CU Topics for WE1

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David Spencer's Education Paragon is a free educational resource portal helping David Spencer's secondary school students, their parents and teaching colleagues with understanding, designing, applying and delivering assessment, curriculum, educational resources, evaluation and literacy skills accurately and effectively. This wiki features educational resources for Indigenous Aboriginal education, field trips for educators, law and justice education, music education and outdoor, environmental and experiential education. Since our web site launch on September 27, 2006, online site statistics and web rankings indicate there are currently 1,888 pages and 20,185,651 page views using 7.85 Gig of bandwidth per month. Pages are written, edited, published and hosted by Brampton, Ontario, Canada based educator David Spencer. On social media, you may find David as @DavidSpencerEdu on Twitter, as DavidSpencerdotca on Linkedin.com and DavidSpencer on Prezi. Please send your accolades, feedback and resource suggestions to David Spencer. Share on social media with the hashtag #EducationParagon. Thank you for visiting. You may contact David Spencer here.

The following resources are helpful to parents and teachers:

  1. Book: Supporting Successful Transition from Primary to Secondary School by Tina Rae (2014)
  2. Book: Book: Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv (2008)
  3. Book: Digital Tools for Teaching: 30 E-tools for Collaborating, Creating, and Publishing across the Curriculum by Steve Johnson (2013)
  4. DVD video: Canadian Popular Music in the '60's, '70's & '80's by EMI Music Canada (2012)
  5. DVD video: Canada: A People's History produced by Mark Starowicz (2001).
  6. Book: Fire in the Bones: Bill Mason and the Canadian Canoeing Tradition by James Raffan (1999)


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Shortcut is http://we1.davidspencer.ca
<<< WE with David Semester One (1) | WE with David Semester Two (2) >>>
CU Topics for WE1 | CU Topics for WE2
Aboriginal Terms Glossary for WE1 | Indigenous Terms Glossary for WE2
Significant Aboriginals for WE1 | Environmental Science Glossary for WE2
Enviro & Resource Management Terms Glossary for WE1 | [Significant Indigenous People for WE2]]


The Wilderness Experience 1 (WE1) with David is an integrated program designed for an alternative secondary school setting by educator David Spencer. Wilderness Experience 1 (WE1) provides three (3) secondary school course credits during semester one. Students should attend and participate in all classes, outdoor field trips and events. Literacy and communication skills developed during this program include jot note writing, writing journal entries, researching in public, college and university libraries, interviewing, script writing and oral reading comprehension. New media technology skills developed include audio and video recording presentations for the DVD authoring and web podcasting and documentary production for FM radio broadcasting and web podcasting. Students will be provided with opportunities to learn how to research, plan for, promote, hold and debrief a community event about green transportation and green energy alternatives.

Download the Wilderness Experience Information Brochure (PDF format).

Program: The Wilderness Experience (WE) program integrates two Ontario Ministry of Education certified courses:

  • Current Aboriginal Issues in Canada (NDA3M) This course focuses on existing and emerging issues of importance to Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Students will investigate issues related to identity, relationships among Aboriginal peoples and between Aboriginal peoples and other Canadians, sovereignty principles as presented by Aboriginal peoples, and the contemporary challenges posed by these issues. Students will also examine such topics as language preservation, the responsibilities of Aboriginal women and men, and the need for dialogue between Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal peoples. See more of the NDA3M Curriculum Guideline from the Ontario Ministry of Education
  • The Environment and Resource Management (CGR4M) is an integrative subject that brings a variety of perspectives, both social and physical, to the study of people, places, and environments around the world. Understanding the processes that shape the earth and knowing how life-forms interact with the environment allows students to view events from an ecological perspective. The Environment and Resource Management course investigates the complexity and fragility of ecosystems and the effects of human activities on them. Students will study the principles of sustainability and resource management and evaluate various approaches to achieving a more sustainable relationship between the environment, society, and the economy. See more of the CGR4M Curriculum Guideline from the Ontario Ministry of Education.
  • Interdisciplinary Studies (IDC30G) is a course that will help students combine the skills required for and knowledge of different subjects and disciplines to solve problems, make decisions, create personal meaning, and present findings beyond the scope of a single subject or discipline. Through individual and collaborative inquiry and research, students will analyse the connections among diverse subjects and disciplines; develop information literacy skills in analysing, selecting, evaluating, and communicating information; and become aware of a variety of resources and viewpoints on contemporary issues. They will also examine their own learning styles, relate their inquiries and research to real-life situations, and investigate career opportunities in new disciplines. See more of the IDC30G Curriculum Guideline from the Ontario Ministry of Education.

