Canada: History, Identity, and Culture, Grade 12, University Preparation (CHI4U)

Course Type:	University Preparation
Credit Value:	1.0
Prerequisite:	Any university (U) or university/college (M) preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and world studies.

Course Description

CHI4U Course: This course traces the history of Canada, with a focus on the evolution of our national identity and culture as well as the identity and culture of various groups that make up Canada. Students will explore various developments and events, both national and international, from precontact to the present, and will examine various communities in Canada and how they have contributed to identity and heritage in Canada. Students will investigate the development of culture and identity, including national identity, in Canada and how and why they have changed throughout the country’s history. They will extend their ability to apply the concepts of historical thinking and the historical inquiry process, including the interpretation and analysis of evidence, as they investigate the people, events, and forces that have shaped Canada.

Outline of Course Content

Unit

Titles and Descriptions

Time and Sequence

Unit 1

Early European Settlement:

What were some of the conditions in Europe that led so many people to make that dangerous migration across the treacherous Atlantic Ocean during the 17th and 18th centuries? In this first unit students will tackle this question head-on focusing on the first European contact with Canada’s Indigenous peoples, the diverse impacts of contact on Indigenous peoples, and exploring the socio-cultural differences and similarities of AngloFrench colonial settlement.

20 hours

Unit 2

Colonial Canada

In unit two, students will learn about the wars of the 18th and 19th centuries, understanding the economic and political context and impacts of those wars in North America.

Ultimately, during this period, English supremacy prevailed in North America by 1763. However, this supremacy would be tested many times. First, was during the American Revolution that started in 1775. The colony of Canada would experience social change as a result of proximity to the 13 colonies, most significantly, the arrival of thousands of British loyalists fleeing the United States. The war of 1812 was another test to British supremacy in North America as the newly independent United States of America sought to invade Canada. Finally, students will learn about the impact of this period in Atlantic, Northwest, and Pacific Canada where rebellions against British rule were beginning.

24 hours

Unit 3

Building the New Dominion

In unit three, students will learn about the causes and contributing factors that ultimately led to Confederation, the unions of Canada’s provinces to form the Dominion of Canada. Students will explore how the two-party system of government evolved after 1867 and some of the traditional Conservative and Liberal policies and politics that built and shaped Canada after Confederation and into the 20th century through an investigation of two famous Prime Ministers: John

A. Macdonald and Wilfrid Laurier. This period in Canada’s history is one of nation building, characterized by unprecedented economic growth. Students will learn about the settlement of Canada’s western frontier and the discovery of gold in Canada’s north. These economic changes also spurred social growth, as Canada’s population swelled thanks to a new wave of immigrants from Europe.

15 hours

Unit 4

Two World Wars and Depression

The two world wars are considered ‘catalysts of national development’. In this unit students will come to appreciate the exceptional role Canada played in the wars of the century and how these contributions contributed to growing Canadian identity. Students will reflect on the courage, valour, and sacrifices that were made by Canadians in their passionate defense of Canadian values. The Great Depression is examined and recognized as yet another tumultuous period in Canadian history. In addition to the turmoil of the World Wars and Great Depression, students will learn about the progressive social change that Canada experienced between the Two World Wars. The interwar years was a time of unprecedented social change, especially the expansion of human rights.

20 hours

Unit 5

Postwar Canada

In this unit, students will explore the social, political, and economic changes to Canadian society in the postwar period (1945-1982). Canada made the biggest advances in protecting its citizens from economic hardship and human rights violations in the decades following World War Two. Despite these social advances, students will learn about how the world was plunged back into conflict during the Cold War and Canada’s role in international affairs as a middle power and peacekeeper. The theme of activism was significant during the 1960s across Canada and students will explore a variety of social movements including human rights, feminism, multiculturalism, and environmentalism.

15 hours

Unit 6

Modern Canada

In this unit, students will explore the domestic political scene in Canada, including constitutional developments, Canada’s political parties, and regional political tensions. The modern period (1982 to the present) is also a time when globalization began to deeply influence Canada. Students will analyze the influence of globalization including Canada’s changing relationship with the United States and other countries around the world in terms of economics, social policies, and cultural events. A main imperative of this course has been to describe the evolution of Canadian identity and so students will summarize the influence of French, British, and American relations. Students will conclude by reflecting on a common theme throughout the course: human rights. In the modern period, Canada has made considerable effort to correct past injustices through commemorations and reparations.

