Alberta Program of Studies (adopted in 2023): Grade 6
Skills available for Alberta grade 6 science standards
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Matter
Students investigate how particles of matter behave when heated or cooled and analyze effects on solids, liquids, and gases.
Discuss the connection between movement of particles and temperature in degrees Celsius.
Discuss the connection between movement of particles and temperature in degrees Celsius.
Explain phase changes of matter when heated or cooled using the particle model of matter.
Explain phase changes of matter when heated or cooled using the particle model of matter.
Conduct a controlled experiment to prove the mass of a substance is the same after a phase change.
Conduct a controlled experiment to prove the mass of a substance is the same after a phase change.
Describe how a liquid thermometer works.
Describe how a liquid thermometer works.
Create a tool that measures temperature based on expansion and contraction of a liquid.
Create a tool that measures temperature based on expansion and contraction of a liquid.
Relate the melting/freezing and boiling points of water to the Celsius scale.
Relate the melting/freezing and boiling points of water to the Celsius scale.
Identify safety practices associated with measuring temperature and the use of measurement tools.
Identify safety practices associated with measuring temperature and the use of measurement tools.
Conduct an investigation to demonstrate that liquid water is denser than solid water.
Conduct an investigation to demonstrate that liquid water is denser than solid water.
Hypothesize the effect on aquatic life if solid water were denser than liquid water.
Hypothesize the effect on aquatic life if solid water were denser than liquid water.
Explain the significance of expansion or contraction in the design and construction of structures.
Explain the significance of expansion or contraction in the design and construction of structures.
Energy
Students analyze forces and relate them to interactions between objects.
Conduct investigations to answer questions about the effects of external and internal forces on objects during an interaction.
Conduct investigations to answer questions about the effects of external and internal forces on objects during an interaction.
Identify forces that act on an object during an interaction.
Identify forces that act on an object during an interaction.
Use materials, tools, and equipment safely while experimenting with forces in interactions.
Use materials, tools, and equipment safely while experimenting with forces in interactions.
Differentiate between temporary and permanent changes.
Differentiate between temporary and permanent changes.
Test the plasticity and elasticity of objects.
Test the plasticity and elasticity of objects.
Demonstrate and represent an action force and its reaction force in various interactions.
Demonstrate and represent an action force and its reaction force in various interactions.
Students investigate energy resources and explain factors that influence their use.
Investigate factors that influence selection of energy resources.
Investigate factors that influence selection of energy resources.
Examine factors that influence selection of principal energy resources used in Alberta.
Examine factors that influence selection of principal energy resources used in Alberta.
Examine management of energy resources in various contexts.
Examine management of energy resources in various contexts.
Classify energy resources as being used before or after processing.
Classify energy resources as being used before or after processing.
Compare the use of an energy resource before and after processing.
Compare the use of an energy resource before and after processing.
Discuss ways energy resources are used by individuals or communities in daily life.
Discuss ways energy resources are used by individuals or communities in daily life.
Design a device that uses an energy resource, before or after processing, to solve a problem.
Design a device that uses an energy resource, before or after processing, to solve a problem.
Earth Systems
Students investigate climate, changes in climate, and the impact of climate change on Earth.
Describe possible impacts on climate due to interactions between the Sun and Earth's systems.
Describe possible impacts on climate due to interactions between the Sun and Earth's systems.
Relate impacts of natural processes and human activities on climate change.
Relate impacts of natural processes and human activities on climate change.
Identify personal actions that may affect global climate change.
Identify personal actions that may affect global climate change.
Describe possible effects of climate change on land, plants, humans, and other animals.
Describe possible effects of climate change on land, plants, humans, and other animals.
Discuss agricultural practices impacted by climate change.
Discuss agricultural practices impacted by climate change.
Research how climate change is affecting ways of living in northern, Inuit, and/or coastal communities in Canada.
Research how climate change is affecting ways of living in northern, Inuit, and/or coastal communities in Canada.
Discuss the effects of climate change on traditional ways of living off the land.
Discuss the effects of climate change on traditional ways of living off the land.
Compare theories about dinosaur extinction.
Compare theories about dinosaur extinction.
Compare historical observations and measurements of weather and environmental conditions to current data.
Compare historical observations and measurements of weather and environmental conditions to current data.
Relate extreme weather events to specific locations in Canada and on Earth.
Relate extreme weather events to specific locations in Canada and on Earth.
Identify and discuss technologies that are used to track and predict extreme weather events.
Identify and discuss technologies that are used to track and predict extreme weather events.
Discuss how scientists, Elders, and traditional Knowledge Keepers can collaborate to develop deeper awareness of the effects of weather on people and environments.
Discuss how scientists, Elders, and traditional Knowledge Keepers can collaborate to develop deeper awareness of the effects of weather on people and environments.
Propose ideas on how local Elders, traditional Knowledge Keepers, and scientists can collaborate to support awareness of local climate and climate change.
Propose ideas on how local Elders, traditional Knowledge Keepers, and scientists can collaborate to support awareness of local climate and climate change.
