GRADE 7 RESOURCES

Part A: Curricular Connections and Background

• Understand the different types of government locally, nationally and globally.
• Examine elements of Canadian citizenship including the relationship between rights and responsibilities.
• Begin to explore forms of governance other than democracies.
• Consider the impact of historical and current events locally, nationally and globally.

Grade seven students are beginning to investigate and understand the various types of power and governance within their own country at the local, regional, provincial, national and global levels.  As the understanding of the levels of power that govern Canada develop, students compare and contrast those structures and processes with countries operating within Pacific Rim and circumpolar regions that do not operate as democracies.  This area of citizenship focuses on the student using critical thinking skills in order to better understand, the relationship between geography, resources, culture and historical events.

The inquiries offer students opportunities to use various types of maps to situate current issues in Canada and Pacific Rim countries. Knowledge of the geographic features, specific resources, population clusters and economic relationships will help the students to draw their own understandings and perspectives.

Students will use information to understand:

• History and current events are understood through diverse historical perspectives.
• Democracy requires discussion and consideration of alternate points of view in order to find a balance between individual perspectives.
• Citizens value the needs of the collective common good and consider how their actions impact the collective well-being.
• Canadian multi-cultural policies challenge citizenship tenets and require consideration of multiple perspectives.
• Canada’s history includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit governance and perspectives and each have contributed to Canadian identity.
• Decision-making is a complex process with far-reaching impacts.
• Engaged citizens strive to be knowledgeable, uphold their rights, and act on their responsibilities.

Inferences to make;

• The democratic process involves discussion and consideration of alternate points of view in order to find the best solution for the greatest common good. Consequently, everyone has a right to be heard and understood. (i.e. individual perspectives on various issues)
• A strong democratic system enhances the significance of all participants and works toward achieving the greatest common good.

• question,
• critically examine,
• consider another perspective,
• consider the responsibilities that changing situations,
• evoke/require,
• advocate, and defend rights and responsibilities of a democracy on a local, national, and global level.

• Does democracy work? How could democracy be improved?
• What is the relationship between rights and responsibilities?
• How do my actions influence others? / How do the actions of others influence me?
• What is the impact of affirming multiculturalism in a democracy?

Outcomes:

PA7.1

Compare the sources of power for individuals, nations, and regions in a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries.

Indicators:

• Describe the source of power (resources, numbers, organization) and forms of power (force, authority, influence) used by individuals in a position of leadership in the local community or organization.
• Analyze the sources of power, including organization, resources (technological, human, and military), and numbers, evidenced in the exercise of power by an individual, organization, or nation as described in a current events article.
• Assess the sources of power held by the First Nations and the Europeans respectively in the negotiations of the treaty which governs the local area.
• Identify examples of the use of co-operation balance and harmony as sources of power used to effect change in the local, provincial, national, or international community (e.g., service organizations, trade unions, First Nations and Métis organizations, co-operative movements, advocacy groups).
• Analyze the sources of power of a national leader of a Pacific Rim or circumpolar country.

PA7.2

Investigate the structures and processes of democratic government in Canada.

Indicators:

• Investigate the federal, provincial or territorial, or local election processes in Canada.
• Chart the structures of Canadian government at the local, provincial, and national levels.
• Survey the principles of democracy as defined by family, school, and community members, and synthesize into a definition of democracy.
• Compare the responsibilities of municipal, provincial or territorial, and federal and First Nations governments in Canada.
• Describe the roles of the elected representatives in the local (reeve, mayor, councillor), provincial or territorial (member of the legislative assembly), federal (member of parliament), First Nations (councillor, chief) system of government and Métis governance structures.

PA7.3

Compare the strengths and weaknesses of oligarchy, dictatorship and democracy as systems of government. 

Indicators:

• Examine the systems of government of circumpolar or Pacific Rim countries which are not democracies (e.g., China, North Korea, Vietnam, Fiji).
• Contrast the systems of government of the non-democracies in circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries with Canada’s system of government.
• Identify the criteria by which countries are described as dictatorships, oligarchies, or democracies.

DR7.1

Analyze and use various types of maps (that provide differing perspectives and information for differing purposes) in order to situate current issues in Canada, and in a selection of Pacific Rim and northern circumpolar countries.  (Embed this outcome in the various studies that students are doing in the citizenship studies.)

Indicators

In Pacific and northern Canada and a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries

• Examine maps of various projections and scales to determine characteristics and application of each kind and propose the advantages, limitations, and potential uses :
  • Mercator
  • Peters
  • circumpolar
  • plate tectonics
• Describe the nature/kind of the physical, political, and population geography and construct generalizations about the nature of the physical, political, and population geography
• Locate and identify Treaty territories on a map of Canada.
• Locate and identify the homeland of the Métis on a map of Canada.*
• Locate the continents and significant physical features
  • landforms
  • water bodies
  • climatic zones
  • vegetation zones
• Identify the major population clusters

Part B: Learning Plan

This allows students to use maps in authentic learning experiences.

• Investigate the structures and processes of democratic government in Canada at several different levels (PA7.2).
• Compare the sources of power for individuals, nations, and regions in a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries to the experiences of Canada; (PA7.1).
• Compare different forms of governance specifically democracy, oligarchy, and dictatorship (PA7.3).

Students will be exploring these outcomes in two separate inquiries.  They will first examine democracy and the various forms of governance within Canada and then move to examining governance structures in countries bordering the Pacific Rim. Students are asked to make comparisons about the distribution of power and answer questions about different forms of governance based on their understandings of democratic processes in Canada.

Democracy and Governance are abstract concepts.  Teachers are encouraged to let students explore these concepts by studying examples that are close to home or as real as possible. Applying principles of differentiation, allow opportunities for students to interview people to increase their understanding through conversation as an alternative to searching text for answers.  

• Does democracy work? How could democracy be improved?
  • How does democracy affect you on a daily basis?
  • Is democracy the fairest way to represent people?
  • How is “fairness” determined in a democracy?
  • Do you think our democratic Canadian government is fair to all Canadians?
  • Should/Can a democratic government be fair to its constituents?
• What is the relationship between rights and responsibilities?
  • What sorts of rights do you have and what responsibilities do those rights create?
  • What responsibilities does living in a democracy create?
  • What responsibility do you have to balance personal needs with the (global) community’s needs?
  • Are rights and responsibilities the same for everyone? What would account for the difference? (age, gender, race?)
• How do my actions influence others? How do other actions influence you?
  • How do you control the impact of your actions/decisions?
  • What is the power and responsibility of the individual to make a difference in the world?
• What is the impact of affirming multiculturalism in a democracy?
  • How does Canada’s observance of multiculturalism impact governing decisions?
  • How does having diverse cultures in your community affect the way you act?
  • What is the appropriate Citizenship response to multiculturalism?

Vocabulary

• Affirm
• Authority
• Democracy
• Dictatorship
• Force
• Influence
• Oligarchy
• Power

Check the Glossary in the Appendix for Vocabulary used in these inquiries.

Need more experience with democracy?  Try this…

Make classroom decisions by:

• Voting
• Dictating
• Consensus

Talk about the:

• Similarities and differences in process
• Feelings of power or power inequity
• Levels of satisfaction with the decisions made

Inquiry – Examining Democracy in Canada

Does Democracy work? 

How could democracy be improved?

Use the following definition of democracy, see also the glossary.

Democracy Defined

“The word democracy describes a political system.  In a democratic country, all eligible citizens have the right to participate, either directly or indirectly, in making the decisions that affect them. Canadian citizens normally elect someone to represent them in making decisions at the different levels of government. This is called a representative democracy. Countries like Canada, the United States of America and the United Kingdom all have representative democracies. Before European people came to Canada, many different Indigenous people governed their regions using many different political systems, including a democratic one.”

Retrieved from: http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/Education/OurCountryOurParliament/html_booklet/democracy-defined-e.html

The reproduction of this text has not been produced in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of, the Government of Canada.

• Surface students understanding of democracy.
• Identify groups that students belong to. Within the following groupings – family, school, community groups – have students identify:
  • How membership is determined?
  • How decisions are made?
  • Determine whether the group is democratic.
  • Do students feel as though they have a voice in the organizations or groups to which they belong? Explain their thinking.

• Does democracy work?
  • What are the ways that democracy affects you?
  • Describe ways that democracy works or does not work in your personal lives, school, community, city and country.
• How is fairness determined in a democracy?
• Would students say that democracy is fair?
  • What are the students’ criteria for determining fairness?

(Generate lists and discuss.  Be sure to consider different perspectives and points of view in trying to decide on the critical factors of fairness.)

• Would students describe democracy as fair?
  • How is power obtained in a democracy?
  • How is power maintained in a democracy?

Post student answers to the questions about the working of democracy.

Have students interview a variety of people using the questions they are considering.  Compare answers.

What are the Similarities – Differences?

Do the answers vary along lines of diversity?  (See diversity wheel – Part C: Resources

What are the processes of a democracy?

The next part of the inquiry has students examining the different levels of governance within Canada to determine:

• Various roles and responsibilities in governance;
• How power is obtained in a democracy; and,
• How power is maintained in a democracy.

Governance Spheres of Influence

Levels of Governance

1. Local (reeve, mayor, councilor),
2. Provincial or Territorial (member of the legislative assembly),
3. First Nations (councilor, chief) system of government,
4. Federal (Member of Parliament),
5. Métis locals and governance structures.

