The document summarizes a parent information night for the Northern Learning Centre, which aims to prepare students for the 21st century. It discusses how the school/classroom, curriculum, and learners have changed to focus on 21st century skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and digital literacy. Project-based learning is emphasized to actively engage students in exploring real-world problems. Math and science curriculum expectations for Grade 8 are also outlined.

1. Northern Learning Centre
Parent Information Night
January 19th, 2012

2. u

3. Northern Learning Center
What’s Different?
• Learner
• School/Classroom
• Curriculum

4. 21st Century ….
21st Century Foundational Skills
3 Rs and 7 Cs
•Reading •Critical thinking and problem solving
•Writing •Creativity and innovation
•Numeracy •Collaboration, teamwork and leadership
•Cross-cultural understanding
•Communications, Computing and ICT literacy
•Career and learning self-reliance
•Caring for personal health and planet earth

5. 21st Education
It is flexible, creative, challenging, and complex.
It addresses a rapidly changing world filled
with fantastic new problems as well as
exciting new possibilities.
(www.21stcenturyschools.com)

6. Personalized Learning
• Student centered learning that’s focused on
the needs, strengths and aspirations of each
individual young person
• Student will play an active role in designing
their own education and will be increasingly
accountable for their own learning success

7. Towards 21st Century….
So Far…
• Different assessment (no letter grades, point
system, feedback only)
• Textbook questions are different, more
problem solving questions and application
questions
• Research is done with technology
– Want to know something- we it

8. • Students demonstrate learning in multiple
ways (projects, presentations etc)
• Mathematics-use of manipulatives, and
problem solving, there is more than one right
answer
• Diverse classrooms with diverse learners
– We know that not all students learn the same
way

9. Learner’s Today…
“Educators of today understand that when
students are provided with rich learning
experiences and opportunities to explore
areas of interest, they learn better. When
they are given tools to solve problems and
encouraged to think creatively, they’re
ultimately better equipped to make useful
connections with the real world”
– Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning
Commons (Ontario School Library Association)

10. Learner’s Today…
• Growing up in a media-saturated environment;
information and ideas are accessed and shared in
extremely visual, multi-media formats
• Expect to have access to electronic information
quickly and easily-most have never known a world
where this wasn’t possible
• Embrace new technologies readily and transfer their
skill with one technology to each new technology
• Multitask
– Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning
Commons (Ontario School Library Association)

11. What has not changed…
The structure of school learning was built more
than a century before digital communication
was developed, and since then the structure
has not changed significantly.
– Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the
Learning Commons (Ontario School Library Association)

12. Schools…
• embed learning that is aimed at engaging
students in addressing real-world problems, issues
important to humanity and questions that matter
• “Will go from “buildings” to “nerve centres” with
walls that are porous and transparent, connecting
teachers, students, parents and the community to
the wealth of knowledge that exists in the world”.
What is 21st Century Education? (http://www.21centuryschools.com)

13. Northern Learning Centre
Vision
• To engage learners through a personal learning choice program. Where real life
connection to student learning matters!
Mission
• To ensure each student is ready for the 21st Century with the skills, attitudes,
experiences and mindsets to be successful.
Values
• Promote creativity and innovation
• Practice collaboration, teamwork, leadership
• Foster cross cultural understanding
• Develop communication and media literacy
• Ongoing career learning – self reliance
• Promote a lifestyle of caring for personal health

14. Curriculum is not different
The students will be learning the curriculum as
prescribed in the Ministry of Education’s IRPs
for each grade and course

15. The way students will learn the
curriculum will look different
• Recognition that some information will need
to be directly taught
• teachers will have the ability to “embed
foundational knowledge acquisition and
basic skill development within a more
meaningful context and/or authentic task”
– Bruce Beairsto, Engagement in Learning: Finding the Depth
Beyond Diligence

16. “As we increasingly move toward an
environment of instant and infinite
information, it becomes less important for
students to know, memorize or recall
information, and more important for them to
be able to find, sort, analyze, share, discuss,
critique and create information. They need
to move from being not just knowledgeable
to knowledge-able”
Michael Wesch, 2008 , A portal to media literacy.

