How This Course Supports The Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations

The Catholic vision regarding the value of creation and all living things is foundational to the study of the discipline of Geography. Understanding the process that shapes the earth and how life-forms interact with the environment and each other, are rooted in Stewardship, Solidarity, Justice, and the principle of the Common Good. The essential areas of learning which are presented in this course enable students to act as responsible citizens and as informed Catholics, and to make judgements about environmental and societal issues. Essential to our faith is the call “to realize our responsibility within the creation and our duty towards nature and the Creator”, Joannes Paulus II, 1989.

Overall Expectations for this Course

The overall expectations to be achieved in this course are listed below according to the Strands in Geography identified by the Ministry of Education.

Geographic Foundations: Space and Systems

-          describe the components and patterns of Canada’s spatial organization

-          demonstrate an understanding of the regional diversity of Canada’s natural systems and human systems

-          analyse local and regional factors that affect natural and human systems in Canada

Human-Environment Interactions

-          analyse the ways in which natural systems interact with human systems and make predictions about the outcomes of these interactions

-          explain the relationship of Canada’s renewable and non-renewable resource to the Canadian economy

-          evaluate various ways of ensuring resource sustainability in Canada

Global Connections

-          describe how Canada’s diverse geography affects its economic, cultural, and environmental links to other countries

-          analyse connections between Canada and other countries

-          report on global concerns that affect Canadians

Understanding and Managing Change

-          explain how natural and human systems change over time and from place to place

-          predict how current or anticipated changes in the geography of Canada will affect the

country’s future economic, social, and environmental well being

-          explain how global economic and environmental factors affect individual choices

Methods of Geographic Inquiry

-          use the methods and tools of geographic inquiry to locate, gather, evaluate and organize

information about Canada’s natural and human systems

-          analyze and interpret data gathered in inquiries into the geography of Canada, using a variety of methods and geotechnologies

-          communicate the results of geographic inquiries, using appropriate terms and concepts and a variety of forms and techniques

Unit Titles (Time and Sequence)

EVALUATION STRUCTURE

Student work will be assessed and evaluated according to the four achievement categories defined in the curriculum document (Ontario Curriculum, Canadian and World Studies, 2005).

Assessment and Evaluation Strategies of Student Performance:

Assessment is a systematic process of collecting information or evidence about student learning. Evaluation is the judgment we make about the assessments of student learning based on established criteria. The purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. This means that judgments of student performance must be criterion-referenced so that feedback can be given that includes clearly expressed next steps for improvement. Tools of varying complexity are used by the teacher to facilitate this. For the more complex evaluations, the criteria are incorporated into a rubric where levels of performance for each criterion are stated in language that can be understood by students.

Assessment is embedded within the instructional process throughout each unit rather than being an isolated event at the end. Often, the learning and assessment tasks are the same, with formative assessment provided throughout the unit. In every case, the desired demonstration of learning is articulated clearly and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration possible. This process of beginning with the end in mind helps to keep focus on the expectations of the course as stated in the course guideline. The evaluations are expressed as a percentage based upon the levels of achievement.

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.

·          30% 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 as well as long-answer type questions.

The report card will focus on two distinct but related aspects of student achievement; the achievement of curriculum expectations and the development of learning skills. The report card will contain separate sections for the reporting of these two aspects.

A Summary Description of Achievement in Each Percentage Grade Range and Corresponding Level of Achievement
Percentage Grade Range	Achievement Level	Summary Description
80-100%	Level 4	A very high to outstanding level of achievement. Achievement is above the provincial standard.
70-79%	Level 3	A high level of achievement. Achievement is at the provincial standard.
60-69%	Level 2	A moderate level of achievement. Achievement is below, but approaching, the provincial standard.
50-59%	Level 1	A passable level of achievement. Achievement is below the provincial standard.
below 50%	Level R	Insufficient achievement of curriculum expectations. A credit will not be granted

 Achievement Charts - Canadian and World Studies, Grades 9-12

Category	50-59% (Level 1)	60-69% (Level 2)	70-79% (Level 3)	80-100% (Level 4)
Knowledge/ Understanding	Subject - specific content acquired in each course (knowledge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)
	The student:
Knowledge of content (e.g., facts, terms, definitions)	demonstrates limited knowledge of content	demonstrates some knowledge of content	demonstrates considerable knowledge of content	demonstrates thorough knowledge of content
Understanding of content (e.g., concepts, ideas, theories, procedures, processes, methodologies, and/or technologies)	demonstrates limited understanding of content	demonstrates some understanding of content	demonstrates considerable understanding of content	demonstrates thorough understanding of content
Thinking	The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes
Use of planning skills (e.g., focusing research, gathering information, organizing an inquiry, asking questions, setting goals)	uses planning skills with limited effectiveness	uses planning skills with some effectiveness	uses planning skills with considerable effectiveness	uses planning skills with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of processing skills (e.g., analysing, generating, integrating, synthesizing, evaluating, detecting point of view and bias)	uses processing skills with limited effectiveness	uses processing skills with some effectiveness	uses processing skills with considerable effectiveness	uses processing skills with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of critical/creative thinking processes (e.g., inquiry process, problem-solving process, decision-making process, research process)	uses critical/creative thinking processes with limited effectiveness	uses critical/creative thinking processes with some effectiveness	uses critical/creative thinking processes with considerable effectiveness	uses critical/creative thinking processes with a high degree of effectiveness
Communication	The conveying of meaning through various forms
Expression and organization of ideas and information (e.g., clear expression, logical organization) in oral, written, and visual forms	expresses and organizes ideas and information with limited effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with some effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with considerable effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with a high degree of effectiveness
Communication for different audiences (e.g., peers, adults) and purposes (e.g., to inform, to persuade) in oral, written, and visual forms	communicates for different audiences and purposes with limited effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with some effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with considerable effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of conventions (e.g., conventions of form, map conventions), vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline in oral, written, and visual forms	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with limited effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with some effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with considerable effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with a high degree of effectiveness
Application	The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts
Application of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts, procedures, processes, and/or technologies) in familiar contexts	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with limited effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with some effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with considerable effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with a high degree of effectiveness
Transfer of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts, procedures, methodologies, technologies) to new contexts	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with limited effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with some effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with considerable effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with a high degree of effectiveness
Making connections within and between various contexts (e.g., past, present, and future; environmental; social; cultural; spatial; personal; multidisciplinary)	makes connections within and between various contexts with limited effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with some effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with considerable effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with a high degree of effectiveness
Note: A student whose achievement is below 50% at the end of a course will not obtain a credit for the course.