CANADIAN NORTH LIFE AND LAND

ALBERTA - SECONDARY

Settlement Patterns in Canadas North
Lesson Overview: This one or two class period lesson is loosely based on a reading of the Prologue and Chapter 6 of Jared Diamonds book, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fall or Succeed. The purpose of this lesson is to encourage students to consider what the historical societies of the Vikings, the Dorset people, and the Inuit in Canadas northern and arctic regions can teach us about the choices that our own modern Canadian society makes, and how these choices may affect not only our own long-term well-being, but the survival of human beings on a global scale. The culmination of this station-based student inquiry project will be a position paper based upon research presented from group presentations on information derived from each of the four workstations. Prior to commencement of student inquiry, the teacher will have organized the classroom into four workstations entitled, The Vikings, Dorset Culture, The Inuit, and The Modern Day Canadian North. Each workstation should be supplied with copies of any pertinent resources (See notes on "Setting Up the Stations"). The teacher will divide the class into four work groups within which students may work independently, in pairs, or in larger groups depending on the teachers preferences and the needs of the class. If research for the paper is to be confined to one session, the teacher will rotate the groups through the stations every 20 minutes. If research spans two sessions of inquiry, the teacher rotates the groups every 40 minutes. In any case, allow ten minutes for re-organization and rotation lag. Grade Level: Social 10 (Can be modified for Social 13 by taking a more teacher-focused approach to the materials) Modify this lesson for Social 10-2 by presenting each of the four categories of research through teacher-led presentations and classroom discussions directly related to globalization. Diversify classroom activities by using music, art, stories, myth, and legends about the Dorset, Inuit, and the Vikings as an introduction to the essay topic. Use of modern day newspaper articles or newsreels on global warming or the degradation of arctic waters is important to link past societal collapses 1 to present and future ones. Follow this introductory activity with
By collapse, Diamond means a drastic decrease in human population size and/or political /economic/social complexity, over a considerable area, for an extended time. Diamond distinguishes collapses from milder types of decline, such as the normal minor rises and falls of fortune, and minor political/economic/social restructuring, of an individual society;
Canadian Council for Geographic Education www.ccge.org Canadian Polar Commission www.polarcom.gc.ca
mapping tasks concerning the locations of each society in the Canadas northern/arctic region. Also include brief synopses of the most important research and perspectives on each group, as well as current day challenges that relate to Canadas global responsibilities in the north. Teachers may provide students with worksheets, or "Effective Writing Templates," that will help them focus and organize their research on the paper topic. Time Required: One or two classes Curriculum Connection for Alberta Social Studies 10-1 0r 10-2: In the proposed new curriculum: Key Issue To what extent should we embrace globalization? (Evaluating globalization, effects on Aboriginal peoples, and the manner in which our choices may affect our own society as well as others around the world.) Links to Canadian National Standards for Geography: Essential Element #1: The World in Spatial Terms Students will learn about the migratory routes and locations of various Inuit bands, as well as the locations of lost Dorset and Viking settlements, and the positioning of modern settlements using maps. Essential Element #2: Places and Regions Students will learn about the settlement patterns of Canada's first northern peoples in various places and regions throughout Canada. Essential Element #3: Physical Systems Students will research how the Medieval Climate Optimum and the Little Ice Age affected the earliest settlement of Canadas northern/arctic regions. Students will consider the modern phenomenon of global warming in light of its effects on the north both past and present. Essential Element #4: Human Systems Students will learn how Vikings, Dorset culture, and the Inuit adapted or failed to adapt to life in Canadas north, how first contact episodes affected their

one societys conquest by a close neighbor, or its decline linked to the neighbors rise, without change in the total population size or complexity f the whole region; and the replacement or overthrow of one governing elite by another. See Jared Diamond, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fall or Succeed (New York: Penguin, 2005) 3. Diamonds book is organized around the central thesis that collapses may be studied by examining them using a five-point framework; all collapses occur due to some combination of: (1) environmental damage, (2) climate change, (3) hostile neighbors, (4) friendly trade partners, and (5) the societys response to its environmental problems. Diamond remarks that the fifth factor always proves significant. Diamond, Collapse 11. Canadian Council for Geographic Education www.ccge.org Canadian Polar Commission www.polarcom.gc.ca
success, and what lessons the success or failure of each group might pose for us today Essential Element #5: Environment and Society Students will explore how environmental changes (such as global warming and cooling) affect northern populations in Canada. Essential Element #6: The Uses of Geography Students will use their knowledge of geography to build a deeper understanding of the modern day challenges for Canada and the global community. Geographic Skill #1: Asking Geographic Questions Students ask whether the collapse of older northern societies can teach us anything about the future success of our own society. Geographic Skill #2: Acquiring Geographic Information Students examine a variety of teacher-selected resources (see Additional Resources list below). Geographic Skill #3: Organizing Geographic Information Students must organize their geographic research effectively in order to address the research question. Geographic Skill #4: Analyzing Geographic Information Students analyze settlement information in order to develop a better understanding of how societies can choose to fail or succeed. Geography Skill #5: Answering Geographic Questions Students will have completed a research paper about the Canadian arctic and its connection to theoretical questions concerning the future survival of Canadian society and our global responsibility to protect our northern/arctic environment. Additional Resources, Materials, and Equipment Required: NOTE: Many of the attached resources transcend average student abilities. Teachers are advised to peruse these sources carefully, to paraphrase, to gather short excerpts, to summarize, and to simplify materials for student inquiry. Archeological Survey of Canada. Inuit and Norsemen in Arctic Canada A.D. 1000 to 1400. April 10, 2007. http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/oracles/norse/40.htm Barnett, Don C. Prehistoric Inuit Cultures. April 10, 2007. http://www.usask.ca/education/ideas/tplan/sslp/pre.htm Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fall or Succeed. New York: Penguin, 2005.

