Curriculum Connection -- Social Studies

Ever wonder just why your teacher assigns the kinds of tasks you do in class? Well, what I have been learning in MY school this year is that student learning in all of Ontario is regulated by a set of documents produced by the Ministry of Education, known as the curriculum. These documents set out a series of standards and expectations by which ALL Ontario students are expected to be judged, ensuring a common curriculum for everyone in the province! Neat huh?

So what kind of expectations do these documents set out? What sort of ways can they be taught? And how do your teachers know if you have learned what was expected of you? Well, those are some BIG questions - but it may be a lot easier and more fun than you'd expect! Let's take a look for ourselves..

Subject: Language Arts
Strand: History - New France
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of Grade 7, students will:
1.3. Identify and explain similarities and differences in the goals and interests of various groups in New France, including French settlers, First Nation peoples, and both French and English fur traders.

Sounds like alot of material to cover, doesn't it? And it's true that sometimes your history textbook can get a little boring... so why not try exploring the same material in a different way? Take a look at 1759, a part of the Virtual Museum of Canada which explores New France through the lens of the French Indian War. As you surf through the site, you will be able to experience the seige of Quebec and the Battle of the Plains of Abraham from the perspective of a French soldier, British soldier, Canadian militiaman and Amerindian. This is an interactive and exciting website that presents information through the use of dramatic videos, soundclips and a variety of multimedia activities - nothing boring here!

So what are you waiting for? Check it out!

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com