Overview of the Curriculum
Language Arts
Reading
overall expectations
By the end of Grade 8, 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 and 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.
This strand helps students learn to read with understanding, to read critically, to become familiar with various text forms and their characteristic elements, and to recognize the function and effects of various text features and stylistic devices. It helps students understand that reading is a process of constructing meaning and equips them with the strategies that good readers use to understand and appreciate what they read.
Writing
overall expectations
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.
The overall expectations focus on the elements of effective writing (ideas/content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, language conventions, and presentation) and on the stages of the recursive writing process (planning for writing, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading, and publishing).
Media Literacy
overall expectations
Students will:
· demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;
· identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning;
· create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;
· reflect on and identify their strengths, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.
This strand focuses on helping students develop the skills required to understand, create, and critically interpret media texts. It examines how images (both moving and still), sound, and words are used, independently and in combination, to create meaning. It explores the use and significance of particular conventions and techniques in the media and considers the roles of the viewer and the producer in constructing meaning in media texts. Students apply the knowledge and skills gained through analysis of media texts as they create their own texts.
Oral Communication
overall expectations
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.
This strand focuses on the identification and development of the skills and strategies effective listeners and speakers use to understand and interact with others. It also emphasizes the use of higher-order thinking skills to stimulate students' interest and engage them in their own learning.
History
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 8, students will:
· describe the internal and external political factors, key personalities, significant events, and geographical realities that led to the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, and to the growth of Canada as other provinces and territories joined Confederation;
· use a variety of resources and tools to gather, process, and communicate information about the needs and challenges that led to the formation and expansion of the Canadian federation;
· compare Canada as it was in 1867 to the Canada of today, including political, social, and other issues facing the country in both periods.
Geography
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 8, students will:
· identify the main patterns of human settlement and identify the factors that influence population distribution and land use;
· use a variety of geographic representations, resources, tools, and technologies to gather, process, and communicate geographic information about patterns in human geography;
· compare living and working conditions in countries with different patterns of settlement, and examine how demographic factors could affect their own lives in the future.
Visual Arts
Overall expectations
By the end of Grade 8, students will:
· Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process (see pages 19–22) to produce art works in a variety of traditional two- and three-dimensional forms, as well as multimedia art works, that communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings, using elements, principles, and techniques of visual arts as well as current media technologies;
· Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process (see pages 23–28) to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of art works and art experiences;
· Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of art forms, styles, and techniques from the past and present, and their sociocultural and historical contexts.
Physical Education
Overall Expectations
Students will develop:
• the living skills needed to develop resilience and a secure identity and sense of self, through opportunities to learn adaptive, management, and coping skills, to practise communication skills, to learn how to build relationships and interact positively with others, and to learn how to use critical and creative thinking processes;
• the skills and knowledge that will enable them to enjoy being active and healthy throughout their lives, through opportunities to participate regularly and safely in physical activity and to learn how to develop and improve their own personal fitness; the movement competence needed to participate in a range of physical activities, through opportunities to develop movement skills and to apply movement concepts and strategies in games, sports, dance, and other physical activities;
• an understanding of the factors that contribute to healthy development, a sense of personal responsibility for lifelong health, and an understanding of how living healthy, active lives is connected with the world around them and the health of others.
The knowledge and skills acquired in health education and physical education form an integrated whole that relates to the everyday experiences of students and provides them with the physical literacy and health literacy they need to lead healthy, active lives.
Islamic Studies
At IFS, we focus on the following strands in Islamic Studies:
· Akhlaaq: The study of everyday manners and character that every believer should possess
· Aqidah: The study of belief, Iman and all of its componenets
· Fiqh: The study of Islamic law and regulations pertaining to matters important to our youth
· Seerah: The study of Prophet’s (saws) life, tribulations and character so that our students know and understand a perfect example of Islam
· Hadith: The study of the science of hadith, books of hadith and finally the explanations of various ahadith
· Islamic History: The study of how the Muslim empire began, grew and finally declined
Aims of Evaluation
The primary aims of student evaluation are:
To recognize the progress and achievement of students.
To diagnose the areas of strengths and needs for each individual student.
To provide information to develop strategies to assist students to achieve maximum learning.
To record the assessment and progress of students.
Categories of Knowledge and Skills:
The following categories of knowledge and skills are assessed within each subject area:
1. Knowledge and Understanding
Subject-specific content acquired in each grade (knowledge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding).
2. Thinking
The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes, as follows:
* planning skills (e.g., focusing research, gathering information, organizing an inquiry)
* processing skills (e.g., analysing, evaluating, synthesizing)
* critical/creative thinking processes (e.g., inquiry, problem solving, decision making,
research)
3. Communication
The conveying of meaning through various forms, as follows:
* oral (e.g., story, role play, song, debate)
* written (e.g., report, letter, diary)
* visual (e.g., model, map, chart, movement, video, computer graphics)
4. Application
The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts.
Learning Skills
The following six learning skills will appear on the report card:
1. Responsibility
2. Initiative
3. Organization
4. Independent Work
5. Collaboration
6. Self Regulation
These skills will be evaluated according to the following rubric:
Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs Improvement
Details about the Curriculum
If you wish to access any additional information on the Ontario Curriculum you can visit the Ministry of Education website- http://www.edu.gov.on.ca