Curriculum

Mathematics Curriculum and Strands

A focus on processes such as problem solving, reasoning and proving, representing, and communicating underlie the Ontario Grades 1-8 Mathematics Curriculum which is organized into five strands:

1. Number Sense and Numeration (NS&N) - understanding more-and-less and part-whole relationships, making connections and seeing relationships between numbers and quantities, representing quantities using mathematical conventions
2. Measurement (M) - using units to measure quantities, understanding relationships between units
3. Geometry and Spatial Sense (G&SS) - representing and describing objects and their interrelationships in space
4. Patterning and Algebra (P&A) - recognizing, describing, and generalizing patterns (i.e., an arrangement which follows a rule) and representing these patterns algebraically by using variables to denote changing quantities
5. Data Management and Probability (DM&P) - gathering,organizing, displaying, and analyzing data; conducting probability experiments and using probability models to simulate situations

SCIENCE Curriculum and Strands

To develop a knowledge that seeks to describe, explain, explore, and experiment with the natural and physical world, the Ontario Grades 1-8 Science & Technology Curriculum is divided into 4 strands:

1. Life Systems - the study of the characteristics of life and the structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and classification of living organisms
2. Structures and Mechanisms - the study of matter (i.e., anything that takes up space and has mass) and its movement through space and time
3. Matter and Energy - the study of the composition, structure, properties (such as energy which can be transferred to other objects or converted into different forms), and change of matter
4. Earth and Space Systems - the study of the processes of planet Earth and outer space

LA Curriculum and Strands

Literacy development is the focus of the Ontario Grades 1-8 Language Curriculum which is organized into 4 strands:

• Oral and Visual Communication - Students develop a foundation for literacy and intellectual development through verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Vocabulary and language facility is crucial for expanding proficiency in reading and writing. Effective listening skills are also vital to accurately receive and interpret messages before responding appropriately.
• Reading - Skillful readers use a repertoire of comprehension strategies to not only understand ideas in text but also apply them in new contexts. Reading a wide range of materials will help students develop a richer vocabulary and discover areas of interest.
• Writing - Through writing, students can articulate and clarify thoughts and ideas in a more clear, precise, and effective form and engage in more sophisticated critical thinking.
• Media Literacy - Media texts are any works, objects, or events that communicate meaning to an audience through a combination of images, sounds, graphics, and/or words. Students need to critically interpret the messages in the vast media they encounter to respond to them more intelligently and responsibly.
• We will be using the Nelson Literacy 8 program, as well as a variety of other reading materials and media texts, including those in the different subject areas, to develop and practice the reading comprehension strategies and writing traits. Through acquiring vocabulary in the different subject areas, discussions, and presentations, students will enhance their oral and visual communication skills. Students will also have the opportunity to communicate meaning in a variety of text and media forms.

HISTORY Curriculum and Strands

The Grade 7 and 8 history program provides students with an overview of Canadian history, enabling students to appreciate Canadian heritage and identity, the complexity of Canadian society, and the challenges and responsibilities associated with Canada's position in the world, preparing them to fulfill their role as informed and responsible global citizens.

The Ontario Grades 8 History Curriculum consists of two strands on the following topics:

A. Creating Canada, 1850-1890 - understanding the factors which led to Confederation, the creation of the Dominion of Canada, and its effect on different groups of people

B. Canada: A Changing Society,1890-1914 - investigating the challenges and issues facing individuals, groups, and communities at the turn of the twentieth century until the eve of World War I

GEOGRAPHY Curriculum and Strands

Geography answers the phrase, "What is where, why there, and why care?" (C.F. Gritzner, 2002). The Grade 7 and 8 geography program provides students with the opportunity to investigate the patterns, processes, and relationships withing and between Earth's physical environments and human communities.

The Ontario Grade 8 Geography Curriculum consists of two strands on the following topics:

A. Global Settlement - analyzing the interrelationship between Earth's physical features and processes and human settlement

B. Global Inequalities - understanding patterns and factors affecting economic development and quality of life in different regions of the world

HEALTH Curriculum and Strands

The Ontario Grades 1-8 Health Curriculum is organized in four general topics:

1. Healthy Eating - analyzing food choices and eating patterns and then making decisions and setting appropriate goals
2. Personal Safety and Injury Prevention - recognizing, assessing, and managing potentially dangerous situations as well as reducing safety risks
3. Substance Use, Addictions, and Related Behaviours - examining the relationship between substance use and abuse, addictive behaviours, and mental health and finding healthy alternatives for coping with stressful situations
4. Human Development and Sexual Health - understanding sexual development, as appropriate to the child's age and stage of development, and developing skills for healthy realtionships