Canadian Heritage

Learning Scenarios

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General information

Title: Maple Sugaring Time
Theme: Forestry Workers
Teaching level: Primary
Discipline: Social Science

General learning results:
- Organization of a community across its geographical area
- Changes in the organization of a community across its geographical area
- Diversity of communities across their geographical area

Transdisciplinary learning results:
- Communication
- Use of ICT
- Critical thinking
- Personal and social development
- Culture and heritage
- Work habits

Specific learning results:
Organization:
- Describe the main features of the natural environment and inhabited lands of New Brunswick
- Characterize the main economic activities of New Brunswick.

Changes:
- Compare today’s economic activities with those of the past (at the time of New Brunswick’s establishment in 1784).

Diversity :
- Identify the similarities and the differences that exist between New Brunswick and another province.

Technical Skills and Civics:
- Share with other students of the class.
- Use a vocabulary related to concepts of time, geographical area, and social settings.
- Place on a timeline the events and persons that had an impact on the province since its establishment in 1784.

Teaching preparation

Proposed task:
The teacher and the students discuss maple sugar time then and now. Students are encouraged to research Internet sites to find various techniques used over the years in the making of maple sugar. A field trip to a modern maple tree grove or sugar bush will complete the findings.

Interdisciplinarity:
- English
- Computer science

Materials:
- Computers
- Document: The Sugar Bush or Maple Grove
- Research Internet Sites for topics related to maple sugaring and maple groves.

Resource person(s):
- Maple sugar producer (A person who operates a maple grove and sugar camp for the purpose of making maple sugar products).

Learning preparation

Proposed approach:
Themes researched :
- History
- Production and products
- Maple grove
- Vocabulary

Procedure :
- Demonstrate the evolution of techniques used in maple sugar operations.
- Familiarize students with the concepts used in the production of maple sugar.
- Research information online to learn more about the evolution and changes in the production of maple sugar over the years.
- Allow students to familiarize themselves with various maple products coming from our maple groves (or sugar bushes) and with their contribution to the local economy.

Objectivation:
- What is maple sugar time?
- Where do maple products come from?
- How do we call a person who operates a maple grove and fabricates maple sugar products?

Learning realisation

Proposed approach:
- Group discussion with the student to determine prior knowledge of sugar time. Post key words on a diagram.
- Present the 4 main themes (history, production and products, maple grove, vocabulary)
- Formulate with the class, questions that will facilitate and guide the research in small groups. Concentrate on 5 questions for each theme.
- Divide into small groups of 3 to 4 students.
- Each group researches the Internet to find information that answers the questions.
- With the information gathered from the Internet, students prepare a summary to be shared with the class.
- With the summaries, arrange an audio-visual presentation. That presentation can be shared with students in other classes.

Objectivation:
- What would you like to discover?
- Where will you find the answers to your questions?
- What is important in a summary?

Learning integration

Proposed approach:
- Invite a maple sugar producer to discuss in class the evolution of the maple syrup and sugar making process. Concentrate on important and pertinent questions about the maple sugar industry. (Use a time line to illustrate the transfer of learning.)
- Prepare questions that will allow students to integrate their learning.
- Visit a maple grove or sugar bush.
- Taste various maple sugar products.

Diversity :
- Ask students to find other regions in Canada where maple sugar is produced.
- Shade the identified regions on an outline map.
- Ask students to find on the Internet other uses of maple trees.

Objectivation:
- What surprised you most in your research?
- Would a maple sugar producer be of any assistance to you in the research? What would you like to ask him/her?
- What did you learn from the guest and from the visit?
- Do you think this natural resource is available elsewhere in Canada or in the world?
- What other uses can be made of the natural resources of a maple grove?