Grade 6 Social Studies: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 6 social studies in the Prince Edward Island Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Citizenship, Power, and Governance. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the origins, functions, and sources of power, authority, and governance.
- Culture and Diversity. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of culture, diversity, and world view, recognizing the similarities and differences reflected in various personal, cultural, racial, and ethnic perspectives.
- Individuals, Societies, and Economic Decisions. Students will be expected to demonstrate the ability to make responsible economic decisions as individuals and as members of society.
- Interdependence. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the interdependent relationship among individuals, societies, and the environment — locally, nationally, and globally — and the implications for a sustainable future.
- People, Place, and Environment. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the interactions among people, places, and the environment.
- Time, Continuity, and Change. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the past and how it affects the present and the future.
Easy ways to practise social studies at home
- Follow a current event together and ask who is affected and why people see it differently.
- Build a timeline of a family event or a historical topic they are studying.
- Use an atlas or online map to trace a trade or travel route.
- Ask “Whose voice is missing from this story?” when reading about the past.
What each unit covers
Island Time Lines
Practises reading and building time lines to place selected events of the Contemporary/European period of Prince Edward Island history in order.
What Is Culture?
Practises the idea of culture and the role it plays in people’s lives, how the world can be divided into cultural regions, and why understanding other cultures matters.
People of Island History
Practises how people from many parts of the world are part of Prince Edward Island history, and how to research the historical contributions of one individual.
Traditions Shape Culture
Practises how traditions influence the culture of a selected cultural region.
Government & Culture
Practises how government influences the culture of a selected country, for example through laws, language and education.
Global Challenges
Poverty and inequality, global environmental problems, and how individuals, governments, NGOs and the UN work together, including the Montreal Protocol as a cooperation success story.
Getting Around the Island
Practises how the modes of transportation on the Island have developed over time.
Cities & Migration
Push and pull factors, immigrants, refugees and internal migrants, how and why cities grow, and the challenges of rapid urbanization, with a short reading and a population table.
What Makes Canada, Canada?
Official languages, parliamentary democracy and the constitutional monarchy, multiculturalism, the Charter, built and physical features, and groups working for inclusion.
Island Decisions
Practises how past political decisions have affected present-day life on Prince Edward Island.
Island Economy Over Time
Practises the economic activities carried out on Prince Edward Island over time and how they have changed.
Changing Island Lifestyles
Practises how the lifestyles of people on Prince Edward Island have changed over time.
Island Traditions & Big Events
Practises how Island cultural traditions influence life on Prince Edward Island today, and the importance of a significant event of Island history.
Trade & Globalization
Imports and exports, market, command, traditional and mixed economies, supply and demand, tariffs and trade disputes, and the benefits and costs of globalization, presented from several points of view.
Helping Around the World
How governments, NGOs and citizens respond to disasters and global issues, the Montreal Protocol and Paris Agreement, refugees, and a factual look at Canada's response to the MS St. Louis in 1939.
Human Rights Around the World
Practises what human rights are and looks at selected examples of human rights issues around the world.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the PEI report card guide.
Common questions
Follow a current event together and ask who is affected and why people see it differently. Build a timeline of a family event or a historical topic they are studying. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The Prince Edward Island Curriculum Grade 6 social studies units include island time lines, what is culture?, people of island history, traditions shape culture, government & culture, global challenges.
Free printable Grade 6 social studies practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.