The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 and 10 Social …€¦ · The Ontario Curriculum,Grades 9 and 10: ... general social science,family studies,philosophy,and world religions ... THE

Ministry of Educationand Training

The Ontario CurriculumGrades 9 and 10

Social Sciencesand the Humanities

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Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

The Place of Social Sciences and the Humanities in the Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

The Program in Social Sciences and the Humanities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Overview of the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Teaching Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Curriculum Expectations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Family Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Strands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Courses

Food and Nutrition, Grade 9 or 10, Open (HFN1O/HFN2O) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Individual and Family Living, Grade 9 or 10, Open (HIF1O/HIF2O) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Some Considerations for Program Planning in Social Sciences and the Humanities . . 22

The Achievement Chart for Social Sciences and the Humanities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Explanatory Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Une publication équivalente est disponible en français sous le titre suivant :Le curriculum de l’Ontario, 9e et 10e année – Sciences humaines et sociales, 1999.

This publication is available on the Ministry of Education and Training’sWorld Wide Web site at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca.

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Introduction

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Social Sciences and the Humanities, 1999 will be imple-mented in Ontario secondary schools starting in September 1999 for students in Grade 9 andin September 2000 for students in Grade 10. This document replaces the sections in TheCommon Curriculum: Policies and Outcomes, Grades 1–9, 1995 that relate to subjects in social sci-ences and the humanities in Grade 9, and to the parts of the curriculum guideline FamilyStudies, Intermediate and Senior Divisions and OAC, 1987 that relate to Grade 10.

This document is designed for use in conjunction with its companion piece, The OntarioCurriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Program Planning and Assessment, 1999, which contains informationrelevant to all disciplines represented in the curriculum. The planning and assessment docu-ment is available both in print and on the ministry’s website, at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca.

The Place of Social Sciences and the Humanities in the Curriculum

The discipline of social sciences and the humanities encompasses four areas: general social sci-ence, family studies, philosophy, and world religions. Each has its own focus, but all share acommon purpose.

The social science and humanities courses share a common object of study: human beings andtheir world. Using methods of empirical data collection and scientific analysis, the social sci-ences study human behaviour and society within such fields as sociology, psychology, andanthropology. Through the examination of the structures, processes, and relationships onwhich these fields shed light, students learn about the wide range of factors that have influ-enced peoples, cultures, and societies. The humanities courses explore the basic nature andpurpose of human existence. Through the study of the human expression of self through phi-losophy and theology, students become aware of humanity’s ongoing attempts to understandand articulate the meaning and purpose of life. In humanities courses, students will learn someof the different world views, historical and cultural theories, philosophies, and social trends thathave shaped our world.

Both social science and humanities courses teach students fundamental skills, such as how toformulate appropriate questions, differentiate between evidence and opinion, recognize bias,and organize and communicate results effectively. Students are required to research informa-tion from a variety of sources, to think critically and make connections between the ideas andfacts they gather, and to use that information to solve problems through both independenteffort and collaborative work.

In Grades 9 and 10, the focus of the program is on the area of family studies, which combinessocial and applied sciences in the study of topics relating to individual development and familylife. Students are introduced to practical aspects of family living, studying subjects rangingfrom food and nutrition to resource management and conflict resolution. In the senior grades,courses are offered in more specialized areas of family studies, including parenting and fashion

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design, as well as in the other constituent subjects of the discipline – social science, philosophy,and world religions – that involve more theoretical and abstract approaches to the subject ofhuman existence.

The social science and humanities courses give students essential knowledge and transferableskills that are applicable in various areas of their lives – in their personal and family life as wellas in their postsecondary studies and in the workplace. They provide students with a founda-tion for a range of possible postsecondary destinations: for positions in retail and service indus-tries; for community college programs in such areas as early childhood education, fashiondesign, and human resources; and for university programs in fields such as anthropology, con-sumer studies, family studies, food and nutrition sciences, human resources, psychology, philos-ophy, religious studies, and sociology.

The discipline of social sciences and the humanities has connections with many other disci-plines taught in secondary school, on the level of both knowledge and skills. Studies in socialscience and humanities courses will allow students to bring a broader perspective to theirlearning in subjects such as history, geography, and English. Students will be able to build onprevious learning, integrate related knowledge, and apply learning skills across subject areas.Subject matter from any course in social sciences and the humanities can be combined withsubject matter from one or more courses in other disciplines to create an interdisciplinarycourse. The policies and procedures regarding the development of interdisciplinary courses areoutlined in the interdisciplinary studies curriculum policy document.

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Overview of the Program

The secondary school social science and humanities program comprises four subject areas:general social science, family studies, philosophy, and world religions. The Grade 9 and 10 pro-gram deals solely with family studies (see table below). All four subject areas are concernedwith how students view themselves, their families, their communities, and society as they seekto find meaning in the world around them. Through practical experiences, discussions,debates, research, and study and reflection, social science and humanities courses help studentsto become self-motivated problem-solvers, equipped with the knowledge and skills necessaryto successfully face their changing world.

All courses offered in social sciences and the humanities are open courses, which comprise aset of expectations that are appropriate for all students. (See The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9and 10: Program Planning and Assessment, 1999 for a description of the different types of sec-ondary school courses.)

Courses in Social Sciences and the Humanities, Grades 9 and 10

Course Course Credit Grade Course Name Type Code Value

9 or 10 Food and Nutrition Open HFN1O 1HFN2O

9 or 10 Individual and Open HIF1OFamily Living HIF2O 1

Note: There are no prerequisites for the courses listed above.

A Note About Credits. Courses offered in social sciences and the humanities may be deliveredas half-courses, each earning a half-credit. Half-credit courses, which require a minimum offifty-five hours of scheduled instructional time, must adhere to the following conditions:

– Courses offered as half-credit courses must include a selection of learning expectations fromall strands and must reflect the balance among strands that characterizes the full course.

