Course Overview
Science, Grade 10, Applied
Description/Rationale
This course enables students to develop a deeper understanding of concepts in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, and physics; to develop further their practical skills in scientific investigation; and to apply their knowledge of science to real-world situations. Students design and conduct investigations into everyday problems and issues related to ecological sustainability, chemical reactions, weather systems, and motion.
Unit Titles (Time + Sequence)
|
Unit Name and Timing |
Unit Title |
Skill Emphasis |
End-of-unit Task |
|
Unit 1 (24 hours) |
Chemical Reactions and Practical Applications |
Experimental design and communications |
Consumer Report on Antacids |
|
Unit 2 (24 hours) |
Ecosystems and Human Activity |
Data collection and analysis |
Ecosystem Study |
|
Unit 3 (24 hours) |
Weather Systems |
Research skills |
Weather Display for Grade 5 Class |
|
Unit 4 (24 hours) |
Motion and Its Application |
Critical thinking and decision making |
Pamphlet: So you’re turning 16 |
|
Unit 5 (14 hours) |
Making Connections |
Synthesis of concepts Application of skills |
Impact Assessment (including oral presentation) |
Unit Organization
Unit 1: Chemical Reactions and Practical Applications
Time: 24 hours
Description
Students conduct investigations to understand chemical reactions encountered in their everyday lives with a focus on laboratory and environmental safety. Experiments provide opportunities for students to collect, record, organize, and interpret data as well as to describe the reactions studied using models and equations. Activities are linked through the theme of acids and bases. In the end-of-unit task, students evaluate the effectiveness of antacids.
Overall Expectations: CHV.01P, CHV.02P, CHV.03P.
Specific Expectations: CH1.01P, CH1.02P, CH1.03P, CH1.04P, CH1.05P, CH1.06P, CH1.07P, CH1.08P, CH2.01P, CH2.02P, CH2.03P, CH2.04P, CH2.05P, CH2.06P, CH2.07P, CH2.08P, CH2.09P, CH3.01P, CH3.02P, CH3.03P, CH3.04P.
Unit 2: Ecosystems and Human Activity
Time: 24 hours
Description
In this unit, students develop an understanding of ecosystems by exploring natural processes, resource availability, and the impacts of technological change. Students identify a current ecological concern, develop inquiry skills (by formulating scientific questions, designing and performing practical tests, analysing information) and offer possible solutions to resolve the issues raised. Students examine Canada’s role in the protection of ecosystems and explore the technologies used. Related environmental careers are investigated. The end-of-unit task is a study of a local ecosystem with an emphasis on data collection and analysis.
Overall Expectations: BYV.01P, BYV.02P, BYV.03P.
Specific Expectations: BY1.01P, BY1.02P, BY1.03P, BY1.04P, BY1.05P, BY1.06P, BY1.07P, BY2.01P, BY2.02P, BY1.03P, BY1.04P, BY2.05P, BY2.06P, BY2.07P, BY3.01P, BY3.02P, BY3.03P, BY3.04P, BY3.05P.
Unit 3: Weather Systems
Time: 24 hours
Description
In this unit, students develop an understanding of the physical factors that create and affect weather systems and environmental phenomena, both normal and extreme. Students also describe how technology is used to monitor and forecast weather conditions and explain the impact of weather on our daily lives and economic activities. Through investigations, students observe atmospheric phenomena and analyse trends in local and global conditions to forecast local weather patterns. In the end-of-unit task, students prepare displays explaining various aspects of weather for a Grade 5 class.
Overall Expectations: ESV.01P, ESV.02P, ESV.03P.
Specific Expectations: ES1.01P, ES1.02P, ES1.03P, ES1.04P, ES1.05P, ES1.06P, ES1.07P, ES2.01P, ES2.02P, ES2.03P, ES2.04P, ES2.05P, ES2.06P, ES3.01P, ES3.02P, ES3.03P, ES3.04P.
Unit 4: Motion and Its Application
Time: 24 hours
Description
In this unit, students study motion in a number of different situations, with a central focus on the car. They design and conduct experiments and analyse results to show the relationships among displacement, velocity, and acceleration. A variety of methods, employing stopwatches, photogates, and linear measurement devices, is used to collect data. Students research environmental and safety factors associated with different types of transportation, as well as contributions to the study of motion by Canadian scientists and inventors. The end-of-unit task requires students to prepare a pamphlet on issues important to new drivers, including cost-benefit analyses, safety, and rules of the road.
Overall Expectations: PHV.01P, PHV.02P, PHV.03P.
Specific Expectations: PH1.01P, PH1.02P, PH1.03P, PH1.04P, PH1.05P, PH1.06P, PH2.01P, PH2.02P, PH2.03P, PH2.04P, PH2.05P, PH3.01P, PH3.02P, PH3.03P.
Unit 5: Making Connections
Time: 14 hours
Description
In this culminating unit, students focus on the environmental and economic issues related to a local or provincial transportation concern. Possible topics include the building of a highway through a wetland, farmland, or other environmentally sensitive area; the increased reliance on truck transportation for moving goods throughout the province; the proliferation of sports utility vehicles; the use of personal water craft on public waterways. The initial activities provide background information on the costs and effects of different pollutants derived from the burning of fuels, as well as fuel efficiency. The final activity involves promotion of environmental awareness and/or proposes some form of environmental action. This unit integrates Relating Science to Technology and Society and the Environment expectations from all four strands and can be used as a major component of the final summative (30%) evaluation.