17. Engagement
“Increased engagement cannot be imposed
through something a teacher does to, or even
for, a student. It is only achieved when there
is a partnership with the student, and
between students, so that learning is co-
constructed”
Bruce Beairsto, (based on the work of The Critical Thinking Consortium)

18. Project Based Learning
"a growing body of academic research supports
the use of project-based learning in schools as
a way to engage students, cut absenteeism,
boost cooperative learning skills, and improve
test scores. Those benefits are enhanced when
technology is used in a meaningful way in the
projects.“
• http://www.bie.org/research/study/studies_validate_project-
based_learning_edutopia_2001

19. Project Based Learning
• Projects
– a summative activity generally done to show
what the student has learned
• Project Based Learning
– to learn the curriculum by actively participating
in project work

20. Project Based Learning (PBL)
• process of inquiry in response to a complex
question, problem, or challenge.
• allows for students to engage and own their
learning by giving them some choice
– “rigorous projects are carefully planned, managed,
and assessed to help students learn key academic
content, practice 21st Century Skills (such as
collaboration, communication & critical thinking),
and create high-quality, authentic products &
presentations”.
• http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl

21. Why use PBL?
• Students gain a deeper understanding of the key
concepts as they construct their own learning
• Projects can build workplace skills and lifelong
learning.
• Projects can allow students “to address community
issues, explore careers, interact with adult mentors, use
technology, and present their work to audiences
beyond the classroom”.
• PBL can motivate students who might otherwise find
school boring or meaningless.
• http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl

22. Math 8
• demonstrate an understanding of perfect squares and square roots, concretely, pictorially, and symbolically (limited to
whole numbers
• determine the approximate square root of numbers that are not perfect squares (limited to whole numbers)
• demonstrate an understanding of percents greater than or equal to 0%
• demonstrate an understanding of ratio and rate
• solve problems that involve rates, ratios, and proportional reasoning
• demonstrate an understanding of multiplying and dividing positive fractions and mixed numbers, concretely, pictorially,
and symbolically
• demonstrate an understanding of multiplication and division of integers, concretely, pictorially, and symbolically
• graph and analyse two-variable linear relations
• model and solve problems using linear equations of the form: - ax = b - x/a = b, a =/= 0 -ax + b = c - x/a +b = c, a =/= 0 -
a(x + b) = c
– concretely, pictorially, and symbolically, where a, b, and c are integers
• develop and apply the Pythagorean theorem to solve problems
• draw and construct nets for 3-D objects
• determine the surface area of
• - right rectangular prisms
• - right triangular prisms
• - right cylinders to solve problems
• develop and apply formulas for determining the volume of right prisms and right cylinders
• draw and interpret top, front, and side views of 3-D objects composed of right rectangular prisms
• demonstrate an understanding of tessellation by
• - explaining the properties of shapes that make tessellating possible
• - creating tessellations
• - identifying tessellations in the environment
• critique ways in which data is presented
• solve problems involving the probability of independent events

23. Science 8
• demonstrate safe procedures
• perform experiments using the scientific method
• represent and interpret information in graphic form
• use models to explain how systems operate
• demonstrate scientific literacy
• demonstrate ethical, responsible, cooperative behaviour
• describe the relationship between scientific principles and technology
• demonstrate competence in the use of technologies specific to investigative procedures and research
• demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of living things
• relate the main features and properties of cells to their functions
• explain the relationship between cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems
• explain the functioning of the immune system, and the roles of the primary, secondary, and tertiary defence systems
• demonstrate knowledge of the behaviour of waves
• explain the properties of visible light
• compare visible light to other types of electromagnetic radiation
• explain how human vision works
• explain the concept of force
• describe the relationship between solids, liquids, and gases, using the kinetic molecular theory
• determine the density of various substances
• explain the relationship between pressure, temperature, area, and force in fluids
• recognize similarities between natural and constructed fluid systems (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic)
• explain the significance of salinity and temperature in the world’s oceans
• describe how water and ice shape the landscape
• describe factors that affect productivity and species distribution in aquatic environments

