describe the role of collecting evidence, finding relationships, and proposing explanations in the development of scientific knowledge (e.g., explain that observation and identification of similar characteristics enables classification and an appreciation of diversity; explain that a simple predator prey relationship may provide insight into the interrelationships in a food web)
distinguish between terms that are scientific or technological and those that are not (e.g., use appropriate terms such as "insect" or "caribou" rather than "bug" or "reindeer")
provide examples of scientific knowledge that have resulted in the development of technologies (e.g., provide examples such as how an understanding of the effect of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on plant growth is related to the production of fertilizers, how a knowledge of microorganisms has affected food production and preservation techniques, and how a knowledge of fish behaviour is used in aquaculture)
apply the concept of systems as a tool for interpreting the structure and interactions of natural and technological systems (e.g., compare the input and output of energy in an ecosystem to that in an isolated community of humans)
provide examples of Canadian institutions that support scientific and technological endeavours (e.g., provide examples of institutions such as environmental conservation groups, federal and provincial government departments, marine institutes, universities, and colleges)
provide examples to illustrate that scientific and technological activities take place in a variety of individual or group settings (e.g., provide examples such as individual and community gardening, impact studies done by environmental chemists, and research done by teams of international scientists)
provide examples of problems that arise at home, in an industrial setting, or in the environment that cannot be solved using scientific and technological knowledge (e.g., identify issues such as the acceptable size of an animal population in a city or the decision to spray against mosquitoes in a city)
propose a course of action on social issues related to science and technology, taking into account personal needs (e.g., propose a course of action to protect the local nesting habitat of a given bird)
identify questions to investigate arising from practical problems and issues (e.g., identify potential questions such as "How can you prolong the life of a landfill site?" and "How could a community reduce the amount of garbage it produces?")
define and delimit questions and problems to facilitate investigation (e.g., delimit a problem related to research on the impact of forest fires on ecological succession)
state a prediction and a hypothesis based on background information or an observed pattern of events (e.g., predict what an aquatic ecosystem will look like in 25 years based on characteristics of the area and the long-term changes observed in similar sites)
select and integrate information from various print and electronic sources or from several parts of the same source (e.g., compile information from a variety of books, magazines, pamphlets, and Internet sites, as well as from conversations with experts, on the role of microorganisms in food preservation)
use or construct a classification key (e.g., construct a key that will enable classmates to differentiate between producers and consumers)
compile and display data, by hand or computer, in a variety of formats, including diagrams, flow charts, tables, bar graphs, line graphs, and scatter plots (e.g., prepare a chart showing the flow of energy in a food web that exists in the school yard)
identify strengths and weaknesses of different methods of collecting and displaying data (e.g., compare observations done in the field with observations based on a television program)
identify and evaluate potential applications of findings (e.g., determine the maximum allowable number of visitors in a sensitive area such as an ecological reserve or park)
defend a given position on an issue or problem, based on their findings (e.g., defend their decision to increase or decrease hunting or fishing quotas for a particular animal)
explain how biological classification takes into account the diversity of life on Earth
identify the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a local ecosystem, and describe both their diversity and their interactions
describe conditions essential to the growth and reproduction of plants and microorganisms in an ecosystem and relate these conditions to various aspects of the human food supply
describe how energy is supplied to, and how it flows through, a food web
describe how matter is recycled in an ecosystem through interactions among plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms
describe interactions between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem
identify signs of ecological succession in a local ecosystem
Most students have been interacting with a variety of living organisms from a very young age, but they are not necessarily aware of the essential role every type of organism, including those that are not visible, plays in large systems like ecosystems. This cluster enables students to study the diversity of organisms by introducing them to the characteristics of various organisms and by presenting different ways in which organisms interact. The dependence of living organisms on their physical world reinforces the interrelationships between all components of healthy ecosystems. This illustrative example emphasizes the relationships between science and technology and the unifying concept of systems and interactions.
Students brainstorm beneficial and harmful effects of a wide variety of organisms in their world.
Students suggest factors responsible for the degradation of food in composts.
The above exploration may lead to the following question:
Are microorganisms an essential component of ecosystems?
Students explore the structure and relative size of microorganisms using microscopes. The characteristics of these organisms are compared to those of plants and animals, using appropriate terms.
Students prepare cultures of microorganisms found in their environment. They predict, then determine, the factors that influence their growth. Results are analysed to determine how these growth factors can be used to the advantage of other organisms, including humans.
Students research the role of men and women in the development of knowledge and technologies that have increased our understanding of the important role microorganisms play in our world. This information is related to a variety of career opportunities in related fields of food production, harvesting, preparation, and safety.
