The Power of Sunlight – Ontario Science Curriculum Expectations (Grades 9-12)
The Power of Sunlight is a PlantingScience Investigation Theme that fits into the Ontario Science Curriculum for Grades 9-10 and Grades 11-12 under various sections including
- Grade 9, Science (Academic and Applied): “Biology: Sustainable Ecosystems” (pp. 50 – 51) and “Biology: Sustainable Ecosystems and Human Activity” (pp. 62 – 63).
- Grade 10, Science (Academic): “Biology: Tissues, Organs, and Systems of Living Things” (pp. 74 – 75).
- Grade 11, Biology: “Diversity of Living Things” (pp. 50 – 51), “Evolution” (pp. 52 – 53), “Genetic Processes” (pp. 54 – 55), “Plants: Anatomy, Growth, and Function” (pp. 58 – 59), “Cellular Biology” (pp. 64 – 65), “Genetics” (pp. 68 – 69), “Plants in the Natural Environment” (pp. 72 – 73).
- Grade 12, Biology: “Metabolic Processes” (pp. 80 – 81), “Molecular Genetics” (pp. 82 – 83), “Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry” (pp. 158 – 159).
- Grades 9-12, Science and Biology: “Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration” (detailed discussion is available in separate document).
The specific expectations for students in grades 9 to 12 can be met in the following ways:
Grade 9 (Biology: Sustainable Ecosystems):
B1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
B1.1-1.2. Students can assess human activity impact(s) threatening ecosystem sustainability and remediation activities.
B2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
B2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate vocabulary during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
B2.2-2.5. Students can learn to plan and conduct inquiry-based investigations about the effect of human activities on ecosystems as well as interpret the data and results.
B3. Understanding Basic Concepts
B3.1-3.5. Students can learn about various aspects of ecosystems (biotic and abiotic), the flow of energy and limiting factors within ecosystems (photosynthesis and respiration), maintenance of diversity and sustainability of ecosystems, and how humans can affect ecosystem balance.
Grade 9 (Biology: Sustainable Ecosystems and Human Activity):
B1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
B1.1-1.2. Students can assess human activity impact(s) threatening ecosystem sustainability and remediation activities.
B2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
B2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate vocabulary during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
B2.2. Students can learn to investigate importance of various characteristics and interactions within ecosystems (biotic and abiotic).
B2.3-2.5. Students can learn to plan and conduct inquiry-based investigations about the effect of human activities on ecosystems as well as interpret the results.
B3. Understanding Basic Concepts
B3.1-3.5. Students can learn about various aspects of ecosystems, importance of all of the components, the flow of energy and limiting factors within ecosystems (photosynthesis and respiration), and how humans can affect ecosystem balance.
Grade 10 (Biology: Tissues, Organs, and Systems of Living Things):
B1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
B1.1. Students can learn to analyse the research basis and ethical implications of transgenic plants.
B2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
B2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate vocabulary during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
B2.2-2.5. Students can study many aspects of the plants under the microscope, including different plant tissues and cells at various stages of development.
B2.6-2.7. Students can learn to dissect plants and their various parts to investigate the diversity of tissues.
B3. Understanding Basic Concepts
B3.1-3.2. Students can learn about the cell cycle and cell division in plants.
B3.3. Students can learn about specialized cells, tissues, organs, and systems in plants.
B3.5. Students can learn about the interactions of various systems within a plant.
Grade 11 (Diversity of Living Things):
B1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
B1.1-1.2. Students can learn to analyse the effects of human intervention on ecosystem biodiversity and diversity of living things.
B2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
B2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
B2.2-2.4. Students can learn proper collection techniques and appropriate identification and classification of collected organisms using dichotomous keys.
B3. Understanding Basic Concepts
B3.1-3.5. Students can learn about the principles of taxonomy and phylogeny, structure and function of various plants and their parts over evolutionary time, identify specific anatomical and physiological characteristics, and explain the importance of biodiversity.
Grade 11 (Evolution):
C1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
C1.1-1.2. Students can learn to analyse the effects of artificial selection and evaluate impacts of environmental change on natural selection.
C2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
C2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
C2.2-2.4. Students can investigate processes of natural and artificial selection, factors affecting evolution, and contributions of various scientists to the theory of evolution.
C3. Understanding Basic Concepts
C3.1-3.5. Students can learn about the theory of evolution including processes of adaptation, new species formation, species extinction, and other evolutionary mechanisms.