CU Culminating Unit Research Project for WE1

Your assignment is to conduct current research from library books, periodicals, videos, web resources and your personal interviews with knowledgeable people on two (2) topics. Select one topic from the list of Current Aboriginal Issues in Canada (NDA3M) and one from the list The Environment and Resource Management (CGR4M) shown below. Analyse, compile and edit the results of your research into a report written in your own words. Provide a bibliography and citations in MLA Format for all your sources of information, photos, videos, music and interviews. Refer to "How to Write a Bibliography - Examples in MLA Style" and "Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University". You may wish to use the online citation creators such as easybib.com or bibme.org.

a) Independently select a CU (Culminating Unit) topic from each of the two (2) lists below. Send your two (2) topics to your teacher.

b) Select a presentation format from the following list and send your choice to your teacher.You must select two different formats.


c) Throughout the semester, show your teacher the progress of your two (2) CU's three (3) times per month. Please attend tutorial times each week to work on your CUs, get extra help from your teacher and show the progress of your research, analysis and final product.

d) The final draft of your first CU project is due on Thursday November 27, 2014.

e) The final draft of your second CU project is due on Thursday December 11, 2014.

Unit 3: Culminating Unit Topic

Current Aboriginal Issues in Canada (NDA3M) This course focuses on existing and emerging issues of importance to Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Students will investigate issues related to identity, relationships among Aboriginal peoples and between Aboriginal peoples and other Canadians, sovereignty principles as presented by Aboriginal peoples, and the contemporary challenges posed by these issues. Students will also examine such topics as language preservation, the responsibilities of Aboriginal women and men, and the need for dialogue between Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal peoples.

Culminating Unit Topic Choices for Current Aboriginal Issues in Canada (NDA3M)

Student Choices

  • Bhupinder - residential schools in Canada
  • Charandeep - suicides among aboriginal youth in Canada
  • Colby - Murder of Aboriginal Women in Canada
  • Deep - Life in the Arctic
  • Denise - Suicide issues on Pikangikum First Nation
  • Kyle - longhouse building and living
  • Nirvana - Inuit life in the Arctic before the 1600's

Culminating Unit Topic Choices for The Environment and Resource Management (CGR4M)

Student Choices

  • Alex - water shortage issues
  • Bhupinder - How do Series 400 Highways impact natural areas in Ontario
  • Charandeep - David Suzuki and his influence on society
  • Colby - Port Credit Waterfront development
  • Denise - Value of Ontario Provincial Parks, List of Ontario Provincial Parks, Algonquin Park, Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park
  • Kyle - environmental problems in the City of Brampton.
  • Nav - climate change issues and politics
  • Nirvana - Port Credit Waterfront Development

CU Topics for Current Aboriginal Issues in Canada (NDA3M)

The following are a few of the many CU Topic Ideas for Current Aboriginal Issues in Canada (NDA3M). You are also invited to speak with David and make a suggestion for a new topic you would like to research.