Following a visit to a food processing plant, students prepare and present a model showing how the food industry uses microorganisms or eliminates them from food supplies. Current and traditional methods of food conservation, production, and preparation are demonstrated and explained. The economic and environmental impacts of these technologies are discussed, as is the accompanying decrease in health risks related to food poisoning.
This illustrative example suggests ways students can be led to attain the following learning outcomes:
STSE: 111-1
Skills: 208-5, 209-5, 210-2, 210-12
Knowledge: 304-1, 304-2
Attitudes: 424, 428, 432, 434
provide examples of how technologies used in the past were developed through trial and error (e.g., provide examples showing the evolution of refinement and separation techniques such as settling, sifting, filtering, fusion, distillation, and chromatography)
relate personal activities in formal and informal settings to specific science disciplines (e.g., relate science disciplines to personal settings, such as using chemistry to explain why a pop drink fizzes, applying materials science when using the proper amount of paint thinner, and knowing that meteorology is applied when the smog index is determined for a city or region)
describe the science underlying particular technologies designed to explore natural phenomena, extend human capabilities, or solve practical problems (e.g., provide examples such as distillation technologies, which make use of the fact that a gaseous pure substance can revert to its liquid state)
provide examples of how science and technology affect their lives and their community (e.g., provide examples such as considering the concentration of various solutions when comparing their effectiveness or nutritional value)
identify some positive and negative effects and intended and unintended consequences of a particular scientific or technological development (e.g., identify effects such as bioaccumulation as a consequence of using pesticides or the pollution resulting from the use of water as a washing agent in mineral and chemical extraction)
rephrase questions in a testable form and clearly define practical problems (e.g., rephrase a question such as "How many pure substances are found in a given mixture?" to "What is the most salt that can be dissolved in one litre of water at 23°C?")
design an experiment and identify major variables (e.g., design an experiment to determine the efficiency of filtration and evaporation as separation techniques for a solution with given salt, sand, and water contents)
carry out procedures controlling the major variables (e.g., maintain a uniform volume of solvent when measuring the saturation point of a solute at various solvent temperatures)
use tools and apparatus safely (e.g., dispose properly of broken glassware; wear safety goggles when carrying out a distillation)
demonstrate a knowledge of WHMIS standards by using proper techniques for handling and disposing of lab materials (e.g., recognize warning symbols)
predict the value of a variable by interpolating or extrapolating from graphical data (e.g., determine the saturation point of a solute at solvent temperatures that differ from those previously tested)
identify, and suggest explanations for, discrepancies in data (e.g., suggest explanations such as water loss through evaporation, or partial dissolution of substances, for discrepancies in data that occur during filtration)
apply given criteria for evaluating evidence and sources of information (e.g., apply criteria when evaluating the salt, sugar, and fat content of certain ingredients or foods)
calculate theoretical values of a variable (e.g., calculate concentrations of solutions in g/100 mL)
identify new questions and problems that arise from what was learned (e.g., identify questions such as "Are there mixtures that can't be separated?" and "What techniques are used to remove pollutants from air and water?"
receive, understand, and act on the ideas of others (e.g., take into account feedback from a taste panel to create the best-tasting powdered drink)
distinguish between pure substances and mixtures using the particle model of matter
identify and separate the components of mixtures
describe the characteristics of solutions using the particle model of matter
describe qualitatively and quantitatively the concentration of solutions
describe qualitatively the factors that affect solubility
Working with and discussing mixtures and solutions allows students to make further use of their emerging understanding of the particulate nature of matter without getting into the concept of the mole. Students will increasingly see that many mixtures and solutions are extremely useful and directly related to their lives. This illustrative example emphasizes the social and environmental contexts of science and technology and the unifying concept of change and constancy.
Students identify various substances they consider to be mixtures. For example, powdered drinks, cookie dough, cement, and muddy water. Students should be encouraged to provide a wide array of mixtures, including biological examples.
The above exploration may lead to the following question:
How can you change the constituents in a mixture?
Students try out various separation techniques used by scientists and technologists throughout time, such as sorting, sifting, flotation, magnetic attraction, evaporation, filtration, dissolution, and chromatography, using safe laboratory procedures and WHMIS knowledge. In each instance, students should be curious as to why certain constituents can be separated, whereas others cannot.
Using various solutes in water, students can create various solutions, of varying concentrations, and qualitatively and quantitatively compare them. Students should appreciate how "concentration" and "dilution" are commonplace terms that have a scientific basis, even as they are used on a variety of commercial products and in all sorts of situations.
Student teams design and test a model that demonstrates a possible method for cleaning up oil spills on water. Students will use technological problem-solving skills along with their science knowledge and research skills. Students should also be able to economically and environmentally critique the clean-up method they are modelling, including how people's lives are affected, positively and negatively, by oil spills and oil spill clean-up.
