Overview
In Grade 7 geography, students will explore opportunities and challenges presented by the physical environment and the ways in which people around the world have responded to them. They will develop an understanding of patterns in Earth’s physical features and of the physical processes and human activities that create and change these features. Building on their knowledge of natural resources, students will study the extraction/harvesting and use of these resources on a global scale. They will examine the relationship between Earth’s physical features and the distribution and use of natural resources while exploring ways of preserving global resources. In this grade, students will be introduced to the geographic inquiry process and to the concepts of geographic thinking. They will apply the concept of geographic perspective while investigating the impact of natural events and human activities on the physical environment and also various effects of natural resource extraction/harvesting and use. Students will continue to develop their spatial skills, extracting and analysing information from a variety of sources, including different types of maps and graphs, photographs and digital representations, and geographic information systems (GIS).
The Grade 7 geography expectations provide opportunities for students to explore a number of concepts connected to the citizenship education framework, including advocacy, collaboration and cooperation, perspective, and stewardship.
The following two-part chart presents an overview of Grade 7 geography, and is meant to provide a starting point for planning instruction. For each overall expectation (listed in the first column), it identifies a related concept (or concepts) of geographic thinking and a big idea (see an explanation of big ideas and the concepts of disciplinary thinking and definitions of the concepts of geographic thinking). General framing questions are provided for each strand to stimulate students’ curiosity and critical thinking and to heighten the relevance of what they are studying. These broad and often open-ended questions can be used to frame a set of expectations, a strand, or a cross-disciplinary unit. The final column suggests ways in which spatial skills can be introduced and/or developed at this grade level, and indicates specific expectations with which they can be used (see a description of spatial skills).
Strand A. Physical Patterns in a Changing World
Overall Expectations | Related Concepts of Geographic Thinking | Big Ideas | Framing Questions | Sample Spatial Skills/Activities to Be Introduced/Developed |
A1. analyse some challenges and opportunities presented by the physical environment and ways in which people have responded to them | Spatial Significance; Interrelationships |
People’s activities are related to the physical features and processes in their region. |
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Graphs
Maps* and Globes
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A2. use the geographic inquiry process to investigate the impact of natural events and/or human activities that change the physical environment, exploring the impact from a geographic perspective | Geographic Perspective | Natural events and human activities that change Earth’s physical features can have social, political, environmental, and economic consequences. | ||
A3. demonstrate an understanding of significant patterns in Earth’s physical features and of some natural processes and human activities that create and change those features | Patterns and Trends; Spatial Significance |
Earth’s physical features can be created or changed by both natural processes and human activities. |
Strand B. Natural Resources around the World: Use and Sustainability
Overall Expectations | Related Concepts of Geographic Thinking | Big Ideas | Framing Questions | Sample Spatial Skills/Activities to Be Introduced/Developed |
B1. analyse aspects of the extraction/harvesting and use of natural resources in different regions of the world, and assess ways of preserving these resources | Spatial Significance; Interrelationships |
Resource development is affected by social, political, economic, and geographic factors. |
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Graphs
Maps* and Globes
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B2. use the geographic inquiry process to investigate issues related to the impact of the extraction/harvesting and/or use of natural resources around the world from a geographic perspective | Geographic Perspective | The ways in which people extract and use natural resources can have social, economic, political, and environmental consequences. | ||
B3. demonstrate an understanding of the sources and use of different types of natural resources and of some of the effects of the extraction/harvesting and use of these resources | Spatial Significance; Geographic Perspective |
There is a relationship between Earth’s physical features and the distribution of natural resources and how people use these resources to meet their needs and wants. |
* The term map refers to print, digital, and interactive maps. Students may analyse and create maps on paper or using mapping programs.