Core Curriculum: Plans for Implementation (Saskatchewan
Education,1987) defines the Core Curriculum as including seven
Required Areas of Study, the Common Essential Learnings, the
Adaptive Dimension, and Locally - Determined Options.
Understanding the Common Essential Learnings: A Handbook for Teachers (Saskatchewan Education, 1988), as a foundation document for Saskatchewan Education, Training, and Employment, defines and expands on an understanding of these essential learnings.
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-12 (Draft,1989).
Other supportive initiatives for Core Curriculum developed by Saskatchewan Education, Training, and Employment include Gender Equity, Indian and Métis perspectives, and Resource-Based Learning. These initiatives can be viewed as principles that guide the development of curricula as well as instruction in the classroom. The initiatives outlined in the following statements have been integrated throughout the curriculum.
The Adaptative Dimension aims to meet learner needs and is an expectation inherent in the Goals of Education. It is an essential ingredient of any consideration of instructional approaches. In Instructional Approaches: A Framework for Professional Practice (Saskatchewan Education, 1991) the Adaptive Dimension is defined as:
the concept of teachers exercising their professional judgement to develop an integrated plan that encompasses curricular and instructional adjustments to provide an appropriate education that is intended to promote optimum success for each child.The continuum of curricular programs authorized by Saskatchewan Education, Training, and Employment - Regular, Transitional, and Alternative programs - recognizes the need for variation in curriculum content and delivery mechanism. The continuum indicates that within each program, and therefore within each course of study, adaptation is required. Teachers are empowered to adjust the instructional materials or the classroom setting in order to meet student needs. As professionals, teachers must ensure that the instructional approaches are also adapted. This implies that teachers have at their "fingertips" a broad, strong repertoire of instructional strategies, methods, and skills and that conscious planning takes place to adapt these approaches to meet student needs.
The cues that some students' needs are not being adequately met come from a variety of sources. They may come to the perceptive teacher as a result of monitoring for comprehension during a lesson. The cue may come from a unit test, or from a student need or background deficiency that has been recognized. A student's demonstrated knowledge of, or interest in, a particular topic may indicate that enrichment is appropriate. The adaptation required may vary from presenting the same content through a slightly different instructional method, to choosing varied materials because of a known information background deficit, to establishing an individual or small group enrichment activity. The duration of the adaptation may range from five minutes of individual assistance, to offering the student substantive enrichment opportunities. The diagnosis of the need may be handled adequately by the classroom teacher, or may require the expertise of other support specialists such as the school's resource teacher or the Regional Coordinator - Special Education.
The recognition of the need for adaptive instruction is dependent upon the professional judgement of the teacher. The decision to initiate adaptive practices must be an informed one. While the practice of adapting instruction may occur through the placement of students in programs other than those defined as regular, the most frequent application of the Adaptive Dimension will occur as teachers in regular classroom settings adjust their use of both resources and instructional approaches. By such adjustments, the Foundational Objectives of the curriculum can be met by all students. The Foundational Objectives do not change.
Instructional Approaches: A Framework for Professional Practice identifies a hierarchy of approaches - models, strategies, methods, and skills. The four basic models of instruction do not change, whether used in a "regular" class setting, or with a small group as an adaptive approach. The strategies, methods, and skills may be altered or adapted. Hence a framework for inservice, investigation, and discussion among professionals has been established.
The essence of the Adaptive Dimension rests in the phrase "seeking other ways". If teachers can make adjustments in the science program to accommodate diversity in students learning needs and make the curriculum, instruction, and the learning environment more meaningful and appropriate for each student, the Adaptive Dimension has been incorporated into the science classroom.
Some ways this can be done in the science classroom include:
It is important to incorporate the Foundational Objectives for Science and the Common Essential Learnings in an authentic manner. For example, some topics may offer many opportunities to develop the understandings, values, skills, and processes related to a number of the foundational objectives. The development of a particular foundational objective, however, may be limited by the nature of the topic under study.
It is intended that the Common Essential Learnings be developed and evaluated within subject areas. Therefore, Foundational Objectives for Science and the Common Essential Learnings are included in the introductory section of each Core Unit in this Curriculum Guide. Since the Common Essential Learnings are not necessarily 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. Assessment in a unit which has focused on developing the Common Essential Learnings of Communication and Critical and Creative Thinking should reflect this focus. Assessment strategies can 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 may 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.
It is anticipated that teachers will build from the suggestions in this Curriculum Guide and from their personal reflections in order to better incorporate the Common Essential Learnings into the teaching of science.
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 |
Incorporating the
Common Essential Learnings
into Science Instruction
The science curriculum from Kindergarten to grade 12 involves the development of the factors within the Dimensions of Scientific Literacy. The main goal is to promote an interest in, and an understanding of, science.
The Common Essential Learnings should be planned and developed within the context of good science lessons. As lesson planning is taking place, consideration should be given to how to incorporate the Common Essential Learnings. The Factors of Scientific Literacy Which Should Be Emphasized, and the Foundational Objectives for Science and the Common Essential Learnings outlined at the beginning of each Core Unit, provide appropriate starting points in planning.