This illustrative example suggests ways students can be led to attain the following learning outcomes:
STSE: 112-7, 113-1
Skills: 208-6, 209-7, 210-8, 210-16
Knowledge: 307-2, 307-3
Attitudes: 426, 427, 430, 434
provide examples of how technologies used in the past were developed through trial and error (e.g., provide examples, such as the choice of insulating materials, the use of air space in homes and clothing, or the development of bridge-building techniques, that take into consideration changes in temperature)
provide examples of technologies used in the past to meet human needs (e.g., provide examples such as wood stoves, heated bricks and rocks, root cellars, woolen garments, ice boxes, and ironing blocks)
describe the science underlying particular technologies designed to explore natural phenomena, extend human capabilities, or solve practical problems (e.g., explain how a thermos, a thermometer, or a thermocouple functions; compare wind-chill and humidex scales to indicate perceived temperatures)
describe how an individual's needs can lead to developments in science and technology (e.g., describe how the need for protective clothing led to the development of oven mitts, survival suits, and ski suits, or how the need for home comfort led to the development of air conditioning, central heating, and insulated walls, doors, and windows)
identify science- and technology-based careers in their community (e.g., identify examples such as window builders, heating systems and equipment contractors, and boiler engineers)
analyze the design of a technology and the way it functions on the basis of its impact on their daily lives (e.g., describe how central heating or air-conditioning systems have affected their lives)
provide examples of problems that arise at home, in an industrial setting, or in the environment that cannot be solved using scientific and technological knowledge (e.g., provide examples such as the unintended heat loss from electrical and mechanical devices, including motors, electrical generators, and refrigerators)
propose alternative solutions to a given practical problem, select one, and develop a plan (e.g., design and construct a cooling device)
select appropriate methods and tools for collecting data and information and for solving problems (e.g., use black or reflective materials to study heat absorption; observe convection currents in liquids using a glass loop, or in gases using a box and chimney apparatus)
use instruments effectively and accurately for collecting data (e.g., use proper techniques in reading the scale of a thermometer; place beads of wax at an equal distance from the centre of a conduction device)
compile and display data, by hand or computer, in a variety of formats, including diagrams, flow charts, tables, bar graphs, line graphs, and scatter plots (e.g., plot a graph showing the decrease in temperature of various liquids from identical initial temperatures)
state a conclusion, based on experimental data, and explain how evidence gathered supports or refutes an initial idea (e.g., explain how the evidence of convection currents in fluids supports the particle model of matter)
identify and evaluate potential applications of findings (e.g., identify examples such as the application of heat transfer principles to the design of homes and protective clothing)
test the design of a constructed device or system (e.g., test a personally constructed solar barbecue or cooling device)
communicate questions, ideas, intentions, plans, and results, using lists, notes in point form, sentences, data tables, graphs, drawings, oral language, and other means (e.g., present, on a series of transparencies, the steps that could be followed to test the effectiveness of the heating system in a passive solar home)
compare various instruments used to measure temperature
explain temperature using the concept of kinetic energy and the particle model of matter
explain how each state of matter reacts to changes in temperature
explain changes of state using the particle model of matter
compare transmission of heat by conduction, convection, and radiation
describe how various surfaces absorb to radiant heat
explain, using the particle model of matter, differences among heat capacities of some common materials
Heat is a form of energy that is part of students' lives and that of their communities. Students should have an opportunity to explore the properties of heat and how they are related to the measurement of temperature. The particle theory and the kinetic molecular theory help students explain their observations and understand both the relationship between heat and temperature and the concept of heat capacity on a qualitative level. This illustrative example emphasizes the relationships between science and technology.
To explore the effect of heat on the physical properties of different materials, students examine conductivity in various materials such as wood, steel, copper, and aluminum.
The above exploration may lead to the following question:
How do we use the properties of materials to design tools such as pots and pans, hair dryers, and thermometers?
Students examine how the properties of materials are utilized in the development of tools, machines, and structures that use heat energy. (e.g., a hair dryer, teflon coating on cooking pans and pots, the structure and properties of drill bits that enable them to deal with the heat generated in drilling, and thermometers designed to measure very high and very low temperatures.)
Students experiment with bimetallic strips to collect data on the rate of distortion of the strips when they are exposed to a range of heat sources such as room temperature, ice, a candle, and a hot plate.
Students design a thermometer that can be calibrated to measure a range in temperature.
Students discuss how a bimetallic thermometer could be adapted for measuring other energy levels, such as the temperture of dry ice, outer space, molten iron, or lava.
