Living & Working in Ontario
Overall Expectations:
Application: Demonstrate an understanding of some key aspects of the interrelationship between the natural environment, land use, employment opportunities, and the development of municipal regions in Ontario
Inquiry: Use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some of the environmental effects of different types of land and/or resource use in two or more Ontario municipal regions, as well as some of the measures taken to reduce the negative impact of that use
Understanding Context: Describe major landform regions and types of land use in Ontario and some of the ways in which land use in various Ontario municipalities addresses human needs and wants, including the need for jobs
Specific Expectations:
Describe some major connections between features of the natural environment of a region and the type of land use and/or the type of community that is established in that region (e.g., ports on lakes or major rivers; farming on flat land with fertile soil; resource towns in areas with ore, trees, or other natural resources) Sample questions: “What type of community might be established in an area that is heavily forested?” “Why are many towns and cities located near lakes and rivers?” “What are some of the characteristics of the natural environment in regions of Ontario that are recreational destinations?” Student talk: “The area around most of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie is good for farming because it is flat and fertile. But it has a lot of cities on it too because the water is important for everyday life.” “People like to spend holidays in places where there are lakes for boating and swimming and forest trails for walking. There are sometimes cottages along the lakes. In the winter, they go where there are big hills or long trails for skiing and they use the hiking trails for snowmobiling.”
Describe some major connections between features of the natural environment and the type of employment that is available in a region, with reference to two or more municipal regions in Ontario (e.g., in the District Municipality of Muskoka, which is known for its lakes, beaches, and many islands, some of the employment opportunities are seasonal jobs in the recreation industry; Dryden and its surrounding area is heavily forested, so there are a number of employment opportunities in the pulp and paper industry; the natural attraction of Niagara Falls led to the development of the area around it as a tourist centre, so the region offers many jobs in tourist and service industries) Sample questions: “Why are some jobs dependent on the seasons?” “What are some of the jobs that are connected to forests, lakes, and rivers? What sorts of jobs are connected to agricultural land use?” Student talk: “I want to work as a farmer, so I will probably need to live outside the Toronto area. It is hard to farm near Toronto because they have built on most of the land.”
Identify and describe some of the main patterns in population distribution and land use in two or more municipal regions in Ontario, using mapping and globe skills (e.g., read city maps to extract information on how much land is used for residential and transportation purposes; read digital provincial land use and/or agricultural maps to identify population patterns in agricultural areas; create a thematic map to show how land used for commercial purposes often exists in specific pockets within areas with large populations) Sample questions: “Where do you see the greatest number of cities and towns on this map of Ontario? Why might they be centred in this area?” “Where are the reserve communities located? What do you notice about the location of reserve communities?” “Why are some of the streets in the residential section of this city curved or dead ends?”
Formulate questions to guide investigations into some of the short- and/or long-term effects on the environment of different types of land and/or resource use in two or more municipal regions of Ontario (e.g., the impact of mining, forestry, agriculture, suburban land development) and measures taken to reduce the negative impact of that use Sample questions: “What are some of the differences in the impact of land use in a big city and a rural area?” “What impact can mining have on the surrounding environment? What can be done to limit the negative impact on the environment?” “What natural resources are available in the local First Nation community? How have they affected that community?” “What types of development might result in water pollution?” “What criteria might you use to judge the impact of land and/or resource use?” Student talk: “Last spring we almost hit a moose that was crossing the highway. My dad said he hit a deer there before. Why would they build a road where animals live?” “When I was kipping stones on the river, I saw yellowy-brown foam on the water. I wonder where the pollution comes from and how it could be cleaned up.” “My cousin spends his summer planting trees for a forestry company. He says they are replacing the trees they cut down. Do all companies do that?”
Gather and organize a variety of data and information on the environmental effects of different land and/or resource use and measures taken to reduce the negative impact of that use (e.g., photographs, resource books, magazines, online articles, information from regional conservation authorities or provincial and national park websites, information from municipalities on recycling, an interview with an Elder on traditional ecological knowledge about a region and his or her observations on changes in that region) Sample questions: “Where might you find information on how public transportation can reduce car emissions?” “How could you use photographs to help you determine the impact of mining and of rehabilitating mines?” “What sources could you use to study the effectiveness of constructing natural bridges over roadways to allow animals to follow their regular migration patterns?”