Dorset culture. April 10, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorset_culture Eric the Reds Saga. April 10, 2007. http://www.fva.is/~vinland/english/eriksaga.html Greenland Sagas. April 10, 2007. http://www.mnh.si.edu/vikings/voyage/subset/greenland/sagas.html Harris, John N. The Last Viking. April 10, 2007. http://www.spirasolaris.ca/1aintro.html Helluland. April 10, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helluland Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Inuit Innovation. RCAP April 10, 2007. http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/rcap/sg/sg8_e.html Inuit. April 10, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Our Earliest History. April 10, 2007. http://www.itk.ca/5000-year-heritage/early-history.php Janzen, Olaf U. A Reader's Guide to the History of Newfoundland and Labrador to 1869 --Discovery and Early Exploration, ca. 1000 1550. April 10, 2007. http://www.swgc.mun.ca/nfld_history/nfld_history_early_exploration.htm LAnse Aux Meadows. April 10, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Anse_aux_Meadows Library and Archives Canada. Vikings. Passageways: True Tales of Adventure for Young Explorers. April 10, 2007. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/explorers/kids/h3-1210-e.html Library and Archives Canada. The Vinland Sagas. Pathfinders and Passageways. April 10, 2007. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/explorers/h241201-e.html Little Ice Age. April 10, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age Markland. April 10, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markland Mease, Anne. Explorers and Northern Exploration. April 10, 2007. http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/northern/content?pg=ex05-1 Smithsonian Institute. Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga. April 10, 2007. http://www.mnh.si.edu/vikings/start.html
Smithsonian Institute. Arctic Studies Center. April 10, 2007. http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/ Sutherland, Patricia D. Strands of Culture Contact: Dorset-Norse Interactions in the Canadian Eastern Arctic April 10, 2007. http://www.civilization.ca/academ/articles/suth_01e.html Vinland. April 10, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinland Vinland Map. April 10, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinland_map Voyages to Vinland. Historical Documents. April 10, 2007. http://www.historicaldocuments.com/VoyagestoVinland.htm Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage. The Norse in the North Atlantic. April 10, 2007. http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/norse.html
Main Objective: To encourage students to think about the Canadian Arctic, and to consider the ramifications that both an historic as well as a scientific understanding of climate change might have for Canada and the global community. Learning Outcomes: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: generalize about the extent to which past and present northern societies have chosen to succeed or to fail. Inquiry into arctic settlement is meant to develop a conceptual understanding of aboriginal identity, the Canadian north as a distinct region, and our global responsibilities to protect the arctic from environmental degradation. (Knowledge Objectives). develop "Process Skills." Students acquire information from various sources, record and organize information in note form, analyze and evaluate research materials for bias, as well as interpret and summarize materials. Students hone their "Communication Skills," developing their ideas in written and oral form. Finally, students develop their "Participation Skills" by working at individual tasks in a group situation (Skill Objectives). Through independent and cooperative work, students are encouraged to appreciate various dimensions of this inquiry. It is hoped that all students will develop a critical, respectful attitude towards issues affecting Canada's northern peoples (Attitude Objectives).

The Lesson: Teacher Activity Teacher can introduce topic using newspaper clippings on current or recent environmental problems in the arctic, and how they affect everyone globally. Teacher organizes classroom into work stations. Teacher circulates among groups asking questions, offering guidance, and time-keeping. Student Activity Students read clippings and engage in classroom discussion of environmental degradation and global warming. Students work at stations independently or in pairs. When proceeding beyond research phase into writing phase, they may engage in peer editing or seek direct teacher assistance. Students will have written an effective argument paper.

