This week in Social Studies, we began exploring the fur trade and its role in the development of Canada. Students worked on building their background knowledge and understanding of why the fur trade was so important in early Canadian history.
To bring this learning to life, we participated in a hands-on simulation where students took on the roles of European traders and Indigenous peoples. Through trading furs for different goods, they experienced how trade works in a real-world context.
Students quickly began to understand that trade involves:
- needs vs. wants
- supply and demand
- making choices based on what is available
It was a fun and engaging way to deepen their understanding, and there were some great conversations and problem-solving happening throughout the activity!