Units	Hours
Unit One: Renaissance	20 hours
Unit Two: Age of Reason	20 hours
Unit Three: Age of Exploration	21 hours
Unit Four: Evolution of Revolution	22 hours
Unit Five: Industrial Revolution	20 hours
Exam/RST
Rich Task Summative 10% This is a summative task assigned at the end of the course that brings together many of the expectations covered throughout the course and is created to assess and evaluate a student’s ability to demonstrate their understanding of the expectations through not only the product, but through conversation and observation.	5 hours
Final Exam 10% This is a proctored exam worth 30% of your final grade.	2 hours
Total Hours	110 hours

Resources required by the student:
Note: This course is entirely online and does not require or rely on any textbook. A scanner, smart phone camera, or similar device to upload handwritten or hand-drawn work.

Teaching and Learning Strategies & Strategies for Assessment

As this is an online course, there will be many strategies for learning and assessment.
Teaching and Learning Strategies (include, but are not limited to):

1. Students must have a community dance teacher that has been approved by Kanata Academy.
2. Youtube Channel
3. Video Support & Demonstrations
4. Skype/Google Hangout Conferences
5. Live Instructional Tutorials & Performance Test Assessments
6. Structured Discussions
7. Collaborative Learning Platform
8. Group Work

This course provides differentiated learning for its students by implementing the following teaching and learning strategies:

• Activity-based Strategies: Oral presentations, panel discussion, and repetition and practice.
• Direct Instruction Strategies: Cloze, demonstration, guided writing, lecturer, mnemonic devices, practice and drill, prompting, review, visual stimuli, and Socratic dialogue.
• Independent Learning Strategies: Homework, independent reading, independent study, learning log, memorization, portfolio, reflection, report writing, and response journals.
• Inquiry and Research Model Strategies: Inquiry process, questioning process, research process, writing process.
• Learning skills accommodation: Interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, verbal-linguistic intelligence, and visual spatial intelligence.
• Technology and Media-based Strategies: Communications applications, computer assisted instruction, email applications, Internet technologies, media presentations, media production, multimedia applications, and online public access catalogs.
• Thinking Skills Strategies: Case study, classifying, concepts verification, concept mapping, expressing another point of view, issue-based analysis, lateral thinking, media analysis, metacognitive reflection, oral explanation, problem posing, problem-solving, and writing to learn.

Strategies for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Performance

The teacher will obtain assessment information through a variety of means as indicated in the chart below. Assessment and Evaluation Strategies are to include the evidence or proof the teacher sees in the Product, Observations and Conversations related to the curriculum expectations. The student must demonstrate achievement of the course expectations. Once demonstrated, the student is assigned a level of achievement.

Assessment For: takes place in preparation for course or unit learning.
Assessment As: takes place during or while learning.
Assessment Of: takes place after learning.

These assessments and evaluations take place throughout the course.

Overall Expectations

CHY4UM-Course-Expectations

Kanata Academy : Assessment, Evaluation & Reporting

Key Ideas from Growing Success:

The Seven Fundamental Principles state:

• are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
• support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
• are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
• are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
• are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
• provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement;
• develop students’ selfassessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning. (Growing Success, pp 6)

For Grades 9 to 12, a final grade (percentage mark) is recorded for every course. The final grade will be determined as follows:

• 70% of the grade will be based on evaluation conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
• 30% of the grade will be based on a final evaluation administered at or towards the end of the course. This evaluation will be based on evidence from one or a combination of the following: an examination, a performance, an essay, and/or another method of evaluation suitable to the course content. The final evaluation allows the student an opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive achievement of the overall expectations for the course. (Growing Success, pp 41)

At Kanata Academy, we have further broken down this 30% into RST and exam components. The following pages show the breakdown of this 30%, by curriculum and course.

The Arts

The Arts		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
All arts	Arts, Grade 9	30	0
All arts	Arts, Grade 10	30	0
All arts	Arts, Grade 11	30	0
All arts	Arts, Grade 12	30	0

Comments

In the majority of the Arts there is no formal exam during the exam time period. A variety of summative performance tasks and/or student portfolios will allow students to demonstrate the comprehensive achievement of the overall course expectations and the four areas of the achievement chart (knowledge, thinking, communication, and application).

