I like how you pointed out how the natural land that surrounds you becomes part of your identity. Whenever I meet people from other places they always ask what Calgary has to offer and I immediately tell them about the beautiful mountains. It is something that I’m proud of and also feel an emotional connection to. I find the diversity across Canadian land is important to the Canadian identity. The mountains and prairies are part of a local identity, while the diversity and vastness contributes to my Canadian identity. 

My Backpack:

I also have a maple leaf on my backpack from traveling. I brought it with me so that I could connect with people from other places and tell them about the country I am from. I think this is a big part of global citizenship. I love telling people about Canada, and also learning about where they are from. This also keeps me connected to the place I am from no matter how far away I am.

Urban Garden:

I love the idea of a community garden. This is a great way to get involved with community service no matter what your age or ability is. It also teaches people about responsible citizenship and empathy, which is an important part of the social studies programs of study. I also like how you pointed out that communities are made up of diverse groups of people. I think it’s easy for young people to forget that other may be struggling if they are not, so explaining where the food from the garden goes and why is important.  

Fish Creek:

This photo is important because it incorporates both historical thinking, understanding our land, and incorporating aboriginal values and history.  I like how you included the importance of understanding that our Canadian identity is made up of indigenous and non-indigenous. As we know this is part of the curriculum, but it is also imperative for students to recognize the history of the land we currently live on and get our resources from.