Grade 6 - Social Studies - Optional (2025-)

Organizing Idea: Time and Place: Exploring the dynamic relationships between people, place, and time supports understanding of perspectives and events to make meaning of the world.

Organizing Idea: Systems: Evaluating processes and structures of organizations builds understanding of decision making in the world.

Organizing Idea: Citizenship: Understanding local, national, and global issues empowers individual and collective action toward an inclusive society.

Learning Outcome: Students relate the foundational principles of democracy to government systems throughout time and place.

Learning Outcome: Students analyze democracy in Canada.

Learning Outcome: Students examine the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Learning Outcome: Students examine civic participation in Canada.

Knowledge

Understanding

Skills & Procedures

Knowledge

Understanding

Skills & Procedures

Knowledge

Understanding

Skills & Procedures

Knowledge

Understanding

Skills & Procedures

Democracy originated in ancient Athens in response to authoritarian rule.

Democracies have fundamental principles, including

Direct democracy, where all male citizens were required to participate in government, originated in ancient Athens in response to authoritarian rule.

The structure of government may be influenced by geographical features, for example, geographical size or type of terrain.

Athens had three social classes with different rights and responsibilities

Citizens and non-citizens in ancient Athens and the Roman Republic were defined by social class.

Features of direct democracy from ancient Athens included

Representative democracy, in which elected citizens make decisions for society, was used in the provincia of the Roman Republic.

Male patricians and plebians could vote for a representative (magistrate) to the senate and assemblies.

The Roman Republic was composed of three branches of government based on the Constitution:

Athenian direct democracy and Roman representative democracy were limited by lack of efficiency and representation.

The Magna Carta (1215) limited absolute authority of the monarchy in medieval England (absolute monarchism).

The Magna Carta provided a foundation for legal protection and individual rights, and the Habeas Corpus Act (1679) established individual legal rights.

The Magna Carta provided a foundation for accountability by requiring the monarch to consult with a council to make decisions, and the Bill of Rights (1689) granted parliament with authority to make decisions.

The Bill of Rights (1689) formalized civil and parliamentary rights such as free elections, meetings of parliament, and free speech in parliament.

The legacy of the Bill of Rights includes formalized legal rights and free debate in parliament.

First Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy use a government system in which multiple Nations continue to come together to make decisions through consensus.

The Grand Council is the meeting of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy where Chiefs represent the voices of each Nation in decision making.

Clan Mothers influence decision making through their role in the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The Great Law of Peace is a binding agreement that guides the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in establishing roles, decision-making procedures, and collective rights.

Democracy and democratic principles were significantly shaped by events in England.

Athenian democracy provided a foundation for citizenship and participation in contemporary society.

Democracy in the Roman Republic provided a foundation for representation in contemporary society.

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy decision-making structure includes democratic principles.

Investigate the origin of democracy in ancient Athens.

Identify the similarities and differences between Athenian democracy and the Roman Republic.

Compare direct and representative democracy.

Discuss ways legislation and agreements have advanced principles of democracy.

Explain roles of Chiefs and Clan Mothers in decision making in the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Government systems provide structure for societies through leadership, decision-making processes, and application of laws.

Democracy is a government system in which citizens have a voice in decision making.

Democracy in Canada is based on the structure of the British parliamentary system and reflects principles of democracy evident in earlier systems of government.

In Canada, the British monarch is represented by the Governor General in federal government and lieutenant-governors in provincial governments.

Citizens elect municipal, provincial, territorial, and federal governments in Canada.

The prime minister is the head of the federal government and is the leader of the political party with the most elected Members of Parliament or MPs.

A premier is the head of a provincial or territorial government and is the leader of the political party with the most elected Members of the Legislative Assembly or MLAs.

Provincial and federal governments are held accountable by an Official Opposition.

MPs and MLAs serve citizens by making decisions and passing legislation related to issues and services.

In Canada, the Constitution Act divides decision-making authority between provincial governments and the federal government.

The judicial system in Canada interprets and upholds the law independently of elected governments.

Democratic practices in Canada are connected to earlier systems of government, for example,

Provincial and federal governments reflect democratic ideals and principles.

Relate the British parliamentary system and earlier systems of government to democracy in Canada.

Describe evidence of the principles of democracy in Canada today.

Describe the process by which provincial, territorial, and federal governments in Canada are elected.

Justify the role of an Official Opposition.

Describe responsibilities of MPs and MLAs.

Differentiate between provincial and federal decision-making authority.

Justify the independence of the judicial system.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982) was entrenched in the Constitution to reflect the values and principles of democracy in Canadian society and to recognize the diverse heritage of Canada.

Fundamental freedoms identified in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are guaranteed to everyone in Canada whether they are citizens or not.

Individual rights in Canada apply to all individuals, for example,

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms promotes equal treatment under the law (rule of law).

Aboriginal and treaty rights of Aboriginal (Indigenous) peoples in Canada affirm and recognize collective rights (Section 25 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms).

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes French and English as official languages of Canada.

Francophones and Anglophones in minority settings have collective language education rights (Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms).

The right to publicly funded religious schools, such as Catholic schools, was established and guaranteed in the British North America Act and is affirmed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Section 29).

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

There are reasonable limits to the rights and freedoms described in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to protect others.

Diverse cultural communities continue to face discrimination and racism in Canada.

Diverse communities in Canada continue to face discrimination, for example,

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms entrenches the fundamental principles of democracy.

Justify which fundamental freedoms, individual rights, and collective rights outlined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms hold the most significant personal implications.

Compare and contrast the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to comparable documents in other countries.

Hypothesize new responsibilities that all Canadians should undertake.

Hypothesize new freedoms that all Canadians should enjoy.

Examine cultural groups that experience discrimination in Canada.

In a democracy, citizenship carries the responsibility of civic participation.

In democracies, individuals and groups can demonstrate civic participation by taking actions that influence change and sustain communities.

Actions of civic participation in Canada can be informal or formal.

Project planning can support civic participation by providing steps for action, for example,

Civic participation is foundational to democracy and sustainability.

Justify the role of civic participation in a democracy.

Plan projects for civic participation.

equality under law

justice

freedom

representation

citizens

metics

slaves

a lottery

the Draconian constitution

majority rule through voting

debate of proposed laws

secret ballots

separate government bodies (Boule, Ecclesia, and Dikasteria)

equal political rights for male citizens, such as freedom of speech and political participation

executive: two consuls

legislative: senate and assemblies (comitia centuriata, comitia tributa, comitia curiata, concilium plebis)

judicial: judges

free and fair elections

an independent judiciary

checks and balances

government transparency

legislation to protect rights and freedoms

equality rights

legal rights

religious rights

protects all Canadians

applies to all levels of government

can be used to challenge unjust policies and practices

can be used to advocate for societal change

antisemitism

Islamophobia

identifying the issue and purpose

conducting research

setting goals

considering costs and resources

deciding steps or procedures to complete the plan

completing the plan

reflecting on the outcome of the plan