Business Studies

Business Studies		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
BBI1O/BBI2O	Intro to Business	30	0
BTT1O/BTT2O	Information and Communication Technology in Business	30	0

Comments

No exam in grade 9 and 10 open courses. No exam in workplace courses. Rich summative assessment tasks vary and often include business simulation or workplace simulation tasks that provide a better opportunity for students to demonstrate the comprehensive achievement of the overall course expectations and the four areas of the achievement chart (knowledge, thinking, communication, and application).

Canadian and World Studies

Canadian and World Studies		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
CGC1D	Issues in Canadian Geography	10	20
CGC1P	Issues in Canadian Geography	20	10
CHC2D	Canadian History since World War l	10	20
CHC2P	Canadian History since World War l	20	10
CHV2O	Civics and Citizenship	30	0
CHW3M	World History to the end of 15th Century	15	15

Comments

No exam for grade 9 or 10 open courses. No exam for workplace courses.

Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
COP	Cooperative Education	30	0
2X, 3X & 4X

Comments

Rich summative assessment tasks vary and often include a Career Portfolio and other assessment tasks that provide a better opportunity for students to demonstrate the comprehensive achievement of the overall course expectations and the four areas of the achievement chart (knowledge, thinking, communication, and application).

English

English		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
ENG1D	English, Academic	10	20
ENG1P	English, Applied	20	10
ENG2D	English, Academic	10	20
ENG2P	English, Applied	20	10
EMS3O	Media Studies	30	0
ENG3C	English, College	20	10
ENG3U	English, University	10	20
ENG4C	English, College	20	10
ENG4E	English, Workplace	30	0
ENG4U	English, University	0	30
EWC4U	The Writer’s Craft	30	0
OLC4O	Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course	30	0

Comments

Decrease the value of the exam in the applied courses and changes also account for increases in the rich assessment tasks for several college pathway courses.

ESL and ELD

ESL and ELD		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
ELDAO	Beginning Literacy, Level 1	30	0
ELDBO	Basic Literacy Skills, Level 2	30	0
ELDCO	Literacy in Daily Life, Level 3	30	0
ELDDO	Literacy for School and Work, Level 4	30	0
ESLAO	Beginning Communicationin English, Level 1	30	0
ESLBO	English in Daily Life, Level 2	30	0
ESLCO	English for School and Work, Level 3	30	0
ESLDO	Study Skills in English, Level 4	20	10
ESLEO	Bridge to English, Level 5	20	10

Comments

Rich summative assessment tasks provide a better opportunity for students to demonstrate the comprehensive achievement of the overall course expectations and the four areas of the achievement chart (knowledge, thinking, communication, and application). DO and EO courses are aligned with other English courses that include exams as a portion of the final summative assessment.

French as a Second Language

French as a Second Language		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
FSF1D	Core French	15	15
FSF1P	Core French	30	0

Comments

Rich summative assessment tasks provide a better opportunity for students to demonstrate the comprehensive achievement of the overall course expectations and the four areas of the achievement chart (knowledge, thinking, communication, and application).

Guidance and Career Education

Guidance and Career Education		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
GLS1O/GLE1O	Learning Strategies 1: Skills for Success in Secondary School	30	0
GLC2O (GLC2OI)	Career Studies	30	0
GWL3O	Designing Your Future	30	0

Comments

Rich summative assessment tasks provide a better opportunity for students to demonstrate the comprehensive achievement of the overall course expectations and the four areas of the achievement chart (knowledge, thinking, communication, and application).

Mathematics

Mathematics		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
MFM1P	Foundations of Mathematics	20	10 (using EQAO)
MPM1D	Principles of Mathematics	10 (using EQAO)	20
MFM2P	Foundations of Mathematics	20	10
MPM2D	Principles of Mathematics	10	20
MBF3C	Mathematics Personal Finance	15	15
MCF3M	Functions and Applications	10	20
MCR3U	Functions	10	20
MEL3E	Mathematics for Everyday Life	30	0
MAP4C	College & Apprenticeship Mathematics	15	15
MCT4C	Mathematics for College Technology	10	20
MCV4U	Calculus and Vectors	0	30
MDM4U	Mathematics of Data Management	20	10
MEL4E	Mathematics for Everyday Life	30	0
MHF4U	Advanced Functions	0	30

Comments

No exams in workplace courses.