– A course that is a prerequisite for another course may be offered as two half-courses, but thestudent must successfully complete both parts of the course to claim the prerequisite.

– The title of each half-credit course must include the designation Part 1 or Part 2. A half-credit (0.5) will be recorded in the credit-value column of both the report card and theOntario Student Transcript. Students are not required to complete both Part 1 and Part 2unless the course is a prerequisite for another course that the student wants to take.

The Program in Social Sciences and the Humanities

5T H E P R O G R A M I N S O C I A L S C I E N C E S A N D T H E H U M A N I T I E S

Teaching Approaches

The topics and issues covered in the social science and humanities curriculum are designedboth to develop practical skills and to promote reflective learning. The curriculum providesopportunities for students to undertake hands-on, practical activities (for example, in coursesin family studies, students learn to devise a family budget and to prepare foods), as well as toconduct research and analysis. The diversity of materials devised to support the curriculumenables teachers to adopt a variety of teaching approaches, including direct instruction,demonstration, and activity-based learning.

Curriculum Expectations

The expectations identified for each course describe the knowledge and skills that students areexpected to develop and demonstrate in their class work, on tests, and in various other activi-ties on which their achievement is assessed and evaluated.

Two sets of expectations are listed for each strand, or broad curriculum area, of each course.The overall expectations describe in general terms the knowledge and skills that students areexpected to demonstrate by the end of each course. The specific expectations describe theexpected knowledge and skills in greater detail.

The specific expectations are organized under subheadings. This organization is not meant toimply that the expectations in any one group are achieved independently of the expectationsin the other groups. The subheadings are used merely to help teachers focus on particularaspects of knowledge and skills as they plan learning activities for their students.

Many of the expectations are accompanied by examples, given in parentheses. These examplesare meant to illustrate the kind of skill, the specific area of learning, the depth of learning,and/or the level of complexity that the expectation entails. They are intended as a guide forteachers rather than as an exhaustive or mandatory list.

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Overview

Family studies is an interdisciplinary subject area integrating social and physical sciences inthe study of topics arising from daily life. It includes the study of individual and familydevelopment, relationships, parenting, decision making, resource management, food andnutrition, clothing and textiles, and health sciences. The Grade 9 and 10 family studiescourses emphasize acquiring knowledge and skills through practice and experiential learn-ing. In these courses, concepts are learned and consolidated through practical, hands-onapplications. At the same time, students are given the opportunity to develop critical andcreative thinking skills.

Strands

In every course, the overall and specific expectations are organized into strands. As notedabove, the social science and humanities program in Grades 9 to 12 comprises four subjectareas that are linked by the shared goal of having students explore and examine their lives asthey relate to family, community, and society. To emphasize the connections between thesubject areas, five common strands have been developed to provide students and teacherswith an overall framework and a focus for instruction. Although social science and humani-ties courses are not cumulative, the common strands allow students who take several of thesecourses to understand the connections among different aspects of the discipline. Individualcourses incorporate those common strands that are appropriate to their subject matter; inaddition, they include subject-specific strands.

In the Grade 9 and 10 family studies courses, the common strand Self and Others examineshuman relationships and patterns involving self, the family, the community, and society. Thestrand Personal and Social Responsibilities involves issues concerning the importance of choicesand wise decision making in the context of individual, family, community, and societal well-being. Social Challenges examines a variety of contemporary issues and our relationship tothem as citizens of Canada and the world. Diversity, Interdependence, and Global Connectionsaddresses issues pertaining to globalization and global responsibility. Social Science Skills allowsstudents to examine models of research, problem solving, analysis, team building, conflict res-olution, and communication that have specific relevance within a social science framework.

Family Studies

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Food and Nutrition, Grade 9 or 10, Open (HFN1O/HFN2O)

This course explores the factors that affect attitudes and decisions about food, examines cur-rent issues of body image and food marketing, and is grounded in the scientific study of nutri-tion. Students will learn how to make informed food choices and how to prepare foods, andwill investigate our Canadian food heritage and food industries, as well as global food issues.The course also introduces students to research skills related to food and nutrition.

8 T H E O N T A R I O C U R R I C U L U M , G R A D E S 9 A N D 1 0 : S O C I A L S C I E N C E S A N D T H E H U M A N I T I E S

Self and Others

Overall Expectations

By the end of this course, students will:

• complete an assessment of the importance of meeting the food needs of family members;

• identify the various reasons for the choices people make about food;

• analyse the importance of each family member’s contribution to the selection, preparation,and serving of food;

• demonstrate knowledge of the rules of mealtime etiquette (within the classroom environment).

Specific Expectations

Food Needs of Individuals and Families


– demonstrate an understanding that provid-ing for the food needs of family memberscan influence family relationships;

– analyse the food needs of individuals ofdifferent ages who have varying timeschedules, food preferences, and healthconcerns (e.g., toddlers with food aller-gies, vegetarian adolescents, adults on fat-reduced diets) and determine howthese needs might be met;

– demonstrate creativity in planning, prepar-ing, and serving a meal that meets thespecifically defined needs and budget of aparticular family or individual;

– demonstrate knowledge of appropriatemealtime etiquette;

– describe ways that individuals and familymembers can contribute to the provisionof food (e.g., growing fruits, vegetables,and herbs; planning meals; shopping forfood items; preparing meals).

Food Choices


– describe the effect of early childhood eat-ing habits on current eating patterns andon nutritional well-being throughout life;

– categorize the reasons why people eat thefoods they eat (e.g., cultural, emotional,environmental, nutritional, religious,social);

– explain how families, peers, and the mediainfluence an individual’s food choices andhabits.

