Sustainable Livelihoods

http://www.chfpartners.ca/teachers/lesson/index.php?grade=4&lesson=2

This lesson comes from CHF (formerly The Canadian Hunger Foundation).  Despite being difficult to navigate, the site contains an excellent lesson plan that can be used as an introduction to Standard of Living, the Human Development Index, and the disparity among the world’s nations in these standards. 
Students, in groups of 4 or 5, play a card game which provides them with different scenarios that either increase or decrease their overall well being.  This provides a great opening into a discussion of disparities among the different nations and societies of the world.

The lesson plan includes black line masters for student handouts, background information for teachers, and an evaluation rubric.  This lesson could be used when examining Canada’s economic, political, and developmental role in the world.

This lesson is suitable for students in Social Studies 30, Unit 2:  Economic Development or Social Studies 30, Unit 5:  Globalization.

Curriculum Objectives

Social Studies 30, Unit 2:  Economic Development

• Know that the standard of living is a set of criteria which defines human well-being, and if the criteria change, then the definition of standard of living changes.
• 
  Know that, in general terms, all standard of living models need to consider some or all of the following criteria:
  - the capacity of a society to produce wealth based on
     technology levels, industrial capacity, energy consumption,
     social organization, education levels. (This factor is usually
     expressed as per capita GDP);
  - quality of life factors which often include infant mortality,
     life expectancy, and literacy;
  - health factors such as calorie consumption, medical care, clean
     water, and sanitation levels;
  - other more nebulous but important factors include levels of
     self-esteem, freedom, personal expectations, community
     loyalty; and,
  - environmental factors such as clean air, pollution-free
     surroundings, and safe communities.
• Know that embedded in the Canadian worldview is a belief that an adequate standard of living cannot be defined by competitive success alone, but rather standard of living is the result of a process in which people cooperate and share in the creation of a good life.
• Know that any standard of living model has moral consequences attached to its use.

Social Studies 30, Unit 5:  Globalization

• Know that, in, general terms, all standard of living models need to consider some or all of the following criteria:
• - the capacity of a society to produce wealth. (This factor is
     usually expressed as per capita GDP);
  - quality of life factors which often include infant mortality, life
     expectancy, and literacy;
  - health factors such as calorie consumption, medical care,
     clean water, and sanitation levels;
  - other more nebulous but important factors which include
     levels of self-esteem, freedom; and,
  - environmental factors such as clean air, pollution-free
     surroundings and safe communities.
• Know that important criteria to be considered in maintaining an individual country's standard of living are:
• protecting domestic employment;
  - encouraging domestic diversification;
  - protecting infant industries;
  - maintaining environmental standards;
  - protecting national security; and,
  - protecting cultural sovereignty.
• Know that Canadians have tended to accept the principles:
  - that raising a standard of living depends upon increasing
     human productivity usually expressed in terms of labour
    productivity ratios (output per person hour); and,
  - that improved productivity allows Canadians to produce and
     sell goods competitively on world markets.
• Know that Canada's economic goals and the criteria for achieving them have been:
  - economic stability defined by high employment and stable
     prices;
  - a good balance of trade defined by exporting as much as is
     imported;
  - economic growth defined by a growing GDP; and,
  - an equitable distribution of income defined by a narrow gap
     between rich and poor.
• Know that per capita GDP is the GDP divided by population and is one way of comparing standard of living among countries.
• Know that the prosperity of modern industrial nations depend upon a modern infrastructure of agriculture, industry, transportation, education, health, and government.
  

Sustainable Development and Africa’s Wildlife Reserves

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/16/g912/sustdevafrica.html

This lesson plan is from National Geographic.  The purpose of this lesson is to “help students understand the role of sustainable development as a form of economic development. Using wildlife reserves in Africa as a case study, students will learn about the key challenges in creating and sustaining the reserves, including how globalization affects the process.”

The lesson starts by defining the term “globalization” and discovering how it relates to economic development.  Following a discussion and an examination of two different ways of examining the same information (cartograms and a physical map of the world), the discussion turns to the concept of Sustainable Development.  Students examine the strengths and weaknesses of this form of development including the use of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments, and the private sector.

Attention is then focused on a case study of Africa’s wildlife reserves.  After examining the handout entitled “Without Borders:  Uniting Africa’s Wildlife Reserves” students are presented with some upper level questions.  Please note:  The link to the handout presented on the lesson plan has been changed.  The new link is http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/data/2001/09/01/html/ft_20010901.1.html.

The lesson plan comes complete with suggestions for extension, student assessment, and cross curricular connections.

This lesson would be suitable for students in Social Studies 20 (Grade 11), Unit 3:  Environment.