Within each level of governance:

• Identify and describe the roles of the elected representatives
• Investigate and identify the election processes
  • Nomination requirements
  • Nomination process
  • How elected
  • Term of office
• Identify the lines of responsibilities to other identified levels of government
• Identify the form of power at each level of governance
  • Authority, Force, Influence

Collect research in graphic organizer.  (See appendix)

• Examining Democracy in Canada graphic organizer
• Governance Spheres of Influence – Concept Mapping

After groups have made their presentations work with the class to develop a concept map, or use the graphic organizer in the appendix, to:

• Chart the structures/organization of various levels of government
• Indicate lines of responsibility (spheres of influence) between the governing levels.
• Note areas of shared responsibilities. Post the concept map for future reference of next sets of overarching questions.

• Reflect again on students’ initial thinking regarding how they are affected by democracy and whether democracy is fair.

Note and chart changes in students’ thinking as the inquiries progress.

Throughout this inquiry, have students reflect on the actualization of treaty contracts between the negotiating nations using the rights and responsibilities understandings.

For additional background information regarding treaties try:

• https://treaty6education.lskysd.ca
• http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100028568/1100100028572
• https://web.archive.org/web/20180427124458/http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca:80/eng/1100100032291/1100100032292
• https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/aboriginal-treaties

For Treaty Text see:

• https://web.archive.org/web/20200116170324/https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1370373165583/1370373202340

What is the relationship between rights and responsibilities?

• Discuss the statement “for every right there is a responsibility.”
• What sorts of rights do you have and what responsibilities do those rights create?
• What responsibilities does living in a democracy create?

Use the questions above to reflect upon the concepts considered below.

Rights and Responsibilities Inherent in Treaty

Negotiation of treaty with Canada’s First Nations people is an example of rights and responsibilities that were negotiated between sovereign nations for the benefit of citizens within those nations.  The negotiations provide examples of the use of cooperation, balance and harmony of sources of power between nations.  The actualization is a different story.

Examine the uses of power in the negotiations of the treaty which governs the local area.

• Identify the basis of power (resources, numbers, organization)
  • held by the First Nations
  • held by the Europeans
• Identify the benefits achieved by both partners to Treaty
  • Provide examples of the use of cooperation, balance and harmony of sources of power between nations
  • On a map, represent, locate, and identify Treaty territories.
• Examine the treaty terms
  • What was negotiated by:
    • First Nations?
    • Government or British Crown?
  • Examine the treaty medal
  • What is symbolized in the medal?

http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/index.php?p=890

The use of Scrip to extinguish Métis land claims is an example of rights and responsibilities used by a federal government to benefit its citizens and ensure economic prosperity and social justice.  The actualization is a different story.

Examine the uses of power in the implementation of the Scrip process in Saskatchewan.

• Identify the basis of power (resources, numbers, organization).
  • Held by Métis people
  • Held by the federal government
• Identify the potential benefits to be achieved by both groups in the actualization of the Scrip process.
  • Métis people
  • Federal government
• Examine how the imbalance of power led to the loss of those potential benefits for the Métis people.

What is the relationship between rights and responsibilities with respect to Treaty contracts? To Métis Land Settlement?

• What sorts of rights do you have and what responsibilities do those rights create?
• What responsibilities does Canada have to First Nations people, to the Métis?
• Consider the developed criteria for fairness. How fairly have First Nations people been treated by Canada?  How fairly have the Métis people been treated by Canada?
• What should be done to redress these ongoing issues?

Have students choose or assign students the following specific areas to research:

• service organizations
• trade unions
• First Nations and Métis organizations
• co-operative movements
• advocacy groups

Within their area of research have them identify:

• What areas of or specific change is your group noted for?
  • describe the change
  • indicate the level of governance impacted
    • local, provincial, national, or international community
  • What kind of power exists in the organization?
  • Describe the process used to effect change within the organization.

In this inquiry students are examining alternate forms of governance and comparing them against democracy.  Students are exploring alternate governance structures in countries bordering the Pacific Rim.  They are becoming experts on that particular country and teaching their information to other students.

Inquiry – Examining Alternate Forms of Governance

Students have been researching different kinds of governing structures within Canada.  This inquiry leads them to explore other kinds of governance in countries bordering the Pacific Rim and compare against their understanding of how democracy operates in Canada.

• What makes an ideal governance structure in students’ minds?
  • Identify criteria
• What might make a governance structure better than another? or How would students improve democracy?
• Do you think our democratic Canadian government is fair to all Canadians?
• Should Canadian democracy be fair to all constituents?
  • What are some of the criteria for fairness?
• What is the impact of affirming multiculturalism in a democratic society?
  • How does Canada’s observance of multiculturalism impact governing decisions?

What is the appropriate Citizenship response to multiculturalism?

Choose from the following Pacific Rim Countries:

• China (Republic of China)
• North Korea
• Vietnam (Socialist Republic of Vietnam)
• Fiji
• Cambodia
• Chile, Colombia
• Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, USA (Alaska)

Using the accompanying organizer, have students research and report to the larger group for comparison and discussion:

Within your country identify the:

• Location of the country compared to Canada
• National leader of the country, republic
• Organizational structure of the governing body
  • Identify/label the system of government i.e. oligarchy, dictatorship and democracy (based on what research says)
  • Principles/tenets
• Primary resources of the country and who controls them (Use appropriate maps to identify and demonstrate)
• Strengths
• Weaknesses/Opportunities for Improvement

Collect research using the Characteristics of Governing Structures organizer in appendix.

Work either in groups or as individuals and then share ideas and discuss or develop as a whole class.

• Identify the characteristics of various governing structures
• Be sure to include the alternate names that these governments are also known as (i.e. Communist aka Socialist Republic)
• Consider the forms of power (force, authority, influence) used by the leaders in the various governments:
  • What kind of power is evident?
  • How that power was obtained?
  • How power is maintained?
  • Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the governing organization/government.
  • Compare to Canadian democracy.

Be prepared to explain your thinking.

Students have been researching how changes occur in a democracy.

• How easily does change occur in countries that are not democracies?
• What evidence supports their thinking?
• Why do students think this is so?

• The forms of government in Canada and Pacific Rim countries.
• The physical geography in both Canadian and Pacific Rim countries.
• Current issues faced by both Canadian and Pacific Rim countries.

Demonstration of Learning Suggestions

• Research a current event from a specific Pacific Rim country.
  • Clothing industry
  • Tainted milk scandal – China
  • Sunken ferry – Vietnam
  • Public transportation
  • Rail safety
  • Price of chocolate
  • other
• Draw a connection between the current issues in Canada and your researched issue.
• Outline current problem/situation and consider how different governing organizations would solve that problem.

Have students choose a particular form of governance and debate which one is the better government using the following prompt:

• Democracy is a governance structure that represents a western mentality that does not acknowledge the strengths of other alternative governing methods.

• How is your life directly affected by multi-culturalism?
• How do you contribute to democracy?
• Would you like to be a leader? What kind of a leader would you be? What strengths do you have that would make you a leader?
• Do you think that democracy is ever taken for granted? Support your thinking.
• How do you contribute to your family? What is your role in your family?
• How do you contribute to your school/community/country?

Part C: Engaged Citizens Resources

All websites accessed November 2017.

• https://treaty6education.lskysd.ca
  • http://treaty6education.lskysd.ca/sites/treaty6education.lskysd.ca/files/SOCIAL%20gr5.pdf grade 5 Social, but suitable for grade 7 students.
• The Parliament of Canada – Democracy in Action

http://www.parl.gc.ca/about/parliament/publications/democracyinaction/democracy-e.asp

• Parliament of Canada website: – https://www.parl.ca
• Our Country, Our Parliament: https://lop.parl.ca/About/Parliament/Education/ourcountryourparliament/html_booklet/canada-s-democracy-action-e.html
• Forms of Government – https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/forms-government/
• Levels of Government Responsibilities – “Who Does What” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVE3OsR5W-0
• Rights and Responsibilities – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA6QAdKOmtA
• The Levels of Government: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C8uDuhLqvg
• How Canadians Govern Themselves – http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/X9-11-2005E.pdf
• Levels of Government Responsibility http://www.parl.gc.ca/about/parliament/senatoreugeneforsey/touchpoints/index-e.html
• World map – http://worldmap.canadiangeographic.ca/
• Natural Resources Canada – https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/home
• Republic of China website – http://government.mychinastart.com/
• Constitution of the People’s Republic of China – http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html
• Information regarding First Nations people and Treaty negotiations
  • http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100028574/1100100028578
  • http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100028568/1100100028572
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20180427124458/http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca:80/eng/1100100032291/1100100032292
• Pre-1975 Treaties and Treaty First Nations in Canada Infographic –
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20171231162832/http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1380223988016/1380224163492
  • http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-INTER-HQ-AL/STAGING/texte-text/treatyMaking-infopic-pdf_1380133996417_eng.pdf
• Treaty Texts
  • https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1370373165583/1370373202340
• First Peoples of Canada website: http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/ Search for specific treaty areas
  • http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_treaties/fp_treaties_menu.html
  • http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_treaties/fp_treaties_treaty4.html
  • http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_treaties/fp_treaties_treaty6.html
• Indigenous Treaties of Canada: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/aboriginal-treaties
• Choose Your Voice: http://www.chooseyourvoice.ca

Language Arts

Themes

• Personal and Philosophical – Students will reflect upon:
  • self-image and self-esteem; and,
  • self and life, and on their beliefs and values and those of their society.
• Social, Cultural, and Historical – Students will:
  • look outward and examine their relationships with others, their community, and that of the world; and,
  • consider the historical context.
• Environmental and Technological – Students will:
  • explore the elements of the natural and constructed world and the role of technology and related developments in their society.
• Communicative – Students will:
  • consider the role of communication in their lives and the ideas and technologies that help people become effective communicators.