9F O O D A N D N U T R I T I O N , G R A D E 9 O R 1 0 , O P E N ( H F N 1 O / H F N 2 O )

Personal and Social Responsibilities



• analyse the responsibilities involved in maintaining nutritional health and well-being;

• identify consumer responsibility in the investigation of current food issues;

• summarize the practical factors and demonstrate the skills involved in producing appetizing and healthy foods for themselves and others.


Nutritional Health and Well-Being


– identify nutrients, and their sources,required for maintaining good health atdifferent stages of the life cycle;

– explain the purpose of food guidelines(e.g., Canada’s Food Guide, Nativepeoples’ food guides, health associations’food guides);

– analyse the relationship between eatingbreakfast, and school performance andattitudes;

– describe the effects of food habits on phys-ical, emotional, and psychological well-being;

– evaluate personal eating habits;

– use appropriate food guides or othermaterials to plan nutritionally adequatemeals in a group setting.

Consumer Awareness


– produce general food-shopping guidelinesthat are efficient and economical;

– demonstrate an understanding of Canada’sfood-grading practices and food-labellingregulations and terms (e.g., nutritioninformation and claims, serving size, per-centage of recommended daily intake);

– produce an investigation of current food-marketing techniques directed at differentage groups;

– prepare an evaluation of several sources offood information (e.g., newspapers, maga-zines, marketing media, the Internet, andother food and nutrition publications) inorder to detect bias;

– describe the influence of marketing andadvertising on personal food choices;

– produce a compilation of reliable sourcesof nutrition information;

– describe how to identify fresh, ripe produce;

– demonstrate an ability to calculate unitprices, decipher “best before” dates, readingredient lists, and understand how com-paratively expensive convenience foods are;

– examine the relationship between con-sumer awareness and food marketing;

– use a variety of print or electronic refer-ence tools and telecommunications toolsto build a knowledge base on the use andfunction of food additives;

– describe organic foods, and explain theirincreased availability;

– identify different types of dietary regimens,and the reasons behind these dietarychoices.


Practical Skills


– plan meals that address factors such asnutritional needs, age, likes and dislikes,activity levels. special diets, and considera-tions related to time, money, and effort;

– identify, select, and effectively use appro-priate kitchen tools to plan and prepareinteresting and appealing meals in cooper-ation with others;

– safely use, maintain, clean, and store toolsand equipment used in food preparation;

– identify and demonstrate safe food-han-dling practices, including kitchen safety,sanitary methods, and proper food storage;

– demonstrate accurate measuring skills andappropriate food-preparation techniques(e.g., stirring, beating, whipping, chop-ping, broiling, frying);

– plan and budget for a family’s meals forone week and prepare a list of all ingredi-ents;

– use mathematical skills accurately in mealplanning and recipe changes, employingboth SI metric units and imperial mea-sures;

– demonstrate an ability to schedule cook-ing times so all meal components areready simultaneously;

– demonstrate the ability to follow a recipe,make substitutions, and alter portions asnecessary;

– describe the useful information availablein cookbooks (e.g., storage and prepara-tion tips, conversion charts, food terms);

– demonstrate basic cooking and bakingskills.




• analyse the concept of body image and its relationship to eating disorders and body alteringsubstance abuse;

• demonstrate an understanding of how to make informed food decisions when dealing with stressful situations.


Body Image


– analyse information from several sources(e.g., newspapers, magazines, marketingmedia, the Internet, television) to deter-mine society’s changing perception ofbeauty;

– describe unhealthy eating patterns andbody altering substance abuse (e.g.,“yo-yo” dieting, compulsive eating, anorexia,and bulimia; consumption of steroids);

– identify strategies for remediatingunhealthy eating habits and body alteringsubstance abuse (e.g., adolescent clinic in alocal hospital);

– demonstrate an understanding of theinfluence of role models in helping youthfeel comfortable about their bodies;

– analyse weight control programs to deter-mine the characteristics of those mostlikely to help people reach and/or main-tain a healthy body weight;

– identify techniques for reducing the per-centage of fat content in a person’s diet to 30%.

Social Challenges

Stress Management and Food


– demonstrate an understanding of theimportance of achieving overall personalwell-being;

– identify personal food choices and howthese choices affect their ability to copewith stress;

– analyse the role of familiar foods (e.g.,“comfort” foods, cultural foods) in themanagement of stress.




• describe the relationship among family customs, traditions, and food, using current social science research methods;

• demonstrate an understanding of our Canadian food heritage;

• identify food supply and production industries in Canada;

• complete an investigation of current global issues related to food (e.g., food distribution,food shortages, gene manipulation), using current social science research methods.


Family Customs, Traditions, and Food


– present the results of an investigation intothe foods, traditions, and religious laws ofdifferent cultures, including types of foodseaten and characteristic flavours;

– identify the food customs and traditions oftheir own families;

– plan and prepare food products, using avariety of cultural traditions.

Canadian Food Heritage


– describe the diets, and the characteristicsof food-production methods, of Nativepeoples in various parts of Canada;

– determine the contribution of cultural andregional foods in the development of ourCanadian food heritage and culture;

– use a variety of tools such as books orsearch engines on the Internet to researchand report on the emergence of a newCanadian cuisine;

– select and use regional and seasonal foodsto plan and produce a Canadian foodproduct or meal.

Diversity, Interdependence, and Global Connections

Canadian Food Supply and Production


– identify the primary food sources inCanada;

– complete an assessment of the influence ofgeography on food supply and production;

– describe the role of cooperatives and mar-keting boards, including those of Nativepeoples.

Global Food Issues


– explain the importance of policy decisionsas applied to global food issues (e.g., howpersonal and family decisions can affectour world);

– identify the causes of hunger in Canadaand the world and list some possiblestrategies for alleviating hunger;

– determine how food-production methodscan contribute to satisfying global food needs;

– differentiate between the food-productionmethods of developed and developingcountries and the impact of those meth-ods on food security;

– prepare a global food product or meal(e.g., something made from grains such asbulgur, buckwheat, spelt, quinoa, couscous;from legumes such as dried beans, peas,lentils; or from vegetables and fruits thatare new to them).