  1. Aboriginal Music Week
  2. Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards
  3. music group "A Tribe Called Red"
  4. Topic suggestions from CBC.ca and
  5. issues among the Waywayseecappo first nations clan near Winnipeg.
  6. Cindy Blackstock
  7. Family Violence in Aboriginal Communities as reported by the Public Health Agency of Canada and The Robert Pickton Trial and Robert Pickton
  8. economy, generating income on a First Nations reserve
  9. alcoholism among aboriginal people
  10. Aboriginal Treaties, Caledonia land claim and The Ipperwash inquiry and Specific Claims
    format: poster bristol size
  11. Issues Facing Aboriginal Spirituality, religion and faith
    format:church bulletin and verbal presentation that is videotaped. wikipedia.org, CBC News
  12. Female Aboriginal leaders
  13. Diabetes Issues as reported by Health Canada on First Nations, Inuit & Aboriginal Health and Diabetes in Aboriginal Communities as reported by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
  14. murders of Aboriginal women in Canada
  15. Scientific exploration by Canadian Aboriginal people
  16. Suicide issues on Pikangikum First Nation
  17. Life in a first nations longhouse
  18. Inuit life in the Arctic today
  19. Inuit life in the Arctic before the 1600's
  20. murder of Aboriginal women in Canada
  21. Diabetes Issues as reported by Health Canada on First Nations, Inuit & Aboriginal Health and Diabetes in Aboriginal Communities as reported by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
  22. Attawapiskat
  23. Aboriginal people on social media
  24. History of the Assembly of First Nations See: Assembly of First Nations
  25. scientific exploration by Aboriginal peoples
  26. alcholism among Aboriginal people
  27. The Ipperwash inquiry
  28. Inuit life in the Arctic before the 1600's
  29. significant Aboriginal women
  30. Residential Schools in Canada
  31. The Female Aboriginal leaders of " Idle No More": The Idle No More Leaders: The movement was initiated by activists Nina Wilson, Sheelah Mclean,Sylvia McAdam, and Jessica Gordon in November 2012
  32. murder of Aboriginal women in Canada. The Robert Pickton Trial and Robert Pickton
  33. Life in a first nations longhouse See First Nations Architecture and see this video about longhouses.
  34. Cree people of Ontario
  35. [https://www.google.ca/webhp?hl=en&tab=ww#hl=en&q=shawanaga+first+nation&safe=off Shawanaga

Culminating Unit Topics for The Environment and Resource Management (CGR4M)

Geography is an integrative subject that brings a variety of perspectives, both social and physical, to the study of people, places, and environments around the world. Understanding the processes that shape the earth and knowing how life-forms interact with the environment allows students to view events from an ecological perspective. The Environment and Resource Management course investigates the complexity and fragility of ecosystems and the effects of human activities on them. Students will study the principles of sustainability and resource management and evaluate various approaches to achieving a more sustainable relationship between the environment, society, and the economy.

  1. the value of Ontario Provincial Parks
  2. the value of Ontario Conservation Areas
  3. David Suzuki and his influence on society
  4. How does the David Suzuki Foundation cause change in decisions and policies on the environment
  5. invasive species - Giant hogweed invadingspecies.com
  6. importance of Conservation Areas in Ontario
  7. The Highland Companies and Foodstock
  8. Protection of significant geological sites in Canada
  9. Niagara Escarpment Commission
  10. Credit Valley Conservation
  11. land development issues with the City of Brampton Class Environmental Assessments, Grow Green, Tree Preservation By-law and Valleys Re-naturalization Planting Program
  12. water access and water quality issues on and near first nations reserves and Inuit settlements
    takepart.com 1.1 billion people don’t have access to clean water and Drinking Water issues as reported by Health Canada on First Nations, Inuit & Aboriginal Health.
  13. resource management- How do Series 400 Highways impact natural areas in Ontario
  14. invasive species - round goby or Asian Longhorn Beetle
    format: brochure
  15. climate change
    format: poster and videotaped presentation.
    Believers [An Inconvenient Truth], Evidence from climatecrisis.net, One.org Climate change is not a crisis of developing countries' making, yet the impacts of global warming will disproportionately hit the world's poorest people.
    Skeptics :climateskeptic.net A blog and forum for those skeptical of the climate change hysteria], realclimate.org
  16. Environmental impact of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines
  17. resource management issues
  18. climate change
  19. water access and water quality issues on and near first nations reserves and Inuit settlements
    takepart.com 1.1 billion people don’t have access to clean water and Drinking Water issues as reported by Health Canada on First Nations, Inuit & Aboriginal Health.
  20. Value of Ontario Provincial Parks, List of Ontario Provincial Parks, Algonquin Park, Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park
  21. climate change watch "Inconvenient Truth" DVD
  22. Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines
  23. Land use issues in Brampton
  24. Port Credit Waterfront Development
  25. Credit Valley Conservation
  26. Invasive species
  27. Asian Longhorned Beetle
  28. Al Gore, "Inconvenient Truth" and climate change
  29. Credit Valley Conservation
  30. Environmental impact of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines
  31. land development issues with the City of Brampton Class Environmental Assessments, Grow Green, Tree Preservation By-law and Valleys Re-naturalization Planting Program
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