THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
The Mighty Mackenzie River
Lesson Overview
The lesson introduces students to a basic understanding of rivers and river terminology.
Further it explores the ecological, environmental, economic and cultural importance of the
Mackenzie River basin and discusses current and possible threats to this region.
Grade Level
Grades 9-12 (secondary)
Time Required
60 minutes
Curriculum Connection (Province and course)
Yukon (BC Curriculum): Geography 12
 Gradational Processes:
C2 describe the features and processes associated with − running water
 Resources and Environmental Sustainability:
F2 assess the environmental impact of human activities, including − energy production
and use; forestry; fishing; mining; agriculture; waste disposal− water use
Link to Canadian National Geography Standards
Essential Element#1 (Grades 9-12) – The World in Spatial Terms
 Map, globe, and atlas use (e.g. observing and analyzing relationships)
Essential Element#2 (Grades 9-12) – Places and Regions
 Physical and human processes shape places and regions
 The importance of places and regions to individual and social identity
 Changes in places and regions over time
 Interdependence of places and regions
 Political and historical characteristics of regions
 Critical issues and problems of places and regions
 Regional analysis of geographic issues and questions
Essential Element#3 (Grades 9-12) – Physical Systems
 Components of Earth’s physical system (atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and
hydrosphere)
Essential Element #4 (Grades 9-12) – Human Systems
 Population characteristics by world regions, country and regions within countries
Essential Element #5 (Grades 9-12) – Environment and Society
 Environmental issues
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
1
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
Link to Canadian National Geography Standards (cont’d)
Essential Element #6 (Grades 9-12) – The Uses of Geography
 Local, regional, and world policies and problems with spatial dimensions
Geographic Skill #1 (Grades 9-12) – Asking geographic questions
 Plan and organize a geographic research project
Geographic Skill #2 (Grades 9-12) – Acquiring geographic information
 Systematically locate and gather geographic information from a variety of primary and
secondary sources
Geographic Skill #4 (Grades 9-12) – Analyzing geographic information
 Use the processes of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and explanation to interpret
geographic information from a variety of sources.
Principal Resource
Rivers of Canada: Mackenzie River (Arctic and Taiga) located at
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=rivers&sub=rivers_west_mackenz
ie&lang=En#
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required




