Social Studies · Grade 6

Active learning ideas

Global Tourism and Canada's Economy

Active learning helps students grasp complex economic flows by making abstract data concrete through mapping, role-play, and design tasks. These methods show how global tourism translates into real jobs and revenues in specific Canadian regions, not just in theory.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• Ontario Curriculum, Social Studies, Grade 6, Strand A: A3.6 - describe the factors that led to the Act of Union in 1840... and explain the significance of these developments for various groups and communities in Canada.
• Ontario Curriculum, Social Studies, Grade 6, Strand A: A3 - Understanding Context: describe various significant events, developments, and people in Canada between 1713 and 1850, and explain their impact.
• Ontario Curriculum, Social Studies, Grade 6, Strand A: A1.2 - evaluate the impact of the response of various groups and communities in Canada to some of the challenges they faced between 1713 and 1850.

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

Activity 01

• Project-Based Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Mapping Stations: Regional Tourism Impacts

Set up stations for Western, Central, Atlantic, and Northern Canada with maps, stats sheets, and photos. Groups spend 10 minutes per station noting economic and cultural notes. Regroup to share province-specific insights on a class mural.

Analyze the economic benefits of global tourism for Canada.

Facilitation Tip

During Mapping Stations, circulate with a checklist to ensure students annotate maps with both revenue figures and job counts for each region.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a tourism official for Nova Scotia. What are the top three economic benefits of international tourism for your province, and what is one cultural impact you would want to manage?' Students share their responses and justify their choices.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Project-Based Learning
• 35 min · Pairs

Pairs Debate: Tourism Pros and Cons

Assign pairs one pro (jobs, revenue) and one con (overcrowding, costs) position. Pairs research evidence from provided articles, then debate with another pair. Conclude with a shared list of balanced strategies.

Evaluate the cultural impacts of international tourism on Canadian communities.

Facilitation Tip

For the Pairs Debate, provide a visible timer and a simple scoring rubric to keep arguments focused and equitable.

What to look for

Provide students with a short article about a Canadian tourist destination experiencing rapid growth. Ask them to identify two economic benefits and two potential cultural challenges mentioned or implied in the text.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Project-Based Learning
• 50 min · Small Groups

Design Challenge: Sustainable Site Plan

Small groups select a Canadian site like Banff or Toronto. They brainstorm eco-friendly features, capacity limits, and cultural preservation. Create and pitch a poster plan to the class for feedback.

Design strategies to promote sustainable tourism in Canada.

Facilitation Tip

In the Design Challenge, assign roles to teams (urban planner, environmental scientist, Indigenous liaison) to deepen perspective-taking.

What to look for

On an index card, students write one strategy they would implement to promote sustainable tourism in Prince Edward Island National Park and explain why it is important for the local environment and community.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Project-Based Learning
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Simulation: Tourism Economy Day

Assign roles as tourists, business owners, guides, and officials. Run a 20-minute market simulation with transactions tracked on a shared ledger. Debrief economic and cultural exchanges observed.

Analyze the economic benefits of global tourism for Canada.

Facilitation Tip

During the Whole Class Simulation, assign a student scribe to track spending flows on a large poster visible to all.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a tourism official for Nova Scotia. What are the top three economic benefits of international tourism for your province, and what is one cultural impact you would want to manage?' Students share their responses and justify their choices.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should anchor lessons in real Statistics Canada data to build credibility and relevance. Avoid overgeneralizing benefits; instead, use case studies to highlight trade-offs like seasonal work or environmental strain. Research suggests students retain economic concepts better when they simulate systems and see immediate cause-and-effect relationships in the classroom.

Students will connect tourism spending to provincial GDP and local job creation with clear examples from British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. They will analyze benefits and trade-offs, using data and simulations to justify their conclusions in discussions and design work.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Mapping Stations, some students may assume tourism benefits only large cities like Toronto or Vancouver.

  During Mapping Stations, provide regional data sets for Yukon and Prince Edward Island and have students compare per capita spending and job creation across provinces. Ask them to revise their initial maps with new evidence before sharing.

• During the Whole Class Simulation, students might assume more tourists always mean more economic gain.

  During the simulation, introduce data on overcrowding costs (e.g., park maintenance fees, housing shortages) at peak times. Have students adjust their spending flows to reflect these limits and reflect on carrying capacity in a class debrief.

• During the Pairs Debate, students may claim cultural impacts from tourism are always positive exchanges.

  During the Pairs Debate, assign one student to argue a local perspective on cultural dilution and the other to argue a tourism booster perspective. Provide role cards with direct quotes from Indigenous leaders or business owners to ground the debate in real experiences.

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Methods used in this brief

• Project-Based Learning