Grade 5
Canada: The Land, Histories & Stories
Overview
Grade 5 students will examine how the ways of life of peoples in Canada are integral to Canadian
culture and identity. They will explore the geographic vastness of Canada and the relationships
between the land, places and people. As they reflect upon the stories of diverse Aboriginal,
French, British and immigrant experiences in Canada over time, students will develop a sense of
place and an awareness of how these multiple stories contribute to students' sense of
citizenship and identity.
Rationale
Grade 5 students will be provided with opportunities to explore how the diversity of stories and
experiences, and the vastness of Canada, affect citizenship and identity in the Canadian
context.
Terms and Concepts
Aboriginal, anthropology, archaeology, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Confederation,
coureurs des bois, cultural heritage, demographics, Elder, First Nations, Francophone, fur
trade, Great Depression, Great Migration, habitants, immigration, industrialization, Inuit,
Métis, New France, reserve, seigneurial system, treaties, voyageurs
General Outcome 5.1
Physical Geography of Canada |
General Outcome 5.2
Histories and Stories of Ways of Life
in Canada |
General Outcome 5.3
Canada: Shaping an Identity |
| Students will demonstrate an understanding
and appreciation of how the physical geography and natural resources of Canada
affect the quality of life of all Canadians. |
Students will demonstrate an understanding
of the people and the stories of Canada and their ways of life over time, and
appreciate the diversity of Canada's heritage. |
Students will demonstrate an understanding
of the events and factors that have changed the ways of life in Canada over time and
appreciate the impact of these changes on citizenship and identity. |
| Local and Current Affairs |
| In order to allow opportunities for students
to engage in current affairs, issues and concerns of a local nature, the program of
studies provides the flexibility to include these topics within the time allotted
for social studies. |
Benchmark Skills and Processes
The following benchmark skills and processes are provided here as outcomes to be achieved by the
end of Grade 6.
| Dimensions of Thinking |
| critical thinking and creative
thinking |
assess significant local and current
affairs from a variety of sources, with a focus on examining bias and distinguishing
fact from opinion |
| historical thinking |
use primary sources to broaden
understanding of historical events and issues |
| geographic thinking |
construct and interpret various types of
maps (i.e., historical, physical, political maps) to broaden understanding of topics
being studied |
| decision making and problem
solving |
propose and apply new ideas, strategies
and options, supported with facts and reasons, to contribute to decision making and
problem solving |
| Social Participation as a Democratic
Practice |
| cooperation, conflict resolution and
consensus building |
demonstrate the skills of compromise in
order to reach group consensus |
| age-appropriate behaviour for social
involvement |
demonstrate commitment to the well-being
of the community by drawing attention to situations of injustice where action is
needed |
| Research for Deliberative Inquiry
|
| research and information |
determine the reliability of information,
filtering for point of view and bias |
| Communication |
| oral, written and visual
literacy |
express opinions and present perspectives
and information in a variety of forms, such as oral or written presentations,
speeches or debates |
| media literacy |
detect bias present in the media |
5.1: Physical Geography of Canada
General Outcome
Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how the physical geography and
natural resources of Canada affect the quality of life of all Canadians.
Specific Outcomes: Values and Attitudes
Students will:
5.1.1 - value Canada's physical geography and natural environment:
Specific Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding
Students will:
5.1.2 - examine, critically, the physical geography of Canada by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions and issues:
5.1.3 - analyze how people in Canada interact with the environment by exploring and reflecting
upon the following questions and issues:
5.2: Histories & Stories of Ways of Life in Canada
General Outcome
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the people and the stories of Canada and their ways
of life over time, and appreciate the diversity of Canada's heritage.
Stories: Stories provide a vital opportunity to bring history to life. Through stories,
people share information, values and attitudes about history, culture and heritage. Stories are
communicated through legends, myths, creation stories, narratives, oral traditions, songs,
music, dance, literature, visual and dramatic arts, traditions and celebrations. They can
include or be supported by biographies, autobiographies, archives, news items, novels or short
stories.
In social studies, stories provide students with opportunities to understand the dynamics of
peoples, cultures, places, issues and events that are integral to Canada's history and
contemporary society.
Specific Outcomes: Values and Attitudes
Students will:
5.2.1 - appreciate the complexity of identity in the Canadian context:
Specific Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding
Students will:
5.2.2 - examine, critically, the ways of life of Aboriginal peoples in Canada by exploring and
reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
- What do the stories of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples tell us about their beliefs
regarding the relationship between people and the land?
Identity
| Culture
and Community | Time,
Continuity and Change | The
Land: Places and People
- How are the Aboriginal cultures and ways of life unique in each of the western, northern,
central and eastern regions of Canada?
Identity
| Culture
and Community | Time,
Continuity and Change
- How were the natural environment and geography of each region of Canada determining factors
of the diversity among Aboriginal groups (e.g., languages, symbolism)?
