Social Studies 11

Unit 7: A Changing Society

TC: S. Gordon
SA: B. Aura

Unit Project: Research Project on Social/Cultural Change in

Canada
For this project you will choose a topic to research.
The bulk of your research and analysis should focus on the years
1945-1979.
You may choose from:
A)
An influential Canadian social movement of your choice.
This could be the womens, environmental, aboriginal
rights, anti-war/peace, or anti-nuclear movements.
B)
An influential Canadian individual who had a significant
impact on Canadian society within 1945-1979. For example:
David Suzuki, Pierre Trudeau, or Terry Fox.
C)
A concept of social change within Canada, such as
materialism/consumerism, suburbia, counterculture, rock n
roll, cultural imperialism, inequality, or the development of
social welfare.
The examples given are only suggestions; you are encouraged to
choose whatever is most interesting to you so feel free to go beyond
these. If you have a different topic in mind you are unsure about,
please ask to make sure it fits the period and focus.
You will be required to research your topic and provide references, as
well as to analyse and organize the information you collect.
You will have a choice of the format in which to present your project.
The majority of your time should be spent researching and organizing
information, rather than on putting it into your format of presentation.
If you have a creative format in mind that you are unsure about, please
ask.
The project will be the weekend after your midterm March 10th for
Day 1 or March 11th for Day 2.
You will have class time on March 4th/5th to work on this project, or to
study for your midterm if you prefer. This date will also be a graded
checkpoint: you are required to bring a list of 5 resources, with a one to
two point description for each of why this source will be useful and

what type of information it includes. If you do not have this list of

resources on this class date, 3 marks will be deducted from your
total project grade. If you are absent, hand them in on the next day
you are at school.

Criteria:
Length:
If you do an essay, it should be a minimum of 3 typed pages if
you are working in a pair, or 2 pages if you are working on your
own. The bibliography is in addition to this minimum.
If you are doing a creative presentation, you should have a
supplemental minimum of one typed page of writing.
(16) Quality of research: number of sources (minimum of 8,
should be a variety of types). Your sources and the information you
select from them should be relevant to your topic, be mostly within
the time period and within Canada, and be useful in answering the
guiding questions. Your sources should be accurate and include a
range of points of view. At least one should be a source that is
critical of your movement or individual.
(4) Bibliography: APA style.
(13) Quality of analysis and interpretation of research: how
information is selected, organized, analysed, and explained by
student to build a clear description of the topic that answers the
questions/outline.
(7) Presentation: How the information and analysis is presented
to the reader (you are not presenting in class). If you do a visual
presentation (art, collage, comic strips, video) you need to include a
written component of one page. Creativity is not required. Should be
designed in a way that is accessible, that could be understood by
someone with no background knowledge.
= 40 marks
Questions/Outline for Analysis:
1) What was the historical context that led to your
movement/individual/concept? (Political, social/cultural,
environmental, economic) While you should focus your
research on the Canadian movement, you may refer to how

2)
3)
4)
5)

the American section of your movement influenced Canadians

if it was a significant factor.
What is the personal background/context of your m/i/c? Who
was involved, why did they believe what they did, why did
they use the tactics and strategies they did?
How did the Canadian government and population respond to
your topic? If how were they perceived at the time is different
from how they are perceived now, why is that?
What has happened to the movement/individuals cause?
Explain how and why it has died out, changed, or advanced.
What is the legacy of your movement/individual/concept?
What are the most significant ways that it changed Canada.