Table Of ContentCURRGDHT
I
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
University of Alberta Libraries
http://archive.org/details/integratedoccupaOOinte
Integrated Occupational Program
Social Studies
Program
of Studies
Grades and
8 9
INTERIM
1991
P courses for Grades 8, 9, 10 and 11 have interim approval and are being
CURRICULUM ented as follows:
.8 and 9 - Provincial implementation, September 1989
H
62
10 - Provincial implementation, September 1990
A325
11 - Provincial implementation, September 1991.
gr.8-9
CURE HIST
Ex
LIBRIS
UNIVERSITATIS
ALBERT/ENSIS
IOP
SOCIAL STUDIES
GRADES AND
8 9
PROGRAM RATIONALE AND PHILOSOPHY
A.
RATIONALE and needs, have taken the Integrated
Occupational Program. The certificate will
In recognition that the needs of both the recognize their achievement in that program."
individual and society may best be served (p. 23)
through school experiences designed to meet
student needs and abilities, the Secondary The Integrated Occupational Program is
Education in Alberta policy statement, 1985 designedtoenable studentsto:
directs that a program be developed for students
• become responsible membersofsociety
who have experienced difficulty in learning.
• develop entry-levelvocational abilities
This program, beginning in Grade 8, is the
• recognize the needforlifelong learning.
Integrated Occupational Program and will
articulate with a similar program in the senior The Integrated Occupational Social Studies
high school. The policy statement states that: Program is designed for students who have
experienced difficulty with social studies in the
". . . the goals of the secondary schools are to regular program, and focuses on the need of the
assist students to . . . become aware of the learnertoexperience success.
expectations, and be prepared for the
—
opportunities of the workplace expectations The IOP Social Studies, Grades 8 and 9 provides
that will be faced as employees or employers; the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes
expectations that will be faced as entrepreneurs needed for students to become responsible
orvolunteers ."(p. 12) citizens and contributing members of society.
. .
Major emphasis is placed on the development of
Thepolicy alsostatesthevalue ofthe community process, communication and participation skills,
inthe educationalprocess: and inquiry strategies in order to enhance
student ability to answer questions, make
"Opportunities must be provided to involve the decisions, solve problems and adjust to changing
community in secondary education programs circumstances. The programisintendedtofoster
and to recognize and support learning an appreciation of social studies for its
experiences which take place outside ofschools." usefulness and relevance, and thus motivate
(p. 8) students to participate in the learning process.
The program assists students to transfer and
Inaddition, thepolicy statementdirectsthat: apply specific process, communication and
participation skills and inquiry strategies to
"The Certificate ofAchievement will be awarded more generalized situations in everyday life and
to those students who, because of their abilities the world ofwork.
IOP Social Studies (Grades 8 and 9) /l
(Interim 1991)
In a rapidly changing technological society, There are patterns and predictability to
students require effective critical'creative, children's learning sequences. However, each
problem-solvingand decision-making skills. The student's style and pace is unique, reflectingpast
social studies program enhances student ability experiences. Though seen as "exceptional" in
to apply skills and strategies in unfamiliar their learning needs, these children nonetheless
situations, make intelligent choices, monitor fall within the normal range of learning
behaviour, and understand that one must live potential; thus every effort must be made to offer
with the consequences of personal decisions. experiences that provide equitable opportunities
Students are encouraged to develop realistic toparticipate in all aspectsoflife.
aspirations regarding their future endeavours
and responsible attitudes toward citizenship. Social studies is a school subject that assists
The course content is the context in which skills students to acquire the knowledge, skills and
and attitudes are developed and comprises positive attitudes needed to be responsible
history, geography, economics, current affairs citizens andcontributing membersofsociety.
and the social sciences.
The Integrated Occupational Social Studies
Prescribed content in the IOP Social Studies, Program focuses first and foremost on individual
Grades 8 and 9, reflects an emphasis on life growth and the needs ofthe learner. As attitude
skills, and has been determined on the basis of and self-esteem are powerful influences over
the abilities and needs ofstudents for whom the learning, the program must foster in each
courses were designed. Nevertheless, the student a positive self-concept and a positive
philosophy, goals and directions established in attitude toward learning. The knowledge, skills
the Integrated Occupational Social Studies and attitudes addressed within the program
Program are consistent with those of other must:
regular program social studies courses. This
• provide meaningful and relevant learning
consistency will assist students in their
experiences
transition from a regular program to the IOP,
• be appropriatetostudentability
andfrom the IOP toa regularprogram.