Science-Technology-Society-Environment Interrelationships (Dimension D) help to develop Technological Literacy. Technology, as it is developed within this Dimension, is studied within a social context. The connections between science and technology are elaborated. Furthermore, the impact that technology has on society, on science, and on the environment is developed. Technology is defined as more than the gadgets and gizmos that are often the only things associated with it. Most of the topics within the Middle Level science curriculum can help to develop Technological Literacy.
Scientific and Technical Skills (Dimension E) also helps to develop Technological Literacy. Many scientific and technical skills in use today exist because of materials and instruments which have been developed through advances in technology. The impact that these new things have on our lives and on the environment is very important.
Numeracy can be developed through various factors of scientific literacy which are linked closely with this Common Essential Learning. Some of these include the empirical nature of science (A5), quantification (B8), probability (B19), accuracy (B21), measuring (C5), using numbers (C7), using mathematics (C17), and using quantitative relationships (E13). To anyone who understands science, the importance of Numeracy is readily apparent.
Problem solving can lend itself to developing Numeracy. Any other quantitative applications, of which there are many, further develop this Common Essential Learning. Students should be given many opportunities to develop ways in which quantities can be measured, recorded, manipulated, analyzed, and interpreted. Simply plugging numbers into obscure formulae is undesirable. Students must appreciate the importance of numeric information in the world of science. Related skills such as estimating and approximating, rounding off, graphing, tabulating, calculating, using significant figures and scientific notation, should be developed in science.
Specific factors relating to the Common Essential Learning of Communication are not as easy to identify, with the notable exception of communicating (C2). The public/private nature of science (A1) reveals the underlying importance of communication in science. Scientists share their discoveries with others. This involves the use of language and of written and verbal communication. When students explore important scientific principles, and discuss their understandings orally or in writing, using their own language, their ability to communicate evolves. Skills which help to promote and develop effective communication need to be reinforced. They are important aspects of a good science program. Review the section in this Guide on Science Writing and Reading.
Values that Underlie Science (Dimension F) and Science-Related Interests and Attitudes (Dimension G) help to develop Personal and Social Values and Skills. Attaining the factors in these two Dimensions of Scientific Literacy can lead to positive attitudes about science. These Dimensions involve the affective domain. Other factors, such as working cooperatively with others (C4), scientists and technologists are human (D2), and the human/culture related nature of science (A9), further help to develop Personal and Social Values and Skills.
An activity-oriented science program will develop critical and creative thinkers. Among other things, scientific inquiry involves hypothesizing (C8), designing experiments (C16), observing and describing (C3), inferring (C9), arriving at conclusions, formulating scientific laws, developing or testing theories, etc. These kinds of activities require higher level thinking.
The emphasis on practical applications of science throughout the entire curriculum allows students to make meaningful connections with the real world, transferring their understanding of science to things which make their learning relevant. Problem solving activities and classroom outreach further develop the knowledge, values, skills, and processes related to Critical and Creative Thinking.
Considering controversial issues in science also leads students to develop Critical and Creative Thinking abilities when they analyze conflicting value positions. As they develop a knowledge base and begin to form their own value positions, Personal and Social Values and Skills are developed.
Independent Learning can also be developed well in science because of the emphasis being placed on variety in instructional approaches. By placing less emphasis on traditional lecture presentations, teachers transfer more of the responsibility for learning from themselves to their students. The student assumes a more active role in the classroom experience. The teacher assumes the role of the learning facilitator.
The science curriculum has the potential for developing Independent Learning. By pursuing topics of interest, with direction and encouragement from their teachers, students can become highly motivated and enthusiastic about science. Topics in the curriculum of contemporary interest require that students keep up to date with current affairs. They may need to do independent study, using a wide variety of resources and different types of media, to investigate topics of current interest. This lends itself well to Resource-Based Learning. As students examine issues and notice the effects that competing and conflicting points of view have on shaping those issues, an appreciation of the social impact of science will likely emerge. Making these connections helps students recognize that learning takes place throughout life, continuing after formal schooling has ended.
While some science content can be identified with specific Common Essential Learnings, quite often it can not. The Common Essential Learnings developed in any given lesson do not depend solely upon content, but also upon teacher behaviour and modelling, and upon the processes which students experience. The teaching strategies selected, through careful unit and lesson planning, are what determine which Common Essential Learnings will be developed, and how well they will be developed. The key point is that a conscientious effort to incorporate the Common Essential Learnings can make a tremendous impact on students.
For many topics in science, any of the Common Essential Learnings can be developed. Which ones are developed, and to what extent any Common Essential Learning is emphasized depends on the goals of the science curriculum, the needs of the students, and the foundational and learning objectives being addressed in the unit. Just as there are many different ways to teach a lesson, so too there are many different ways of incorporating the Common Essential Learnings into that lesson. What matters is that teachers develop the Common Essential Learnings effectively, with the specific interests and needs of their students in mind. The beauty of incorporating the Common Essential Learnings into science is that, as in other subject areas, the ways in which this can be done are dynamic and flexible. The methods used change as students' needs change.
