Newfoundland and Labrador

Unit 1 Interactions Within Ecosystems

• Ecosystems

  • identify questions related to a local ecosystem such as "What types of organisms live in a particular ecosystem?"

    • Identify ecosystems (7-N.2)
    • Describe ecosystems (7-N.3)

• Components of an Ecosystem

  • demonstrate the importance of choosing words that are scientifically appropriate

    • Describe populations, communities and ecosystems (7-N.1)

  • investigate the biotic and abiotic factors of a local ecosystem

  • define and delimit questions to investigate in a local ecosystem

    • Identify the experimental question (7-B.3)
    • Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials (7-B.4)

  • organize and record information collected in an investigation of an ecosystem using instruments effectively and accurately

  • communicate questions, ideas, plans, and results, using lists, notes in point form, sentences, oral language, and other means

  • work cooperatively with team members to develop and carry out a plan, and troubleshoot problems as they arise

  • evaluate individual and group processes used in planning, decision making, and completing a task

  • use a key to identify the biotic factors observed in the local ecosystem

• Interactions Within an Ecosystem

  • describe interactions between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem, including: biotic-abiotic, abiotic-abiotic and biotic-biotic

  • investigate an interaction between a biotic and an abiotic factor in an ecosystem

  • design and carry out an experiment controlling major variables

    • Identify steps of the scientific method (7-A.1)
    • Identify control and experimental groups (7-B.1)
    • Identify independent and dependent variables (7-B.2)
    • Identify the experimental question (7-B.3)
    • Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials (7-B.4)
    • Understand an experimental protocol about plant growth (7-B.5)

  • organize, compile and display data using tables

    • Calculate the percentages of traits in a population (7-J.3)
    • Calculate the averages of traits in a population (7-J.4)

  • defend a given position on an issue or problem based on their findings

    • Evaluate claims about natural resource use: groundwater (7-Q.1)

  • identify the niche of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a local ecosystem

  • given a diverse group of organisms, classify them as producers, consumers, or decomposers

• Energy Flow in an Ecosystem

  • describe how energy is supplied to, and how it flows through, a food chain

    • How do plants use and change energy? (7-M.1)
    • Identify the photosynthetic organism (7-M.2)
    • How does matter move in food chains? (7-O.1)

  • apply the concept of a food web as a tool for interpreting the structure and interactions of an ecosystem

    • Interpret food webs I (7-O.2)
    • Interpret food webs II (7-O.3)

  • describe how energy flows through a food chain and food web

  • describe how matter is recycled in an ecosystem through interactions among plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms

• Ecological Succession

  • identify changes that have occurred in a local ecosystem over time

    • Investigate primary succession on a volcanic island (7-O.6)

  • construct a flow chart of images to illustrate the changes that will take place in an ecosystem based on the characteristics of the area, including: bare rock to forest (primary succession) and forest re-growth after fire (secondary succession)

  • describe how our need for a continuous supply of wood resulted in the development of silviculture practice

  • make informed decisions about forest harvesting techniques, taking into account the environmental advantages and disadvantages

  • provide examples of how our understanding of boreal forest ecology has influenced our harvesting practices, identifying the positive effects of these practices

  • identify various science- and technology-based careers related to forest management and harvesting

• Environmental Action

  • defend a course of action to protect the local habitat of a particular organism

    • Coral reef biodiversity and human uses: explore a problem (7-P.1)
    • Coral reef biodiversity and human uses: evaluate solutions (7-P.2)

  • recognize that a variety of groups and individuals are interested in protecting the environment

Unit 2 Heat

• Describing Temperature

  • relate personal activities in formal and informal settings to temperature

    • Use data to describe climates (6-U.3)

• Measuring Temperature

  • provide examples of temperature measuring technologies used in the past, including: Galileo's air thermometer and early liquid thermometers

  • select appropriate methods and tools in order to construct and test a thermometer

  • compile and display data collected in the test of the design of the constructed thermometer