Physical Education

Physical Education		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
PPL1O	Healthy Active Living	30	0
PPL2O	Healthy Active Living	30	0
PAF3O	Healthy Active Living Focus Course: Fitness	30	0
PPL3O	Healthy Active Living	30	0
PPZ3C (new)	Health for Life	20	10
PLF4M (new pathway)	Recreation and Fitness Leadership	15	15
PPL4O	Healthy Active Living	30	0
PSK4U	Kinesiology	10	20

Comments

Rich summative assessment tasks provide a better opportunity for students to demonstrate the comprehensive achievement of the overall course expectations and the four areas of the achievement chart (knowledge, thinking, communication, and application).

Science

Science		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
SNC1D	Science, Academic	10	20
SNC1P	Science, Applied	20	10
SNC2D	Science, Academic	10	20
SNC2P	Science, Applied	20	10
SBI3C	Biology, College	15	15
SBI3U	Biology, University	5	25
SCH3U	Chemistry, University	5	25
SPH3U	Physics, University	5	25
SBI4U	Biology, University	5	25
SCH4C	Chemistry, College	15	15
SCH4U	Chemistry, University	5	25
SPH4C	Physics, College	15	15
SPH4U	Physics, University	5	25

Social Science and the Humanities

Social Science and the Humanities		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
HHS4C	Families in Canada	20	10
HHS4U	Families in Canada	10	20
HSB4U (new pathway)	Challenge and Change in Society	10	20

Technological Education

Technological Education		2016
Course Code	Title	Rich Summative Tasks	Exam
All ‘T’ courses	Communications, Computer, Health Care,	30	0

Teaching & Learning Strategies

Teachers differentiate instruction to meet the diverse learning needs of students. Instructors use Discussion Boards, Google Apps for Education, Multi-Media element, constant valuable feedback, Google docs, Google forms, Google slides, Google drive to meet the needs of students and to assist students in reflecting on their learning, and in setting goals for improvement in key areas while developing 21st century skills. These tools help facilitate the development of 21st century learners and ensure the development of students that can self assess, work independently and demonstrate their ability to critically analyze text.

Identifying and developing skills and strategies – students learn to choose and utilize varied techniques taught through video lessons, assignments, activities, and student exemplars to become effective readers, writers, and oral communicators.

• Communicating – several opportunities are provided for students to write and communicate orally and for teachers to assess work based on conversation and observation.
• Generating ideas and topics – teachers encourage students to design their own approaches to the material by maintaining frequent (often daily) online communication with students, by allowing some freedom in how students respond to topics and questions, and by encouraging students’ independent thinking through discussion posts.
• Researching – various approaches to researching are practised. Students learn how to use various online research tools, cite sources, evaluate web sources and provide a works cited page at the end of longer assignments using MLA formatting.
• Thinking critically – students learn to critically analyze texts and to infer through their deeper analysis. Students use their critical thinking skills to identify themes, morals, and the use of literary elements and devices.
• Producing published work and making presentations – students engage in the editing and revising process, including self-revision, peer revision, and teacher revision all of which strengthen texts with the aim to publish or present student work.
• Reflecting – through the variety of assignments, lessons and discussions, students reflect on the learning process, focus on areas for improvement, and make world to text, self to text and text to text connections between course content and their personal experiences.

The Final Grade

The evaluation for this course is based on the student’s achievement of curriculum expectations and the demonstrated skills required for effective learning.

The percentage grade represents the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline.