Overall Expectations: BYV.01P, BYV.02P, BYV.03P, CHV.03P, ESV.03P, PHV.03P.
Specific Expectations: BY2.01P, BY2.04P, BY2.05P, BY2.06P, BY3.01P, CH3.03P, CH3.04P.
Course Notes
Scientific Literacy for All Students
The paramount task of science education is to equip all students with scientific literacy – the combination of values, knowledge, and skills that enable them to think creatively, reason logically, evaluate information critically, and communicate effectively. This is an essential base for making productive and ethical decisions, not only about scientific and technological issues but in all areas of life. At the same time, science education must prepare students who require scientific knowledge and skills for employment or further education in trades, technology, and other science-related fields.
The vision of scientific literacy for all is presented in the introduction to The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10, Science, 1999. The curriculum is directed toward three basic goals:
· To relate science to technology, society, and the environment;
· To develop skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry;
· To understand basic concepts of science.
The activities and assessment tasks in this profile reflect the equal importance of the three goals and have been developed to address clusters of specific expectations that encompass all three goals.
STSE (Science, Technology, Society, and the Environment)
Achieving the expectations related to
the Science, Technology, Society, and the Environment goal is critical to the
development of scientific literacy.
· In the Grade 10 course, many of these expectations link environmental issues to societal concerns and the impact of technology. They invite further examination of these environmental issues and provide opportunities to develop thematic links between the strands. These connections provide a context for the development of the learning and assessment tasks in this profile.
· The final unit, Making Connections, was developed to address a cluster of expectations built around Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment expectations from all four strands. This allows students to apply the skills and concepts developed throughout the course and provides the opportunity for a final summative evaluation for the course. It also provides a narrative focus for the course when it is outlined to the students at the beginning of the course.
· Units 1 to 4 each include an end-of-unit task which provides an authentic context for addressing key expectations of that strand. These tasks usually centre on one or more of the Relating Science to Technology and Society and Environment expectations for that strand. All activities within the unit lead up to the end-of-unit task by providing students with opportunities to learn the concepts and practise the skills required for it.
· In this course, emphasis is put on using a practical approach to solving environmental problems. Each unit is discrete in terms of concept development, but all are linked through the development of skills. The specific expectations relating to skills form a consistent thread through all strands and constitute a defined set of skills. Opportunities to address the required skill expectations are provided in each unit. In addition, each unit emphasizes a particular skill set (see Unit Titles table) that is applied in the final unit. Communications skills get repeated emphasis within the differing context of each unit. Students have the opportunity to use a variety of methods of communication, including written reports, structured small group discussions, oral presentations, note making, graphs, charts, organizers, and other media.
Course Sequence
Local circumstances may dictate some variation in the sequence of units. Suggestions are included in the unit Planning Notes to address approaches that can be used where seasonal considerations may be a factor.
Broadening Awareness of Future Choices
The Grade 10 course is critical in affecting student’s motivation to continue studies in science, both for those who are considering a career path requiring science and for those who are considering other career paths but recognize the importance of science in society.
· Opportunities to identify and reflect on career possibilities, life choices, and future study areas form an important part of the activities. These activities should also be linked to those that are being carried out with Teacher Advisers, to each student’s Annual Education Plan, and to planning students’ Community Involvement. Teachers and departments need to discuss these links with the school team that co-ordinates these aspects of students’ programs.
· A focus on career choices in this course is meant to make students aware of the possibilities open to them, not to encourage anxiety or premature decisions about their career paths. (Career is being used in its widest sense of a life path, not in the limited sense of an occupation.) To maintain this focus on career choices, teachers are encouraged to develop a bulletin board display on Futures/Careers that can be updated throughout the course with information on career possibilities and educational opportunities. For this course, it is important that teachers become more familiar with apprenticeship programs, community college courses, and workplace opportunities that provide meaningful post-secondary destinations for students of varied interests and abilities.
Teaching Considerations
In planning for the delivery of this course there are a number of important issues teachers should consider:
· While learning skills are reported separately from achievement of expectations they are often critical to that achievement. Students still need assistance in developing those skills and support for that development is included as part of the teaching/learning strategies. Strategies to assess the learning skills are also included to assist teachers in developing a set of data and comments that can be used for reporting purposes as well as for ongoing communication with students and parents.
· It is important for teachers to acknowledge and build on student learning from earlier courses, not just in science but in other disciplines as well. For example, the Grade 9 Geography course addresses a number of expectations which complement those in this course, especially in the Biology and Earth and Space Science strands. The Grade 9 Mathematics course develops data collection and analysis skills. It is also important for teachers to recognize how contemporaneous student learning in other Grade 10 courses complements what goes on in science class.
· Implementation of The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Science and Technology began in 1998. For the first few years of implementation at the elementary level, students entering Grade 9 will not have covered the entire elementary curriculum as written. Secondary teachers need to continue to carry out diagnostic assessment and then work with students to fill any gaps in their learning.
· This course is rigorous in the challenges it provides to students. Demonstrable growth in skills is expected and student performance is assessed using defined criteria; there are standards to be met. Even though some activities differ, the time commitment required from students is the same as for the academic course.