Treaty Education

• TR7: Analyze to what extent each of the signatories to treaty meets their respective obligations.
• SI7: Examine Oral Tradition as a valid way of preserving accounts of what transpired and what was intended by entering into treaty.
• HC7: Examine the Indian Act, including its amendments, and explore the effects it has on the lives of First Nations.
• TPP7: Investigate the impact of Bill C31 on the equality of genders under the Indian Act.

Health

Understanding, Skills, and Confidences (USC)

• USC7.4 Demonstrate a personalized and coherent understanding of the importance of nurturing harmony in relationships (with self, others, and the environment), and apply effective strategies to re/establish harmony when conflict arises.
• USC7.7 Investigate and express an understanding of possible discrepancies in morals (e.g., beliefs, ethics, virtues, understanding of right/wrong) that may determine and/or affect the commitment to the well-being of self, family, community, and the environment.

Science

Life Science: Interactions within Ecosystems (IE)

• IE7.1 Relate key aspects of Indigenous knowledge to their understanding of ecosystems. [CP]
• IE7.2 Observe, illustrate, and analyze living organisms within local ecosystems as part of interconnected food webs, populations, and communities. [SI]
• IE7.4 Analyze how ecosystems change in response to natural and human influences, and propose actions to reduce the impact of human behaviour on a specific ecosystem. [DM, CP]

Earth and Space Science: Earth’s Crust and Resources (EC)

• EC7.1 Analyze societal and environmental impacts of historical and current catastrophic geological events, and scientific understanding of movements and forces within Earth’s crust. [SI]
• EC7.2 Identify locations and processes used to extract Earth’s geological resources and examine the impacts of those locations and processes on society and the environment. [SI, DM, CP]
• EC7.3 Investigate the characteristics and formation of the surface geology of Saskatchewan, including soil, and identify correlations between surface geology and past, present, and possible future land uses. [DM, SI]

“Text from Vocabulary.com, Copyright ©1998-2016 Thinkmap, Inc.  All rights reserved.”

Authority

If you have the authority to do something, you have the right or power to do it. You are the big cheese. Or, if you know more about a topic than most, you are an authority on that topic.

Giving someone authority grants them the power to make important decisions or have accepted opinions. When you leave your kids with a babysitter, you give her the authority to put them to bed at 7 p.m., no matter how much they insist you let them stay up until midnight. You’ll feel more confident leaving the babysitter in charge of bedtime decisions if she’s written two books on the subject and is an authority, or renowned expert, on children’s sleep habits. Being an authority on children’s sleep habits helps your babysitter enforce that 7 p.m. bedtime, but it may not convince the kids.

Democracy

Whether you’re talking about your glee club or a powerful nation, the word democracy describes government based on participation of the people, either directly or through elected representatives.

Democracy traces back to the Greek words demos, meaning “people,” and kratia, meaning “power.” “People power” remains central to democracy, whether you’re describing a country or a much smaller organization. If your glee club is run as a democracy, then everybody gets to vote on questions like what you’re going to sing and what kind of outfits you’re going to wear. Because democracy assumes some idea of equality, it’s often used to mean a just society, one in which everyone is treated equally.

Dictatorship

A dictatorship is a government or a social situation where one person makes all the rules and decisions without input from anyone else.

Dictatorship implies absolute power — one person who takes control — of a political situation, a family, a classroom or even a camping expedition. In government, a dictatorship leaves no room for input from anyone who is not the top guy or gal. The noun comes from the late 14th century Latin word, dictare, which means to “repeat or say often.” In a dictatorship, one person keeps repeating the same command: “My way or the highway.”

Force

If you’ve ever walked outside in a blizzard, you’ve felt the force, or strength, of the wind and snow pushing against your body.

Force often describes a physical energy that can be seen or felt, but it has other meanings. A powerful person can exert a force just by using particular words or body language. Written words can also have a force, or strong influence. When it’s a verb, force means to make something happen using physical strength or some other powerful effort, which is what you do when you force the wrong key into a keyhole.

Influence

Influence is the power to have an important effect on someone or something. If someone influences someone else, they are changing a person or thing in an indirect but important way.

Sometimes a person who influences another doesn’t intend to have any effect, but sometimes they are using influence to benefit themselves. An example of a personal benefit or advantage would be the use of political influence. Influence is also a verb, from Latin influere to flow in.

Oligarchy

Does it ever feel like just a few people have all the power? If it’s a government that’s run like this, it’s an oligarchy. A country that has this form of government is an oligarchy too.

The political term, oligarchy, comes to English from the Greek with its meaning intact – a form of government run by a small number of people such as wealthy landowners, royalty or powerful military figures. If you say that you can’t fight the oligarchy, you mean the leaders of such a place. Sometimes the word refers to the few powerful people in charge of a large company or system. A financial oligarchy might try to block reform.

Power

Someone with power has physical strength or they’re in control of things. So a weakling who’s in charge of a business still has a lot of power.

Power comes from the Latin word potere, which means “to be able.” But things with power are much more than able — they’re able to exert a lot of force. “The powers that be” are those who hold authority, and “the power behind the throne” refers to the people who exert influence without being formally in charge. When used as a verb, power means “to supply with mechanical or electrical energy,” as in a nuclear-powered submarine.

Marketing and Communications, University of Saskatchewan

Permissions for use from U. of S. Dept. of Ed.

Part A: Curricular Connections and Background

Students continue to develop opinions regarding the distribution of power and privilege at a national and global level and reflect on their role and responsibility as a Canadian citizen. This area of citizenship focuses on the student using critical thinking skills in order to better understand, the relationship between geography, resources, culture and historical events.

Students extend their understanding that their actions may have long-term effects that can influence the physical and social environment of which they are a part.

Students will understand that:

• History and current events are understood through diverse historical perspectives.
• Democracy requires discussion and consideration of alternate points of view in order to find a balance between individual perspectives.
• Citizens value the needs of the collective common good and consider how their actions impact the collective well-being.
• Canadian multicultural policies challenge citizenship tenets and require consideration of multiple perspectives.
• Canada’s history includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit governance and perspectives and each have contributed to Canadian identity.
• Decision-making is a complex process with far-reaching impacts.
• Engaged citizens strive to be knowledgeable, uphold their rights, and act on their responsibilities.

• Explore diverse historical perspectives;
• Understand the inequities of power and authority that can accompany diversity;
• Appreciate diverse cultural perspectives;
• Understand the importance of and develop skills for advocacy;
• Appreciate that citizenship requires involvement, thought, discussion; and, learning about issues that impact others nationally and globally.

• How do you determine fairness? / Whose perspective should be considered when determining what is fair?
• If opinions are personal perceptions then can everyone’s opinion be right?
• What is the impact of past experience on decision-making?
• What do you need to consider when you choose to influence others?
• How does the impact of the natural environment affect the development of society?

Student friendly outcomes should be posted throughout the inquiry and continually referenced so the goals of the learning are clearly available to students.

Sask. Curriculum Outcomes /Student Friendly 

IN7.2

Examine the effects of globalization on the lives of people in Canada and in circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries. 

Indicators:

• Identify the countries of origin of people, or of personal objects or tools (e.g., clothing, foods, friends, classmates, teachers, electronic equipment, favourite websites).
• Investigate the international links of a Saskatchewan business.
• Define globalization, and identify examples of globalization in the local community.
• Analyze the economic impact of globalization in relation to the effects on the environment.
• Articulate and interpret the main arguments for and against globalization.
• Conduct an inquiry to determine the effects of globalization on the local community.

IN7.3

Analyze the relationship of technology to globalization

Indicators:

• Identify technological connections that exist in the student’s life, and classify them as local, national, or international.
• Analyze the risks and benefits related to various technologies.
• Develop an argument that addresses the impact of technology and globalization on societies.

DR7.3

Analyze the relationship between current and historical events and the physical and social environments in Pacific and northern Canada and in a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries. / Students will see how current and historical events have affected the physical and social environments in a selection of Pacific Rim and Circumpolar Countries.

Indicators:

• Examine the effects of natural or human catastrophes on affected populations, and, by extension, on the history of human habitation of the region.
• Investigate relationships within and among select circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries to determine reasons for current political and economic relationships.
• Relate current issues to location by using physical maps, political maps, and population maps of Canada, and a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries in order to understand the role of geography in shaping political events (e.g., sovereignty over the North-West Passage, Western intervention in other countries, political alliances, adoption of a system of government) and economic activity (e.g., economic alliances, trading partners, exploitation of resources, impact of the reserve system on First Nations populations) in Canada, and a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries.
• Analyze the influence of contact with another culture on the Indigenous peoples of Canada, circumpolar countries, and a selection of Pacific Rim countries (e.g., the influence of Europeans on the indigenous peoples of Canada, Mexico, and Australia).
• Assess the effects of relocations and deportations of affected groups in Canada, and in circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries (e.g., the Acadian deportation, the treatment of European immigrants during WWI, the internment of Japanese-Canadians in WW2, First Nations children in Canada and Australia abducted from their homes to attend residential schools).
• Conduct an inquiry synthesizing the link between historical events, population dynamics, and environment.
• Debate the positions of circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries with respect to climate change.

RW7.1

Explain the role of barter, trade and sharing in traditional economies in Canada and circumpolar and Pacific Rim Countries. / In what ways did barter, trade, and sharing (past and present) affect the economy and history of Canada and Pacific Rim Countries.

Indicators:

• Describe examples of barter, trade, and sharing in the local community.
• Question whether economies based on barter, trade, and sharing are sustainable.
• Role play the practices of barter trade, and sharing used to obtain goods and services.
• Present the experiences of Elders and senior citizens in the local community regarding barter, sharing, and trade.