Living Systems
Students investigate the characteristics and components of and interactions within ecosystems.
Represent and connect the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.
Represent and connect the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.
Locate and responsibly examine a local ecosystem in nature using appropriate materials and tools.
Locate and responsibly examine a local ecosystem in nature using appropriate materials and tools.
Relate the preservation of various ecosystems to possible actions that address climate change.
Relate the preservation of various ecosystems to possible actions that address climate change.
Create a model or simulation to represent a chosen ecosystem and its characteristics.
Create a model or simulation to represent a chosen ecosystem and its characteristics.
Compare the characteristics of two ecosystems.
Compare the characteristics of two ecosystems.
Examine the diversity of animals and plants in various ecosystems in relation to abiotic components.
Examine the diversity of animals and plants in various ecosystems in relation to abiotic components.
Explain the process of photosynthesis and its importance in an ecosystem.
Explain the process of photosynthesis and its importance in an ecosystem.
Design and perform a controlled experiment to demonstrate the importance of light to photosynthesis.
Design and perform a controlled experiment to demonstrate the importance of light to photosynthesis.
Design and perform a controlled experiment to show that a plant is releasing oxygen.
Design and perform a controlled experiment to show that a plant is releasing oxygen.
Design and perform a controlled experiment to show that a plant contains starch.
Design and perform a controlled experiment to show that a plant contains starch.
Examine ways that plants and animals rely on each other to meet their needs.
Examine ways that plants and animals rely on each other to meet their needs.
Discuss plants that are considered sacred to First Nations and Métis.
Discuss plants that are considered sacred to First Nations and Métis.
Space
Students analyze and represent celestial bodies of the solar system.
Name and order the planets in the solar system and identify the location of the main asteroid belt.
Name and order the planets in the solar system and identify the location of the main asteroid belt.
Classify celestial bodies of the solar system as planets, moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, meteoroids, or the Sun.
Classify celestial bodies of the solar system as planets, moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, meteoroids, or the Sun.
Represent and describe the characteristics of celestial bodies in our solar system.
Represent and describe the characteristics of celestial bodies in our solar system.
Examine celestial bodies that emit or reflect light.
Examine celestial bodies that emit or reflect light.
Discuss the reclassification of Pluto.
Discuss the reclassification of Pluto.
Interpret physical, pictorial, or digital models of the solar system.
Interpret physical, pictorial, or digital models of the solar system.
Investigate digital or non-digital resources that contribute to understandings of the solar system.
Investigate digital or non-digital resources that contribute to understandings of the solar system.
Identify and compare technologies used to gather knowledge about planets and other objects in space.
Identify and compare technologies used to gather knowledge about planets and other objects in space.
Compare and contrast natural satellites and artificial satellites.
Compare and contrast natural satellites and artificial satellites.
Discuss potential personal, societal, technological, and environmental barriers to living and working in space.
Discuss potential personal, societal, technological, and environmental barriers to living and working in space.
Computer Science
Students examine abstraction in relation to design and coding, and describe impacts of technologies.
Apply abstraction during the design process.
Apply abstraction during the design process.
Identify examples of abstractions encountered in daily life.
Identify examples of abstractions encountered in daily life.
Discuss the role of design and coding in society.
Discuss the role of design and coding in society.
Use a visual block-based language to design code that includes relevant design structures.
Use a visual block-based language to design code that includes relevant design structures.
Discuss how computers, coding, or technology have had impacts.
Discuss how computers, coding, or technology have had impacts.
Predict possible impacts of computers, coding, or technology.
Predict possible impacts of computers, coding, or technology.
Scientific Methods
Students investigate and describe the role of explanation in science.
Discuss the role of scientific explanations.
Discuss the role of scientific explanations.
Develop and test a hypothesis based on a scientific explanation.
Experimental design
Experimental protocol
Develop and test a hypothesis based on a scientific explanation.
Experimental design
Experimental protocol
Create scientific explanations for how natural phenomena occur.
Create scientific explanations for how natural phenomena occur.
Discuss observations and measurements used to create scientific explanations.
Discuss observations and measurements used to create scientific explanations.
Evaluate the trustworthiness of evidence and explanations from a variety of sources.
Evaluate the trustworthiness of evidence and explanations from a variety of sources.
Interpret multiple forms of text that offer explanations of natural phenomena.
Interpret multiple forms of text that offer explanations of natural phenomena.
Communicate explanations using appropriate digital or non-digital technologies.
Communicate explanations using appropriate digital or non-digital technologies.
Construct digital or non-digital graphs and tables using proper labels, legends, scales, and titles.
Construct digital or non-digital graphs and tables using proper labels, legends, scales, and titles.
Determine the appropriateness of methods of communicating explanations based on the audience.
Determine the appropriateness of methods of communicating explanations based on the audience.
Discuss processes that can be used to validate evidence and explanations.
Discuss processes that can be used to validate evidence and explanations.
Identify explanations of natural phenomena that have been refined as new evidence has been revealed.
Identify explanations of natural phenomena that have been refined as new evidence has been revealed.