Curriculum Objectives

• Know that the environment is a complex system of interacting, interdependent, living and non-living parts, with the whole environment being greater than the sum of each part.
• Know that a habitat is the place where plant and animal species naturally live, and that if a habitat changes significantly, the species depending upon that habitat for resources may not survive.
• Know that effective problem solving requires the ability to define and understand problems clearly and accurately.
  

Climate Change:  Creating Solutions for our Future

http://usc-canada.org/UserFiles/File/Climate_Change_Education_Kit.pdf?PHPSESSID=1bcef2613a6a37ae40db83b6f170b7b2

This extensive resource was jointly developed by the Lethbridge Environment Week Committee, USC Canada, and Alberta Environment.  It includes six lessons, numerous activities, background information for teachers, and evaluation suggestions.  Lessons can be used individually or as a group.
The lessons include “Picturing Climate Change” where “Students learn why human activity has contributed to climate change in the past 250 years, and about the United Nations Framework on Climate Change,” “The Heat is On” that deals with Environmental Heroes in a game show format, and “The World in a Bottle” where students create a model of the Earth.

Lesson 4 is called “The World Wide Web” where “students are guided through several web sites designed [especially designed] for children.”  In lesson 5, students examine “Human Interactions” and learn how the people in Mali, West Africa are dealing with climate change.  Lesson 6 concludes the package by issuing a call for action to encourage students to become active in their school and community by sharing their knowledge with others.

This package of lessons was designed for students in “Division 2” but could be used in Social Studies 7, Unit 2:  Dynamic Relationships, or Social Studies 7, Unit 4:  Resources and Wealth.

Curriculum Outcomes

Social Studies 7, Unit 2:  Dynamic Relationships
Outcome DR7.2

• 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.

• 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.

Deforestation:  What do trees mean to me?

http://www.chf-partners.ca/teachers/lesson/index.php?grade=3&lesson=4

This lesson is from CHF (formerly the Canadian Hunger Foundation).  In it, students will gain an understanding of the many causes of deforestation and how humans impact their natural environment.  They will then apply this knowledge to analyze how deforestation can impact the lives of people in the rural areas of developing countries.

Role-playing is used to illustrate how the lives of individuals living in Viet Nam are affected by deforestation.  Role play cards are included as is background information for teachers, links to further information, a country profile, a glossary of terms, and a rubric for evaluation purposes.  The lesson plan is also available in French.

This lesson would be suitable for students in Social Studies 7, Unit 2:  Dramatic Relationships.

Curriculum Outcomes

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.

Indicators:

• 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.

Please Note:  Saskatchewan’s Grade 7 Curriculum Guide focuses on the following Pacific Rim countries:  Argentina, El Salvador, Korea, Finland, Chile, Guatemala, Vietnam, Sweden, Peru, Mexico, Indonesia, Norway, Ecuador, Malaysia, Iceland, Australia, Colombia, Canada, Philippines, Greenland, Panama, Russia, New Guinea, Denmark, Costa Rica, China, United States (Alaska, Hawaii), Nicaragua, Japan, and New Zealand.

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Climate Change, Poverty, and Women

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/climate_change_poverty_women/

This lesson plan is from Oxfam in the U.K.  Two short but powerful embedded videos are used first to engage students’ interest and then to draw the link between climate change and poverty, especially in women.

Many different activities are used to reinforce this lesson.  These range from simple worksheets, to solving a mystery, to different case studies and role plays.  All required handouts are provided within the site.  The teacher guide also has some excellent links to related sites to provide for further work and research. 

These activities are suitable for students in Social Studies 7 or Social Studies 20 (Grade 11).

Curriculum Outcomes/Objectives
Social Studies 7, Unit 2:  Dramatic Relationships
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.

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.
• 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.

Social Studies 20 (Grade 11), Unit 4:  Wealth and Power

• Know that the powerful have a tendency to exploit the weak unless there are countervailing forces which can check the behaviour of the powerful.

Ecological Footprints from Around the World

http://www.chf-partners.ca/teachers/lesson/index.php?grade=3&lesson=5

This lesson plan comes from CHF (formerly the Canadian Hunger Foundation).  In it, students will discover their own ecological footprint and will be able to compare it to that of people in various developing countries.  They will also explore how their actions can impact the earth.

The lesson provides all needed black line masters and includes extra teacher resources such as a country information sheet, glossary, additional web-based resources, extension ideas, teacher background information, and a handout on taking further action.  The lesson plan does not contain an evaluation scheme.
This lesson would be suitable for students in Social Studies 8.