Part B: Learning Plan

This allows students to use maps in authentic learning experiences.

Students will:

• Examine the multiple effects of globalization, by considering the economic, environmental, and cultural effects on the lives of people in Canada and in circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries.
• Consider the impact that technology has had on globalization.
• Analyze the relationship between current and historical events and the physical and social environments in Canada and in a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries.
• Explain the role of barter, trade and sharing in traditional economies in Canada and circumpolar and Pacific Rim Countries.

• How do you influence others?
  • What is the impact of those influences: positive or negative?
  • Is it possible to control the impact of those influences?
  • What impacts on the world does our lifestyle create?
• If opinions are personal perceptions then can everyone’s opinion, be right?
  • What might be another perspective?
  • What role does evidence play in forming opinion?
• What impact does past experience have on your decision-making?
  • How important is understanding historical events to understanding current decision-making?
  • What causes you to change your mind?
  • What does it take for society to make a change?
• How does the natural environment affect the development of society?
  • In what ways does your environment and where you live affect how your cultural and social behaviours develop?
  • Are you a user or protector of the environment?
  • Does the environment or your relationship with the environment impact your beliefs and values?

Vocabulary

• Barter
• Common Good
• Ecological
• Ecological stewardship
• Economics
• Ethnocide
• Exploitation
• Export
• Globalization
• Marginalization
• Opinion
• Social Environment
• Stewardship
• Sustainable/sustainability
• Trade

This inquiry has students examine the effects of globalization on the lives of people in Canada and in circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries.  Students will also begin to consider the impact of their life-style and decisions on the global economy.

• How do you influence others?
  • What is the impact of those influences: positive or negative?
  • Is it possible to control the impact of those influences?
  • What influences does our life-style create?
    • on people?
    • on the world?
  • What are the impacts of supporting my life-style on my local community and the global community?
    • What is the impact of those influences: positive or negative?
    • Is it possible to control the impact of those influences?
  • What are my responsibilities regarding the impacts of my life-style as a global citizen?
    • Do different cultures view their responsibility to the environment differently?

Pose questions to students, post student thinking for reflection after study.  Surface additional questions.

In groups, have students think about and talk about their understanding of the following words and/or concepts:

• Common Good
  • What is common good? How is common good determined?

Develop a list of criteria with students to describe common good.

• Whose perspective is represented in the discussion of common good? Why is this?
• Whose perspective is not represented? Why is this?
• Is common good constant? What impacts common good?

Check the identified criteria to determine how universal the application of that criteria is.

• How does culture and community impact the idea of common good?

It is important for students to consider whether common good is indeed constant for all Canadian citizens.

• Globalization
  • What is globalization?
  • What might be the benefits of globalization?
  • What might be the negative effects of globalization?
  • What might be another perspective on the effects of globalization?
  • What is the cost of globalization?
  • How do our lifestyle choices contribute to globalization?
• How are Globalization and Common Good connected? or
• What is the relationship between globalization and common good?
• Can there be “Global Common Good”?  What would it include?

• What is the current impact of globalization on your everyday life?

Brainstorm with students, items they use on a regular basis or people with whom they come in regular contact.  Classify their answers within three categories:

• Basic Needs, Technology and Social Contexts

Survey

Divide students into groups and give each group responsibility to conduct a survey and identify the countries of origin of:

• Basic Needs
  • foods in grocery stores vegetables, fruits, meats
  • clothing that students wear, stores where students shop
• Social Context Friends: classmates, teachers, people in students’ lives
• Technology: personal objects or tools used by students e.g., electronic equipment, favourite websites

If…

“Globalization is the process of ideas, products, and people moving around the planet with greater ease and efficiency. Globalization takes advantage of cheaper labor in less developed nations but increases free trade between nations and the free flow of capital.”

Vocabulary.com

Then (based on their survey research) consider…

• How large a role does globalization play on the everyday lives of students in the classroom?
  • Could students live without these goods? People? Technology?
• How would students classify the globalization connections in the room?
  • Local, national, international?

• How would students rate the impact: positive or negative/risks or benefits?
  • Would students say they have benefited from globalization?
  • Have there been any detrimental impacts from globalization?
    • To the local community? To other communities? Explain.
  • What has been the impact on the common good of the student community?
    • Rate each area of impact – Need, Social Contexts, Technology – according to amount of impact – most impact (3) to least impact (1)

Have each group develop a summary statement in response to the questions posed above.  Compare student thoughts for similarities and differences.  Look for themes.

Post for later reflection.

• What questions are students asking as a result of this new information?
• Why is this information important to know?

• What does globalization cost the environment?
• Does the cost of the produce/goods/technology to the consumer reflect the cost to transport the item?
• How would students assess/appraise the cost to the environment of having a variety of food in their grocery store?
• How would students assess/appraise the cost to the environment of having access to the goods/technology they commonly use?
• How sustainable is the practice of transporting these goods to suit student’s lifestyle?
• Would students describe the effects of having access to global food/goods/technology as positive or negative? Explain their thinking.
• What has been the impact on the global common good of the students’ lifestyle?
• What is the student’s responsibility as a global citizen to control the effects of their lifestyle?

Post student responses.

Watch video – Story of Stuff – found at: https://storyofstuff.org/   under movies tab or at:

http://storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-stuff/

• What stands out for students in this video?
• What did they learn about the effects of consumerism?

Revisit questions asking students to appraise the cost to the environment of their lifestyle and evaluate the sustainability of this practice.

• How has student thinking changed as a result of the information learned in the video?
• What answers are different, why?

Continue to link inquiry findings to these questions.

• What are the impacts of supporting my life-style on (my local community and) the global community?
• What are my responsibilities regarding the impacts of my life-style as a global citizen?
  • What might be another perspective on the effects of globalization?
  • What is the cost of globalization?
  • How do our lifestyle choices contribute to globalization?

Refer back to the survey results that examined the impact of globalization.  Have students choose one item of interest and research the impact of providing these goods to people in the country of origin.

• How might students in the country of origin be impacted by providing these goods for students in Canada?
• How might students in the countries of origin view the effects of globalization? Explain your thinking.
• What would be/might be the impact of globalization on the common good in the country of origin?
• How sustainable is this practice of providing these goods to you to the country of origin?

Students may not be able to answer all the questions about the impact on students in countries of origin but it is important to have them begin to think about this. Connect back to essential questions about how you influence others.  Post student thoughts and continue to revisit to note how thinking has changed.

How have the experiences of Canada in the past affected the Canada we live in now?

• How did we get the country we have today? How did history and historical events influence the country we have?  How did our environment influence the country we have?  Why do people live where they live?

In this inquiry, students will consider the influences on their decision-making and analyze the effects of decisions on the development of the country.  The inquiry begins with examination of the effect of geographic and historical events, natural and man-made, on people and cultures.  Students will consider where people choose to live – population distribution, and the influence of history and geography on economic and governmental decisions.

For all areas of research, students are encouraged to use a variety of maps (physical, political, geographical, and population) in their research and in their presentations.

• What impact does past experience have on your decision-making?
  • How important is understanding history to understanding the reasons for current decisions?
  • What can history teach us about why we think the way we do?
  • Whose history is represented?
• What is the relationship between the natural environment/geography and your activities/ life-style choices?
  • How much do you think about the environment?
  • Are you a user or protector of the environment? Give examples to support your thinking.
  • How often does the environment affect what you do?

Use a Before, During, and After chart to note changes in students’ thinking from the beginning to the end of the inquiry.

• How does the natural environment/geography affect the development of society/our country?
  • How much does the environment affect your actions?
  • What is the relationship of First Nations people to the environment? How did their connection to the environment impact their life-style choices?
    • Were First Nations users or protectors of their environment? Give examples to support your thinking.
  • What role did the environment and geography play in developing Canada? Other countries?
    • Identify specific Pacific Rim cultures to research and then compare their cultural responses to the environment.
  • How did history influence the development of our country?
    • How does history impact the present?
    • What can history teach us about why we think the way we do?
    • How important is understanding history to understanding current decisions?
    • What does it take to make a change?

Have students examine a map of Saskatchewan to identify where people live.

• https://web.archive.org/web/20180901224357/http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/canada-provinces-and-territories/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20180708123513/http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/saskatchewan-population/
• http://www.citypopulation.de/Canada-Saskatchewan.html
• http://discovery-guide.sasktourism.com/app.php?RelId=6.7.0.14.6 (link no longer active) or search:
• http://discovery-guide.sasktourism.com (link no longer active)

• Have students brainstorm answers. Analyze and look for categories within their responses i.e. social environments, cultural interactions, population dynamics
  • What causes population to increase or decrease in a particular area?
  • What creates changes in population composition/makeup?
• Have students develop some hypotheses. Establish link between economic development, geography, and technology.
• Begin with Canada to make sure students understand what they will be researching. Then have students choose a Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries.
• Choose a specific area of Canada, i.e. Western Canada, Central Canada, Eastern Canada, Northern Canada, and have students find the answers to the following for their areas. Create a timeline of the identified events to explore the impact of technology on the population growth of the area.

Examine and identify the impact of:

• the historical events that had an impact on the formation of your specific area of the country.
• the natural or human catastrophes in the specific area.
• For each:
  • outline the history of human habitation of the region
  • identify location, affected populations, and describe impact
  • Present information on the appropriate maps

• What is the impact of these historical event(s) on the present?

Try to develop summary statements.

What is the impact of these historical event(s) on the present?

• What role did physical environments/geography play in shaping the following political events?
  • Sovereignty over the North-West Passage (Canada)
  • Western intervention in other countries
  • Political alliances
  • Adoption of a system of government

• What is the impact of these historical event(s) on the present?