· The use of homework to support student learning and to complement classroom work is implicit within the activities presented in this profile. However, it has been left to teacher discretion as to which parts of the activities are assigned as homework. Options for homework include: response journals, text-based activities, collection of examples or products for use in classwork, research, completion of in-class assignments, and work on projects.
· Safety issues should be introduced as appropriate throughout the course. Teachers should consult local and Ministry policy documents and conform with local Health and Safety practices. STAO resources on safe practices are also useful. Refer also to The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10, Science (p. 43). Opportunities to develop safe practices are also identified within the units and activities.
Teaching/Learning Strategies
Activities are Designed to Develop a Defined Set of Skills
An emphasis on science inquiry skills is maintained throughout the course. Through a variety of investigations, students describe objects and events, ask questions, construct explanations, test those explanations against current scientific knowledge, and communicate their ideas to others. They identify their assumptions, use critical and logical thinking, and consider alternative explanations.
The generic skill set that is described across the four strands of the Applied curriculum is to:
· identify a concern or issue;
· formulate scientific questions;
· demonstrate skills to plan and conduct practical tests, experiments, and inquiries;
· select and integrate information;
· communicate results;
· compile data;
· select and use appropriate instruments and techniques to collect data;
· use instruments and techniques appropriately and safely.
Student Questions and Inquiry are Critical
This profile describes a science course in which students are taught and actively encouraged to ask their own questions and, in many cases, to find their own answers by inquiry (through experiment, research, or the development of a device or process). The teacher must make decisions about when and how to intervene to ensure that students are being successful without usurping their opportunities to find their own way. In this model, the teacher is a facilitator of learning rather than the prime source of knowledge. The teacher spends class time assessing performance, refocusing groups, providing instruction when necessary, and redirecting individual students.
Most learning activities in this profile focus on the inquiry process, draw on scientific skills and concepts, and are set in a context of science as it relates to technology, society, and the environment. This approach is a significant, intentional change from past practice which tended to focus first on content; it is critical to the development of scientific literacy for all students.
A Balance of Learning Opportunities is Provided
Students should be involved in a range of laboratory activities, some of which they accomplish with step-by-step instructions. Other activities should be structured to develop students’ abilities to devise and carry out their own procedures within clearly-defined expectations.
Emphasis is put on communication of procedures and results, including a variety of methods of representation.
Research across a variety of disciplines indicates that each student interprets new information in terms of what he or she already knows. The student tries to make sense of what is taught by trying to fit it with his or her experience. This implies that teachers must engage students in activities from which the students construct meaning. This does not imply, however, that students must always ‘reinvent the wheel’. For example, basic computation and algorithms “were invented precisely so that people would not have to count on their fingers and toes to solve each problem” (Sykes, 1995). Formulas in science serve similar practical purposes. However the formulas and algorithms should be viewed by students as tools for solving problems not as ends in themselves.
Co-operative Learning Activities Develop Valued Skills
The need for students to interact with others as they expand their experience with new concepts is so vital that co-operative learning is an important teaching strategy. Co-operative learning allows individuals to examine their current thinking and to make adaptations in light of input from others. Learners need time to experience, think about on their experiences in relation to what they already know, and resolve any problems that arise. Accordingly, learners need time to clarify, elaborate, describe, compare, negotiate, and reach consensus on what specific experiences mean to them. Educating students to be effective learners is an important priority in the science program. Co-operative learning is also used as an integral part of practical lab work for students, providing useful workplace skills.
Learning Strategies are Supported with Examples
Teacher Support Materials (TSMs) are included to provide additional support for teaching and learning strategies and are referred to in a number of activities.
· The first section supports the development of science communication skills. It includes material on the use of response journals as a way of getting students to reflect on their learning and as a mechanism for the teacher to use an alternative means of communication with students. It also includes materials on student note making and consistent lab report formats to encourage science communication skills.
· The second section supports the use of technology, including the probeware that is highlighted in several of the units. Opportunities to use graphing calculators from the Mathematics Department in conjunction with compatible probeware are identified. The emphasis for students is on data analysis, not just data collection.
· The third section supports strategies for problem and issue analysis, including both quantitative problem-solving approaches and approaches required for the analysis of environmental or social impact issues.
· The fourth section supports strategies to make students aware of future options, as suggested in many of the activities. The use of an ongoing bulletin board on Futures/Careers is outlined.
Instructional Strategies in Grade 10 Science:
· include whole class, small group, and individual instruction.
· promote the role of teacher as guide, facilitator, and instructor in the classroom.
· use electronic technology in investigations as appropriate (including computer software, laboratory interface devices, calculators, video and digital cameras).
· address a variety of learning styles in each unit.
· can be adapted to accommodate students with special needs (see Accommodations section of each activity).
· promote direct involvement in a variety of concrete experiences with the natural world which enable students to construct a satisfactory understanding of concepts and principles.
· provide challenging experiences appropriate to the needs of a broad spectrum of students.
· encourage maximum student engagement in the learning activities.
· encourage student choice regarding the processes and products of learning in the science classroom.
· encourage student reflection on attitudes and values.
· provide opportunities for genuine inquiry – to generate questions, apply a variety of investigative approaches in learning, and communicate findings in a variety of ways.
· provide experiences with scope for students to demonstrate Achievement Level 4.
· use formative assessment to provide feedback and opportunities for remediation.
· link assessment tools to the expectations addressed.
