STEM Skills and Connections
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills and connections are integrated into all units in the course. Through scientific research, experimentation, and engineering design processes, students will conduct investigations, design solutions to problems, and communicate findings while discovering practical applications that pertain to science and technology. Students will make practical connections between the knowledge students gain and real-world issues in science and technology. Students will also analyse the contributions made by First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities as their knowledge has led to the creation of Indigenous scientific and technical systems.
Needs and Characteristics of Living Things
In the Needs and Characteristics of Living Things unit, students will investigate and compare the physical characteristics and needs of living things. They will also investigate the ways living things meet their needs. They will learn how living things help each other survive and how resources are returned to the environment once they are used. They will describe the characteristics of healthy environments, and how the loss of some living things can affect everyday life. Furthermore, students will identify and describe some ways to maintain a healthy environment.
Materials, Objects, and Everyday Structures
In the Materials, Objects, and Everyday Structures unit, students will describe materials, objects, and structures, as well as the materials that make up objects and structures. They will identify the natural sources of materials and distinguish between materials, objects, and structures made by humans and those found in nature. They will investigate the characteristics and properties of materials, objects, and structures, and learn how these characteristics and properties affect the function of the objects and structures. They will learn how to build a structure of their own. Furthermore, students will determine what happens to objects and structures when they are no longer needed, and they will create a classroom action plan to decrease their classroom’s waste.
Energy in Our Lives
In the Energy in Our Lives unit, students will learn what energy is, identify some sources of energy, and create their own device that uses energy. They will investigate the effects of the sun on the air, land, and water, and learn how energy from the sun can be used on Earth. They will discover how humans use the sun’s energy to meet their basic needs. They will investigate and compare how seasons affect energy usage, and investigate how lives would be affected if electricity was not available. Students will learn where humans get their energy resources from and that many of these resources are limited. They will identify everyday uses of energy, how they use energy, and ways to reduce their energy consumption.
Daily and Seasonal Changes
In the Daily and Seasonal Changes unit, students will learn the cycles of the sun and investigate the daily and seasonal changes in the sun’s heat and light. They will investigate and describe the seasons, as well as how living things adapt and respond to daily and seasonal changes. They will assess the impact of daily and seasonal changes on society, the environment, and outdoor activities.