Analyze the influence of European contact on:

• TheAboriginal /indigenous peoples of Canada, Mexico, and Australia specifically,
  • First Nations children in Canada and Australia abducted from their homes to attend residential schools
• The Acadian deportation
• The treatment of European immigrants during WWI
• The internment of Japanese-Canadians in WW2

Assess the effects of relocations and deportations of affected groups.

• What did the Europeans believe about the people in your research?
• What was the result of their beliefs on the identified people?

What is the impact of these historical event(s) on the present?

What is the impact of these historical event(s) on the present?

Current/present perspectives

Role of geography in shaping economic activity:

• Economic alliances
• Trading partners
• Use of resources
• Impact of the reserve system on First Nations populations
• Explain the role of barter and trade and sharing
• Describe examples and role play the practices
• Present the experiences of Elders and senior citizens
• Rate the sustainability of economies based on:
  • barter
  • trade
  • sharing
• Which is preferable in the student’s mind?

• Why do the current political and economic relationships exist/work?
  • What are the benefits?
  • What are the negative effects?

• What is Canada’s position with respect to climate change?
• What are the positions with respect to climate change of students’ specific Pacific Rim and northern circumpolar countries?
• What are the similarities in positions? What are the differences?  What accounts for those differences?
• Have students debate the merits of specific positions of a chosen country.

Essential Questions

• How do you influence others?
  • What is the impact of those influences: positive or negative?
  • Is it possible to control the impact of those influences?
  • What influences does our lifestyle create?
    • on people?
    • on the world?
  • What are the impacts of supporting my life-style on (my local community and) the global community?
  • What are my responsibilities regarding the impacts of my lifestyle as a global citizen?
    • What might be another perspective on the effects of globalization?
    • What is the cost of globalization?
    • How do our lifestyle choices contribute to globalization?
  • How does globalization affect citizens in Canada, northern circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries?
    • What are the benefits? What are the concerns? (Articulate and interpret the main arguments for and against globalization.)
    • What accounts for the differences in the effects of globalization?
    • What is my responsibility as a global citizen to deal with the effects of globalization?

Have a debate with the students.  One group is for globalization and the other is against globalization.  Have students develop positive statements and opposing statements based on their research.

Students should be able demonstrate an understanding of:

1. How geography can affect a region, economically and socially.
2. How historical events can affect a region and its people.

 What is the relationship between historical events, the environment, and where people live?  

• Pick a significant historic and/or environmental event that had a significant impact on the development of the Canada that we have today and show why you think it was important.
• Pick an historic and/or environmental event that had a significant impact on the global trading patterns of today and tell why you think it was important.

Prompts are suggestions that may or may not be used.  Students are encouraged to develop their own prompts and write on any topic they wish.  Students may respond to any of the essential questions.

• Many citizens of Canada have access to a number of luxuries not seen by students in other countries. As a “global citizen” how do you feel about the inequities that maintaining your lifestyle creates?“Canada must acknowledge its past history of shameful treatment of Indigenous peoples,” said Inuk leader John Amagoalik. “It must acknowledge its racist legacy. It should not only acknowledge these facts, but also take steps to make sure that the country’s history books reflect these realities.”
• What is your response to this statement?“Healing is a gradual process–the legacy of residential schools is still very much alive in our cities and communities and affects Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians alike.” Legacy of Hope website
• What would you tell your Member of Parliament to do to address the ongoing issues created by residential schools?
• What suggestions do you have for improvement?

Part C: Lifelong Learning Citizens Resources

All websites accessed in November 2017.

• http://storyofstuff.org/ Story of Stuff project website
  • Story of Solutions – video – http://storyofstuff.org/movies/the-story-of-solutions/
  • Story of Stuff – video – https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-stuff/
  • Story of Water – video
  • Story of Change
• International Foundation for Electoral Systems: Democracy along the Pacific Rim https://web.archive.org/web/20121102081542/https://www.ifes.org/Content/Publications/Articles/2005/Democracy-along-the-Pacific-Rim.aspx

Natural Disasters

• Canadian Geographic website: Interactive Developing Worldmap – http://worldmap.canadiangeographic.ca/index.html
• Top Ten Deadliest Natural Disasters of Canada – https://visual.ly/community/infographic/geography/canadas-top-10-natural-disasters
• Canadian Disaster Database – http://cdd.publicsafety.gc.ca/srchpg-eng.aspx
• Canadian Encyclopedia – search Natural Disasters: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/timeline/disasters
• Canada’s Public Safety website: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/index-eng.aspx
• Canada’s largest natural disasters by cost: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/canadas-largest-natural-disasters-by-cost/article29877435/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&
• Canada’s Worst Natural Disasters: https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/canadas-worst-natural-disasters-all-time
• The Deadliest Disasters in Canada: http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-deadliest-disasters-in-canada.html

Residential School Information

• Where are the Children: Website of resources and archives relating to residential schools http://wherearethechildren.ca
• Legacy of Hope Foundation: This website has many useful resources to support teachers as they teach about the legacy of residential schools. http://legacyofhope.ca/education/
• https://garnetsjourney.com/ website that tells the story of one residential school survivor
• Aboriginal Healing Foundation: http://www.ahf.ca/
• First People’s of Canada website: http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_groups_origins.html
• We Organization website: https://www.we.org
• Historical Thinking Project: Canada’s History: http://www.canadashistory.ca/Education/Classroom-Resources/The-Historical-Thinking-Project 
• Choose Your Voice: http://www.chooseyourvoice.ca

Language Arts

Themes

• Personal and Philosophical: Students will reflect upon:
  • self-image and self-esteem; and,
  • self and life, and on their beliefs and values and those of their society.
• Social, Cultural, and Historical: Students will
  • look outward and examine their relationships with others, their community, and that of the world; and,
  • consider the historical context.
• Environmental and Technological: Students will:
  • explore the elements of the natural and constructed world and the role of technology and related developments in their society.
• Communicative: Students will:
  • consider the role of communication in their lives and the ideas and technologies that help people become effective communicators.

Treaty Education

• TR7: Analyze to what extent each of the signatories to treaty meets their respective obligations.
• SI7: Examine Oral Tradition as a valid way of preserving accounts of what transpired and what was intended by entering into treaty.
• HC7: Examine the Indian Act, including its amendments, and explore the effects it has on the lives of First Nations.
• TPP7: Investigate the impact of Bill C31 on the equality of genders under the Indian Act.

Health

Understanding, Skills, and Confidences (USC)

• USC7.4 Demonstrate a personalized and coherent understanding of the importance of nurturing harmony in relationships (with self, others, and the environment), and apply effective strategies to re/establish harmony when conflict arises.
• USC7.7 Investigate and express an understanding of possible discrepancies in morals (e.g., beliefs, ethics, virtues, understanding of right/wrong) that may determine and/or affect the commitment to the well-being of self, family, community, and the environment.

Science

Life Science: Interactions within Ecosystems (IE)

• IE7.1 Relate key aspects of Indigenous knowledge to their understanding of ecosystems. [CP]
• IE7.2 Observe, illustrate, and analyze living organisms within local ecosystems as part of interconnected food webs, populations, and communities. [SI]
• IE7.4 Analyze how ecosystems change in response to natural and human influences, and propose actions to reduce the impact of human behaviour on a specific ecosystem. [DM, CP]

Earth and Space Science: Earth’s Crust and Resources (EC)

• EC7.1 Analyze societal and environmental impacts of historical and current catastrophic geological events, and scientific understanding of movements and forces within Earth’s crust. [SI]
• EC7.2 Identify locations and processes used to extract Earth’s geological resources and examine the impacts of those locations and processes on society and the environment. [SI, DM, CP]
• EC7.3 Investigate the characteristics and formation of the surface geology of Saskatchewan, including soil, and identify correlations between surface geology and past, present, and possible future land uses. [DM, SI]

• Students will investigate and examine an historical event that took place in the Pacific Rim or Circumpolar countries that has affected them both physically and socially. They will use a selected type of media to present their work.
  • Rana factory collapse in Bangladesh
  • Earthquake in Nepal
• Have students follow an economic and environmental issues or event that arises between Canada and Pacific Rim countries.
• Write a letter to elected officials (municipal, provincial, parliamentary). Ask what they are doing about Aboriginal issues and ask them to work to restore funding to community-based initiatives that deal with the intergenerational impacts of residential schools.

“Text from Vocabulary.com, Copyright ©1998-2016 Thinkmap, Inc.  All rights reserved.”

Common Good – the good of a community

“Common good, that which benefits society as a whole, in contrast to the private good of individuals and sections of society.

From the era of the ancient Greek city-states through contemporary political philosophy, the idea of the common good has pointed toward the possibility that certain goods, such as security and justice, can be achieved only through citizenship, collective action, and active participation in the public realm of politics and public service. In effect, the notion of the common good is a denial that society is and should be composed of atomized individuals living in isolation from one another. Instead, its proponents have asserted that people can and should live their lives as citizens deeply embedded in social relationships.”   (http://www.britannica.com)

Ecological

Anything ecological relates to the science of ecology, which is the study of how living things and the environment do their thing.

Eg. If you’re interested in issues like preserving rain forests, saving endangered species, and keeping drinking water safe, you’re interested in ecological issues.  Ecological things have to do with how plants and animals relate to each other, in good and bad ways, in specific environments-from the impact of floods on river insects to how smog harms humans.  Just about anything people do has an ecological impact – for better or worse.