The
Land: Places and People | Time,
Continuity and Change
- What was the significance of the potlatch to the identity of the Aboriginal peoples of the
Northwest Coast?
Identity
| Culture
and Community | The
Land: Places and People
- In what ways do anthropology and archaeology contribute to our understanding of First
Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples?
Culture
and Community | The
Land: Places and People | Time,
Continuity and Change
5.2.3 - examine, critically, ways of life in New France by exploring and reflecting upon the
following questions and issues:
5.2.4 - examine, critically, ways of life of the fur traders by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions and issues:
5.2.5 - examine, critically, ways of life of the United Empire Loyalists by exploring and
reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
5.2.6 - examine, critically, the ways of life of immigrants from the British Isles during the
Great Migration by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
5.2.7 - examine, critically, how the North West Mounted Police shaped ways of life in Canada
by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
5.2.8 - examine, critically, ways of life of non-European immigrants by exploring and
reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
5.2.9 - examine, critically, how European immigrants shaped ways of life in western Canada by
exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
5.3: Canada: Shaping an Identity
General Outcome
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the events and factors that have changed the ways
of life in Canada over time and appreciate the impact of these changes on citizenship and
identity.
Specific Outcomes: Values and Attitudes
Students will:
5.3.1 - appreciate how changes impact citizenship and identity:
Specific Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding
Students will:
5.3.2 - assess, critically, the changes that occurred in Canada immediately following
Confederation by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
5.3.3 - assess, critically, how the Famous Five brought about change in Canada by exploring
and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
5.3.4 - assess, critically, how economic booms and crashes affected ways of life in Canada by
exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
5.3.5 - assess, critically, how historical events shaped collective identity in the Canadian
context by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
Skills & Processes for Grade 5
Alberta Education's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) curriculum is infused
throughout the social studies program of studies. Selected ICT outcomes are suggested throughout
the program and are indicated by this symbol 
.
Dimensions of Thinking
Students will:
5.S.1 - develop skills of critical thinking and creative thinking:
- analyze significant local and current affairs from a variety of sources, distinguishing
between fact and opinion
- evaluate ideas, information and positions from multiple perspectives
- re-evaluate personal opinions to broaden understanding of a topic or an issue
- generate original ideas and strategies in situations of individual and group
activities
- seek responses to inquiries from
various authorities through electronic media
- recognize that information serves
different purposes and that data from electronic sources may need to be verified to
determine accuracy or relevance for the purpose used
5.S.2 - develop skills of historical thinking:
- use photographs and interviews to make meaning of historical information
- use historical and community resources to understand and organize the sequence of national
historical events
- explain the historical context of key events of a given time period
- organize information, using such
tools as a database, spreadsheet or electronic webbing
5.S.3 - develop skills of geographic thinking:
- use latitude and longitude to determine the absolute location of places in Canada on maps
and globes
- construct maps, diagrams and charts to display geographic information
- use historical maps to make meaning of historical events and issues
- use cardinal and intermediate directions and simple grids to locate places on maps and
globes
- use the scale on maps and globes to determine the distance between places
- list, map and discuss major waterways that have been significant in the establishment of
communities in Canada (e.g., St. Lawrence River, Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, Red
River)
5.S.4 - demonstrate skills of decision making and problem solving:
- determine when a decision needs to be made in dealing with problems and issues
- collaborate with others to apply strategies for decision making and problem
solving
- select and use technology to assist in problem solving
- use data gathered from a variety of
electronic sources to address identified problems
- solve problems requiring the
sorting, organizing, classifying and extending of data, using such tools as calculators,
spreadsheets, databases or hypertext technology
- use graphic organizers, such as
mind mapping/webbing, flow charting and outlining, to present connections between ideas and
information in a problem-solving environment
- generate alternative solutions to
problems by using technology to facilitate the process
Social Participation as a Democratic Practice
Students will:
5.S.5 - demonstrate skills of cooperation, conflict resolution and consensus building:
- consider multiple points of view while attempting to reach group consensus
- demonstrate the ability to deal constructively with diversity and disagreement
- work collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal
- record group brainstorming,
planning and sharing of ideas by using technology
- retrieve data from available
storage devices, such as a shared folder, to which a group has contributed
5.S.6 - develop age-appropriate behaviour for social involvement as responsible citizens
contributing to their community:
- demonstrate commitment to the well-being of the school or community by volunteering to help
where needed
Research for Deliberative Inquiry
Students will:
5.S.7 - apply the research process:
- determine themes, patterns and trends from information gathered
- use graphs, tables, charts and Venn diagrams to interpret information
- draw and support conclusions, based on information gathered, to answer a research
question
- cite references as part of research
- design and follow a plan, including
a schedule, to be used during an inquiry process, and make revisions to the plan, as
necessary
- access and retrieve appropriate
information from the Internet by using a specific search path or from given uniform resource
locators (URLs)
- navigate within a document, compact
disc or other software program that contains links
- organize information gathered from
the Internet, or an electronic source, by selecting and recording the data in logical files
or categories
- organize information, using such
tools as a database, spreadsheet or electronic webbing
- use a variety of technologies to
organize and synthesize researched information
- reflect on and describe the
processes involved in completing a project
Communication
Students will:
5.S.8 - demonstrate skills of oral, written and visual literacy:
- select appropriate forms of delivery for written and oral information, taking particular
audiences and purposes into consideration
- respond appropriately to comments and questions, using language respectful of human
diversity
- listen to others to understand their perspectives
- create visual images for particular
audiences and purposes
- identify and distinguish points of
view expressed in electronic sources on a particular topic
- extend the scope of a project
beyond classroom collaboration by using communication technologies, such as the telephone
and e-mail
- communicate effectively through
appropriate forms, such as speeches, reports and multimedia presentations, applying
information technologies that serve particular audiences and purposes
5.S.9 - develop skills of media literacy:
- examine how various people might interpret a media message differently
- examine diverse perspectives regarding an issue presented in the media
Glossary of Terms & Concepts - Grade 5
The following terms and concepts are contained within the general and specific outcomes in the
grade. The definitions are provided to facilitate a better understanding and more effective
application of the social studies concepts presented.
