Page 13 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | Canadian and World Studies

happen where they happen. And, because these events, features, and conditions “can and often do have some impact on our lives”, geographers consider why they are important to us.6 Gritzner has condensed these ideas into a short but meaningful phrase: “What is where, why there, and why care?” The Grade 9 geography courses provide students with opportunities to explore these three aspects of geography as they investigate geographic issues in Canada. In these courses, students will examine issues relating to interactions between physical processes and people living in Canada; changing populations in this country; economic and environmental sustainability; and interconnections between Canada and the global community.
In the Grade 9 geography courses, students will develop their ability to apply both the geographic inquiry process and the concepts of geographic thinking. They apply this process and these concepts as they investigate geographic issues in Canada and deepen their awareness of interconnections between Canadian and global issues. These courses enhance students’ ability to act as responsible global citizens and environmental stewards. Students will develop their spatial skills as they analyse information and data obtained from diverse sources, including field studies, aerial photographs, satellite imaging, various types of maps and graphs, geographic information systems (GIS), and digital representations. The study of geography in Grade 9 builds on the knowledge, attitudes, and skills, including thinking skills, developed in geography in Grades 7 and 8 and enables students to move on to the further study of geography in Grades 11 and 12.
HISTORY
Competent historical thinkers understand both the vast differences that separate us from our ancestors and the ties that bind us to them; they can analyze historical artifacts and documents, which can give them some of the best understandings of times gone by; they can assess the validity and relevance of historical accounts, when they are used to support entry into a war, voting for a candidate, or any of the myriad decisions knowledgeable citizens in a democracy must make. All this requires “knowing the facts”, but“knowing the facts”is not enough. Historical thinking does not replace historical knowledge: the two are related and interdependent.
Peter Seixas, “‘Scaling Up’ the Benchmarks of Historical Thinking” (2008)
History involves the study of diverse individuals, groups, and institutions as well as significant events, developments, and issues in the past. The Grade 10 history courses provide students with an overview of Canadian history from the eve of World War I to the present. These courses convey a sense of the dynamic nature of Canada and of its interconnections with other parts of the world. Students learn that Canada has many stories and that each one is significant and requires thoughtful consideration. Students learn about the historical and contemporary impact of colonialism, the Indian Act, the residential school system, treaties, and systemic racism on Indigenous7 individuals and communities in Canada.
Students will develop their ability to apply the concepts of historic thinking in order to deepen their understanding of modern Canadian history. They will also develop their
6. Charles Gritzner, “Defining Geography: What Is Where, Why There, and Why Care”, accessed at http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/courses/teachers_corner/155012.html.
7. In this document, the term “Indigenous” is generally used to refer to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals and communities in Canada. However, “Aboriginal” is used in specific historical or legal contexts, as appropriate.
INTRODUCTION
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