Module 2: Quality of Life

This module of the Inspiring Global Citizens educator toolkit focuses on quality of life, as well as the way it varies from country to country and within a given country. 

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Learning Outcomes

Key Concepts:

  • Privilege, equality, equity 
  • Quality of life
  • Human Development Index 
  • Canada’s Quality of Life Framework 
  • OECD Better Life Index 
  • Survey 
  • Global development 

Learners will:

  • Reflect on privilege, equality, and equity 
  • Become familiar with the concept of quality of life 
  • Explore frameworks for measuring quality of life, including the Human Development Index, Canada’s Quality of Life Framework, and the OECD Better Life Index 
  • Conduct a quality-of-life survey in their community and reflect on quantitative data 
  • Test their knowledge and beliefs around global development topics, including food, drinking water, access to electricity, gender, education, biodiversity, natural resources, and international assistance 

Toolkit Preview

Curriculum Connections across Canada + International Baccalaureate (IB)

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Social Studies: Canada – Opportunities and Challenges 

  • Issues for Canadians: Economic Systems in Canada and the United States 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts 10-1/10-2 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Social Studies 10-1 

  • Perspectives on Globalization 

Social Studies 10-2 

  • Living in a Globalizing World 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts 20-1/20-2 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Grade 12 

English Language Arts 30-1/30-2 

  • Listening and Speaking
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

World Geography 30 

  • World Patterns of Population and Settlement 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

Social Studies: 1750-1919 

  • Global demographic shifts, including patterns of migration and population growth 

Grade 10 

English: New Media 10 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

English: Spoken Language 10 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

Social Studies 10: Canada and the World – 1914 to the Present 

  • Environmental, political, and economic policies 

Grade 11 

English: New Media 11 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

English: Spoken Language 11 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

Explorations in Social Studies 11 

  • Social, cultural, or technological innovations and developments in the 20th century (adapted from 20th Century World History 12) 

Grade 12 

English: New Media 12 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

English: Spoken Language 12 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

English: English Studies 12 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

20th Century World History 12 

  • Migrations, movements, and territorial boundaries 
  • Interdependence and international co-operation 
  • Social and cultural developments 

Human Geography 12 

  • Demographic patterns of growth, decline, and movement 

Social Justice 12 

  • Social injustices in Canada and the world affecting individuals, groups, and society 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts S1 

  • General Outcome 1 
  • General Outcome 2 
  • General Outcome 3 
  • General Outcome 4 

Social Studies: Canada in the Contemporary World 

  • Canada in the Global Context 
  • Canada: Opportunities and Challenges 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts S2 

  • General Outcome 1 
  • General Outcome 2 
  • General Outcome 3 
  • General Outcome 4 

Social Studies: Geographic Issues of the 21st Century 

  • Urban Places 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts S3 

  • General Outcome 1 
  • General Outcome 2 
  • General Outcome 3 
  • General Outcome 4 

Grade 12 

English Language Arts S4 

  • General Outcome 1 
  • General Outcome 2 
  • General Outcome 3 
  • General Outcome 4 

Social Studies: Global Issues – Citizenship and Sustainability 

  • Poverty, Wealth, and Power 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Social Studies: Canadian Identities 

  • Students will explore social responsibility 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Civics 10 

  • Students will investigate civic engagement 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Grade 12 

English Language Arts 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

World Issues 120 

  • Humanity 
  • Interdependence 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts 1201/1202 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Social Studies 1201/1202 

  • Power, Active Citizenship, and Change 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts 2201/2202 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Social Studies 2201/2202 

  • Conflict, Cooperation, and Change 

Grade 12 

English Language Arts 3201/3202 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Social Studies 3201/3202 

  • Quality of Life 
  • Political Economy 
  • Population Change 
  • Human-Environmental Interaction 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Citizenship 

  • Financial Citizenship 

Grade 10 

English 10 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Grade 11 

English 11 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Geography of Canada 11 

  • Global Links 

Grade 12 

English 12 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Global/Advanced Global Geography 12 

  • Planet Earth 
  • Population 
  • Resources and Commodities 

History/Advanced Global History 12 

  • The Challenge of Economic Disparity 
  • Societal Change 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

Social Studies: 1750-1919 

  • Global demographic shifts, including patterns of migration and population growth 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts 10-1/10-2 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Social Studies 10-1 

  • Perspectives on Globalization 

Social Studies 10-2 

  • Living in a Globalizing World 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts 20-1/20-2 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Grade 12 

English Language Arts 30-1/30-2 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

Social Studies: The Growth of Canada 

  • International Connections 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts 10-1/10-2 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts 20-1/20-2 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Grade 12 

English Language Arts 30-1/30-2 

  • Listening and Speaking 
  • Reading and Writing 
  • Viewing and Representing 

Grade 9 

English ENL1W 

  • Literacy Connections and Applications 
  • Foundations of Language 
  • Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts 
  • Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts 

Issues in Canadian Geography CGC1D 

  • Changing Populations 

Grade 10 

English ENG2D/ ENG2P 

  • Oral Communication 
  • Reading and Literature Studies 
  • Writing 
  • Media Studies 

Civics and Citizenship CHV2O (revised 2022) 

  • Political Inquiry and Skill Development 
  • Civic Awareness 

Grade 11 

English ENG3U/ ENG3C/ENG3E 

  • Oral Communication 
  • Reading and Literature Studies 
  • Writing 
  • Media Studies 