Aboriginal - The descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. First Nations,
Inuit and Métis peoples have unique heritages, languages, cultural practices and spiritual
beliefs. Aboriginal is also a term used in other parts of the world to refer to the first
inhabitants of a given area.
anthropology - The study of the human race, its cultures and societies, and their physical
development.
archaeology - The study of the buildings, containers and other, usually buried, objects
that belonged to people who lived in the past.
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Document entrenched in the Constitutional
Act, 1982 that lists and describes the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to
Canadians.
Confederation - The passage of the British North America Act by the British
Parliament in 1867, uniting the four provinces of Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia.
coureurs des bois - Young men who left the villages of New France to live among Aboriginal
peoples; they made trading agreements and collected furs, learned native languages, and became
skilled at wilderness travel and the native way of life.
cultural heritage - The beliefs, customs, knowledge, values and historical experiences
shared by a given group.
demographics - Information pertaining to the study of a population.
Elder - Any person regarded or chosen by an Aboriginal group to be the keeper and teacher
of its oral tradition and knowledge. This is a person who is recognized for his or her wisdom
about spirituality, culture and life. Not all Elders are "old." An Aboriginal community and/or
Aboriginal individuals will typically seek the advice and assistance of Elders regarding
traditional as well as contemporary issues.
First Nations - Refers to the various governments of the First Nations peoples of Canada.
There are over 630 First Nations across Canada, with 46 First Nations in Alberta.
Francophone - A person for whom French is the first language learned and/or still in use;
a person of French language and culture.
fur trade - An important economic activity that took place in British North America
between the 16th and 19th centuries, involving the buying and selling of animal pelts, primarily
beaver.
Great Depression - Severe, prolonged period of low economic activity and high unemployment
that existed in the 1930s.
Great Migration - The period between 1815 and 1850 during which large numbers of British
immigrants immigrated to Canada.
habitants - Tenant farmers of New France who held land under the seigneurial system.
immigration - Movement of people intending to establish a home and gain citizenship in a
country that is not their native country.
industrialization - The movement toward the use of machinery to collect and manufacture
raw materials.
Inuit - Aboriginal peoples in northern Canada, most of whom live above the tree line in
the Northwest Territories, northern Québec and Labrador.
Métis - People of mixed First Nations and European ancestry who identify themselves as
Métis people. They are distinct from First Nations, Inuit and non-Aboriginal peoples. The Métis
history and culture draws on diverse ancestral origins, such as Scottish, Irish, French, Ojibway
and Cree.
New France - All the territory in North America claimed by France from the 1520s to 1763.
This vast territory, from the Hudson Strait to the Gulf of Mexico, included Acadia, Louisiana
and the Mississippi Valley. The largest French population was concentrated in the St. Lawrence
Valley.
reserve - An area of land that is protected and set aside by the federal government for
Aboriginal peoples in accordance with treaties.
seigneurial system - Name for the system by which land was held in New France. The Royal
government in France granted large blocks of land in New France to French nobles, army officers,
merchants and government officials, who became known as seigneurs (meaning "lords" or
"landlords"). The seigneurs were required to either farm their land themselves or lease much of
it to farmers (known as habitants).
treaties - Legal documents between a government and a First Nation that confer rights and
obligations on both parties. To First Nations peoples, the treaties are sacred documents made by
the parties and often sealed by a pipe ceremony.
voyageurs - Adventurers who ventured west by canoe from Montréal to the interior to trade
with Aboriginal peoples for furs.