Grade 5 Social Studies

Students explore the many distinct First Nations across Canada, learning that each nation had its own language, culture, government, and way of life.

Students learn about the systems of governance used by First Nations, including consensus decision-making, clan systems, and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Students explore how First Nations peoples lived in close relationship with the natural world, using resources sustainably and honouring the land through ceremony and story.

Students discover the extensive trade networks and alliances that connected First Nations across the continent long before European contact.

Students investigate how history, laws, and values were passed down through generations using oral traditions and complex storytelling techniques.

Students explore how the fur trade brought First Nations peoples and Europeans together, creating partnerships that shaped the early history of Canada.

Students learn about the early treaties made between First Nations and Europeans, and explore the different understandings each side had about what these agreements meant.

Students examine the devastating effects of European contact on First Nations communities, including disease, loss of land, and disruption of traditional ways of life.

Students practise looking at historical events from multiple perspectives, learning that the same event can be understood very differently depending on whose story is being told.

Students discover the origins of the Métis people, arising from the unions of First Nations women and European fur traders, and their unique cultural identity.

Students learn about the founding and growth of New France, including the roles of explorers like Champlain and the seigneurial system.

Students explore the growth of British settlements, the rivalry with France, and the different culture and governance of the British colonies.

Students learn about the pivotal battle of 1759 that changed the course of Canadian history.

Students explore how French and English cultures have coexisted in Canada and how this duality defines Canadian identity.

Students examine the significance of the Quebec Act in protecting French language, religion, and civil law under British rule.

Students learn about the rights guaranteed to Canadians and the responsibilities that come with them.

Students explore the concepts of fairness and justice, examining situations where rights have been denied.

Students investigate real examples of young Canadians and community leaders who have taken action to improve their communities.

Students are introduced to the concept of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and explore acknowledgments of past wrongs.

Students distinguish between federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal governments and their specific areas of responsibility.

Students examine the role of the British Monarch and the Governor General in Canada's constitutional monarchy.

Students learn about the democratic process, including how political parties work and how elections are held in Canada.

Students explore the concept of Indigenous self-government and how First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities manage their own affairs.

Students focus on their local community government, exploring the roles of the Mayor and City Councillors.

Students identify the ten provinces and three territories of Canada, including their capital cities and unique features.

Students investigate the major physical regions of Canada, focusing on the Canadian Shield, the Rockies, and the St. Lawrence Lowlands.

Students examine the relationship between Canada's physical regions and the natural resources that drive the economy.

Students explore how the diverse climates of Canada affect the way people live, build homes, and dress.