Social Science Skills



• demonstrate appropriate use of social science research methods in the investigation of food-related issues;

• effectively communicate the results of their inquiries;

• demonstrate effective collaborative group skills.


Social Science Research


– correctly use food and nutrition terminol-ogy (e.g., nutrients, food security, vegetarian,food additives);

– identify the process involved in social sci-ence research;

– distinguish between key and supportingissues in formulating questions to beresearched;

– demonstrate data-collecting skills, includ-ing the use of questionnaires and inter-views;

– use research derived from a variety of pri-mary sources (e.g., interviews, observa-tions, statistics, demographic research, andoriginal documents) and secondarysources (e.g., print materials, Internet arti-cles, CD-ROMs, and videos);

– use a variety of print or electronic refer-ence tools and telecommunications toolsto build a knowledge base on theCanadian agri-food system;

– write a report or an essay analysing a foodissue, such as food security, by reading,summarizing, and interpreting articles onfood and nutrition in newspapers, maga-zines, and selected research literature;

– distinguish between research evidence andopinion;

– evaluate print and electronic resources onfood and nutrition for validity, reliability,accuracy, bias, and relevance.

Communication of Results


– record information and key ideas fromtheir research, and document the sourcesaccurately in correct bibliographic form;

– organize, interpret, and communicate theresults of their inquiries, using a variety ofmethods (e.g., graphs, diagrams, oral pre-sentations, newspaper articles, hypermediapresentations, and videos);

– illustrate career opportunities related tofood and nutrition by creating a poster,newsletter, or brochure.

Collaborative Group Skills


– demonstrate effective speaking and listen-ing skills in a small group;

– demonstrate an ability to perform a vari-ety of roles in small groups (e.g., chair,recorder);

– demonstrate collaborative problem-solv-ing, conflict resolution, and planning skills(e.g., relating to division of labour, timemanagement, equal participation, takingresponsibility for one’s component of thegroup’s activity), and be able to explainthe need for these skills by referring toorganizational theory.

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Individual and Family Living, Grade 9 or 10, Open (HIF1O/HIF2O)

This course explores the challenges faced by all people: how to meet basic needs, how torelate to others, how to manage resources, and how to become responsible members of society.Students will acquire knowledge and skills that are needed to make the transition to adulthood.Teachers will instruct students in developing interpersonal, decision-making, and practicalskills related to daily life. Students will explore the functioning of families and the diversitiesfound among families and within society.

15I N D I V I D U A L A N D F A M I L Y L I V I N G , G R A D E 9 O R 1 0 , O P E N ( H I F 1 O / H I F 2 O )

Self and Others



• describe the characteristics of human growth and development in adolescence, and explaintheir influence on the behaviour and needs of young people;

• analyse strategies to develop and maintain effective relationships;

• apply practical skills to perform daily-living tasks that meet the needs of self and family;

• demonstrate a growing awareness of the need to be responsible and to contribute to the family.


Individual Development


– outline key aspects of physical, intellectual,social, emotional, and moral developmentin adolescence (e.g., intellectually, adoles-cents are developing the ability for abstractreasoning);

– summarize the connection between devel-opmental stages and individual behaviour(e.g., socially, the development of identityin adolescence may result in the need tobelong to a group);

– explain how the needs of individuals relateto their stage of development (e.g., owingto their rapid physical development, ado-lescents have greater nutritional and sleepneeds than do adults).

Relationships


– explain the nature and role of relationshipsand the importance of reciprocity inmeeting the social and emotional needs ofindividuals, families, and groups;

– distinguish between effective relationshipsand ones that are emotionally, psychologi-cally, or physically abusive, and identifyresources and strategies for dealing withabusive relationships;

– identify, on the basis of existing psycho-logical and sociological research, the factorsthat contribute to people’s need to partic-ipate in and belong to groups (e.g., affec-tion, dependability, loyalty, responsibility).

Daily Living


– apply strategies for building self-confidence(e.g., starting with a short oral report,gradually develop the ability to lead theclass in a discussion or chair a meeting);

– analyse adolescents’ growing indepen-dence and responsibility to family mem-bers, and their responsibility to contributeto family efforts to meet food, clothing,and housing needs;

– demonstrate an ability to negotiate andperform tasks related to meeting the needsof individuals and families (e.g., caring forsiblings, preparing meals, reading and fol-lowing pharmaceutical instructions, takingproper care of clothing) at home or foranother family;

– evaluate household safety in terms of fireand other hazards, and outline the impor-tance of smoke detectors, carbon monox-ide detectors, fire extinguishers, and thesafe use of equipment (e.g., barbecues,stoves, irons).




• demonstrate an understanding of their growing rights and responsibilities in relation to theirfamily, as well as their emerging independence from their family;

• demonstrate communication and conflict-resolution skills in the context of family and social relationships;

• understand and apply a variety of problem-solving and decision-making skills, grounded in psychological and sociological studies, to family and social problems;

• demonstrate practical skills that contribute to the proper functioning of families and that are transferable to the workplace and to the community.


Communication and Conflict Resolution


– draw on research in psychology and soci-ology to describe strategies for becomingresponsible members of their family and ofsociety (e.g., deferring gratification, losingwith good grace);

– demonstrate appropriate speaking and listen-ing skills for a variety of situations (e.g.,active listening, classroom discussion, jobinterview);

– demonstrate negotiation skills needed forhome, school, peer, and work relationships;

– demonstrate several appropriate strategies,grounded in research, for resolving conflictin a variety of relationships (e.g., disagree-ment over curfew; accusation of cheating;dispute over boyfriend or girlfriend);

– demonstrate appropriate responses toharassing or abusive behaviour.

