Planet Earth
Focusing Questions: What do we know about Earth - about its surface and what lies below? What evidence do we have, and how do we use this evidence in developing an understanding of Earth and its changes?
Key ConceptsThe following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
1. Describe and demonstrate methods used in the scientific study of Earth and in observing and interpreting its component materials
2. Identify evidence for the rock cycle, and use the rock cycle concept to interpret and explain the characteristics of particular rocks
3. Investigate and interpret evidence of major changes in landforms and the rock layers that underlie them
4. Describe, interpret and evaluate evidence from the fossil record.
Ecosystems & Interactions
Focusing Questions: How do human activities affect ecosystems? What methods can we use to observe and monitor changes in ecosystems, and assess the impacts of our actions?
Key Concepts: The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
1. Investigate and describe relationships between humans and their environments, and identify related issues and scientific questions
2. Trace and interpret the flow of energy and materials within an ecosystem
3. Monitor a local environment, and assess the impacts of environmental factors on the growth, health and reproduction of organisms in that environment
4. Describe the relationships among knowledge, decisions and actions in maintaining life-supporting environments
Forces and Structures
Focusing Questions: How do structures stand up under load? What forces act on structures, and what materials and design characteristics contribute to structural strength and stability?
Key Concepts: The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
1. Describe and interpret different types of structures encountered in everyday objects, buildings, plants and animals; and identify materials from which they are made
2. Investigate and analyze forces within structures, and forces applied to them
3. Investigate and analyze the properties of materials used in structures
4. Demonstrate and describe processes used in developing, evaluating and improving structures that will meet human needs with a margin of safety
Plants for Food and Fibre
Focusing Questions: How do we produce useful plant products? What techniques do we use, what knowledge are these techniques based on, and how do we apply these techniques in a sustainable way?
Key Concepts: The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
1. Investigate plant uses; and identify links among needs, technologies, products and impacts
2. Investigate life processes and structures of plants, and interpret related characteristics and needs of plants in a local environment
3. Analyze plant environments, and identify impacts of specific factors and controls
4. Identify and interpret relationships among human needs, technologies, environments, and the culture and use of living things as sources of food and fibre
Heat and Temperature
Focusing Questions: What heat-related technologies do we use to meet human needs? Upon what scientific principles are these technologies based? What implications do these technologies have for sustainable use of resources?
Key Concepts: The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
1. Illustrate and explain how human needs have led to technologies for obtaining and controlling thermal energy and to increased use of energy resources
2. Describe the nature of thermal energy and its effects on different forms of matter, using informal observations, experimental evidence and models
3. Apply an understanding of heat and temperature in interpreting natural phenomena and technological devices
4. Analyze issues related to the selection and use of thermal technologies, and explain decisions in terms of advantages and disadvantages for sustainability
Focusing Questions: What do we know about Earth - about its surface and what lies below? What evidence do we have, and how do we use this evidence in developing an understanding of Earth and its changes?
Key ConceptsThe following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
- strata
- rocks and minerals
- rock cycle: formation of igneous rock, metamorphism and sedimentary processes
- mountain formation: folding and faulting
- crustal movement/plate tectonics
- geological time scale
- fossil formation
- weathering and erosion
- sudden and gradual/incremental change
- development of models based on observation and evidence
1. Describe and demonstrate methods used in the scientific study of Earth and in observing and interpreting its component materials
2. Identify evidence for the rock cycle, and use the rock cycle concept to interpret and explain the characteristics of particular rocks
3. Investigate and interpret evidence of major changes in landforms and the rock layers that underlie them
4. Describe, interpret and evaluate evidence from the fossil record.
Ecosystems & Interactions
Focusing Questions: How do human activities affect ecosystems? What methods can we use to observe and monitor changes in ecosystems, and assess the impacts of our actions?
Key Concepts: The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
- interactions and interdependencies
- environmental monitoring
- environmental impacts
- producers, consumers, decomposers
- nutrient cycles and energy flow
- species distribution
- succession
- endangered species
- extinction
- environmental management
1. Investigate and describe relationships between humans and their environments, and identify related issues and scientific questions
2. Trace and interpret the flow of energy and materials within an ecosystem
3. Monitor a local environment, and assess the impacts of environmental factors on the growth, health and reproduction of organisms in that environment
4. Describe the relationships among knowledge, decisions and actions in maintaining life-supporting environments
Forces and Structures
Focusing Questions: How do structures stand up under load? What forces act on structures, and what materials and design characteristics contribute to structural strength and stability?
Key Concepts: The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
- structural forms
- material strength and stiffness
- joints
- forces on and within structures (loads and stresses)
- direction of forces
- deformation
- structural stability
- modes of failure
- performance requirements
- margin of safety
1. Describe and interpret different types of structures encountered in everyday objects, buildings, plants and animals; and identify materials from which they are made
2. Investigate and analyze forces within structures, and forces applied to them
3. Investigate and analyze the properties of materials used in structures
4. Demonstrate and describe processes used in developing, evaluating and improving structures that will meet human needs with a margin of safety
Plants for Food and Fibre
Focusing Questions: How do we produce useful plant products? What techniques do we use, what knowledge are these techniques based on, and how do we apply these techniques in a sustainable way?
Key Concepts: The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
- needs and uses of plants
- plant propagation and reproduction
- life processes and structure of plants
- fertilizers and soil nutrients
- chemical and biological controls
- plant varieties
- selective breeding
- monocultures
- resource management
- sustainability
1. Investigate plant uses; and identify links among needs, technologies, products and impacts
2. Investigate life processes and structures of plants, and interpret related characteristics and needs of plants in a local environment
3. Analyze plant environments, and identify impacts of specific factors and controls
4. Identify and interpret relationships among human needs, technologies, environments, and the culture and use of living things as sources of food and fibre
Heat and Temperature
Focusing Questions: What heat-related technologies do we use to meet human needs? Upon what scientific principles are these technologies based? What implications do these technologies have for sustainable use of resources?
Key Concepts: The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
- heat energy needs and technologies
- thermal energy*
- particle model of matter
- temperature
- thermal expansion
- change of state
- heat transfer
- insulation and thermal conductivity
- thermal energy sources
- energy conservation
1. Illustrate and explain how human needs have led to technologies for obtaining and controlling thermal energy and to increased use of energy resources
2. Describe the nature of thermal energy and its effects on different forms of matter, using informal observations, experimental evidence and models
3. Apply an understanding of heat and temperature in interpreting natural phenomena and technological devices
4. Analyze issues related to the selection and use of thermal technologies, and explain decisions in terms of advantages and disadvantages for sustainability