Updated 3-6 English Language Arts

Additional Resources and updates over the summer of 2025

• Grade 3 Teacher's Guide
• Grade 4 Teacher's Guide
• Grade 5 Teacher's Guide 
• Grade 6 Teacher's Guide 

P-2 English Language Arts

• Crosswalk Document
• FAQ
• Primary Teacher's Guide / At a Glance
• Grade 1 Teacher's Guide / At a Glance
• Grade 2 Teacher's Guide / At a Glance
• P-2 Literacy Instruction Toolkit
• Updated P-2 Language Arts Curriculum and Resources

Essential Reading

• Six Pillars of Effective Reading Instruction
• Instructional Guidelines to Support the Six Pillars of Effective Reading Instruction
• Essential Skills for Readers in Primary
• Essential Skills for Readers in Grade One
• Essential Skills for Readers in Grade Two
• Progression of Essential Reading Skills P-2 

Effective Literacy Practices in All Subjects

• Effective Literacy Practices in All Subjects

Literacy Website

• Literacy Resources Website

Online Resources

• Supporting Learning in Mathematics P-12 provides tips and suggestions for teachers
• Nova Scotia Homework Hub for Math is an online resource for students
  • (Grades 4-6 Poster)
  • (Grades 7-12 Poster) 
• Incorporating Financial Literacy in Mathematics 9 (français) The Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has developed resources to support teachers as they engage with Financial Literacy concepts in relation to Mathematics 9 curriculum outcomes.
• Measure Up with Math Grade 6 Measuring Experiences

Video Resources

• Learning Mathematics in Nova Scotia Youtube provides educators throughout the province videos that support equitable teaching and learning of Mathematics in Nova Scotia

Career Pathways

• Community-Based Learning Website Community-based learning gives students the opportunity to learn both inside the classroom and out in the community.
• Now’s the time to try! Explore a variety of options for students to engage in skilled trades and related learning.
• Career Education Resources and links for Career Pathways courses and programs including Options and Opportunities, Community- Based Learning, Co-operative Education, and NS High Skills Major.
• Career Pathways Overview is a snapshot of high school courses and programs offered through Career Pathways.

Science Safety

• Acceptable Chemicals for Nova Scotia School Laboratories (francais)
• Laboratory Micro Burner Safety (francais)

Pasco Greenhouse Sensor Kits

• Investigating Climate Change Using a Pasco Greenhouse
• Learning Experiences
• Greenhouse Assembly Guide for Climate Change Investigation

Agriculture in the Classroom – Chick Hatch Program

The Department of Agriculture’s - Agriculture in the Classroom program and Chief Veterinary Officer have developed a short training program on biosecurity and handling procedures for teachers planning a chick hatch in their classroom. 

• Information on The Chick Hatching Program

Earth Day – It’s not a day, it’s a movement!

Earth Day is the largest global environmental movement celebrated every April 22nd! Beginning in 1970, Earth Day provides the opportunity for individuals to unite in actions to advance sustainability and climate action, bringing awareness to environmental issues and advocating for creative and innovative solutions. To find additional resources on Earth Day check out the following links!

o find additional resources on Earth Day 2025 – Our Power, Our Planet, check out the following links!

• Let’s Talk Science
• Learning for a Sustainable Future
• Discovery Centre – Discover Our Climate
• Earth Day Canada

Heritage Day 2025

Madeline Nora Bernard (1935–2007) was a Mi’kmaq leader and advocate from Mi’kma’ki whose unwavering dedication to truth and justice changed the course of history. A survivor of the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School, she became a powerful voice for residential school survivors, leading efforts that resulted in the largest class-action lawsuit in Canadian history.

• Madeline Nora Bernard: A Legacy of Resistance and Resilience (francais)
• Grade 8 Teacher Support Doc Heritage Day 2025: Nora Bernard (francais)

Heritage Day 2024

William Hall was a trailblazer. 2024 marks the 165th anniversary of Hall being awarded the Victoria Cross, the military’s highest decoration for valour.

• Grades 5 and 6 Teacher Support Document Heritage Day 2024 (francais)
• Grades 7 Teacher Support Document Heritage Day 2024  (francais)
• Grade 11 Learning Experience Heritage Day 2024 (francais)

Gaelic Culture and Heritage: Teacher Resource Site

• This eLearning course is designed to be a resource for teachers as they engage students in learning about Gaelic Culture and Heritage.

Physically Activity Framework Resource 

• Physically Activity Framework Resource Page you will find links to resources and documents to support your school as you implement the Physical Activity Framework. 

Sexual Health

• Sexual Health Education in Nova Scotia Schools - A Resource For Teachers
• Sexual Health Education

From the Ground Up

A health promotion and harm reduction curriculum resource to address youth substance use, gaming, and gambling.

