Alberta government releases latest draft of new social studies curriculum

The Alberta government has released another draft social studies curriculum and outline that proposes to tackle Canadian and global history, ancient civilizations, economics, and the inner workings of political parties.

The latest chapter in a six-year battle over what children should learn in social studies came Thursday, when the United Conservative Party government released its second attempt at a kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum.

It also released a broad overview of social studies topics that it says should be covered all the way through Grade 12.

"I'm confident that we are developing a social studies curriculum that meets the learning needs of all students and positions them for success," Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said at a news conference Thursday morning at Edmonton's Belgravia School.

Public outcry pushed the UCP government under then-premier Jason Kenney to take its 2021 draft of the social studies curriculum back to the drawing board.

Nicolaides, who replaced Adriana LaGrange as education minister, ordered more engagement during the last year with the public, educators, professors, cultural groups and other interested parties.

A fall survey of nearly 13,000 respondents found little consensus on what topics the curriculum should cover, though there was some preference for lessons that helped children develop critical thinking skills.

The draft documents released Thursday say the curriculum for kindergartners would start with introductions to landmarks and institutions in their communities. By Grade 2, they would learn about Canada, including the regions, leaders, Indigenous history, even taxes.

The curriculum for the fifth grade focuses on ancient civilizations, including their social and government structures. This is a departure from a previous draft that would have introduced some of these topics in Grade 2.

Junior high students would delve further into Canadian history and international relations. Grade 8 would include a deep dive into political parties, economics, ideology and party organization.

Story continues

Although treaty education would begin in Grade 2, residential schools would not be taught until Grade 9. In its 2015 Calls to Action, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, treaties and Indigenous contributions be taught starting in kindergarten.

The outline of the curriculum for high school students proposes extensive coverage of European history, economic and political philosophers, world wars and the Holocaust, terrorism, monetary policy and "victims of communism."

The government is seeking public feedback on the draft through an online form until March 29.

Seeking feedback

Nicolaides said that feedback will inform a revised draft, which elementary schools can begin piloting starting next September. Unlike the previous social studies draft, the minister said he wants participants to pilot the material for a full school year, before making it mandatory in September 2025.

Most Alberta school divisions refused to pilot the previous social studies draft.

The current social studies curriculum is from 2006 and was assembled under the former Progressive Conservative government. In its dying days of power, that government began a project to overhaul all provincial curriculum, in French and English, for all grades.

This latest version of the curriculum is actually the third iteration. In 2018, the NDP government released its drafts of K-4 curriculum in all subjects. The drafts prompted outcry from the newly formed UCP, with then-leader Kenney pledging to shred any drafts that introduced socialist ideology into classrooms.

After being elected in 2019, the UCP revamped all subjects. In fall 2022, it mandated new elementary curriculum in math, English language arts and physical education and wellness.

New French language arts and science curriculum are mandatory in K-3 classrooms as of this school year.

There is no timeline for writing and implementing new curriculum for junior high and high school students.