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NUNAVUT – GRADE 4
Arctic Survival - Then and Now
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, students will develop a “survival kit” for a day on the land. They will consider
new technology and resources which will help them survive in the Arctic environment. They
will then compare their kit to the resources used for Arctic survival in the past.
Grade Level
Grade 4
Time Required
One twenty minute class, one forty minute class.
Curriculum Connection (Province and course)
Nunavut currently follows the NWT Social Studies Curriculum for grades k-6. For grade four
the NWT is using a pilot version of a curriculum document called The NWT: Our Places,
Stories, and Traditions.
Link to Canadian Atlas Online (CAOL)
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required
Small backpack, resources suggested by students, an Inuit elder as a guest speaker.
Main Objective
Recognize resources necessary for survival “on the land” in Nunavut and how modern
technology has affected survival.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
Recognize that survival in the Arctic environment is dependent on human adaptation.
Discuss ways tools and technology has affected the ways humans have historically survived
in the Arctic.
Use methods of geographic inquiry to acquire geographic information, draw conclusions, and
make generalizations.
The Lesson
Introduction
Lesson
Development
Teacher Activity
Tell the class that you are going “out
on the land” for the night. Show them
a backpack and ask what should go
into to your “survival kit.” Record
answers and discuss why they made
their choices.
Request volunteers to bring along
some of their “survival kit” items for
the next class. For the next class, have
two or three student volunteers show
an Elder what the class would include
in a “Survival Kit” to take out on the
Student Activity
Students offer suggestions for
items to go into a Northern
survival kit, providing justification
for their choices.
In groups of two or three, have
children make Venn diagrams to
compare the class survival kit
with the Elder’s survival kit.
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Conclusion
land. Have the Elder speak about what
he/she would have packed in a
“survival kit” when he/she was a child.
Lead a class discussion about the
differences and similarities between
the kits, why they exist, etc.
NUNAVUT – GRADE 4
Participate in the class discussion.
Lesson Extension
Have the Elder critique the modern survival kits, make recommendations, etc.
Assessment of Student Learning
Participation in group discussions and completing the Venn diagrams.
Further Reading
Inuuqatigiit
Link to Canadian National Geography Standards
Essential Element #5

Human adaptation to the physical environment.
Essential Element #6

Influences of physical and human features on historical events

Interaction of physical and human systems and influence on current and
future conditions.
Geographic Skill #3

Prepare graphs, diagrams, tables, and charts to display geographic
information
Geographic Skill #5

Use methods of geographic inquiry to acquire geographic information, draw
conclusions, and make generalizations.

Apply generalizations to solve geographic problems and make reasoned
decisions.