A credit is granted and recorded for this course if the student’s grade is 50% or higher. The final grade for this course will be determined as follows:

• 70% of the grade will be based upon evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade will reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration will be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
• 10% of the grade will be based on a Rich summative task administered in the last weeks of the course. This RST will be based on an evaluation of achievement from all four categories of the Achievement Chart for the course and of expectations from all units of the course.
• 20% of the grade will be based on a final examination administered at the end of the course. This exam will be based on an evaluation of achievement from all four categories of the Achievement Chart for the course and of expectations from all units of the course. This exam includes well-formulated multiple-choice questions, long-answer type questions and an essay.

The Report Card

Student achievement will be communicated formally to students via an official report card. Report cards are issued at the midterm point in the course, as well as upon completion of the course. Each report card will focus on two distinct, but related aspects of student achievement. First, the achievement of curriculum expectations is reported as a percentage grade. Additionally, the course median is reported as a percentage. The teacher will also provide written comments concerning the student's strengths, areas for improvement, and next steps. Second, the learning skills are reported as a Needs Improvement, Satisfactory, Good and Excellent. The report card also indicates whether an OSSD credit has been earned. Upon completion of a course, Kanata Academy will send a copy of the report card back to the student's home school (if in Ontario) where the course will be added to the ongoing list of courses on the student's Ontario Student Transcript. The report card will also be sent to the student's home address.

Program Planning Considerations

Teachers who are planning a program in Canadian & World Studies must take into account considerations in a number of important areas. Essential information that pertains to all disciplines is provided in the companion piece to this document, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000. The areas of concern to all teachers that are outlined here include the following:

• types of secondary school courses
• education for exceptional students
• the role of technology in the curriculum
• English as a second language (ESL) and English literacy development (ELD)
• career education
• cooperative education and other workplace experiences
• health and safety
• Financial literacy
• Critical Thinking
• Environmental Education

Education for Exceptional Students

In planning courses, teachers should take into account the needs of exceptional students as set out in their Individual Education Plan. English courses reflect the creative part of our literary world, which offers a vast array of opportunities for exceptional students. Students who use alternative techniques for communication may find a venue for their talents as writers. Just as English responds to the needs and demands of the greater world of work, English courses are largely shaped by the needs and demands of students who will all eventually end up in this greater world.

The Role of Technology in the Curriculum

Information and communications technologies (ICT) provide a range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich teachers’ instructional strategies and support students’ language learning. ICT tools include multimedia resources, databases, Internet websites, digital cameras, and word-processing programs. Tools such as these can help students to collect, organize, and sort the data they gather and to write, edit, and present reports on their findings. Information and communications technologies can also be used to connect students to other schools, at home and abroad, and to bring the global community into the virtual classroom. Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, there are potential risks attached to its use. All students must be made aware of issues of Internet privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred. Information technology is considered a learning tool that must be accessed by students when the situation is appropriate. As a result, students will develop transferable skills through their experience with word processing, internet research, presentation software, and telecommunication tools.

English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD)

With exposure to the English language in a supportive learning environment, most young children will develop oral fluency quite quickly, making connections between concepts and skills acquired in their first language and similar concepts and skills presented in English. However, oral fluency is not a good indicator of a student’s knowledge of vocabulary or sentence structure, reading comprehension, or other aspects of language proficiency that play an important role in literacy development and academic success. Research has shown that it takes five to seven years for most English language learners to catch up to their English-speaking peers in their ability to use English for academic purposes. Moreover, the older the children are when they arrive, the greater the language knowledge and skills that they have to catch up on, and the more direct support they require from their teachers. Responsibility for students’ English-language development is shared by the course teacher, the ESL/ELD teacher (where available), and other school staff. Volunteers and peers may also be helpful in supporting English language learners in the language classroom. Teachers must adapt the instructional program in order to facilitate the success of these students in their classrooms. Appropriate adaptations include:

1. modification of some or all of the subject expectations so that they are challenging but attainable for the learner at his or her present level of English proficiency, given the necessary support from the teacher;
2. use of a variety of instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers, scaffolding; previewing of textbooks, pre-teaching of key vocabulary; peer tutoring; strategic use of students’ first languages);
3. tuse of a variety of learning resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingual dictionaries, and materials that reflect cultural diversity);
4. use of assessment accommodations (e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral interviews, demonstrations or visual representations, or tasks requiring completion of graphic organizers or cloze sentences instead of essay questions and other assessment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English).

