Look at some of the things on your posters - things that help to define us as Canadians. Some of the following things may be on your posters and some may not:
hockey
lacrosse
skiing & snowboarding
snow
canoes
salmon
codfish
moose
grizzly
farmsteads
longhouses
mountains
prairies
aurora borealis
cedar trees
Some Canadian writers, artists, musicians etc. use these things to create works of art that define who we are. Take hockey as an example.
This is a painting by Canadian Richard Brodeur called Late Afternoon at the Rink. Or perhaps you have heard what some people call our second national anthem...
One of the most famous short stories in Canada is The Sweater.
Here are two other stories that are very Canadian.
The first story is by Robert Service about the Canadian North. The illustrations were by Ted Harrison who is a naturalized Canadian that
lived most of his life in the Yukon.
This film is inspired by the Mi'kmaq legend The Stone Canoe. Little Thunder reluctantly
leaves his family and sets out on a cross-country canoe trip to become a
man.
Think about some of the stories you may have heard from your parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, or family friends. Choose one that shows an aspect of being Canadian. You will write a short children's book (5-10 pages) about that story. As with all children's books, yours should be illustrated. I will not mark the quality of your illustrations (stick figures or magazine pictures are okay) but the pictures must represent the "Canadianess" of your story. I will mark for grammar and spelling. Your book will be due on Friday, September 14th.
This video is a celebration of Canada. What are the positive things that the video makers are saying about Canada?
In this video, Russell Peters tells the story of how his father is trying to become "Canadian". He buys a barbeque, hamburgers and hot dogs and invites the neighbours over for a party. Why would he think that this would make him more Canadian? What does he believe is a Canadian? Is this accurate?
Can you tell which of these people are Canadian? Some are and some aren't.
Write down what you think their nationality might be. Remember, if there are multiple people in the pictures there may be multiple nationalities.
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
Which ones did you think were Canadian? In fact, it is impossible to
tell which ones were Canadian because there is no common "Canadian
look". Canadians come from Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and
the Pacific, South America, other North American countries, Central
America, the Caribbean.... We speak SENCOTEN, English, French, Italian,
Mandarin, Korean, Swahili, Cree, German, Japanese, Punjabi and many
other languages.
Think about these questions as you watch this video clip:
So, what makes a "real" Canadian anyways?
Does it have to do with where you were born? Where you live? What you eat? What language you speak? Or what you look like?
There are five key characteristics to Canadian Identity:
Particular Emphasis on the Tri-Cultural Nature of Canada
Aboriginal (First Nations, Inuit, Metis) culture is (of course) the original culture of Canada
French culture developed through early colonization
English culture developed after the English took control of Canada after the War of 1812
Canada Became a Country Without Having a Revolution
Canada is one of the few countries in the world that gained independence from a colonial power without a revolt or revolution.
As a result we have developed a country and culture that values peace and collaboration.
"Peace, Order, and Good Government"
Related to point #2, Canada is founded on the ideas of "peace, order and good government".
Part of this has developed because we adopted the British parliamentary system and (except in Quebec) the British legal system.
Multiculturalism
Very important to Canadians is the concept of the Cultural Mosaic as opposed to the Melting Pot of the United States.
The Cultural Mosaic means that each person and their culture is like
a tile in the mosaic that makes up the picture of Canada. Each
person's culture is valued and supported.
The Cultural Mosaic can be seen in the writing of Canadians like
Rohinton Mistry, Michael Ondaatje, Chief Dan George and Arthur Clarke.
Geophysical Factors
Canadians have been strongly influenced by our land.
It is a vast, cold, rugged land in which survival can be difficult, even today.
The importance of the land has molded our history and our arts and
literature including works like Roughing it in the Bush by Susanna
Moody, and writing by Margaret Atwood. Artists like the Group of Seven
and Emily Carr also reflect our landscape.
All
of these characteristics reflect an ideal Canada. When all is "right
with the world", what are the positive outcomes of these
characteristics? When things are not going so well, what are the
negative outcomes of these characteristics?
I will be expecting the following things from you:
I expect you to treat all people in this classroom or any other place we go as a class with respect and courtesy. This includes being supportive of each other, not swearing or using hate slang (hate slang includes anything that is derogatory to or insulting of any particular group or groups), helping others when they need it, cooperating with others, etc.
I expect you to treat the classroom, or any other place we go as a class, and all the objects in it with respect. This includes not leaving garbage lying around or in your desks, not writing on the desks or in your textbooks, leaving your space neat and tidy at the end of class.
I expect you to come to class prepared to be an active learner. This includes bringing your notebook, textbook, pen/pencil, arriving on time, bringing finished homework on time, turning off and putting cellphones away, putting ipods away except when you are told you may use them, getting enough sleep the night before so you are awake in class, etc. Let me reiterate - cellphones must be turned off when you come to class. If I see you using your cellphone in class, I will ask you to put your phone in my desk until the end of class.
You can expect the following things from me:
You can expect the same things from me that I expect from you – that I will treat people in our class with respect, that I will treat our space with respect and that I will come to class prepared to be an active participant.
You can expect that I will treat you fairly, that I will encourage you, and that I will be flexible in my expectations when it is appropriate.
You can expect extra help from me as needed. I will be available most days at break in the library. I will also be available after school in the library on posted days. I will post the days by the end of the second week of school.
You can expect that I will do my best to answer your questions. I may not have the answers immediately but I will make every effort to find and answer for you in a reasonable time.
Class Content:
We will be covering the following topics in class:
1. Skills and Processes of Social Studies
2. Identity, Society, and Culture: Canada from 1815 to 1914
3. Governance: Canada from 1815 to 1914
4. Economy and Technology: Canada from 1815 to 1914 5. Environment: Canada from 1815 to 1914
6. Geography of Canada 7. Current Events
Evaluation of Your Learning:
Your skills and knowledge will be evaluated using the following:
Individual and group classwork
Homework
Quizzes, etc.
Projects and presentations
Research process
Self evaluation
Discussions between student and teacher
These will determine your final grade in Social Studies 10.