• provide forstudentsuccess
Within appropriate contexts, the social studies • enable students to understand and function
program is designed to mediate, reinforce and effectively intheirpersonal environments.
extendknowledge, skills and attitudes addressed
Students vary in the way they receive, process,
in preceding social studies courses. In addition,
recall, apply and communicate information.
new knowledge, skills and attitudes will be
Each student has apreferred way ofapproaching
introduced and developed in keeping with
learning tasks. Instructional planning must
abilities, needsand interestsofstudents.
include careful assessment of each student's
developmental characteristics, knowledge, skills
PHILOSOPHY and preferredwayoflearning. Inorder to ensure
that individual student needs are being met,
The need to develop programs for exceptional instructionalplansmayoften needto be adjusted
students is based on a fundamental belief about ormodified.
children, as expressed in the government's
Secondary Education in Alberta policy The Integrated Occupational Social Studies
statement, June 1985: "... a respect for the Program provides opportunities to promote
unique nature and worth of each individual." further understanding of traditional social
(p. 7) studies as itrelates to an appropriate knowledge
base and the changing family, community,
The Integrated Occupational Program rests on a provincial, country and world environments. In
number of additional beliefs and assumptions addition,this social studies program expands the
about the way children learn, the overall concept of "social" to include the personal and
potential ofchildren, and their learning needs in interpersonal skills necessary for students to
relation to societal demands. These beliefs and develop into responsible citizens at home, at
assumptions have a tremendous impact on school, in the workplace and in the global
programgoals, design and implementation. community.
IOP Social Studies (Grades 8and 9) 12
(Interim 1991)
The Integrated Occupational Social Studies Although students are at various stages of
Program takes the followingfactors into account. cognitive development, most will continue to use
concrete operational thinking. Students will
• Nature and needs of the learner. The depend on personal experience and personalized
program is designed to accommodate the content to link new ideas with prior knowledge.
abilities, needs, interests, cultural heritage As the process of analysis must be based on
and learningstylesofeach student. tangible experience, learning activities should
begin atthe concrete level, with a high emphasis
• Nature and needs of a changing society. placed on experiential learning. Specific
The program is designed to develop concepts and skills should be developed after
knowledge, skills and attitudes that will establishing a need for their use through
enable students to become responsible learning activities involving three levels of
members of society. Responsible citizens instructionaltechnique:
apply critical and creative thinking skills to
make decisions based on input from a wide • concrete; e.g., useofmodels
variety of sources, respect the behaviours, • transitional; e.g., pictorial representation
cultures and opinions of other individuals • formal; e.g., symbolicrepresentation.
and groups, and participate positively in
society. Process, communication and Strategies that will assist the learner in
participation skills, and inquiry strategies progressingfromthe concrete level ofthinkingto
will prepare students to adapt to a changing the more abstract thought processes are provided
world. in the program of studies/curriculum guide and
corresponding teacher resource manual
• Nature of knowledge in each area of (available for each IOP course from the Learning
social studies. History, geography, Resources DistributingCentre).
economics and social sciences are
incorporated as determined by the abilities
and needsofstudents.
• Learning environment. Teachers are
encouraged to adapt delivery and design of
the prescribed program in keeping with the
abilities, needs, interests, learning styles
and cultural heritage ofstudents. School and
community resources are to be considered
and teachers are encouraged to enhance
program delivery through a variety of
activities that promote community
involvement and recognition of cultural
groupswithinthe community.
The social studies program will enhance
students'abilitiesto:
• become self-motivated and self-directed
decisionmakers
• gain confidence in taking risks, accepting
challengesandmakingdecisions
• develop confidence and a sense of self-worth
intheir ability to participate responsibly in a
changing society.
IOP Social Studies (Grades 8 and 9) /3
(Interim 1991)
GENERAL LEARNER EXPECTATIONS
B.
