Course Title: Science
Grade: 10
Course Type: Academic
Ministry Course Code: SNC2D
Credit Value: 1.0
Prerequisite: Grade 9 Science Academic or Applied
Developed from: Science, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10, Revised (2008); Growing Success (2010)
Course Description
This course enables students to enhance their understanding of concepts in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, and physics, and of the interrelationships between science, technology, society, and the environment. Students are also given opportunities to further develop their scientific investigation skills. Students will plan and conduct investigations and develop their understanding of scientific theories related to the connections between cells and systems in animals and plants; chemical reactions, with a particular focus on acid–base reactions; forces that affect climate and climate change; and the interaction of light and matter.
Overall Curriculum Expectations
A. Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration
A1. demonstrate scientific investigation skills (related to both inquiry and research) in the four areas of skills (initiating and planning, performing and recording, analyzing and interpreting, and communicating);
A2. identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of science under study, and identify scientists, including Canadians, who have made contributions to those fields.
B. Biology: Tissues, Organs, and Systems of Living Things
B1. evaluate the importance of medical and other technological developments related to systems biology, and analyse their societal and ethical implications;
B2. investigate cell division, cell specialization, organs, and systems in animals and plants, using research and inquiry skills, including various laboratory techniques;
B3. demonstrate an understanding of the hierarchical organization of cells, from tissues, to organs, to systems in animals and plants.
C. Chemistry: Chemical Reactions
C1. analyse a variety of safety and environmental issues associated with chemical reactions, including the ways in which chemical reactions can be applied to address environmental challenges;
C2. investigate, through inquiry, the characteristics of chemical reactions;
C3. demonstrate an understanding of the general principles of chemical reactions, and various ways to represent them.
D. Earth and Space Science: Climate Change
D1. analyse some of the effects of climate change around the world, and assess the effectiveness of initiatives that attempt to address the issue of climate change;
D2. investigate various natural and human factors that influence Earth’s climate and climate change;
D3. demonstrate an understanding of natural and human factors, including the greenhouse effect, that influence Earth’s climate and contribute to climate change.
E. Physics: Light and Geometric Optics
E1. evaluate the effectiveness of technological devices and procedures designed to make use of light, and assess their social benefits;
E2. investigate, through inquiry, the properties of light, and predict its behaviour, particularly with respect to reflection in plane and curved mirrors and refraction in converging lenses;
E3. demonstrate an understanding of various characteristics and properties of light, particularly with respect to reflection in mirrors and reflection and refraction in lenses.
Course Content
| Unit Description | Time |
| A. Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration This unit focuses on relating science to technology, society, and the environment (STSE). The STSE expectations provide the context for developing the related skills and conceptual knowledge necessary for making connections between scientific, technological, social, and environmental issues. The STSE expectations often focus on aspects of environmental education. |
Integrated throughout the course |
| Biology: Tissues, Organs, and Systems of Living Things
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which plants and animals, including humans, are made of specialized cells, tissues, and organs that are organized into systems. They will also evaluate the social and ethical implications of developments in medicine and medical technology. |
30 hours |
| Chemistry: Chemical Reactions
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the predictable ways in which chemicals react. They will also explore how chemical reactions may have a negative impact on the environment, but they can also be used to address environmental challenges. |
30 hours |
| Physics: Light and Geometric Optics
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics and properties of light that can be manipulated with mirrors and lenses for a range of uses. They will also explore the ways in which society has benefited from the development of a range of optical devices and technologies. |
25 hours |
| Earth and Space: Climate Change Students will demonstrate an understanding that Earth’s climate is dynamic and is the result of interacting systems and processes. They will explore how global climate change is influenced by both natural and human factors. Students will also investigate the variety of ways climate change affects living things and natural systems. Finally, they will assess the impact of human activity on climate change and to identify effective courses of action to reduce this impact. |
25 hours |
| Final Exam – 2hours | |
| Total | 110 Hours |