This course is designed for Grade 4 students to teach social studies by addressing two important aspects of social studies such as (i) heritage and identity: early societies to 1500 CE and (ii) people and environments: political and physical regions of Canada. In heritage and identity, students compare key aspects of life in a few early societies (to 1500), including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, each from a different region and era and representing a different culture, and describe some key similarities and differences between these early societies and present-day Canadian society; use the social studies inquiry process to investigate ways of life and relationships with the environment in a few early societies (to 1500), including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, with an emphasis on aspects of the interrelationship between the environment and life in those societies; demonstrate an understanding of key aspects of a few early societies (to 1500), including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, each from a different region and era and representing a different culture, with reference to their political and social organization, daily life, and relationships with the environment and with each other.
In people and environments, students assess some key ways in which industrial development and the natural environment affect each other in two or more political and/or physical regions of Canada; use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some issues and challenges associated with balancing human needs/wants and activities with environmental stewardship in one or more of the political and/or physical regions of Canada; identify Canada’s political and physical regions, and describe their main characteristics and some significant activities that take place in them.