CURRICULUM NIGHT -...

CURRICULUM NIGHT Welcome to Grade 8

Sunday, October 19, 2014

OUR GOAL AS TEACHERS

“Connection is why we are here. It is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Great teachers connect with their students and connect their students to new ideas” Brene Brown


IT’S OK TO MAKE MISTAKES

Our classes will try a lot of new things this year. Sometimes we will succeed and other times we won’t.

When learning together, students come to realize that is is OK to make mistakes. It is proof that they are trying and learning!


WE ARE A 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS

We will use inquiry based learning

We will embrace and use technology to enhance our learning

We will work collaboratively together

We will learn using cross curricular assessment and evaluation


WE WILL USE TECHNOLOGY

We will learn to be responsible digital citizens

We will use technology like: Smartboards, ipads, laptops, desktops, ebooks, web 2.0 tools, Apple Apps, and anything else that is available to us to enhance our learning

Students can bring their own devices to school (laptops, ipads) for educational purposes. Please pick up a form from us!


INQUIRY BASED LEARNING

“Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.”

Inquiry-based learning involves finding answers to questions based on BIG IDEAS of the curriculum

Students will learn how to identify and research issues and questions to develop their knowledge or solutions in small collaborative groups


ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

Cross curricular whenever possible - multiple expectations and subject specific criteria will be assessed at one time

Co-created rubrics and success criteria made in advance. Students know what will be expected of them because they help decide the criteria

Regular conferences with students during the writing and inquiry process. Students will know what they need to do to improve BEFORE handing in a final assessment piece

Students will regularly receive descriptive feedback by teachers and their peers


LANGUAGE ARTSREADING, WRITING, ORAL VISUAL COMMUNICATION, AND

MEDIA LITERACY

Reading comprehension strategies include learning how to read text features by visualizing, activating prior knowledge, synthesizing, questioning, making connections, and inferences

Students will read fiction genres and non fiction texts

Read aloud novels to the whole class to connect with other subject areas

Reading program will include guided reading, reciprocal teaching, literatures centres, DEAR time, self selected texts


WRITING

6 Traits of Writing: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions (spelling and grammar)

Forms of writing will include narrative, persuasive, procedural, expository, recount, report, compare and contrast, and descriptive

Writing assessment will be cross curricular whenever possible


OVC AND MEDIA LITERACY

OVC will include listening in order to understand and responding appropriately, using speaking skills effectively, and reflecting on strengths as listeners and speakers

Media Literacy will include understanding, creating and reflecting on media texts


MATHEMATICSNUMBER SENSE AND NUMERATION, PATTERNING AND ALGEBRA, MEASUREMENT, DATA MANAGEMENT AND

PROBABILITY

Collaborative Inquiry and Learning model in math with 3 Part Math Lesson

Minds On - review of concepts from previous lesson

Explore Activity

Teaching new concepts

Consolidation and practice time

Learning Goals from the lesson.


MATH CONTINUED

Group Activities: Think, Plan, Do, Look Back and a focus on Thinking and Application questions

Assessment will be based on a rubric with the categories of Knowledge and Understanding, Thinking, Application and Communication questions

Assessment questions will be clustered under those categories. Marks will be expressed as Level 1, 2, 3, or 4


GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

Geography covered in Term 1, History is Term 2

Geography strands: Patterns in Human Geography, Economic Systems, and Migration

History strands: Confederation, Development of Western Canada, Canada: A Changing Society


SCIENCE

Science strands: Cells, Tissues, Organs and Systems; Fluids, Mechanical Advantage and Efficiency; and Water Systems

As part of inquiry based learning, we will do lab experiments and reports to enhance our understanding of science


PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH

Phys Ed: cooperative games, fitness, and sports specific skills

Health strands: Human Sexuality, Healthy Eating, Drugs and Alcohol Education


THE ARTS

Drama will be covered in Term 1, Dance in Term 2

Visual arts is taught on rotary every other week when possible

Music taught by Mrs. Connor


RELIGION

Our theme in grade 8 is SOLIDARITY

Religion will be taught across all subject areas with an emphasis on Social Justice and the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations

We will participate regularly in school liturgies, masses, grade specific gatherings, and class specific endeavours to build our community as discerning believers of Jesus Christ.


SPECIAL GRADE 8 MOMENTS

Various trips throughout the year for high school transition days at Loyola (Art Show)

Skating twice in the winter

Ski trip in the winter (it was a big success last year)

Ottawa trip in June


CONNECTING HOME AND SCHOOL

Daily use of agendas as a communication tool

Check out our GRADE 8 WEBSITE - www.pjpgrade8.weebly.com to check assignments, due dates, homework, and helpful links

Friday Files: marked assignments will go home regularly on Friday to be reviewed by parent/child

Please do not hesitate to call us with any questions or concerns


http://www.pjpgrade8.weebly.com

http://www.pjpgrade8.weebly.com

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US

We look forward to an amazing year.


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