History & Geography · Grade 7

Active learning ideas

Causes of Global Wealth Gap

Active learning helps students grasp complex issues like the global wealth gap by making abstract concepts concrete. When students role-play unequal trade rules or analyze colonial legacies, they move from passive listening to active engagement with real-world systems. These activities build empathy and critical thinking, which are essential for understanding structural inequality.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: Global Settlement: Patterns and Sustainability - Grade 7
• ON: Natural Resources around the World: Use and Sustainability - Grade 7

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 45 min · Whole Class

Simulation Game: The Global Wealth Game

The class is divided into groups representing different world regions. A 'wealth' (e.g., candy or tokens) is distributed according to real-world percentages, leading to a discussion about fairness and opportunity.

Analyze the historical factors contributing to the uneven distribution of wealth globally.

Facilitation Tip

During the Global Wealth Game simulation, ensure students take on roles with clearly unequal starting resources to highlight structural barriers.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are advising a newly independent nation in the 1950s that was formerly colonized. What are the top three economic challenges you would anticipate based on the legacy of colonialism, and why?' Facilitate a class discussion where students share their ideas.

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

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 50 min · Pairs

Inquiry Circle: The Legacy of Colonialism

Pairs research how a specific country's history as a colony has affected its current economic status. They create a 'cause and effect' map showing the link between the past and the present.

Explain how the legacy of colonialism continues to affect economic status in the 'Global South'.

Facilitation Tip

When investigating colonialism, assign specific regions to groups so they can trace direct connections between historical policies and current economic conditions.

What to look for

Provide students with two short case studies: one describing a situation of absolute poverty (e.g., lack of access to clean water) and another describing relative poverty (e.g., inability to afford internet access in a connected society). Ask students to label each scenario and write one sentence explaining their choice.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Closing the Gap

Students brainstorm three things that could be done to reduce the wealth gap (e.g., fair trade, education, debt relief). They share their ideas and discuss which one would be the most effective.

Differentiate between absolute and relative poverty in a global context.

Facilitation Tip

For the Think-Pair-Share activity, provide sentence stems to guide students from personal reflection to broader systemic analysis.

What to look for

On an index card, ask students to write one historical factor that contributed to global wealth inequality and one way the legacy of colonialism continues to affect a specific region today. Collect these as students leave.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching this topic works best when you balance empathy with rigor. Avoid oversimplifying by framing the wealth gap as a result of interconnected systems, not individual failure. Research shows students retain more when they analyze primary sources or firsthand accounts alongside data. Encourage students to question assumptions about poverty by comparing global and local disparities, such as Indigenous communities in Canada.

Successful learning looks like students recognizing how historical and structural factors shape wealth distribution, not just individual effort. They should be able to explain the difference between absolute and relative poverty, and connect their findings to real-world examples. Discussions should include nuanced references to trade rules, colonial legacies, and access to education or technology.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Global Wealth Game simulation, watch for students attributing wealth differences to personal traits like laziness. Redirect by asking, 'What rules or starting conditions made some teams wealthier?'

  During the simulation, have students record how their initial resources and trade rules limited or expanded their options before the activity begins.

• During the collaborative investigation on colonialism, watch for students believing poverty is solely a result of recent corruption. Redirect by asking, 'How do colonial trade policies still shape these nations’ economies today?'

  During the investigation, provide a timeline template so students map colonial policies to current economic indicators, such as trade deficits or infrastructure gaps.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share