What in the World? Level 2 Issue 2

Canada's Housing Crisis

Before reading (p. 4)

Have students watch this video of the prime minister addressing some of the reasons why the housing crisis exists:

Questions for online exploration (p.9)

1 . Find out more about Prime Minister Trudeau's plans for dealing with the housing crisis in Canada:

2. Learn why many observers say Canada is not doing enough to address the housing crisis:

3. Find out why some observers believe that the latest housing announcements by the three major federal parties are politically motivated:

4. Read a report, written by industry experts and advocates, on how to fix the housing crisis in Canada:

5. Find out why getting homes built is so complicated:

6. What is a mortgage?

7. Why do we pay income tax?

Ontario's Greenbelt Scandal

Before reading (p.11)

Project this map of Ontario’s Greenbelt from Greenbelt.ca, a foundation with the purpose of ensuring that the Greenbelt remains “permanent, protected, and prosperous”:

Questions for online exploration (p.16)

1. Learn more about this controversy in these general reports. What new information did you gather?

2. Learn the details of Auditor General Lysyk's report. Which piece of information did you find interesting?

3. What did Integrity Commissioner Wake conclude in his report?

4. Listen to Premier Ford address the Auditor General's findings in this situation and his surprising decision to reverse  development of the Greenbelt.

5. Two of Premier Ford's MPPs and a Ministry of Housing staffer have resigned from their positions in recent days:
• Minister of Housing Steven Clark:

• Conservative MPP Kaleed Rasheed:

•Ministry of Housing Staffer Ryan Amato:

6. Hear from Ontario farmers and First Nations about their perspectives on this issue.

7. Visit greenbelt.ca to learn more about this organization and its efforts to ensure that the Greenbelt remains "permanent, protected, and prosperous":

Disasters Strike Two African Nations

Before reading (p.23)

Have students view the following two slideshows:

Questions for online exploration (p.28)

1. Learn more about the earthquake that hit Morocco:

2. Explore some of the factors that made this disaster more destructive:

3. Meet a seismologist who explains the circumstances around the quake in Morocco:

4. How are Moroccans coping after the quake and how are Moroccan-Canadians reaching out to help?

5. Discover more about the country of Morocco. Would you like to travel there in the future?

6. Learn more about the flooding in Libya:

7. How did Libya's rival governments contribute to this disaster?

8. The city of Derna, Libya was the hardest hit. Find out how its citizens are coping and how the world is supporting them:

9. Explore data and information about the country of Libya. What did you learn?

Hung up On Cell Phones

Questions for online exploration (p.41)

1. Learn how Canadian schools are experimenting with cell phone bans:

2. What challenges did Ontario anticipate when making the decision to ban cell phones in classrooms?

3. How did Ontario high school students react to the cell phone ban?

4. What do the experts say that smartphones are doing to young people?

5. Hear from a teacher in PEI who told his students to leave their cell phones on in class:

6. Some researchers suggest that we would be more creative, more connected, and happier if we put down our smartphones:

7. Review the UNESCO report on smartphone use in classrooms:

Inquiry project

The Steps of an Inquiry Project (p. 44)

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. 47)

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

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”

The currency of this resource can't be beat.

B. Kotzer, Grade 8/9 teacher, Langenburg, SK