In 2018 the Ontario Social Studies Curriculum was revised, but do you know the reasons behind this revision? Check out this blog post to learn why Strand A: Heritage and Identity was the focus of the revision, and why some grade levels had no changes made to the Ontario Social Studies Curriculum at all! Find out what role the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Residential Schools played in the revised curriculum.
1. The Curriculum was Revised as a Direct Response to the 2015 Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Recommendations
In 2015, the TRC published 94 “Calls to Action“, after spending six years hearing from more than 6500 witnesses concerning the residential school system. The Ontario Ministry of Education revised the curriculum in 2018 to include the recommendations of the TRC, so that students now learn about treaty issues, residential schools, and the contributions of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples to our country.
Call to Action 62: Make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for Kindergarten to Grade Twelve students
2. Not All Grades were Revised
The Ontario Ministry of Education only made changes to the curriculum expectations for Grades 4 to 10. Grades 1 to 3 remained the same as they had been in the 2013 curriculum. Any resources you may have had for those primary grades are still relevant!!
As Strand B: People and Environment for Grades 4-6 were not affected by the 2018 revisions, teachers can continue to use resources they had in place for the 2013 curriculum for that strand.