Teaching the Ontario Language Curriculum Strand C

Students learning the Ontario Language Curriculum Strand C will begin examining ways to understand the texts they are studying (reading), supported by the fundamentals they have learned in previous strands.

They will bring together what they know and add to these learnings to be able to cast a critical eye on texts, examining things such as perspective, bias, literary devices, and more.

What Skills Does This Strand Cover?

The Ontario Language Curriculum Strand C will help students examine various components of texts, such as point of view, to deepen their understanding of what is being shared.

They will also look at texts from First Nations, Métis and Inuit creators, and examine the influence of cultural experiences, and/or socio-political conditions, historical periods and events on those texts.

Students will also be challenged to connect the various texts they are reading to prior knowledge and lived experiences and to support the points they are making about texts with evidence.

These lessons will help form a basis for students to think critically about what they are reading, as well as show them how they can engage with texts to think more deeply about them to enhance their comprehension.

Strand C Covers:

Using Foundational Knowledge and Skills to Comprehend Texts
Text Forms and Genres
Text Patterns and Features
Visual Elements of Texts
Elements of Style
Point of View
Indigenous Context of Various Text Forms
Prereading: Activating Prior Knowledge
Prereading: Identifying the Purpose for Reading, Listening, and Viewing
Monitoring of Understanding: Making and Confirming Predictions
Monitoring of Understanding: Ongoing Comprehension Check
Monitoring of Understanding: Making Connections
Summarizing: Identifying Relevant Information and Drawing Conclusions
Reflecting on Learning
Literary Devices
Making Inferences
Analyzing Texts
Analyzing Cultural Elements of Texts
Perspectives within Texts
Analysis and Response
Indigenous Contexts
Reflecting on Learning

Why Are These Skills Important?

In grades 7 and 8, students need to be exercising their critical thinking skills, rather than simply learning the basics and memorizing how they can be used.

This includes:

Analyzing specific textual elements to see how they can shape and influence meaning
Considering literacy devices such as perspective and how that impacts a text
Examining how texts connect to lived experiences and the wider community and world
Identifying literary devices to more deeply understand texts
Learning about interpreting and engaging with texts as they identify the literary devices being used and the themes being conveyed

These are crucial skills for students to develop as they engage with not only academic texts, but also with texts and materials in the world. The critical thinking skills they learn are transferable to daily life and can be of assistance when students engage with:

Social media content in various forms
Academic material
Media in its various forms (e.g., legacy, digital, social feed)
Information and texts around work or part-time jobs

The ability to examine a text and provide evidence supporting what it is trying to convey, and the techniques that it uses to achieve this, can create a strong basis for further independent thinking.

Lesson Ideas For Grade 7 and 8 Ontario Language Curriculum Strand C

Help your students engage in critical thinking using examples, texts and content that they can relate to and connect with.

These 2 Peas and a Dog lessons will save you prep time and provide you with fantastic resources to help ensure that Ontario Language Curriculum Strand C is covered in your classroom in a way your students are sure to enjoy.

C1.1 Using Foundational Knowledge and Skills to Comprehend Texts: Use general knowledge to read and understand various texts.

C1.2 Text Forms and Genres: Learn about genres and text forms, including cultural text forms, and convey how they add to meaning

C1.3 Text Patterns and Features: Understand the features of different forms (e.g., a drop-down menu, sub-head), including in cultural texts, and how they help convey meaning

C1.4 Visual Elements of Texts: Analyze how visuals add meaning to texts.

Graphic Novel Book Report

Graphic Novel Book Report

C1.5 Elements of Style: Understand how style elements, such as word patterns and voice, help create meaning in genre and form.

Have students locate the current area of grammar study in the texts used in class

C1.6 Point of View: Analyze different points of view and communicate how each can change a story.

C1.7 Indigenous Context of Various Text Forms: View, listen and read texts by diverse Inuit, First Nations, and Métis creators.

Middle School Books by Indigenous Authors
Young Adult Books By Indigenous Authors
Fantastic Orange Shirt Day Resources For Middle School Teachers
For more resources, check with your school district’s Indigenous Education Department for literature recommendations.

C2.1 Prereading: Activating Prior Knowledge: Use personal experience and prior knowledge to help understand new texts and make connections.

