Despite being very different, geography and history are closely related. Both subjects help students understand the past, which in turn enables them to better understand the present and to predict the future.
History is the science of studying the past and trying to reconstruct it. As today’s societies are shaped by those of the past, understanding history can give us a better sense of who we are collectively.
In elementary school, history class is paired with geography and citizenship education. These three subjects form what is called social sciences. By studying different periods in our history, from the time of the earliest Indigenous peoples to the present day, students are exposed to the following concepts:
- Territory
- Society
- Organization
- Change
- Diversity
- Time
- Etc.
By the end of elementary school, through their social sciences class, students will have learned how to do the following:
- Understand how certain societies are organized
- Interpret change
- Be open to diversity
- Look at the facts
- Etc.
In high school, the study of sedentation, democracy, Romanization, industrialization, and other concepts allows students to better understand current issues. More specifically, the History and Citizenship Education course teaches students to do the following:
- Understand and interpret certain social realities
- Become responsible, informed citizens
- Orient themselves in space and time
- Establish connections between facts
- Recognize change and continuity
- Understand cause and effect
- Identify differences and similarities
- Develop their own view of the world
- Exercise critical thinking
- Etc.
If your child is still not convinced that it’s important to study history, remind them that history is all around them and that paying attention in class could help them understand the following:
- Who the Jacques-Cartier and Pierre-Laporte bridges were named after
- Where their street comes from
- Why their favourite singer won a JUNO and their favourite actor, an Iris
- Etc.
Today, it’s easy to communicate with people from across the globe. The Contemporary World course (Secondary V) prepares students to do the following:
- Understand problems of international concern
- Take a stand on world issues
Themes are studied from historical, geographical, political, and economic viewpoints, which helps children develop an understanding of the following concepts:
- Culture
- Interdependence
- Diaspora
- Globalization
- Urbanization
- Power
- Etc.
Geography is the study of all human and physical phenomena on the planet. The discipline is divided into two fields:
- Human geography—the study of the relationships between people and their environments
- Physical geography—the study of continents, hydrography, relief, climate, vegetation, etc.
Geography gives students a better understanding of our natural environment, its inhabitants, and the relationships between the two. It prepares them to do the following:
- Preserve and develop cultural and natural heritage
- Show respect for the environment and for other people
- Etc.
The Geography curriculum focuses on the following concepts:
- Urban and regional territories
- Heritage sites
- Indigenous territories
- Tourist regions
- Forest regions
- Industrial regions
- Etc.
If you need more examples of why geography is important, remind your child that taking this subject will help them understand the following:
- Why there was an earthquake in Haiti
- Why there was a tsunami in Japan
- Why there aren’t any volcanoes in Canada
- Why we have national parks
- Etc.
In Geography class, children learn to apply a variety of techniques:
- Making a geographic sketch
- Interpreting a landscape
- Making a schematic map
- Interpreting a map
- Interpreting pictures, posters, etc.
- Interpreting a chart or diagram
Did you know? In our AlloMonde game, kids answer skill-testing questions for a ticket to the destination of their choice—a fun way to study geography!
Writing : Alloprof Parents’ team