March 30, 1998
TORONTO – For the first time in 30 years, the province is setting clear, specific expectations for our students in Science and Technology through the new, rigorous curriculum released today by Education and Training Minister Dave Johnson.
“A solid foundation in scientific and technological theory as well as practical, hands-on application of that knowledge will be an essential requirement for students preparing to succeed in the technology-driven global economy of the 21st century,” Johnson said at today’s announcement, which was made at the Ontario Science Centre.
Consistent with the curriculum for mathematics and language, which has been provided to all schools across the province, the new science and technology curriculum describes in detail the knowledge and skills that students are expected to acquire in each grade in elementary school.
I appreciate that the Ontario Science Centre has agreed to allow us to make our announcement here – I think this is a very appropriate location for such a significant event.
Advances in science and technology have changed our lives dramatically in the last 20 years – and we fully expect the years ahead to bring continuing progress and change . . .
Our young people stand on the brink of the next millennium. It is our responsibility to make certain that they have acquired the scientific literacy they will need to help them understand our increasingly technological world.
A solid foundation in scientific theory as well as practical, hands-on application of that knowledge will be an essential requirement for students preparing to succeed in the technology-driven global economy of the next century.
Today, I am releasing Ontario's first completely new science curriculum in 30 years.
For the very first time in our province's history, the curriculum for each grade from one to eight will include not only a science component – the theoretical component – but also a technology component, covering practical application of those theories.
In addition, this new curriculum addresses Earth and Space science – components which were missing from the previous curriculum.
Space Overview Space science involves learning about objects in the sky, particularly their form, movements, and interactions. In this strand, students will develop an understanding of earth and space and of the relationship of earth to the other bodies in the solar system. Investigations will involve extensive work with models of the different bodies to allow students to explore their size, position, and motion, as well as relationship to one another. In learning about space, students will come to appreciate that our ability to observe and study objects in space has been greatly enhanced by the use of technological devices.
By the end of Grade 6, students will:· demonstrate an understanding of the patterns of change observable on earth as a result of the movement of the different bodies in the solar system (e.g., solar and lunar eclipses, tides, phases of the moon, position of the constellations) and of the physical characteristics of the different components of the solar system; · investigate, using models and simulations, the relationship between the sun, earth, and moon, the patterns of change observable on earth that result from the movement of these bodies, and the physical characteristics of the different components of the solar system (e.g., the sun and planets, inner planets and outer planets); · describe technological and scientific advances that enable humans to study space, and explain how these advances have affected the quality of life on earth.
By the end of Grade 6, students will:· describe the physical characteristics of components of the solar system - the sun, planets, natural satellites, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids (e.g., relative size, surface temperature); · identify the bodies in space that emit light (stars) and those that reflect light (e.g., moons, planets); · describe, using models or simulations, the features of the moon’s surface (e.g., craters, maria, rills); · identify cycles in nature (e.g., cycle of day and night, cycle of seasons) and describe the changes within the cycles (e.g., observe the phases of the moon over several months to determine the pattern of change, and record these observations); · describe, using models or simulations, how the earth’s rotation causes the cycle of day and night, and how the earth’s revolution causes the cycle of the seasons; · recognize major constellations visible at night and describe the origins of their names (e.g., Orion, Leo); · describe, using models or simulations, the effects of the relative motion and positions of the earth, moon, and sun (e.g., solar and lunar eclipses, tides, phases of the moon); · follow safety procedures when observing the sun (e.g., never look at the sun directly or through a lens or coloured glass; look only at a projection of the sun’s image; do not use a lens or magnifier to focus the sun’s rays to a small area; exercise caution when using mirrors so that they do not reflect the sun’s image directly into someone’s eyes).
By the end of Grade 6, students will:· describe how humans have improved the tools and techniques used in space exploration (e.g., Canadarm, Hubble telescope, Lunar Rover, Sojourner); · identify Canadians who have contributed to space science and technology (e.g., Marc Garneau, Roberta Bondar, Chris Hadfield, David Levy, Helen Hogg, Bjarni Tryggvason); · explain how astronauts meet their basic needs in space (e.g., through the use of dehydrated foods, backpacks with an oxygen supply, a hermetically sealed cabin with temperature and air controls); · identify the technological tools and devices needed for space exploration (e.g., telescopes, spectroscopes, spacecraft, life support systems); · recognize problems arising from space exploration (e.g., space junk, satellites burning in the atmosphere upon re-entry); · identify and describe past and present-day contributions of astronomy to the quality of human life (e.g., development of the calendar; prediction of events such as eclipses and seasons; provision of information about space and time); · identify the ways in which the development of materials and technology for space exploration has led to the use of new technologies and materials on earth (e.g., micro-electronics, medical imaging, remote sensing).