Students in the Integrated Occupational Social • apply critical/creative thinking skills and
Studies Program will be expectedtoparticipate problem-solving/decision-making
responsibly in society. Responsible citizenship strategiestoavariety oflife situations
involves becoming knowledgeable, having
purpose and making informed choices. A • respect the dignity and worth of self and
democratic society, such as Canada's, requires others
the understanding and the exercising ofrights
andresponsibilities byindividuals and groups. • acquire the personal and interpersonal
skillsthatwill enablethemto:
To facilitate the development of responsible function appropriately in a variety of
citizenship, students will beexpectedto: settings
developa positive self-concept
• develop the essential knowledge, skills and experience social acceptance.
attitudes necessary for responsible
participation at home, at school, in the Specific Learner Expectations
communityand in the workplace
Specific learner expectations (learning
• develop positive attitudes toward lifelong objectives) have been identified for Social
learning and responsible citizenship Studies, Grade 8 and Social Studies, Grade 9 in
the StatementofContent, whichfollows.
IOP Social Studies (Grades 8 and 9) /4
(Interim 1991)
STATEMENT OF CONTENT
C.
PROGRAM FRAMEWORK The three faces of the developmental model
provide the basis for an integrated program.
The Integrated Occupational Junior High The three dimensions of the social studies
Social Studies Program is a two-year sequence: program are:
Social Studies 8 and Social Studies 9. The
framework is illustrated by the developmental • knowledge, skillsandattitudes
modelbelow. • learningcontexts
• themes.
The thematic units are placed on the front face
of the model to highlight their importance in
planningintegrated social studies activities.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ATTITUDES
Grade 8 You and Your Physical Cultural Community
Grade 9 You and Your Social Economic Community
Grade 8 Comparative Study. Canada and Brazil
en
w Grade 9 Comparative Study Canada USA. and
USSR.
S
w
a Grade 8 Canada Colonization to Confederation
Grade 9 Citizenship in Canada
Grade 8 Careerwatch 8
Grade 9 Careerwatch 9
IOP Social Studies (Grades8 and 9) /5
(Interim 1991)
Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes Communication Skills to enable the
student to receive,
Knowledge, skills and attitudes reflect the translate and
prescribed learner expectations of the social transmit knowledge
studies program. The knowledge, skills and
Participation Skills to enable the
attitudes that are identified are appropriate for
learner to interact
lifelong learning and are intended to foster
withothers.
responsible citizenship within the home, school,
workplace, community, province, country and Inquiry Strategies - to enable the student to
world. combine skills into specific patterns to facilitate
critical/creative thinking, problem solving and
Responsible citizenship involves becoming decision making.
informed about the present and future by
drawing on history and the social science Attitude objectives describe ways of thinking,
disciplines. Knowledge objectives for social feeling or behaving and are developed through a
studies consider the history of our community, variety of learning experiences that encompass
the growth of democratic society, and an knowledge and skill objectives. These
understanding of human nature, changing experiences include participation in specific
social, political, technological and economic activities, the development of positive attitudes
environments. Knowledge objectives are toward one another and learning in an
organized through generalizations, key atmosphere of free and open inquiry. Attitude
understandings, concepts and facts. A objectives should receive continuous and
generalization is a rule or principle that shows informal evaluation.
relationships among two or more concepts. A
Learning Contexts
key understanding is a statement of a major
understanding related to the content of the The value and meaning of learning increases
course. A concept is an idea or meaning when students understand the affect of course
represented by a word, term or other symbol that content on their personal lives. To enhance
constitutes a class or group of things. Facts are
understanding, the contexts for instruction in
parts of information that apply to specific social studies begin with self (i.e., the student's
situations; for example, specific statements current knowledge andexperience) andextendto
aboutpeople, things, events or ideas. situations within the family, community and
province with which the student can readily
Skill objectives of the program are intended to identify. As students become comfortable with
provide opportunities for students to develop and knowledge, skills and attitudes applied to these
apply process, communication and participation familiar contexts, instruction is then extended
skills, as well as inquiry strategies. The skills and applied to the less familiar contexts of
and strategies addressed in social studies will countryandworld.
enhance personal and interpersonal
development, and address the goals of Learningbeginswith what the studentcurrently
responsible citizenship. Skills are best taught in knows, extends through the world as a whole
the contextofuse,ratherthan in isolation. and returnstothe studenttoenhancerelevancy.
^r *^
The skills/strategies to be developmentally Ffaammiillyy
addressed at each grade level throughout the
social studiesprogram are:
Process Skills to enable the WorTAld -^x*. SErLF*r^* CC0oIkmrmunity
learner to gather, \J
organize, evaluate /
v.
and apply
knowledge Country n
w Province
IOP Social Studies(Grades 8 and 9) /6
(Interim 1991)
