The provincial government says the next three subjects in the new curriculum are ready to be rolled out across schools in Alberta this fall.
The province says all K-3 students will learn from new French First Language and Literature, French Immersion Language Arts and Literature and Science curriculums starting in September. The choice to add the new subjects to grades four through six will be at the discretion of individual school divisions.
Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says the new curriculum will provide students with essential knowledge and skills to better prepare students for the future.
“Curriculum renewal is essential to help prepare our students for a rapidly changing labour market, which is placing an ever-increasing premium on adaptability and transferable skills,” she says.
“To ensure successful implementation, we are making significant investments to provide teachers with the resources they need to support students in transitioning to the new curriculum.”
Some of the specific changes in French First Language and Literature will see additional content taught; including spelling rules and specifying which types of texts are studied in each grade.
Science content will, according to the province, promote an understanding of agricultural practices in Alberta and align with previously implemented subjects. In the new K-6 Science curriculum, for example, students in Grade 3 will examine how layers of Earth’s surface, including the discovery and location of dinosaur fossils, hold information about the past.
In Grade 6, students will examine abstractions, coding structures and the impact of computers and technology.