Ethnocide

Ethnocide refers to the deliberate attempt to eradicate the culture or way of life of a people. . . . Ethnocide depends on the use of political power to force relatively powerless people to give up their culture and is therefore characteristic of colonial or other situations where coercion can be applied. . . . The term is sometimes used to refer to any process or policy that results in the disappearance of a people’s culture.

The Dictionary of Anthropology (1997).

Edited by Thomas Barfield. Blackwell Publishers Ltd.

Globalization

The process of ideas, products, and people moving around the planet with greater ease and efficiency. Globalization takes advantage of cheaper labor in less developed nations but increases free trade between nations and the free flow of capital.

Eg. Globalization has transcended its traditionally economic concept to be used in many different ways now. The globalization of Barbie began with the opening of a Barbie boutique in Beijing. Use globalization anytime a trend spreads beyond its expected boundaries, reaches beyond expected populations. “At your high school, girls started a trend of wearing hard hats to school every day. Your cousin in Austria mentions girls doing it there. You can joke that the trend has ‘gone global.'”

Stewardship

Stewardship means the management or care of something, particularly the kind that works. If your company is making money, there’s probably been careful stewardship — or, a lot of luck.

Eg.  The sphere or responsibility of a steward (as in a manager or administrator), stewardship is often used to mean “the care, handling and management of resources.” Your school requires stewardship to make sure its supplies aren’t stretched. Your clean water may be thanks to the stewardship of an environmental office. Though there is a steward on a ship to handle food and supplies, the ship in stewardship is not a seagoing vessel; it’s just a suffix.

Social Environment Definition

Human social environments include the immediate physical surroundings, the social relationships, and cultural backgrounds within which a specific group of people function and interact.  Also included in social environments are historical, social and power relations that have been established over time.  When trying to understand social environments it is important to think about households, family or kinship networks, neighbourhoods, towns, cities, and regions.  Social environments consider the relationships that exist between these different environments and the changes in those relationships.

More information can be found in the research article, A Definition of “Social Environment” by Elizabeth Barnett, PhD and Michele Casper, PhD located at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1446600/pdf/11249033.pdf .

Dictionary.com describes social environment as the environment that humans develop rather than the environment created by nature or natural environment.  It includes society as a whole and how individuals function and interact with one another.

Social environment also includes the norms, standards, or rules by which people interact with one another.  Social environments change as a person grows and expands their social interactions.

More information can be found at

http://www.sociologydiscussion.com/society/social-environment-meaning-concept-and-features/2445

Sustainable (adj.) (vocabulary.com)

If something is sustainable, than it can be maintained or continued. A 5-minute mile pace probably isn’t sustainable for anyone other than Olympic marathon runners.

These days this adjective is often used to describe something that has a low long-term effect on the environment, like “sustainable agriculture” — a method of farming that doesn’t ravage the land, deplete resources permanently or produce a great deal of pollution. Break down the word into two parts, sustain and able, to visualize and remember that you’re able to sustain something sustainable.

Sustainability

The property of being sustainable.

“Sustain” means to last over time, so sustainability is the ability of something to last. As a civilization, we are concerned about the sustainability of our planet.

Sustainability became a big idea after people began to realize that we were using up our natural resources, so you’re most likely to come across the word when you’re reading about recycling and energy use. If you hear someone talking about sustainability in the context of energy, they’re probably talking about alternatives to oil or coal — both of which will run out in the future. A sustainable source of energy is something that’s always there — like water or wind.

Opinion

Who wouldn’t want the job of opinion writer for a newspaper. You get paid to sit around and tell people how you feel about things. And you know lots of people have no shortage of opinions.

An opinion is a belief or attitude about something that isn’t necessarily based on facts. You may have an opinion about Gwyneth Paltrow that I don’t share. There’s no way to prove who’s right and who’s wrong. Those are our thoughts about her, and that’s the way it is.

Part A: Curricular Connections and Background

This area of citizenship focuses on the student using critical thinking skills in order to better understand, the relationship between geography, resources, culture and historical events.

Students have been trying to understand the range of power and governance within their own country.  As their understanding of the forms of power develop, students begin to compare and contrast those structures and processes operating within Canada with those operating within Pacific Rim countries and northern circumpolar regions.  Students will continue to explore the relationship that citizens have with the environment; examine the impact of cultural and personal beliefs on how the environment is used; and, consider their responsibilities as stewards of the environment.  Students further explore the variance in the distribution of power and privilege at a global level, and reflect upon their role as a Canadian citizen in contributing to the status quo.  Through examination of environmental and economic decisions at local, national, and global levels, students consider the impact of disparity between cultures and countries.  Opportunities to discuss the importance of geography, power and governance, in both Canada and Pacific Rim countries is the focus of this area of study.

Students are asked to use many different types of maps as they research identified issues.  Knowledge of the geographic features, specific resource, population cluster and economic relationships will help the students to draw their own understandings and perspectives.

Students will understand that:

• History and current events are understood through diverse historical perspectives.
• Democracy requires discussion and consideration of alternate points of view in order to find a balance between individual perspectives.
• Citizens value the needs of the collective common good and consider how their actions impact the collective well-being.
• Canadian multi-cultural policies challenge citizenship tenets and require consideration of multiple perspectives.
• Canada’s history includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit governance and perspectives and each have contributed to Canadian identity.
• Decision-making is a complex process with far-reaching impacts.
• Engaged citizens strive to be knowledgeable, uphold their rights, and act on their responsibilities.

• Expand their sense of identity with respect to local, regional, provincial, national, and global diversities.
• Exhibit an awareness and understanding of natural environmental issues on a local, national, and global level.
• Model being active and responsible citizens, including respect for self, others, and the environment.

Students will continue to develop skills for:

• Examining issues from a variety of perspectives.
• Looking for alternate points of view.

Students will use their independent learning to:

• Develop skills for treating self and others with respect.
• Demonstrate empathy in social situations.
• Continually reassess where they belong (changing contexts/roles and expectations) i.e. School, family, community.
• Reflect upon the impact of their choices.

• What is government’s responsibility to sustain and address common good?
• What is the appropriate citizenship response to the marginalization witnessed daily?
• What is the relationship between the natural environment and the development of society?
• What responsibility do you have to balance personal needs with the community’s (global) needs?
• What is the power and responsibility of the individual to make a difference in the world?
• What role does empathy play in citizenship?

(Sask. Curriculum / Student Friendly)

Outcome: DR7.2

Appraise the impact of human habitation on the natural environment in Canada, and in a selection of Pacific Rim and northern circumpolar countries. / Students will assess how humans affect the natural environment in Canada and chosen Pacific Rim and Northern circumpolar countries.

Indicators:

• Identify the influence of physical features such as water bodies, topography, and natural resources on the location of people in Pacific and northern Canada (including the traditional homelands of indigenous peoples) and in a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries.
  • Examine the effects of humans and their technology on the natural environment in Canada, and in a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries, including the consequences for indigenous peoples who inhabit those regions (e.g., over harvesting of salmon fishery, increased incidence of severe weather, influence of logging industry on the natural world and ecosystems, effects of deforestation and coral removal, and efforts to reclaim shorelines and restore the natural barriers).
  • Explore situations where changes in the environment, induced naturally or by humans, have resulted in the relocation of peoples in Canada, and in a selection of Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries, including indigenous peoples who inhabit those regions. Explain the reasons for the relocation and its consequences.
  • Trace examples of current effects of climate change on the movement of peoples (e.g., melting of the polar icecap and greater accessibility to the North-West Passage and the oil underneath) and hypothesize about the potential effects of climate change on the movement of peoples in the future.
  • Explore the Treaty relationship and the values and beliefs associated with sharing the land.

Outcome: RW7.2

Investigate the influence of resources upon economic conditions of peoples in circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries. / Students will explore how resources can influence an economy in a circumpolar and Pacific Rim Countries.

Indicators:

• Identify the locations of natural resources of circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries using appropriate maps, and analyze the impact of the resources on local communities.
• Formulate a definition of a natural resource, and differentiate between renewable and non-renewable resources.
• Differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary industry.
• Correlate the presence of resources and industries to the gross national product of circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries.
• Draw conclusions about the standard of living of people in Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries using material wealth measures (gross national product, gross domestic product) and non-material measures (the quality of life index, happiness index).

Outcome: RW7.3

Assess the ecological stewardship of economies of Canada and the circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries.  Responsibility for environmental quality shared by all those who actions impact the environment. / How well do Canada, circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries do in maintaining environmental stewardship?

Indicators:

• Research and illustrate the origins and current meanings of the words “steward” and “stewardship”.
• Define the word “sustainable”, and discriminate between the concepts of sustainable and unsustainable as they apply to resources and industry.
• Examine the sustainability of the economies of a selection of circumpolar and Pacific Rim countries, and propose practices which might increase the level of sustainability.

Outcome DR7.1

Analyze and use various types of maps (that provide differing perspectives and information for differing purposes) in order to situate current issues in Canada, and in a selection of Pacific Rim and northern circumpolar countries.

Part B: Learning Plan

This allows students to use maps in authentic learning experiences.

Students will examine and evaluate:

• The effects and impact of human habitation on the natural environment;
• How the use of resources impacts the economy of countries; and,
• The responsibility citizens have toward ecological stewardship of a country’s economy.

• What is government’s responsibility to sustain and address common good?
  • What is common good? Is it constant?
  • Does the idea of common good change depending on the culture, community?
• What is the appropriate citizenship response to the marginalization we witness daily?
  • How do we contribute to marginalization?
• What is the relationship between the natural environment and the development of society?
  • What impact does your environment and your relationship with the land have on the development of your personal beliefs and values?
  • Does your environment and where you live/sense of place affect how your cultural and social behaviours develop?
• What responsibility do you have to balance personal needs with the global community’s needs?
  • How much control do you have over the impact of your actions/decisions?
  • As a global citizen, what are your responsibilities regarding the impacts of your lifestyle as a global citizen?
• What role does empathy play in citizenship?
  • What is the power and responsibility of the individual to make a difference in the world

What are the consequences of our lifestyle choices: on our environment, on the global community, especially marginalized people; and, on our happiness?

