Social Studies 9

Mr. Weichel
Contact and Availability
School hours until 4PM
Email: weichelj@wrca.ca
Phone extension #123
Website: waypointweichel.weebly.com
Course Introduction
In Social Studies, it is our hope that
students learn more about themselves,
Hernn Corts and his conquistadors
storm the Aztec Teocalli
each other, and the world we inhabit. In this
course, we hope that students develop
critical thinking skills and demonstrate their ability to interpret evidence, navigate
perspectives, and embrace the process of inquiry. Students in Social Studies 9 will
develop these skillsets while investigating multiple thematic case studies from the
16th through the 19th centuries truly a period of global transformations as well as
select studies of current issues in Canada and their historical roots. Students
completing Social Studies 9 will be able to discuss many of the critical formative
issues of the modern world they find themselves in.
Units of Study
1. The Industrial Revolution: The Emergence of the Modern World
What is the relationship between technological innovation and social change? Is
technological progress a good thing?
2. Colonialism: Guns, Germs, Steel
How does colonialism affect local populations? Why are some civilizations able
to conquer others?
3. Revolutions: Evaluating Cause and Effect
What causes a revolution? How can people change society? Do revolutions have
to be violent to be successful?
4. Nationalism and the Formation of Modern Nation-States
Can there be a true national identity?
5. First Nations: Idle No More and Truth and Reconciliation
To what extent are Canadas First Nations on the path to healing and
empowerment?
6. Environmental Issues in Canada: Selected Case Study
What are the competing voices in Canadas oil industry? Is consensus possible
with complex environmental challenges and competing belief systems?

Assessment
Students must understand the difference between formative and summative
assessment.
Formative Assessment
Think of formative assessment as on-going check-ins to see how you are doing with
the skills and concepts being taught in a particular unit. This can be done in many
ways: blog posts / journal entries / paragraph responses, class discussion, practice
assignments like document questions or mindmaps, quizzes, etc. In short, most of
the day to day work you might do in a class is designed so that both you and your
teacher can gauge your progress and understanding. Its a good thing! Since
formative assessment is about the process of learning, it isnt fair that a large chunk
of your grade comes from this stuff just dont underestimate its value!
Summative Assessment
The bulk of what you might think of as marks comes from summative assessment
pieces. These can be unit tests, projects, essays, presentations, etc. They typically
occur after you have completed the lessons and practice necessary to demonstrate
all that youve learned. Since this means that the majority of your grade comes
from relatively few things, this means that you need to invest significant effort to
prepare yourself for summative pieces as well as complete them within the
accorded timeframe.
Final Exam
The Social Studies 9 final exam is worth 15% of the overall grade and will include
source analysis questions and extended written responses.

Expectations and Notes

Late and Missing Assignments

Deadlines are deadlines and they are meant to be taken seriously. This includes
keeping up with course readings and practice assignments as well as managing
your load to get major assignments in on time. Your teachers are here to help you
with this! Being efficient is a learned skill and it is part of our job to help you
develop your self-management. That being said, the following policy is designed to
help you and encourage a fair and meaningful learning process:

Late Homework: If your work is not complete by the beginning of the class it
is due, then you will stay at lunch or after school to finish it. For larger
assignments, this could be spread out over multiple days.
Late projects or major assignments: Summative pieces like inquiry projects or
essays will have two due dates. On the class before the formal due date,
whatever the student has completed so far will be handed in to the teacher,
either in person or through Managebac (as per the assignment). The student
will then be able to hand in the final (revised and completed) version of their
assignment on the actual due date. If no final copy is turned in then their
assessment will be based on their draft version. Thus, there will only be late
assignments if prior arrangements have been made with the teacher. Im
here to work with you, so exceptions can be made, but students must put in a
fair effort and avoid a pattern of late and missing assignments.
Extra assignments or make-up projects: Dont exist. Remember, units of
study are designed purposefully to lead to a final activity. Completing extra
things many weeks or months after a unit is finished doesnt truly
demonstrate your learning.
Exceptions and extensions may be granted, but with sufficient notice and/or
parent contact.

Attendance Lates and Absences

Students need to bring all materials to class. If a student shows up to class

technically on time but has left their binder and text in their locker, they will
be marked late (because you are late). In the same way, if you have an
assignment due at the beginning of class, this does not mean you can show
up to class and then leave to print off your assignment. You and your
assignment will be marked late (because you are late).
If a student is late they will either make up time at lunch or after school or
complete a glorifying community happiness service project. I have a long
list. They are glorious.
Absences: There are reasons to be absent (illness, family emergency) and
reasons not to be absent (a concert, Starbucks run, visiting family friends,
skipping for any reason). You need a reason to be absent. If you are planning
on any extended trips, then your parents need to contact the school. I will not
provide any homework, help, or extensions if you tell me on Friday that you
will be missing the following week of school. Dont forget to check the blog
for assignments or class notes.

A pattern of lates or absences will result in administration and parents being

involved.

Historical Thinking Concepts

Student learning will be structured in a way that the study of history, rather than
the study of historical content, will be the focus. Students will be challenged to think
like a historian and, as a result, become more independent in their research and
learning. Each unit of study will be undertaken with one or multiple historical
thinking concepts as a framework. These concepts provide informed entry points or
portals to think about and engage in an interpretive dialogue that lives at the heart
of historical understanding. They are:
Historical Significance
Determining what is historically significant is key to appreciating that judging the
importance of specific facts and events in history are matters of debate and subject
to change.
Evidence
Knowing that the past is accessed through the examination of evidence and
learning to interpret and assess the reliability of primary and secondary sources are
vital understandings for students to develop.
Continuity and Change
Identifying what has changed or stayed the same over periods in history and
between past and contemporary times are important questions when considering
the relationship between past and present.
Cause and Consequence
The concepts of cause and consequence help students explore the contributing
influences in history. Understanding these influences makes it possible for students
to see the structural and individual factors that shape their world and begin to
imagine their own role as citizens in shaping history.
Historical Perspective
Historical perspective taking encourages students to explore how people in the past
saw themselves in time and place as a means to understanding past actions in their
historical contexts and not simply viewing them from the perspective of present
experiences and values.
Moral Judgement
The notion of moral judgement helps students consider the complexities of passing
judgement on historical events and people and of drawing conclusions about the
moral responsibility of contemporary individuals and groups in relation to past
actions.