Page 103 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | Canadian and World Studies

building?” “What changes can you make to your home that would help make the community more environmentally sustainable?”
E2. Impacts of Land Use
FOCUS ON: Spatial Significance; Interrelationships
By the end of this course, students will:
E2.1 analyse interrelationships between the built and natural environments
Sample questions: “Why are many communities built on the shoreline of a body of water? What are the benefits for these communities? What are the risks?” “How does surrounding farmland support a community, and what stresses might the community place on the farmland? How might the loss of nearby farmland affect a community?” “What are some of the ways in which activities within communities affect air and water quality locally and further afield?” “Which type of environment best suits the way you would like to live: urban, suburban, or rural?” “Which natural and built characteristics (e.g., climate, resources, landscape, water bodies; transportation networks, industries, social and cultural amenities, architecture, recreational areas) would you include in a list of criteria
for selecting an ideal place to live?”
Using spatial skills: Students can compare maps of urban areas from different time periods to assess the direction and scope of urban growth. The class could create a shared annotated map illustrating their preferred places to live in Canada.
E2.2 assess the compatibility of different types
of land uses with each other within their local community (e.g., land uses that conflict with each other, land uses that make other land uses more efficient or less efficient)
Sample questions: “Are recreational areas
close to the residential areas?” “Do public transportation routes provide easy access to commercial areas?” “Is residential land located near industrial spaces?” “Are sewage treatment plants next to recreational land?” “If you were to redesign your community, would you change the patterns of land use in any way?”
E2.3 explain how changes in land use can affect the growth or decline of different parts of a community (e.g., new suburban malls can drain business from downtown stores and lead to the decline of a community’s central core; replacing an old industrial district with retail or recreational development, adding additional transportation
capacity, new cultural institutions, amenities, industrial parks can stimulate growth)
Sample questions: “How might the closure of
a pulp and paper mill lead to the decline of a community?” “Why would people choose to move to the suburbs? Why is the resulting urban sprawl a problem?” “Why is it beneficial to have housing near a downtown commercial area?” “What types of social issues may arise from changes in land use in an urban community?”
E2.4 analyse the impact of a selected project on a community (e.g., residential or resort development, urban renewal, installation of water and waste management systems, creation of a park or recreational site, addition of bike lanes on major streets, opening of a mine near a reserve community)
Sample questions: “If you were planning on moving to a new community, why would it be important for you to check on future plans for the community?” “Why might it be worthwhile to attend a planning meeting about a proposed project in your community? What could you do to voice your ideas?”
E3. Patterns of Land Use
FOCUS ON: Spatial Significance; Patterns and Trends
By the end of this course, students will:
E3.1 describe different types of land use within their community (e.g., commercial, transportation, industrial, residential, institutional, recreational, agricultural, open space), and explain reasons for their location
Sample questions: “How can aerial photographs of the community help us identify different land uses? How could you use the photographs to see changes in land use and plan for future land-use needs?”
Using spatial skills: Students can deepen their understanding of land use by carrying out a land-use field study in a selected area of their community. They can then compare their land- use descriptions with those in the municipality’s official plan and propose ways of modifying the official plan.
E3.2 describe spatial distribution patterns for human systems and services in their community (e.g., infrastructure components, such as transporta- tion and energy networks, communication towers, water and waste facilities)
Using spatial skills: Official plans are useful for identifying how transportation routes,
LIVEABLE COMMUNITIES
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Issues in Canadian Geography
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