· allow students to practise tasks during the course like those on which they are assessed and evaluated.
· connect with expectations from other subject areas when appropriate.
· support opportunities for transfer – to solve problems and innovate by applying scientific concepts and processes to their lives outside the school and beyond the artificial boundaries which separate school subjects.
Assessment/Evaluation Techniques
Assessment is a systematic process of collecting information or evidence about student learning; evaluation is the judgment we make about the assessments of student learning based on established criteria.
· The Learning Expectations are central to all aspects of this course. The learning contexts, content, and assessment are interconnected and linked to the expectations. Emphasis is placed on assessment tasks that:
· are linked to the learning tasks;
· are developed from the expectations;
· provide opportunities for demonstration of achievement at all levels and in all categories of the Achievement Chart.
· The Achievement Chart for Science is the basis for reporting each student’s progress. The assessment data accumulated throughout the course must be sufficient (in kind and number) to permit teachers to evaluate the consistent level of performance for each student in each of the categories in the Achievement Chart for Science in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10, Science, 1999, pp. 44-47.
Maximizing the Success of Each Student
· Emphasis is placed on offering a wide variety of assessment strategies in order to provide students with opportunities and choices to demonstrate their achievement of the expectations based on their strengths, recognizing that the achievement of the same expectation could be expressed in different ways by different students.
· By making assessment an ongoing part of the learning process, a wider variety of strategies for assessment and evaluation can be used in each unit. This can be used to increase the opportunities for each student to demonstrate success.
· Students should be made fully aware, in advance, of the processes by which they are assessed and evaluated in each unit and in the summative course evaluation. Making the details of the assessment and evaluation process clear to all students is a powerful way to promote student success in the achievement of expectations.
Suggestions
for assessment and evaluation provided in chart form in each activity include:
Task description;
Tool to be used for scoring (e.g., rubric, checklist, marking scheme);
Links to Achievement Chart
categories;
Links to Learning Skills.
A summary of these suggestions is also provided in chart form as part of each unit overview. These enables teachers to plan which tasks to use for the gathering of summative evaluation data for use in the generation of the grade for the student.
The range of assessment and evaluation strategies suggested should provide ample data for determining student achievement of the expectations. The tools for scoring provide data in a variety of formats: levels of achievement, traditional marks, and task completion. The links to the achievement chart also provide the opportunity for grouping data according to the category and for using that information in the determination of grades.
Assessment Tools
The scoring tools suggested are all variations on a simple form: the checklist. In its basic form, such as a checklist for meeting lab safety requirements, a simple completion or non-completion for each item on the list is sufficient. Traditional marking schemes can be interpreted as a collection of checklists, with one for each component of the assignment or for each question.
Where quality of completion is easily identifiable a rating scale can be used. In such a case the items on the list have a number assigned to them. For more complex tasks, where students need more guidance as to what constitutes quality for any of the items (criteria) on the checklist, descriptors can be developed for each level of quality to form a rubric.
· Rubrics are appropriate for the assessment and evaluation of complex tasks or a collection of simple tasks. Generic rubrics, such as a rubric for a lab report or an oral presentation (see TSMs, Grade 9 Public Science Profile, pp. x-xviii for some examples), are a good way to present what is expected in student work throughout a course. Task-specific rubrics (see TSM 5C: Developing Task Specific Rubrics ) are more appropriate for some projects and can be adapted from generic rubrics or from rubrics for similar tasks. Adapting rubrics that are already available from a variety of sources (see Resources) is an efficient and effective way of developing rubrics. As teachers become more comfortable with the use of rubrics, they also become more comfortable with developing their own. Developing task-specific rubrics with students as an assignment is given is an excellent way of establishing clear expectations. Since rubrics are used to assess student performances or products, they should be developed with reference to actual student work. In all cases, rubrics should be refined after they have been applied to student work, just as we do with other scoring tools such as marking schemes, to ensure that they measure what they are intended to measure.
· Rubrics can be used effectively to improve student learning. By providing them to students in advance of their assignment, or by involving students in their development or refinement, students become more aware of the expectations for their work. They are also excellent as formative feedback, as students can determine which aspect of their product or performance requires additional work. It is important that rubrics are written in language which can be understood by students.
· Rubrics can be used to increase consistency and reliability of evaluation. This is especially true when teachers collaborate on their development and use, so that students in different sections of the same course are evaluated using the same tool. Joint scoring sessions can also lead to increased consistency, as teachers develop a common understanding of what constitutes work at each level, and collect anchor papers to use as samples for students and teachers.
· Rubrics must be used judiciously. Overuse of rubrics can result in too much work for the teacher and confusion for the students.
Balance and Fairness in Assessment
The assessment tasks suggested provide opportunities for both formative assessment and summative evaluation. Most expectations are addressed more than once in the learning and assessment tasks, in order to provide opportunity for practice before final performance. Teachers must make their own professional judgement on which data should be used for formative purposes, and which data should be used for the summative evaluation and grading.
When students are engaged in group tasks it is appropriate to consider group interaction as an indicator of each student’s learning skills. However, assessment must focus primarily on each student’s individual demonstration of the learning expectations.
