What in the World? Level 2 Issue 1

40 Million and Counting

Questions for online exploration (p.9)

1. Visit Statistics Canada and learn more about Canada's 40 million population milestone and our country's growth over time:

2. Watch this video about the growth of Canada's population since it became a country in 1867:

3. Check out Statistics Canada's real-time model population clock:

4. Explore the various services and programs available to people seeking to come to Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):
• Home page:

• Immigration:

• Refugees and Asylum:

• 16 Occupations that will guarantee permanent residence status in Canada:

 Graphing (p.10)

What's next for Donald Trump?

Before reading (p.15)

1. Have students view a summary of the charges Donald Trump is facing:

Questions for online exploration (p.21)

1. Explore a more detailed summary of the magnitude of the charges Mr. Trump is facing:

2. Check out the news reports that appeared right after each of Mr. Trump's four criminal charges:

#1: Daniels affair

#2: Classified documents

#3: Election theft

#4: Racketeering

3. Find out what the indictments mean for Trump’s reelection bid:

4.  How does a U.S. presidential election work?

5. Prior to the presidential election in November, U.S. states hold primaries and caucuses. Learn more about how they work:

Niger in Turmoil

Before reading (p.26)

Ask groups of 4 students to number themselves 1, 2, 3, 4 and have each keep track of the first, second, third, and fourth key ideas respectively while viewing the following video showing the four ideas they need to know about the coup in Niger:

Questions for online exploration (p.31)

1. Learn more about the coup in Niger:

2. There are a number of stakeholders who may be impacted by the coup in Niger: ECOWAS countries; the European Union; the United States; Canada; and Russia. Learn more about the concerns and interests of these stakeholders:

3. Learn more about the country of Niger:

The James Webb Space Telescope

Before reading (p.38)

Have students view the following summary report about the James Webb Space Telescope and its mission:

Questions for online exploration (p.46)

1. Visit NASA's official James Webb Space Telescope site to learn more about the mission:

2. Watch the construction of the James Webb Telescope:

3. Explore the JWST photo albums to find the photos described in the article:
 

2022:

2023:

4. Learn more about Canada’s role in the James Webb Space Telescope and its Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS):

5. Check out these lesson plans, activities, and programs, developed by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, that relate to the James Webb Space Telescope:

Inquiry project

The Steps of an Inquiry Project (p.49)

Check out these short videos to learn how to check the credibility and reliability of websites:

How to evaluate sources for reliability:

How to check if a website is credible:

Helpful Teacher Resources on Inquiry-based Learning (p.51)

1. Check out Trevor MacKenzie’s website with links to podcasts, blogs, social media links, and other resources on Inquiry‑based learning:

• https://www.trevormackenzie.com

2. John Spenser is another educator whose videos, blogs, and resources offer practical strategies and structures for engaging students in inquiry. Here are two to get you started:

“Helping Students Ask Better Questions by Creating a Culture of Inquiry”

“Using a Wonder Week to Spark Inquiry-based Learning”

3. Edutopia has a number of articles on student inquiry, including:

“What the heck is Inquiry-based Learning?”

“Resources and Downloads to Facilitate Inquiry-based Learning”

I love this publication! It is an excellent complement to my Social Studies curriculum and the activities enable me to cover many provincial outcomes.

S. Giffin, Grade 6 teacher Dartmouth, NS