Analyse and construct print and digital maps, including thematic maps, as part of their investigations into the environmental impact of land and/or resource use in different municipal regions (e.g., use maps and atlases to locate information about the spatial boundaries of municipal areas and the different land uses within them; use an interactive atlas to identify natural resources in your local area) Sample question: “What information would you need to include on a map showing natural resources in your community?” Student talk: “On my computer last night I looked at a map of a big mine outside Timmins. I zoomed in and followed the roads from my house to the mine.”
Interpret and analyse information and data relevant to their investigations, using a variety of tools (e.g., use a graphic organizer to help them determine the environmental impact of an aggregate mine; plot trends in forest cover of a municipal region on a line or bar graph and compare it to a graph showing land-use trends for the same municipal region) Sample questions: “How might you use a graphic organizer to help you determine the impact of different types of land use on the environment?” “How could using a bar graph help you determine the impact of municipal waste and recycling practices?” “What do these photographs show about the impact of this type of land use?”
Evaluate evidence and draw conclusions about some of the short- and long-term effects on the environment of different types of land use in municipal regions of Ontario and about key measures to reduce the negative impact of that use Sample questions: “What did you find out about the environmental impact of some types of agricultural land use?” “What is your position on the creation of provincial parks or regional conservation areas?” Student talk: “I found out that mining can generate air and water pollution and can scar the land, but some mining companies have donated their old mines to local regional conservation authorities. They are hoping to turn these into parkland.”
Communicate the results of their inquiries, using appropriate vocabulary (e.g., municipality, county, reserve, population, pollution, deforestation, rehabilitation, public transportation, ecological footprint, natural resources, traditional ecological knowledge [TEK]) and formats (e.g., a plan of action to address a local land-use issue; a cooperatively produced book of photos showing the environmental impact of a mine; a report on the benefits of forestry in provincial parks; song lyrics, a rap, or a poem about the effects of industrial pollution on a local waterway; an informational poster on what individuals can do to reduce their ecological footprint) Student talk: “I am writing a letter to our mayor explaining why we should build bridges over the roads so the deer and moose do not get hit by cars.”
Demonstrate an understanding that Ontario is divided into different municipal or regional entities (e.g., cities, towns, townships, villages, counties, reserves) and that local governments within these entities provide specific services and regulate development according to local needs (e.g., elected municipal governments deal with local issues and needs; reserves have band councils and chiefs; different municipalities have different laws or policies relating to land development) Sample questions: “What county is our community in?” “What are some of the responsibilities of a municipality?” “Where is the nearest reserve community located?”
Demonstrate an understanding that political maps, both print and digital, use different typographical styles to indicate different types of entities (e.g., bold face capitals for a country [CANADA], capitals for a province [ONTARIO], and lower case for a city [Sudbury]) Sample questions: “Why do map makers use different types of lettering? Why is it important to notice the differences in lettering? What information do they provide?” Student talk: “On the map of Ontario, the name Toronto is larger than the name Barrie because it is the capital of the province.” “On the map of North America, I can see that the word Canada is written in very large print right across the top of the map. That means it is the name of a country.”
Identify the major landform regions in Ontario (e.g., the Canadian Shield, the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands, the Hudson Bay Lowlands), and describe the major characteristics that make each distinct Sample questions: “What makes the Canadian Shield different from the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands?” “What are the similarities between the Hudson Bay Lowlands and the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands?”
Identify and describe the main types of employment that are available in two or more municipal regions in Ontario (e.g., jobs dependent on natural resources; jobs in manufacturing, tourism and recreation, the service sector, education, government) Sample questions: “What are some of the jobs that are available in our community? Are these the same kinds of jobs that are available in another community in a different region of Ontario?” “Do we have more or fewer types of job opportunities because of the size of our community?” “What are some communities in which jobs are dependent on the natural resources available in the area?” Student talk: “Toronto is a very big city so there are a lot of different jobs there. I live in Brighton. It is smaller but still has lots of different jobs. I could be a teacher, fire fighter, nurse, carpenter, or farmer.” “Both my parents work in the pulp and paper mill in town.” “Ottawa has a lot of government jobs.”