• Health Education Grade 6
• Health Education Grade 7
• Health Education Grade 8
• Health Education Grade 9
• Reliable Resources for Information on Youth Substance Use, Mental Health, Gaming, and Gambling

Gender-Based Violence Resources

• Gender-based Violence Collection Moodle (GNSPES password required)
• Gender-Based Violence Teaching Network - GBV Toolkit
• Educator Guide: Gender-Based Violence Prevention within School-Based Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (SIECCAN)
• Un guide à l’intention des personnes enseignantes : La prévention de la violence fondée sur le genre dans l’éducation complète à la santé sexuelle en milieu scolaire (SIECCAN)
• Grade 5-9 Connect with Respect (UNGEI)
• Coercive Control Tipsheet (Prevnet)
• Creating Circles: A Handbook On Art-Making With Young People To Address Gender-based Violence

Comprehensive Sexual Health Education

• Benchmarks for Comprehensive Sexual Health Education in Canada (SIECCAN)
• Points de repère pour une éducation complète à la santé sexuelle au Canada (SIECCAN)

Personal Safety

• Use, Understand & Engage: A Digital Media Literacy Framework for Canadian Schools (Media Smarts)
• Utiliser, comprendre et mobiliser : Un cadre de littératie média numérique pour les écoles canadiennes (Media Smarts)
• Digital Library Access to Kids in the Know: A personal safety program Curriculum Resources Primary-12 (GNSPES password required - Accessible via C3P Icon)

Arts Education Challenge for Credit

• Teacher Handbook
• Student Handbook

Artist in the Schools

• Artist in the Schools (Francais)

IB Diploma Programme Information

• Nova Scotia International Baccalaureate Program Information

Advanced Placement

• An Introduction to Advanced Placement ® Courses

Pre-Primary Resources

• Pre-Primary Resources

Integrated ICT Outcomes for P-8

• Introduction to Digital Literacy Outcomes
• ICT and Coding P-3 (francais)
• ICT and Coding 4-6 (francais)
• ICT and Coding 7-8 (francais)

New Curriculum

The following courses have new or updated curriculum documents for the 2024-2025 year:

P-2 English Language Arts

• Crosswalk Document
• FAQ
• Primary Teacher's Guide / At a Glance
• Grade 1 Teacher's Guide / At a Glance
• Grade 2 Teacher's Guide / At a Glance
• Updated P-2 Language Arts Resources

Français arts langagiers

English Curriculum Pilot

• Language and Literature 10 (Pre-IB) 
• Contemporary Canadian Studies 11
• Life 11  
• Global Sustainable Solutions 12 
• Netukulimk 12

Français langue seconde Pilot

Assessment and Instruction

These documents are intended to support teacher planning for assessment, instruction, feedback, and communication of student learning.

• Assessment Instruction and Feedback for Learning
• Professional Judgment and Evidence of Learning
• Grading Principles Progression Chart
• Achievement Levels: Detailed Descriptors

Assessment Policy

Student assessment and evaluation are core components of Nova Scotia’s public education system.

• Assessment Policy 
• Classroom Assessment Due Date and Extension Procedures

Teaching Difficult History: A Guide for Teachers

• Teaching Difficult History: A Guide for Teachers P-6
• Teaching Difficult History: A Guide for Teachers 7-12

Teaching Sensitive Subject Matter

• Teaching Sensitive Subject Matter

Teaching Controversial Texts

• Teaching Controversial Texts

Mass Casualty Report Recommendations:  Nova Scotia Curricula and Resources

• Mass Casualty Report Recommendations:  Nova Scotia Curricula and Resources

Inclusive Education

• Inclusive Education provides information on provincial and regional/CSAP supports for the professional learning (January 2021 sessions).

Provincial Directive on Cell Phone Use

• Provincial Directive on Cell Phone Use in Schools Policy (francais)
• Start Up Guide for Cell Phone Directive Implementation (français)(GNSPES Password Required)
• Frequently Asked Questions for Cell Phone Use in Schools (français) (GNSPES Password Required)
• Personal Technology Use and the Learning Environment (français)
• Cell Phone Free : One School's Story video

Short and Long Term Resources

All Classroom Resources used in the classroom must be chosen intentionally.  It is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure resources are free from bias.

• Temporary, short-term, teacher-led resources
• Permanent, long-term or ongoing, self-standing resources
• Know the Signals

Developmentally Appropriate Resource Selection

• Primary to Grade 2 (français)
• Grades 3 and 4 (français)
• Grades 5 and 6 (français)
• Grade 7 (français)
• Grades 8 and 9 (français)
• Grades 10 to 12 (français)

Small-group Instruction

• Small-group Instruction, Describes the processes and benefits of small group instruction.

Authorized List of Resources

• Curriculum Resources: This site provides information on new resources that have been distributed to classrooms and new additions to the Authorized List of Resources that teachers may choose to order for their classes. It will be updated quarterly.

Multilingual Students

• Teaching & Learning Strategies for Multilingual Students

GNSPES

Resource accessible through GNSPES to support technology integration

• GNSPES Launch Page
• The e-Learning Support Site

P-8 Online Resources

• Early Elementary (Grades P-3) English and French Immersion Resources
• Elementary (Grades 4-6) English and French Programs Resources
• Grades 7 & 8 English and French Programs Resources

Coaching Moodle

• Coaching Power Point (Français) (GNSPES Password Required)

Rick Hansen Foundation School Program

• Rick Hansen Foundation School Program website supports learning about accessibility, inclusion, and active citizenship with a range of educational resources to support learning from grades primary to 12.