Wall map of Canada
Computer lab with Internet access
Student Activity Sheet: The Mighty Mackenzie River
Outline Map of Canada’s Lakes and Rivers available at
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/outlinecanada/canada06/map.pdf
Main Objective
To assess the importance of the Mackenzie River Basin and evaluate current and potential
threats to the region.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
 Locate the Mackenzie River on a map of Canada and determine its source and mouth
 Define terms specific to rivers e.g. source, mouth, watershed, wetland
 Describe the diverse ecological environment along the Mackenzie River
 Discuss the fragile relationship of the caribou with the Mackenzie River basin
 Outline the cultural legacy of the Mackenzie River basin
 Explain the ecological, environmental, economic and cultural importance of the
Mackenzie River basin
 Identify current and potential threats to the Mackenzie
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
2
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
Lesson
TEACHER ACTIVITY
Introduction
STUDENT ACTIVITY
 Ask students to locate the Mackenzie River  Student shows the class the location of the
on a wall map of Canada
Mackenzie River.
 Teacher reads out facts about the river e.g.:
longest river in Canada (available from the
Canadian Atlas Online website on the
Mackenzie River)
Lesson
Development
 Teacher hands out and introduces the  Students use the Canadian Atlas Online
website to complete the activity sheet
student activity sheet entitled “The Mighty
Mackenzie River Student Activity Sheet”.
 Teacher hands out the “Outline Map of
Canada’s Lakes and Rivers”
Conclusion
 Collect the activity
understanding.
sheet
and
assess  Complete the activity sheet and submit to the
teacher for assessment
 Assign the Extension assignment (EIA)
Lesson Extension
Write an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outlining the expected effects of the
proposed Mackenzie Gas Project
Assessment of Student Learning
Suggestions for assessing the intended learning outcomes
 Assess students’ understanding of the activity by reading through the worksheets and
correcting misunderstandings.
 Grade the EIA according to an understanding of the impact of the Mackenzie Gas Project
on
- the river
- the delta
- flora (natural vegetation) and fauna (wildlife, fish, birdlife)
- the atmosphere
- Aboriginal communities
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
3
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
Student Activity Sheet:
The Mighty Mackenzie River
Introduction – Where is the Mackenzie River?
Go to the following website below and using the information contained in the grey box at the top of
the page under the heading Mackenzie River (Arctic and Taiga), locate the Mackenzie River on the
outline map provided by your teacher.
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=rivers&sub=rivers_west_mackenzie&lang=En#
River terms
1. Using a blue crayon or pen, trace the Mackenzie River on your map from its source to its mouth.
2. Read the first two paragraphs beneath the grey box. Together with the information contained in
the grey box, complete the following table:
River Terms
Definition
source
mouth
watershed
delta
wetland
If you are experiencing difficulty writing definitions for these terms, click on the Glossary of Terms or search the
Internet for suitable definitions.
3. Based on your understanding of the terms source (S), mouth (M) and delta (D), locate and plot
these river features on the Mackenzie River outlined on your map. Use the initials contained in
parentheses (brackets) and create a legend of these features on your map.
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
4
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
Student Activity Sheet (cont’d)
4. Describe briefly the journey the Mackenzie River takes from its source to its mouth, making special
note of the following aspects.
a.
The physical environment of the river’s path.
b.
Direction of flow (mark this with a blue arrow on your map next to the river.)
c.
The level of human habitation.
River Life
Bison, Arctic Fox, Red Fox, Polar Bear, Grizzly Bear and other mammals inhabit and roam the
Mackenzie River valley. Amongst them is also the famed Caribou. Read the two paragraphs and view
the seven photographs under the heading River Life and answer the following questions.
1. Match the specific caribou species connected to the two biomes identified in the table.
Caribou species
Biome
tundra
northern coniferous forests
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
5
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
Student Activity Sheet (cont’d)
2. Identify and account for the main source of food of the caribou.
3. Explain why caribou are important to the Aboriginal Peoples of the Arctic.
4. Identify current natural and human threats to the caribou.
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
6
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
Student Activity Sheet (cont’d)
Cultural Legacy
Read the two paragraphs under the heading Cultural Legacy and answer the following questions:
1. In what way do you think that the Mackenzie River has been a lifeline to the Dene, Inuit, Inuvialuit,
Gwich’in and Métis cultures? (HINT: Refer to your understanding of both history and geography.)
2. What is the Dene name for the Mackenzie River? What does this name mean?
3. After whom was the Mackenzie River named and why?
4. How did the federal government of Canada in the 1950s use the Inuit communities of the
Mackenzie River region to assert Canada’s sovereignty over the Arctic? Why was this harmful to
the Inuit culture? In what way has this been beneficial to the Inuit people who were affected?
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
7
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
Student Activity Sheet (cont’d)
Current State
Read the paragraphs under the heading Current State and complete the questions below.
1. Outline the importance of the Mackenzie River in terms of the hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere
and atmosphere.
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere
2. Click on the satellite image of the Mackenzie River delta (estuary). Use your own words to describe
the delta.
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
8
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
YUKON –GRADE 12
Student Activity Sheet (cont’d)
3. The largest potential threat to the river and its watershed is the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project.
Discuss two ways in which this project is a threat to the pristine natural environment and its
ecosystems and two ways in which this project might affect the way of life for the aboriginal
peoples of the Mackenzie River Basin.
Threats
To the natural
environment and
ecosystem
To the Aboriginal
peoples
Extension Assignment
Based on your understanding of the pristine region of the Mackenzie River Basin, write an
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outlining the expected effects of the proposed Mackenzie Gas
Project. Refer to the following in your EIA:

the river

the delta

flora (natural vegetation)and fauna (wildlife, fish, birdlife)

the atmosphere

Aboriginal communities
CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
9