Curriculum Overall Expectations:

A. COUNTING AND PROBABILITY

A1. solve problems involving the probability of an event or a combination of events for discrete sample spaces;

A2. solve problems involving the application of permutations and combinations to determine the probability of an event.

B. PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS

B1. demonstrate an understanding of discrete probability distributions, represent them numerically, graphically, and algebraically, determine expected values, and solve related problems from a variety of applications;

B2. demonstrate an understanding of continuous probability distributions, make connections to discrete probability distributions, determine standard deviations, describe key features of the normal distribution, and solve related problems from a variety of applications.

C. ORGANIZATION OF DATA FOR ANALYSIS

C1. demonstrate an understanding of the role of data in statistical studies and the variability inherent in data, and distinguish different types of data;

C2. describe the characteristics of a good sample, some sampling techniques, and principles of primary data collection, and collect and organize data to solve a problem.

D. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

D1. analyse, interpret, and draw conclusions from one-variable data using numerical and graphical summaries;

D2. analyse, interpret, and draw conclusions from two-variable data using numerical, graphical, and algebraic summaries;

D3. demonstrate an understanding of the applications of data management used by the media and the advertising industry and in various occupations.

E. CULMINATING DATA MANAGEMENT INVESTIGATION 

E1. design and carry out a culminating investigation* that requires the integration and application of the knowledge and skills related to the expectations of this course; 

E2. communicate the findings of a culminating investigation and provide constructive critiques of the investigations of others. 

MDM4U Course Content 

1. Permutations and Combinations --- 19 Hours

2. Probability --- 19 Hours

3. Central Tendency --- 21 Hours

4. Statistics --- 14 Hours

5. Distribution --- 14 Hours

6. Approximation --- 11 Hours

7. Culminating Data Management Investigation --- 10 Hours

Final Assignment: Final Exam (30% of final mark)  --- 2 Hours

Total 110 Hours

TEACHING & LEARNING STRATEGIES

• Direct Instruction (teacher-led)

• Direct Instruction (discussion possible)

• Class Discussion (teacher facilitated)

• Silent individual reading

• Independent Work (teacher facilitation)

• Brainstorming

• Worksheets/Surveys

• Individual or Group Research

• 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 --- 30%

Thinking --- 20%

Communication --- 20%

Application --- 30%

Assessment Tools

Marking schemes / Rubrics

Assessment Strategies

Assessment for Learning

Quizzes / Projects / Independent Study Assignment / Work Sheets

Assessment as Learning

Exit and Entrance Cards / KWL Chart / Self/Peer assessment

Assessment of Learning

Tests / Presentations / Projects / Independent Study / 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

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 - manipulatives - in mathematics such as connecting cubes, measurement tools, algebra tiles, and number cubes

• 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.

Promoting Positive Attitudes Towards Learning Mathematics

Teachers must be careful to build a positive environment in which students may study mathematics; students that enjoy the courses are more likely to do well and enrol in more advanced mathematics courses.

Teachers can set students up for developing positive attitudes by providing opportunities for them to:

• be engaged in making mathematical conjectures

• experience breakthroughs as they solve problems

• see connections between important ideas

• see their teacher’s enthusiasm about teaching mathematics

Teachers must be mindful students developing negative attitudes whether through a feeling of inadequacy or anxiety from not solving problems quickly, easily, or in the correct manner. Students should be able to recognize that:

• There are many correct ways to come to a solution

• Problem solving requires time and effort to learn, and requires perseverance

• With this perseverance comes the ability to move past barriers and overcome the frustration of getting stuck

Teachers can encourage students to keep trying a problem when they are stuck and guide them through routes of thought to arrive at a solution, as well as encourage students to develop this perseverance as being challenged and overcoming barriers are cornerstones of education.

Teachers must be mindful of their students’ confidence in their skills in order for them to continue seeing success and understanding in their studies.

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 at Brain Power:

• 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 Brain Power.

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).

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 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.

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.

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

• developing 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.

Financial Literacy

The school is emphasizing the importance of ensuring that Ontario students have the opportunity to improve their financial literacy. Financial literacy is defined as “having the knowledge and skills needed to make responsible economic and financial decisions with competence and confidence”. The goal is to help students acquire the knowledge and skills that will enable them to understand and respond to complex issues regarding their own personal finances and the finances of their families, as well as to develop an understanding of local and global effects of world economic forces and the social, environmental, and ethical implications of their own choices as consumers. Thus, an attempt will be made to integrate Financial Literacy in all the school’s courses.

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 

McGraw-Hill Ryerson Data Management 12, McGraw-Hill Ryerson © Thomson/Nelson: Mathematics of Data Management, Toronto, 2003 

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