Planning for Prescribed Curricula
During my probationary contract at St. Maria Goretti School for the 2009 - 2010 school year I was placed in a Grade 4 classroom. Through the school year I was able to become familiar with the Grade 4 curriculum and plan lessons and units collaboratively with my grade partner to achieve curricular outcomes. Long Range, Short Term and daily planning are linked to General and Specific Learner Expectations from the Program of Studies and developed a reasoned and incremental progression towards desired result. Lessons and planning, upon reflection, were modified to better achieve curricular understanding with an awareness of student needs and abilities.
As an educator my lessons strive to foster interactive engagement, so students experience meaningful learning and intellectual development which promotes student learning and critical thinking skills. Through the use of inquiry based learning, I was able to act as a facilitator of learning, rather than simply teaching information. As the teacher I was there as a guide, to set up learning experiences for students to ask questions, work collaboratively and become engaged in shaping their own learning. Through the use of various technologies I was able to expand my classroom beyond the ‘four walls’ to develop concepts that were important and interesting to my students and incorporate their funds of knowledge into my classroom and lessons. Students were encouraged to use technology to find information and with that information, the ability extract and synthesize it to formulate new meaning.
I have had the opportunity to develop various unit plans for the grade 3/4/5 level. Lesson plans and unit plans are directly correlated with the program of studies and are engaging and interesting for students.
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TIPI’S
After attending a district PD session: Integrating Social Studies and Art, I 
was able to adapt and modify a project on Tipi Building project to depict the First Nation’s way of life in Alberta.
Students were presented with the rubric prior to completing their tipi project and used resources found in the library and on the internet to help guide their design. A note was also sent home to assist with gathering materials for completing this project.
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SCIENCE RACECAR
During our Building Devices and Vehicles that Move Unit in Science, students had an opportunity to construct a race car. This was a home project that enabled students to apply the principles learned in the Wheels and Levers Unit and information learned in the Building Devices and Vehicles that Move unit. Students received some basic guidelines for constructing his / her machine, but 
were able to make adjustments if they choose as long as the principles of the basic design are followed. There was also a written component which was completed on the sheets provided and then transferred into a poster format. Each
Friday a “progress sheet” was sent home to be filled out, signed and returned on Monday. This allowed the project to focus on the process rather than the finishing product.
At the end of the project we had a “RACE DAY” to showcase our race cars and to explain the type of energy we used, the best part in making the car, and what we would change for next time.
Students were encouraged to make their racecar out of recycled materials. After learning about building racecar’s, students were given an open ended assignment and 3 weeks to work on constructing their machine.
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PHYS. ED. LONG RANGE PLANS
As the physical education and health curriculum coordinator, I developed and implemented a school wide long-range plan that enabled teachers to meet the 4 outcomes of the program of studies and encouraged students to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to lead an active, healthy lifestyle.
With all teachers working on the same unit in Phys. Ed., it allowed the equipment to stay set up for a prolonged period of time, provided guidance for teacher’s, and allowed students to:
- acquire skills through a variety of developmentally appropriate movement activities; dance, games, types of gymnastics, individual activities and activities in an alternative environment; e.g., aquatics and outdoor pursuits
- understand, experience and appreciate the health benefits that result from physical activity
- interact positively with others
- assume responsibility to lead an active way of life.
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