Grade 9 Social Studies

Year Long plan

Miss. Denyer

Title: Introduction
Duration: September 12th September 23rd 2016
Class Breakdown: 7 instructional classes, 1 evaluation day, 2 work days and 1 flex day
Unit Essential Questions
1. What is the purpose of Social Studies and to what extent does it influence your life?
2. How do the government system, justice, economics and consumerism work together to form
Canada?

Outcomes*
9.1.3 - appreciate how emerging issues impact
quality of life, citizenship and identity in
Canada
*As this is the introduction to social studies other
outcomes will be incorporated depending on the
direction of group discussions. The main objective of
this mini-unit is to get the students familiar with the
subject and show them what they will be learning
about over the course of the year.

Assessments
A booklet will be given to the students will all of
the assignments in it.
Various Quizzes: A couple of review

questions to help prepare the students for their

unit exam at the end of the class.
Video Questions: Various videos will be
watched throughout the unit. Each video will
have either a post activity or a pre-activity.
Usually the activities will be question based
however, sometimes the videos will have a
class based activity.
Quality of Life: The students will learn about
the quality of life through a short reading in the
textbook. There will be a class discussion about
their current quality of life. A simulation will
show them how quickly their quality of life can
change and how they would feel about that
change?
Case Study (Emma/Joe): After reading the
case study and organizing the information
students will decide who has the better quality
of life. This will be partially an opinion based
decision because what one person considers to
be a poor quality of life someone else might
consider it to be a wonderful quality of life.
Flag/Symbol Assignment: The students will
be asked to create a new symbol for Canada.
They will draw the new symbol in their booklet
and below it explain why they choose this new
symbol for their country.
Flag Contest: Using their new symbol the
students have created they will now create a

Grade 9 Social Studies

Year Long plan
Miss. Denyer
new flag. Space will be provided for them
within the booklet to draw it. Students will then
judge their peers and decide which flag would
be the best fit for Canada.

Title: Government of Canada

Duration: September 26th October 21st 2016
Class Breakdown:
Unit Essential Questions
1. What is the structure of Canadas federal political system?
2. How do laws become laws?
3. To what extent does the media connect Canadians to their government?
4. What do lobbyists do?

Outcomes

Assessments
A booklet will be given to the students with all of

9.1.4 -examine the structure of Canada's federal the assignments in it.

political system by exploring and reflecting upon
Prime Minister for a Day: The students
the following questions and issues:
will read a quick comic in the textbook and
How are laws passed in the federal
think about that what they would do if they
political system?
were able to be the Prime Minister for one day.
What is the relationship between the
They will pitch their ideas to their class
executive, legislative and judicial
(through small group presentations) once they
branches of Canada's federal political
have completed a brochure and small speech.
system?
Curio Activity: After watching the short 6
What processes are used to determine
minute video the students will complete the
Members of Parliament (MPs) and
corresponding activity. This video takes the
Senators?
students through the different sections of
To whom are Members of Parliament and
Canadian government. Looking back at their
Senators accountable?
PM for the day do they think their change
What is the role of political parties within
would make it through all the different steps.
Canada's federal political system?
The students will write a short reflection
What is the role of the media in relation
comparing their initial PM for the day and the
to political issues?
potentially revised version.
How do lobby groups impact government
Government Video: This short video shows
decision making?
how laws are created. Once the video is
To what extent do political and
finished students will think of 1 law that they
legislative processes meet the needs of
want me make. By random draw we will pick a
all Canadians?
couple of laws and debate whether or not they
9.1.5 - analyze the role that citizens and
would pass through the different stages that
organizations play in Canada's justice
they saw in the video.

Grade 9 Social Studies

Year Long plan
Miss. Denyer
system by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions and issues:
How do citizens and organizations
participate in Canada's justice system
(i.e., jury duty, knowing the law,
advocacy, John Howard Society,
Elizabeth Fry Society)?
What are citizens' legal roles and their
responsibilities?

