WILD CANADA TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDE (Episode 1) Synopsis This first episode of the Wild Canada series takes the viewer on a cross‐country journey that challenges some of the assumptions Canadians have made about the country’s natural features, and highlights the various frontiers that have existed over thousands of years. The story begins in Newfoundland with John Cabot’s discovery of the New World and its abundant resource of fish. Moving inland, eastern Canada’s inhabitants managed oak forests, making them highly productive food sources. On the prairie frontier, we meet prong‐horned antelope, relics of a time when cheetahs roamed Canada’s west. Mountain goats and the spirit bear greet us as we venture further west through the Rocky Mountains and onwards to the coast. In the Arctic we learn that the north was once fertile grassland that supported vast herds of grazers and mammoths. What appears to us as a wet, boggy, barren landscape is actually the most transformed environment in the entire country thanks to human activities in Canada and beyond our borders. Stunning video captures the many wonders of this vast nation and causes us to question what we thought we knew. Key Vocabulary Consider the following terms before viewing the video. Define the words that are new to you. nutrient habitat albino pheromone hardwood chasm predator hibernate frontier pristine lichen glaciers rudder nocturnal grasslands savannah sediments shoals sinkhole steppe tundra Big Ideas •
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Canada’s frontier has existed in all areas of the country at various moments in history. Humans have shaped Canada’s environment over thousands of years. Canada’s famous natural features are not completely natural, but instead have been shaped by humans. Viewing Questions Answer these questions as you watch the video. 1. What are some of Canada’s characteristics that surpass other countries (e.g. longest, largest, most)? 2. Why do humpback whales migrate thousands of kilometres each year to the seas off the coast of Newfoundland? 3. What challenges do capelin face in their quest to reproduce? 4. Where did the term “Red Indian” originate? 5. How was fire used to create diverse, fertile landscapes in eastern Canada? 6. How have the different species of the boreal forest adapted to the harsh winter conditions? Consider the features and/or habits of the wolverine, polar bear, flying squirrel and red‐sided garter snake. 7. Why is the spirit bear’s fur white? 8. Why do scientists believe that the wet and boggy tundra of Canada’s north was once a grassland known as the mammoth steppe? Why did the fertile grassland disappear? 9. Global warming is opening up a new frontier in Canada’s north. In what ways is this fundamentally different from frontiers of the past? Instructional Activities 1. Why does the video describe our beautiful, multi‐coloured maple forests as a “relatively recent creation”? If maples are not our oldest trees, what could replace the maple leaf as an appropriate symbol for Canada? Brainstorm a list of possible symbols and design a new flag, five dollar bill or coat of arms, using the best symbols in your list. 2. Create an annotated map of Canada for this video. Colour the forest regions and add places (e.g. Newfoundland, Stikine River) and creatures (e.g. garter snakes, prong‐horned antelope) featured in the video. If you are using a digital format, add image links and brief descriptions for each. Follow all mapping conventions and be sure to cite your image sources. 3. As you watch the video, complete the organizer provided. Then select one region you would like to visit and write a short paragraph that could be used in a travel brochure about Canada’s wild places. Your paragraph should compel people to visit your chosen region. Forest Region
Boreal
Mixed
Prairies
Mountain
Temperate Rainforest
Tundra
Arctic
4. Description
Animals Profiled
Thoughts or Questions
According to this episode, humans have been managing Canada’s environment for centuries. What have been some of the outcomes of this management? In what ways do we manage our natural surroundings today? Which forms of management are more easily accepted and which are challenged (e.g. national park versus cod moratorium)? What distinguishes the two? With a partner, select two examples of environmental management – one that’s accepted, and one that’s challenged. Discuss the pros and cons of each and evaluate whether or not they should continue. Share your conclusions with the class in a whole group discussion. Extensions a. The maple leaf is Canada’s most famous national symbol. When was this decided and by whom? What other Canadian symbols originate from our physical environment? Identify 5 such symbols and provide a brief background on each one, where they are located, and how they were selected to represent Canada. b. Create an organizer with the following headings: Forest, Location, Size, Key Tree Species, Major Wildlife Species, Human Uses, Threats. Then compare Canada’s boreal forest to 3 other major forests in the world by completing the organizer. Check with your teacher for forest suggestions. What commonalities or differences can you see between the forests in your completed organizer? c. This episode hinted at some interesting adventures that one can experience in Canada. Whale watching off the coast of Newfoundland and paddling down the Stikine River in British Columbia are two examples. Find five more extreme or exciting activities that adventurous individuals could do in Canada. Then create a brochure, video or website that promotes these activities under the banner of “Wild Adventures in Wild Canada”. d. According to the video, Canada’s newest frontier is the north. As warming global temperatures cause ice and permafrost to melt, the appearance of the north is changing rapidly. In a group of five, research the impacts of a warmer climate on Canada’s polar region, specifically on the water, land, people and wildlife. In addition, look at the challenges to Canada’s sovereignty that may arise in the north. Summarize your findings and make predictions of what the Arctic might look like in 100 years. Present your ideas to the class in an interesting and engaging format.