Overview
The vision of science education is to develop scientific literacy – an evolving combination of science related attitudes, skills, and knowledge students need to develop inquiry, problem solving, and decision making abilities, to become lifelong learners, and to maintain a sense of wonder about the world around them. Development of scientific literacy is supported by instructional environments that emphasize:
- Scientific Inquiry – students pose questions about the nature of things and develop explanations for phenomena, involving broad exploration as well as focused investigations
- Problem Solving – students seek answers to practical problems requiring the application of their science knowledge in new ways to reach an optimum solution
- Decision Making – students identify questions or issues, pursue science knowledge that will inform the decision, and determine how citizens should respond
In the development of scientific literacy, diverse learning experiences provide opportunities for students to explore, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, appreciate, and understand interrelationships among science, technology, society and the environment that will affect their personal lives, careers, and future.
The science program is articulated around four critical aspects of students’ scientific literacy.
- Science, Technology, Society and the Environment (STSE) – students will develop an understanding of the nature of science and technology, of the relationships between science and technology, and the social and environmental contexts of science and technology
- Skills – students will develop the skills required for scientific and technological inquiry, for solving problems, for communicating scientific ideas and results, for working collaboratively, and for making informed decisions
- Knowledge – students will construct knowledge and understandings of concepts in life science, physical science, and Earth and space science, and apply these understandings to interpret, integrate and extend their knowledge
- Attitudes – students will be encouraged to develop attitudes that support responsible acquisition and application of scientific and technological knowledge to the mutual benefit of self, society and the environment
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Foundation for the Atlantic Canada Science Curriculum
Primary / primaire
The primary science program initiates the development of students’ scientific literacy. Within the context of objects, events, and materials in their immediate surroundings, students will ask questions, develop ideas about how those questions might be answered, observe and explore, record results, identify patterns and order, work with others, and share and communicate ideas.
Kindergarten
Science courses emphasizes the development of the attitudes, skills, and knowledge students need to develop inquiry, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities, to become lifelong learners, and to maintain a sense of wonder about the world around them.
Science Kindergarten learning experiences are not prescribed. The objects and events in which students are interested become the focus to address curriculum expectations within a play- and inquiry-based environment.
Expectations are organized into a single unit:
- Exploring Our World
Maternelle
Les cours de sciences mettent l’accent sur le développement des attitudes, des habilités et des connaissances dont les élèves ont besoin pour acquérir des aptitudes de recherche, de résolution de problèmes et de prise de décision, d’acquérir le désir d’apprendre tout au long de sa vie et de continuer à s’émerveiller du monde qui les entoure.
Les expériences d’apprentissage des sciences en maternelle ne sont pas prescrites. Les objets et les événements qui intéressent les élèves deviennent le point central des expériences d’apprentissage pour répondre aux attentes du programme d’études dans un contexte de jeu et de questionnement.
Les attentes sont présentées en un module unique:
- Explorer notre monde
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Grade 1 / 1ère année
Units include:
- Daily and Seasonal Changes
- Materials and Our Senses
- Properties of Objects and Materials
- Needs and Characteristics of Living Things
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Grade 2 / 2e année
Units include:
- Air and Water in the Environment
- Liquids and Solids
- Relative Position and Motion
- Animal Growth and Changes
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Grade 3 / 3e année
Units include:
- Exploring Soils
- Materials and Structures
- Invisible Forces
- Plant Growth and Changes
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Elementary / élémentaire
The elementary science program advances the development of students’ scientific literacy. Within the context of the local environment, students will ask questions, develop plans to investigate those questions, observe and investigate, record results, interpret findings, work collaboratively to carry out activities, and communicate ideas, procedures and results.
