Social Studies Grade Six

Interdependence: The Global Village
Content/Concepts	Teaching Strategies	Knowledge	Skills/Abilities	Values
Grade Six Unit Four Table of Contents

Suggested Teaching Strategies

Have the class brainstorm and make extensive lists of means of communication and transportation. Working in small groups the students may write the items on small cards.

C.E.L.s: TL, C

Dealing separately with means of transportation and communication, have groups arrange the cards in various ways - historic use, speed, cost, efficiency, meeting needs or wants, far ranging capability.

Discuss "shrinking world" in terms of linear distance and time.

C.E.L.s: TL, N, C, CCT

Have students draw a cartoon and write a journal entry: Our Shrinking World. The cartoon may reflect how technological changes have affected the world.

C.E.L.s: CCT, TL, C

Interdependence: Meeting Needs and Wants

Content/Concepts Teaching Strategies Knowledge Skills/Abilities Values

Grade Six Unit Four Table of Contents

Suggested Teaching Strategies

Brainstorm with the students their various needs and wants. List or web their ideas. Using their ideas, discuss the needs and wants that may be satisfied through relationships with the following:

other people
the environment
other nations

Organize ideas in webs. Discuss the interdependent links.

C.E.L.s: C, PSVS, CCT

Review webs from previous activity. Identify the needs and wants that may be satisfied through a relationship with other countries.

Have students chart their "favourite things" such as foods, music, clothes, games. Identify the countries where they originated.

Discuss the changes that these items have caused to lifestyles, the environment, and other people.

Read and discuss various case studies that describe links between Atlantic region countries. Discuss changes resulting from these links.

Write journal entries reflecting on these changes.

C.E.L.s: C, PSVS, CCT, TL, IL

Interdependence: Links between People and the Environment

Content/Concepts Teaching Strategies Knowledge Skills/Abilities Values

Grade Six Unit Four Table of Contents

Suggested Teaching Strategies

Review the web the students created showing how their needs and wants are met by the environment. Discuss how the environment is affected when the human needs/wants are satisfied.

Brainstorm and list natural resources found in Canada. Create concept maps or charts linking natural resources, the products and jobs they generate, and the resulting impact on the environment. Discuss the patterns of interdependence.

Using a case study with background information on a current natural resource development, discuss the issues from various points of view.

C.E.L.s: CCT, C, PSVS. TL

Have the students participate in a problem-solving simulation regarding resource development.

C.E.L.s: CCT, PSVS, IL, C

Have students take a stand on an issue. Record ideas in a journal entry. The teacher and students may choose to plan and carry out a project dealing with an environmental issue of importance to them.

C.E.L.s: CCT, C, PSVS, IL

Interdependence: Human Rights and Responsibilities

Content/Concepts Teaching Strategies Knowledge Skills/Abilities Values

Grade Six Unit Four Table of Contents

Suggested Teaching Strategies

Review the list of needs and wants the students identified earlier. Have the students rank them in order of necessity. Discuss the relationship between needs/wants and human rights.
Participate in a simulation activity regarding human rights.
The teacher and students may choose to deal with one or more human rights issues. Have the students study relevant information and then participate in one of the following:

Panel discussion in which students deal with issues from various perspectives.
Plan a school-wide or class project.
A simulation activity to build empathy for people directly affected by issues stemming from inequitable distribution of wealth and/or resources.
Problem-solving activity
Note: Whatever the strategy selected, be sure that the activities are carried out in conjunction with gaining information, building awareness and empathy concerning the issue addressed, and providing students with an opportunity to become involved in some way so that they experience hope and empowerment.
C.E.L.s: PSVS, CCT, IL, C

Canada, a World Player

Content/Concepts Teaching Strategies Knowledge Skills/Abilities Values

Grade Six Unit Four Table of Contents

Suggested Teaching Strategies
Note: Although this section is not designated as being optional, the next two may be dealt with instead of this one.
Using a variety of information, including news items, related to Canada in a global context, set up a series of learning stations. Have students work in small groups and assign each group to a station. The first activity is for the groups to study the material and make up one suitable question.
Then have the groups rotate to each (some) station. At each one they will study the material, answer one or some of the existing question(s), and add one of their own.
The questions may:

test comprehension.
be genuine questions that the students themselves have about the material.
challenge students' thinking.
Have the students divide into two teams and play a quiz game using the students' questions.
C.E.L.s: C, CCT
Have the students write journal entries in response to a statement like, "Canada is an important country".
C.E.L.s: C, PSVS

Optional
Interdependence: Trade among Atlantic Neighbours

Content/Concepts Teaching Strategies Knowledge Skills/Abilities Values

Grade Six Unit Four Table of Contents

Suggested Teaching Strategies
(Note: Although these two sections are designated as being optional, they may be dealt with instead of Canada, a World Player.)
Divide the class into small groups and assign a scenario to each. Have them role-play to show how groups might cooperate to achieve common goals, and how they might compete for limited resources.
Discuss the scenarios and compare with how nations cooperate and/or compete in trading relationships.
Divide the students into groups to read case studies and discuss them from various points of view.
Have students write in their journals in response to specific or general topics.
C.E.L.s: CCT, C, PSVS

Optional
Interdependence and Controlling Strategies

Content/Concepts Teaching Strategies Knowledge Skills/Abilities Values

Grade Six Unit Four Table of Contents

Suggested Teaching Strategies
Using news stories, simulation activities, case studies, or examples from the students' experience, discuss relevant terminology.
Then, using the selected examples, have students discuss "What would happen if....?" questions. Include positive/negative possibilities.
e.g. What would happen if the federal government did not provide subsidies for Saskatchewan grain farmers?
Students may do one of the following:

Write journal entries in response to "What if ..?" questions.
Debate a topic like, "Be it resolved that all restrictions concerning Canadian content on television should be lifted".
Role-play a scenario involving controlling strategies.
Have a panel discussion with students assuming various positions on a topic.
C.E.L.s: CCT, C, PSVS, N
NOTE: Students should be encouraged to use a rational basis for examining moral questions. (For more information on a moral reasoning framework, see Understanding the Common Essential Learnings, pp. 42, 46-47).

Table of Contents:
Grade Six Unit Four