills developed in the unit
Write a paper and pencil test including at least 25% higher-order thinking questions developing concepts and skills in the unit
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Unit 1 Test Review worksheet
Unit 1 Test
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