Social Studies · Grade 6

Active learning ideas

Canada's Role in Global Environmental Issues

Active learning helps students move beyond abstract facts about environmental policy by letting them engage directly with real-world data and debates. When students analyze Canada's participation in global agreements through hands-on tasks, they build deeper understanding of cause and effect in environmental decision-making.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: People and Environments: Canada's Interactions with the Global Community - Grade 6

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

Activity 01

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: International Agreements

Divide class into expert groups, each researching one agreement like Paris or biodiversity conventions using provided sources. Experts then join mixed home groups to teach findings and discuss Canada's role. Groups summarize implications in a shared chart.

Analyze the global implications of Canadian environmental policies.

Facilitation Tip

During the Jigsaw Protocol, assign each expert group a different international agreement to ensure all students contribute meaningfully to the final synthesis.

What to look for

Provide students with a scenario: 'Canada is considering joining a new global treaty to reduce ocean plastic.' Ask them to write two sentences explaining one benefit and one challenge Canada might face in implementing this treaty, referencing a specific Canadian policy or action.

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

Activity 02

• Town Hall Meeting
• 45 min · Pairs

Debate Carousel: Policy Pros and Cons

Prepare stations with prompts on carbon tax or plastic bans. Pairs rotate every 10 minutes, debating one side then switching. Conclude with whole-class vote and reflection on evidence.

Explain Canada's commitments under international environmental agreements.

Facilitation Tip

For the Debate Carousel, set clear time limits for each station to keep discussions focused and ensure every student participates.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How can Canada balance its economic interests with its environmental responsibilities on the global stage?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to cite examples of current Canadian policies and suggest improvements based on their learning about international agreements.

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

Activity 03

• Town Hall Meeting
• 40 min · Small Groups

Design Challenge: Biodiversity Strategies

Small groups brainstorm and prototype one strategy for Canada to lead in biodiversity, such as protected areas expansion. Use templates to outline steps, costs, and global benefits, then gallery walk to share.

Design strategies for Canada to enhance its leadership in protecting global biodiversity.

Facilitation Tip

In the Design Challenge, provide a rubric with criteria for feasibility, scientific accuracy, and public engagement to guide student decisions.

What to look for

Present students with a list of environmental issues (e.g., deforestation, ozone depletion, greenhouse gas emissions). Ask them to identify which issues Canada is actively addressing through international agreements and briefly explain Canada's role for two of them.

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

Activity 04

• Town Hall Meeting
• 35 min · Pairs

Data Mapping: Environmental Footprint

Individuals plot Canada's emissions and plastic data on world maps using digital tools or paper. Pairs compare with other nations and discuss patterns in a guided debrief.

Analyze the global implications of Canadian environmental policies.

Facilitation Tip

During the Data Mapping activity, have students compare Canada’s per capita emissions to other G7 countries to highlight relative impact.

What to look for

Provide students with a scenario: 'Canada is considering joining a new global treaty to reduce ocean plastic.' Ask them to write two sentences explaining one benefit and one challenge Canada might face in implementing this treaty, referencing a specific Canadian policy or action.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should emphasize Canada’s dual role as both a policy-maker and a participant in global negotiations, avoiding oversimplification of domestic vs. international influences. Research shows that students grasp complex agreements better when they simulate real processes, such as treaty negotiations or compliance checks. Avoid presenting policies as purely technical; instead, connect them to human and ecological consequences to make the content relevant.

Students will demonstrate critical thinking by connecting Canada's domestic policies to international obligations, using evidence from multiple sources. They will articulate both achievements and challenges in Canada's environmental actions, showing an informed perspective on global responsibility.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Data Mapping activity, watch for students who downplay Canada’s role due to its population size.

  Use the data mapping tool to highlight Canada’s per capita emissions and plastic waste exports compared to peers, prompting students to reconsider scale and impact.

• During the Jigsaw Protocol on International Agreements, listen for students who assume commitments are non-binding.

  Refer students to the enforcement mechanisms outlined in their assigned agreements, such as reporting requirements or peer review processes, during their expert group discussions.

• During the Design Challenge on Biodiversity Strategies, note if students overlook domestic sources of plastic pollution.

  Have groups trace supply chains using provided case studies, requiring them to include Canadian manufacturing and waste export data in their strategies.

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Methods used in this brief

• Jigsaw
• Town Hall Meeting