Conclusion

Lesson Development

Introducti on

Teacher will offer direction and editing assistance as students develop writing and argumentative skills.
Lesson Extension: Could be linked to questions about arctic sovereignty as it relates to ownership of natural resources and the North West Passage.
Assessment of Student Learning: Student essays and presentations may be evaluated on rubrics.
Setting up the Four Learning Stations on the Canadian Arctic The Over-Arching Inquiry topic for presentations and position papers: "Using Inuit, Dorset, and Viking societies as examples, assess the future viability of Canadian society in light of Jared Diamonds claim that societies choose to fall or succeed. In order to use this lesson plan effectively, it is imperative that the teacher reads the Prologue and Chapter 6 of Diamonds book. Each station ought to include some mention of Diamonds five point framework. In his view, all collapses occur due to some combination of: (1) environmental damage, (2) climate change, (3) hostile neighbors, (4) friendly trade partners, and (5) the societys response to its environmental problems. Diamond remarks that the fifth factor always proves significant. The Inuit Workstation See selected resource list for suggestions. Materials in this station ought to: (1) demonstrate when and how the Inuit arrived in the Canadian arctic. Blank maps with a complete map ought to be included that shows areas of settlement, the various distinct Inuit bands, and routes of migration. (2) offer information about some of the technical innovations that the Inuit improvised, and that the other two early societies (Dorset and Viking) failed to adopt. Information ought to be provided concerning how the Inuit not only adapted, but also how they learned from the other societies, whereas the other societies failed to learn from them. (3) offer information on evidence of first contact scenarios between the Inuit and the other groups; what does this suggest about their receptivity to new ideas and willingness to cooperate? (4) provide information about the Inuit today. How has Inuit culture changed? What challenges do the Inuit face today? What challenges do we face in other parts of Canada? Can we learn anything from the Inuit about how to choose to succeed as a society that is a part of a larger global community? Excerpts from Chapters 6-8 of Diamonds book would be very useful, insofar as they demonstrate that: Inuit were far more adaptable to the harsh northern environment than other early societies in the Canadian arctic. See Diamond 255-266. The Dorset Workstation See selected resource list for suggestions. Materials in this station ought to: (1) demonstrate when and how the Dorset (and pre-Dorset) cultures arrived in the Canadian arctic. Blank maps with a complete map ought to be included that shows areas of settlement. (2) present information on how the Dorset culture survived in the north, and the ways in which they were out-performed by the Inuit.

(3) chronicle any known encounters between Dorset and Viking peoples, in order that students might reflect on what these encounters suggest about both societies. (4) engage students in reflecting about the challenges we face in other parts of Canada. Can we learn anything from the disappearance of the Dorset people about how to choose to succeed as a society that is a part of a larger global community? Excerpts from Chapter 6-8 of Diamonds book would be very useful, insofar as they demonstrate that: The Dorset people were out-competed by the Inuit, and posed much less of a threat to the Norse than either the Inuit or the Canadian Indians. See Diamond 255-260. The Vikings Workstation See selected resource list for suggestions. Materials in this station ought to: (1) include information about when and how the Vikings arrived in the Canadian north and the arctic regions in particular. Blank maps with a complete map ought to be included that shows areas of settlement and routes of migration. (2) present information about the manner in which the Vikings attempted to survive in their new environment, and how they were out-performed by the aboriginal peoples (and the Inuit in particular) (3) provide evidence of how and why the Vikings failed to learn better survival skills from the Inuit, including some discussion of their use of the derogatory term, skraelings (literally, wretches) to describe the native peoples they encountered. (4) offer some suggestions as to why the Vikings failed to maintain permanent settlements at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland (Vinland), the Labrador (Markland) coast south of Baffin Island, and the east coast of Baffin Island (Helluland). Some mention in this workstation of climate change would be appropriate. Excerpts from Chapters 6-8 of Diamonds book would be very useful, insofar as they demonstrate that: The Vikings damaged their environment (ex. Iceland). See Diamond 197205 The Vikings suffered from climactic changes (The Little Ice Age) See Diamond 204, 219-220, 267. The Vikings cultural values and responses negatively affected their outcome (they were hostile to skraelings or natives peoples; they failed to establish good relations with them, and resisted learning from them how to adapt to the harsh northern environment; this prevented them from engaging in effective trade). See Diamond 205-210; 257-266. The Vikings were out-competed by aboriginal peoples. (Beothuks and Inuit). See Diamond 205-210.
The Modern Day Canadian North See selected resource list for suggestions. Materials in this station ought to: (1) include information about how modern settlement of Canadas arctic regions has developed. Blank maps with a complete map ought to be included that shows areas of settlement, burgeoning industry, and the northwest passage. (2) present information about the manner in which Canadian activity in the north may pose long term environmental problems for Canada and the rest of the world. (3) provide some analysis of how Canadian activity in the north (or our actions in more southerly regions) might be understood in terms of Diamonds five-point framework. (4) offer some suggestions as to what sorts of alternatives and choices we must consider if we are to behave responsibly and for our survival in a global community. Some mention in this workstation of climate change would be appropriate.

Application of Jared Diamonds Five-Point Framework: Workstation: ____________________ Student Name: __________________

Environmental damage?

Climate change?

Hostile neighbours?

Friendly trade?
Societys response to its environmental problems?