Grade 9 students will Canadian governance and economic systems. First we will take a look at the government structure, passing laws, and all about the Prime Minister, then as we venture into Youth Crime students will explore the judicial system in action. Finally, students will look at immigration, consumerism and various economic systems in Canada and the world.
September: We spend September asking ourselves "what is an issue"? We explore various examples and look at how bias, perspective, and opinion can impact how we interpret a variety of issues. Students will test their Canadian trivia and explore their understanding of the issues surrounding them. Then, students explore the government structure of Canada. Moreso, governance and the role of Canadians and the Canadian government in responding to the needs of Canadian citizens. We will also be taking a close look at source analysis as we develop skills necessary to succeed at the upcoming PAT.
October:
This month, we continue to examine the government system and the organization of the various branches. Students have completed their first project, creating an analogy for the federal government. We have taken on some enriched debates on issues present in our parliamentary system, and we have passed a bill in class questioning the use of Social Media in the classroom. We will begin working on writing a speech regarding Canada’s Next Prime Minister and some issues facing our parliamentary system today.
November:
After looking at Canada's government system we then moved into examining the Justice System and the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Students looked at various case studies that examine Youth Crime and how Canada deals with youth offenders. Students will watch PBS Frontline: When Kids Get Life, looking at the issues with youth offenders in the United States, and thinking critically about how these students should be charged. I look forward to the enriching discussion pertaining to our youth today.
December:
We just finished off November with a few exciting classroom opportunities. Students welcomed a Police Officer to talk about the legal system. We also invited Sun Media political cartoonists to work through analyzing and creating political cartoons. We have also begun our discussion on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.