Curriculum Overall Expectations: 

A. POLITICAL INQUIRY AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT 

A1. Political Inquiry: use the political inquiry process and the concepts of political thinking when investigating issues, events, and developments of civic importance; 

A2. Developing Transferable Skills: apply in everyday contexts skills developed through investigations related to civics and citizenship education, and identify some careers in which civics and citizenship education might be an asset. 

B. CIVIC AWARENESS 

B1. Civic Issues, Democratic Values: describe beliefs and values associated with democratic citizenship in Canada, and explain how they are related to civic action and to oneís position on civic issues (FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Political Perspective) 

B2. Governance in Canada: explain, with reference to a range of issues of civic importance, the roles and responsibilities of various institutions, structures, and figures in Canadian governance (FOCUS ON: Stability and Change; Political Perspective) 

B3. Rights and Responsibilities: analyse key rights and responsibilities associated with citizenship, in both the Canadian and global context, and some ways in which these rights are protected (FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Objectives and Results) 

C. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ACTION 

C1. Civic Contributions: analyse a variety of civic contributions, and ways in which people can contribute to the common good (FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Stability and Change) 

C2. Inclusion and Participation: assess ways in which people express their perspectives on issues of civic importance and how various perspectives, beliefs, and values are recognized and represented in communities in Canada (FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Political Perspective) 

C3. Personal Action on Civic Issues: analyse a civic issue of personal interest and develop a plan of action to address it (FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Objectives and Results) 

COURSE CONTENT 

Unit 1 - DEMOCRATIC VALUES --- 12 hours

Unit 2 - GOVERNANCE --- 16 hours

Unit 3 - RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES --- 20 hours

Culminating Assignment(s) --- 7 hours

Total 55 Hours

TEACHING & LEARNING STRATEGIES

• Direct Instruction (teacher-led)

• Direct Instruction (discussion possible)

• Small Group Discussion

• Partner Discussion/Conferencing

• 1:1 Conferencing Teacher & Student

• Silent individual reading

• Group Work (teacher facilitation)

• Brainstorming

• Class Activity (teacher facilitation)

• Worksheets/Surveys

• Text-based modeling

• Use of Computers / Internet

• Use of video or audio materials

• Presentations

ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION

Purpose

The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment relates directly to the expectations for the course.

A variety of assessments for and as learning are conducted on a regular basis to allow ample opportunities for students to improve and ultimately demonstrate their full range of learning and in order for the teacher to gather information to provide feedback. Assessment tasks relate to the success criteria set out in lesson plans. Success criteria allow students to see what quality looks like.

Evaluation is the process of judging the quality of student work in relation to the achievement chart categories and criteria, and assigning a percentage grade to represent that quality. Evaluation is based on gathering evidence of student achievement through:

• Products

• Observations

• Conversations

Assessment for Learning - we provide feedback and coaching

Assessment FOR Learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for the use of learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to go there.

Assessment as Learning - we help students monitor progress, set goals, reflect on their learning Assessment AS Learning is the process of the explicit fostering of students’ capacity over time to be their own best assessors, but teachers need to start by presenting and modeling external, structured opportunities for students to assess themselves.

Assessment of Learning – we use assessments as ways of providing evaluative statements about the level of achievement of students

Assessment OF Learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements of symbols (marks/grades/levels of achievement) about how well students are learning. It often contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ future.

Grading

• The final grade is based on performance in 3 areas: products, observations, conversations.

• 70% of the grade is based on evaluations conducted throughout the course.

• 30% is based on a final evaluation.

Weighting of categories

Knowledge & Understanding --- 25%

Thinking --- 25%

Communication --- 25%

Application --- 25%

Assessment Tools

Anecdotal comments ; Rubrics

Assessment Strategies

Assessment for Learning

Journals ; Essays ; Independent Study Assignment ; Researching

Assessment as Learning

Reflective Journal ; Exit and Entrance Cards ; Graphic Organizer ; Logs

Assessment of Learning

Essays ; Projects ; Independent Study Assignment ; Work Sheets

CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING

Instructional Approaches

Teachers in the school are expected to:

• clarify the purpose for learning

• help students activate prior knowledge

• differentiate instruction for individual students and small groups according to need

• explicitly teach and model learning strategies

• encourage students to talk through their thinking and learning processes

• provide many opportunities for students to practise and apply their developing knowledge and skills

