CGC1D – Issues in Canadian Geography
| Course Type : | Academic |
| Credit Value : | 1.0 |
| Prerequisite : | None |
Course Description
This course examines interrelationships within and between Canada’s natural and human systems and how these systems interconnect with those in other parts of the world. Students will explore environmental, economic, and social geographic issues relating to topics such as transportation options, energy choices, and urban development. Students will apply the concepts of geographic thinking and the geographic inquiry process, including spatial technologies, to investigate various geographic issues and to develop possible approaches for making Canada a more sustainable place in which to live. Contact us to know more about Issues in Canadian Geography course.
Outline of Course Content
Unit
Titles and Descriptions
Time and Sequence
Unit 1
What Is Geography?
This unit offers an introduction to the types of tools geographers use and how those tools are utilized in the study of geography. Various steps of the inquiry process are explored in detail. The inquiry process is used throughout the unit to answer questions and explore the types of issues geographers seek to address.
12 hours
Unit 2
Interactions in the Physical Environment
This unit explores the different geographic regions of Canada. The content offers in- depth descriptions of the landforms and climate regions in Canada and explains how these different regions were formed. The unit discusses how different regions influence the cultural and economic activities Canadians practice today. It also explores how interactions between Canadians and the environment are producing new challenges at home and abroad.
25 hours
Unit 3
Managing Canada’s Resources and Industries
This unit examines the connections between Canada’s geographic make-up, its resources, and their influences on industry and the economy. The content explores what might be the future of Canada’s economy and how the country can sustainably manage its resources. It reviews the different economic sectors before investigating their importance to the Canadian economy and how they are influenced by trade between Canada and other countries.
25 hours
Unit 4
Changing Populations
This unit introduces the topic of demography. It examines the population of Canada and the impact that a changing population has on Canada and the rest of the world. The unit offers investigations into population trends, migration, immigration, ageing populations, and urbanization. All topics are explored in relation to how they influence the balance of economic and social demands.
20 hours
Unit 5
Livable Communities
This unit explores the unique challenges posed by Canadian land use and development. It identifies various factors that influence land use and explains how they affect land use patterns. Topics such as urban growth, sustainability, and the management of developing communities are examined according to various case studies. Energy, transportation, and Canadian food systems are all studied in relation to sustainable, cost-effective growth and management.
20 hours
Unit 6
Project
The final project allows students to choose from a variety of different topics or issues to explore. Students will use the geographic inquiry process to generate an inquiry question that will guide their research. They will make use of a variety of geographic skills, concepts, terms, and content to help address their inquiry question. They will communicate their research findings in a written report.
6 hours
Exam
There is a proctored final exam worth 15% of the final grade.
2 hours
Total
110 hours
Students learn best when they are engaged in a variety of ways of learning. Business studies courses lend themselves to a wide range of approaches in that they require students to discuss issues, solve problems using applications software, participate in business simulations, conduct research, think critically, work cooperatively, and make business decisions. When students are engaged in active and experiential learning strategies, they tend to retain knowledge for longer periods and to develop meaningful skills.
These include:
| Discussions | Teamwork |
| Use of spatial technologies | Brainstorming |
| Use of Case Studies | Mind Mapping |
| Simulations of various maps | Problem Solving |
| Independent Research | Personal Reflections |
| Seminar Presentations | Portfolios |
| Hands on Applications | Direct Instructions |
Our theory of assessment and evaluation follows the Ministry of Education’s Growing Success document, and it is our firm belief that doing so is in the best interests of students. We seek to design assessment in such a way as to make it possible to gather and show evidence of learning in a variety of ways to gradually release responsibility to the students, and to give multiple and varied opportunities to reflect on learning and receive detailed feedback.