Implementing New Assessment Practices
Changing assessment and evaluation practice requires a broadening of a teacher’s repertoire, not an abandonment of sound past practice. Some traditional practices, such as allowing students to discount one quiz out of a unit or one test out of a course, are sound examples of using that data as formative assessment. Allowing students to retake a test or resubmit a lab report are other examples of practices that have been used successfully by teachers to encourage student learning. Using these practices as appropriate, and expanding on them to provide more student involvement in the process is desirable. For example, students could keep all their quizzes (tests, lab reports) in a portfolio or separate section of their notebook. At the end of a unit the quiz portfolio could be evaluated with a rubric based on the quizzes the student chose according to certain criteria (number, range, etc.) along with a reflection on what they learned, and how to improve their learning. Larger portfolios could be kept with a wider assortment of assessment pieces for evaluation towards the end of the course.
Teachers need to develop these strategies in such a way that they are workable on a daily basis, consistent with department, school, and board practice, and clear to the students. Some teachers may choose initially to convert level scores to percentage grades, weight by achievement chart category, and then calculate traditional marks. Others may choose to convert from percentage marks to levels and then calculate grades, with emphasis on the most consistent and consideration for the most recent.
Separate reporting of learning skills from achievement of expectations requires a change from some current practices. Ongoing emphasis on learning skills is critical to student success. Assessment strategies related to learning skills are provided, so that accumulation of evidence for the learning skills section on the report card can be carried out.
Accommodations
Students with special needs, whether identified by an IPRC or not, need additional supports to succeed in Grade 10 Science. For each identified student, read the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for information about specific accommodations designed to compensate for specific disabilities.
Examples of accommodations and aids which may be helpful include the following:
· Ensure that peer helpers are available when students are working in small groups.
· Provide handout sheets with sample calculations and specific skill instructions when required.
· Help students create data charts into which they record information.
· Advise Special Education staff in advance when students are working on major assignments.
· Record key words on the board when students are expected to make their own notes.
· Allow students to report verbally to a scribe (teacher or student) who can then help in note making.
· Permit students a wide range of options for recording and reporting their work to utilize student strengths (e.g., drawings, diagrams, flow charts, concept maps).
· Timelines may need to be extended to give students more time to process language and put their thoughts into words.
· Where an activity requires reading, give it in advance to students or provide a selection of materials at different reading levels.
Students in
English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development programs may require
additional supports. Intermediate or advanced speakers require a few
adjustments to deal with Grade 10 Science. Some examples of supports include:
· Have students keep a science dictionary of terms using pictures and first language words.
· Where an activity requires reading, give it in advance to students.
· Permit the use of a translation dictionary on assessments.
· Provide additional time on assessments for dictionary use and processing language.
· Have the teacher-librarian identify resources with appropriate reading level when research is required.
· Advise ESL/ESD staff in advance when significant written work is required.
Many activities are designed as rich
open-ended tasks which provide opportunities for students requiring enrichment,
but specific strategies for extensions are also included for these students.
Resources
Resources are included in the activities, but general resources and resources identified in more than one activity are listed here as well.
A. General References on Science Education
Armstrong, Thomas. Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1994. ISBN 0-87120-230-1
Herman, Aschbacher and Winters. A Practical Guide to Alternative Assessment. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1992. ISBN 0-87120-197-6
Windows on Learning. Kitchener, ON: The Waterloo County Board of Education, 1993.
Zemelman, Daniels and Hyde. Best Practice: New Standards for Teaching and Learning in America’s Schools. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1993. ISBN 0-435-08788-6
B. Science and Education Web Sites (and sites that lead to them)
American Association for the
Advancement of Science
http://www.aaas.org/
Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development – variety of high quality publications and videos on a
wide variety of topics – many principals and superintendents have memberships
and can purchase materials at reduced rates. Also the home of Educational
Leadership magazine.
http://www.ascd.org/
Canadian government and research
sites related to science and engineering
http://www.nserc.ca/relate.htm
CBC Educational Resources
http://www.cbc.ca/insidecbc/educational/
EDU Web Index -- to find anything
on the Ministry’s web site.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/webmap.html
Education Network of Ontario
http://www.enoreo.on.ca/
Education resources on the web
(Canadian site)
http://www.educ.uvic.ca/depts/snsc/pages/weblinks/weblinks.htm
Electronic Resources: APA Style
of Citation The American Psychological Association Style Manual is a
widely-used guide for citing references. The following web site provides APA
rules for citing Internet sources.
http://www.uvm.edu/~ncrane/estyles/apa.html
Gateway to Educational Materials
http://www.thegateway.org/
Kathy Schrock's Guide for
Educators
http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/
Midwest Mathematics and Science
Consortium (MSC)
http://www.ncrel.org/msc/msc.htm
National Science Foundation (USA)
http://www.nsf.gov/
National Staff Development
Council -- issues of implementation
http://www.nsdc.org/
Online Resources for Assessment
http://www.rmcdenver.com/useguide/assessme/online.htm
Ontario Ministry of Education (EDU)
– curriculum documents page
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/curricul/curricul.html
Regional Education Laboratories
in the USA -- focus on educational research
http://www.sedl.org/RELs.html
Rubric for scoring a physics
laboratory project
http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/projects/q1/tparub.html
Science Teachers Association of
Ontario (STAO) links to science sites
http://www.stao.org/hotlinks.htm
STAR Center for Academic Renewal
(Texas)
http://www.starcenter.org/
USA National Academy of Sciences
http://www.nas.edu/
C. Accommodations
Lazzari and Peters. Help 3: Handbook of Exercises for Language Processing. Lingui Systems Inc., 1991.
