Ontario provides additional learning materials for students and teachers

#Ontario; #Education; #AdditionalMaterialsDeveloped; #Covid19Pandemic

Ottawa, Jun 18 (Canadian-Media): Additional educational content is being provided by the government of Ontario in partnership with Science North and the Ontario Science Centre for students and teachers during the school closures resulting from COVID-19, media reports said on June 15.

Stephen Lecce. Image credit: Twitter handle

A funding of up to $1.5 million for the creation of  made-in-Ontario videos and resources to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) learning is being provided by Ontario will  help students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

"Through our partnership with Science North and the Ontario Science Centre we will create new resources focusing on STEM skills that will help our students continue to prepare for the jobs of the future," said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education in a news release.

We’re investing in #STEM education to keep students inspired in learning through summer. □□‍□ □@ONeducation is proud to partner w/ @ScienceNorth & @OntScienceCtr to deliver powerful educational content for students.

Thanks to @GregRickford @MacLeodLisa for the strong support! pic.twitter.com/be5ekn6l3d

— Stephen Lecce (@Sflecce) June 13, 2020

Resources for elementary school teachers and students would be created by Science North  while the Ontario Science Centre will develop materials for secondary school teachers and students.

All resources will be accessible and available in both English and French and will include: Professional development videos for educators; Virtual and at-home hands-on STEM activities for students; Activities and student worksheets which can be printed and distributed through school boards

"Science North and the Ontario Science Centre have been welcoming Ontario's young learners to the wonderful world of science for decades...I'm proud that these new online resources will support students with the high-quality, accessible content they need to continue learning at home during this unprecedented time said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries in a news release of June 15.  

"Science North is a tremendous educational resource in Northern Ontario, home to some of our brightest and boldest thinkers and we thank Science North for their ongoing commitment to inspire creativity and learning across the north." said Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, Minister of Indigenous Affairs. 

Resources can be accessed online at Science North and the Ontario Science Centre websites, with additional material being released weekly. Activities will use everyday objects and supplies so students can participate easily at home.

Guy Labine, CEO, Science North said that these online workshops and resources will support teachers in delivering inquiry-based lessons for elementary students through at-home learning. These are unprecedented times and we all share these challenges, united in our goal of supporting continued learning in Ontario. We applaud the Ministry of Education for their support."

"At the Ontario Science Centre, our mission is always to inspire discovery, encourage curiosity, and instill a love of learning," said Paul Kortenaar, CEO of the Ontario Science Centre. "We are pleased to partner with the Ministry of Education to provide these curriculum-based resources, which are a continuation of the experience we give teachers and students on field trips to the Centre."