Big Ideas
Big Ideas
Language and text
Text and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication:
can be a source of creativity and joy.
- 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).
Exploring stories
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.
and other textsText and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication:
helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world.
- 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).
Texts
Text and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication:
can be understood from different perspectives.
- 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).
Using language in creative and playful ways helps
us understand how language works.
us understand how language works.
Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
Content
Learning Standards
Content
Story/text
- formssuch as narrative, exposition, report, functionspurposes of text, and genresliterary or thematic categories such as fantasy, humour, adventure, biographyof textText 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).
- text featureshow text and visuals are displayed
- literary elementsnarrative structures and characterization
- literary devicessensory detail (e.g., imagery) and figurative language (e.g., metaphor, simile)
- perspective/point of view
Strategies and processes
- reading strategiesusing contextual clues; using phonics and word structure; visualizing; questioning; predicting; previewing text; summarizing; making inferences
- oral language strategiesfocusing on the speaker, asking questions to clarify, listening for specifics, expressing opinions, speaking with expression, staying on topic, taking turns
- metacognitive strategiestalking 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
- writing processesmay include revising, editing, considering audience
Language features, structures, and conventions
- features of oral languageincluding tone, volume, inflection, pace, gestures
- paragraphingdevelopment of paragraphs that have a topic sentence and supporting details
- sentence structure and grammarparts of speech; past, present, and future tenses; subject-verb agreement
- conventionscommon practices in punctuation (e.g., uses of the comma, quotation marks for dialogue, uses of the apostrophe in contractions); in capitalization in titles, headings, and subheadings; and in Canadian spelling
Curricular Competency
Learning Standards
Curricular Competency
Comprehend and connect (reading, listening, viewing)
Access information and ideas from a variety of sources and from prior knowledge
personal stories and experiences
to build understanding
Use a variety of comprehension strategies
may include activating prior knowledge, making predictions, setting a purpose, making connections, asking questions, previewing written text, making inferences, drawing conclusions, using context clues.
before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing to guide inquiry and deepen understanding of textText 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).
Synthesize ideas from a variety of sources to build understanding
Consider different purposes, audiences, and perspectives in exploring texts
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).
Apply a variety of thinking skills
may include exploring new ideas; determining the relative importance of ideas and information; considering alternative viewpoints; developing explanations; making and explaining connections; summarizing, analyzing, and synthesizing
to gain meaning from textsText 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).
Identify how differences in context, perspectives, and voice influence meaning in texts
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).
Explain the role of language in personal, social, and cultural identity
Use personal experience and knowledge to connect to text and develop understanding of self, community, and world
Respond to text in personal and creative ways
beginning to question the author’s viewpoint and intent; stating opinions with supporting reasons and explanations; using a variety of methods to respond (e.g., in writing, orally, and through drama)
Recognize how literary elements, techniques, and devices enhance meaning
explaining how literary devices contribute to meaning (e.g., sound devices, figurative language)
in textsText 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).
Show an increasing understanding of the role of organization
in texts, the use of paragraphing, chronological order, and order of importance
in meaning
Demonstrate awareness of the oral tradition in First Peoples cultures
the means by which culture is transmitted over generations other than through written records
and the purposes of First Peoples texts- Among First Peoples, oral tradition may consist of told stories, songs, and other types of distilled wisdom or information, often complemented by dance or various forms of visual representation, such as carvings or masks.
- In addition to expressing spiritual and emotional truth (e.g., by symbol and metaphor), it provides a record of literal truth (e.g., about events and situations).
- The oral tradition was once integrated into every facet of life of First Peoples and was the basis of the education system.
including to teach life lessons and skills, to convey individual and community responsibilities, to share family and community histories, to explain the natural world, to record history, to map the geography of an area
Identify how story in First Peoples cultures connects people to land
First Peoples stories were created to explain the landscape, the seasons, and local events.
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing)
Exchange ideas and perspectives
identifying opinions and viewpoints, asking clarifying questions, collaborating in large- and small-group activities, building on others’ ideas, disagreeing respectfully
to build shared understanding
Use writing and design processes
planning, drafting, and editing compositions in a range of forms (e.g., opinion pieces, poetry, short stories, narrative, slams, spoken word, story boards and comic strips, masks, multimedia and multimodal forms)
to plan, develop, and create textsText and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication:
for a variety of purposes and audiences
- 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).
Use language in creative and playful ways
may include taking risks in trying out new word choices and formats; playing with words, structures, and ideas
to develop style
Communicate in writing
using legible handwriting or a keyboard to convey texts
using paragraphs and applying conventions of Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Develop and apply expanding word knowledge
morphology, including roots, affixes, and suffixes
Use oral storytelling processes
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
Transform ideas and information to create original texts