This unit focuses on the concept of power—the power of individuals, collectives and nations. Power in the form of authority, influence or force is acquired by having superior resources, greater numbers or more effective organization. Government structures such as democracy, autocracy and oligarchy obtain and use their power in different ways. Some government structures use their power to help the people, while others use their power to control the people. The abuse of government power is common in some regimes. Individuals often set up cooperative organizations that give them collective power in a variety of production, consumer and development situations.
The following chart provides an outline for Unit Three:
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Major Concept: power Related Concepts:
Topics |
The following definitions are as much for teacher information as they are for students. It is up to individual teachers to decide which of the following terms to present to students. Teachers should base this decision upon students' prior knowledge about the concepts and content of the topic.
| Authority | The source of power of individuals and organizations that hold positions of high status by virtue of such conditions as legal appointment, high education, job situation and experience. |
| Autocracy | A system of government in which a single person has power through wealth, social position and/or military strength. |
| Collective | Power The power of a group of people gained through organization. |
| Cooperative | An organization in which members work together to achieve a goal. |
| Force | The source of power of individuals and organizations that use violence, confinement, fines, denial of privileges, or the threat of such consequences. |
| Monarchy | A system of government in which one person, a king or a queen, has power through inheritance and family status. |
| Power | The ability to carry out decisions. |
| Democracy | A system of government in which the citizens have power through their elected representatives. |
| Influence | The power credited to an individual or organization that uses persuasion, rational arguments, emotional appeals, rewards and/or bribes. |
| Oligarchy | A system of government in which a small group has power through wealth, social position and/or military strength. |
| Synergy | The outcome of combined action, which results in a greater effect than the sum of individual components working independently. |
All units are resource-based; teachers and students are encouraged to use a variety of resources and sources throughout. The accompanying bibliography contains annotations of current, useful resources including print, video, Internet sites and other media. Teachers are encouraged to assess their current resource collection, identifying those that are still useful, and to acquire small quantities of each title, rather than class sets, in order to provide students with a broad range of perspectives and information. The bibliography that accompanies this curriculum guide includes detailed annotations that will assist teachers in making resource selections appropriate to the abilities and needs of the students.
The following list of resources is intended to be a starting point for developing a Unit Three resource collection that is current and relevant and addresses students’ various learning styles and abilities.
Print Resources
Atlases, maps and globes
Asia and the Pacific
Canada and its Pacific Neighbours (previously listed text, muchof which is still useful)
Economically Developing Countries Series
Listen to Us: The World's Working Children - A Book for Kids
Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series
North Circumpolar World
Making Choices - Tapestry (Level 6)
Pacific Rim Discovery
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Pacific Rim Profiles
The following print resources are listed for Middle Level English Language Arts (grades 6-9) and offer opportunities for interdisciplinary instruction.
Justice - The Issues Collection
Heritage Minutes (video segments in We Are Canadians kit)
Teachers are advised to check the bibliography for Internet site addresses that support this unit. As well, many general interest sites are listed in Social Studies: An Information Bulletin for the Renewed Middle Level Curricula (Grades 7-9), March 1999, pages 19-20. Due to the unstable nature of Internet sites, teachers are advised to access Saskatchewan Education's Web site at (http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr_inst/social/socialsciences.html). See pages 378-381 in this curriculum guide for information about locating and evaluating Internet sites.
Incorporating current events enhances students' understanding of the concepts under study and extends their learning experiences by relating the events to real life and making them relevant. Sources for current event stories include newspapers, news magazines, daily and weekly television and radio newscasts and documentaries, and the Internet. Many Canadian daily newspapers are available on-line and are a reliable source of current events. Select articles and news items to support the objectives and concepts as often as possible, and encourage students to contribute also. See pages 346-350 in this curriculum guide for some current event activities.
This unit may be adapted for an interdisciplinary study. See page 336 of this curriculum guide for information about developing interdisciplinary units of study. The following are some suggestions for connecting this unit to other subject areas.