The Wonder of Seeds is a PlantingScience Investigation Theme that fits into the Ontario Science Curriculum for Grades 6 through 8 under various sections including:

• Grade 6: “Understanding Life Systems: Biodiversity” (pp. 112 – 114).
• Grade 7: “Understanding Life Systems: Interactions in the Environment” (pp. 126 – 128).
• Grade 8: “Understanding Life Systems: Cells” (pp. 140 – 142).

 

The specific expectations for students in grades 6 to 8 can be met in the following ways:

 

Grade 6 (Biodiversity):

1. Relating Science and Technology to Society and the Environment

1.1-1.2. Students can study the importance of biodiversity and its effect on humans if diminished.

2. Developing Investigation and Communication Skills
2.1-2.3. Students can investigate habitats where particular plants can be found comparing their characteristics and following safe practices for outdoor activities and fieldwork. 

2.4. Students can learn to use appropriate vocabulary during their discussions with the scientist mentors.

2.5. Students practice their communication skills via oral formats in in-class discussions, but also using written formats (with the mentors) and graphic formats when presenting their results/conclusions (with their classmates and also the mentors).

3. Understanding Basic Concepts

3.1. Students learn about the distinguishing characteristics of different groups of plants to further learn about various kinds of classification.

3.2-3.7. Students can learn about biodiversity including within each species, among species, among communities, and the supporting environments. They can learn about the importance of biodiversity and the importance of its maintenance through the relationships between the various species and their environment. A large amount of everyday products come from plants and can be identified from the plants grown in this investigation.   

 

Grade 7 (Interactions in the Environment):

1. Relating Science and Technology to Society and the Environment

1.1-1.2. Students can study the ways that the environment is affected by technology and the importance of protecting it.

2. Developing Investigation and Communication Skills
2.1-2.3. Students can learn about the balance of an ecosystem and how it can be affected, following safe practices for ecosystem investigation.

2.4. Students can learn to use appropriate vocabulary during their discussions with the scientist mentors.

2.5. Students practice their communication skills via oral formats in in-class discussions, but also using written formats (with the mentors) and graphic formats when presenting their results/conclusions (with their classmates and also the mentors).

3. Understanding Basic Concepts

3.1-3.7. Students learn about the various aspects important to ecosystem balance including different elements comprising an ecosystem (biotic and abiotic), the roles that the various components play, energy transfer in the food chain, and cycling of matter within an ecosystem.

3.8-3.9. Students can learn about which human activities can affect the balance of an ecosystem and how to remedy these through management.

 

Grade 8 (Cells):

1. Relating Science and Technology to Society and the Environment

1.1. Students can study many aspects of the plants under the microscope, including using various dyes.

1.2. Various seeds/plants can aid in the discussion of agricultural importance and the importance of plants on our planet.

2. Developing Investigation and Communication Skills
2.1-2.3. Students can learn to use microscopes and prepare their slides from the plant material.

2.5. Students can learn to use appropriate vocabulary during their discussions with the scientist mentors.

2.6. Students practice their communication skills via oral formats in in-class discussions, but also using written formats (with the mentors) and graphic formats when presenting their results/conclusions (with their classmates and also the mentors).

3. Understanding Basic Concepts

3.1. Students learn about the basic unit of life and cell theory.

3.2-3.3. Students can learn to identify different structures within plant cells and learn about their functions.

3.5. Students can learn about unicellular algae* and how different or similar they are to other plants investigated. *Although this is not specifically a part of the investigation themes, we can provide more information for the teachers, if requested.

3.6. Students learn how plants are organized into tissues, organs, and systems.

 

Julia Nowak: pscanada@plantingscience.org

Updated: 13 July 2015