Curriculum Outcomes

Social Studies 8
RW8.3 Critique the approaches of Canada and Canadians to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Indicators:

• Represent on a timeline the evolution of Canadian policy on global environmental issues, including historical First Nations approaches to environmental stewardship.
• Outline the issues involved in finding solutions to an environmental challenge (e.g., sharing water resources with the US, logging in Canadian forests, expansion of nuclear energy, and development of tar sands).
• Tell the story of changes made in his or her behaviour to protect the environment (e.g., walking, purchasing locally-produced or seasonal products, recycling; composting; disposing responsibly of garbage; using less paper; using less plastic; factoring packaging into purchases).

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.
• 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.

P.O.V.s Borders Picture Project

http://www.pbs.org/pov/borders/2004/educators/edu_water.html

This lesson is from the Public Broadcasting System’s (PBS’s) popular television show P.O.V. (Point of View). Through the use of digital cameras, students will document how water is used in their local communities and explore how those uses impact the local environment.

This lesson requires students from the class to take digital pictures of how water is used in their community. The more photographers you have in the class, the more diverse would be your picture collection but four students, representing areas north, south, east, and west of your school, would be the minimum. Alternatively, students could be asked how water is used in their respective communities, but the photographs would be the preferable way to go.

After the photographs have been taken, students are divided into groups to analyze assigned pictures and to present their findings to the large group. A set of questions to assist with the analysis is provided. As a culminating activity, students are asked to write an essay, a short story or a poem explaining how their own personal water practices have been positively or negatively affected by their findings.

To establish a global connection, this lesson could be used in conjunction with the previous lesson (Water for All).  This lesson would be suitable for Social Studies 11, Unit 3:  Environment or Social Studies 7, Unit 2: Resources.

Curriculum Objectives/Outcomes

Social Studies 20 (Grade 11) Unit 3:  Environment

• Know that the environment is a complex system of interacting, interdependent, living and non-living parts, with the whole environment being greater than the sum of each part.
• Know that a habitat is the place where plant and animal species naturally live, and that if a habitat changes significantly, the species depending upon that habitat for resources may not survive.
• Know that effective problem solving requires the ability to define and understand problems clearly and accurately.
• Know that the power of technology affects both the natural and social environments and has consequences attached to its use.
• Know that socio-technology is a social process in which knowledge created by science and technology is put at the disposal of people who may not understand these knowledge bases and may use them for narrow personal purposes.
• Know that resources are those parts of the environment considered valuable because they meet human needs.

Social Studies 7, Unit 2:  Resources
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.

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.
• 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.

Water, Water Everywhere!

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/activities/watereverywhere/

This lesson is from Discovery School, an on-line lesson plan bank. During the lesson, students will manipulate on-line data to discover the relationship between population growth and water availability. They will construct bar graphs, and research and write an action plan detailing how developing countries can tackle water scarcity problems.

The lesson requires internet access for approximately two class periods. All needed handouts and resources, including websites, are provided on the lesson plan. This lesson could serve as a good introduction to graph-creation using Excel spreadsheets.

At the conclusion of the lesson, students are divided into groups and are assigned the task of researching the water situation in an assigned country and presenting their findings to the class.

This lesson could be used in Social Studies 7, Unit 2: Resources.

Curriculum Outcomes

Social Studies 7, Unit 2:  Resources
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.

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.
• 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.

Sustainable Development and Africa’s Wildlife Reserves

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/16/g912/sustdevafrica.html

This lesson plan is from the National Geographic in the U.S.  The purpose of the lesson is to help students understand the role of sustainable development as a form of economic development.  It uses wildlife reserves in Africa as a case study.  Students will learn about the key challenges in creating and sustaining the reserves, including how globalization affects the process.

The lesson begins with an examination of two maps of the world—a world population cartogram, and a physical map of the world.  Teacher led discussion will lead to an explanation of the effects large populations can have on individual countries and the problems that could arise in developing countries.

Students then turn their attention to economic development and sustainable development and the strengths and weaknesses of the two forms of development.  They then undertake a case study of Africa’s wildlife reserves. 
The lesson plan is complete with suggestions for student assessment, extension activities, and cross-curricular extensions.  This lesson would be suitable for students in Social Studies 20 (Grade 11), Unit 3:  Environment.

Curriculum Objectives

Social Studies 20 (Grade 11), Unit 3:  Environment

• Know that the environment is a complex system of interacting, interdependent, living and non-living parts, with the whole environment being greater than the sum of each part.
• Know that a habitat is the place where plant and animal species naturally live, and that if a habitat changes significantly, the species depending upon that habitat for resources may not survive.
• Know that effective problem solving requires the ability to define and understand problems clearly and accurately.
• Know that the power of technology affects both the natural and social environments and has consequences attached to its use.
• Know that socio-technology is a social process in which knowledge created by science and technology is put at the disposal of people who may not understand these knowledge bases and may use them for narrow personal purposes.
• Know that resources are those parts of the environment considered valuable because they meet human needs.