1. Supporting students and teachers by keeping Ontario’s K - 12 curriculum current and relevant
Status Report
Produced by:
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Branch
Ministry of Education
November 2007

2. Today’s Agenda
Introduction
Curriculum Review Process
Key Messages

3. Opportunities and Routes for Input
Subject /
Division Associations
Technical Analysis
Focus Groups
Other Consultations
and Input
Analysis / Synthesis
Achievement Charts
Research
This slide explains all of the processes we have gone through up until November 1st
Purpose of the Curriculum Review:
Supporting students and teachers by keeping Ontario’s K-12 curriculum relevant and current
Include an increased focus on literacy and numeracy across the curriculum
Review Process:
Feedback consultation – occurred in fall of 2005 – Spring of 2006 –consulted with all school boards, faculties of education other ministries, COU, ACCATO, NGO’s, workplace organizations, parents, students
Analysis – consisted of technical analysis, content analysis, benchmarking against other jurisdictions (Alberta, Eastern Canada, England, Australia, Finland), literature search
Synthesis – summaries were compiled from all of the data gathered during analysis and a report was compiled and used as a basis for recommendations for revision
Recommendations Report – compiled in conjunction with FLEPPB to come up with 1 set of recommendations for both English and French language branches
Revision – Summer writing – focused on addressing areas for improvement while maintaining the strengths of the document. Teams were composed of 29 writers from across the province, representing 21 school boards and school authorities (Catholic, public and First Nations) and 3 provincial subject associations (STAO, SCCAO, OAPT)
Revision Teams
Feedback Consultation

4. Current Status of Proposed Revisions
Science and Technology Grades 1-8
Received feedback on the draft proposed revisions in Fall, 2006
Editing based on feedback, alignment with French, formal editing, bias checks, Aboriginal checks, fact checks, LNS checks, EE checks……..
Release late Fall, 2007
Implementation September 2008

5. Key Areas of Proposed Revisions
The rest of the day will now focus on the Key recommendations.

6. Pieces of the Puzzle Organization Skills Grade- level Content
Ontario
Science and
Technology
Curriculum
Grade-
level
Content
Subject Specific

7. Organization
Relating Science to Technology, Society and the Environment
Fundamental Concepts, Big Ideas, and Overall Expectations
Scientific Investigation Skills
Introduction
Organization

8. Skills of Scientific Investigation and Technological Problem Solving
Initiating and Planning:
Ask questions about relationships between and among observable variables and plan investigations to address those questions (e.g., ask questions, clarify problems, plan procedures)
Performing and Recording:
Conduct investigations (inquiry and research) into relationships between and among observations, and gather and record qualitative and quantitative data (e.g., follow procedures, access information, make and record observations and findings)
Explanation of each found on pages of the Front Matter

9. Skills of Scientific Investigation and Technological Problem Solving
Analysing and Interpreting:
Analyse qualitative and quantitative data and develop and assess possible explanations (e.g., organize data, reflect on effectiveness of actions taken, draw conclusions):
Communication:
Address problems and use appropriate language and formats to communicate ideas, procedures, and results (e.g., use appropriate vocabulary; communicate findings in a variety of ways)

10. Grade Level Content Reduce number of strands/topics
Lessen the amount of content through the reduction of Specific Expectations
Update and add examples to clarify the intent and ensure relevance
Add Sample Guiding Questions, Sample Issues, Sample Prompts
Grade level
Contents
Talk to each bullet

11. An Update on Environmental Education
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Branch
French Language Education Policy and Programs Branch

12. EE Working Group Report
The Working Group on Environmental Education chaired by Dr. Roberta Bondar submitted their report to the Curriculum Council in June 2007
On June 22, 2007 the Minister accepted the advice of the Curriculum Council and the recommendations contained in the report of the Working Group on Environmental Education, Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future, ( and announced a commitment to move forward on each of the 32 recommendations

13. Shaping Our Schools Shaping Our Future
The report contains 32 recommendations
Full distribution of the report to school boards and schools is scheduled this fall

14. Definition of Environmental Education
The Working Group on Environmental Education has developed the following definition of environmental education, and recommends that it be adopted as the definition used in Ontario schools:
Environmental education is education about the environment, for the environment, and in the environment that promotes an understanding of, rich and active experience in, and an appreciation for the dynamic interactions of:
The Earth’s physical and biological systems
The dependency of our social and economic systems on these natural systems
The scientific and human dimensions of environmental issues
The positive and negative consequences, both intended and unintended, of the interactions between human-created and natural systems.
(Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future, page 6)

15. Key components of an environmental education policy

16. Implementation of the Working Group Report
CURRICULUM
Stakeholders will provide input into the development of the draft standards for environmental education
LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY
The working group recommended the creation of a comprehensive policy that could signal the importance of environmental education, guide investments necessary for further development, and provide concrete accountability measures
Inter-ministerial and stakeholder consultations will be required

17. Implementation of the Working Group Report
TEACHING AND RESOURCES
Teachers require professional development opportunities to develop required skills
Resources must be made available to support teachers
Ready, Set, Green! is currently in publications and will be distributed shortly

18. Implementation of the Working Group Report
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Branch and the French-Language Policy and Programs Branch have worked collaboratively to develop an implementation plan based on the 32 recommendations contained in the Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future report

19. Progress on the Recommendations
Environmental education policy
Curriculum standards
Scope and sequence
Proposed course development
Resources for teachers

20. Environmental Education Policy
Research to inform the development of environmental education policy and curriculum standards has been conducted in summer 2007
Inter-ministerial environmental education policy development will begin this fall
An inter-ministerial group has been invited to begin policy discussions

21. Curriculum Standards
Standards will be used as a lens to ensure that the environment is addressed across all subjects and grades in the curriculum
Research was commissioned and completed on standards in other jurisdictions in the summer of 2007
Standards for environmental education in the curriculum are in development with first stakeholder consultation that began on August 28, 2007 and will continue this fall through meetings with the Curriculum Advisory Committee, the Subject/Division Association and a stakeholder consultation

22. Curriculum Standards
The draft standards will be applied to the curriculum for Science and Technology, Grades 1-8 which is scheduled to be released in December 2007

23. Scope and Sequence
The scope and sequence of environmental education opportunities in the current curriculum grades 1-12 has been completed and will inform the work of grade and subject specific focused writing teams in
This information will be used to identify gaps and plan future work to ensure a coherent continuum of learning for students

24. Proposed Course Development
A senior course focused on the environment is in development and will be piloted in Grade 11 in the second semester of this school year
6 Specialist High Skills Major programs focused on the environment are being piloted in
Environmental perspectives were incorporated into curriculum revision writing in summer 2007 for Science and Technology 1-8, Science 9-12, Technological Education 9-12, the Arts 1-12, as well as e-Learning courses currently in development

25. Resources for teachers
An educator resource guide, Ready, Set, Green! (similar to Me Read No Way!) based on school board and public submissions of current practices in environmental education has been developed
The guide is a collection of tips, techniques and current practices that would be of use to school boards and schools in planning their activities
Website posting has occurred and distribution to school boards and schools in hard copy is anticipated shortly

26. The Ontario Curriculum: Science and Technology Grades 1-8
Putting all of the Pieces Together
The Ontario
Curriculum:
Science and
Technology
Grades 1-8
Destination
Organization & Structure
Course Level
Subject Specific