Note: When learning expectations in any course are modified for an English language learner (whether the student is enrolled in an ESL or ELD course or not), this information must be clearly indicated on the student’s report card.

This course can provide a wide range of options to address the needs of ESL/ELD students. Detailed analysis of the components of sentences aid ESL students in mastering the English language and all of its idiosyncrasies. In addition, since all occupations require employees with a wide range of English skills and abilities, many students will learn how their backgrounds and language skills can contribute to their success in the larger world.

Antidiscrimination Education in the English Program Learning resources that reflect the broad range of students’ interests, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences are an important aspect of an inclusive English program. In such a program, learning materials involve protagonists of both sexes from a wide variety of backgrounds. Teachers routinely use materials that reflect the diversity of Canadian and world cultures, including those of contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, and make them available to students. Short stories, novels, magazine and newspaper articles, television programs, and films provide opportunities for students to explore issues relating to their self-identity. In inclusive programs, students are made aware of the historical, cultural, and political contexts for both the traditional and non-traditional gender and social roles represented in the materials they are studying. Stories, novels, informational texts, and media works relating to the immigrant experience provide rich thematic material for study, as well as the opportunity for students new to Canada to share their knowledge and experiences with others. In addition, in the context of the English program, both students and teachers should become aware of aspects of intercultural communication – for example, by exploring how different cultures interpret the use of eye contact and body language in conversation and during presentations. Resources should be chosen not only to reflect diversity but also on the basis of their appeal for both girls and boys in the classroom. Recent research has shown that many boys are interested in informational materials, such as manuals and graphic texts, as opposed to works of fiction, which are often more appealing to girls. Both sexes read Internet materials, such as website articles, e-mail, and chat messages, outside the classroom. The development of critical thinking skills is integral to the English curriculum. In the context of what is now called “critical literacy”, these skills include the ability to identify perspectives, values, and issues; detect bias; and read for implicit as well as overt meaning. In the English program, students develop the ability to detect negative bias and stereotypes in literary texts and informational materials. When using biased informational texts, or literary works containing negative stereotypes, for the express purpose of critical analysis, teachers must take into account the potential negative impact of bias on students and use appropriate strategies to address students’ responses. Critical literacy also involves asking questions and challenging the status quo, and leads students to look at issues of power and justice in society. The program empowers students by enabling them to express themselves and to speak out about issues that strongly affect them. Literature studies and media studies also afford both students and teachers a unique opportunity to explore the social and emotional impact of bullying, violence, and discrimination in the form of racism, sexism, or homophobia on individuals and families.

Literacy, Mathematical Literacy, and Inquiry/Research Skills Literacy, mathematical literacy, and inquiry/research skills are critical to students’ success in all subjects of the curriculum and in all areas of their lives. The acquisition and development of literacy skills is clearly the focus of the English curriculum, but the English program also builds on, reinforces, and enhances mathematical literacy. For example, clear, concise communication often involves the use of diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs, and the English curriculum emphasizes students’ ability to interpret and use graphic texts. Inquiry is at the heart of learning in all subject areas. In English courses, students are encouraged to develop their ability to ask questions and to explore a variety of possible answers to those questions. As they advance through the grades, they acquire the skills to locate relevant information from a variety of sources, such as books, newspapers, dictionaries, encyclopedias, interviews, videos, and the Internet. The questioning they practiced in the early grades becomes more sophisticated as they learn that all sources of information have a particular point of view and that the recipient of the information has a responsibility to evaluate it, determine its validity and relevance, and use it in appropriate ways. The ability to locate, question, and validate information allows a student to become an independent, lifelong learner.

Career Education

As online students progress through online courses, teachers are available to help the student prepare for employment in a number of diverse areas. With the help of teachers, students will learn to set and achieve goals and will gain experience in making meaningful decisions concerning career choices. The skills, knowledge and creativity that students acquire through this online course are essential for a wide range of careers. Throughout their secondary school education, students will learn about the educational and career opportunities that are available to them; explore and evaluate a variety of those opportunities; relate what they learn in their courses to potential careers in a variety of fields; and learn to make appropriate educational and career choices.

