Everything we do in this course points at one or more of these expectations, from SNC1W — Science, Grade 9, De-streamed. Lesson pages link here so you can always see why we are doing something.
Where these come from
The wording below is the Ontario curriculum’s own. See About These Expectations.
Strand A runs through all of the others: you practise those skills while learning biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and space science.
graph TD A["A. STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections"] --> B["B. Biology"] A --> C["C. Chemistry"] A --> D["D. Physics"] A --> E["E. Earth and Space Science"]
Overall and specific expectations
Strand A. STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections
Throughout this course, in connection with the learning in the other strands, students will:
A1. STEM Investigation Skills
apply scientific processes and an engineering design process in their investigations to develop a conceptual understanding of the science they are learning, and apply coding skills to model scientific concepts and relationships
Link to original
A1.1
apply a scientific research process and associated skills to conduct investigations, making connections between their research and the scientific concepts they are learning
Link to original
A1.2
apply a scientific experimentation process and associated skills to conduct investigations, making connections between their observations and findings and the scientific concepts they are learning
Link to original
A1.3
apply an engineering design process and associated skills to design, build, and test devices, models, structures, and/or systems
Link to original
A1.4
apply coding skills to investigate and to model scientific concepts and relationships
Link to original
A1.5
apply their knowledge and understanding of safe practices and procedures, including the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), while planning and carrying out hands-on investigations
Link to original
A2. Applications, Careers, and Connections
analyse how scientific concepts and processes can be applied in practical ways to address real-world issues and in various careers, and describe contributions to science from people with diverse lived experiences
Link to original
A2.1
design an experiment or a prototype to explore a problem relevant to a STEM-related occupation, such as a skilled trade, using findings from research
Link to original
A2.2
describe how scientific innovations and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence systems, impact society and careers
Link to original
A2.3
analyse how the development and application of science is economically, culturally, and socially contextualized, by investigating real-world issues
Link to original
A2.4
apply scientific literacy skills when investigating social and environmental issues that have personal, local, and/or global impacts
Link to original
A2.5
analyse contributions to science by people from various communities, including communities in Canada
Link to original
Strand B. Biology — Sustainable Ecosystems and Climate Change
By the end of this course, students will:
B1. Relating Science to Our Changing World
assess impacts of climate change on ecosystem sustainability and on various communities, and describe ways to mitigate these impacts
Link to original
B1.1
assess impacts of climate change on the sustainability of local and global ecosystems, describe local or global initiatives for combatting climate change, and identify solutions to address some of the impacts
Link to original
B1.2
assess impacts of climate change on communities in Canada, including First Nations, MĂ©tis, and Inuit communities
Link to original
B1.3
investigate and explain how sustainable practices used by various communities, including First Nations, MĂ©tis, and Inuit communities, reflect an understanding of the importance of the dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems
Link to original
B2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts
demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic and interconnected nature of ecosystems, including how matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems
Link to original
B2.1
investigate interactions between the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere, and explain why these interactions are important for ecosystem sustainability
Link to original
B2.2
explain how naturally occurring phenomena, including the cycling of matter and the flow of energy, contribute to the dynamic equilibrium within and between ecosystems
Link to original
B2.3
compare and contrast the processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis, and explain how their complementary relationship contributes to the dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems
Link to original
B2.4
investigate factors and processes, including biodiversity, air and water quality, soil health, and succession, and explain how they contribute to ecosystem sustainability
Link to original
B2.5
explain the effects of various human activities on the dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems
Link to original
B2.6
identify and use various indicators of climate change to describe the impacts of climate change on local and global ecosystems, and analyse how human activities contribute to climate change
Link to original
B2.7
explain how sustainable practices related to the cycling of matter and the flow of energy can be applied in agricultural innovations
Link to original
Strand C. Chemistry — The Nature of Matter
By the end of this course, students will:
C1. Relating Science to Our Changing World
assess social, environmental, and economic impacts of the use of elements, compounds, and associated technologies
Link to original
C1.1
assess social, environmental, and economic impacts of processes associated with the life cycle of consumer products, considering the elements and compounds used to make them, and suggest ways to enhance positive impacts and/or minimize negative impacts
Link to original
C1.2
