Every day, millions of people around the world are identifying problems within their own communities and looking for solutions to fix these issues. While most may wish these problems go away immediately, it takes time, passion and resources to turn this into a reality. Join us in this series as we dive into problems faced each and every day and develop solutions to improve the world around us.

Inequality

Reduced inequalities

Peace justice

Peace, Justice and strong institutions

gender equality

Gender equality

Cities

Sustainable cities and communities

use elements of design in art works to communicate ideas, messages, and understandings for a specific audience and purpose (e.g., create balance in positive and negative space in a personal logo design, using drawing or paper cut-outs of black-and-white shapes on a grey background; selectively manipulate the colour, values, and text in a digital composition to change the message of a print advertisement)

Grade 7 D1.3

Purposes of Text Forms: identify the purpose(s) of some familiar text forms, including fictional, informational, graphic, and media forms (e.g., “how-to” book – to describe the equipment and actions for carrying out a procedure; logo – to aid in quick recognition or identification of a company or product; poster – to present specific information in a striking, memorable way; catalogue – to provide information in a systematic, easy-to-retrieve form; text message – to share personal experiences, thoughts, and actions; poem/song – to express ideas or feelings in vivid, evocative language; short story – to entertain and/ or to depict or highlight the significance of imagined events or experiences)

Grade 6.C2.1

 Bringing A Campaign To Life

communicate their ideas, arguments, and conclusions using various formats and styles, as appropriate for the intended audiences and purpose (e.g., a blog on the results of environmental action in their school; a web page on a social justice issue such as child poverty and links to relevant
organizations; a discussion group on how best to
foster healthy schools; a poster that highlights
people’s civic responsibilities; a news report on a
plan to build a big box store in the local community;
a presentation on cultural celebrations of various
people within the local community; a protest song
to commemorate or raise awareness about a violation
of human rights; a petition calling for clean,
safe water on First Nations reserves; a debate
on alternative electoral processes; a work of art
on the value of volunteer work)

A1.7 Political Inquiry

analyse how the perspectives of individuals and non-governmental stakeholder groups (e.g., corporations; unions; environmental, social justice, or women’s groups; religious organizations; political lobby groups) may influence their response to issues of national and/or international political importance

D2.4 Challenges and Strategies

describe forms of social activism, including those unique to contemporary society (e.g., netivism, hacktivism, culture jamming; participation in student social justice clubs; use of the arts such as music, theatre, and visual arts to publicize or comment on social justice issues; use of the media to report on social injustice; protests such as hunger strikes, demonstrations, civil disobedience, passive resistance)

Grade 11  Social Activism C3.2

analyse a broad range of current equity and social justice issues in Canada (e.g., racial profiling of Blacks and South Asians; Islamophobia; stereo types of East Asians as “model minorities”; the
marginalization of Black, Latin American, Hispanic,
and Portuguese students in educational systems;
temporary and domestic workers’ rights; Aboriginal
land claim disputes and settlements; an increasing gap
between the wealthy and the poor; the racialization
and feminization of poverty) with reference to the
underlying social circumstances and potential
strategies for addressing the issues

Grade 12 Historical and Contemporary Issues C1.2

analyse the role of economics and globalization in promoting or impeding equity or social justice (e.g., the impact of World Bank policies, the rise of the middle class in China and India, the creation of maquiladoras in Mexico, the lack of labour and environmental industrial standards in the Canada–U.S. Free Trade Agreement, the establishment of microcredit organizations)

Grade 12 Historical and Contemporary Issues C1.3

evaluate the achievements of a range of individual Canadians (e.g., activists, actors, artists, economists, environmentalists, humanitarians, journalists, philanthropists, politicians, scientists, social visionaries, writers) in the areas of equity and social justice

Grade 12 Leadership C2.1

analyse equity and social justice issues that have been confronted by various religious leaders and movements, and assess the contributions that specific religious leaders and movements have made to the advancement of equity and social justice (e.g., Oscar Romero’s championing of the poor and powerless in El Salvador; Mother Teresa’s hospices in India; Desmond Tutu’s resistance to apartheid in South Africa; the Dalai Lama’s challenge to the Chinese control of Tibet; the role of Quakers in the emancipation of slaves; the impact of liberation theology on social inequality in Latin America; the connection between tikkun olam initiatives and human rights)

Grade 12 Leadership C2.3

describe the ways in which Aboriginal peoples in Canada and other indigenous groups around the world (e.g., the Innu of Labrador, the Lubicon Cree of Alberta, Guyanese indigenous peoples, the Basque people of Spain and France) have used laws or international attention to try to effect changes in domestic policy with respect to social justice issues

Grade 12 Policies, Strategies, and Initiatives C3.2

describe how education can help promote equity and social justice (e.g., by fostering critical thinking, increasing awareness, exposing students to multiple perspectives)

Grade 12  Promoting Equity and Social Justice D1.2

analyse ways in which personal actions (e.g., voting, establishing student social justice clubs, supporting fair/ethical trade practices through consumer action, participating in the public policy– creation process, working for political candidates, participating in a labour union, engaging in advocacy activities, reducing energy consumption) can
empower individuals and reduce the impact
of inequity or social injustice in local, national,
and international contexts

Grade 12  Promoting Equity and Social Justice D1.3

identify a specific need related to an equity or social justice issue, and design an initiative to address this need (e.g., an initiative such as designing a school workshop or campaign to promote diversity; creating and publicly presenting rap songs, videos, visual art works, dances, dramatizations, or podcasts on the impact and prevention of discrimination; organizing a petition or a letterwriting campaign on a social justice issue)

Grade 12   Social Action and Personal
Engagement D3.1

identify strategies and skills needed for gaining support for and handling potential resistance to their initiative (e.g., strategies such as finding allies within their school/community, determining who has power and influence, and working with those people/groups; skills relating to advocacy, persuasion, diplomacy, active listening, understanding various perspectives, collaboration and consultation)

Grade 12   Social Action and Personal
Engagement D3.2

demonstrate an understanding of how to effectively evaluate social action initiatives (e.g., strategies for evaluating the clarity of the message and the appropriateness of the initiative for the target audience or group being served, for measuring results)

Grade 12   Social Action and Personal
Engagement D3.3

implement their initiative using appropriate planning, organizational, evaluation, and communication skills

Grade 12   Social Action and Personal
Engagement D3.4

reflect on the skills and strategies they used before, during, and after designing and implementing their initiative; explain which ones they found most useful in achieving their objectives; and identify what they would do differently in the future to improve their work as committed, responsible activists

Grade 12   Social Action and Personal
Engagement D3.5

identify the big questions associated with each of the main areas of philosophy (e.g., metaphysics: Is there a supreme being? What is the nature of reality? What is the meaning of life?; ethics: What is a good person? Are there just wars? If so, what makes them just?; epistemology: What is truth? Is it possible to know the world as it truly is?; philosophy of science: What distinguishes science from other ways of knowing? What is the nature of scientific evidence? Is it ever possible, or desirable, for a scientist to be objective?; social and political philosophy: What are the limits of state authority? What is the best form of government? Why? What is social justice?; aesthetics: What is beauty? Is censorship ever justified?)