Describe major types of land use (e.g., for agriculture, industry, commerce, housing, recreation, transportation, conservation) and how they address human needs and wants (e.g., agricultural lands provide us with a variety of foods for local consumption and export; land use for recreation enables people to enjoy the outdoors and to participate in or watch sports and other activities; residential areas have different types of buildings to meet people’s housing needs; conservation lands protect ecosystems and habitat for organisms so that biodiversity is preserved for future generations; untouched wetlands help ensure clean water and a healthy habitat) Sample questions: “If we went on a walk around our neighbourhood, what types of land use would we see? What types of needs do they meet?” “What is the purpose of commercial areas?”
Compare some aspects of land use in two or more municipalities (e.g., the number and size of roads; the size and location of commercial areas; the location and types of housing; the proximity of residential and commercial/industrial areas; the size and number of parks and other recreational spaces; space for waste disposal; the amount of agricultural land in the area; the amount of open space) Sample questions: “How do these two municipalities use their waterfront? Is the land recreational? Commercial? Industrial?” “How much parkland do these two municipalities have? Is there other land set aside for recreation? What kinds of activities can take place there?” “What are some of the differences in residential areas in a city like Toronto or Ottawa and a smaller town or village?” Student talk: “This town has made a walking trail all along its river. There are trees and grass and places to have a picnic or to fish. In this city, there are industrial buildings along the water. People go there to work, not to spend their free time.”
Construct print and/or digital maps that show some different land uses, landform regions, and/or municipalities in Ontario, using appropriate elements of a map, including standard units of measurement (e.g., use an online atlas or mapping program to create a map showing the major cities in Ontario, with a scale in kilometres; create a map showing the location of major landform regions in the province)
Communities in Canada 1780-1850
Overall Expectations:
Application: compare ways of life among some specific groups in Canada around the beginning of the nineteenth century, and describe some of the changes between that era and the present day
Inquiry: use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some of the major challenges that different groups and communities faced in Canada from around 1780 to 1850, and key measures taken to address these challenges
Understanding Context: identify some of the communities in Canada around the beginning of the nineteenth century, and describe their relationships to the land and to each other
Specific Expectations:
Describe some of the similarities and differences in various aspects of everyday life (e.g., housing, clothing, food, religious/spiritual practices, work, recreation, the role of children) of selected groups living in Canada between 1780 and 1850 (e.g., First Nations, Métis, French, British, Black people; men and women; slaves, indentured servants, habitants, seigneurs, farmers; people from different classes) Sample questions: “What were some differences in the ways First Nations and settlers viewed childhood?” “In what ways might the life of a farmer on a seigneurie in Lower Canada have differed from that of a farmer in Upper Canada? In what ways were the lives of these people similar?” Student talk: “The Wendat lived in large villages while the Anishnawbe lived in small groups of only a few homes. The Anishnawbe moved each season; the Wendat did not.”
Compare some of the roles of and challenges facing people in Canada around the beginning of the nineteenth century with those in the present day (e.g., the roles of women, men, and children; challenges related to the environment, work, community life, the law) Sample questions: “What are the main differences between your day-to-day life and the life of a child living in Upper Canada in 1800?” “What can we learn from the ways in which First Nations lived in harmony with their environment?” “Where did people get their water? How did they heat and light their homes?” Student talk: “I make my bed and feed the cat, but kids then had to do a lot more chores. Lots of kids didn’t go to school either.” “People didn’t have electricity back then. They had fires for heat, and oil lamps and candles for light. I don’t know what I would do without electricity. I couldn’t watch TV, work on my computer, or play video games.”
Identify some key components of the Canadian identity (e.g., bilingualism, multiculturalism, founding nations, religious freedom), and describe some of the ways in which communities that were in Canada around the early 1800s have had an impact on Canadian identity (e.g., with reference to Canada’s official languages, cultural contributions, place names, observances such as National Aboriginal Day or Black History Month) Sample questions: “What are some place names in Canada that derive from First Nations languages? That reflect the background of settlers from Great Britain?” “Who are the Métis? How are they different from First Nations? What are some ways in which both groups have contributed to Canadian identity?”
