ICE SPOTLIGHT
What does it mean to be Canadian? Every Grade 9 student at York explores this question from a variety of perspectives during the Integrated Canadian Experience (ICE), a unique academic program developed by York School faculty. ICE is a yearlong interdisciplinary course that integrates civics, history, geography and literature, and empowers students to use their curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills to expand their knowledge and develop their own opinions. We’re excited to share some of the learning experiences that challenged and enlightened our Grade 9s during the 2023-24 school year.
Indigenous peoples and Truth and Reconciliation
Information about Canada’s Indigenous peoples is woven into every unit of the ICE curriculum. Students learned about the impacts of colonialism – including the intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools – by reading the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. Then they created a three-dimensional piece of art that sparked discussions about issues related to child welfare, language and culture, health, the legal system and education.
Immigration, newcomers’ lives and multiculturalism
ICE reinforces the fact that personal stories help foster new insights and understanding. While studying the various waves of immigration to Canada, each student created a podcast episode featuring an interview they conducted with a person (a family member, in many cases) who came to the country as an immigrant or refugee. Hearing these individuals stories of challenge, resilience and success made history come alive.
“One night we all went down to the lake. We stood in a circle and then we lay down and just stared up at the stars. We were silent for about 20 minutes and none of us wanted to move. Our jackets were stuck to the ice; we were so cold and frozen, but it was spectacular. Once it’s quiet, you can sometimes hear animals or birds chirping and the serenity was unbelievable. It was a life changing experience, I would say.
Community and land use
Community is a recurring theme in the program. As the students ventured outside the classroom – and their comfort zones – to learn about communities by conducting field work, they formed strong bonds with their classmates and teachers and created their own learning community. After familiarizing themselves with the goals that the City of Toronto outlined in the Toronto Island Park Master Plan, the students interviewed members of the Ward’s island community to better understand the complexities of the redevelopment plan, as well as the hopes and concerns of residents.
Canada’s North
During a unit on the North, students examined questions like: How much of a northern nation are we?; and What is our responsibility to the North and its people? They gained new insights through literature, film, a special visitor and a week-long winter camping trip in Muskoka. Guest speaker Dennis Allen, a multidisciplinary artist who is originally from Inuvik, North West Territories, explained why his identity is rooted in his connection to the Arctic and in the stories he heard growing up. While camping, the students experienced the joys and challenges of the Canadian winter by sleeping in tents, cooking their meals outdoors, ice fishing, playing traditional Inuit games and telling stories around the campfire. They used their knowledge, experience and imaginations to come up with the plot, characters, design and first chapter of a book set in the North.
Regional field work
Challenge Week in May was an opportunity for students to explore different regions of Canada to gather information for their culminating project. This year, there were trips in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Ontario, and local adventures in Toronto. The assignment was to choose a sustainability focused topic (eg. environmental, cultural or economic sustainability), an audience and a format (eg. photo essay, documentary, art installation, magazine, etc.) and conduct research that included interviewing local experts.
In June, ICE hosted a Showcase for students’ families and other members of the York community. Final projects were on display in classrooms and the students enthusiastically shared their research findings. During a formal program in the auditorium, students reflected on the things the ICE program had taught them about Canada and themselves. They also thanked their teachers for a unique, enjoyable and unforgettable learning experience.
