Grade Level

Grades 6 to 8

Time Required

45 minutes

Curriculum Connection

British Columbia, General Geographic Skills Grades 6 to 8

• construct, interpret and use graphs, tables, grids, scales, legends and various types of maps

British Columbia, Applications of Social Studies Grades 6 to 8

• gather and organize a body of information from primary and secondary print and non-print sources including electronic sources

Link to Canadian National Geography Standards

Essential Element #4 – Human Systems (Grades 6 to 8 standard)

• patterns of culture in Canada and the World (for example, religion, language, ethnicity and economy)

Geographic Skill #4 – Analysing Geographic Information (Grades 6 to 8 skill)

• interpret information obtained from maps, aerial photographs, satellite images and geographic information systems

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

People & Society » Aboriginal Languages » Aboriginal Languages by Community, 1996 Map

Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment

• computer lab with Internet access
• student worksheet

Main Objective

Students will use the online Atlas of Canada to successfully conduct research about the relationship between geography and the diversity of Aboriginal languages.

Learning Outcomes

By the conclusion of the activity, students will be able to:

• access and use the Atlas of Canada Web site as a research tool
• describe the connection between language and cultural patterns
• explain the relationship between geography and Aboriginal languages
• compare patterns of Aboriginal language diversity between the Yukon Territory and Ontario

Introduction

Teacher Activity

• The teacher may wish to incorporate this lesson with a unit on ancient cultures from around the world as a Canadian case study.
• Introduce the online Atlas of Canada as a research tool to find and analyze geographic information.

Student Activity

• Participate in discussion and/or take notes on background information required.

Lesson Development

Teacher Activity

• Distribute the student activity instructions and worksheet to students.
• Review instructions and help students access the Web site.
• Monitor and assist students as they work through the activity.

Student Activity

• Students complete the worksheet as they work through each activity.

Conclusion

Teacher Activity

• Collect the student worksheet answers.

Student Activity

• Submit worksheets to be evaluated.

The student worksheet is printed separately for distribution to students.

• Student Worksheet – The Geography of Aboriginal Languages in Canada

This lesson could be extended by researching a specific aboriginal language community in the Yukon Territory. When students click on the Get Info from Map tool above the map and then on a location on the map, there is a link to the Statistics Canada Community profiles. Students could gather additional information about the communities and prepare a short presentation for a social studies, language arts or communications lesson.

Collect and evaluate the worksheet.

• PDF version (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)