Formulate questions to guide investigations into some of the major challenges facing different groups and communities in Canada from around 1780 to 1850 (e.g., isolation; climate; lack of access to doctors, law enforcement, or manufactured goods in isolated communities; encroachment of European settlers on traditional First Nations territory; racism facing First Nations peoples and Black Loyalists) and measures taken to address these challenges Sample questions: “What challenges faced settlers living far from towns? What challenges faced people living in developing towns?” “What types of challenges were particular to First Nations people or African Canadians?” “What are some of the ways in which people responded to challenges related to the climate and natural setting of their community?”
Gather and organize information on major challenges facing different groups and communities, and on measures taken to address these challenges, using a variety of primary and/or secondary sources (e.g., settler journals, artefacts, period paintings and drawings, historical fiction) Sample questions: “What do the journals of Elizabeth Simcoe, Catharine Parr Trail, or other settlers tell us about settlers’ dependence on First Nations medicine? About settlers’ responses to the natural environment?” “What sort of information can you get from period paintings and drawings about challenges in different parts of early Canada?” “How might you use historical fiction to help you understand the challenges facing new immigrants to Canada in this period?” Student talk: “This painting shows a man wearing snowshoes that are really big and have netting. They let people walk in deep snow without sinking down.”
Analyse and construct print and digital maps, including thematic maps, as part of their investigations into challenges facing different groups and communities in Canada during this period, and measures taken to address these challenges (e.g., find main roads and canals on a digital thematic map showing transportation routes; plot settlements on a map in order to determine their proximity to water; compare a map showing traditional pre-contact territories of First Nations to a map showing reserves in 1850) Sample questions: “How could analysing a climate map contribute to your understanding of the challenges that settlers faced during winter in Lower Canada?” “As you plot the settlements on your map, what pattern is emerging?” Student talk: “The map I read helped me see that the Quebec winters are colder and longer than in southern Ontario. It would have been hard for settlers in Lower Canada to stay warm and keep enough food for the winter.” “My map shows that many farms and villages are beside lakes or rivers.”
Interpret and analyse information relevant to their investigations, using a variety of tools (e.g., use timelines and maps to help them determine how European settlement affected the location and size of First Nations and/or Métis communities; create a matrix to help them analyse the different challenges communities faced and how they adapted to them) Sample questions: “How could you use a cause-and-consequence organizer to help you identify the challenges facing and adaptations made by a community in early Canada? What other tools might help you analyse the information you have gathered?” “Why do you think all these settlements are located along waterways?”
Evaluate evidence and draw conclusions about some of the major challenges facing different groups and communities in Canada during this period, and measures taken to overcome these challenges Sample questions: “What are some adaptations that settlers made in response to the lack of manufactured products available in isolated settlements?” “What functions did a barn-raising or quilting bee serve?” “How did some Black people in Nova Scotia respond to racism in that colony?” Student talk: “Water was very important to communities in the late 1700s. They used it to cook, drink, and wash their clothes. They needed it for their crops and animals. They travelled by boat too, because there weren’t many good roads. So people chose to settle near lakes or rivers.”
Communicate the results of their inquiries using appropriate vocabulary (e.g., First Nations, Métis, Upper Canada, Lower Canada, settler, refugee, Loyalist, allies, land grant, seigneurie, habitant, slave, hardship, isolation) and formats (e.g., a booklet entitled “How to Survive in Upper Canada”; a comic book that shows settler life before and after the construction of roads; a diary entry from the perspective of a Mohawk child detailing the family’s relocation in response to settlers’ encroachment on their land; a poster that shows how people adapted to the climate; a map showing how European settlement affected First Nations territories)
Identify various First Nations and some Métis communities in Upper and Lower Canada from 1780 to 1850, including those living in traditional territory and those who moved or were forced to relocate to new areas in response to European settlement, and locate the areas where they lived, using print, digital, and/or interactive maps or a mapping program (e.g., the traditional territories of the Anishnawbe around Thunder Bay; Chippewa land in southern Ontario; new Mohawk settlements in the Bay of Quinte area; the tract of land that the Six Nations gave the Mississauga; Métis communities around Lake Huron)
Identify various settler communities in Canada during this period (e.g., French along the St. Lawrence River; English and Irish in Kingston, Bytown, and York/Toronto, Upper Canada; African Canadians in Grey County, Upper Canada; Scots in Nova Scotia and the Red River Valley; Mennonites in Waterloo County, Upper Canada; United Empire Loyalists in Upper and Lower Canada; Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia), and locate the areas where they lived, using print, digital, and/or interactive maps or a mapping program Student talk: “Look how far west the Scottish settlement in Red River is. I didn’t think settlers lived out there then.”