Assessment is a systematic process of collecting information or evidence about a student’s progress towards meeting the learning expectations. Assessment is embedded in the instructional activities throughout a unit. The expectations for the assessment tasks are clearly articulated and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration possible. This process of beginning with the end in mind helps to keep focus on the expectations of the course. The purpose of assessment is to gather the data or evidence and to provide meaningful feedback to the student about how to improve or sustain the performance in the course. Scaled criteria designed as rubrics are often used to help the student to recognize their level of achievement and to provide guidance on how to achieve the next level. Although assessment information can be gathered from a number of sources (the student himself, the student’s course mates, the teacher), evaluation is the responsibility of only the teacher. For evaluation is the process of making a judgment about the assessment information and determining the percentage grade or level.
Assessment is embedded within the instructional process throughout each unit rather than being an isolated event at the end. Often, the learning and assessment tasks are the same, with formative assessment provided throughout the unit. In every case, the desired demonstration of learning is articulated clearly and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration possible. This process of beginning with the end in mind helps to keep focus on the expectations of the course as stated in the course guideline. The evaluations are expressed as a percentage based upon the levels of achievement.
A variety of strategies are used to allow students opportunities to attain the necessary skills for success in this course and at the post-secondary level of study. To facilitate learning, the teacher uses a variety of activities engaging the whole class, small groups, and individual students.
The assessment will be based on the following processes that take place in the classroom:
| Assessment FOR Learning | Assessment AS Learning | Assessment OF Learning |
| During this process the teacher seeks information from the students in order to decide where the learners are and where they need to go. | During this process the teacher fosters the capacity of the students and establishes individual goals for success with each one of them. | During this process the teacher reports student’s results in accordance to established criteria to inform how well students are learning. |
| Conversation | Conversation | Conversation |
| Classroom discussionSelf-evaluationPeer assessment | Classroom discussionSmall group discussionPost-lab conferences | Presentations of research Debates |
| Observation | Observation | Observation |
| Drama workshops (taking direction) Steps in problem solving | Group discussions | PresentationsGroup Presentations |
| Student Products | Student Products | Student Products |
| Reflection journals (to be kept throughout the duration of the course)Check ListsSuccess Criteria | Practice sheetsSocrative quizzes | ProjectsPoster presentations TestsIn Class Presentations |
Some of the approaches to teaching/learning include
| Strategy | Who | Assessment Tool |
| Assignments | teacher | rubric or marking scheme |
| Oral Presentations | self/peer or teacher | rubric |
| Work & Task Sheets | self /peer or teacher | checklist or rubric or marking scheme |
| Textbook Use | self or teacher | checklist |
| Teacher Led Review | self/peer or teacher | checklist |
| Performance Task | self/peer or teacher | rubric |
| Written Quiz | teacher | marking scheme |
| Written Test | teacher | marking scheme |
| Performance Task | teacher | rubric or marking scheme |
| Final Project | teacher | marking scheme |
The evaluation of this course is based on the four Ministry of Education achievement categories of knowledge and understanding (25%), thinking/inquiry (25%), communication (25%), and application (25%). The evaluation for this course is based on the student’s achievement of curriculum expectations and the demonstrated skills required for effective learning.
The percentage grade represents the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline.
A credit is granted and recorded for this course if the student’s grade is 50% or higher. The final grade for this course will be determined as follows:
- 70% of the grade will be based upon evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade will reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration will be given to more recent evidence of
- 30% of the grade will be based on a final exam administered at the end of the The exam will contain a summary of information from the course and will consist of well-formulated multiple-choice questions. These will be evaluated using a checklist.
Resources:
Resources required by the student:
- Access to various web resources for guided research activities
- A calculator (online or handheld)
- Writing or colouring tools and paper
- Access to voice recording or video recording tools (webcam, cell phone, )
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The course examines the interrelationships between Canada’s natural and human systems, exploring environmental, economic, and social geographic issues while applying geographic thinking and inquiry processes.
No, there are no prerequisites required to enroll in this course.
The course includes units on the fundamentals of geography, physical environment interactions, resource management, population changes, livable communities, and a final project involving independent inquiry.
70% of the grade is based on evaluations throughout the course, and 30% is based on a proctored final exam.
Students need access to web resources, a calculator, writing or colouring tools, and video or voice recording tools.