Grade 11 (Genetic Processes):
D1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
D1.1-1.2. Students can analyse and evaluate the basis and implications of genetics and genomics research as well as importance of recent contributions to these fields.
D2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
D2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
D2.2-2.4. Students can investigate meiosis using a microscope in various plants and learn to solve various genetic problems using the Punnett square method.
D3. Understanding Basic Concepts
D3.1-3.3. Students can learn about of meiosis and mitosis, factors involved in these processes, and characteristics of Mendelian inheritance.
D3.5. Students can learn about the effect of reproductive technologies on genetic diversity.
Grade 11 (Plants: Anatomy, Growth, and Function):
F1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
F1.1-1.2. Students can evaluate importance of plants to Canada and how other societies and cultures have benefited from plants.
F2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
F2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
F2.2-2.4. Students can investigate the factors affecting plant growth in the absence or presence of various factors, diversity of plant tissues, and various plant propagation techniques.
F3. Understanding Basic Concepts
F3.1-3.5. Students can learn about various types of plants (monocots and dicots), different plant structures and mechanisms involved in transport, reproduction, artificial propagation, plant growth, and plant succession following ecosystem disturbance.
Grade 11 (Cellular Biology):
B2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
B2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
B2.2-2.5. Students can investigate the various structures and functions of cells and factors affecting cellular activity using microscopes and other techniques.
B3. Understanding Basic Concepts
B3.1-3.3. Students can learn about various aspects of cell biology including biochemical compounds, roles of various organelles, and chemical changes within cells, including cellular respiration.
Grade 11 (Genetics):
D1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
D1.1-1.2. Students can evaluate the basis and implications of genetics research.
D2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
D2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
D2.2-2.4. Students can investigate meiosis using a microscope in various plants and learn to solve various genetic problems using the Punnett square method.
D3. Understanding Basic Concepts
D3.1-3.3. Students can learn about meiosis and mitosis, factors involved in these processes, and characteristics of Mendelian inheritance.
D3.5. Students can learn about the effect of reproductive technologies on genetic diversity.
Grade 11 (Plants in the Natural Environment):
F1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
F1.1-1.2. Students can analyse the importance of plants to ecosystems and effects of human activities on the natural balance of plants.
F2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
F2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
F2.2-2.4. Students can investigate various plant propagation techniques and plant growth variations, including tropisms, in the absence or presence of various factors.
F3. Understanding Basic Concepts
F3.1-3.5. Students can learn about various types of plants tissues, chemical changes in plants, types of reproduction, plant roles in environmental sustainability, plant adaptation characteristics, and roles of plant tropisms.
Grade 12 (Metabolic Processes):
C1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
C1.1. Students can learn to analyse the role of metabolic processes in biotic and abiotic systems.
C2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
C2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
C2.2-2.3. Students can investigate processes of respiration and photosynthesis.
C3. Understanding Basic Concepts
C3.1-3.4. Students can learn about the chemical changes, energy transfers and conversions, occurring in plants during respiration and photosynthesis.
Grade 12 (Molecular Genetics):
D1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
D1.1-1.2. Students can analyse and evaluate the basis and implications of biotechnology research, particularly in Canada.
Some resources about Canadian regulations pertaining to biotechnology:
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Health Canada
D2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
D2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
D2.2-2.4. Students can investigate DNA including sequence analysis, extraction, and process of protein synthesis.
D3. Understanding Basic Concepts
D3.1-3.7. Students can learn about DNA replication and repair, protein synthesis, control of genetic expression, effect of mutagens on genetic material, genetic modification in agriculture, cell component functions, and scientific contributions to the field of molecular genetics.
Grade 12 (Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry):
D1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
D1.1-1.2. Students can evaluate the basis and implications of agricultural and forestry practices.
D2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
D2.1. Students can learn to use appropriate terminology during their discussions with the scientist mentors.
D2.2-2.4. Students can investigate optimal growth criteria for plants including environmentally sustainable methods for productive agricultural zones and forests.
D3. Understanding Basic Concepts
D3.1-3.6. Students can learn about agricultural and forestry practices, requirements for optimal plant growth, most effective practices for maintenance of soil structure and fertility as well as biodiversity and long-term productivity, and sustainable water-management.
Julia Nowak: pscanada@plantingscience.org
Updated: 20 July 2015