Page 33 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2008 (revised)

When planning a program in science, teachers must take into account considerations in a number of important areas, including those discussed below.
INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES
A much more effective way to learn is for students to be actively involved in thinking and discussing during both class and investigation activities, with the goal of having the students develop a deep understanding of scientific concepts.
Kathleen Falconer et al., Effect of Reformed Courses in Physics and Physical Science on Student Conceptual Understanding (American Educational Research Association, April 2001), p. 1
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 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.
Students in a science class typically demonstrate diversity in the ways they learn best. It is im- portant, therefore, that students have opportunities to learn in a variety of ways – individually, cooperatively, independently, with teacher direction, through hands-on experiences, and through examples followed by practice. In science, students are required to learn concepts and procedures, acquire skills, and learn and apply scientific processes, and they become competent in these various areas with the aid of instructional and learning strategies that are suited to the particular type of learning. The approaches and strategies teachers use will vary according to both the object of the learning and the needs of the students.
soMe ConsIDeRAtIons FoR PRoGRAM PLAnnInG