• What is the relationship between the natural environment and the development of society?
• How does the environment and your relationship with the land impact your personal beliefs and values?
• How does the environment and your relationship with the land affect how your cultural and social behaviours develop?
• How does the environment and your relationship with the land affect how the community has developed? Where people choose to live?

Gather students’ thoughts and post for later reflection.  Students should be able to defend their thinking with examples from their experiences, either real-life or reading that they have done.

Using the local community, have students identify where people choose to live in the community.  Note the location of geographical features, i.e. presence of water bodies, rivers, lakes, high land and where people live, where businesses and industries are located.

Does your relationship with the environment impact your happiness?  What makes you happy?  Do you think Canada is happy?  Is it a good place to live?  How do you measure happiness?

Happiness Index

Students have explored the differences between concepts of wealth.  The HPI shows the differences in the ways that countries determine happiness and in some aspects, success.

The Happy Planet Index (HPI) is an index of human well-being and environmental impact.  It was introduced by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) in July 2006 and challenges current thinking about what makes people happy. It uses global data on life expectancy, well-being and the country’s ecological footprint to make its calculations. The index is weighted to give higher scores to nations with lower ecological footprints.

The HPI is based on general principles that most people want to live long and fulfilling lives, and the country which is doing the best is the one that allows its citizens to do so without infringing on the opportunity of future people and people in other countries to do the same.

http://happyplanetindex.org/about/

Have students watch the TED Talk on the Happy Planet Index.

• What were the important criteria for happiness?
• How much do those things matter to students? Have student rate criteria in terms of most important to least important
• What are students’ thoughts on the validity of the Happy Planet Index?

For all of these inquiries have students plot their findings on a large map so they can begin to see patterns.

Beginning with Canada and then within your chosen country identify:

• The location of the following physical features:
  • water bodies
  • topography
  • natural resources
  • the areas where most of the population lives

What themes are emerging for students regarding where people live?

• Where the Indigenous people live.
  • Where are their traditional homelands?
  • Are they still in their traditional homeland – why or why not?
  • Do the Indigenous people have any signed treaties or agreements regarding the land?
  • How are those treaties or agreements honoured?

As a class determine what patterns and themes are emerging.  Be sure to explain your thinking.  Why is it important to know this information?

In this inquiry, students are asked to think about the effects of the use of resources – positive and negative – on the country and on the environment.

Within the larger map identify:

• The locations of resources within the respective countries
• Determine whether resources are renewable or non-renewable resources and make connections to the wealth of the country.

Have students begin to see patterns between the presence of resources and industries and the economy or gross national product of a country.   Use material wealth measures (gross national product, gross domestic product) and non-material measures (the quality of life index, happiness index).

• What conclusions are students making about the standard of living of people in Pacific Rim and circumpolar countries?

Have students use the graphic organizer in the appendix to support their research.

For your respective country choose a predominant resource that contributes economically to the country and identify:

• The kind of industry it generates and the primary consumer.
• How it is processed/produced.

These are big concepts connected to the enduring understandings.   Teachers may choose to use student responses as Evidence of Understanding.

• Level of economic contribution.
  • e. a primary, secondary, or tertiary contributor to the country’s wealth or gross national product
• How it is distributed to or sold to international connections.
• The economic effects that using/producing/processing/selling that resource brings to the country.
• The social effects that using/producing/processing/selling that resource brings to the country.
• The environmental effects that using/producing/processing/selling that resource brings to the country.

• How sustainable is the continued production/processing of that resource?
• What changes would students propose to increase the level of sustainability?
• What kind of an environmental steward is the researched country? Justify your thinking.

After the groups have made their presentations, as a class, determine what patterns and themes are emerging.  Chart both positive and negative effects.  Develop some summary statements that show how the use of resources within that county has impacted the country.

• What are the impacts of supporting my lifestyle on the global community?
• What responsibility do you have to balance personal needs with the global community’s needs?
• What role does empathy play in citizenship?

• What would students say are the consequences of the choices made by the use and development of the resource(s)?
• How would students describe the “standard of living” in the various countries?
• What would students say has been the impact on the common good of the country of the development of the resource?
• Are the economic choices sustainable? Explain your thinking.

Poll the students to see if they have used any of the products identified in the resources inquiry?  If so these resources/products are part of the globalization impacts from which students benefit.  As Lifelong Learning Citizens students were asked to consider the impact of their choice of lifestyle on other countries.

Students are invited to think about the effects of providing goods to Canadian citizens from the perspective of the countries providing the goods.

• How might students in the country of origin be impacted by providing these goods for students in Canada?
• Would students in the countries of origin view the effects of globalization the same way? Explain your thinking.
• What would be/might be the impact on the common good in the country of origin?

• Has student thinking changed?
• What information caused the change in thinking?

What have been the consequences of our lifestyle choices?  How sustainable are these consequences?

Using the jigsaw strategy assign groups of students the following areas to find information to the following questions:

What is climate change? 

• Have students develop a definition and give examples of climate change.

What countries are impacted by climate change?

• Identify countries within the Pacific Rim and Northern Circumpolar countries that are impacted by climate change.
• Identify the impact and what the country has done to address the situation

What are the global effects of climate change?

• Trace examples of current effects of climate change on the movement of peoples (e.g., melting of the polar icecap and greater accessibility to the North-West Passage and the oil underneath)
• Hypothesize about the potential effects of climate change on the movement of peoples in the future.

Within Canada and the researched countries identify: 

• Areas where changes in the environment have resulted in the relocation of people within that country, e.g.
  • over harvesting of salmon fishery,
  • increased incidence of severe weather,
  • influence of logging industry on the natural world and ecosystems,
  • effects of deforestation and coral removal, and efforts to reclaim shorelines and restore the natural barriers.
• Whether the cause was natural or caused by humans.
• The consequences for indigenous peoples who inhabit those regions.

Read the response by Indigenous Peoples

“Free, Prior and Informed Consent Information – response by United Nations of Indigenous Peoples” (see appendix)

• Why was there a need for this response?
• What have been the results of this action?
• What is the appropriate citizenship response to this marginalization?

What impact do Saskatchewan industries have on the environment?  Global Community?  Are they sustainable for the environment?

• Have students research what Saskatchewan resources are sustainable and unsustainable and create a class list.
• Have the students come up with a list of industries that they have in their province that require sustainable or unsustainable resources and create a class list.
  • Determine the social and environmental effects the industry may have. (pollution, economy, jobs, sustainable or not, alternate ideas, wildlife)

Extension 2

Alternate means of determining Successful Countries

Does your relationship with the environment impact your happiness?  What makes you happy?  Do you think Canada is happy?  Is it a good place to live?  How do you measure happiness?

• What are students’ thoughts on the validity of the Happy Planet Index?

• What were Happy Planet Index’s important criteria for happiness?
• How much do those things matter to students? Have student rate criteria in terms of most important to least important
• What are students’ thoughts on the validity of the Happy Planet Index?

• What is the relationship between our environment and the development of society?
• What are the consequences of our lifestyle choices: on our environment, on the global community, especially marginalized people; and, on our happiness?
• How sustainable are our practices?
• What is the appropriate response of a global citizen to our current practices?

Have students propose how they will demonstrate their response to these overarching understandings or essential questions.

• The Happiness Index challenges people and world leaders to think differently about the ways in which we measure happiness. What do you think of the ideas proposed in the happiness index? How would the world be different if the Happiness Index was the way success was measured?
• What kind of an environmental steward are you? What evidence do you have to support your thinking?
• Respond to any of the essential questions.

Part C: Self, Community, and Place Resources

Sports / Hockey

NHL warns hockey’s future threatened by climate change

By: Kevin McGran Sports Reporter, Published on Wed Jul 23 2014

Retrieved from: https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2014/07/23/nhl_warns_hockeys_future_threatened_by_climate_change.html

November 2017

All websites were accessed November 2017.