Written Response: This response will come

part-way through the unit and will be used as a
mid-point evaluation to see how the students
are doing. The response could be an essay, a
structured paragraph, a brochure, etc. The
students will also be given a list of questions
for which they can respond to.
Unit Test: In preparation for the final PAT
exam there will be a unit test for each chapter
throughout the year. This assessment is broken
up into multiple parts. 1) Key terms quiz two
days before the unit test to help the students
study and see where they are at. 2) Mini-test
the day before with 10 questions to help the
students study and gauge where they need to
study more. 3) The actual unit test. 4) Test
corrections will be done the day after the test
each student will be given a piece of paper to
complete to self-diagnose where they need to
improve on and what mistakes were made.

Title: Youth Criminal Justice Act

Duration: October 24th November 18th 2016
Class Breakdown: 2 non-instructional days
Unit Essential Questions
1. How do Canadas justice system and the Youth Criminal Justice Act attempt to treat young offenders
fairly and equitably?
2. What role do Canadian citizens and organizations play in the fairness and equity of Canadas justice
system for youth?

Outcomes
9.1.5 analyze the role that citizens and
organizations play in Canadas justice
system by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions and issues:
How do citizens and organizations
participate in Canadas justice system
(i,e,, jury duty, knowing the lar,
advocacy, John Howard Society,
Elizabeth Fry Society)?
What are citizens legal roles and their
responsibilies?

Assessments
A booklet will be given to the students with all of
the assignments in it.
Inside the Justice System: In groups of 3

the students will take part in a comic read aloud

after which they will answer a series of
questions within the booklet. This section
focuses on the rights they have and the
corresponding result.
Chapter Questions: These questions span
the entire chapter. There are a set of questions

Grade 9 Social Studies

Year Long plan
Miss. Denyer

What is the intention of the Youth

Criminal Justice Act?

Values & Attitudes

Social studies provides learning opportunities for
students to:

value the diversity, respect the dignity and

support the equality of all human beings

demonstrate social compassion, fairness and

justice

for every major section within the chapter.

These questions will help prepare the students
for the unit test, mid-term exam and final PAT
at the end of the year.
Youth Have Rights! Assignment: The
assignment is meant to review and remember
the rights youth have if they get arrested. In
groups the students will make a 1 minute
commercial to explain the rights youth have if
arrested. How the commercial is set up depends
on the choices of the group but they will be
marked on how well the message comes across
to the audience. This assignment will end with
each group presenting to the class.
Group Scenarios: In groups of 3-4 the
students will read three different scenarios and
use the flow chart to predict the consequences
of the young person from within the scenario.
As a class we will go through them and
compare each of the different answers that the
group comes up with.
Anecdotal Notes: The students will read a
secondary reading Young Offenders Act, Pros
& Cons. Each student will have a copy of the
article and they will make highlight the
important sections and create anecdotal notes
in the margins to help understand the reading.
Juror Assignment: The students will walk
around the classroom reading mini-bios of
different jury members. Based on the
information they are given from the bios and
the knowledge they have received from the
textbook they must determine if the jury
member can in fact be on the jury.
Written Response: This response will come
part-way through the unit and will be used as a
mid-point evaluation to see how the students
are doing. The response could be an essay, a
structured paragraph, a brochure, etc. The
students will also be given a list of questions
for which they can respond to.

Grade 9 Social Studies

Year Long plan
Miss. Denyer

Unit Test: In preparation for the final PAT

exam there will be a unit test for each chapter
throughout the year. This assessment is broken
up into multiple parts. 1) Key terms quiz two
days before the unit test to help the students
study and see where they are at. 2) Mini-test
the day before with 10 questions to help the
students study and gauge where they need to
study more. 3) The actual unit test. 4) Test
corrections will be done the day after the test
each student will be given a piece of paper to
complete to self-diagnose where they need to
improve on and what mistakes were made.

