secondary science curricula dean elliott ministry of education april 2015

Secondary Science Curricula

Dean ElliottMinistry of EducationApril 2015

Supportswww.curriculum.gov.sk.ca

◦Curriculum documents◦Reviewed resources◦Support materials

Scientific Literacy Framework Science TopicsUnderstanding Outcomes

http://www.curriculum.gov.sk.ca/

Saskatchewan Credit Requirements

Area of Study Credits Required

English language arts 5

Mathematics 2

Science 2

Social studies 3

Health education / physical education 1

Arts education / practical and applied arts 2

Electives 9

TOTAL 24

Science graduation requirementScience 10 and at least one 20- or 30-level science course

Core Curriculum: Principles, Time Allocations, and Credit Policy (2011)

Science Time / Credit Allocations

Elementary - 150 minutes per week

Middle - 150 minutes per week

Science 10 - compulsory for all

Senior Sciences - one required from

Biology 20 Chemistry 20 Physics 20 Computer Science 20

Biology 30 Chemistry 30 * Physics 30 * Computer Science 30 *

Science 11 Science 21 Science 31

Core Curriculum: Principles, Time Allocations, and Credit Policy (2011)

Science 10

Biology 20 Biology 30 Chemistry 20

Chemistry 30

Physics 20 Physics 30 Computer Science

20

Computer Science

30

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,00012,782

9,8799,312

8,361

6,104 5,924

4,522

965304

2011-12 Secondary Science Enrollment

Computer Science 20

Health Science 20

Environmental Science 20

Physical Science 20

Science 10

Comp Science 30

Biology 30

Earth Science 30

Physics 30

Chemistry 30

Secondary Science Courses / Prerequisites

Computer Science 20

Health Science 20


Physical Science 20

Science 10

Comp Science 30

Biology 30

Earth Science 30

Physics 30

Chemistry 30

Secondary Science Timelines

2015-16

2016-17

2014-15

NOTE NEW Course Codes

Computer Science 20

Health Science 20


Physical Science 20

Science 10

Comp Science 30

Biology 30

Earth Science 30

Physics 30

Chemistry 30

Biology 30 Prerequisites

Computer Science 20

Health Science 20


Physical Science 20

Science 10

Comp Science 30

Biology 30

Earth Science 30

Physics 30

Chemistry 30

Earth Science 30 Prerequisites

Computer Science 20

Health Science 20


Physical Science 20

Science 10

Comp Science 30

Biology 30

Earth Science 30

Physics 30

Chemistry 30

Physics 30 Prerequisites

Computer Science 20

Health Science 20


Physical Science 20

Science 10

Comp Science 30

Biology 30

Earth Science 30

Physics 30

Chemistry 30

Chemistry 30 Prerequisites

Computer Science 20

Health Science 20


Physical Science 20

Science 10

Comp Science 30

Biology 30

Earth Science 30

Physics 30

Chemistry 30

Computer Science 30 Prerequisites

Renewed Curricula: Understanding Outcomes (2010)

BAL / CCCBroad Areas of Learning

◦Lifelong Learners◦Sense of Self, Community, and Place◦Engaged Citizens

Cross-curricular Competencies◦Developing Thinking◦Developing Identity and

Interdependence◦Developing Literacies◦Developing Social Responsibility

The K-12 aim of science curricula is to enable students to develop scientific literacy within the context of Euro-Canadian and Indigenous heritages, both of which have developed an empirical and rational knowledge of nature.

K-12 Aim of Science

Understand the Nature of Science and STSE (Science, Technology, Society, and the Environment) Interrelationships

Construct Scientific Knowledge Develop Scientific and Technological

Skills Develop Attitudes that Support

Scientific Habits of Mind

K-12 Goals of Science

Outcomes and IndicatorsOutcomes

◦What students are expected to know and be able to do by the end of the grade or course in a particular area of study

◦Are mandatoryIndicators

◦Examples of the type of evidence that would show students have achieved the outcome

◦Represent the breadth and depth of the outcome

◦Define the level and types of knowledge intended by the outcome

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Scientific Inquiry◦ systematic empirical investigations

Technological Problem-Solving◦ designing, building, and refining prototypes

STSE Decision Making◦ thinking about human and world issues through a

scientific lens in order to inform and empower decision-making

Cultural Perspectives◦ a humanistic perspective that views teaching and

learning as cultural transmission and acquisition

Learning Contexts

Represent multiple ways for students to engage in inquiry in the science curriculum

Represent different, but overlapping, philosophical reasons for learning science

Are not mutually exclusive; well designed instruction may incorporate multiple learning contexts

Students should experience learning through each learning context at each grade

Individuals or groups may achieve the same curricular outcome(s) through different learning contexts.