• The Village of the Widows (documentary of Sahtu Dene people who were hired by the Canadian government to transport uranium): https://web.archive.org/web/20190406051127/http://lindumfilms.com/villageofwidows
• http://storyofstuff.org/ Story of Stuff project website
  • Story of Solutions – video – http://storyofstuff.org/movies/the-story-of-solutions/
  • Story of Stuff – video – https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-stuff/
  • Story of Water – video
  • Story of Change
• State of Rural Canada: https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiPuaDUq7_XAhVV3mMKHWS5BzIQFggmMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsorc.crrf.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F10%2FSORC2015SK.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2qk3YyOqdkhUmQGbzU3LXZ
• Saskatchewan Trade and Export website: https://www.sasktrade.com
• United Nations Assembly Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples – Environmental and Social Policy relating to Indigenous Peopleshttp://www.ebrd.com/downloads/about/sustainability/ESP_PR07_Eng.pdf
• Amazon Watch website: amazonwatch.org
• Cultural Survival: Advancing Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Cultures Worldwide website: http://www.culturalsurvival.org
• Climate Change Impacts: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts
• License to Operate: Indigenous Relations and Free Prior and Informed Consent in the Mining Industry: http://www.sustainalytics.com/sites/default/files/indigenouspeople_fpic_final.pdf –
• Oxfam: Guide to Free Prior and Informed Consent: http://www.culturalsurvival.org
• Gross Domestic Product at Basic Prices Chart, by Primary Industry – this chart relates more closely to resource use: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/prim03-eng.htm
• Happy Planet Index: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/
• TED Talks Nic Marks – The Happy Planet Index – http://www.ted.com/talks/nic_marks_the_happy_planet_index
• World Happiness Report: http://worldhappiness.report/ed/2017/
• OECD Better Life Index – http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/
• The World’s Happiest (And Saddest) Countries, 2013 – http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2013/10/29/the-worlds-happiest-and-saddest-countries-2013/
• Anti- Discrimination and Anti-Racism Observatory – http://p2pcanada.ca/anti-discrimination-and-racism-observatory/
• Choose Your Voice: http://www.chooseyourvoice.ca
• Walk a Mile Film Project – https://web.archive.org/web/20180623131716/https://www.thunderbay.ca/City_Government/News_and_Strategic_Initiatives/Aboriginal_Relations/Walk_A_Mile_Film_Project.htm
• Canada’s Action on Climate Change – https://web.archive.org/web/20170407195716/http://climatechange.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=E18C8F2D-1
• David Suzuki Foundation – http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/climate-change/
• Article from The Star NHL warns hockey’s future threatened by climate change http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2014/07/23/nhl_warns_hockeys_future_threatened_by_climate_change.html

Language Arts

Themes

• Personal and Philosophical: Students will reflect upon:
  • self-image and self-esteem; and,
  • self and life, and on their beliefs and values and those of their society.
• Social, Cultural, and Historical: Students will
  • look outward and examine their relationships with others, their community, and that of the world; and,
  • consider the historical context.
• Environmental and Technological: Students will:
  • explore the elements of the natural and constructed world and the role of technology and related developments in their society.
• Communicative: Students will:
  • consider the role of communication in their lives and the ideas and technologies that help people become effective communicators.

Treaty Education

• TR7: Analyze to what extent each of the signatories to treaty meets their respective obligations.
• SI7: Examine Oral Tradition as a valid way of preserving accounts of what transpired and what was intended by entering into treaty.
• HC7: Examine the Indian Act, including its amendments, and explore the effects it has on the lives of First Nations.
• TPP7: Investigate the impact of Bill C31 on the equality of genders under the Indian Act.

Health

Understanding, Skills, and Confidences (USC)

• USC7.4 Demonstrate a personalized and coherent understanding of the importance of nurturing harmony in relationships (with self, others, and the environment), and apply effective strategies to re/establish harmony when conflict arises.
• USC7.7 Investigate and express an understanding of possible discrepancies in morals (e.g., beliefs, ethics, virtues, understanding of right/wrong) that may determine and/or affect the commitment to the well-being of self, family, community, and the environment.

Science

Life Science: Interactions within Ecosystems (IE)

• IE7.1 Relate key aspects of Indigenous knowledge to their understanding of ecosystems. [CP]
• IE7.2 Observe, illustrate, and analyze living organisms within local ecosystems as part of interconnected food webs, populations, and communities. [SI]
• IE7.4 Analyze how ecosystems change in response to natural and human influences, and propose actions to reduce the impact of human behaviour on a specific ecosystem. [DM, CP]

Earth and Space Science: Earth’s Crust and Resources (EC)

• EC7.1 Analyze societal and environmental impacts of historical and current catastrophic geological events, and scientific understanding of movements and forces within Earth’s crust. [SI]
• EC7.2 Identify locations and processes used to extract Earth’s geological resources and examine the impacts of those locations and processes on society and the environment. [SI, DM, CP]
• EC7.3 Investigate the characteristics and formation of the surface geology of Saskatchewan, including soil, and identify correlations between surface geology and past, present, and possible future land uses. [DM, SI]

• Research the recycling programs in selected area in Canada and chosen Pacific Rim and Northern circumpolar countries. Do a comparison using charts, graphs etc. to show the differences.
• Examine temperature change over the last 50 years or more in Canada, and chosen Pacific Rim and Northern circumpolar counties.
• Have students record how much in weight they send to the landfill, or to recycle centers in one week, month etc. Then do a comparison of their results.  (graph, chart).  Discuss with students ways to reduce garbage and redo the activity to see if there is a difference.
• Examine the impact of landfills on the natural environment. Examples could include decomposition of items (i.e. pampers, plastic), chemicals, vegetation etc.

Investigate the International links of a Saskatchewan Business

• Saskatchewan Agriculture
• Saskatchewan’s State of Trade: https://www.sasktrade.com/pages/2016_saskatchewan_state_of_trade.html

Other

• Take a field trip to a local industry.
• Bring in a guest speaker that has industry ties, to discuss the advantages of having industry in your community.
• Bring in local leaders in your community to discuss stewardship.
• Visit a seniors citizens centre and interview locals regarding changes in industries and if it has been positive or negative.

“Text from Vocabulary.com, Copyright ©1998-2016 Thinkmap, Inc.  All rights reserved.”

Common Good

The good of a community.

Ecological

Anything ecological relates to the science of ecology, which is the study of how living things and the environment do their thing.

Eg.  If you’re interested in issues like preserving rain forests, saving endangered species, and keeping drinking water safe, you’re interested in ecological issues.  Ecological things have to do with how plants and animals relate to each other, in good and bad ways, in specific environments-from the impact of floods on river insects to how smog harms humans.  Just about anything people do has an ecological impact – for better or worse.

Globalization

The process of ideas, products, and people moving around the planet with greater ease and efficiency. Globalization takes advantage of cheaper labor in less developed nations but increases free trade between nations and the free flow of capital.

Eg. Globalization has transcended its traditionally economic concept to be used in many different ways now. The globalization of Barbie began with the opening of a Barbie boutique in Beijing. Use globalization anytime a trend spreads beyond its expected boundaries, reaches beyond expected populations. “At your high school, girls started a trend of wearing hard hats to school every day. Your cousin in Austria mentions girls doing it there. You can joke that the trend has ‘gone global.'”

Gross Domestic Product – GDP

The measure of an economy adopted by the United States in 1991; the total market values of goods and services produced by workers and capital within a nation’s borders during a given period (usually 1 year)

Gross National Product – GNP

Former measure of the United States economy; the total market value of goods and services produced by all citizens and capital during a given period (usually 1 yr)

Happiness Index

Leading global measure of sustainable well-being.  Tracks national well-being against resource use.

Ted Talks – Nic Marks – The Happy Planet Index

http://www.ted.com/talks/nic_marks_the_happy_planet_index

Stewardship

Stewardship means the management or care of something, particularly the kind that works. If your company is making money, there’s probably been careful stewardship — or, a lot of luck.

Eg.  The sphere or responsibility of a steward (as in a manager or administrator), stewardship is often used to mean “the care, handling and management of resources.” Your school requires stewardship to make sure its supplies aren’t stretched. Your clean water may be thanks to the stewardship of an environmental office. Though there is a steward on a ship to handle food and supplies, the ship in stewardship is not a seagoing vessel; it’s just a suffix.

Sustainable

If something is sustainable, than it can be maintained or continued. A 5-minute mile pace probably isn’t sustainable for anyone other than Olympic marathon runners.

These days this adjective is often used to describe something that has a low long-term effect on the environment, like “sustainable agriculture” — a method of farming that doesn’t ravage the land, deplete resources permanently or produce a great deal of pollution. Break down the word into two parts, sustain and able, to visualize and remember that you’re able to sustain something sustainable.

Sustainability

The property of being sustainable.

“Sustain” means to last over time, so sustainability is the ability of something to last. As a civilization, we are concerned about the sustainability of our planet.

Sustainability became a big idea after people began to realize that we were using up our natural resources, so you’re most likely to come across the word when you’re reading about recycling and energy use. If you hear someone talking about sustainability in the context of energy, they’re probably talking about alternatives to oil or coal — both of which will run out in the future. A sustainable source of energy is something that’s always there — like water or wind.

Renewable

Capable of being renewed.

Anything renewable can be replaced or has an endless supply. Renewable sources of energy don’t run out.

Since re means “again,” things that are renewable are always fresh and new: the supply can’t be used up. This word often applies to energy. Fossil fuels like oil are not renewable resources; we will run out of oil someday. Energy sources like solar and wind power are renewable, because there’s always going to be sunlight and wind. Anything renewable is going to last.

Renewable Resource

Any natural resource (as wood or solar energy) that can be replenished naturally with the passage of time.

Resources (actual and potential) supplied by nature

Non-renewable

That cannot be renewed.

Gas and oil are nonrenewable resources.

Primary (Industry)

Of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary.

Primary means basically “first.” When you vote in a primary, that is the first election in a series. When a matter is of primary concern, it means it’s of first importance. Primary school is the first you go to (after nursery school, at least).

Secondary (Industry)

Being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate

Something secondary is second most important. This can also refer to things that are not important at all.

If you have a primary duty, that’s what you need to do first. Secondary duties must be done next, since second is a form of the number two. You could say your secondary goal at a job is to get experience, if your main goal is to make money. Also, people will sometimes say, “This is our goal. Everything else is secondary.” That means other concerns are trivial or unimportant. Either way, secondary things never come first.

Tertiary (Industry) (adj.)

Coming in third.

Tertiary is another way of saying “third in importance,” like socializing with co-workers being a tertiary reason for getting an after-school job — less important than, first, earning money and second, gaining skills.

To correctly pronounce tertiary, say “TER-she-err-ee.” If you are the third child born in your family, don’t be tempted to call yourself the “tertiary child.” This means you are less important that your two older siblings. However, in some cases, tertiary does not have to do with ranking third — the Tertiary period marks the beginning of life for mammals, and in the United Kingdom, tertiary education means “college-level.”