Saskatchewan Education, Training, and Employment is committed to providing quality education for all students in the K-12 system. 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 endeavour to provide equal opportunity for male and female students, continuing efforts are required to achieve equality of benefit or outcome. It is the responsibility of 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 female and male students need encouragement to explore nontraditional as well as traditional options.
In order to meet the goal of gender equity in the K-12 system, Saskatchewan Education, Training, and Employment is committed to bringing about the reduction of gender bias which restricts the participation and choices of students. It is important that 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 females and males to share in all experiences and opportunities which develop their abilities and talents to the fullest.
These suggestions for encouraging gender equity in science classrooms are adapted from Gender Equity: A Framework for Practice (Saskatchewan Education, 1992).
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Resource-based teaching and learning is a means by which teachers can greatly assist the development of attitudes and abilities for independent, life-long learning. Resource-based instruction involves units that integrate resources with classroom assignments, and teach students the processes needed to find, analyze, and present information. Teachers, teacher-librarians, and other professional staff may be involved in planning such units.
Resource-based instruction is an approach to curriculum that involves students with all types of resources. Some possible resources are: books, magazines, films, audiotapes and videotapes, computer software and databases, manipulable objects, commercial games, maps, people and 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 where their thoughts and feelings are respected, are assisted to become autonomous learners.
The following points will help teachers use resource-based teaching and learning.
The integration of Indian and Métis content into the Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum fulfils a central recommendation of Directions. The Five Year Action Plan for Native Curriculum Development further articulates the commitment and process. In addition, the 1989 Indian and Métis Education Policy from Kindergarten to Grade 12 makes the statement: Saskatchewan Education recognizes that the Indian and Métis peoples of the province are historically unique peoples and occupy a unique and rightful place in 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 to benefit all students. (p.6)
It is recognized that, in a pluralistic society, affirmation of culture benefits everyone. Its representation in all aspects of the school environment enables children to acquire a positive group identity. Instructional resources which reflect Indian and Métis cultures similarly provide meaningful and relevant experiences for children of Indian and Métis ancestry and promote the growth of positive attitudes in all students towards Indian and Métis peoples. Awareness of one's own culture, and the cultures of others, forms the basis for positive self-concept. Understanding other cultures enhances learning and enriches society. It also promotes an appreciation of the pluralistic nature of Canadian society.
Indian and Métis students in Saskatchewan have varied cultural backgrounds and come from geographic areas encompassing northern, rural, and urban environments. Teachers must be given support that enables them to create instructional plans relevant to meeting diverse needs. Varied social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds of Indian and Métis students imply a range of strengths and learning opportunities for teachers to draw upon. Explicit guidance, however, is needed to assist teachers in meeting the challenge by enabling them to make appropriate choices in broad areas of curriculum support. Theoretical concepts in anti-bias curricula, cross-cultural education, applied socio-linguistics, first and second language acquisition, and standard and non-standard usage of language are becoming increasingly important to classroom instruction. Care must be taken to ensure teachers utilize a variety of teaching methods that build upon the knowledge, cultures, and learning styles students possess. All curricula need specific kinds of adaptations to classroom strategies for effective use.
The final responsibility for accurate and appropriate inclusion of Indian and Métis content in instruction rests on teachers. They have the added responsibility of evaluating resources for bias, and teaching students to recognize bias.
These points summarize expectations for Indian and Métis content and perspectives in curricula, materials, and instruction.
The factors of scientific literacy and the Common Essential Learnings are the foundations of the K-12 Science program. In order to give students a chance to develop their understandings and abilities in these foundations, it is necessary for teachers to use a broad range of instructional approaches. Instructional Approaches: A Framework for Professional Practice (Saskatchewan Education, 1991) provides a framework to help teachers understand and implement a variety of methods of teaching. The science curriculum has been designed to support teachers in using such a broad-based approach in the classroom by making the curriculum flexible enough to accommodate their plans. Specific information on teaching science using a variety of strategies can be found in Teaching Science Through a Science-Technology-Society-Environment Approach: An Instruction Guide (SIDRU, 1988).
Ideas on adapting the curriculum to the classroom can be found in the section titled The Adaptive Dimension in the Middle Level Science Curriculum.
When varying instructional approaches are used, evaluation techniques must be matched to the approaches. If students learn by doing, assessments may involve students showing what they can do.
Student assessment should reflect the methods of instruction. Figure 5 on page 20 outlines some of the relationships between instructional methods and assessment techniques.
The verbs of the Learning Objectives listed for the units suggest various approaches to instruction, and reiterate some processes of science. Note these examples:
| analyze | examine | assess | explain | classify |
| explore | compare | identify | create | investigate |
| debate | map | determine | recognize | develop |
| relate | discuss | test | distinguish | use |