Grade 12: Political Studies

Collective rights

Analyze political data and assess the reliability of sources (evidence). Key question:

• Can people on different sides of a political issue agree on the objective facts involved in the issue?

Sample activities:

• Analyze the origin, purpose, perspective, and veracity of a claim made in a political speech.
• Analyze how language can be used in a political statement or speech to obfuscate.

Constitution, Senate, Federal/Provincial relations

Compare and contrast continuities and changes for different political institutions and organizations at particular times and places (continuity and change). Key question:

• How do political perspectives change over time? What can cause this?

Sample activity:

Examine the role played by a Canadian political institution (e.g., Governor General, Senate, Supreme Court) over time and assess how its role and power have changed or stayed the same.

Assess how underlying conditions and the actions of individuals or groups affect events, decisions, and developments, and analyze multiple consequences (cause and consequence). Sample activities:

• Analyze the role of several important political factors (e.g., ideology, public opinion, economics, institutional factors, identity politics, the media) in a recent political decision.
• Examine the intended and unintended consequences of a political decision or policy change.

Make reasoned ethical judgments about political issues, decisions, and developments (ethical judgment). Sample activity:

• Conduct a debate about a current or past political decision.