  • describe various instruments used to measure temperature, including: liquid-in-glass thermometer, thermocouple, resistance thermometer, bimetallic strip (thermostat) and infrared thermometer

• Temperature and Matter

  • define temperature using the particle theory of matter

    • How does particle motion affect temperature? (7-G.1)

  • explain how each state of matter reacts to changes in temperature

    • Particle motion and changes of state (7-G.2)
    • How does particle motion affect gas pressure? (7-G.3)
    • Identify how particle motion affects temperature and pressure (7-G.4)

  • explain changes of state using the particle theory of matter, including: melting, freezing and evaporation

    • Particle motion and changes of state (7-G.2)

  • state a hypothesis, carry out an experiment, identify and control major variables and state a conclusion based on experimental data

    • Identify steps of the scientific method (7-A.1)

  • use heating and measuring tools accurately and safely

  • organize, compile and display data using tables and graphs

• Heat Transfer

  • compare transmission of heat by conduction, convection, and radiation

    • Predict heat flow and temperature changes (7-F.1)
    • Compare thermal energy transfers (7-F.2)

  • design and conduct an experiment to test identified questions, state a hypothesis, identify and control major variables

  • use experimental apparatus and tools safely

    • Identify laboratory tools (7-A.2)
    • Laboratory safety equipment (7-A.3)

  • organize and display data using tables and graphs

    • Compare thermal energy transfers (7-F.2)

  • state a conclusion, based on experimental data, and explain how evidence gathered supports or refutes an initial idea

    • Evaluate tests of engineering-design solutions (7-C.2)
    • Use data from tests to compare engineering-design solutions (7-C.3)

  • describe how various surfaces absorb radiant heat

• Heat Transfer – Home Heating Technologies

  • provide examples of heat technologies used past and present to heat homes in Newfoundland and Labrador, including: wood stove, electric heat, oil furnace, air to air heat pump, hot water radiation, geothermal and solar

  • identify different approaches taken to solve the problem of heating homes during cold times of the year

  • make informed decisions about the various technologies used to hear our homes, taking into account potential advantages and disadvantages

  • provide examples of how the technologies used to heat homes have improved over time

  • provide examples of how our understanding of evaporation and condensation of liquids resulted in the development of heat pumps

• Heat Transfer – Conductors and Insulators

  • provide examples of insulating technologies used today and in the past, including: animal fur, sod, fibreglass and thermos

• Temperature Versus Heat – Specific Heat Capacity

  • compare, in qualitative terms, the specific heat capacities of some common materials

• Temperature, Heat, and Technology

  • describe how our needs related to heat can lead to developments in science and technology

  • identify examples of science and technology-based careers that are associated with heat and temperature

Unit 3 Mixtures and Solutions

• Mixtures and Pure Substances – The Particle Theory

  • distinguish between pure substances and mixtures using the particle theory of matter

    • Classify elementary substances and compounds using chemical formulas (7-D.5)
    • Identify mixtures (8-H.1)

• Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Mixtures

  • distinguish between heterogeneous (mechanical) and homogeneous (solution) mixtures using the particle theory of matter

• Solutions

  • describe dissolving as a characteristic of solutions using the particle theory of matter

    • Compare concentrations of solutions (7-H.1)

• Concentration of Solutions

  • describe the concentrations of solutions qualitatively and quantitatively

    • Compare concentrations of solutions (7-H.1)

• Solutions and Solubility

  • state a hypothesis based on background information or an observed pattern of events

  • identify and delimit questions and problems to facilitate investigation

  • identify the line of best fit and interpolate or extrapolate based on the line of best fit

  • develop a testable hypothesis on the effect of temperature on solubility

  • carry out procedures controlling the major variables to study the effect of temperature on solubility

  • describe qualitatively the factors that affect the solubility of a solid and a gas, including: temperature and pressure

• Separating Mixtures

  • using apparatus safely, identify and separate the components of a variety of mixtures