Title: Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Duration: November 21st December 12th 2016
Class Breakdown: 4 non-instructional days
Unit Essential Questions
1. How does the Charter protect individual rights and freedoms?
2. How does the Charter affect law making in Canada?
3. How does the Charter affect the workplace?

Outcomes

Assessments

9.1.1 - appreciate the impact of the Canadian

Charter of Rights and Freedoms on
rights and governance in Canada
9.1.6 - assess, critically, the impact of the
Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms on the legislative process in
Canada by exploring and reflecting
upon the following questions and issues:
In what ways has the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms fostered recognition
of individual rights in Canada?

A booklet will be given to the students with all of

the assignments in it.
Chapter Questions: Throughout the booklet

How does the Canadian Charter of Rights

and Freedoms support individuals in
exercising their rights?

In what ways has the Canadian Charter of

Rights and Freedoms affected conditions
in the workplace (i.e., issues of gender,
age, race, religion)?

there are different questions and activities for

the students to work through. Some are
matching questions by reading through
different scenarios as well as short answer
written questions.
Secondary Reading: Each student will be
given a copy of a reading discussing the 30th
anniversary of the Charter. The students will be
asked to highlight the key points within the
article and write down anecdotal notes within
the margins. Additionally there are
supplementary questions following the reading
that the students will work on.
Right vs. Responsibility: For this unit the
vocabulary used throughout is key. The Charter

Grade 9 Social Studies

Year Long plan
Miss. Denyer

What is the relationship between the rights

guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms and the
responsibilities of Canadian citizens?

9.1.7 - assess, critically, how the increased demand

for recognition of collective rights has
impacted the legislative process in Canada
by exploring and reflecting upon the
following questions and issues:
In what ways has the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms fostered recognition
of collective rights in Canada?

In what ways does the Canadian Charter of

Rights and Freedoms meet the needs of
Francophones in minority settings?

To what extent does the Canadian Charter

of Rights and Freedoms meet the needs of
Francophones in Qubec?

is written with precise, specific language and it

is of the utmost importance that students
understand the vocabulary. Students will read
different scenarios and decide whether they fall
under right or responsibility. Later on students
will be given the right and will turn the
statement into a corresponding responsibility.
This will help the students visualize the
difference.
Case Study (Keegstra): Students will be
given a news article that focuses on the teacher
who was telling his class that the Holocaust did
not happen. Students will discuss the Charter
and take a stance to decide if what is happening
within the article is right or wrong?
Case Study (Bountiful & FLQ): Students
will be given a news article from 2009 that
focuses on Canadas polygamy law. Students
will discuss the Charter and take a stance to
decide if what is happening within the article is
right or wrong?
Written Response: This response will come
part-way through the unit and will be used as a
mid-point evaluation to see how the students
are doing. The response could be an essay, a
structured paragraph, a brochure, etc. The
students will also be given a list of questions
for which they can respond to.
Unit Test: In preparation for the final PAT
exam there will be a unit test for each chapter
throughout the year. This assessment is broken
up into multiple parts. 1) Key terms quiz two
days before the unit test to help the students
study and see where they are at. 2) Mini-test
the day before with 10 questions to help the
students study and gauge where they need to
study more. 3) The actual unit test. 4) Test
corrections will be done the day after the test
each student will be given a piece of paper to
complete to self-diagnose where they need to
improve on and what mistakes were made.

Grade 9 Social Studies

Year Long plan
Miss. Denyer

Title: Review and Exam

Duration: December 13th December 16th 2016
Class Breakdown: classes unknown based around school activities for the holiday break
Unit Essential Questions: there are no essential questions for this unit as these weeks are used as review
prior to writing the mid-term exam before the holiday break

Outcomes

Assessments

Many of the above outcomes will be covered during

the review. As this is a time to prepare the students
for the PAT exam the outcomes outlined in the above
3 units will be repeated during this time.

A review booklet will be given to the students with

all of the assignments in it.
Mid-Term Exam