Canadian Studies · Grade 9

Active learning ideas

Globalization & Canadian Economy

Active learning works for this topic because students need to experience the give-and-take of trade decisions firsthand rather than passively absorb facts about globalization. Moving from abstract concepts like trade deficits to concrete roles in a negotiation or a case study helps students see cause and effect in real economic choices made by Canada and its partners.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• Ontario Curriculum CGC1D/1P: C3.5. Analyse the impact of globalization on Canada’s industries.
• Ontario Curriculum CGC1D/1P: C3.4. Analyse the impact of a specific resource-based industry on Canada’s international relationships.
• Ontario Curriculum CGC1D/1P: C1.3. Explain the importance of various natural resources for Canada’s economy.

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 50 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: Trade Negotiation Rounds

Assign small groups Canadian industries like auto or forestry. Provide 'global partner' cards with demands and offers. Groups negotiate deals over three rounds, tracking gains and losses on worksheets. Debrief with class vote on best agreements.

Analyze the opportunities and challenges that globalization presents for the Canadian economy.

Facilitation Tip

During the Trade Negotiation Rounds, assign students roles with conflicting priorities so they feel the pressure of balancing domestic jobs with foreign market access.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine Canada faces a sudden global recession. Which Canadian industries would be most vulnerable, and why? Which might be more resilient?' Facilitate a class discussion where students justify their reasoning with specific examples of trade relationships or economic dependencies.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Case Study Analysis
• 40 min · Pairs

Case Study Analysis: CUSMA Impacts

Pairs research one industry affected by CUSMA, such as dairy or steel, using provided articles. They create infographics showing pre- and post-agreement data on jobs and exports. Share in gallery walk for peer feedback.

Explain how international trade agreements impact specific Canadian industries.

Facilitation Tip

For the CUSMA Case Study, provide a graphic organizer that maps clauses to actual Canadian industries so students see direct connections between policy and practice.

What to look for

Provide students with a short news headline about a global trade dispute or a new international trade agreement. Ask them to write two sentences explaining one potential positive and one potential negative economic impact on a specific Canadian industry of their choice.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Formal Debate
• 45 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: Globalization Balance

Divide class into pro-globalization and con teams. Provide evidence packets on opportunities and challenges. Teams prepare 3-minute arguments, then rebuttals. Vote and reflect on persuasive evidence.

Predict how global economic shifts might affect Canada's future economic landscape.

Facilitation Tip

In the Globalization Balance Debate, require each speaker to cite one data point or clause from an agreement before presenting their argument.

What to look for

On an index card, have students define one key vocabulary term in their own words and then list one specific example of how globalization has affected a Canadian product they use regularly.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Jigsaw
• 35 min · Small Groups

Prediction Mapping: Future Scenarios

In small groups, students map current trade partners on Canada outline. Discuss global shifts like electrification, then predict and illustrate industry changes on maps. Present to class with supporting reasons.

Analyze the opportunities and challenges that globalization presents for the Canadian economy.

Facilitation Tip

For the Prediction Mapping activity, give students a blank map of Canada with key resource icons so they link physical geography to trade flows.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine Canada faces a sudden global recession. Which Canadian industries would be most vulnerable, and why? Which might be more resilient?' Facilitate a class discussion where students justify their reasoning with specific examples of trade relationships or economic dependencies.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by anchoring discussions in students’ lived experiences with products they see daily, then layering policy and data on top. Avoid framing globalization as purely positive or negative; instead, use trade data and role-play to reveal its uneven impacts. Research suggests students grasp economic interdependence better when they role-play negotiators who must weigh competing interests, not just read about abstract agreements.

Successful learning looks like students moving beyond simple pro-or-con stances on globalization to weigh trade-offs using evidence from simulations, agreements, and data. They should be able to explain how one sector’s gains may create challenges in another, supported by specific examples from their activities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Trade Negotiation Rounds, watch for students assuming that any job loss means globalization failed. Redirect by tracking employment data before and after each round’s outcomes.

  Have students plot employment changes by sector on a class chart after each round so they see how some losses lead to new, often higher-skilled jobs in related fields.

• During the CUSMA Case Study, watch for students believing trade agreements strip Canada of all control. Redirect by reviewing real clauses like supply management protections.

  Ask students to highlight clauses in CUSMA that explicitly protect Canadian dairy farmers, then summarize how these clauses reflect Canada’s bargaining power.

• During the Globalization Balance Debate, watch for students claiming globalization creates only winners. Redirect by analyzing trade deficit data for sectors like textiles.

  Provide students with a table of Canadian trade deficits by sector and ask them to explain how deficits in one area might balance gains elsewhere in the debate prep.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Case Study Analysis
• Formal Debate
• Jigsaw