analyse impacts of using emerging chemical technologies in various fields, including in the skilled trades, and assess factors that influence the development of these technologies
Link to original
C2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts
demonstrate an understanding of the nature of matter, including the structure of the atom, physical and chemical properties of common elements and compounds, and the organization of elements in the periodic table
Link to original
C2.1
investigate properties, changes, and interactions of matter that are important for the dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems and their sustainability
Link to original
C2.2
research the role of experimental evidence in the development of various atomic models, and compare and contrast different models of the atom
Link to original
C2.3
identify the location, relative mass, and charge of subatomic particles within an atom, using the Bohr- Rutherford model
Link to original
C2.4
explain the relationship between the position of an element in the periodic table and the structure of its atoms, using models
Link to original
C2.5
investigate the physical and chemical properties of elements, and use their findings to relate these properties to the organization of the periodic table, classify elements, and identify patterns in the periodic table
Link to original
C2.6
investigate and describe physical and chemical properties of elements and compounds, including those that make up common household products
Link to original
C2.7
describe the relationship between the structure of simple compounds and their chemical formulas
Link to original
Strand D. Physics — Principles and Applications of Electricity
By the end of this course, students will:
D1. Relating Science to Our Changing World
assess social, environmental, and economic impacts of electrical energy production and consumption, and describe ways to achieve sustainable practices
Link to original
D1.1
assess social, environmental, and economic benefits and challenges resulting from the production of electrical energy from various sources
Link to original
D1.2
evaluate how electrical energy production and consumption impact various communities locally or globally, and describe ways to achieve sustainable practices
Link to original
D1.3
develop a plan of action to address a local or global electrical energy production or consumption issue, including strategies for energy conservation
Link to original
D1.4
analyse social, environmental, and economic impacts of emerging technologies related to electrical energy production, consumption, storage, and conservation
Link to original
D2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts
demonstrate an understanding of the nature of electric charges, including properties of static and current electricity
Link to original
D2.1
conduct investigations to explain the behaviour of electric charges in static and current electricity, and to relate the observed behaviour to the properties of subatomic particles and atomic structure
Link to original
D2.2
determine the conductivity of various materials by investigating their ability to hold or transfer electric charges
Link to original
D2.3
identify the components of a direct current (DC) circuit and explain their functions, and identify electrical quantities, their symbols, and their corresponding International System of Units (SI) units
Link to original
D2.4
investigate the relationships between electric current, potential difference, and resistance in electrical circuits, and develop a mathematical model to represent the relationships
Link to original
D2.5
apply a mathematical model to calculate electric current, potential difference, and resistance in real- world situations
Link to original
D2.6
construct series and parallel circuits to compare electric current, potential difference, and resistance in both types of circuits
Link to original
D2.7
explain the difference between electricity and electrical energy
Link to original
D2.8
determine the efficiency of various electrical devices that consume or produce electrical energy, and identify the energy transformations in each device
Link to original
Strand E. Earth and Space Science — Space Exploration
By the end of this course, students will:
E1. Relating Science to Our Changing World
evaluate social, environmental, and economic impacts of space exploration and of technological innovations derived from space exploration
Link to original
E1.1
evaluate social, environmental, and economic impacts of space observation and exploration
Link to original
E1.2
evaluate how space observation and exploration technologies contribute to our understanding of climate change, natural disasters, and other phenomena
Link to original
E1.3
assess ways in which technological innovations related to space observation and exploration are applied in various fields, including their contributions to sustainable practices on Earth
Link to original
E2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts
demonstrate an understanding of the components, characteristics, and associated phenomena of the solar system and the universe, and the importance of the Sun to processes on Earth
Link to original
E2.1
describe the importance of the Sun and its characteristics, including its role in the solar system and in sustaining life on Earth
Link to original
E2.2
explain how the Sun’s energy causes natural phenomena on Earth, and how these phenomena contribute to renewable energy production
Link to original
E2.3
summarize observational evidence used to support theories about the origin and evolution of the universe and the solar system, considering diverse ways of knowing
Link to original
E2.4
describe major components of the solar system and the universe and compare their characteristics
Link to original
E2.5
quantify distances in the solar system and the universe by applying an understanding of relative distances and sizes and using appropriate units of measure
Link to original
E2.6
conduct investigations to explain the causes of various astronomical phenomena that can be observed from Earth
Link to original