Science

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

Related Documents

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 emphasize 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

Related Documents

Science 1 / Sciences 1ère année

Units include:

  • Daily and Seasonal Changes
  • Materials and Our Senses
  • Properties of Objects and Materials
  • Needs and Characteristics of Living Things

Related Documents

Science 2 / Sciences 2e année

Units include:

  • Air and Water in the Environment
  • Liquids and Solids
  • Relative Position and Motion
  • Animal Growth and Changes

Related Documents

Science 3 / Sciences 3e année

Units include:

  • Exploring Soils
  • Materials and Structures
  • Invisible Forces
  • Plant Growth and Changes

Related Documents

Back to the top of the page

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.

Science 4 / Sciences 4e année

Units include:

  • Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion
  • Sound
  • Light
  • Habitats and Communities

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the four units in this course.

Related Documents

Science 5 / Sciences 5e année

Units include:

  • Weather
  • Forces and Simple Machines
  • Properties and Changes of Materials
  • Body Systems

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the four units in this course.

Related Documents

Science 6 / Sciences 6e année

Units include:

  • Space
  • Flight
  • Electricity
  • Diversity of Life

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the four units in this course.

Related Documents

Back to the top of the page

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.

Science 7 / Sciences 7e année

Units include:

  • Life Science: Interactions within Ecosystems
  • Physical Science: Heat
  • Physical Science: Mixtures and Solutions
  • Earth/Space Science: Earth’s Crust

Related Documents

Science 8 / Sciences 8e année

Units include:

  • Earth/Space Science: Water Systems on Earth’s Surface
  • Physical Science: Fluids
  • Physical Science: Optics
  • Life Science: Cells, Tissues, Organs and Systems

Related Documents

Science 9 / Sciences 9e année

Units include:

  • Earth/Space Science: Space
  • Physical Science: Atoms, Elements, and Compounds
  • Physical Science: Electricity
  • Life Science: Reproduction

Related Documents

Back to the top of the page

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:

  • Weather Dynamics
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Motion
  • Sustainability of Ecosystems

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the four units in this course.

Related Documents

Science 2200

Units include:

  • Sustainability of Ecosystems
  • Weather Dynamics

Related Documents

Science 3200

Units include:

  • Chemical Reactions
  • Motion and its Applications

Related Documents

Biology 2201

Units include:

  • Ecosystem Interactions and Population Dynamics
  • Processes that Sustain Life
  • Maintaining Homeostasis

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the three units in this course.

Related Documents

Note: Science 1206 is a recommended prerequisite.  

Biology 3201

Units include:

  • Cell Reproduction and the Continuity of Life
  • Genetic Basis of Heredity
  • Evolutionary Change and Biodiversity

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the three units in this course.

Related Documents

Note: Science 1206 is a prerequisite.

Chemistry 2202

Units include:

  • Stoichiometry
  • From Structures to Properties
  • Organic Chemistry

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the three units in this course.

Related Documents

Note: Science 1206 is a prerequisite.

Chemistry 3202

Units include:

  • From Kinetics to Equilibrium
  • Acids and Bases
  • Thermochemistry
  • Electrochemistry

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the four units in this course.

Related Documents

Prerequisite: Chemistry 2202

Physics 2204

Units include:

  • Kinematics
  • Dynamics
  • Work and Energy
  • Waves

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the four units in this course.

Related Documents

Note: Science 1206 is a prerequisite.

Physics 3204

Units include:

  • Motion
  • Forces
  • Fields
  • Introduction to Quantum Physics

Indicators from the Integrated Skills strand are incorporated throughout the four units in this course.

Related Documents

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

Related Documents

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

Related Documents

Note: Science 1206 is a prerequisite.

Back to the top of the page