Mathematics, Grade 9

Instructional Approaches
Students come to secondary school with a natural curiosity developed throughout the elementary grades. They also bring with them individual interests and abilities as well as diverse personal and cultural experiences, all of which have an impact on their prior knowledge about science, technology, the environment, and the world they live in. Effective instructional approaches and learning activities draw on students’ prior knowledge, capture their interest, and encourage meaningful practice both inside and outside the classroom. Students at Leslie Academy will be engaged when they are able to see the connection between the scientific concepts they are learning and their application in the world
around them and in real-life situations.

Health and Safety in Science
This course will provide the reading and analytical skills for the student to be able to explore the variety of concepts relating to health and safety in the workplace. The teachers at Maple Ridge Academy will also take the necessary steps to ensure that students have the knowledge and skills for safe participation in Science activities.

Program Considerations for English Language Learner
English language learners (students who are learning English as a second or additional language in English-language schools) bring a rich diversity of background knowledge and experience to the classroom. These students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds not only support their learning in their new environment but also become a cultural asset in the classroom community. Teachers at Maple Ridge Academy will find positive ways to incorporate this diversity into their instructional programs and into the classroom environment.

Environmental Education
Environmental education is an approach to critical thinking, citizenship, and personal responsibility. It is a context that can enrich and enliven education in all subject areas, and offer students the opportunity to develop a deeper connection with themselves, their role in society, and their interdependence on one another and the earth’s natural systems. The teacher at Leslie Academy will emphasize on relating science to technology, society, and the environment (STSE) within the Ontario curriculum to provide meaningful contexts for applying what has been learned about the environment.

Antidiscrimination Education
Diverse groups of people involved in scientific activities and careers will be explored in case studies. The examples used to illustrate knowledge and skills, and the practical applications and topics that students explore as part of the learning process will vary so that they appeal to both boys and girls and relate to students’ diverse backgrounds, interests, and experiences. It will include opportunities for students at Maple Ridge Academy to describe, study, or research how women and men from a variety of backgrounds, including Aboriginal peoples, have contributed to science, used science to solve problems in their daily life and work, or been affected by scientific processes or phenomena.

Critical Thinking and Critical Literacy in Science
At Leslie Academy critical thinking includes skills such as questioning, predicting, hypothesizing, analyzing, synthesizing, examining opinions, identifying values and issues, detecting bias, and distinguishing between alternatives. Students will use critical thinking skills in science when they assess, analyze, and/or evaluate the impact of something on society and the environment; when they form an opinion about something and support that opinion with logical reasons; or when they create personal plans of action with regard to making a difference. The teacher will educate the student about critical literacy as the capacity for a particular type of critical thinking that involves looking beyond the literal meaning of a text to determine what is present and what is missing, in order to analyze and evaluate the text’s complete meaning and the author’s intent.

Literacy, Mathematical Literacy, and Investigation (Inquiry/Research) Skills
When reading in science, students will use a different set of skills than they do when reading fiction or general non-fiction. They will need to develop / understand vocabulary and terminology that are unique to science, and must be able to interpret symbols, charts, diagrams, and graphs. In addition, they will work on their ability to make sense of the organization of science textbooks, scientific journals, and research papers. Teachers at Leslie Academy will model and teach the strategies that support learning to read while students are reading to learn in science. Writing in science employs special forms and therefore also requires specific and focused learning opportunities. Students will use writing skills to describe and explain their observations, to support the process of critically analyzing information in both informal and formal contexts, and to present their findings in written, graphic, and multimedia forms. Students are expected to use appropriate and correct terminology, and are encouraged to use language with care and precision in order to communicate effectively.

The Role of Information and Communications Technology in Science
Students at Leslie Academy will develop transferable skills through their experience with word processing, internet research, presentation software, and telecommunication tools, as would be expected in any environment. Technology will also be used for simulations, for instance, when field
studies on a particular topic are not feasible or dissections are not acceptable due to various possible reasons.

The Ontario Skills Passport and Essential Skills
The skills described in the OSP are the Essential Skills that the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated, through extensive research, as the skills needed for work, learning, and life. These Essential Skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. For further information on the OSP and the Essential Skills, visit http://skills.edu.gov.on.ca.

Career Education
Ongoing scientific discoveries and innovations coupled with rapidly evolving technologies have resulted in an exciting environment in which creativity and innovation thrive, bringing about new career opportunities. Throughout the course, courses, students at Leslie Academy will develop a variety of important capabilities, including the ability to identify issues, conduct research, carry out experiments, solve problems, present results, and work on projects both independently and as a team. Students will also be given opportunities to explore various careers related to the areas of science under study and to research the education and training required for these careers.

Pathways and Programs
At Leslie Academy Islamic school, the teachers will partner with community members with scientific professions to help develop a pathway for student interested in acquiring academic knowledge and skills important to particular industry sectors and required for success in the workplace and postsecondary education, including apprenticeship. Science courses may also be combined with cooperative education credits to provide the workplace experience required for some programs. In addition, the Vice Principals and Guidance councillors assist in student services for post-secondary planning by holding formal sessions on College and University options for parents and guardians.

Planning Science Programs for Students with Special Education Needs *currently, there are no students enrolled at Maple Ridge Academy with Special Needs.

Cooperative Education and other forms of Experimental Learning *currently not offered at Maple Ridge Academy.