  • identify common separation techniques used to separate the components of a variety of mixtures, including: straining spaghetti in a colander; skimming fat off soup; drying clothes (separating water from fabric); window screens allowing air in while keeping insects out and making coffee using ground coffee beans

• Distillation

  • describe the science underlying a distillation apparatus, using the following terms: boiling, evaporation, condensation

  • carry out procedures controlling the major variables to answer questions arising from practical problems

  • use tools and instruments safely and accurately when carrying out procedures and collecting data

  • answer new questions that result from the mixture separation activities

  • using distillation as an example show how refining and separation techniques have evolved, including: simple distillation and fractional distillation

• Applications of Mixture – Science

  • provide examples of how science, related to mixtures and solutions, affect our lives

  • identify some positive and negative effects and intended and unintended consequences of using salt on highways

  • describe how our understanding of the properties of solutions has resulted in better road de-icing technologies

  • make an informed decision about the use of road salt as our main road de-icing chemical taking into account the environmental, social, and economic advantages and disadvantages

Unit 4 Earth's Crust

• Rocks and Minerals

  • classify minerals based on their physical properties

    • Identify rocks and minerals (7-R.1)

  • use a mineral classification key to investigate questions arising from practical problems

  • select appropriate methods and tools for collecting and organizing data to identify minerals

  • using a classification key, identify common minerals, including: quartz, calcite, magnetite, mica, pyrite, galena, gypsum, talc, feldspar and hematite

• Classification of Rocks

  • classify rocks based on their characteristics and method of formation

    • How do sedimentary rocks form? (7)
    • Identify rocks and minerals (7-R.1)
    • Introduction to the rock cycle (7-R.2)
    • Classify rocks as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic (7-R.3)
    • How do rock layers form? (7-R.4)

• Rock Cycle

  • identify questions to investigate arising from the study of the rock cycle

    • Introduction to the rock cycle (7-R.2)
    • Classify rocks as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic (7-R.3)
    • Label parts of rock cycle diagrams (7-R.5)
    • Select parts of rock cycle diagrams (7-R.6)

• Structure of the Earth

  • describe the characteristics of Earth's crust and some of the technologies which have allowed scientists to study geological features in and on the Earth's crust

    • Label Earth layers (7-S.1)
    • Label Earth features at tectonic plate boundaries (7-S.2)
    • Describe tectonic plate boundaries around the world (7-S.3)

• Plate Tectonics Theory

  • describe how plate tectonic theory has evolved in light of new geological evidence

    • Label Earth features at tectonic plate boundaries (7-S.2)
    • Describe tectonic plate boundaries around the world (7-S.3)

  • provide examples of Canadian contributions to our understanding of local, regional, and global geology

  • describe how our explanations of how the Earth has changed over time are based on the collection of evidence and finding relationships between various observations in imaginative ways

  • describe how our understanding of the forces that shaped our Earth have changed over time as new evidence was collected

  • identify the theory of continental drift as one early explanation for how our Earth changed over time

  • identify the theory of plate tectonics as an example of a major shift in our world view

• Earthquakes, Volcanos and Mountains

  • examine some of the catastrophic events that occur on or near Earth's surface, including: earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

  • organize and analyze data on the geographical distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes to determine patterns and trends

  • provide examples of theories used in the past to explain volcanic activity, earthquakes, and mountain building

  • explain the processes of mountain formation

• Geological Time Scale

  • develop a chronological model or geological time scale of major events in Earth's history

• Weathering and Erosion

  • explain various ways in which rocks can be weathered and eroded to form soils

• Soil

  • classify various types of soil according to their characteristics, including: coarse-textured (sandy/gravel) soil, medium-textured (loamy) soil and fine-textured (clay) soil

  • carry out procedures controlling the major variables to answer questions arising from practical issues

  • use instruments effectively and accurately for collecting data

  • compile, organize, and display data, using a tabular format

  • interpret patterns and trends in data, and infer and explain relationships among the variables

  • state a conclusion, based on experimental data, and explain how the data gathered supports or refutes an initial idea