Grade 4 / 4e année
Units include:
- Integrated Skills
- Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion
- Sound
- Light
- Habitats and Communities
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Grade 5 / 5e année
Units include:
- Integrated Skills
- Weather
- Forces and Simple Machines
- Properties and Changes of Materials
- Meeting Basic Needs and Maintaining a Healthy Body
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Grade 6 / 6e année
Units include:
- Integrated Skills
- Space
- Flight
- Electricity
- Diversity of Life
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Intermediate / intermédiaire
The intermediate science program furthers the development of students’ scientific literacy with an emerging focus on developing scientific explanations. Within the context of life science, physical science, and Earth and space science, students will ask questions about relationships between and among observable variables, plan investigations to address those questions, conduct investigations, gather and record qualitative and quantitative data, assess possible explanations, work collaboratively on problems, and use appropriate language and formats to communicate ideas, procedures and results.
Grade 7 / 7e année
Units include:
- Interactions within Ecosystems
- Heat
- Mixtures and Solutions
- Earth’s Crust
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Grade 8 / 8e année
Units include:
- Water Systems on Earth’s Surface
- Fluids
- Optics
- Cells, Tissues, Organs and Systems
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Grade 9 / 9e année
Units include:
- Space
- Atoms, Elements, and Compounds
- Electricity
- Reproduction
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High School
The high school science program continues the development of students’ scientific literacy. The program provides students with a foundation in science disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, Earth science, and environmental science. Within these disciplines, students will ask questions about observed relationships, plan investigations of ideas, problems and issues, conduct investigations, use a broad range of tools and techniques to gather and record data and information, analyze data and apply mathematical and conceptual models, develop and assess possible explanations, work as a member of a team, and apply the skills and conventions of science in communicating information and ideas and in assessing results.
Science 1206
Units include:
- Integrated Skills
- Weather Dynamics
- Chemical Reactions
- Motion
- Sustainability of Ecosystems
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Science 2200
Units include:
- Sustainability of Ecosystems
- Weather Dynamics
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Science 3200
Units include:
- Chemical Reactions
- Motion
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Biology 2201
Units include:
- Unit i: Integrated Skills
- Unit 1: Ecosystem Interactions and Population Dynamics
- Unit 2: Processes that Sustain Life
- Unit 3: Maintaining Homeostasis
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Note: Science 1206 is a recommended prerequisite.
Biology 3201
Units include:
- Unit i: Integrated Skills
- Unit 1: Cell Reproduction and the Continuity of Life
- Unit 2: Genetic Basis of Heredity
- Unit 3: Evolutionary Change and Biodiversity
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Note: Science 1206 is a prerequisite.
Chemistry 2202
The course emphasizes the development of scientific literacy.
In Chemistry 2202, students will acquire science-related skills, knowledge, and attitudes. This will be achieved through the study and analysis of the interrelationships among science, technology, society, and the environment.
Units include:
- Integrated Skills
- Stoichiometry
- From Structures to Properties
- Organic Chemistry
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Note: Science 1206 is a prerequisite.
Chemistry 3202
Units include:
- Integrated Skills
- From Kinetics to Equilibrium
- Acids and Bases
- Thermochemistry
- Electrochemistry
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Prerequisite: Chemistry 2202
Physics 2204
The course emphasizes the development of scientific literacy.
Students will construct knowledge and understanding of concepts in physics and apply these understandings to interpret, integrate and extend their knowledge.
Units include:
- Integrated Skills
- Kinematics
- Dynamics
- Work and Energy
- Waves
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Note: Science 1206 is a prerequisite.
Physics 3204
Units include:
- Force, Motion, and Energy
- Fields
- Matter Energy Interface
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Prerequisite: Physics 2204
Environmental Science 3205
Units include:
- Introduction to Environmental Science
- Recreation in the Environment
- Land Use and the Environment
- Water use and the Environment
- The Atmosphere and the Environment
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Earth Systems 3209
The course emphasizes the development of scientific literacy.
Students will construct knowledge and understanding of concepts in Earth science and apply these understandings to interpret, integrate and extend their knowledge.
Units include:
- Introduction to Earth Systems
- Historical Geology
- Earth Materials
- The Forces within Earth
- Earth Resources: Real-Life Applications
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Note: Science 1206 is a prerequisite.