| Big Ideas |
Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world. |
English Language Arts 8 |
No CCG |
| Keyword: stories |
Elaboration: narrative texts, whether real or imagined, that teach us about human nature, motivation, and experience, and often reflect a personal journey or strengthen a sense of identity. They may also be considered the embodiment of collective wisdom. Stories can be oral, written, or visual, and used to instruct, inspire, and entertain listeners and readers. |
| Keyword: texts |
Elaboration: Text and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication:Oral texts include speeches, poems, plays, and oral stories.Written texts include novels, articles, and short stories.Visual texts include posters, photographs, and other images.Digital texts include electronic forms of all the above.Oral, written, and visual elements can be combined (e.g., in dramatic presentations, graphic novels, films, web pages, advertisements). |
|
| Big Ideas |
Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy. |
English Language Arts 8 |
No CCG |
| Keyword: text |
Elaboration: Text and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication:Oral texts include speeches, poems, plays, and oral stories.Written texts include novels, articles, and short stories.Visual texts include posters, photographs, and other images.Digital texts include electronic forms of all the above.Oral, written, and visual elements can be combined (e.g., in dramatic presentations, graphic novels, films, web pages, advertisements). |
|
| Content |
Language features, structures, and conventions- features of oral language
- multi-paragraphing
- language usage and context
- elements of style
- syntax and sentence fluency
- conventions
- presentation techniques
|
English Language Arts 8 |
No CCG |
| Keyword: features of oral language |
Elaboration: including tone, volume, inflection, pace, gestures |
| Keyword: multi-paragraphing |
Elaboration: developing multi-paragraph compositions that are characterized by unity, development, and coherence |
| Keyword: language usage and context |
Elaboration: refers to the impact of context on choice of language usage (e.g., when texting, using informal short-form language; when writing an essay, using more formal standard Canadian English) |
| Keyword: elements of style |
Elaboration: diction, figurative language, tone, inclusive language, degree of formality |
| Keyword: syntax and sentence fluency |
Elaboration: use of a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences; correct pronoun use; subject-verb agreement; use of transitional words; and awareness of run-on sentences and sentence fragments |
| Keyword: conventions |
Elaboration: common practices in all standard punctuation use, in capitalization, in quoting, and in Canadian spelling |
| Keyword: presentation techniques |
Elaboration: Any presentation (in written, oral, or digital form) should reflect an appropriate choice of medium for the purpose and the audience, and demonstrate thought and care in organization. |
|
| Content |
Strategies and processes- reading strategies
- oral language strategies
- metacognitive strategies
- writing processes
|
English Language Arts 8 |
No CCG |
| Keyword: reading strategies |
Elaboration: using contextual clues; using phonics and word structure; visualizing; questioning; predicting; previewing text; summarizing; making inferences |
| Keyword: oral language strategies |
Elaboration: focusing on the speaker, asking questions to clarify, listening for specifics, expressing opinions, speaking with expression, staying on topic, taking turns |
| Keyword: metacognitive strategies |
Elaboration: talking and thinking about learning (e.g., through reflecting, questioning, goal setting, self-evaluating) to develop awareness of self as a reader and as a writer |
| Keyword: writing processes |
Elaboration: may include revising, editing, considering audience |
|
| Content |
Story/text- forms, functions, and genres of text
- text features
- literary elements
- literary devices
- elements of visual/graphic texts
- relevance, accuracy, reliability
|
English Language Arts 8 |
No CCG |
| Keyword: forms |
Elaboration: such as narrative, exposition, report |
| Keyword: functions |
Elaboration: purposes of text |
| Keyword: genres |
Elaboration: literary or thematic categories such as fantasy, humour, adventure, biography |
| Keyword: text |
Elaboration: Text and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, or digital communication:Oral texts include speeches, poems, plays, and oral stories.Written texts include novels, articles, and short stories.Visual texts include posters, photographs, and other images.Digital texts include electronic forms of all the above.Oral, written, and visual elements can be combined (e.g., in dramatic presentations, graphic novels, films, web pages, advertisements). |
| Keyword: text features |
Elaboration: how text and visuals are displayed |
| Keyword: literary elements |
Elaboration: characterization, character types, story structures (e.g., linear, cyclical, iterative), and setting |
| Keyword: literary devices |
Elaboration: sensory detail (e.g., imagery, sound devices), and figurative language (e.g., metaphor, simile, hyperbole) |
| Keyword: elements of visual/graphic texts |
Elaboration: may include layout, infographics, emoticons, icons, symbols, interactive visuals, hypertext, and colour, illustration styles (e.g., realism, cartoon, sketch, outline) |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Transform ideas and information to create original texts. |