Learning Contexts – A Review

Levels of InquiryQuestion Procedure Solution

Confirmation InquiryStudents confirm a principle through an activity when the results are known in advance.

√ √ √

Structured InquiryStudents investigate a teacher-presented question through a prescribed procedure.

√ √

Guided InquiryStudents investigate a teacher-presented question using student designed and selected procedures.

√

Open InquiryStudents investigate questions that are student formulated through student designed and selected procedures.

Banchi, H., & Bell, R. (2008, October).The Many Levels of Inquiry, Science and Children, 46(2), 26-29.

22

Planning for InquiryIdentify Desired Results

◦ Outcomes / K-D-U◦ Big Ideas / Questions for Deeper

Understanding◦ Learning Contexts

Determine Evidence of Understanding◦ Relevant indicators◦ Criteria for judging achievement

Develop Learning Plan◦ Levels of Inquiry◦ Resources / materials / supplies / adaptations

Unpacking a PS 20 OutcomePS20-PW2 Examine, using

physical materials, ray diagrams and mathematical equations, how waves reflect from a variety of barriers.

PS 20 – PW2 Indicatorsa. Investigate the behavior of waves as they strike parallel, oblique, and

curved barriers. (S, K)

b. Contrast different types of reflection including regular, diffuse, and reflex reflection. (S, K)

c. Demonstrate the application of the Law of Reflection when a wave strikes a straight barrier and when a wave encounters the boundary between two different media. (S, K)

d. Provide examples of wave and/or particle reflection in everyday situations such as echoes, reverberation, room acoustics, radar, sonar, parabolic microphones, ultrasound, water waves, satellite dishes, billiard balls, and ball-based sports. (STSE, K, A)

e. Investigate image formation in plane, concave, and convex mirrors, including constructing ray diagrams. (S, K)

f. Identify the characteristics, including type (real or virtual), attitude/orientation (upright or inverted), magnification (smaller, larger, or same size), and position (relative to the mirror surface or vertex), of images formed in plane, concave, and convex mirrors. (K)

g. Apply the laws of reflection and the magnification ( ) and curved mirror equations ( ) to solve problems related to the reflection of waves. (S, K)

h. Describe the implications of wave-based technologies in furthering scientific understanding of phenomena such as Earth’s internal structure, the topography of the ocean floor, and the rock cycle. (STSE, K)

Unpacking a HS 20 OutcomeHS20-HB2 Investigate various

pathologies and ailments and their effects on cells, tissues, organs, and systems of a healthy human.

HS 20 – HB2 Indicatorsa. Differentiate among the ways in which medical practitioners and the

public describe pathologies using terms such as disease, illness, ailment, disorder, infection, medical condition, syndrome, and abnormal condition. (STSE, K)

b. Examine how the interrelationship between a person’s lifestyle and the human immune system affect how the body responds to pathogens (e.g., risky behaviors, poor hygiene, autoimmune, immunocompromised, innate, and adaptive immunity). (K)

c. Research the symptoms, possible causes, stages, scope (e.g., cells, tissues, organs and/or systems) and prevention of a pathology that affects one or more body systems. (K)

d. Create a representation (e.g., illness narrative, journal, timeline, story, video, or diorama) of the progression of a pathology from the perspective of a real or hypothetical individual, including impacts on their lifestyle. (K, A, S, STSE)

e. Outline the history of a disease or illness and its causes, including societal and cultural perspectives. (K, A, S, STSE)

f. Compare prepared slides or digital images of healthy and diseased tissues to identify how pathologies affect cells. (K, A, S)

g. Compare how bacteria (e.g., Salmonella, Streptococcus, and Escherichia coli) and viruses (e.g., common cold, influenza, and herpes) differ in how they are transmitted, their impact on the human body, and how each is treated. (K)

Curriculum DocumentsIntroduction Using this CurriculumBroad Areas of LearningCross Curricular CompetenciesAim and GoalsInquiryAn Effective Science Education ProgramOutcomes and IndicatorsAssessment and EvaluationConnections with Other Areas of Study

An Effective Science Education ProgramIncorporates all Foundations of

Scientific LiteracyUses the Learning Contexts as entry

points into student inquiryEffectively uses the language of

science ◦Develops evidence-based explanations

using modelsIncorporates laboratory and field workModels and requires safe practicesChooses /uses technology appropriately

