English language arts learning develops over time and in different situations. Grade 7 is part of the grade band that begins in Grade 6 and ends in Grade 8.

Grade 7 children use language to investigate topics, issues, and questions based on their interests and life experiences, literature, and other curriculum areas. They use words, pictures, and their own experiences to understand different kinds of texts such as art, books, objects, websites, the land, and oral stories. They talk with others to develop clear points of view and use many strategies to understand what they read, hear, and view. They evaluate their own and others’ points of view to understand issues and conflicts. They think about their language learning, and identify what they do well and where they need to improve, and then take steps to work on those areas.

Grade 7 students add and subtract fractions and integers. They use objects, pictures, numbers and variables to solve equations. They describe number patterns using tables, graphs, expressions, equations and words. They also learn about circles, line segments and angles and solve problems involving area. Students experiment with slides, rotations and reflections of shapes, and express these movements with mathematics. As in previous grades, students continue to connect numbers and shapes to their everyday lives.

Grade 7 children investigate how organisms interact with their environment and how human activities affect natural ecosystems. They explore the nature of science by examining how scientific theories develop and are changed as new evidence is made available. Learning about different natural and human-built structures and the forces that act on them are explored in Grade 7, providing a closer look at the designed and constructed world. Students also learn about the Earth’s geology. This includes investigating and examining the evidence for the theory of Plate Tectonics which guides their understanding of how rocks and minerals are formed and how humans explore for and use geological resources.

People and Places in the World

Grade 7 students study world geography and learn about environmental, social, and cultural factors that affect ways of life in today’s world. They study three communities: an Indigenous community outside of Canada; a community in Africa, Asia, or Australasia; and, one community from Europe or the Americas. Students focus on questions about culture, quality of life, international co-operation, and the responsibilities and rights of global citizenship.

Grade 7 children learn about how exercises affect muscle development. They participate in various physical activities and learn to understand rules, codes of behaviour, skills and techniques. They develop an understanding of dangerous situations at school, in the home and on the Internet and learn ways to find help. Other areas of focus in Grade 7 include making healthy decisions about relationships, substance use or abuse, and responsible sexual behavior.

Grade 7 children express themselves creatively and acquire and improve skills and language in one or more of the arts. They answer the questions “who”, “where”, “when”, and “why” about the arts. They think about the roles, the purposes, the meanings, the influence and impact of the arts in their own lives, in their communities, and around the world. Children learn to think critically and talk about their experiences with learning the arts.

Grade 7 students take part in making music, understanding music in context, creative expression in music, and valuing musical experience.

English language arts learning develops over time and in different situations. Grade 8 is part of the grade band that begins in Grade 6 and ends in Grade 8.

Grade 8 children use language to investigate topics, issues, and questions based on their interests and life experiences, literature, and other curriculum areas. They use words, pictures, and their own experiences to understand different kinds of texts such as art, books, objects, websites, the land, and oral stories. They talk with others to develop clear points of view and use many strategies to understand what they read, hear, and view. They evaluate their own and others’ points of view to understand issues and conflicts. They think about their language learning, and identify what they do well and where they need to improve, and then take steps to work on those areas.

Grade 8 students solve a variety of mathematical problems involving elements such as surface area, volume, the Pythagorean theorem, percents, ratios, and rates. They multiply and divide fractions and integers and are introduced to square roots. They also create, graph and use algebraic equations in order to solve problems.

Grade 8 children investigate living things by studying cells and systems in organisms. They learn more about how light is produced and how it is transmitted and detected. They investigate the properties of fluids and apply their understanding by designing and constructing a working model that uses hydraulic (fluid) or pneumatic (gas) principles. In Grade 8, children learn about the properties of water and investigate bodies of water and the important fresh and salt water systems in the world.

World History: Societies of the Past

Grade 8 students explore world civilizations of the past up to the 19th Century. They study early hunter-gatherer societies, ancient societies, and the influences that have shaped the modern world. They explore the interactions of cultures and consider the enduring influence of the past on the present.

Grade 8 children learn about personal fitness planning and the effects of exercise. They learn rules, codes of behaviour, skills and techniques and use movement skills in a variety of physical activities. They develop an understanding of laws and policies for safe communities and basic first aid procedures. In Grade 8 children develop personal plans for active and healthy living.

Grade 8 children express themselves creatively and acquire and improve skills and language in one or more of the arts. They answer the questions “who”, “where”, “when”, and “why” about the arts. They think about the roles, the purposes, the meanings, the influence and impact of the arts in their own lives, in their communities, and around the world. Children learn to think critically and talk about their experiences with learning the arts.

Grade 8 students take part in making music, understanding music in context, creative expression in music, and valuing musical experience.