24. Social Studies 8 – History 500AD to 1600AD
• assess a variety of positions on controversial issues
• co-operatively plan and implement a course of action that addresses the problem, issue, or inquiry initially identified
• gather and organize a body of information from primary and secondary print and non-print sources, including electronic sources
• identify and clarify a problem, an issue, or an inquiry
• interpret and evaluate a variety of primary and secondary sources
• plan, revise, and deliver written and oral presentations
• compare daily life, family structures, and gender roles in a variety of civilizations
• demonstrate awareness of artistic expression as a reflection of the culture in which it is produced
• describe a variety of diverse cultural traditions and world religions
• describe how societies preserve identity, transmit culture, and adapt to change
• identify factors that influence the development and decline of world civilizations
• identify periods of significant cultural achievement, including the Renaissance
• assess the impact of contact, conflict, and conquest on civilizations
• demonstrate understanding of the tension between individual rights and the responsibilities of citizens in a variety of civilizations
• describe various ways individuals and groups can influence legal systems and political structures
• explain the development and importance of government systems
• analyse the effect of commerce on trade routes, settlement patterns, and cultural exchanges
• compare basic economic systems and different forms of exchange
• compare the changing nature of labour in rural and urban environments
• describe the impact of technological innovation and science on political, social, and economic structures
• analyse how people interacted with and altered their environments, in terms of
– population
– settlement patterns
– resource use
– cultural development
• construct, interpret, and use graphs, tables, grids, scales, legends, and various types of maps
• describe how physical geography influenced patterns of settlement, trade, and exploration
• locate and describe current and historical events on maps
• locate and describe major world landforms, bodies of water, and political boundaries on maps

25. •
English 8
interact and collaborate in pairs and groups to – support the learning of self and others – explore experiences, ideas, and information – understand the
perspectives of others – comprehend and respond to a variety of texts – create a variety of texts
• express ideas and information in a variety of situations and forms to – explore and respond – recall and describe – narrate and explain – persuade and support –
engage and entertain
• listen to comprehend, interpret, and evaluate ideas and information from a variety of texts, considering – purpose – messages – tone – structure – effects and
impact – bias
• select and use a range of strategies to interact and collaborate with others in pairs and groups, including – selecting methods for working together effectively –
listening actively – contributing ideas and recognizing the ideas of others – demonstrating awareness of diverse points of view – reaching consensus or agreeing to
differ
• select and use a range of strategies to prepare oral communications, including – interpreting a task and setting a purpose – considering audience – generating
ideas – making connections among relevant knowledge and experiences – planning and rehearsing presentations
• select and use a range of strategies to express ideas and information in oral communications, including – vocal techniques – style and tone – nonverbal techniques
– visual aids – organizational and memory aids – monitoring methods
• use listening strategies to understand, recall, and analyse a variety of texts, including – connecting to prior knowledge – making reasonable predictions –
identifying main points – generating thoughtful questions – clarifying and confirming meaning
• speak and listen to make personal responses to texts, by – making connections with prior knowledge and experiences – describing reactions and emotions –
generating thoughtful questions – developing opinions with reasons
• speak and listen to interpret and analyse ideas and information from texts, by – examining and comparing ideas and elements within and among texts –
identifying perspectives – identifying bias and contradictions
• speak and listen to synthesize and extend thinking, by – personalizing ideas and information – explaining relationships among ideas and information – applying
new ideas and information – transforming existing ideas and information
• use metacognitive strategies to reflect on and assess their speaking and listening, by – referring to criteria – setting goals for improvement – creating a plan for
achieving goals – evaluating progress and setting new goals
• recognize and apply the structures and features of oral language to convey and derive meaning, including – context – text structures – syntax – diction – usage
conventions – rhetorical devices – vocal techniques – nonverbal techniques
• read, both collaboratively and independently, to comprehend a variety of literary texts, including – literature reflecting a variety of times, places, and perspectives
– literature reflecting a variety of prose forms – poetry in a variety of narrative and lyric forms – significant works of Canadian literature (e.g., the study of plays,
short stories, poetry, or novels) – traditional forms from Aboriginal and other cultures – student-generated material
• write meaningful personal texts that explore ideas and information to – experiment – express self – make connections – reflect and respond – remember and
recall
• read, both collaboratively and independently, to comprehend a variety of information and persuasive texts with some complexity of ideas and form, such as –
articles and reports – biographies and autobiographies – textbooks, magazines, and newspapers – print and electronic reference material – advertising and
promotional material – opinion-based material – student-generated material
• write purposeful information texts that express ideas and information to – explore and respond – record and describe – analyse and explain – persuade – engage
• view, both collaboratively and independently, to comprehend a variety of visual texts, such as – broadcast media – web sites – graphic novels – film and video –
photographs – art – visual components of print media – student-generated material
• write effective imaginative texts to explore ideas and information to – make connections and develop insights – explore literary forms and techniques –
experiment with language and style – engage and entertain

