Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 7 History & Geography
Grade 7 History and Geography exploring New France, British North America, Confederation, and the physical geography of Canada. Students develop historical thinking and geographic inquiry skills.
New France: Growth and Conflict
An exploration of how New France developed from a network of fur-trading posts into a complex society with unique social and political structures.
Investigate the motivations for French exploration, the establishment of Port-Royal and Quebec, and the roles of early leaders like Champlain.
Examine the unique land distribution system and the social hierarchy of seigneurs and habitants in the St. Lawrence Valley.
Analyze the strategic military and economic partnerships between the French and nations like the Wendat (Huron) and Anishinaabe.
Explore the influence of the Jesuits and Ursuline Nuns on education, healthcare, and the social fabric of the colony.
Study the state-sponsored immigration of women to balance the colony's demographics and ensure permanent settlement.
Analyze the global conflict that led to the fall of Quebec and the eventual British takeover of French North America.
British North America: Transition and Conflict
Examining the challenges of British rule, the influx of diverse groups, and the internal struggles for democratic reform.
Assess the British attempt to manage the new territory and the recognition of Indigenous land rights.
Evaluate the British decision to allow French civil law and the Catholic religion to persist in Quebec.
Study the impact of thousands of refugees fleeing the American Revolution on the demographics of Canada.
Investigate the causes and outcomes of the war between Britain and the United States on Canadian soil.
Examine the armed uprisings in Upper and Lower Canada against the ruling elite (Family Compact and Chateau Clique).
Analyze Lord Durham's recommendations for responsible government and the assimilation of French Canadians.
Confederation: Building a Nation
A deep dive into the political, economic, and social factors that led to the creation of Canada in 1867.
Understand how the equal number of seats for Canada East and West led to a government that could not make decisions.
Explore the end of Reciprocity with the US and the threat of American expansionism (Manifest Destiny).
Trace the negotiations from Charlottetown to Quebec and finally London.
Examine why leaders like Joseph Howe in Nova Scotia and many in Prince Edward Island opposed the union.
Analyze the document that created the Dominion of Canada and defined the powers of federal and provincial governments.
Physical Patterns in a Changing World
Learning how physical processes shape the earth's surface and how humans interact with these patterns.
Explore how plate tectonics create mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes, shaping Canada's landscape.
Investigate how water, wind, and ice break down and move the earth's crust over time.
Analyze the factors (LOWERN) that determine the climate of different regions across Canada.
Study the relationship between climate, soil, and the types of plants that grow in specific biomes.
Understand the continuous process of rock formation, breakdown, and reformation.
Natural Resources: Use and Sustainability
Investigating Canada's resource wealth and the challenges of balancing economic growth with environmental protection.
Differentiate between renewable, non-renewable, and flow resources in the Canadian context.
Examine the extraction of metals and minerals and its impact on northern communities.
Study different harvesting methods and the importance of sustainable forest management.
Compare hydro-electricity, fossil fuels, and nuclear energy as power sources for Canada.
Analyze Canada's freshwater supply and the threats posed by pollution and bulk water exports.
Global Settlements: Patterns and Sustainability
Analyzing where people live, why they live there, and how we can make our communities more sustainable.
Investigate natural and human factors that influence where people choose to settle.
Learn to calculate and interpret population density and analyze distribution maps.
Examine how space is used in a city, including residential, commercial, industrial, and green spaces.
Explore innovations in urban design that reduce environmental impact and improve quality of life.
Analyze how humans modify their environment to suit their needs and the consequences of these changes.
Examine the push and pull factors that lead people to move between and within countries.
Living in a Global Community
A culminating look at Canada's place in the world, addressing global quality of life and international cooperation.
Introduce indicators like GDP per capita, literacy rates, and the Human Development Index (HDI).
Examine the causes and effects of economic inequality between and within nations.
Study different types of aid (emergency, long-term) and the role of NGOs and the UN.
Investigate how our choices as consumers in Canada affect workers and environments in other parts of the world.
Analyze the global response to climate change and the concept of climate justice.
Connect the domestic process of Truth and Reconciliation with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
A final project where students research a global issue and propose a local or personal action.