|
"Canada and Canadians are . . . particularly vulnerable to any changes in global system that may result from global change." (Global Change and Canadians, p.6.)
Summary
Chapter 2 discusses the importance of global change to Canada and Canadians. Canada is a large country, with a relatively small population, heavily dependent on natural resources to maintain its economy. Further, the geography and location make Canada particularly susceptible to certain types of global change. Canada and Canadians also have a responsibility to provide aid and assistance to less developed countries. We must help these countries reduce their adverse effects on the global environment while taking responsibility for our own contribution. The final section of this chapter points out the urgent need for rapid action on a global scale.
Educational Significance
Canadians tend to view the consequences of global change as being the concern of other countries, especially those which are poor and overpopulated. However, a closer examination reveals that Canadians too are experiencing the consequences of global change.
The Canadian economy is largely resource-based and we rely on natural resources in this country to fuel many sectors of our economy. Thus, when global changes occur, they can have profound impacts on our economy and our quality of life. For example: the Atlantic Canada fisheries are suffering from reduced commercial fish catches, rain forests are being threatened in British Columbia and Prairie ecosystems have changed through large-scale agricultural practices.
Canadians need to perceive global changes as problems of major importance to the country and the planet. Of importance, also, is the idea that Canada can play a strategic role in solving the problems of global environmental change.
We also need to see global change as an opportunity to advance the knowledge capital of the country by furthering investigation into the causes, consequences and solutions to global change problems.
Opportunities exist for new employment for Canadians involved in global change research, in developing environmentally responsible consumer goods, and in world-wide education and health programs.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- develop a historical perspective on a local ecosystem;
- determine the effect of human activity on local ecosystems;
- outline local economic factors affecting the environment;
- understand how local subsystems are part of a larger national and global ecosystem;
- debate, discuss, and plan for positive action;
- understand Canada's global responsibility to less wealthy and developed countries;
- develop their ability to research, interview, and prepare presentations;
- teach others; and
- work cooperatively.
Suggested Learning Activities
[Sidebar
To be active learners, students will need to know:
a) how to find information;
b) how to evaluate the sources and the quality of information; and
c) how to present information to others.]
The following activities are presented as ideas for focusing students on the global change issues related in the chapter. Whether you decide to develop one, or many, of these activities, they should always be introduced by relating them to major themes contained within the chapter.
Students should be encouraged to be creative in their choice of media: print in various forms, slides, audio-tapes, video-tapes, graphs, maps, Hypercard stacks and other computer programs, etc.
Activities for research should include the search of on-line and CD ROM databases (Internet, Dialog Classmate, Southam Infomart, Infoglobe) Statistics Canada's E-STAT, local and national newspapers, and whatever else the school, public, college or university libraries allow.
As well, interviews with long-time residents, First Nations elders, local museum curators, business people, provincial and national Ministry of the Environment staff, local naturalists, etc. provide valuable resource material.
2.0 YOUR LOCAL ECOSYSTEM
Divide the class into three groups. Each group will participate in one of the following three activities, so that information about the past, the present, and the relation of the local area to the larger Canadian economy and environment can be developed simultaneously. Each group will work together to interview, research, and prepare information to present to the rest of the class.
2.1 SNAPSHOTS: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
In this activity, students will develop a sense of the history of the economic, demographic, and environmental state of their local ecosystem. With this sense of history they will develop an understanding of the impact of human activity on their own community and natural environment (see Appendix 1-Sample Lesson Plans for a detailed description of this activity).
Through investigation and interviews, they will create a scenario (written, oral, video, or other presentation medium) of what their local region was like:
- before European settlement
- in the early years of European settlement
- 100 years ago
- 50 years ago
- 20 years ago
2.2 TAKING INVENTORY
What is your local ecosystem like now? Students will take an inventory of local resources and attempt to define the state of the local ecosystem. Items for inventory may include planned green space, watershed, demographic information, temperature, precipitation, climate, local wildlife, etc. This information will be used to help students relate the state of the local ecosystem at the present time with the state of the ecosystem in the past (see previous activity). Students will also be able to use this information to relate their local ecosystem and economy with other regions in Canada.
2.3 A CROSS-CANADA GLIMPSE
Students will compare their local ecosystem (biome) with a variety of ecosystems across Canada. Create a large wall map of Canada (an enlargement of Figure 3, Global Change and Canadians, p 5). Outline the various ecosystems in Canada, and use colour or a variety of design "fills" to differentiate them. Indicate your local region on the map. A small paper "flag" or brighter colour would work. In groups, pairs, or individually, students investigate different ecosystems. Information can be displayed around the map, on paper, with pictures, maps, graphs, etc. Colored string connects the information displayed to the ecosystem areas on the map. (See Appendix 1-Sample Lesson Plans for a detailed description of this activity.)
2.4 OUR ECONOMY
Students will investigate the local economic resource base. This could include commercial (inner city), agricultural (be specific), tourism, mining, forestry, fishing, hunting, manufacturing, etc. This information should be factual, but also discuss ways in which the local economy affects the environment, locally and globally. Another important focus for research into the local resource base is to determine where the resource fits into the world economy. What are the local resources and where is the market for those resources? What does the future of the resource industry look like? Is the local resource industry involved in developing appropriate environmental practices?
2.5 DISCUSSION AND DEBATE
Discussion and debate topics assist students to better understand the consequences of diminishing resources for the Canadian economy, quality of life, and future of our wildlife and environment. Debate and discussion can also help students to begin to formulate action plans for sustainable development and for enhancing the local, national, and global environments. Topics for debate could include:
- How does your local resource-based economy affect global ecosystems?
- How does global environmental degradation affect your local economy, and natural environment?
- What are the consequences of continued development for Canada and the rest of the world?
- What can students do to enhance the local ecosystem, and what consequences does that have for the local economy? For the people dependent on the resource-based economy?
2.6 ACTION
Global change research is concerned with providing the basis for well-reasoned global action. Students can begin to "think globally, act locally" by investigating local environmental action and research projects. With that information available, students can assess the need to develop a plan of action to enhance the environment in their school, their home, and their community. The plan of action could include becoming involved in local environmental enhancement projects, as well as developing an action plan for "cleaning up" the school, the home, and the community.
Assessment
- Significance of global change for Canada. Students can be evaluated on their ability to relate global change to Canada. They can, for example, assess the impact of global change and the global economy on the local resource base. They can, to the extent their area depends on natural resources, relate activities on a local scale with similar resource economies across the country. Assessment should focus on how well they are able to display the significance of global change to Canada.
- Student assessment can focus on how well they are able to display an understanding of the effect of Canada's resource-based economy on global change.
- How well did tudents assess the impact of local economic activity on global environmental and economic problems by taking an inventory of local environmental problems and by developing a sense of historical changes locally?
- Were they able to compare local and regional environmental and economic degradation and improvement activities with other ecosystems of Canada and the world?
- Canada is a steward of vast natural resources. How well did students investigate the many ecosystems and natural resources within Canada's boundaries? Did they display an understanding of the value of Canada's natural resources to the world and to Canadians?
- Were students able to assess and create reports and presentations about Canada's contribution to global environmental and economic problems, and our opportunity to act as a model for others? Through teaching others, preparing presentations and through discussion and debate, were students able to assess critically Canada's role as a steward of vast natural resources and as a potential agent for environmental and economic improvement worldwide? Assessment should focus on how well students were able to perform these tasks and display their knowledge.
|
