Grade Level

Grades 4 to 5 (may be modified for Grades 6 to 8 by focusing on types and patterns of economic activities)

Time Required

60 to 120 minutes depending on the computer expertise of students

Curriculum Connection

Newfoundland and Labrador, Social Studies Grades 1 to 5

Link to Canadian National Geography Standards

Essential Element #4 – Human Systems

Grades 2 to 3 standard

• patterns of land use and economic activity in the community (for example, agricultural, industrial, commercial, residential, educational and recreational)

Grades 4 to 5 standard

• types of economic activity (resources, manufacturing and service)

Geographic Skill #2 – Acquiring Geographic Information

• locate, gather and process information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including maps
• make and record observations about the physical and human characteristics of places

Atlas of Canada Resources

Go to the Atlas of Canada Web site found at: atlas.gc.ca The following parts of the Web site will be accessed by students during the lesson:

• Explore Our Maps

Economy » Diamond Exploration » Main Areas for Diamond Exploration Map

Economy » Resource Reliant Communities, 1996 » Forest Reliant Communities 1996 Map

Economy » Resource Reliant Communities, 1996 » Mineral Reliant Communities 1996 Map

Reference Maps » Canada Outline

Reference Maps » Provincial and Territorial Outline

• Advanced Search (search for the location of a place on a map option)
• Learning Resources

Quizzes

Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment

• computer lab with Internet access and printer
• digitial data projector
• student worksheet – Harvesting Our Natural Resources: An Introduction to Canada’s Resource Based Economy
• outline maps of Canada, the provinces and territories
• reference print materials such as encyclopedias and magazines

Main Objective

To introduce students to the economic activities of a region based on the natural resources available and to gather information on the location of natural resources using the online Atlas of Canada.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:

• access and navigate the Atlas of Canada Web site
• list two economic activities in Canada based on natural resources
• map one location for each of the two economic activities
• name a community that grew as a result of each economic activity
• locate each of these communities (relative and absolute location) using the online atlas
• define terms used to describe the economic activities
• test their knowledge about Canada using the quizzes
• find specific information about a region/community using the Get Info from Map tool in the interactive maps

Introduction

Teacher Activity

• Review with students the main economic activity of their community or region. Discuss what natural resources are and which ones, if any, are available in the local area.

Student Activity

• Pre-activity: Interview one local person about their occupation.
• Answer questions about the main occupation in their own region.

Lesson Development

Teacher Activity

• Introduce students to the online Atlas of Canada using a data projector and the student worksheet.
• Assign a different province, territory or region of Canada to each student or group of students. Provide an outline map of his or her assigned area to each student or group.
• Review relative and absolute location with students so that they can complete worksheet questions.

Student Activity

• Students view the teacher demonstration and note the basic steps used to access information on the Atlas of Canada Web site.
• Students complete the questions on the worksheet using individual computers. (Students in Grades 4 to 5 may work in groups of two.)

Conclusion

Teacher Activity

• Go over the answers to the questions with the students.

Student Activity

• Students check answers on their worksheet.
• Students make oral presentations on the type and location of economic activity generated by natural resources in order to share their results.

The student worksheet is printed separately for distribution to students.

• Student Worksheet – Harvesting Our Natural Resources

• Use printed copy of outline maps to show relative location of the community or region found in the online atlas.
• Research secondary industries based on natural resources.

An oral presentation by each group on the economic activities generated by the natural resource found in the region that was researched.

• PDF version(Adobe Acrobat Reader required)