CONSUMERISM GRADE 8 SOCIAL STUDIES Erika Slater Jessica Kurk

OUTCOMES RW 8.1 Analyze the social and environmental consequences of living in the Canadian mixed market economy based on consumerism. “I can understand how the environment is affected while living in the Canadian mixed market focusing on consumerism.” RW 8.2 Assess the implications of personal consumer choices. “I can know the consequences or results of buying something for myself.”

INDICATORS RW 8.1 a) Investigate the goods and services produced in the local economy and the consumers of those goods and services (e.g., hospital, hairdressers, manufacturers, farmers, exporters). b) Categorize the producers of goods and services in the local economy as belonging to the public or private sector, and define the differences of the two groupings. c) Identify the purpose and characteristics of: public enterprise private enterprise d) Represent the characteristics of a mixed market economy including the roles of the producer, consumer, and government. e) Illustrate the elements of a mixed market economy present in the lives of students. f) Appraise the role of advertising in the mixed market economy. g) Determine the positive and negative social and environmental consequences for family, school, and community in the Canadian mixed market economy. h) Recognize the impact of living in situations in which assets are collectively or communally owned (e.g., First Nations, Hutterian communities).

INDICATORS RW 8.2 a) Determine the effects on the local community of the purchasing patterns of its members (e.g., the origins of products used in daily life). b) Create a catalogue of locally-produced products and of fair-trade products available in local businesses. c) Assess the advantages and disadvantages of buying locally, buying fair-trade products, and buying mass-produced products. d) Illustrate the effects of excessive consumption in personal, community, and national contexts. e) Propose a definition of responsible consumerism, and publish a list of strategic actions leading to responsible consumerism. f) Represent a personal change related to responsible consumption integrated into personal life.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS How does the products I purchase affect my community? Do I contribute to over consumerism? How do my personal choices impact the environment in my community?

GUIDING QUESTIONS Where do the products you purchase come from? What types of products come from Canada versus other countries? What does over consumerism look like in Canada? What do companies do to imported food to keep it fresh over the travel? What types of things do you consider when making healthy decisions?

LEARNING TASKS & EXPERIENCES Introduction Lesson (Pre-Assessment) Educate students on Canada’s mixed market economy through class discussion and debate. Brainstorm different producers we have in the community. Discuss the definition of a Canadian mixed market economy. Categorize producers as belonging to the public or private sector. Debate whether Saskatchewan should stay public or go private with their water, power, and energy.

LEARNING TASKS & EXPERIENCES Advertisement Critique (Formative Assessment) As a class we will complete an advertisement critique for students to follow as an exemplar. In the example critique we will analyze the advertisement through the eyes of the targeted consumer. We will address questions such as: Who is the targeted consumer? Why does this product appeal to the consumer? What techniques does this advertisement use target the consumer? For the next class students will be asked to bring in their own advertisement to do a critique on.

LEARNING TASKS & EXPERIENCES Inquiry Project (Formative Assessment) In groups of four, students will be completing an inquiry project based on the following questions. Students will choose a product that can be found at a local business. They will then research and discover the answers to the following questions: How does the business receive your product? Does this business belong to the public or private sector? Where does the product come from? (i.e. local or import and specifically where) What is done in order for this product to be shipped to the business? (Is it packaged? Is it preserved? Etc.) How does this affect the environment? How is this product advertised? (Who is the target audience? What type of advertisement is this?) Students will have the choice of how to represent their projects, for example: poster, PowerPoint, website, wiki, prezi, etc.

LEARNING TASKS & EXPERIENCES Carousel (Summative Assessment) Students will move through a series of stations, answering questions on chart paper. Each student will be required to add a point to the paper and initial to show their knowledge. Each time a group moves to a new station, a new piece of chart paper will be used so that the previous students’ answers do no influence the following group’s answers. The questions will be based around the knowledge learned throughout the unit as a whole.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Direct Instruction: Structured overview Explicit teaching Student centered lecture Indirect Instruction: Inquiry Reflective discussion Reading for meaning Interactive Instruction: Debate Brainstorming Discussion Cooperative learning groups

TREATY EDUCATION Outcome: SI72: Examine Oral Tradition as a valid way of preserving accounts of what transpired and what was intended by entering into treaty. Indicator: Explain how written and oral accounts might differ from one another. This outcome will be displayed through the inquiry project. A requirement of the inquiry project is for the students to explore different ways of presenting their information orally. After the presentations we will discuss how important oral tradition is in the First Nations culture.

RESOURCES Community Resources A local store worker could come in and speak about how their goods are brought into the store (locally, imported, etc.) Students could take a field trip to a local grocery store and be able to see for themselves how products are brought it and put out for display. For example, how is produced shipped in from far away? What is done to those products to preserve them over their trip? What condition are these products in when arriving? etc.

RESOURCES Student Resources Canada Border Service Agency (Importing goods into Canada) Industry Canada (Canadian Importers Database) A Guide to Importing Goods to Canada canada Students on consumerism Story of Stuff

RESOURCES Teacher Resources Media Smarts Introduction to Inquiry Based Learning A Teacher’s Guide to Implementing Inquiry Based Learning Teaching Kids Consumerism Consumerism Lessons, Games, Activities, and Presentations