English Language Arts 8 |
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing) |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Select and use appropriate features, forms, and genres according to audience, purpose, and message |
English Language Arts 8 |
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing) |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Use and experiment with oral storytelling processes |
English Language Arts 8 |
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing) |
| Keyword: oral storytelling processes |
Elaboration: creating an original story or finding an existing story (with permission), sharing the story from memory with others, using vocal expression to clarify the meaning of the text, using non-verbal communication expressively to clarify the meaning, attending to stage presence, differentiating the storyteller’s natural voice from the characters’ voices, presenting the story efficiently, keeping the listener’s interest throughout, using an expanding repertoire of techniques to enhance audience experience |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Use an increasing repertoire of conventions of Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation |
English Language Arts 8 |
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing) |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Assess and refine texts to improve their clarity, effectiveness, and impact according to purpose, audience, and message |
English Language Arts 8 |
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing) |
| Keyword: refine texts |
Elaboration: using techniques such as adjusting diction and form according to audience needs and preferences, using verbs effectively, using repetition and substitution for effect, using active instead of passive voice, maintaining parallelism, adding modifiers, replacing be verbs with stronger verbs, varying sentence types, using precise diction, eliminating wordiness |
| Keyword: audience |
Elaboration: Students at this level expand their understanding of the range of audiences to include peers, authorities, and technical audiences. |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful literary and informational texts for a variety of purposes and audiences |
English Language Arts 8 |
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing) |
| Keyword: literary and informational texts |
Elaboration: students should be supported in planning, drafting, and editing multimedia and multimodal texts, such as paragraph compositions that include a theme (subject and author’s opinion) and TAG (title, author, genre); other examples of texts include opinion pieces, poetry, short stories, narratives, slams, spoken word texts, storyboards and comic strips, and masks |
| Keyword: audiences |
Elaboration: Students at this level expand their understanding of the range of audiences to include peers, authorities, and technical audiences. |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Exchange ideas and viewpoints to build shared understanding and extend thinking |
English Language Arts 8 |
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing) |
| Keyword: Exchange ideas and viewpoints |
Elaboration: collaborating in large and small groups through activities such as think-pair-share, debates, four corners, quiet conversation, and lit circles (in which students take on new roles); using active listening skills and receptive body language; paraphrasing and building on others’ ideas; disagreeing respectfully; and extending thinking (e.g., shifting, changing) to broader contexts (social media, digital environments) |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Develop an awareness of the protocols and ownership associated with First Peoples texts |
English Language Arts 8 |
Comprehend and connect (reading, listening, viewing) |
| Keyword: protocols |
Elaboration: as applied to local stories, protocols are recognized customs and practices about when and where the stories can be shared, who owns them, and who can share them, because the stories have been passed down through generations |
| Keyword: texts |
Elaboration: Text and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication:Oral texts include speeches, poems, plays, and oral stories.Written texts include novels, articles, and short stories.Visual texts include posters, photographs, and other images.Digital texts include electronic forms of all the above.Oral, written, and visual elements can be combined (e.g., in dramatic presentations, graphic novels, films, web pages, advertisements). |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Recognize and appreciate the role of story, narrative, and oral tradition in expressing First Peoples perspectives, values, beliefs, and points of view |
English Language Arts 8 |
Comprehend and connect (reading, listening, viewing) |
| Keyword: story |
Elaboration: narrative texts, whether real or imagined, that teach us about human nature, motivation, and experience, and often reflect a personal journey or strengthen a sense of identity. They may also be considered the embodiment of collective wisdom. Stories can be oral, written, or visual, and used to instruct, inspire, and entertain listeners and readers. |
|
| Curricular Competency |
Recognize an increasing range of text structures and how they contribute to meaning |
English Language Arts 8 |
Comprehend and connect (reading, listening, viewing) |
|