Page 162 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

Grade 11, University/College Preparation
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies
E2. Disaster Preparedness
FOCUS ON: Spatial Significance; Geographic Perspective
By the end of this course, students will:
E2.1 explain how various technologies, devices, and classification systems (e.g., tilt meters, laser rangefinders, seismographs, the global positioning system [GPS], GIS, satellites, modified Richter scale, Saffir-Simpson scale, Fujita scale, anemometers, barometers, wet and dry thermometers) are used to measure, monitor, predict, and analyse natural processes and hazards, and assess their role in reducing the human impacts of disasters
Sample questions: “What technology and data would you need to set up a tsunami warning system? Why might such a system be able to save lives?” “What role does Doppler radar play in forecasting storm activity?”
E2.2 assess the role of various adaptation and response measures in reducing the human impacts of natural disasters (e.g., research, monitoring, communication, geo-engineering, levees, dams, building codes, windbreaks, cloud seeding, avalanche control)
Sample questions: “How can governments use earthquake data to evaluate risks and develop appropriate emergency response measures?” “Why is it important for people to know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?”
E2.3 analyse ways in which communities prepare for and respond to natural disasters, using local, national, and international examples
Sample questions: “Does your community
have an emergency plan to respond to natural disasters? Which hazards does it specifically address? How effective do you think the plan would be in the event of a real disaster? Are there potential hazards it does not address?” “How do your community’s plans for responding to a particular type of disaster compare with those of other communities in Canada or in other parts of the world that face similar risks? Do other communities have plans or systems
in place that should be considered by your community?”
E3. Processes of Change
FOCUS ON: Spatial Significance; Patterns and Trends
By the end of this course, students will:
E3.1 analyse patterns and trends in the earth’s natural systems over geologic time
Sample questions: “How have changes in
the earth’s physical characteristics influenced biological change? How have biological changes influenced the earth’s physical processes?” “Climate change has directly or indirectly contributed to past mass extinctions in geologic history. Do you think that human-induced climate change will lead to an extinction in the future? Why or why not?” “How might human activity be shaping future changes in the earth’s natural systems?”
Using spatial skills: Students can reinforce their understanding of change over geologic time by using illustrations to mark significant geological and biological events on a representation of the geologic time scale. Students can also graph global climate data using different scale intervals in order to make inferences relating to trends
in climate.
E3.2 explain how the earth’s tilt and changes in its position with respect to the sun and moon influence natural changes in the physical environment (e.g., seasons, tide heights, ocean currents, the ozone layer)
E3.3 explain the role of various erosional and depositional agents (e.g., water, ice, wind, chemical processes) in shaping the earth’s physical features (e.g., meanders, valleys, dunes, caves), locally, regionally, and globally
Sample questions: “How can glaciation be both an agent of degradation and erosion and an agent of deposition?” “What roles does water play in various physical processes?”
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