Media Studies EMS3O 

  • Understanding and Interpreting Media Texts 
  • Media and Society 
  • Producing and Reflecting on Media Texts 

Politics in Action: Making Change CPC3O 

  • Political Inquiry and Skill Development 
  • Foundations of Political Engagement 

Equity and Social Justice HSE3E 

  • Research and Inquiry Skills 
  • Foundations 
  • Equity, Social Justice, and Change 

Grade 12 

English ENG4U/ ENG4C/ENG4E 

  • Oral Communication 
  • Reading and Literature Studies 
  • Writing 
  • Media Studies 

World Issues: A Geographic Analysis CGW4C/U 

  • Geographic Inquiry and Skill Development 
  • Spatial Organization: Relationships and Disparities 
  • Social Change and Quality of Life 

World Geography: Urban Patterns and Population Issues CGU4M 

  • Geographic Inquiry and Skill Development 
  • Systems: Interdependence of Ecumenes 
  • Changing Ecumenes 

The Environment and Resource Management CGR4M 

  • Geographic Inquiry and Skill Development 

Living in a Sustainable World CGR4E 

  • Geographic Inquiry and Skill Development 

Equity and Social Justice: From Theory to Practice HSE4M 

  • Research and Inquiry Skills Understanding Social Construction 
  • Addressing Equity and Social Justice Issues 

Challenge and Change in Society HSB4U 

  • Research and Inquiry Skills 
  • Social Patterns and Trends 
  • Global Social Challenges 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Social Studies: Interdependence – Atlantic Canada in the Global Community 

  • Introduction – Atlantic Canada in the Global Community 
  • Culture in the Global Community 
  • Trade in the Global Community 
  • Human Rights in the Global Community 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts 421A/B 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts 521A 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Global Studies 521/531A 

  • Physical Patterns of the World 
  • Cultural Patterns of the World 

Grade 12 

English Language Arts 621A 

  • Speaking and Listening 
  • Reading and Viewing 
  • Writing and Other Ways of Representing 

Global Issues 621/631A 

  • Introduction – What is a Global Issue? 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Competency 1: Uses language/talk to communicate and to learn 
  • Competency 2: Reads and listens to written, spoken and media texts 
  • Competency 3: Produces texts for personal and social purposes 

Geography 

  • Competency 3: Constructs consciousness of global citizenship 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts 

  • Competency 1: Uses language/talk to communicate and to learn 
  • Competency 2: Reads and listens to written, spoken and media texts 
  • Competency 3: Produces texts for personal and social purposes 

Geography 

  • Competency 3: Constructs consciousness of global citizenship 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts 

  • Competency 1: Uses language/talk to communicate and to learn 
  • Competency 2: Reads and listens to written, spoken and media texts 
  • Competency 3: Produces texts for personal and social purposes 

Geography 

  • Competency 3: Constructs consciousness of global citizenship 

The Contemporary World 

  • Competency 1: Interprets a contemporary world problem 
  • Theme: Population 
  • Theme: Wealth 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Comprehend and Respond 
  • Compose and Create 
  • Assess and Reflect 

Social Studies: The Roots of Society 

  • Power and Authority 
  • Resources and Wealth 

Grade 10 

English Language Arts 10 

  • Comprehend and Respond 
  • Compose and Create 
  • Assess and Reflect 

Geography 10 

  • Economic Geography 
  • Population 

Social Studies 10: Social Organizations 

  • Economic Organizations 
  • International Economic Organizations 

Grade 11 

English Language Arts 20 

  • Comprehend and Respond 
  • Compose and Create 
  • Assess and Reflect 

Social Studies 20: World Issues 

  • Wealth and Poverty 

Grade 12 

English Language Arts 30 

  • Comprehend and Respond 
  • Compose and Create 
  • Assess and Reflect 

Geography 

  • The Geography of Population 
  • The Western Industrialized World, Its Origins and Characteristics 

Social Studies 30: Canadian Studies 

  • Economic Development 

Grade 9 

English Language Arts 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

Social Studies: 1750-1919 

  • Global demographic shifts, including patterns of migration and population growth 

Grade 10 

English: New Media 10 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

English: Spoken Language 10 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

Social Studies 10: Canada and the World – 1914 to the Present 

  • Environmental, political, and economic policies 

Grade 11 

English: New Media 11 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

English: Spoken Language 11 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

Explorations in Social Studies 11 

  • Social, cultural, or technological innovations and developments in the 20th century (adapted from 20th Century World History 12) 

Grade 12 

English: New Media 12 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

English: Spoken Language 12 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

English: English Studies 12 

  • Comprehend and Connect 
  • Create and Communicate 

20th Century World History 12 

  • migrations, movements, and territorial boundaries 
  • interdependence and international co-operation 
  • social and cultural developments 

Human Geography 12 

  • demographic patterns of growth, decline, and movement 

Social Justice 12 

  • social injustices in Canada and the world affecting individuals, groups, and society 

Middle Years Programme (MYP) 

  • Individuals and Societies 

Diploma Programme (DP) 

  • Geography, SL/HL 
  • Global Politics, SL/HL 
  • Social and Cultural Anthropology, SL/HL 
  • Environmental Systems and Societies, SL 

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Inspiring Global Citizens is a four-part toolkit that equips you with everything you need to teach about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global citizenship. It includes fun and interactive lesson plans, activities, extensions, videos, real-world examples, discussion guides, and printable handouts that encourage learners to think critically and creatively, linking the personal, local, and global. Explore the rest of the series.

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