Mamchur, Carolyn. A Teacher’s Guide to Cognitive Type Theory and Learning Style. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1996. ISBN 0-87120-278-6
Parks, Sandra and Black, Howard. Organizing Thinking: Graphic Organizers. Pacific Grove, CA: Critical Thinking Press and Software, 1992.
Sunburst: Study Skills Student Workshop. Sunburst Communications, 1997.
D. Curriculum Planning and Assessment
Brown, John L. Observing Dimensions of Learning in Classrooms and Schools. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1995. ISBN 0-87120-255-7
Burke, Kay. How to Assess Thoughtful Outcomes. Palatine, Illinois: IRI/Skylight Publishing, Inc., 1993. ISBN 0-932935-58-3 (1-800-348-4474 )
A Resource for Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting. Peterborough, Ontario: The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, 1999. (distributed as part of the School Implementation Team binder during the fall, 1999 training sessions)
McDonald, Joseph P., et al. Graduation by Exhibition: Assessing Genuine Achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1993. ISBN 0-87120-204-2
The Ministry of Education and Training, Ontario. Assessment Planning Guide: Junior Science OAIP. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer., 1993. ISBN 0-7778-0716-5
O’Connor, Ken. The Mindful School: How to Grade for Learning. Palatine, IL: Skylight Publishing, 1998.
Quality Assessment, Fitting the Pieces Together. Toronto, ON: OSSTF, 1999.
Stiggins, Richard. Student-Centred Classroom Assessment, 2nd Edition. Toronto: MacMillan, 1997.
Assessment for Learning in the Transition Years and the Specialization Years. Kitchener, ON: The Waterloo County Board of Education, 1993.
Wiggins, Grant. Educative Assessment. San Francisco, California: Jossey Bass, 1998.
Wiggins, Grant and Jay McTighe. Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1998. ISBN 0-87120-313-8
OSS Policy Applications
Connections are made within the activities to policy applications such as the Annual Education Plan and Choices into Action.
Course Evaluation
We know when we are progressing towards the vision described for Grade 10 Science when we observe:
· students who are actively curious, habitually asking questions about the world around them.
· students who can transfer the skills, concepts, and habits of mind learned through science to describe, analyse, and explain issues elsewhere in the curriculum and beyond the school that relate science, technology, society, and the environment.
· students interacting with others in ways that reflect personal and communal values that have been examined, in part, through the study of science.
· students who are able to consider further studies and/or careers in science and technology since we have maximized the choices open to each by providing engaging learning opportunities and inspiring role models.
· teachers functioning as a community of learners, questioning what they do and how they do it, and improving their craft by sharing their experiences.
Coded Expectations, Science, Applied, SNC2P
Biology: Ecosystems and Human Activity
Overall Expectations
BYV.01P
– demonstrate an understanding of ecosystems, including the relationship between ecological balance and the sustainability of life;
BYV.02P
– analyse natural and human threats to a local ecosystem and propose viable solutions to restore ecological balance;
BYV.03P
– relate issues to environmental sustainability with a particular focus on issues in Ontario and Canada.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic Concepts
BY1.01P
– describe the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration as they relate to the cycling of energy, carbon, and oxygen through abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem (e.g., explain how glucose, water, and carbon dioxide are produced and/or consumed during these processes);
BY1.02P
– illustrate the cycling of matter through biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem by tracking nitrogen;
BY1.03P
– illustrate the process of bioaccumulation through an example, and explain its potential impact on the viability and diversity of consumers at all trophic levels;
BY1.04P
– show the relationship between the resources available and the equilibrium of a natural population in an ecosystem (e.g., describe the impact on an aquatic ecosystem of fishing or of harvesting a resource such as seaweed);
BY1.05P
– explain why ecosystems with similar characteristics can exist in different geographical locations (e.g., why deserts exist in different parts of the world);
BY1.06P
– describe how different ecosystems respond differently to short-term stresses and long-term changes (e.g., short term: the activity of tent caterpillars during a season; long-term: the effect of acid rain on maple trees);
BY1.07P
– explain how soil composition and fertility can be altered in an ecosystem and outline the possible consequences of such changes.
Developing Skills of Inquiry and Communication
BY2.01P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts identify a current local concern or issue involving an ecosystem (e.g., the conversion of a grass lot into a parking lot; the impact of fishing on a lake; the building of a pulp and paper mill on a river; the construction of a hydroelectric dam);
BY2.02P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts formulate scientific questions about the ecological issue and outline experimental procedures for finding answers;
BY2.03P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts demonstrate the skills required to plan and conduct practical tests on related ecological factors, and collect data using appropriate instruments and techniques safely and accurately (e.g., tests for water quality, air quality, soil composition);
BY2.04P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts select and integrate information from various sources, including electronic, print, and community resources, to answer the questions chosen;
BY2.05P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts analyse the data and information gathered to clarify aspects of the concern or issue (e.g., identify costs and benefits from a social, cultural, and/or environmental perspective; predict the consequences of action or inaction; propose possible solutions);
BY2.06P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts communicate the results of the investigation using a variety of oral, written, and graphic formats (e.g., write a letter to the mayor or organize a public debate);
BY2.07P
– compile data on the biodiversity within a natural ecosystem, using appropriate techniques, and compare the results with those from a disturbed ecosystem.
Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
BY3.01P
– assess the impact of technological change on an ecosystem (e.g., the introduction of fertilizer and pesticides to soil; the introduction of a genetically engineered plant; the effect of polluted water or air on plants and animals);
BY3.02P
– describe ways in which relationships between living organisms and their ecosystems are viewed by other cultures (e.g., First Nations);
BY3.03P
– identify and evaluate Canadian initiatives in protecting Canada’s ecosystems;
BY3.04P
– describe some of the technologies used in cleaning up contaminated sites;
BY3.05P
– identify and describe careers based on ecology and environmental technology.
Chemistry: Chemical Reactions and Their Practical Applications
Overall Expectations
CHV.01P
– demonstrate an understanding of chemical reactions and the symbolic systems used to describe them;
CHV.02P
– investigate chemical reactions encountered in everyday life and their practical applications;
CHV.03P
– demonstrate an understanding of how chemical reactions relate to technological products and processes commonly encountered in everyday life.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic Concepts
CH1.01P
– recognize the relationships among chemical formulae, composition, and names;
CH1.02P
– demonstrate an understanding of chemical reactions, including conservation of mass, and their representation through balanced chemical equations;
CH1.03P
– describe, using their observations, the reactants and products of a variety of chemical reactions, including synthesis, decomposition, and displacement reactions (e.g., the burning of magnesium, the production of oxygen from hydrogen peroxide, the reaction of iron in copper sulphate);
CH1.04P
– describe qualitatively, using their observations, how factors such as heat, concentration, light, and surface area can affect rates of chemical reactions;
CH1.05P
– classify substances as acids, bases, or salts based on their characteristic properties (e.g., reactions with indicators and with metals), names, and formulae (e.g., HCl, NaOH, NaCl);
CH1.06P
– demonstrate an understanding of neutralization through investigation of simple acid-base reactions;
CH1.07P
– describe how the pH scale is used to identify the concentration of acids and bases;
CH1.08P
– name and write the formulae for common ionic and molecular compounds (e.g., H2 SO4, NaNO3, CO2, NaOH).
Developing Skills of Inquiry and Communication
CH2.01P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts select and use appropriate apparatus, and apply WHMIS safety procedures for the handling, storage, disposal, and recycling of laboratory materials (e.g., wear safety goggles and aprons; use proper techniques to handle, dispose of, and recycle acids, bases, and heavy metal ions; describe procedures to be followed in an emergency);
CH2.02P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts formulate scientific questions about acid-base neutralization reactions and outline experimental procedures to answer the questions;
CH2.03P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts demonstrate the skills required to plan and conduct practical experiments on acid-base neutralization reactions, and collect data using appropriate instruments and techniques in a safe and accurate manner (e.g., an experiment to neutralize a dilute solution of sodium hydroxide with dilute hydrochloric acid and extract the sodium chloride produced);
CH2.04P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts select and integrate information from various sources, including electronic, print, and community resources, to answer the questions chosen;
CH2.05P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts analyse the data and information gathered to clarify aspects of the questions chosen (e.g., data on changes in the acidity, fish populations, and clarity of Ontario’s small lakes over the years);
CH2.06P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts communicate the results of the investigation, using a variety of oral, written, and graphic formats (e.g., use molecular models to represent chemical reactions);
CH2.07P
– use the pH scale to determine the acidity or basicity of some common household substances (e.g., vinegar);
CH2.08P
– conduct experiments to determine the factors that affect the rate of a chemical reaction (e.g., temperature, surface area of a solid, concentration of a solution);
CH2.09P
– represent simple chemical reactions using word equations, balanced chemical equations, and, where appropriate, molecular models.
Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
CH3.01P
– use scientific nomenclature to identify common consumer products (e.g., identify ingredients in food products or cosmetics from the labels);
CH3.02P
– investigate applications of acid-base reactions in common products and processes (e.g., compare the effectiveness of different brands of antacid tablets by quantitative analysis; prepare soap from lard and sodium hydroxide and compare its lather formation with that of commercial soaps);
CH3.03P
– relate chemical reactions (including the rates of reactions) to familiar processes encountered in everyday life (e.g., acid-base reactions in film processing, food processing, fabric and hair dyeing, agriculture, wine making, pulp-and-paper and mineral processing) and identify careers that require knowledge of such processes (e.g., environmental engineering, swimming-pool maintenance);
CH3.04P
– research the methods of chemical disposal used in Canada and the environmental and individual health and safety consequences of inappropriate disposal methods (e.g., examine the effects of dumping car batteries, tires, plastics, paints, or metals in landfill sites).
