Core Curriculum: Plans for Implementation defines the Core Curriculum as including seven Required Areas of Study, the Common Essential Learnings, the Adaptive Dimension, and Locally- Determined Options. Science is one of the Required Areas of Study.
Understanding the Common Essential Learnings, A Handbook for Teachers is a foundation document. It defines and expands on an understanding of these essentials.
Other Saskatchewan Education, Training, and Employment documents elaborate on the concept of Core Curriculum. See the references in this Curriculum Guide and in Science Program Overview and Connections (K) 1-12. In addition to Core Curriculum, various other initiatives support curriculum development at Saskatchewan Education. These include Gender Equity, Indian and Métis considerations, and Resource-Based Learning. These initiatives can be viewed as principles which guide the development of curricula as well as instruction in the classroom. The initiatives outlined in the following statements have been integrated throughout this Curriculum Guide.
Science offers many opportunities for incorporating the Common Essential Learnings into instruction. The purpose of this incorporation is to help students better understand science and to prepare them for future learning both within and outside of the K-12 educational system. The decision to focus on a particular Common Essential Learning within a lesson is guided by the needs and abilities of individual students and by the particular demands of the subject area. Throughout a unit, it is intended that each Common Essential Learning be developed to the extent possible.
It is important to incorporate the Common Essential Learnings in an authentic manner. Some units may offer many opportunities to develop the understandings, values, skills and processes related to a number of the Common Essential Learnings. The development of a particular Common Essential Learning, however, may be limited by the nature of the topic under study.
The Common Essential Learnings are intended to be developed and evaluated within subject areas. Therefore, foundational objectives for the Common Essential Learnings are included in the introductory section for each Core and Optional Unit in this Curriculum Guide. Since the Common Essential Learnings are not separate and discrete categories, it is anticipated that working toward the achievement of one foundational objective may contribute to the development of others. For example, many of the processes, skills, understandings, and abilities required for the Common Essential Learnings of Communication, Numeracy and Critical and Creative Thinking are also needed for the development of Technological Literacy.
Incorporating the Common Essential Learnings into instruction has implications for the assessment of student learning. A unit which has focused on developing Communication and Critical and Creative Thinking should also reflect this focus during assessment. Assessment strategies should allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the important concepts in the unit and how these concepts are related to each other and to previous learning. Questions can be structured so that evidence or reasons must accompany student explanations. If students are encouraged to think critically and creatively throughout a unit, then the assessment strategies for the unit should also require students to think critically and creatively.
The Common Essential Learnings may be better incorporated into Science if teachers use ideas from their personal reflections and experience as well as the suggestions from this Curriculum Guide.
Throughout this Curriculum Guide, the following symbols may be
used to refer to the Common Essential Learnings:
| COM | Communication |
| CCT | Critical and Creative Thinking |
| IL | Independent Learning |
| NUM | Numeracy |
| PSVS | Personal and Social Values and Skills |
| TL | Technological Literacy |
It is recognized that expectations based primarily on gender
limit students' ability to develop to their fullest potential.
While some stereotypical views and practices have disappeared,
others remain. Where schools have endeavoured to provide equal
opportunity for male and female students, continuing efforts are
required so that equality may be achieved. Saskatchewan Education
is committed to providing quality education for all students in
the K-12 system. It is therefore the responsibility of
Saskatchewan schools to create an educational environment free of
gender bias. This can be facilitated by increased understanding
and use of gender balanced material and non-sexist teaching
strategies. Both girls and boys need encouragement to explore
non-traditional as well as traditional options.
In order to meet the goal of gender equity in the K-12
system
, Saskatchewan curricula reflect the variety of roles and
the wide range of behaviours and attitudes available to all
members of society. The new curricula strive to provide
gender-balanced content, activities, and teaching approaches. It
is hoped that this will assist teachers in creating an
environment free of stereotyping, enabling both girls and boys to
develop their abilities and talents to the fullest.
Saskatchewan Education recognizes that the Indian and Métis peoples of the province are historically unique peoples and occupy a unique and rightful place in our society today. Saskatchewan Education recognizes that education programs must meet the needs of Indian and Métis peoples, and that changes to existing programs are also necessary for the benefit of all students. (p. 6)
The inclusion of Indian and Métis perspectives benefits all students in a pluralistic society. Cultural representation in all aspects of the school environment enables children to acquire a positive group identity. Indian and Métis resources foster meaningful and culturally identifiable experiences for Indian and Métis students, and promote the development of positive attitudes in all students towards Indian and Métis peoples. This awareness of one's own culture and the cultures of others develops positive self-concepts, enhances learning, promotes an appreciation of Canada's pluralistic society and supports universal human rights.
Saskatchewan Indian and Métis students come from different cultural backgrounds and social environments including northern, rural, and urban areas. Teachers must understand the diversity of the social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds of Saskatchewan Indian and Métis students. Cross-cultural education and awareness of applied sociolinguistics, first and second language acquisition theory, and standard and non-standard usage of language have become increasingly important for educators. Teachers must utilize a variety of teaching strategies in order to build upon the knowledge, cultures, learning styles, and strengths which Indian and Métis students possess. All curricula need responsive adaptations in order to be implemented effectively.
Saskatchewan teachers are responsible for integrating resources that reflect accurate and appropriate Indian and Métis content and perspectives. Teachers have a responsibility to evaluate all resources for bias and to teach students to recognize such bias.
The following four points summarize the expectations for Indian and Métis content in curriculum and instruction:
Teachers can greatly assist the development of attitudes and abilities for independent, life-long learning by using resource- based instruction. This involves the teacher and teacher -librarian planning units which integrate resources with classroom assignments, and teaching students the processes needed to find, analyze and present information.
Resource-based instruction is an approach to curriculum which involves students with all types of resources. Some of these include: books, magazines, films, audio and video tapes, computer software and databases, manipulable objects, commercial games, maps, community resources, museums, field trips, pictures and study prints, real objects and artifacts, and media production equipment.
Resource-based learning is student-centred. It offers students opportunities to choose, to explore, and to discover. Students who are encouraged to make choices in an environment rich in resources, and where their thoughts and feelings are respected, are well on their way to becoming autonomous learners.
The following points will help teachers use resource-based teaching and learning: