b'COVER STORYOSSGA spearheads anew educationalprogram that gives Grade4 students aunique hands-on perspective onaggregateK ids like rocks. They like to hold them,of That was the experience of 230 Grade4School programs have to respond to the touch them, trace the lines and feelstudentswhowerepartofthepilottestOntario Ministry of Education curriculum the edges. They like to look closelyOSSGAscurriculum-basededucationthat is laid out for all teachers of every grade. at the colours, patterns and crystals. Rocksprogram Rocks N Our World.Nothing is taught unless it is a curriculum tell a magical story of millions of years ago.ThisneweducationresourcereceivedexpectationsetoutbytheMinistry.The Evenmoremagicaliswatchingkidsarousingthumbs-upfrompilottestchallengeistomatchthecontentofa discoverthestoriesfoundinrocks.Theyteachers in communities as wide-ranging asprogramwiththeexistingcurriculum.In aresofascinated,soengaged,whentheySt.Marys, Aberfoyle, Brampton and Ottawa.OSSGAs case, CGC had to find the right runtheirfingersoverthescalyshellsofAlloftheteachersgavetheprogramanconnection, one where students learn about environmentaltrade-offsandthegrowing 450-million-year-old fossilized sea scorpionsexcellentrating.Ireallyappreciateddemand for stone, sand and gravel.calledeurypterids.Orwhentheyidentifythat everything was gathered in one place,Rocks and Minerals is a science unit for the light and dark bands of the billion-year- with valuable information, video links andGrade4,buttomaketheprogrammore old gneiss that forms the Canadian Shieldfantasticactivities,wroteoneteacherinnovel and create time for it in the school day,a mountain range that once rivalled thethe post-pilot evaluation. CGC combined it with other aspects of the Himalayas and is now the ancient geologicalThenewprogrambeganwithOSSGAcurriculum. Fortunately, there was a perfect core of North America. They cant believeasking CGC Educational Communicationsfitbetweenscience,socialstudiesand its real. It cant be real, can it?award-winning developers of educationalmath at that grade level, with each subject It is awe-inspiring to discover somethingcommunicationsto tackle the challengecomplementing the other. new. To time travel. To see our world in aof creating a new approach to the RocksThe developers combination of science new way.and Minerals curriculum for Grade 4. andsocialstudiesexpectationsconnected 8 AVENUESFALL 2019'