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Science

Course Description

This course enables students, including those pursuing post secondary programs outside the sciences, to increase their understanding of science and contemporary social and environmental issues in health-related fields. Students will explore a variety of medical technologies, pathogens and disease, nutritional science, public health issues, and biotechnology. The course focuses on the theoretical aspects of the topics under study and helps refine students' scientific investigation skills.

Teaching & Learning Strategies

As in a conventional classroom, instructors employ a range of strategies for teaching a course:

Well-presented, clear writing and helpful graphics and diagrams

Research assignments, with direct instruction and coaching

In addition, teachers and students have at their disposal a number of tools that are unique to learning environments:

Assessments with real-time feedback

Interactive activities that engage both the student and teacher in subject


Strategies for Assessment & Evaluation of Student Performance:

Assessment is the process of gathering information that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the curriculum expectations in a subject or course. The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment for improving student learning is seen as both “assessment for learning” and “assessment as learning”. As part of assessment for learning, teachers provide students with descriptive feedback and coaching for improvement. Teachers engage in assessment as learning by helping all students develop their capacity to be independent, autonomous learners who are able to set individual goals, monitor their own progress, determine next steps, and reflect on their thinking and learning. Assessment of learning. The process of collecting and interpreting evidence for the purpose of summarizing learning at a given point in time, to make judgments about the quality of student learning on the basis of established criteria, and to assign a value to represent that quality. The information gathered may be used to communicate the student’s achievement to parents, other teachers, students themselves, and others. It occurs at or near the

 end of a cycle of learning.

Assessment As Learning

Answering to teacher’s questions (Observation, Conversation)

Discussion on Learning (Conversation)


Assessment For Learning

Peer feedback (Conversation)

Class discussions (Observation)

Assigned Questions (Student Product)

Worksheet (Student Product)

Unit Cumulative Review (Conversation)


Assessment of Learning

Assignments (Student Product)

Performance tasks (Student Product)

Debate (with rubric) (Observation)

Unit test (Student product)

Knowledge and Understanding

Knowledge of forms of texts (e.g., novels plays, essays, poems), conventions, terminology and strategies (e.g., for reading and writing)

– Understanding of information, ideas concepts, and themes

– Understanding of relationship among facts, ideas, concepts, and themes

– Understanding of the uses and effect of rhetorical elements (e.g., stylistic devices, voice) in literary and informational texts


Thinking

The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes, as follows:

– Critical and creative thinking skills (e.g., reflecting, analyzing, hypothesizing, explaining)

– Inquiry skills (e.g., formulating questions; planning; selecting strategies and resources; analyzing, interpreting, and assessing information; forming conclusions)


Communication:

– Communication of information and ideas (e.g., through logical organization) communication for different audiences and purposes (e.g., choice of language and style)

– Use of various forms of communication (e.g., essays, narratives, debates, poems, reports)


Application:

The student will be assessed and evaluated throughout the course based on the following:


Course Work 70%

Summative Evaluation 30%

Final Written Examination

Consideration for Program Planning

As the students of this class are generally multilingual, I try to provide quality instruction in respect to students’ strengths and address their learning needs, using assessment information to plan instruction.

My plan is to help students activate prior knowledge, and differentiate instruction for individual students and small groups according to need. Also many opportunities for students are provided to practice and apply their developing knowledge and skills.

Effectively I involve students in the use of higher-level thinking skills and encourage them to look beyond the literal meaning of texts.

Technology also has a great role in this course in their research; I encourage students to use multimedia resources to find, process, and reorganize information and ideas.

Presentation software and audio-visual technologies will enhance the effectiveness of oral and visual presentations.

My goal is to prepare students for the literacy demands of a wide array of postsecondary educational programs and careers, English courses require students to develop research skills, practice expository writing, and learn strategies for understanding informational reading materials. Small-group work and oral presentations help students to express themselves confidently and to work cooperatively with others. Regardless of their postsecondary destination, all students need to realize that literacy skills are employment skills. Powerful literacy skills will equip students to manage information technologies, communicate effectively and correctly in a variety of situations, and perform a variety of tasks.


Cheating and Plagiarism Policy

Students must understand that they have to submit their own work on the assignments and projects. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic misconduct. Any form of cheating on the tests or the exams is strictly prohibited. If a student is caught plagiarizing or cheating, there will be consequences depending the maturity of the student, the frequency of incidents, individual circumstances of the student and also the grade level. In the case of the first incident, the student needs to provide explanation as to the incident has been intentional or not. Proper instruction will be given and then, the assignment is given to be redone. In the case of a second incident, there will be mark deduction and the student is reported to the principal. The amount of deduction will depend on some criteria. If a student is caught cheating, they will also have to stay after class and discuss with the teacher the reason they cheated. It will be the aim of the teacher to help the student realize why it is important not to cheat, be honest, do the best in his/her ability and accept the results.


Late and Missed Assignments Policy

Students are responsible for handing in their assignments on time. Special care will be taken to divide up very large projects into smaller parts. Also the overall workload of the students will be considered in setting deadlines. However, if a student were to miss a due date, they will be asked to clarify the reason for not completing the assignment. It will be required of the student to provide an official Doctor's note in case of sickness. It will be the aim of the teacher to explain to the student the importance of time-management and its direct correlation with success and achievements. Furthermore, the teacher will work with the student to develop better time-management skills. Meanwhile, for late assignments, the will be a mark deducted, up to and including the full value of the assignment.


The Report Card

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.

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