Canada through the Social Studies Lenses Parts I and II I. Thinking like a Geographer: What is the geography of Canada? What are Canada s natural resources? Source A: Watch this video clip and answer the questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csyjkrqk-6k 1. Canada is the largest country in the world. 2. Canada s population is about million people. 3. Eight out of ten Canadians live within miles of the border between Canada and the United States because, in the southern region, the weather is warmer and it is easier to trade with the United States. 4. Canadians think of their country as having six regions: Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies, British Columbia, and the Territories. 5. Canada has provinces, which are like states in the United States. New Brunswick Nova Scotia Prince Edward s Island Newfoundland and Labrador Quebec Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia Provinces in the Prairies Provinces in Atlantic Canada Source B: Look at this map and answer the questions. http://www.ezilon.com/maps/north-america/canada-maps.html 6. Canada has three territories, which are like provinces, but with less power. What are the three territories? 7. What is the capital of Canada? (Look for the red square symbolizing the capital.) 8. In what province is the capital?
Source C: Finally, visit this page and click on the infographic about Canada s natural resources. http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/publications/key-facts/16013?utm_medium=banner&utm_source=rotator&utm_campaign=nrcanhome 9. Canada has the third largest oil reserves in the world, behind which two countries? 10. Canada is in the top three world-wide for production of what three minerals? II. Thinking like an Historian and Citizen: What type of government does Canada have? How did this government start? How is the government structured? What rights do citizens have? Source A: Check out this Princeton University site about constitutional monarchy. http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/constitutional_monarchy.html 1. What is the definition of a constitutional monarchy? (Look at the first paragraph.) 2. What are some contemporary constitutional monarchies? (Look at the fourth paragraph.)
VERY Brief History In 1867, the British Parliament passed the British North America Act, the document founding Canada as an independent nation. Before1867, Canada was a British colony. The Constitution Act of 1982 added a charter of rights to the constitution and provided for the first time a way of amending or changing the Constitution without having to obtain the approval of the British Parliament. This repatriation or "bringing home" of the Canadian Constitution did not end the Queen's status in Canada as Head of State. Her personal representative in Canada remains the Governor General. Source B: Go to this site and read about the government of Canada. http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/waymac/sociology/a%20term%202/political%20spectrum/government%20of%20canada.htm 3. According to paragraph 1, A Constitutional Monarchy, who is the monarch of Canada? Who is her representative in Canada? 4. Does the Governor General have power in the government, or is his role largely ceremonial? 5. What are the Prime Ministers powers? (See paragraph 3, The Prime Minister. ) 6. How many members are in the House of Commons? How are they chosen? 7. How many people serve in the Senate? How are senators chosen?
Source C: Look at this site comparing the American and Canadian governments. (Click Start. ) http://www.parl.gc.ca/about/parliament/senatoreugeneforsey/inside_view/canada_usa-e.html 8. Look at the Frequency of Elections section. How long do the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament serve? (What is their term of office?) 9. Look at Senators. What about senators in Canada? How long do they serve? 10. Look at Federal Authority. What is the difference between federal powers in Canada and federal powers in America? Source D: Go to this site about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1355760105725/1355760725223 11. What is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and when did it come into effect? E. Actually read over the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-15.html 12. What rights in this Charter are similar to rights in America s Bill of Rights? 13. What rights in this Charter are not found in America s Bill of Rights?
Canada through the Social Studies Lenses Parts III and IV III. Thinking like an Economist: What type of economy does Canada have? Source A: The United States is Canada s principal trading partner. Watch this video about the relationship between America and Canada. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqpbngon0jw 1. The United States and Canada have the largest trade relationship in the world. How many dollars of goods are exchanged between these two nations EVERY DAY? 2. How many people cross the American/Canadian border each year? Source B: Go to this website comparing the United States and Canada. http://country-facts.findthebest.com/compare/1-31/united-states-vs-canada 3. Scroll down to the Economy section. GDP refers to the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period, usually a year. Does Canada or the United States have a higher GDP? (Hit the Country Comparison Link.) 4. Scroll down to Unemployment Rate. What is Canada s unemployment rate currently? Is it higher or lower than the unemployment rate in the United States? (Hit the Country Comparison Link.) 5. Scroll down to Population Below Poverty Line. What percentage of Canadians live below the poverty line? Source C: Look at this comparison of the cost of living in Canada and the United States. http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=canada&country2=united+states 6. In general, are prices for goods higher or lower in Canada? 7. Scroll down to Salaries and Financing. Is the average monthly disposable salary higher or lower in Canada?
Source D: Read about Canadian and American tax rates. http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0411/do-canadians-really-pay-more-taxes-than-americans.aspx 8. Do Canadians really pay more taxes than Americans? (Look at the paragraph under the heading Federal Income Taxes. ) IV. Thinking like a Cultural Anthropologist: What are significant aspects of Canadian culture? (Think about health care, recreation, religion, the arts) Source A: Check out this site regarding religion in Canada. http://www.pewforum.org/2013/06/27/canadas-changing-religious-landscape/ 1. What are the two major religions in Canada? 2. The number of Canadians who belong to other religions including Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity is growing. What percent of Canadians followed one of these religions in 2011 (look at the chart). Source B: Visit the CultureGrams site about Canada. http://online.culturegrams.com/kids/kids_country.php?contid=6&wmn=north_america&cid=8&cn=canada 3. In the left-hand column, find the Lifestyle box. Choose one aspect of Canadian life. What did you learn? (Summarize what you learned in 2 3 sentences.)
Source C: Read this list of Common Myths about Canada. http://kicx106.com/top-ten-myths-about-canada-and-canadians-4/ 4. Be honest did you believe any of these myths about Canada were true before reading this? Which ones? Source D: What? They re Canadian? Look over this list of famous Canadians. http://www.biography.com/people/groups/famous-canadians 5. Is there is at least one celebrity on this list that you assumed was American? Click on the biography for that celebrity and summarize a few of the important events in his or her life.