Canadian Geography 1201
Number of Credits: 2
Textbook
Graduation Requirements: Students are required to obtain at least
2 credits in Canadian Studies.
Encounter Canada – Healy, Hurlington, Mulrine & Costello
What course was designed for and characteristics needed for success:
Canadian Geography 1202 is designed to introduce students to systems thinking. Systems
thinking is an approach used to guide inquiries in order to understand how things influence one
another within a whole. In physical geography systems thinking is used to understand how
elements such as climate, soil, water and vegetation interact to create ecosystems. In human
geography people create structures and processes that interact in order to bring about a
desired result, such as a transportation system.
Upon completion of this course, students should have a deeper understanding of Canada’s
natural and human systems. Further, they should be able to use a systems thinking approach to
address issues in both personal and community contexts.
Course Description:
Canadian Geography 1202 will enable the student to examine and reflect upon the spatial
organization of relationships between Canadians with their diverse northern environment and
the world community. More specifically, a geographical study of Canada contributes to an
understanding of the composite of the physical, economic, and cultural features of Canada.
There are interrelated basic features which hold consequences for the way Canadians live.
These fundamental features may be expressed as follows:
Integrated Concepts and Processes (Geographic Inquiry Model)
Unit One: Natural and Human Systems
Unit Two: Human Population Issues in Canadian Geography
Unit Three: Economic Issues in Canadian Geography
Unit Four: Global Issues in Canadian Geography
The course Canadian Geography has been designed to provide students with a discovery
approach to Canadian geography. Students will be presented with the opportunity to learn
new geographic concepts and ideas which are directly related to the geography of Canada.
Throughout the semester students will learn such concepts as:
 Canada, Geography & You
 A world of systems
 Ecozones
 The human landscape
 Sustainable communities
 Natural resources or the future
 Canada’s energy resources
 Canadians as global citizens
At the end of each chapter or combined chapters, a comprehensive test will follow.
Evaluation
Mid Term Exam 15%
Final Exam 25% (comprehensive from Sept. to June)
Test 30%
Other Data Sources 30%
Other Data Sources Breakdown (Student Portfolio)
 Journals 5% - here students will be given a critical thinking question which will require them to
use their knowledge and information about that topic.
 Glossary terminology (definitions & applications) 5% - here students will write out the correct
definition (bold terms) and apply each term in a proper sentence
 Student Resource Assessments (SRA’s) 10% - here students will be required to complete inclass
assessments that will be collected as part of a student portfolio
 Case Studies (Using Blackline Masters – BLM’s) 10% - here students will be required to complete
case studies that are topic related. These assessments will be a part of the student portfolio.
Students will put this collection of work in a binder that will be passed in periodically for assessment. If
a student misses any work, it is their responsibility to get the missed work.