RENEWED SECONDARY SCIENCE COURSES

Informatique 20

Sciences de la santé 20

Science de l’environnement 20

Science Physiques 20

Sciences 10

Informatique 30

Biologie 30

Science de la Terre 30

Physique 30

Chimie 30


Computer Science 20

Health Science 20


Physical Science 20

Science 10

Comp Science 30

Biology 30

Earth Science 30

Physics 30

Chemistry 30


Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics◦Earth’s climate system, biodiversity,

biogeochemical cycles, human impact on climate and ecosystems

Chemical Reactions◦Representing reactions, ionic / covalent bonding,

energy changes, reaction rates, acids/basesMotion and Force in Our World

◦Kinematics & dynamics of uniform and uniformly accelerated motion

Career ExplorationStudent-Directed Study

Science 10

Career ExplorationStudent-Directed StudyHeat

◦Heat capacity, heat in chemical reactions

Foundations of Chemistry◦Mole concept, stoichiometry, solutions

Properties of waves◦Wave phenomena, reflection, refraction

Physical Science 20

Career ExplorationStudent-Directed StudyThe Nature of Environmental Science

◦ Methods and mindsets of environmental scienceAtmosphere and Human Health

◦ Human impact on air quality, effects of climate changeHuman Population and Pollution

◦ Resource use, waste generation, growing human population

Aquatic Ecosystems◦ Aquatic system health, importance of healthy water for

humans and environmentTerrestrial Ecosystems

◦ Soil, plants, habitats, animal populations and diversity


Career ExplorationStudent-Directed StudyHealth Care Philosophies and Ethics

◦Western, Indigenous, traditional, complementary & alternative approaches to health care

Human Systems◦Anatomy, physiology, pathology

Nutrition◦Micro/macromolecules, personal dietary choices

Diagnostics and Treatment◦Diagnostic tools and procedures, treatment

Health Science 20

Career ExplorationStudent-Directed StudyEarth as a Planet

◦ Surface geology, rocks and minerals, earth systemsTools and Techniques of Earth Science

◦ Remote sensing, visual-spatial reasoning skillsGeological Timescale

◦ Geological dating techniques, fossil record, plate tectonics

Earth’s Economic Resources◦ Resource extraction, technologies, end uses,

impacts

Earth Science 30

Student-Directed StudyWhat is Life?

◦Scientific and other perspectives on life◦Evolution as a unifying theme in biology

Unity and Diversity of Life◦Biomolecules, cellular processes, organism

complexityGenetics and Biotechnology

◦Mendelian, chromosomal, molecular genetics, applications of biotechnology

Biology 30

Student-Directed StudyMaterials Science

◦Structures and properties of matter, organic compounds, material analysis

Chemical Equilibria◦Equilibrium, aqueous solutions, acid-

base reactionsElectrochemistry

◦Redox reactions, applications

Chemistry 30

Student-Directed StudyModern Physics

◦Relativity, quantum mechanics, radioactivityForces and Motion

◦Uniform motion and uniformly accelerated motion, Newton’s laws, circular and projectile motion

Conservation Laws◦Energy, momentum, collisions

Fields◦Gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields

Physics 30

Career ExplorationStudent-Directed StudyFoundations of Computer Science

◦Computers, computer networksProgramming and Design

◦Data structures, languages, hardware design, software engineering, problem solving, algorithms, usability

Computer Science Today◦Ethical / social issues◦Emerging technologies

Computer Science 20/30

Contact Information

Dean ElliottScience [email protected]

Fatma-Zohra HenniConsultant, French, Math & [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

SECONDARY SCIENCE COURSE CONTENT – 1992 CURRICULA

Biology 20 (1992)Introduction to BiologyEcological OrganizationThe Diversity of LifeAgricultural Botany of

SaskatchewanOptional Unit

Biology 30 (1992)The Chemical Basis of LifeCell Structure and FunctionGeneticsAnimal SystemsEvolutionOptional Unit

Chemistry 20 (1992)Introduction to ChemistryLaboratory ActivitiesIndependent ResearchAtoms and ElementsMolecules and CompoundsChemical ReactionsMole Concept and Stoichiometry Behaviour of Gases (Optional)Consumer Chemistry (Optional)Organic Chemistry (Optional)Teacher Developed Unit (Optional)

Chemistry 30 (1992)Review of Basic PrinciplesLaboratory ActivitiesIndependent ResearchCase Study (Optional)Solubility and SolutionsEnergy Changes in Chemical ReactionsReaction KineticsEquilibriumAcid-Base EquilibriaOxidation and Reduction

Physics 20 (1992)The Physics of Everyday ThingsWavesLightHeat One of:

◦Sound (Optional)◦Optics (Optional)

Physics 30 (1992)Kinematics and DynamicsMechanical EnergyElectricityNuclear Physics One of:

◦Applications of Kinematics and Dynamics (Optional)

◦Fluid Mechanics (Optional)◦Electromagnetism (Optional)◦Atomic Physics (Optional)