Aim, Goals and Foundational Objectives

Aim

The aim of the Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30 is to provide students with information, skills and abilities that will both make them knowledgeable and responsible citizens and prepare them to pursue careers or employment opportunities in energy and mining industries and/or the services supporting them.

Goals

Awareness: To provide students with an awareness of the nature, technology and products of Saskatchewan's energy and mining industries, as well as the related goods, services and processes that support those industries.

Environmental Stewardship: To foster positive attitudes toward and creative problem solving about, responsible resource management and environmental sustainability.

Connections between School, Work and Community: To create a connection for students between the world of school and the world of work and to use relevant community examples and sources wherever possible.

Business and Entrepreneurship To develop the skills and abilities that encourage and enable students to pursue opportunities in energy and mining industries via post-secondary education, apprenticeship programs, entrepreneurship, or direct employment.

Employability Skills: To develop job and safety skills appropriate to direct employment in the energy and mining industries, through classroom activity, job shadowing, work experience and work study components.

Foundational Objectives:

Foundational objectives are the major, general statements that guide what each student is expected to achieve for the modules of the PAA curriculum. Foundational objectives indicate the most important knowledge, skills, attitudes/values and abilities for a student to learn in a subject. Both the Foundational Objectives for Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30 and the Common Essential Learnings (CELs) Foundational Objectives to be emphasized are stated in this document. Some of these statements may be repeated or enhanced in different modules for emphasis. The Foundational Objectives of the Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30 curriculum are as follows:

To demonstrate knowledge of the diversity and the economic, social and environmental significance, of Saskatchewan energy and mining industries.
To assess the environmental impact of resource exploration, production, transport and processing.
To assess the efforts made by the resource industry to protect the environment.
To foster an attitude of environmental responsibility.
To become familiar with the technology of the energy and mining industries.
To become familiar with the nature and requirements of careers and job opportunities in Saskatchewan's energy and mining industries.
To become familiar with the safety standards of Saskatchewan's energy and mining industries and to develop workplace and safety skills appropriate to these industries and related services.
To demonstrate knowledge of Saskatchewan's landforms and natural environments and their relation to renewable and nonrenewable resources.
To demonstrate knowledge of the natural processes underlying the formation of mineral, coal and hydrocarbon deposits.
To understand the geological and geophysical principles underlying the process of resource exploration.
To become familiar with the history of Saskatchewan's resource industries.
To become familiar with the legalities of resource exploration and production.
To become familiar with the nature and components of Saskatchewan's underground resources and how they are extracted and purified through refining and processing.
To become familiar with the nature, location and operation of the distribution systems through which Saskatchewan energy and mineral resources are transported.
To become familiar with the local and global market for Saskatchewan energy and mineral resources and the immediate and ultimate uses of those resources.
To examine the impact of industries involved in resource exploration, production, transport and processing.
To understand some of the scientific principles that underlie Saskatchewan's energy and resource industries.
To demonstrate knowledge of the methods of commercial energy production and distribution, with emphasis on those used in Saskatchewan.
To examine and assess the impact of conventional and alternative energy generation and energy conservation technologies in Saskatchewan.
To demonstrate knowledge of alternative energy resources that are, or could be, used in Saskatchewan.
To assess the need for and economic impact of, alternative energy resources in Saskatchewan.

Common Essential Learnings (CELs)

The incorporation of the Common Essential Learnings (CELs) into the instruction and assessment of the PAA curriculum offers many opportunities to develop students knowledge, skills and abilities. The purpose of the CELs is to assist students with learning concepts, skills and attitudes necessary to make transitions to career, work and adult life.

The CELs establish a link between the transition-to-work dimensions and PAA curriculum content. The transition-to-work dimensions included in the PAA curricula are: apprenticeship, career exploration/development, community project(s), employability skills, entrepreneurial skills, occupational skills, personal accountability, processing of information, teamwork and work study/experience. Throughout the PAA curricula, the CELs objectives are stated explicitly at the beginning of each module and are coded in this document, as follows:

COM=Communication

NUM=Numeracy

CCT=Critical and Creative Thinking

TL=Technological Literacy

PSVS= Personal and Social Values and Skills

IL=Independent Learning.

Selected learning objectives for the CELs are included throughout the modules. It is anticipated that teachers will find additional ways to incorporate the CELs into their classroom instruction.