Earth and Space Science: Weather Systems
Overall Expectations
ESV.01P
– demonstrate an understanding of the factors affecting the fundamental processes of weather systems;
ESV.02P
– investigate and analyse trends in local and global weather conditions in order to forecast local weather patterns;
ESV.03P
– describe new technologies in meteorology and explain the impact of weather on our daily lives.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic Concepts
ES1.01P
– identify and describe the principal characteristics of the hydrosphere and the four regions of the atmosphere;
ES1.02P
– describe and explain heat transfer within the water cycle and how the hydrosphere and atmosphere act as heat sinks;
ES1.03P
– describe and illustrate the factors affecting heat transfer within the water cycle in the atmosphere (e.g., temperature, pressure, humidity, winds);
ES1.04P
– observe, through experiment and simulation, and describe (a) the effects of atmospheric pressure, (b) the pattern of air movement in convection, (c) the phenomenon of inversion, (d) the greenhouse effect, and (e) heat transfer through radiation (e.g., (a) the reduction of the boiling point of water with reduced pressure or altitude; (c) the formation of dew or frost early in the morning following a clear calm night; (e) the use of dark solar panels for effective heat transfer);
ES1.05P
– describe the factors relating to the rotation of the Earth that cause the movement of air masses and variations in the Earth’s temperature;
ES1.06P
– describe and explain heat transfer in the hydrosphere and atmosphere and its effects on air and water currents;
ES1.07P
– describe and explain the effects of heat transfer within the hydrosphere and atmosphere on the development, severity, and movement of weather systems (e.g., effects such as pressure gradients, cloud formation, winds).
Developing Skills of Inquiry and Communication
ES2.01P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts identify factors that affect the development, severity, and movement of local weather systems (e.g., microclimates in rural and urban areas, El Niño, bodies of water, frontal systems, smog);
ES2.02P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts formulate scientific questions about these factors and outline experimental procedures for finding answers;
ES2.03P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts demonstrate the skills required to plan and conduct a weather-related inquiry, and collect data using appropriate instruments and techniques safely and accurately (e.g., record temperatures and atmospheric pressure; interpret weather maps and satellite photographs);
ES2.04P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts select and integrate information from various sources, including electronic, print, and community resources, to answer the questions chosen (e.g., historical trend data, local weather records, rates of evaporation of water);
ES2.05P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts analyse the data and information gathered to clarify aspects of the questions chosen;
ES2.06P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts communicate the results of the investigation, using a variety of oral, written, and graphic formats (e.g., diagrams, group presentations to the class, flow charts, simulations, graphs).
Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
ES3.01P
– identify the impact of climate change on economic, social, and environmental conditions;
ES3.02P
– describe examples of Canadian contributions to the field of meteorology (e.g., in satellite observation and imaging; in cold-climate meteorology);
ES3.03P
– describe the impact of new technologies on our ability to predict local daily weather (e.g., Doppler radar, satellite imaging);
ES3.04P
– assess the impact of weather on a variety of economic activities in Canada (e.g., agriculture, forestry, tourism, home construction, fruit growing).
Physics: Motion and Its Applications
Overall Expectations
PHV.01P
– describe different kinds of motion and the quantitative relationships among displacement, velocity, and acceleration;
PHV.02P
– design and conduct investigations to study the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of a vehicle;
PHV.03P
– identify ways in which the principles of motion are used in developing new technologies and describe the consequences of such developments.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic Concepts
PH1.01P
– distinguish among and provide examples of
scalar and vector quantities as they relate to the description of linear motion
(e.g., among distance Δd, displacement Δ
, and position 
, and between speed v and velocity 
);
PH1.02P
– distinguish among constant, instantaneous, and average speed and among constant, instantaneous, and average velocity, and give examples involving uniform and non-uniform motion;
PH1.03P
– describe quantitatively the relationship among one-dimensional average speed vav , distance travelled Δd, and elapsed time Δt, and solve simple problems involving these physical quantities (vav = Δd/Δt);
PH1.04P
– describe quantitatively the relationship
among one-dimensional average velocity 
av, displacement Δ
, and elapsed time Δt, and solve simple problems
involving these physical quantities (
av = Δ
/Δt);
PH1.05P
– draw position-time graphs and calculate the average velocity and instantaneous velocity from such graphs;
PH1.06P
– describe quantitatively the relationship
among one-dimensional average acceleration 
av , change in velocity Δ
, and elapsed time Δt, and solve simple problems
involving these physical quantities (
av = Δ
/Δt).
Developing Skills of Inquiry and Communication
PH2.01P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts formulate scientific questions about the motion of an object, including displacement, velocity, and acceleration, and outline experimental procedures for finding answers (e.g., “How can you accurately measure the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of a person, a bicycle, or a falling object?”);
PH2.02P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts demonstrate the skills required to plan and conduct an inquiry into motion, identifying the variables to be measured, and collect data using appropriate instruments and techniques safely and accurately (e.g., measure and analyse an object’s motion in terms of displacement, velocity, and acceleration);
PH2.03P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts select and integrate information from various sources, including electronic, print, and community resources, to answer the questions chosen (e.g., compare the characteristics of the different object motions investigated);
PH2.04P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts analyse the data and information gathered to clarify aspects of the chosen questions (e.g., estimate journey times from road maps and average speeds);
PH2.05P
– through investigations and applications of basic concepts communicate the results of the investigation using a variety of oral, written, and graphic formats.
Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
PH3.01P
– perform a cost-benefit analysis, including environmental and safety factors, of technologies which have enabled us to attain ever-faster speeds on land and water and in the air, and of alternative modes of transportation (e.g., snowmobiles, automobiles, trains, subways);
PH3.02P
– investigate the benefits and risks to the community and the individual of alternatives to motor-vehicle transportation (e.g., public transit, high-speed trains, walking, bicycling, in-line skating, horseback riding, skiing);
PH3.03P
– describe examples of Canadian and other contributions to the science and technology of motion (e.g., snow vehicles, aircraft, hydrofoils, the G-suit, the canoe, the spring skate).