• apply effective teaching approaches involve students in the use of higher-level thinking skill

• encourage students to look beyond the literal meaning of texts and artistic works

• encourage students to rehearse, practice, apply, skills and strategies, and to make their own choices

Teachers use a variety of instructional and learning strategies best suited to the particular type of learning. Students have opportunities to learn in a variety of ways:

• individually

• cooperatively

• independently with teacher direction

• through investigation involving hands-on experience

• through examples followed by practice

• by using concrete learning tools

• by encouraging students to gain experience with varied and interesting applications of the new knowledge. Rich contexts for learning open the door for students to see the “big ideas” of mathematics that will enable and encourage them to reason mathematically throughout their lives.

Teaching Approaches

Critical thinking is at the heart of all social sciences and humanities courses, and the development of this skill is paramount as it will help students become and remain effective lifelong learners.

Effective teaching in the social sciences should provide adequate motivation to students, as well as to help them develop positive habits of mind, including curiosity and open-mindedness, a willingness to think/question/challenge/be challenges, as well as an understanding of the value of listening carefully, reading carefully, and communicating clearly.

The mindset that all students can be successful is important for a teacher to have if they are to have effective instruction and learning in the classroom.

Program Considerations for Students with Special Education Needs

Teachers must incorporate appropriate strategies for instruction and assessment to facilitate the success of students with special educational needs in their classrooms. These strategies stem from the beliefs as laid out in Special Education Transformation: The report of the Co-Chairs with the Recommendations of the Working Table on Special Education, 2006:

• All students can succeed

• Universal design and differentiated instruction are effective and interconnected means of meeting the learning or productivity needs of any group of students

• Successful instructional practices are founded on evidence-based research, tempered by experience

• Classroom teachers are key educators for a students’ literacy and numeracy development.

• Each student has his or her own unique patterns of learning.

• Classroom teachers need the support of the larger community to create a learning environment that supports students with special education needs.

• Fairness is not sameness.

Teachers must plan their program that recognize the diversity of students’ learning styles, needs, and responses, so students can have performance tasks that respect their abilities so they can derive the greatest possible benefit from the teaching and learning process.

Teachers must be mindful of three types of accommodations for students:

• Instructional Accommodations: changes in teaching strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use of technology and multimedia

• Environmental Accommodations: changes that the student may require in the classroom and/or school environment, such as preferential seating or special lighting.

• Assessment accommodations: changes in assessment procedures that enable the student to demonstrate his or her learning, such as allowing additional time to complete tests or assignments, or permitting oral responses to test questions

No modifications to course expectations are made at this school.

Program Considerations for English Language Learners

Teachers must incorporate appropriate strategies for instruction and assessment to facilitate the success of the English language learners in their classrooms. These strategies include:

• modification of some or all of the subject expectations depending on the level of English proficiency

• use of a variety of instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers, scaffolding; previewing of textbooks; pre-teaching of key vocabulary; peer tutoring; strategic use of students’ first languages)

• use of a variety of learning resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingual dictionaries, and materials that reflect cultural diversity)

• use of assessment accommodations (e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral interviews, demonstrations or visual representations, or tasks requiring completion of graphic organizers and cloze sentences instead of essay questions and other assessment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English).

Environmental Education and Social Sciences and Humanities Programs

Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow: A Policy Framework for Environmental Education in Ontario Schools outlines an approach to environmental education that recognizes the needs of all Ontario Students and promotes environmental responsibility in the operations of all levels of the education system.

The goals outlined are surrounded around: teaching and learning, student engagement and community connections, and environmental leadership. By promoting the study of issues and solutions, the engagement of practicing and promoting environmental leadership and stewardship, and the importance of leadership through responsible promotion of environmentally safe and secure practices.

In the social sciences classroom, students have the opportunity to put in to practice many facets of environmental education. For example, family studies courses can give students opportunities to explore ways in which various people, families, communities, and societies use/overuse resources, and to understand the environmental impact of these choices.

In social sciences and equity studies courses, students can examine the impact of climate change on individuals and diverse groups and communities, and how the poor and marginalized are disproportionately impacted. Religion courses can illustrate how environmental stewardship are key tenets of many major world religions, while philosophy courses can examine the ethics of different attitudes and actions with respect to the environment.