Decision Making and Problem Solving


– apply appropriate decision-making models,grounded in research, to choices related toindividual and family well-being and quality

of life (e.g., use of time, household orclothing purchases, course selection) andsuggest strategies for making difficultchoices (e.g., contacting the Children’sAid Society in cases of suspected abuse);

– demonstrate individual and collaborativeproblem-solving skills for home, school,and peer situations (e.g., organizing agroup project, passing a difficult subject,responding to peer pressure).

Practical Skills


– identify skills that are required to meet theneeds of individuals and families, withinthe family and the community (e.g., mealpreparation at home; working from home;organizing a food co-op);

– demonstrate practical skills required formeeting their own and their family’s food,clothing, health and security, and housingneeds (e.g., accessing OHIP; securingmedical attention or emergency serviceswhen needed; planning and preparing ameal; mending a garment; cleaning a room);

Personal and Social Responsibilities


– prepare a plan to participate in activitiesin the community that support the func-tions of individuals and families (e.g., vol-unteer at a food bank; serve as an assistantScout leader);

– identify community resources, such aslibraries and pharmacies, that offer freeservices;

– identify part-time work and occupationalopportunities that support the needs offamilies, by using resources such as CD-ROMs, the Internet, and supermarketbulletin boards.


Social Challenges



• analyse how a changing society affects individuals and families;

• describe strategies by which individuals and family members manage resources in a changingenvironment;

• apply skills for using various technologies for family activities;

• demonstrate an understanding of the principles of consumer awareness.


Change


– compare individual and family lifestylesnow and in the past, considering the effectof social, cultural, economic, technologi-cal, and environmental change;

– analyse the impact of a variety of changeson individuals and on peer and familyrelationships and lifestyle (e.g., divorce andchild-custody arrangements; new tech-nologies);

– evaluate a new product, service, or technol-ogy for its ability to meet their own needsor the needs of their families (e.g., developcriteria for choosing a long-distance ser-vice).

Resource Management


– describe the impact of economic, social,technological, environmental, and healthfactors on lifestyle decisions (e.g., whetherto purchase a product, use a service, orparticipate in an activity);

– apply strategies for managing time toachieve individual, family, and group goals;

– describe strategies for acquiring money,including summer employment, and formanaging their own money to meetfinancial and personal goals (e.g., buying amountain bike, paying for college);

– use technology available for householdpurposes for activities that meet the needsof individuals and families (e.g., test a newkitchen appliance, download a recipe fromthe Internet).

Family and Society


– explain how government, non-profit, andbusiness organizations assist families inperforming their functions (e.g., how sec-ondary schools, the YMCA, and a localorganization assist families);

– demonstrate an understanding of the nat-ural tension that exists between family andgovernment as a result of governmentpolicy (e.g., the difficulty that adoptedchildren face in locating birth parents;censorship);

– describe the role of employment andincome in enabling families to performtheir functions;

– describe the behaviour expected of stu-dents in summer jobs.

Consumer Awareness


– describe strategies for making informedand responsible consumer decisions (e.g.,comparison shopping, reading labels,checking warranties, handling complaints);


– identify information required on labels(e.g., material, percentage composition ofeach component, CSA approval, manufac-turer’s identification number);

– determine whether specific examples ofmarketing are factual or misleading;

– describe the influence of marketing andhigh-pressure sales pitches on personalpurchase choices, and how to recognizeand resist this influence;

– demonstrate the ability to conduct a thor-ough investigation before making a largepurchase;

– identify consumer agencies that handlecomplaints about defective goods;

– demonstrate an understanding of how tomake sound purchase decisions in stressfulsituations;

– examine sources of information (e.g.,newspapers, magazines, marketing media,the Internet) with the aim of identifyingmarketing strategies;

– demonstrate an understanding of financialresponsibility (e.g., banking, saving forpurchases, long-term savings, managingdebt).


Diversity, Interdependence, and Global Connections



• summarize the functions of families in society;

• describe diverse family, relationship, and child-rearing patterns, and family lifestyles in varioushistorical periods and cultures.


Family Functions


– identify the universal basic functions offamilies (e.g., protection of children,socialization of children, division oflabour) and their effects (e.g., developingloyalty, commitment, discipline; creating asense of belonging);

– analyse various ways in which familiesperform the basic functions, based on sur-veys of their own or other families;

– analyse the impact of gender roles withinfamilies;

– compare various personal, societal, andcultural beliefs about individuals and thefunctions of families.

Family Diversity


– define terms and describe diverse familyforms and relationships (e.g., nuclear,blended, single-parent families; foster care;adoption; sibling relationships);

– compare family forms, relationship patterns,child-rearing patterns, and division oflabour in several cultures and historicalperiods, using information sources (e.g.,newspaper articles, web pages, databases,CD-ROMs, the Internet);

– describe variations in the roles of adoles-cents and in expectations of females andof males among families within Canadaand in other countries;

– describe the impact of diversity in familieson specific aspects of family lifestyle (e.g.,food habits; assignment of chores; curfew).

21

Social Science Skills



• use social science research methods to obtain information from various media, technology,and human resources in order to examine aspects of individual and family living;

• effectively communicate the results of their inquiries;

• demonstrate effective collaborative group skills.


Research Skills


– prepare simple research questions;

– distinguish between fact and opinion;

– conduct research about individual, family,and social issues, using surveys and inter-views (e.g., about personal responsibilities ina family and in a democracy; principles ofinformed consumerism; financial stability;investigation before making large purchases;diversity in family form, relationships,division of labour);

– create graphs and charts from spreadsheetsto compare results of surveys;

– analyse a family studies issue (e.g., adoles-cent growth and development, peer pres-sure, developing positive relationships, per-sonal rights and responsibilities) by makingresearch notes from appropriate sources ofinformation in various media, includingbooks, periodicals, television, videotapes,and the Internet;

– compare results of surveys and interviewswith data from other sources, and formconclusions.

