Let’s Talk Science partnering with the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District

Let’s Talk Science is building on significant support from Hibernia Management and Development Company Ltd. as well as past success by partnering with the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District to support the implementation of the province’s renewed Grade 2 and 4 science curriculum. The partnership has the wholehearted support of the NL Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Let’s Talk Science has developed customized professional learning workshops to support the province-wide implementation. Approximately 650 Grades 2 and 4 educators in 170 schools have already participated in the sessions, which are available in French and English. The workshops are designed to build educators’ confidence and proficiency in planning and assessing a student-centred, inquiry-based curriculum-aligned program by challenging current thinking and discussing best practices for developing students’ inquiry, problem solving and 21st century critical thinking skills. Last year, Let’s Talk Science supported the implementation of the Grade 1 renewed science curriculum, reaching 316 Grade 1 educators in 165 schools across NL.

Participating teachers were also provided with a starter package of peat pellets and information on registering for Let’s Talk Science’s TomatosphereTM program. Participating teachers will begin planting and conducting inquiries with their students in the spring. Response to the sessions has been overwhelmingly positive. “Not only was the session a wealth of information, but the presentation was fun, interactive and engaging – a must for any lover of STEM and learning,” said Roger Matthews of the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District, Western Region.

NL’s renewed curriculum is a skills-based program that aligns very well with Let’s Talk Science’s focus on inquiry-based learning. Let’s Talk Science’s role in the implementation for both Grade 2 and 4 was to provide hands-on/minds-on explorations and design and builds that directly linked to the renewed curriculum. Let’s Talk Science relied heavily on resources from its IdeaPark/Sentier d’idées program for the Grade 2 sessions which also supported French Immersion teachers from the district.

Let’s Talk Science is also working with NL’s francophone board the CSFP (Conseil scolaire francophone provincial de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador) in support of the Grade 1 implementation last year and the Grades 2 and 4 implementations this year.

Thanks to the continued financial support provided by Hibernia, Let’s Talk Science programs are now accessed by all elementary and secondary schools in the province. Hibernia’s multi-year support of Let’s Talk Science has positively impacted access to meaningful learning opportunities by the province’s youth with the goal of inspiring and developing the next generation of creative, critical thinkers!