Cooperative Education and Other Workplace Experiences

By applying the skills they have developed, students will readily connect their classroom learning to real-life activities in the world in which they live.Cooperative education and other workplace experiences will broaden their knowledge of employment opportunities in a wide range of fields. Kanata Academy will try to help students link to Ministry programs to ensure that students have information concerning programs and opportunities.

Financial Literacy

Financial literacy may be defined as having the knowledge and skills needed to make responsible economic and financial decisions with competence and confidence. Since making financial decisions has become an increasingly complex task in the modern world, students need to have knowledge in various areas and a wide range of skills in order to make informed decisions about financial matters. Students need to be aware of risks that accompany various financial choices. They need to develop an understanding of world economic forces as well as ways in which they themselves can respond to those influences and make informed choices. We consider it essential that financial literacy be considered an important attribute of a well-educated population. In addition to acquiring knowledge in such specific areas as saving, spending, borrowing, and investing, students need to develop skills in problem solving, inquiry, decision making, critical thinking, and critical literacy related to financial and other issues. The goal is to help students acquire the knowledge and skills that will enable them to understand and respond to complex issues regarding their own personal finances and the finances of their families, as well as to develop an understanding of local and global effects of world economic forces and the social, environmental, and ethical implications of their own choices as consumers. We are working to embed financial literacy expectations and opportunities in all courses as appropriate, as part of the ongoing curriculum review process.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of thinking about ideas or situations in order to understand them fully, identify their implications, make a judgement, and/or guide decision making. Critical thinking includes skills such as questioning, predicting, analysing, synthesizing, examining opinions, identifying values and issues, detecting bias, and distinguishing between alternatives. Students who are taught these skills become critical thinkers who can move beyond superficial conclusions to a deeper understanding of the issues they are examining. They are able to engage in an inquiry process in which they explore complex and multifaceted issues, and questions for which there may be no clear-cut answers.

Students use critical-thinking skills when they assess, analyse, and/or evaluate the impact of something and when they form an opinion about something and support that opinion with a rationale. In order to think critically, students need to examine the opinions and values of others, detect bias, look for implied meaning, and use the information gathered to form a personal opinion or stance, or a personal plan of action with regard to making a difference. Students approach critical thinking in various ways. Some students find it helpful to discuss their thinking, asking questions and exploring ideas. Other students, including many First Nations, Mêtis, and Inuit students, may take time to observe a situation or consider a text carefully before commenting; they may prefer not to ask questions or express their thoughts orally while they are thinking.

The development of these critical-thinking skills is supported in every course. As students work to achieve the curriculum expectations in their particular course, students frequently need to identify the possible implications of choices. As they gather information from a variety of sources, they need to be able to interpret what they are listening to, reading, or viewing; to look for instances of bias; and to determine why a source might express a particular bias.

Health and Safety

The program provides the reading skills for the student to be able to explore the variety of concepts relating to health and safety in the workplace. In order to provide a suitable learning environment for the Kanata Academy staff and students, it is critical that classroom practice and the learning environment complies with relevant federal, provincial, and municipal health and safety legislation and by-laws, including, but not limited to, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), the Food and Drug Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act, the Ontario Building Code, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). The OHSA requires all schools to provide a safe and productive learning and work environment for both students and employees.

Environmental Education

Helping students become environmentally responsible is a role the school takes seriously.. The first goal is to promote learning about environmental issues and solutions. The second goal is to engage students in practicing and promoting environmental stewardship in their community. The third goal stresses the importance of the education system providing leadership by implementing and promoting responsible environmental practices so that all stakeholders become dedicated to living more sustainably. Environmental education teaches students about how the planet’s physical and biological systems work, and how we can create a more sustainable future. Good curriculum design following the resource document – The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: Environmental Education, Scope and Sequence of Expectations, 2011, will assist staff to weave environmental education in and out of the online course content. This ensures that the student will have opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, perspectives and practices needed to become an environmentally literate citizen. The online course should provide opportunities for each student to address environmental issues in their home, in their local community, or even at the global level.