Communication of Results


– record information and key ideas fromtheir research, and document the sourcesaccurately;

– organize, interpret, and communicate theresults of their inquiries, using a variety ofmethods (e.g., graphs, charts, diagrams,oral presentations, written reports, news-paper articles, videos);

– write a research report (e.g., using word-processing software) on aspects of individualand family living;

– publish results of surveys.

Collaborative Group Skills


– demonstrate effective speaking and listeningskills in a small group;

– analyse and demonstrate effective roles insmall groups (e.g., chair, recorder);

– demonstrate collaborative problem-solving,conflict-management, and planning skills(e.g., responsibility of each member tocarry his or her own weight, task analysis,division of labour, time management);

– demonstrate the ability to set achievablegroup goals and for each group memberto make an equal contribution.

I N D I V I D U A L A N D F A M I L Y L I V I N G , G R A D E 9 O R 1 0 , O P E N ( H I F 1 O / H I F 2 O )

22

Teachers who are planning a program in social sciences and the humanities must take intoaccount considerations in a number of important areas. Essential information that pertains toall disciplines is provided in the companion piece to this document, The Ontario Curriculum,Grades 9 and 10: Program Planning and Assessment, 1999. The areas of concern to all teachersthat are outlined there include the following:

• types of secondary school courses

• education for exceptional students

• the role of technology in the curriculum

• English as a second language (ESL) and English literacy development (ELD)

• career education

• cooperative education and other workplace experiences

• health and safety

Considerations relating to the areas listed above that have particular relevance for programplanning in social sciences and the humanities are noted here.

Education for Exceptional Students. Because they incorporate practical applications, oftendrawing on real-life situations, and involve experiential learning, family studies courses may beof particular interest to some exceptional students. Topics of interest include exploring educa-tional and career opportunities, making healthy nutritional choices, and investigating housingopportunities. Certain accommodations, such as ensuring barrier-free access to kitchen appli-ances in the preparation of food, will enable students with physical impairments to experienceand become skilled in various activities that are part of daily living. In planning family studiescourses, teachers should consider the kind of specialized equipment and the types of learningaids that would help meet the needs of exceptional students as set out in their IndividualEducation Plan.

English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD). Social scienceand humanities courses are well suited to students in ESL/ELD programs because, in theirfocus on the topic of diversity and interdependence, they allow all students, including new-comers to Canada, to see their experience reflected in the curriculum. These courses also giveESL/ELD students an opportunity to use English in the context of practical situationsencountered in daily life.

Career Education. The Grade 9 and 10 courses in the social science and humanities programhelp prepare students for the world of work, in that they include expectations related to careerexploration and the development of hands-on skills. Opportunities to work with experts infields related to the course material can help to increase students’ awareness of current issuesand approaches in career areas that interest them. Students should be encouraged to learn

Some Considerations for Program Planningin Social Sciences and the Humanities

23

about careers in early childhood education, food and nutrition sciences, health sciences, socialservices, and family studies. Family studies courses emphasize skills, including conflict-resolu-tion and research and analytical skills, that are valued in many occupations,

Cooperative Education and Other Workplace Experiences. Work experiences in the commu-nity allow students to apply and enhance the skills and knowledge they acquire in their socialscience and humanities courses. Social science courses lend themselves to a broad range ofplacements, both in service industries and in professions.

Health and Safety. In family studies courses, when students are preparing foods or are involvedin other practical activities, teachers must take particular care to ensure that safety require-ments are met and that safety procedures are followed. Students must be made aware of anyhealth or safety hazards that might be connected with the activities in which they are engaged,and must be coached in the proper use of safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers.

S O M E C O N S I D E R A T I O N S F O R P R O G R A M P L A N N I N G I N S O C I A L S C I E N C E S A N D T H E H U M A N I T I E S

24

The achievement chart that follows identifies four categories of knowledge and skills in socialsciences and the humanities – Knowledge/Understanding,Thinking/Inquiry, Communication,and Application. These categories encompass all the curriculum expectations in courses in thediscipline. For each of the category statements in the left-hand column, the levels of studentachievement are described. (Detailed information on the achievement levels and on assess-ment, evaluation, and reporting policy is provided in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10:Program Planning and Assessment, 1999.)

The achievement chart is meant to guide teachers in:

– planning instruction and learning activities that will lead to the achievement of the curricu-lum expectations in a course;

– planning assessment strategies that will accurately assess students’ achievement of the cur-riculum expectations;

– selecting samples of student work that provide evidence of achievement at particular levels;– providing descriptive feedback to students on their current achievement and suggesting

strategies for improvement;– determining, towards the end of a course, the student’s most consistent level of achievement

of the curriculum expectations as reflected in his or her course work;– devising a method of final evaluation;– assigning a final grade.

The achievement chart can guide students in:

– assessing their own learning;– planning strategies for improvement, with the help of their teachers.

The achievement chart provides a standard province-wide method for teachers to use inassessing and evaluating their students’ achievement. Teachers will be provided with materialsthat will assist them in improving their assessment methods and strategies and, hence, theirassessment of student achievement. These materials will contain samples of student work(exemplars) that illustrate achievement at each of the levels (represented by associated percent-age grade ranges). Until these materials are provided, teachers may continue to follow theircurrent assessment and evaluation practices.

To ensure consistency in assessment and reporting across the province, the ministry will pro-vide samples of student work that reflect achievement based on the provincial standard, andother resources based on the achievement charts. As these resources become available, teacherswill begin to use the achievement charts in their assessment and evaluation practices.