26. English 8
• create thoughtful representations that communicate ideas and information to – explore and respond – record and describe – explain and
persuade – engage
• independently select and read, for sustained periods of time, texts for enjoyment and to increase fluency
• before reading and viewing, select and use a range of strategies to anticipate content and construct meaning, including – interpreting a task –
setting a purpose – accessing prior knowledge – making logical predictions – generating guiding questions
• select and use a range of strategies to generate, develop, and organize ideas for writing and representing, including – making connections – setting
a purpose and considering audience – gathering and summarizing ideas from personal interest, knowledge, and inquiry – analysing writing
samples or models – setting class-generated criteria
• during reading and viewing, select and use a range of strategies to construct, monitor, and confirm meaning, including – predicting, questioning,
visualizing, and making connections – making inferences and drawing conclusions – differentiating main ideas and supporting details –
summarizing – using text features – determining the meaning of unknown words and phrases – self-monitoring and self-correcting
• select and use a range of drafting and composing strategies while writing and representing, including – using a variety of sources to collect ideas
and information – generating text – organizing ideas and information – analysing writing samples or models – creating and consulting criteria
• select and use a range of strategies to revise, edit, and publish writing and representing, including – checking work against established criteria –
enhancing supporting details and examples – refining specific aspects and features of text – proofreading
• after reading and viewing, select and use a range of strategies to extend and confirm meaning, including – responding to text – asking questions –
reviewing text and purpose for reading – making inferences and drawing conclusions – summarizing, synthesizing, and applying ideas
• explain and support personal responses to texts, by – making connections with prior knowledge and experiences – describing reactions and
emotions – generating thoughtful questions – developing opinions using evidence
• write and represent to explain and support personal responses to texts, by – making connections with prior knowledge and experiences –
describing reactions and emotions – generating thoughtful questions – developing opinions using evidence
• interpret and analyse ideas and information from texts, by – making and supporting judgments – examining and comparing ideas and elements
within and among texts – identifying points of view – identifying bias and contradictions
• write and represent to interpret and analyse ideas and information from texts, by – making and supporting judgments – examining and
comparing ideas and elements within and among texts – identifying points of view – identifying bias and contradictions
• write and represent to synthesize and extend thinking, by – personalizing ideas and information – explaining relationships among ideas and
information – applying new ideas and information – transforming existing ideas and information
• synthesize and extend thinking about texts, by – personalizing ideas and information – explaining relationships among ideas and information –
applying new ideas and information – transforming existing ideas and information
• use metacognitive strategies to reflect on and assess their reading and viewing, by – referring to criteria – setting goals for improvement – creating
a plan for achieving goals – evaluating progress and setting new goals
• use metacognitive strategies to reflect on and assess their writing and representing, by – relating their work to criteria – setting goals for
improvement – creating a plan for achieving goals – evaluating progress and setting new goals

27. English 8
• recognize and explain how structures and features of text shape readers’ and viewers’ construction of
meaning, including – form and genre – functions of text – literary elements – literary devices – use of
language – non-fiction elements – visual/artistic devices
• use and experiment with elements of style in writing and representing, appropriate to purpose and
audience, to enhance meaning and artistry, including – syntax and sentence fluency – diction – point of
view – literary devices – visual/artistic devices
• demonstrate increasing word skills and vocabulary knowledge, by – analysing the origins and roots of
words – determining meanings and uses of words based on context – using vocabulary appropriate to
audience and purpose
• use and experiment with elements of form in writing and representing, appropriate to purpose and
audience, to enhance meaning and artistry, including – organization of ideas and information – text
features and visual/artistic devices
• demonstrate an understanding of a variety of economic, social, and emotional issues and challenges that
may affect adults at different stages of life use conventions in writing and representing, appropriate to
purpose and audience, to enhance meaning and artistry, including – grammar and usage –
punctuation, capitalization, and Canadian spelling – copyright and citation of references –
presentation/layout

