This unit introduces students to the implications of change. Change is a phenomenon that affects individuals and nations. Resources and technology play a major role in bringing about change that subsequently affects a country’s economic and social organization. Some countries respond to change caused by factors such as new technology by creating new political and social structures. In this unit students will examine the consequences of decision making and understand that change is something all societies have to deal with.

The following chart provides an outline for Unit Four:

Major Concept: change Related Concepts: quantitative, qualitative, feudalism, social class, revolution, technology, industrialization Topics Topic One: Personal Change Topic Two: Beyond Personal Change Topic Three: Change and Land Use Topic Four: Agents and Change Topic Five: Social and Economic Change Topic Six: Technology and Change Topic Seven: Industry and Change Topic Eight: Opposition to Change Topic Nine: Revolutionary Change Topic Ten: Planned Change

Glossary of Terms

The following definitions are as much for teacher information as they are for students. It is up to individual teachers to decide which of the following terms to present to students. Teachers should base this decision upon students’ prior knowledge about the concepts and content of the topic.

Adapt	Change to fit different conditions, situations and circumstances.
Agent of change	Something that causes or leads to change.
Change	To transform something or cause it to be different.
Industrialization	Depending upon machines, technology and the specialization of labour to produce goods.
Quantitative Change	Change that is measurable, such as a person's age and size.
Qualitative Change	Change in quality, such as personal change gained through education and interactions with others, and change in likes, dislikes, interests and relations with others.
Revolution	A sudden or momentous change in a situation, such as a takeover of government.
Technology	All tools used and invented by people, and the skills to use those tools.

Resources

All units are resource-based; teachers and students are encouraged to use a variety of resources and sources throughout. The accompanying bibliography contains annotations of current, useful resources including print, video, Internet sites and other media. Teachers are encouraged to assess their current resource collection, identifying those that are still useful, and to acquire small quantities of each new title, rather than class sets, in order to provide students with a broad range of perspectives and information. The bibliography that accompanies this curriculum guide includes detailed annotations that will assist teachers in making resource selections appropriate to the abilities and needs of the students.

The following list of resources is intended to be a starting point for developing a Unit Four resource collection that is current and relevant and addresses students’ various learning styles and abilities.

Print Resources

The following print resources are listed for Middle Level English Language Arts (grades 6-9) and offer opportunities for interdisciplinary instruction.

The Book of Changes
Changes Unit - MultiSource Series
The Patchwork House
Some of the Kinder Planets

Non-print Resources
Confederation (video)
How Economic Activities Define a Culture - How to Study Cultures Series (video)

Internet Sites

Teachers are advised to check the bibliography for Internet site addresses that support this unit. As well, many general interest sites are listed in Social Studies: An Information Bulletin for the Renewed Curriculum (Grades 7-9), March 1999, pp. 19-20. Due to the unstable nature of Internet sites, teachers are advised to access Saskatchewan Education’s Web site at http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr_inst/social/socialsciences.html for a listing of the most current sites. See pages 378-381 in this curriculum guide for information about locating and evaluating Internet sites.

Incorporating Current Events

Incorporating current events enhances students' understanding of the concepts under study and extends their learning experiences by relating the events to real life and making them relevant. Sources for current event stories include newspapers, news magazines, daily and weekly television and radio newscasts and documentaries, and the Internet. Many Canadian daily newspapers are available on-line and are a reliable source of current events. Select articles and news items to support the objectives and concepts as often as possible, and encourage students to contribute also. See pages 346-350 in this curriculum guide for some current event activities.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

This unit may be adapted for interdisciplinary study. See page 336 in this curriculum guide for information about developing interdisciplinary units of study. The following are some suggestions for connecting this unit to other subject areas.

• Integrate activities in this unit with English Language Arts by having students use the writing process, described in the ELA curriculum guide, as they write their summaries and Readers Theatre scripts. As well, the Reader Response and Literature Circle strategies are useful as students read and develop their understanding about what they read.
• Develop an English Language Arts unit around the concept of change, and integrate literature that develops the concepts in each Social Studies lesson. For example, students might read William Bell's novel Forbidden City, which deals with revolution in Bejing, China.
• The Middle Level Health curriculum includes topics and skills that incorporate the concept of change and the skills of Social Studies (e.g., decision making, peer pressure and conflict resolution). For example, peer pressure in students' lives could be related to the pressure of the United States on Japan to open its doors to trade and industrialization.