The Achievement Chart for Social Sciences and the Humanities

25T H E A C H I E V E M E N T C H A R T F O R S O C I A L S C I E N C E S A N D T H E H U M A N I T I E S

To support this process, the ministry will provide the following:

– a standard provincial report card, with an accompanying guide– course profiles– exemplars– curriculum and assessment videos– training materials– an electronic curriculum planner

When planning courses and assessment, teachers should review the required curriculumexpectations and link them to the categories to which they relate. They should ensure that allthe expectations are accounted for in instruction, and that achievement of the expectations isassessed within the appropriate categories. The descriptions of the levels of achievement givenin the chart should be used to identify the level at which the student has achieved the expec-tations. Students should be given numerous and varied opportunities to demonstrate theirachievement of the expectations across the four categories. Teachers may find it useful toprovide students with examples of work at the different levels of achievement.

The descriptions of achievement at level 3 reflect the provincial standard for student achieve-ment. A complete picture of overall achievement at level 3 in a course in social sciences andthe humanities can be constructed by reading from top to bottom in the column of theachievement chart headed “70–79% (Level 3)”.

26

Categories

Knowledge/Understanding

– knowledge of factsand terms

– understanding of concepts, principles,and theories

– understanding of relationships amongconcepts, principles,and theories

Thinking/Inquiry

– critical and creativethinking skills (e.g.,decision-making,problem-solving skills)

– inquiry/research skills(e.g., formulatingquestions; selectingstrategies andresources; analysingand evaluating information; formingconclusions)

50–59% (Level 1)

– demonstrates limitedknowledge of factsand terms

– demonstrates limitedunderstanding of concepts, principles,and theories

– demonstrates limitedunderstanding of relationships amongconcepts, principles,and theories

– uses critical and creative thinking skillswith limited effectiveness

– applies few of theskills involved in aninquiry/researchprocess

60–69% (Level 2)

– demonstrates someknowledge of factsand terms

– demonstrates someunderstanding of concepts, principles,and theories

– demonstrates someunderstanding of relationships amongconcepts, principles,and theories

– uses critical and creative thinking skills with moderateeffectiveness

– applies some of theskills involved in aninquiry/researchprocesss

70–79% (Level 3)

– demonstrates consid-erable knowledge offacts and terms

– demonstrates consid-erable understandingof concepts, princi-ples, and theories

– demonstrates consid-erable understandingof relationships amongconcepts, principles,and theories

– uses critical and creative thinking skills with consider-able effectiveness

– applies most of theskills involved in aninquiry/researchprocess

80–100% (Level 4)

– demonstrates thor-ough knowledge offacts and terms

– demonstrates thor-ough and insightfulunderstanding of concepts, principles,and theories

– demonstrates thoroughand insightful under-standing of relationshipsamong concepts, prin-ciples, and theories

– uses critical and creative thinking skillswith a high degree of effectiveness

– applies all or almost allof the skills involvedin an inquiry/researchprocess

Achievement Chart – Grades 9–10, Social Sciences and the Humanities

The student:

The student:

T H E O N T A R I O C U R R I C U L U M , G R A D E S 9 A N D 1 0 : S O C I A L S C I E N C E S A N D T H E H U M A N I T I E S

27A C H I E V E M E N T C H A R T F O R S O C I A L S C I E N C E S A N D T H E H U M A N I T I E S

Categories

Communication

– communication ofinformation and ideas

– use of language, symbols, and visuals

– communication fordifferent audiencesand purposes

– use of various formsof communication(e.g., reports, interviews)

Application

– application of ideasand skills in familiarcontexts

– transfer of concepts,skills, and proceduresto new contexts

– application of proce-dures, equipment, and technology

– making connections(e.g., between per-sonal experiences andthe subject, betweensubjects, between thesubject and the worldoutside the school)

50–59% (Level 1)

– communicates infor-mation and ideas withlimited clarity

– uses language, sym-bols, and visuals withlimited accuracy andeffectiveness

– communicates with alimited sense of audi-ence and purpose

– demonstrates limitedcommand of the various forms

– applies ideas and skillsin familiar contextswith limited effective-ness

– transfers concepts,skills, and proceduresto new contexts withlimited effectiveness

– uses procedures,equipment, and tech-nology safely and correctly only withsupervision

– makes connectionswith limited effective-ness

60–69% (Level 2)

– communicates infor-mation and ideas withsome clarity

– uses language, sym-bols, and visuals withsome accuracy andeffectiveness

– communicates withsome sense of audi-ence and purpose

– demonstrates moder-ate command of thevarious forms

– applies ideas and skillsin familiar contextswith moderate effec-tiveness

– transfers concepts,skills, and proceduresto new contexts withmoderate effectiveness

– uses procedures,equipment, and tech-nology safely and correctly with somesupervision

– makes connectionswith moderate effectiveness

70–79% (Level 3)

– communicates infor-mation and ideas withconsiderable clarity

– uses language, sym-bols, and visuals withconsiderable accuracyand effectiveness

– communicates with aclear sense of audi-ence and purpose

– demonstrates consid-erable command ofthe various forms

– applies ideas and skillsin familiar contextswith considerableeffectiveness

– transfers concepts,skills, and proceduresto new contexts withconsiderable effective-ness

– uses procedures,equipment, and tech-nology safely and correctly

– makes connectionswith considerableeffectiveness

80–100% (Level 4)

– communicates infor-mation and ideas witha high degree ofclarity, and with confidence

– uses language, sym-bols, and visuals witha high degree ofaccuracy and effec-tiveness

– communicates with astrong sense of audi-ence and purpose

– demonstrates exten-sive command of the various forms

– applies ideas and skillsin familiar contextswith a high degree of effectiveness

– transfers concepts,skills, and proceduresto new contexts witha high degree of effec-tiveness

– demonstrates and promotes the safe andcorrect use of proce-dures, equipment, andtechnology

– makes connectionswith a high degree of effectiveness

The student:

The student:

28

Explanatory Notes

The following definitions of terms areintended to help teachers andparents/guardians use this document.

