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BC Social Studies 10

We will journey through many topics and themes that have shaped Canada over the last century -- it will be a bit like the old canoe trips of the fur trade.  Some parts of the story are easily told and require little paddling, while others will make you work hard for your dried peas and salt pork. Your teacher will definitely help lift the canoe over the big portages, but we are all in this together. 

The big idea (or myth?) of Canadian Identity will accompany the entire course, as well as a persistent question: Why Bother Voting?  The lessons, activities, and assessments of this course are designed to give students opportunities to meet learning outcomes and demonstrate understanding. Skills such as decoding sources, map literacy, critical thinking, effective research, working with data sets, interpreting current events, communication, and active citizenship will relate to many of the learning outcomes. The six historical thinking concepts will underpin much of the work we do -- Establishing Significance, Working with Evidence, Comparing Continuity and Change, Considering Cause and Consequence, Perspective Taking, and Making Ethical Judgements.
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Course Outline

Sample Course Introduction & Summary from 2018
UNIT 1 An Autonomous Canada: 1919-1939
Lessons
1A What is Social Studies
1B Canada at the end of WWI
​1C Canada and the Roaring 20s
1D Causes of the Great Depression
1E Conditions during the Great Depression
1F Response to the Great Depression
Labs
U1 Skills - Analyzing sources related to the Spanish Flu
​U1 Sources - Historical Thinking Chart based on the Great Depression
Additional Resources
Slideshow Causes of the Great Depression
1920s Confident Years Canadiana Scrapbook
1930s Depression Years Canadiana Scrapbook
UNIT 2 Canada at War: 1936-1946
Lessons
2A Rise of Dictators
2B Canada at home during WWII
2C Canada at war during WWII 1940-43
2D Canada at war during WWII 1944-45
2E Aftermath of WWII
Other
WWII some key terms
WWII Assignment (choice)
WWII timeline activity
Test review & summary of topics and main ideas from the unit

UNIT 3 Postwar Canada: 1946-1984
Lessons
3A Canada in the 1950s
3B The Cold War
3C Canada in the 1960s
3D Economic, Environmental, Global Issues 60s & 70s
3E Trudeau Era and Quebec Nationalism
Other
Slideshow: Postwar Prosperity 
Slideshow: Early Trudeau Era
Slideshow: Big Decisions 1974-1983
U3 Skills - Research/Inquiry methods and techniques
U3 Sources - Images and Cartoons from the Postwar Era
ECHO PROJECT -- orientation to the major project
​Test review & summary of main ideas & topics from the unit
UNIT 4 Politics and Government
Lessons
4A Influencing Government
4B Political Beliefs and Parties in Canada
4C Operation of Government
4D Indigenous Rights and Self-Government in Canada
4E Election Process in Canada
Other
U4 Skills Lab - Political Parties Chart
Unit Review Questions
UNIT 5 Modern Canada: 1984-present
Lessons
5A Society & Culture in the 80s and 90s 
5B Contemporary Indigenous Issues
5C New Challenges to Federalism
5D Canada on the World Stage 
5E Environmental Issues: Sustainability
5F Environmental Issues: Water
5G Environmental Issues: Climate Change
Other
Project of Heart - Resources on Residential Schools
Project of Heart - Teacher Guides/Lesson Plans
Slideshow: Modern Canada
Test review document

Class Expectations

Rules -- I don’t have many... mostly I expect that students will operate with a few principles in mind:
  • mutual respect -- treat the students, teacher, and learning space with dignity, safety, and calmness
  • self-reliance -- take responsibility for your actions, attendance, work habits, expected work & progress
  • balance -- there is a season (and time in class) for everything: teacher, student, together, alone, tech, no-tech
  • curiosity -- ask thoughtful questions of your self, teacher, and classmates, and ask for help when you need it
In exchange, I will strive to make the class time as positive and productive as possible, minimize homework, and keep the focus on critical thinking, meaningful connections (including personal ones), and strong learning about our topics. I’m quite confident that any other “rules” we might use will be negotiable.

Assessment

Assessment happens all the time -- when our questions are answered, when we think about whether we understand, something, when you get feedback on something you have said or done, and when you get evaluated on things you've turned in.

The "summative" parts -- the assessments your teacher uses to prepare reports and assign marks -- are generated from the work you submit (e.g. smaller assignments like maps), the projects you complete (e.g. the Echo Project), and the tests you write (e.g. Unit Tests with critical thinking questions and access to your notes). 

You must actually do the work to get the marks, just as you have to actually be here if you want the benefit of the lessons. Your teacher will accept late work up to a point -- normally up to the end of the next unit or 3 weeks, whichever comes first. After that it is past due and you must make a new or different attempt to demonstrate your understanding of missed learning outcomes. Your teacher believes this reflects the principles listed above, especially mutual respect and self-reliance.  You've probably had teachers with very strict expectations and deadlines, and some that will accommodate every kind of way of doing the classwork, sometime by having no deadlines. Both of these approaches have strengths and weaknesses, and being right in the middle isn't perfect either.  I see my approach as realistic -- reasonable expectations and reasonable deadlines. My message is simple: get it done, get it in, and you'll be happier for it!

It is very important that you reflect on how things are going for you as often as you can, and come talk to your teacher when you need help. Usually, there is some time set aside in each class for this purpose -- ask a question, share what you are working on, get a concept explained, or challenge an idea. Your teacher and often your classmates are here for that purpose -- to help your learn. We're not as direct or fast as a google search, but we know how to laugh, ponder, and provoke.

In addition to non-graded feedback on your work, I mark assessments using a five-point scoring guide.
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This year, your teacher will be trying out this relatively new assessment method. Based on the work they do, students will achieve placements in four categories: Foundations, Skills, Thinking, and Connections. These "capacities" allow us to explore content, develop competencies, and understand big ideas that are relevant to our course.
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