SUBJECTS TAUGHT

This year I will be teaching your child English, Mathematics, Physical Education and Health, Geography and History.

The following is a summary of the overall expectations outlined by the Ontario Curriculum guide:

www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/

LANGUAGE - READING

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

- read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

- recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements

- demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

- use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

- reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

LANGUAGE - WRITING

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

- generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an

intended purpose and audience;

- draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational,

literary,

and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and

audience;

- use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and

knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression,

and present their work effectively;

- reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

- listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

- use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes;

- reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication

situations.

MATHEMATICS

SOCIAL - EMOTIONAL LEARNING SKILLS AND MATHEMATICAL PROCESSES

*Students learn how to cope with stress and manage complex challenges. Students learn to break down a task into smaller portions, make a plan and take it one step at a time.

NUMBER

By the end of Grade 7, students:

- Work with numbers up to 1 billion

- are introduced to rational numbers, such as perfect squares and square roots

- generate factors (for example, factors of 6 are 1 and 6, 2 and 3), multiples (such as multiples of 6 are 6, 12, 24, and so on)

- add and subtract fractions by creating equivalent fractions

- explore problems that require addition and subtraction of integers (for example, determine the overall score or change in temperature).

FINANCIAL LITERACY

By the end of Grade 7, students:

- begin to learn that international currencies have different values compared to Canadian dollars and understand how exchange rates work

- develop an awareness of how to plan for and reach financial goals

- build their knowledge of how interest rates can affect savings and investments

- learn about the cost of borrowing and compare interest rates and fees for different types of accounts and loans to become more informed consumers.

SPATIAL SENSE

By the end of Grade 7, students:

- develop spatial sense as they study the circle

- learn to measure various aspects of circles, such as circumference, diameter radius and area

- use these and other measurements to find the surface area and volume of cylinders and other three-dimensional objects

- learn how to dilate - enlarge and shrink - a shape.

PATTERNING AND ALGEBRA

By the end of Grade 7, students:

- connect their understanding of whole-number patterns to patterns involving decimals

- continue to solve equations that involve multiple terms, whole numbers, and decimal numbers, such as 2x + 5 = 3x - 1

- write code to simulate a probability experiment and determine the different results in a game

- use mathematical modelling to provide insight into real-life situations, such as determining the best options for raising funds for a local charity.

DATA

By the end of Grade 7, students:

- use circle graphs to represent data

- examine graphs that may be misleading

- determine the differences between the probability of independent events versus dependent events

P.E. and HEALTH - Active Living

*Due to COVID restrictions, indoor physical activity will be limited to moderate to light intensity. Masks must be worn at all times indoors.

- participate actively and regularly in a wide variety of physical activities, and demonstrate an understanding of factors that encourage lifelong participation in physical activity;

- demonstrate an understanding of the importance of being physically active, and apply physical fitness concepts and practices that contribute to healthy, active living;

- demonstrate responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others as they participate in GRADE 7 physical activities

P.E. and HEALTH - Movement Skills

- perform movement skills, demonstrating an understanding of the basic requirements of the skills and applying movement concepts as appropriate, as they engage in a variety of physical activities;

- apply movement strategies appropriately, demonstrating an understanding of the components of a variety of physical activities, in order to enhance their ability to participate successfully in those activities.

HEALTHY LIVING

- demonstrate an understanding of factors that contribute to healthy development;

- demonstrate the ability to apply health knowledge and living skills to make reasoned decisions and take appropriate actions relating to their personal health and well-being;

- demonstrate the ability to make connections that relate to health and well- being

– demonstrate how their choices and behaviours affect both themselves and others, and how factors in the world around them affect their own and others’ health and well-being.

Extra-Curricular Activities

There will be opportunities for your child to become involved in extracurricular activities at Hilltop as Toronto Public Health, the TDSB, and TDESAA sports permit.

Announcements will be made when teams and clubs begin. It is important for your child to listen carefully to the daily announcements.

I feel privileged to be working at Hilltop, and I am excited about working with you and your child.

Sincerely,

Ian Edwards