Geography · Grade 10

Active learning ideas

Maritime Boundaries and Law of the Sea

Active learning helps students grasp maritime boundaries because the rules are abstract until they see them drawn on a map or negotiate them in role-play. When students plot zones or simulate disputes, the concrete becomes clear, which is essential for a topic where boundaries are invisible and rules rely on precise legal definitions.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• Ontario Curriculum, Canadian and World Studies (2018), Grade 10 Geography (CGC1D/CGC1P), B3. Political and Environmental Cooperation: Analyse ways in which Canada cooperates with other countries on issues of environmental significance.
• Ontario Curriculum, Canadian and World Studies (2018), Grade 10 Geography (CGC1D/CGC1P), B3.2: Describe some of the agreements and treaties between Canada and other countries that address environmental issues of mutual concern.
• Ontario Curriculum, Canadian and World Studies (2018), Grade 10 Geography (CGC1D/CGC1P), C2.2: Analyse the social, economic, and environmental impact of a selected resource-management or resource-development issue in Canada from a variety of perspectives.
• Ontario Curriculum, Canadian and World Studies (2018), Grade 10 Geography (CGC1D/CGC1P), C3.3: Describe some key issues and challenges associated with resource management in Canada, and explain their importance for the future.

• 40–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Case Study Analysis
• 45 min · Small Groups

Mapping Activity: Plotting EEZs

Distribute world outline maps marked with coastal nations. Students measure and draw territorial seas, EEZs, and potential overlaps using string or rulers for scale. Groups compare maps and note dispute hotspots like the East China Sea.

Differentiate between various types of maritime boundaries and their legal implications.

Facilitation Tip

During the Mapping Activity, provide real-world coastlines with irregular shapes so students practice adjusting equidistance lines based on natural features.

What to look for

Provide students with a map showing a fictional coastline with several islands. Ask them to draw and label the territorial sea and EEZ for the main coastline and one island, explaining the different rights associated with each zone in one sentence each.

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

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 60 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: Boundary Negotiation

Assign groups roles as nations in a dispute, such as Canada versus Denmark over Hans Island waters. Provide UNCLOS excerpts; groups propose solutions, then rotate to debate and vote on equitable boundaries.

Analyze the geographic factors that lead to disputes over ocean resources.

Facilitation Tip

In the Boundary Negotiation Simulation, assign roles with distinct interests (e.g., a fishing state vs. a seabed mining state) to force trade-offs and expose enforcement realities.

What to look for

Present students with three scenarios describing maritime disputes (e.g., overlapping EEZ claims, fishing rights near an island). Ask them to identify which type of maritime boundary is most relevant to each dispute and briefly explain why.

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

Activity 03

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Dispute Analysis

Divide class into expert groups on specific cases (Arctic, Spratly Islands). Each researches geographic factors and UNCLOS applications, then reforms into mixed groups to teach and evaluate resolution effectiveness.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the Law of the Sea in managing global ocean governance.

Facilitation Tip

For the Case Study Jigsaw, assign each group a different dispute so they present varied perspectives and collectively build a fuller understanding of UNCLOS’ strengths and gaps.

What to look for

Facilitate a class discussion using the prompt: 'To what extent has UNCLOS been successful in preventing conflicts over ocean resources? Consider specific examples of successful resolutions or ongoing disputes.'

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

Activity 04

• Case Study Analysis
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Debate: UNCLOS Effectiveness

Split class into proponents and critics of UNCLOS. Provide evidence packets on successes and failures; teams prepare 3-minute arguments, followed by moderated debate and class vote.

Differentiate between various types of maritime boundaries and their legal implications.

Facilitation Tip

During the Whole Class Debate, require students to cite specific UNCLOS articles to ground their arguments in legal text rather than opinion.

What to look for

Provide students with a map showing a fictional coastline with several islands. Ask them to draw and label the territorial sea and EEZ for the main coastline and one island, explaining the different rights associated with each zone in one sentence each.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers begin with mapping to make the invisible visible, then layer in simulations to reveal how rules collide with real-world interests. Avoid starting with the text of UNCLOS itself, as the legal language can overwhelm before students see its purpose. Research shows that role-playing boundary negotiations builds empathy for conflicting state interests, which deepens comprehension of why disputes persist despite clear rules.

Successful learning looks like students accurately labeling maritime zones on maps, negotiating boundaries with evidence from UNCLOS, and analyzing disputes by identifying the relevant legal principles. They should explain why certain boundaries shift due to geography and how resource rights differ by zone.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Mapping Activity: Plotting EEZs, watch for students who label the entire 200-nautical-mile area as fully sovereign.

  Pause the mapping exercise and ask students to annotate their maps with legal terms: note where innocent passage applies, where high seas freedoms remain, and why resource rights do not equal territorial control.

• During Mapping Activity: Plotting EEZs, watch for students who draw straight lines ignoring coastal geography.

  Have students compare their maps in pairs and identify where concave coasts or islands caused their equidistance line to bend, then revise their drawings together using UNCLOS Article 15 as a guide.

• During Whole Class Debate: UNCLOS Effectiveness, watch for students who assume all disputes are resolved by the treaty’s mechanisms.

  Prompt students to check the list of UNCLOS signatories during the debate and ask how non-signatory states, like the US, complicate enforcement—then revisit their debate points with this reality in mind.

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Methods used in this brief

• Case Study Analysis
• Simulation Game
• Jigsaw