Key Changes – Science and Technology, Grades 1–8 (2022)

• Grade 1: Daily and Seasonal Changes
• Grade 2: Air and Water in the Environment
• Grade 3: Soils in the Environment
• Grade 4: Rocks and Minerals
• Grade 5: Conservation of Energy and Resources
• Grade 6: Space
• Grade 7: Heat in the Environment
• Grade 8: Water Systems

• Grade 1: Daily and Seasonal Changes
• Grade 2: Air and Water in the Environment
• Grade 3: Soils in the Environment
• Grade 4: Rocks, Minerals, and Geological Processes
• Grade 5: Conservation of Energy and Resources
• Grade 6: Space
• Grade 7: Heat in the Environment
• Grade 8: Water Systems

• Named Relating Science and Technology to Society and the Environment

• Renamed Relating Science and Technology to Our Changing World

• Gr. 2 D1.1 assess the impact of human activities on air and water in the environment, taking different points of view into consideration, and plan a course of action to help keep the air and water in the local community clean
• Gr. 5 D1.1 analyse the long-term impacts on society and the environment of human uses of energy and natural resources, and suggest ways to reduce these impacts

 Revised expectations:

• Gr. 2 E1.1 assess the impact of human activities on air and water, taking various perspectives into consideration, including those of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, and plan a course of action to protect the quality of the air and/or water in the local community
• Gr. 5 E1.1 analyse long-term impacts of human uses of energy and natural resources, on society and the environment, including climate change, and suggest ways to mitigate these impacts

New expectations:

• Gr. 5 E1.3 analyse how First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities use their knowledges and ways of knowing to conserve energy and resources 
• Gr. 6 E1.2 assess the role of space exploration technology in observing and understanding environmental changes on Earth, including climate change
• Gr. 7 E1.2 analyse various social, economic, and environmental impacts, including impacts related to climate change, of using non-renewable and renewable sources of energy
• Gr. 8 E1.2 demonstrate an understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit knowledges and values about water, connections to water, and ways of managing water resources sustainably

• Integrated within the Developing Investigation and Communication Skills overall expectation

• Restructured as STEM Investigation and Communication Skills in Strand A
• Science and Technology concepts from the overall expectation on Developing Investigation and Communication Skills are included in Exploring and Understanding Concepts

• Named Understanding Basic Concepts

• Renamed Exploring and Understanding Concepts

• Gr. 8 D2.4 identify factors (e.g., annual precipitation, temperature, climate change) that affect the size of glaciers and polar ice-caps, and describe the effects of these changes on local and global water systems

Revised expectation:

• Gr. 8 E2.4 identify factors, including climate change, that have contributed to the melting of glaciers and polar ice-caps, and describe the effects of this phenomenon on local and global water systems

New expectations:

• Gr. 3 E2.4 explain the process of erosion, including its causes and its impact on soils
• Gr 3 E2.5 identify various strategies used to maintain and improve soil health in Ontario
• Gr. 4 E2.5 describe how fossils are formed and what information they can provide about Earth’s history
• Gr. 4 E2.6 demonstrate an understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit geological knowledges that are used in the selection of different rocks and minerals for specific purposes
• Gr. 5 E2.6 explain how the use of energy derived from fossil fuels changes the composition of the atmosphere and how these changes contribute to climate change
• Gr. 6 E2.2 distinguish between the concepts of mass and weight
• Gr. 6 E 2.3 describe the relationship between the force of gravity and the weight of a body
• Gr. 8 E2.6 describe various indicators of water quality, and explain the impact of human activity on those indicators