Identify some of the main factors that helped shape the development of settlements in Canada during this period (e.g., the establishment of trading posts based on trade routes and the knowledge of First Nations peoples; navigable lakes and rivers for trade and transportation; climate; proximity to natural resources; the origins of settlers), and
Describe how the physical features of the land (e.g., topography, proximity to water, fertility of the soil) and the availability of goods and services (e.g., mills, churches, roads) can facilitate settlement and enhance community life Sample questions: “If you were going to establish a farm, what type of land would you look for? What types of resources would you want to have access to?” “Why are there a lot of settlements along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes?” “Why would wealthy British settlers want to live near ports and towns?” “What impact did European settlers’ desire to have the best land for their farms have on the location of reserve lands?” Student talk: “If I were going to be a farmer, I would want flat land that had a river nearby so my animals had water to drink. I would not want too many trees. It is hard to plant crops between trees.” “I would want to build my house near a town so I could buy things and have someone to talk to.”
Describe some of the major challenges facing communities in Canada during this period (e.g., challenges relating to the climate; isolation in backwoods settlements; competition for resources; European diseases among First Nations; colonial wars and other conflicts; racism) Sample questions: “How were the Black Loyalists treated in Nova Scotia?” “What would you do for recreation if you lived deep in the woods and had no electricity?” “What types of challenges did settlers face as a result of the climate in Upper Canada?”
Describe the impact of some different kinds of settlements (e.g., seasonal settlements of seminomadic First Nations, trading posts, resource towns, large-scale farms, large towns or developing cities) on the natural environment and on any existing settlements Sample questions: “How might a new settlement in the middle of a First Nation’s territory affect how the First Nation used the land during different seasons?” “How did developing towns deal with garbage and sewage?” “Who was living in Lower Canada when British Loyalists were given land grants there? What effect did the new settlers have on existing peoples?” “What are the positive and negative effects of clearing land for farms?” Student talk: “In order to farm they had to cut down all the trees. Now the animals that lived in those trees do not have a place to live. Some animals died, and some went somewhere else to live, but the farmers needed to be able to grow their crops to feed their families.”
Describe some key aspects of life in selected First Nations, Métis, and settler communities in Canada during this period, including the roles of men, women, and children (e.g., with reference to diet; how food was obtained; clothing; housing; recreation; education; the division of labour between men, women, and children) Sample questions: “What might a child’s responsibilities be in a backwoods settlement?” “How did men and women in some First Nations work together to ensure the survival of their families?” “How would settlers have divided the chores between men and women, boys and girls?” “What happened to families if the husband/father died or was seriously ill?” Student talk: “Anishnawbe men and boys would hunt. Girls and women gathered nuts, berries, and vegetables. Men, women, and children built the wigwams.”
Describe how some different communities in Canada related to each other during this period, with a focus on whether the relationships were characterized by conflict or cooperation (e.g., cooperation between First Nations and settler communities with respect to the sharing of medicines and technologies; intermarriage between First Nations women and European men; cooperative efforts to establish farms and villages; conflict as settlers impinged on First Nations lands; conflicts between different religious or ethnic groups) Sample questions: “What types of things could newcomers have learned from the people who were already living in the area in which the newcomers were settling? What might be some of the reasons for conflict between the newcomers and the people who already lived in the area?” “What are some of the ways in which First Nations people and European settlers cooperated with each other?” “How did settlers in Nova Scotia view the arrival of Black Loyalists?” Student talk: “I think the First Nations people really helped the settlers. They taught them about things like how to make maple syrup and how to make medicine from plants.” “I think the First Nations learned important things from the European settlers. They learned how to use metal for pots and containers, and how to use spices in their cooking.”