Agri-food system. A term used todescribe the total relationship between agri-culture and food as an industry, includingfood production, processing, distribution,and retailing.

Anorexia nervosa. An eating disorderdefined by drastic weight loss from excessivedieting or self-imposed starvation, oftencombined with other compulsive weight-loss behaviours, such as strenuous exercise,in order to achieve an idealized, unrealisticbody image.

Anthropology. The study of humans,including origins, physical and cultural char-acteristics, customs, and social relationships.

Blended family. A family formed in remar-riage, consisting of parents and children froma previous marriage, also called a “stepfam-ily” or “reconstituted family”.

Body image. How an individual visualizeshis or her own physical appearance, and themental attitude and opinion he or she hastowards it; how society views idealized phys-ical forms.

Bulimia. An eating disorder defined bybinge eating (gorging on food), followed bypurging through forced vomiting or laxativeuse, or by strenuous exercise, to achieve anidealized, unrealistic body image.

Cooperatives. Farms, stores, or other busi-nesses that are owned and jointly run by themembers, with profits shared among them.

Culture.The totality of ideas, beliefs, values,knowledge, language, and the way of life of agroup of people who share a certain histori-cal background; the learned behaviour of apeople. Manifestations of culture include art,laws, institutions, and customs. Cultureevolves.

Decision-making model. A standard orframework outlining the steps that may befollowed when making a decision.

Developed country. A country that hasextensive and often technology-based sys-tems related to education, transportation,communication, food processing and storage,energy, housing, and health care. Most peo-ple in developed countries have enoughmoney to meet their basic needs.

Developing country. A country that iswell below the world average in terms ofper-capita wealth, and which has little or noindustry, and few or no resources or systems(such as education, transportation, communi-cation, energy, health care) to administer tothe basic needs of its people.

Developmental task. An ability masteredat a particular stage of development in orderto move on successfully to the next stage; forexample, a child mastering crawling beforewalking.

Documentation.Works cited (e.g., books,magazine articles, websites).

Etiquette (mealtime).The customary andcurrent behaviour of a particular culture,especially as it applies to eating.

Evaluation. A thinking skill that involvesjudging the worth of something accordingto pre-established and appropriate criteria.

29E X P L A N A T O R Y N O T E S

Extended family. A multigenerationalfamily consisting of children, parents, grand-parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The termmay also imply a multigenerational familyliving in one household.

Family. Any combination of persons whoare bound together over time by ties ofadoption or birth, marriage, or mutual consent, and who, together, carry out thefunctions of families.

Family dynamics.The patterns of interac-tion and behaviour related to the perfor-mance of family functions.

Food additives. Small amounts of sub-stances added to food for specific reasons,such as to preserve freshness, or to improvecolour and flavour.

Food security.The right of all individualsto access adequate food for the maintenanceof good health.

Functions of families. Purposes or tasksassumed by a society to be carried out byfamilies, such as addition of new membersthrough procreation or adoption, or physicalmaintenance and care of group members.

Gender role.The behaviour reflective ofsociety’s expectations of a male or a female.

Globalization.The idea that the entireworld and its inhabitants are becoming onelarge community with interconnected needsand services. Also, the process of organizingor establishing connections worldwide.

Global responsibility. Being accountablefor the impact of actions upon the environ-ment and societal conditions throughout thewhole world.

Hypermedia. Software that allows individ-uals or groups to create non-linear electronicreports incorporating text, graphics, charts,sound, and Internet links.

Interdependence. Dependence on oneanother for mutual support and connection.

Interpersonal relationships. Interactionwith others.

Management. Planning to use availableresources to achieve specific goals.

Marketing board. A formal organizationestablished to assist primary producers (farm-ing, fishing) with the sale of products locally,nationally, or internationally. The membersare often drawn from among the producers.

Moral development. Growth and changein the ability to distinguish between rightand wrong.

Nutrients. Chemical substances that pro-vide essential nourishment in order for thebody to function, grow, repair itself, and produce energy.

Organic foods. Foods naturally producedwithout the use of synthetic chemicals (fertilizers or pesticides), and using farmingmethods that do not deplete the soil ofnutrients.

Primary research. Original investigation,which involves the gathering and analysis ofevidence, using observations, experiments,direct interviews of subjects, or question-naires.

Primary sources. Original materials exist-ing as the earliest or first of a kind, either asartefacts or reproductions in the media; forexample, diaries, photographs, original docu-ments, published or taped interviews.

Psychology.The study of behaviour basedon the mind, and mental and emotionalprocesses.

Relationship. A connection between indi-viduals or groups.

Responsibilities. Areas of endeavour inwhich one is morally accountable for one’sactions.


Resource. Something that can be used tomeet needs or achieve goals, such as time,skill, food, commodities, or money.

Role. A pattern of behaviour expected of aperson in a specific position in society (e.g.,of a husband in a marriage).

Secondary sources. Oral, print, media, andcomputer materials that are not primary ororiginal; interpretations of primary sources.

SI metric units. An international metricsystem of measurement units (from theFrench Système international d’unités).

Socialization.The process of passing on tonew members the society’s beliefs and waysof thinking and acting.

Sociology.The study of the behaviour ofsocial groups.

Vegetarian. A person who abstains fromeating meat, poultry, or fish; some vegetari-ans may also exclude dairy foods or eggsfrom their diet.

31

The Ministry of Education and Training wishesto acknowledge the contribution of the manyindividuals, groups, and organizations that partic-ipated in the development and refinement of thiscurriculum policy document.

ISBN 0-7778-8345-7

98-092

© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 1999

Printed on recycled paper

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The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 and 10 Social …€¦ · The Ontario Curriculum,Grades 9 and 10: ... general social science,family studies,philosophy,and world religions ... THE