Page 96 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

Grade 12, University Preparation
A1. Economic Inquiry: use the economic inquiry process and the concepts of economic thinking when investigating current Canadian and international economic issues;
A2. Developing Transferable Skills: apply in everyday contexts skills developed through economic investigation, and identify various careers in which a background in economics might be an asset.
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS Throughout this course, students will:
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
A1. Economic Inquiry
Throughout this course, students will:
A1.1 formulate different types of questions to guide investigations into current national and global economic issues (e.g., factual questions: What type of economic system does Sweden have?; comparative questions: How do the Human Development Index and gross domestic product
of Canada compare to those of countries with emerging economies?; causal questions: What factors affect supply and demand?)
A1.2 select and organize relevant data, evidence, and information on current Canadian and international economic issues from a variety of primary and secondary sources (e.g., primary: data from Statistics Canada or international statistical agencies, forecasts from international financial institutions, government budgets, treatises by economists; secondary: articles; business reports; documentaries or other films; newspapers; websites of governments, businesses, and/or non-governmental organizations), ensuring that their sources reflect a range of perspectives
Sample questions: “If you wanted to compare economic data on different countries, what types of sources might you consult? What types of data can you obtain from these sources? What economic indicators do they report on? Where might you find data on alternative economic indicators?” “If you were investigating the environmental impact of a particular company or industry, why would it be important to consult sources in addition to the company’s website and reports?”
A1.3 assess the credibility of sources, data, evidence, and information relevant to their investigations (e.g., by considering how the
data or information was constructed; the accuracy and/or context of the evidence; the intended audience; the bias, purpose, values, and/or expertise of the author)
Sample questions: “Whose point of view is represented in this source? How do you know? Does this person or group have a vested interest in the issue being addressed? If so, do you think this affects the reliability of the source?” “How might you assess the reliability of statistics from online sources?”
A1.4 interpret and analyse data, evidence, and information relevant to their investigations, using various tools, strategies, and approaches appropriate for economic inquiry (e.g., interpret data in a graph on the economic impact of a government policy; interpret the information on income inequality presented in a Lorenz curve; use a Venn diagram or other graphic organizer to help them compare two different economic theories; analyse data to test a particular economic theory)
Sample questions: “What does this graph reveal about supply and demand?” “What criteria might you use to assess monetary policy in Canada? Why did you choose these criteria?” “What type of graphic organizer do you think would be most useful in helping you compare different market structures?”
A1.5 use the concepts of economic thinking (i.e., economic significance, cause and effect, stability and variability, and economic perspective) when analysing and evaluating data, evidence, and
A. ECONOMIC INQUIRY AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT
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