SMART Goal # 1 – By June 2009, HPEDSB students will independently use the skill of making meaningful connections between information and ideas in a reading selection and the reader’s personal knowledge and experience to construct meaning. SMART Goal # 2 – By June 30, 2009 HPEDSB boys will independently produce non-fiction writing for an intended purpose and audience. Writing is... ‘Thinking through the end of a pen’ How are SMART Goals 1 and 2 connected? Together how do they support student learning and achievement at higher levels?

Eric’s Reflection “I just finished this amazing multi week plan that used the social studies curriculum to drive the language expectations and elicited higher levels of thinking from the students because of the intentional questions I was asking. It set up the reading – writing connection beautifully and the students did exactly what I asked of them, but I was disappointed with the results. Why?...because I had asked them to create a report as the text form to demonstrate in writing what they knew about the content. They were asked to choose a European explorer and write a report outlining what they did etc. They were able to apply what they knew about reports and used all the elements of a report that we had discussed...but the content didn’t reflect the high levels of thinking the students were engaged in as they explored the issues related to First Nation Peoples and European Explorers. It was just a regurgitation of facts.” What was missing? An inquiry question related to the written assignment that would allow them to think deeply about and then ‘report’ on an important issue. Example: ‘How do you think the arrival of the European explorers impacted the First Nations peoples?’.

Integrated Teaching and Learning Through Inquiry Why a focus on inquiry? When do students engage with their learning and why?

How do we create a culture of inquiry in our classrooms and in our teaching? How do we cluster expectations for inquiry and to make the intentional reading / writing connections? What are the common elements across all the curriculum areas that will ensure they support each other and not be viewed / taught as separate entities? Why? Establishes a clear purpose Engagement Why ? Meaningful integration and application Gradual release of responsibility Higher order thinking Critical questions Metacognition Integrated Teaching and Learning Through Inquiry

Science 2: Life Systems 1.1, 1.2 3: Life Systems 1.1, 1.2 Why do you think it is important for humans to protect plants, animals and the places they live ? Reading for Meaning 1.5 Making Inferences 1.6 Making connections Text Form Letter of Request (to persuade ) Writing Purpose1.1 Ideas 1.2 Voice 2.2 Reading / Writing Connection Choose texts that are in science format as mentor texts that involve the science content. Develop guiding questions related to making inferences and making connections to explore during the reading weeks.

Why do you think it is important for humans to protect plants, animals and the places they live ? Science 2: Life Systems 1.1, 1.2 3: Life Systems 1.1, 1.2 DO SAY WRITE Audio Recording of Slide Presentation  students will record the key message to support a slide show ( visual images of the ‘ “DO” to persuade fellow peers to protect plants or animals and the environment Letter of Persuasion Students will write a letter to an audience of their choice requesting the start or stop of a practice which would positively impact the environment on which plants and animals rely Create a Bumper Sticker Students will create a bumper sticker, billboard or bookmark reflecting the key message of the letter. N.B. elements of media messages have been previously explored