15 hours

Unit 7

Final Summative Assessment

Project As a final culminating assignment, students will complete a Major Research Project. This project is worth 30% of the final grade.

15 hours

Total

110 hours

Teaching / Learning Strategies

Canada History: Since the over-riding aim of this course is to help students use language skilfully, confidently and flexibly, a wide variety of instructional strategies are used to provide learning opportunities to accommodate a variety of learning styles, interests and ability levels. These include:

Directed Reading Activities	Seminar	Group work
Brain storming	Literature Circles	Reflections
Structured Discussions	Oral presentations	Close reading
Role play	Self assessments	Video presentations
Independent Study	Peer assessments	Internet instructional videos

Assessment and Evaluation Strategies of Student Performance

Assessment is a systematic process of collecting information or evidence about a student’s progress towards meeting the learning expectations. Assessment is embedded in the instructional activities throughout a unit. The expectations for the assessment tasks are clearly articulated and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration possible. This process of beginning with the end in mind helps to keep focus on the expectations of the course. The purpose of assessment is to gather the data or evidence and to provide meaningful feedback to the student about how to improve or sustain the performance in the course. Scaled criteria designed as rubrics are often used to help the student to recognize their level of achievement and to provide guidance on how to achieve the next level. Although assessment information can be gathered from a number of sources (the student himself, the student’s course mates, the teacher), evaluation is the responsibility of only the teacher. For evaluation is the process of making a judgment about the assessment information and determining the percentage grade or level.

The assessment will be based on the following processes that take place in the classroom:

Assessment FOR Learning	Assessment AS Learning	Assessment OF Learning
During this process the teacher seeks information from the students in order to decide where the learners are and where they need to go.	During this process the teacher fosters the capacity of the students and establishes individual goals for success with each one of them.	During this process the teacher reports student’s results in accordance to established criteria to inform how well students are learning.
Conversation	Conversation	Conversation
Classroom discussion Self-evaluation Peer assessment	Classroom discussion Small group discussion Post-lab conferences	Presentations of research Debates
Observation	Observation	Observation
Drama workshops (taking direction) Steps in problem solving	Group discussions	Presentations Group Presentations
Student Products	Student Products	Student Products
Reflection journals (to be kept throughout the duration of the course) Check Lists Success Criteria	Practice sheets Socrative quizzes	Projects Poster presentations Tests In Class Presentations

Some of the approaches to teaching/learning include

Strategy	Who	Assessment Tool
Class discussion	Teacher	Observation Checklist
Response Journal	Teacher	Anecdotal Comments
Student Chosen Song	Teacher	Observation Checklist
Narrative Poem/Song	Teacher	Rubric and Anecdotal Comments
Character Sketch	Self	Checklist
Journal Responses	Self/teacher	Anecdotal comments
Short Story Analysis	Teacher	Rating scale
Short Story Outline	Teacher	Rating scale
Anecdote	Teacher	Direct Observation
Found poem	Teacher	Direct Observation
Journal Entries	Teacher	Anecdotal
Research Notes	Self/Teacher	Checklist
Non-fiction Report/Presentation	Teacher	Rubric
Presentation to group	Self/Peer	Self and peer assessment rubric
Sight passage	Teacher	Marking scheme
Narrative piece	Teacher	Rubric

Assessment is embedded within the instructional process throughout each unit rather than being an isolated event at the end. Often, the learning and assessment tasks are the same, with formative assessment provided throughout the unit. In every case, the desired demonstration of learning is articulated clearly and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration possible. This process of beginning with the end in mind helps to keep focus on the expectations of the course as stated in the course guideline. The evaluations are expressed as a percentage based upon the levels of achievement.

A variety of strategies are used to allow students opportunities to attain the necessary skills for success in this course and at the post-secondary level of study. To facilitate learning, the teacher uses a variety of activities engaging the whole class, small groups, and individual students.

