Page 161 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

E. IMPACTS OF CHANGE OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
E1. Impacts of Processes and Disasters: analyse impacts of physical processes and disasters on human and natural systems, locally, nationally, and globally (FOCUS ON: Interrelationships; Geographic Perspective)
E2. DisasterPreparedness:assesstheroleandeffectivenessofvariousoptionsforreducingtheimpacts of disasters on human populations (FOCUS ON: Spatial Significance; Geographic Perspective)
E3. Processes of Change: describe how the earth’s natural systems change, and have changed, over various time scales, and explain some of the processes that cause these changes (FOCUS ON: Spatial Significance; Patterns and Trends)
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
E1. Impacts of Processes and Disasters
FOCUS ON: Interrelationships; Geographic Perspective
By the end of this course, students will:
E1.1 analyse selected short- and long-term impacts of natural processes in various parts of the world (e.g., river erosion and the development of canyons; rising sea level and the loss of islands; volcanic activity and the loss of islands, the building of islands, and increases in soil capability; glaciation and till deposition and soil formation; earthquakes and separation of land; erosion and sedimentation and the development of deltas, floodplains, and other landforms; sedimentation and fossil-fuel formation; plate tectonics and mineral formation)
Sample questions: “What are some natural processes that affect your local area? What impacts might these have on your local community or region over time?”
E1.2 compare, from a geographic perspective,
the impacts of selected natural and human disasters (e.g., Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina; earthquakes in Haiti in 2010 and in Kobe, Japan, in 1995; recent droughts in the Sahel and the dust bowl in North America during the 1930s; the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the grounding of the Exxon Valdez in 1989)
Sample questions: “What were the impacts of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of 2004? How did it affect the people, their homes, their schools, and businesses? What political impact did this disaster have on the region in which it occurred? Was the economic impact felt only in the region or did it have global
implications? In what ways did the damage caused by this disaster affect the natural environment? How do these impacts compare with those of the Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011?”
E1.3 assess potential impacts, both positive and negative, of climate change on different parts of the world, including their local community
Sample questions: “How will Arctic warming affect animal populations and migration patterns? How are indigenous communities likely to be affected? What are the consequences of thawing permafrost? What are some of the economic benefits that are expected to come from the warming of the Arctic?” “What areas of the world currently produce the most grain foods? How might this change? What concerns might a change in grain production raise?” “How might climate change have an impact
on tourist destinations that depend on the weather?” “Why are some coastal cities more vulnerable to the rise of sea level than others? Why are poorer regions more vulnerable than richer ones?” “Which countries might be faced with environmental migration issues due to climate change?” “How are regions that depend on glacier-fed rivers for their water supply likely to be affected by climate change?”
Using spatial skills: Students can make a preliminary identification of coastal settlements that are vulnerable to flooding from rising
sea levels by adding a map showing coastal elevation data to a world base map showing human settlement.
IMPACTS OF CHANGE
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Physical Processes and Disasters
Forces of Nature:
CGF3M