Antidiscrimination Education

Learning resources reflect students’ interests, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Learning materials should:

• enable students to become more sensitive to the diverse cultures and perceptions of others, including Aboriginal peoples

• discuss aspects of the history of mathematics to make students aware of the various cultural groups that have contributed to the evolution of mathematics over the centuries

• illustrate to students that everyday people use mathematics in their everyday lives, both at work and at home

• connect mathematics to real world situations and human affairs such as health, science, environmental studies, trend analysis, and politics.

Literacy, Mathematical Literacy, and Inquiry/Research Skills

The school emphasizes the importance of the following:

• using clear, concise communication in the classroom involving the use of diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs

• emphasizing students’ ability to interpret and use graphic texts.

• acquiring the skills to locate relevant information from a variety of sources, such as books, newspapers, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, interviews, videos, and the Internet.

• learning that all sources of information have a particular point of view

• learning that the recipient of the information has a responsibility to evaluate it, determine its validity and relevance, and use it in appropriate ways.

Students in social science programs are encouraged to develop their ability and skills in asking critical questions, and exploring a wide range of possible answers. They will also develop skills to locate these answers in a wide variety of sources. These skills become more advanced and refined as source bias becomes clear to students, and how they have the responsibility to evaluate the credibility, validity, and relevance of the source to their question.

Role of Technology

Information and communications technologies (ICT) tools used in many ways:

• Students use multimedia resources, databases, Internet websites, digital cameras, and word-processing programs.

• Students use databases, spreadsheets, dynamic geometry and statistical software, graphing software, computer algebra systems, and so on in order to quickly navigate through complex problems, to see the effect of dynamic data on their values and trends, and to see a graphical representation of data.

• They use technology to collect, organize, and sort the data they gather and to write, edit, and present reports on their findings.

  
  

• Students are encouraged to use ICT to support and communicate their learning. For example, students working individually or in groups can use computer technology and/or Internet websites to gain access to museums and archives in Canada and around the world.

  
  

• Students use digital cameras and projectors to design and present the results of their research to their classmates.

  
  

• The school plans to use ICT to connect students to other schools and to bring the global community into the classroom.

  
  

• Students are made aware of issues of Internet privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred.

  
  

Career Education

Students are given opportunities to develop career-related skills by:

• applying their skills to work-related situations

• exploring educational and career options

• developing research skills

• deloping key essential skills such as reading text, writing, computer use, measurement and calculation, and problem solving

• practising expository writing

• learning strategies for understanding informational reading material

• making oral presentations

• working in small groups with classmates to help students express themselves confidently and work cooperatively with others.

Health and Safety in Social Sciences and Humanities

In social science programs, students must be familiar with the concept that health and safety is everyone’s responsibility at all times, not just in the school. While social science and humanities courses are, for the most part, very academic, there are still many opportunities to practice health and safety strategies.

For example, in food and fashion courses, there are many opportunities for students to be working hands-on with hot or sharp tools. Further, in the food courses, there must be protocols in place to avoid food spoilage, cross-contamination, and allergic reactions. Routines must be put in place in these types of classrooms to help students avoid physical injuries.

Field trips, while very beneficial to students educational experiences, are also opportunities for appropriate health and safety strategies to be planned and employed as there can be many unpredictable settings and events that take place outside of the classroom.

Financial Literacy

Students in social science programs have opportunities to learn skills required for personal and family financial management, and how macroeconomic factors can help or hinder the abilities of people and their families to meet their financial needs. Students in social sciences will also have opportunities to explore ethical questions arising from wealth distribution, needs vs. wants, as well as the operation of different types of economies.

Academic Honesty

Students who present the work of others as their own are guilty of plagiarism and will receive a mark of zero for the work and will have the details of the plagiarism noted in their school records. Students who are guilty of cheating on tests or examinations will receive a mark of zero on the test or examination and have the details of the cheating noted in their school records.

Late Assignments

Students are responsible for providing evidence of their achievement of the overall expectations within the time frame specified by the teacher, and in a form approved by the teacher. There are consequences for not completing assignments for evaluation or for submitting those assignments late.

Resources

Civics and Citizenship, Oxford University Press Canada © Moodle Website

Dictionaries, Thesaurus etc.

Various Daily Newspapers, Magazines, and Periodicals

(Audio and Video material) CBC, The Fifth Estate, etc. Various Internet Resources:

• OWL English Purdue

• The University of Toronto Library

• The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care

• The Toronto Star

• The Globe and Mail

• Wikipedia