Canadian World Studies Department /
COURSE NAME: Canada: History, Identity and Culture
COURSE CODE: CHI 4U
COURSE OVERVIEW:
This course explores the challenges associated with the formation of a Canadian national identity. Students will examine the social, political, and economic forces that have shaped Canada from the pre-contact period to the present and will investigate the historical roots of contemporary issues from a variety of perspectives. Students will use critical-thinking and communication skills to consider events and ideas in historical context, debate issues of culture and identity, and present their own views.
Course Strands & Overall Expectations:
A. Communities: Local, National, and GlobalA1 / describe the characteristics of Aboriginal communities before and after contact with Europeans and analyse the significant effects of the interactions between Aboriginal communities and the colonizers;
A2 / analyse the principal characteristics of the French and English colonial experience in Canada;
A3 / assess the significance of successive waves of immigration in the development of regional, provincial, and national identities in Canada;
A4 / evaluate Canada’s changing role on the international stage.
B. Change and Continuity
B1 / analyse how Canada’s relationships with France, Britain, and the United States have influenced Canada’s identity and culture;
B2 / evaluate the role of east-west and north-south ties in the development of Canada;
B3 / assess changes in Canada’s rural-agricultural and urban-industrial communities;
B4 / analyse the relationship between major technological and social changes in Canada;
B5 / evaluate the extent to which Canada has been transformed into a pluralistic society
C. Citizenship and Heritage
C1 / analyse the evolution of citizenship in Canada;
C2 / analyse how various francophone communities have defined themselves and their place in Canada;
C3 / assess the role played by literature, the arts, and popular culture in the development of Canadian identity;
C4 / evaluate the claim that Canada is a just society, by examining issues related to human rights
D. Social, Economic, and Political Structures
D1 / analyse changes in Canadian social programs and policies over time;
D2 / analyse the changing roles and contributions of women in Canada;
D3 / evaluate the impact of Canada’s national and international economic policies on Canadian identity and sovereignty;
D4 / describe the nature of the Canadian political system and the groups and individuals who have contributed to its development;
D5 / assess the efforts of popular movements to reform Canadian society
E. Methods of Historical Inquiry and Communication
E1 / use methods of historical inquiry to locate, gather, evaluate, and organize research materials from a variety of sources;
E2 / interpret and analyse information gathered through research, employing concepts and approaches appropriate to historical inquiry;
E3 / communicate the results of historical inquiries, using appropriate terms and concepts and a variety of forms of communication.
LEARNING RESOURCES:
Brune, Nick, Mark Bulgutch, John Fielding, Alison Faulknor, Reg Hawes, Maryrose O'Neill, Denyse O'Leary, Dick Holland, Jennifer Burnell, and Christine Shaine. Defining Canada: History, Identity and Culture. Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 2003.
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:
Students will be evaluated according to the overall expectations of this course. Students will receive ongoing feedback via assessments that they can use to improve their learning and ability to demonstrate course expectations.
The following conversion chart shows how the four levels of achievement are aligned to
percentage marks:
AchievementLevel / 4+ / 4 / 4- / 3+ / 3 / 3- / 2+ / 2 / 2- / 1+ / 1 / 1-
Percentage Mark Range / 95-100 / 87-94 / 80-86 / 77-79 / 73-76 / 70-72 / 67-69 / 63–66 / 60-62 / 57-59 / 53-56 / 50–52
Below Level 1 (R) signifies additional learning is required to demonstrate competency in the expectation being evaluated.
An “I” signifies that the student has not provided evidence to allow the expectation to be evaluated.
The final mark will be based on 70% course work and 30% summative evaluations [exam(s) and/or performance task(s)].