C2.2 Prereading: Identifying the Purpose for Reading, Listening, and Viewing: Identify purposes for engaging with texts, select some from diverse creators and explain how they reflect those purposes.

C2.3 Monitoring of Understanding: Making and Confirming Predictions: Students will make predictions based on text information and their general knowledge, then use questioning to see if those predictions were right or if they need to adjust their understanding.

C2.4 Monitoring of Understanding: Ongoing Comprehension Check: Confirm and monitor understanding with strategies such as asking questions and consulting references.

C2.5 Monitoring of Understanding: Making Connections: Explain how textual ideas connect to students’ lived experiences, the world around them and ideas in other texts.

C2.6 Summarizing: Identifying Relevant Information and Drawing Conclusions: Be able to summarize the main idea of a text, along with supporting details, and make supported conclusions.

31 Non-Fiction Articles (many from this category)
Middle School Informational Text Graphic Organizers
Non-Fiction Graphic Organizers

C2.7 Reflecting on Learning: Students will compare and explain how strategies such as making predictions and visualizing have helped them understand various texts. They will also set goals for increased comprehension.

C3.1 Literary Devices: Students will explain literary devices, including hyperbole and idioms, in various texts and convey how they are appropriate for the work’s audience and purpose and add to the meaning.

C3.2 Making Inferences: Students will make inferences that are global and local by using implicit and explicit evidence to develop understanding about texts.

C3.3 Analyzing Texts: Analyze a variety of texts, including informational texts, though noting supporting ideas, information quality, and main ideas, as well as their relevance for a specified purpose. Students will also need to draw conclusions.

C3.4 Analyzing Cultural Elements of Texts: Students will analyze cultural elements in various texts, including rituals, art, and ceremonies, by looking at the meaning of these elements, making connections to culture and their lived experiences and sharing their thoughts with others.

C3.5 Perspectives within Texts: Examine perspectives in texts and look at evidence that could mean there is bias, as well as ways to avoid that bias.

C3.6 Analysis and Response: Explain how topics such as accessibility, inclusion and diversity are conveyed and examine the messages that are communicated and identify positions that are presented.

31 Non-Fiction Articles (many from this category)
7th Grade Poetry Unit
8th Grade Poetry Unit
Grade 7 Short Story Unit
Grade 8 Short Story Unit
Novel Study Activities for Any Novel Unit

C3.7 Indigenous Contexts: Examine the influence of cultural experiences, and/or socio-political conditions, historical periods and events on texts created by Inuit, Métis and First Nations individuals, groups, nations, or communities. Look at how they connect to current lived experiences.

Middle School Books by Indigenous Authors
Young Adult Books By Indigenous Authors
Fantastic Orange Shirt Day Resources For Middle School Teachers
Use articles from this website for your Article of the Week program
For more resources, check with your school district’s Indigenous Education Department for literature recommendations.

C3.8 Reflecting on Learning: Examine various critical thinking skills used to evaluate texts and identify the ones that best support understanding, while explaining why they helped.

Have students complete reflection journal entries after major assignments and/or lessons

Looking for Full Year No-Prep Lessons? Try These Bundles

Each Full Year Bundle Includes:

100+ resources: An extensive collection of materials to support your teaching journey throughout the year.
Print & Digital Formats: Flexibility is key! Choose between physical copies or digital resources based on your classroom needs.
Detailed Lesson Plans: Clear and concise plans that take the guesswork out of teaching. Save time and focus on what matters most to you.
Assessment Rubrics: Assess student progress with ease using our comprehensive rubrics, ensuring fair evaluation and effective feedback.
Student Choice: Foster a love for learning by providing students with a range of options and activities that cater to their unique interests and learning styles.
Differentiated Tasks: Accommodate diverse learners and create an inclusive classroom environment with tasks that challenge and inspire every student.
Monthly Teaching Plan (& Bonus Weekly Plans): Stay organized and stay ahead with structured plans.

Teaching the Ontario Language Curriculum Strand C

What Skills Does This Strand Cover?

Why Are These Skills Important?

Lesson Ideas For Grade 7 and 8 Ontario Language Curriculum Strand C

Looking for Full Year No-Prep Lessons? Try These Bundles

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