Grade 9 - The Roots of Society Overview

The Grade 9 Social Studies course focuses on the many ways in which ancient cultures have influenced and contributed to the way of life in Canadian society. The course is designed to help students understand the origins of specific customs and beliefs that exist within our society, how they have become engrained within our culture, and how they influence our actions and behaviours. To achieve this understanding, students will explore two major traditions that have had a major impact on the development of Canadian identity. The first of these includes traditions that developed in the Ancient Middle East and came down to us through our European roots. The second includes the cultural traditions that developed over thousands of years in North America.

Unit One

Time

This unit is designed to help students understand that the development of culture and tradition occurs over time, and changes continually over time. Through the use of timelines, they begin to develop a sense that the roots of Canadian society go back to ancient history. As well, students explore cyclical and linear time measurement, technology over time and cultural perceptions of time.

Unit Two

Change

This unit engages students in the study of some of the changes, which led from Roman civilization to medieval civilization and ultimately to the Renaissance. Students explore ways in which these historical changes have influenced or contributed to Canadian society.

Unit Three

Causality

This unit is designed to help students understand ways in which specific historical events influenced and contributed to the Canadian way of life. Students explore the Reformation, the scientific revolution and political revolutions, in order to develop their understanding of cause and effect relationships.

Unit Four

Culture: First Nations Roots

This unit has been developed to help students understand the cultures of Aboriginal peoples of North America, and appreciate that they have long and rich cultural histories that have influenced and contributed to the roots of Canadian society. Students will focus mainly on First Nations peoples in Canada, especially Saskatchewan. As well, students will explore several contemporary issues related to Aboriginal peoples, and attempt to understand how past events have created the problems faced today.

The content of this course was chosen as the means of developing students' understanding of specific concepts related to the roots of society. The course is not meant to be a comprehensive history course, so it is inevitable that only some historical events will be addressed. Each topic is intended to help students further develop their understanding of the foundational objectives, major and related concepts, students' skills in making inferences and generalizations, and the key learning objectives for each topic. Teachers may wish to adapt the focus of a particular topic in order to address specific students' interests and needs, but they should not attempt to cover every historical event from 8000 B.C. to today. The intention is that students develop the course concepts through the study of a few major historical events. In this way they can develop an understanding of the expansive chronology of history without knowing every single event.

This course offers opportunities for teachers to make choices that address the needs and interests of their specific students, keep within realistic time frames, and use available resources. By making deliberate choices, teachers ensure that students have the opportunity to complete all four units of the course. Teachers should review each unit prior to beginning to teach, and make choices about:

Learning Objectives: It is acceptable to teach and assess only the key learning objectives, which appear in bold print. Teachers might plan to spend less time on one unit and more on another.
Activities: Teachers should select activities to accommodate students and the teaching time frame-often each lesson includes several activities, as well as suggestions for extended learning.
Content: It is acceptable to make changes to the selected historical events, providing the events chosen serve to develop the concepts, skills and objectives of each unit. It is, however, suggested that teachers attempt to keep within the historical time period being studied.

Topics

Each unit in this course is developed as a series of topics designed to develop students' understanding of the major and related concepts. Each topic description includes the following components: learning objectives, instruction suggestions and activities and suggested assessment techniques. As well, topic descriptions may include teacher notes, suggested resources, teacher information sheets and/or student handouts. Depending upon the students' prior knowledge, experience and abilities, a topic may require more or less than one class period. However, for the purposes of this curriculum guide, each topic studied is presented as one lesson.

Instruction

Instructional procedure is suggested for each lesson in each unit. Teachers are advised to review the lessons and adapt them to meet students' needs and abilities. Suggested instructional strategies within each lesson are cross-referenced to pages in the curriculum guide where the strategy is described, and often exemplified. As well, options are provided in many lessons, and teachers should select the strategy that is most applicable to their students' learning abilities and styles. The options may be useful to review or reinforce student learning, or to provide independent practice of the skill or process. Extended learning suggestions are provided for in many lessons. Teachers should choose to use the suggestions that best meet student needs and interests, and fit within the time available.

It is important to plan so that students experience all four units of study. Teachers may choose to spend less time on one unit and a longer time on another, depending upon their individual students and circumstances. The key objectives, identified in bold font within each lesson, are required; therefore, teachers can determine the length of each unit of study and still plan to provide instruction in all four units.

Assessment and Evaluation

Teachers must plan for assessment and evaluation of the key objectives: knowledge/content, skills/processes and values/attitudes. To assist teachers with this responsibility, assessment suggestions are provided in most lessons. Teachers are advised to read the assessment and evaluation section of this curriculum guide, and to identify the most authentic and effective methods of assessment for their students. Assessment suggestions included in the lessons are cross-referenced to the section in the document where they are explained and often exemplified with criteria and/or sample templates.

Note: On the Saskatchewan Education Web site at http:// www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/social.html, the heading Curriculum Evaluation Project: Student Assessment Forms, teachers will find all assessment questions used during the curriculum evaluation conducted in 1995. Many of these questions can be useful for assessing some of the objectives of this curriculum.

An Overview of The Roots of Society

Note: The broken lines show relationships that are valid but are not formally explored in this course. Teachers may explore these as an option.

Unit One	Time	This unit is designed to help students understand that the development of culture and tradition occurs over time, and changes continually over time. Through the use of timelines, they begin to develop a sense that the roots of Canadian society go back to ancient history. As well, students explore cyclical and linear time measurement, technology over time and cultural perceptions of time.
Unit Two	Change	This unit engages students in the study of some of the changes, which led from Roman civilization to medieval civilization and ultimately to the Renaissance. Students explore ways in which these historical changes have influenced or contributed to Canadian society.
Unit Three	Causality	This unit is designed to help students understand ways in which specific historical events influenced and contributed to the Canadian way of life. Students explore the Reformation, the scientific revolution and political revolutions, in order to develop their understanding of cause and effect relationships.
Unit Four	Culture: First Nations Roots	This unit has been developed to help students understand the cultures of Aboriginal peoples of North America, and appreciate that they have long and rich cultural histories that have influenced and contributed to the roots of Canadian society. Students will focus mainly on First Nations peoples in Canada, especially Saskatchewan. As well, students will explore several contemporary issues related to Aboriginal peoples, and attempt to understand how past events have created the problems faced today.