This illustrative example suggests ways students can be led to attain the following learning outcomes:
STSE: 111-5, 112-1
Skills: 208-8, 209-3, 210-11, 210-13
Knowledge: 308-1
Attitudes: 423, 434
identify different approaches taken to answer questions, solve problems, and make decisions (e.g., identify approaches such as trial-and-error prospecting versus core sampling, and extending local conclusions to global proportions versus confining interpretations to local or regional situations)
provide examples of ideas and theories used in the past to explain natural phenomena (e.g., provide examples such as mythological gods responsible for natural phenomena, meteoric origins of Earth materials, and the classical Greek view of the four basic elements)
describe examples of how scientific knowledge has evolved in light of new evidence (e.g., describe how analysis of fossils has contributed to our knowledge of life in the past)
provide examples of technologies used in scientific research (e.g., provide examples such as satellite imaging, the seismograph, the magnetometer, and core sample drilling)
provide examples of how science and technology affect their lives and their community (e.g., provide examples such as erosion dangers, use of earth materials in construction, use of hydrocarbon fuels, earthquake readiness, and the climatic effects of volcanic eruptions)
provide examples of Canadian contributions to science and technology (e.g., provide examples such as studies undertaken by the Geological Survey of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy)
suggest solutions to problems that arise from applications of science and technology, taking into account potential advantages and disadvantages (e.g., suggest solutions to problems or issues such as mining tailings and pollutants; reclamation of open pit mining sites; the ecological impact of pipelines; resource depletion; erosion due to forestry, mining, and agriculture; and urbanization)
identify questions to investigate arising from practical problems and issues (e.g., identify questions such as "What types of rocks are best for cement-making or road construction?" and "Why are there environmental problems with open-pit mining?")
estimate measurements (e.g., estimate the thickness of sedimentary layers or the portions, in fractions, of various soil constituents)
organize data using a format that is appropriate to the task or experiment (e.g., organize the results of mineral identification; prepare an exhibit demonstrating volcanic activity)
use or construct a classification key (e.g., elaborate a classification scheme for rocks and minerals)
interpret patterns and trends in data, and infer and explain relationships among the variables (e.g., explain the relationship between catastrophic events and the contact areas of tectonic plates)
identify and evaluate potential applications of findings (e.g., identify examples such as the application of the knowledge of earthquakes to the development of building specifications)
test the design of a constructed device or system (e.g., determine the effectiveness of a froth flotation system to separate certain minerals from rocks)
work cooperatively with team members to develop and carry out a plan, and troubleshoot problems as they arise (e.g., each group member is assigned a specific aspect of a study on the impact of mining on a community, and then all members of the group are required to integrate their individual findings into one overall presentation)
evaluate individual and group processes used in planning, problem solving, decision making, and completing a task (e.g., evaluate the relative success and scientific merits of an earth science field trip that was organized and guided by themselves)
describe the composition of Earth's crust
classify rocks and minerals based on their characteristics and method of formation
classify various types of soil according to their characteristics, and investigate ways to enrich soils
explain the processes of mountain formation and the folding and faulting of Earth's surface
explain various ways in which rock can be weathered
relate various meteorological, geological, and biological processes to the formation of soils
examine some of the catastrophic events, such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, that occur on or near Earth's surface
analyse data on the geographical and chronological distribution of catastrophic events to determine patterns and trends
develop a chronological model or time scale of major events in Earth's history
Knowledge of the Earth is rapidly growing as new methods and technologies are developed to study the components and dynamics of the Earth's crust. As students develop an understanding of the dynamics of geological systems and events, they are better able to explain and make connections between the theories of Earth science and their own experiences with local geology. This illustrative example emphasizes the relationships between science and technology and the unifying concept of change and constancy.
Students examine a model illustrating the internal structure of the Earth. They then provide possible explanations for how evidence was collected to support such a model.
The above exploration may lead to the following question:
How have certain Earth-science-related technologies led to a better understanding of the Earth's crust?
Students explain historical and current applications of technologies that have allowed scientists to study geological features and resources. (E.g., surface observation, core sampling, seismography, magnetometers, and satellite technologies are used to identify and quantify geological features and resources.)
Students design models of specific geological profiles and features using coloured modelling clay, to determine and justify which technology would best be used to collect specific information.
In research teams, students use a variety of resources to prepare a report on the historical development, theories, principles, and applications of technologies used to study and identify resources found in the Earth's crust.
Working in small groups, students use coloured modelling clay to represent the strata of a fictional geological profile. A plastic straw could be used to simulate a core sampling, allowing students to sample, determine, and demonstrate the types and depths of specific strata within a formation. This procedure, if repeated, could give a geological profile of a fictional region, which the students can then map.
This illustrative example suggests ways students can be led to attain the following learning outcomes:
STSE: 111-2
Skills: 208-2, 209-4, 211-3, 211-4
Knowledge: 310-1
Attitudes: 426, 428, 431
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