Some of the approaches to teaching/learning include

Strategy	Who	Assessment Tool
Assignments	teacher	rubric or marking scheme
Oral Presentations	self/peer or teacher	rubric
Textbook Use	self or teacher	checklist
Teacher Led Review/Discussions	self/peer or teacher	checklist
Performance Task	self/peer or teacher	rubric
Written Quiz	teacher	marking scheme
Written Test	teacher	marking scheme
Discussion Evaluation	Self or teacher (summative)	checklist

The Final Grade

The evaluation of this course is based on the four Ministry of Education achievement categories of knowledge and understanding (25%), thinking (25%), communication (25%), and application (25%). . The evaluation for this course is based on the student’s achievement of curriculum expectations and the demonstrated skills required for effective learning.

The percentage grade represents the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline.

A credit is granted and recorded for this course if the student’s grade is 50% or higher. The final grade for this course will be determined as follows:

70% of the grade will be based upon evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade will reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration will be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
30% of the grade will be based on a final exam administered at the end of the The exam will contain a summary of information from the course and will consist of well-formulated multiple choice questions. These will be evaluated using a checklist.

Textbooks:

Brune, Nick, et. al. Defining Canada: History, Identity, and Culture. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 2003. ISBN 0070913838

Turabian, Kate L. Manual For Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, 8th ed. Chicago: University of

Chicago Press, 2013. ISBN 0226816389

Potential Resources

Anderson, Fred. The War That Made America: A Short History of the French and Indian War. New York: Penguin Books, 2005. ISBN 0-14-303804-4

Axelrod, Paul, editor. Youth, University and Canadian Society. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1989. ISBN 0-7735-0709-4

Bercuson, David. The Fighting Canadians: Our Regimental History from New France to Afghanistan. Toronto: Harper Collins Canada, 2008. ISBN: 978000200734

Careless, J.M.S. Canada: A Story of Challenge. Toronto: Stoddart Publishing Company Limited, 1970. ISBN 0-7736-7354-7

Copp, Terry. Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2003. ISBN 0-8020-3780-1

Chartrand, Rene. Monongahela 1754-1755: Washington’s Defeat, Braddock’s Disaster.

Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited,2004. ISBN 1-84176-683-6

Eccles, W.J. The French in North America, 1500-1783. Markham, Ontario: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1998. ISBN 1-55041-0768

English, John A. The Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign: A Study of Failure In High Command. New York: Praeger Publishing Inc., 1991. ISBN 0-275-93019-X

Ford, Ken. Dieppe 1942: Prelude to D-Day. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2003. ISBN 1-841176-624-0

Francis, R. Douglas, Richard Jones and Donald B. Smith. Origins: Canadian Hsitory to Confederation, Fifth Edition. Toronto: Thomson Nelson Publishing, 2004. ISBN 0-17- 622434-3

Destinations: Canadian History Since Confederation, Fifth Edition. Toronto: Thomson Nelson Publishing, 2004.ISBN 0-17-622435-1S

Keegan, John. Warpaths: Travels of a Military Historian in North America. Toronto: Key

Porter Books Limited, 1995. ISBN 1-55013-621-6

Lynn, John A., Giant of the Grand Siecle: The French Army, 1610-1715. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-521-57273-8

McCreery, Christopher. The Canadian Honours System. Toronto: Dundurn Press,

ISBN 1-55002-554-6

Miller, Carman. Painting the Map Red: Canada and the South African War 1899-1902.

Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1993. ISBN 0-7735-0913-5

Morton, Desmond. When Your Number’s Up: The Canadian Soldier in the First World War.

Toronto: Random House of Canada Limited, 1993. ISBN 0-394-22288-1

Reid, Stuart. Quebec 1759: The Battle That Won Canada. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2003. ISBN 1-85532-605-1

Stacey, C.P. Canada and the Age of Conflict: A History of Canadian External Policies Volume 1; 1867-1921. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1984. ISBN 0-8020-6560-0

Canada and the Age of Conflict: A History of Canadian External Policies Volume 2; 1921-1948, The Mackenzie

KingYears. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1984. ISBN 0-8020-6420-5

Woodcock, George. A Social History of Canada. Markham, Ontario: Penguin Books, 1989. ISBN 0-14-010536-0