Page 26 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008 (revised)

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | science
• guide the development of high-quality assessment tasks and tools (including rubrics);
• help teachers to plan instruction for learning;
• assist teachers in providing meaningful feedback to students;
• provide various categories and criteria with which to assess and evaluate students’ learning.
Categories of Knowledge and Skills
The categories, defined by clear criteria, represent four broad areas of knowledge and skills within which the subject expectations for any given course are organized. The four categories should be considered as interrelated, reflecting the wholeness and inter- connectedness of learning.
The categories of knowledge and skills are described as follows:
Knowledge and Understanding. Subject-specific content acquired in each course (knowledge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding).
Thinking and Investigation. The use of critical and creative thinking skills and inquiry, research, and problem-solving skills and/or processes.
Communication. The conveying of meaning through various forms.
Application. The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts.
Teachers will ensure that student work is assessed and/or evaluated in a balanced man- ner with respect to the four categories, and that achievement of particular expectations is considered within the appropriate categories.
Criteria
Within each category in the achievement chart, criteria are provided that are subsets of the knowledge and skills that define each category. The criteria for each category are listed below:
Knowledge and Understanding
• knowledge of content (e.g., facts, terminology, definitions, safe use of equipment and materials)
• understanding of content (e.g., concepts, ideas, theories, principles, procedures, processes)
Thinking and Investigation
• use of initiating and planning skills and strategies (e.g., formulating questions, identifying the problem, developing hypotheses, selecting strategies and resources, developing plans)
• use of processing skills and strategies (e.g., performing and recording, gathering evidence and data, observing, manipulating materials and using equipment safely, solving equations, proving)
• use of critical/creative thinking processes, skills, and strategies (e.g., analysing, interpreting, problem solving, evaluating, forming and justifying conclusions on the basis of evidence)