28. Now

29. Now
Project Learning
Integrated Science
in the use of technologies specific to
demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics
of living things
relate the main features and properties of cells
to their functions
explain the relationship between cells, tissues,
organs, and organ systems
explain the functioning of the immune system,
and the roles of the
demonstrate knowledge of the behaviour of
waves
explain the properties of visible light
compare visible light to other types of
electromagnetic radiation
explain how human vision works
explain the concept of force
describe the relationship between solids,
liquids, and
determine the density of various substances
describe how water and ice shape the
landscape
describe factors that affect productivity and
species

30. Now

31. Eye Spy – Integrated project
• explain how human vision works
• demonstrate safe procedures
• perform experiments using the scientific method
• represent and interpret information in graphic form
• demonstrate scientific literacy
• demonstrate ethical, responsible, cooperative behaviour
• demonstrate competence in the use of technologies specific to investigative procedures and research
• co-operatively plan and implement a course of action that addresses the problem,
• issue, or inquiry initially identified
• gather and organize a body of information from primary and secondary print and
• non-print sources, including electronic sources
• interpret and evaluate a variety of primary and secondary sources
• plan, revise, and deliver written and oral presentations
• demonstrate an understanding of ratio and rate
• solve problems that involve rates, ratios, and proportional reasoning
• demonstrate an understanding of multiplying and dividing positive fractions and mixed numbers,
concretely, pictorially, and symbolically
• demonstrate an understanding of multiplication and division of integers, concretely, pictorially, and
symbolically
• graph and analyse two-variable linear relations

32. Eye Spy – Integrated project
• interact and collaborate in pairs and groups to – support the learning of self and others – explore
experiences, ideas, and information – understand the perspectives of others – comprehend and respond
to a variety of texts – create a variety of texts
• before reading and viewing, select and use a range of strategies to anticipate content and construct
meaning, including – interpreting a task – setting a purpose – accessing prior knowledge – making
logical predictions – generating guiding questions
• view, both collaboratively and independently, to comprehend a variety of visual texts, such as –
broadcast media – web sites – graphic novels – film and video – photographs – art – visual components
of print media – student-generated material
• listen to comprehend, interpret, and evaluate ideas and information from a variety of texts, considering
– purpose – messages – tone – structure – effects and impact – bias
• express ideas and information in a variety of situations and forms to – explore and respond – recall and
describe – narrate and explain – persuade and support – engage and entertain
• write purposeful information texts that express ideas and information to – explore and respond – record
and describe – analyse and explain – persuade – engage
• create thoughtful representations that communicate ideas and information to – explore and respond –
record and describe – explain and persuade – engage

33. Northern Learning Centre
• Choice program
• Project based personalized learning with a focus on 21st Century skills
• Grade 8 & 9 students- to start - vertically (grades 10,11 & 12...)
• Applied learning where teachers & students pull out Prescribed
Learning Outcomes
• Digital world–reporting, PLOs and portfolios – meeting students in
their world
• All students needing a digital device. (laptop, net-book, tablet, or
smart phone)
• Approximately 1 to 25 ratio – hopefully a cohort of 50-100

34. Northern Learning Centre
8:45-9:00 Connect time
9:00–9:45 Physical activity or PE
9:45–10:00 Nutrition break
10:00–11:00 Direct instruction (class or seminar)
11:00–12:00 Direct instruction (class or seminar)
12:00 12:45 Lunch
12:45– 3:00 Project work
Other days more instruction – if needed

35. Northern Learning Centre
• What about electives?
– Goal is to hire teachers with that experience
– If not – plan to put students in electives
– Integrate electives with projects
• Gradual Release

36. Program Location

37. I am interested what next?
• Check out our website at krss.sd57.bc.ca
• See the NLC blog for more info
• Apply by Feb 3rd
• Wait to hear back on or before Feb 17th
• If accepted follow transfer process – we will
explain

38. Criteria
1. a completed application,
2. a laptop computer or other tablet like
device, (assistance is available to those
students that are unable to afford their
own)
3. Looking for best fit based on grade level,
interests, maturity, and their ability to show
interests.
The school will have a committee that will go
through the applications.

39. Questions

40. I am interested what next?
• Check out our website at krss.sd57.bc.ca
• See the NLC blog for more info
• Apply by Feb 3rd
• Wait to hear back on or before Feb 17th
• If accepted follow transfer process – we will
explain