Course Outline: SNC1W

The following document is the course outline for the SNC1W course offered by Christian Virtual School. It contains the course description, unit outline, teaching & learning strategies, and the curriculum expectations addressed. This outline can also be viewed as a PDF using the download link provided.

Science, Grade 9, De-Streamed

Course Code: SNC1W 

Grade: 9 

Course Type: De-streamed

Credit Value: 1.0 

Prerequisite(s): None 

Curriculum DocumentScience, The Ontario Curriculum, Grade 9, 2022 

Developed By: Sarah McKercher

Department: Science

Development Date: February 2023

Most Recent Revision Date: February 2023

Teacher(s):

Jenita grew up in southern Saskatchewan surrounded by prairie, then moved to Calgary, Alberta for University. She lived there for three years and then moved to Sudbury, Ontario to finish her undergraduate degree in Forensic Biology from Laurentian University. She then moved to North Bay, Ontario for Teachers College. It was there that she met her husband who is also a teacher. 

She has been teaching in some capacity for over twenty years. Along with elementary and secondary teaching, she spent five years at Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario in a variety of departments. Then she and her husband were blessed with our two daughters, and after a number of years at home, which included homeschooling them, she returned to post secondary. Jenita now teaches math, biology and chemistry part-time at Northern College in Kirkland Lake, Ontario in the Academic Upgrading Department. Her daughters, Mikayla and Ayda, also attend CVS part-time.  

Along with teaching, she also supports her husband in his role as a pastor in a local church and help lead the kids programming.  Their family story has also brought the Hope Box ministry into their lives which supports families that have experienced pregnancy and infant loss.   

She enjoys reading mysteries (Gallagher Girls, Enola Holmes and classic Nancy Drew), watching documentaries, making popcorn with her girls (Krazy Kernels Popcorn) and visiting PEI with her family. 

Course Description:

This course enables students to develop their understanding of concepts related to biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and space science, and to relate science to technology, society, and the environment. Throughout the course, students will develop and refine their STEM skills as they use scientific research, scientific experimentation, and engineering design processes to investigate concepts and apply their knowledge in situations that are relevant to their lives and communities. Students will continue to develop transferable skills as they become scientifically literate global citizens.

Overall Curriculum Expectations

STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections

  1. STEM Investigation Skills: apply scientific processes and an engineering design process in their investigations to develop a conceptual understanding of the science they are learning, and apply coding skills to model scientific concepts and relationships;
  2. Applications, Careers, and Connections: analyse how scientific concepts and processes can be applied in practical ways to address real-world issues and in various careers, and describe contributions to science from people with diverse lived experiences;

            Biology: Sustainable Ecosystems

            1. Relating Science to Our Changing World: assess impacts of climate change on ecosystem sustainability and on various communities, and describe ways to mitigate these impacts;
            2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts: demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic and interconnected nature of ecosystems, including how matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems;

                      Chemistry: The Nature of Matter

                      1. Relating Science to Our Changing World: assess social, environmental, and economic impacts of the use of elements, compounds, and associated technologies;
                      2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts: demonstrate an understanding of the nature of matter, including the structure of the atom, physical and chemical properties of common elements and compounds, and the organization of elements in the periodic table;

                                  Physics: Principles and Applications of Electricity

                                  1. Relating Science to Our Changing World: assess social, environmental, and economic impacts of electrical energy production and consumption, and describe ways to achieve sustainable practices;
                                  2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts: demonstrate an understanding of the nature of electric charges, including properties of static and current electricity;

                                          Earth and Space: Space Exploration

                                          1. Relating Science to Our Changing World: evaluate social, environmental, and economic impacts of space exploration and of technological innovations derived from space exploration;
                                          2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts: demonstrate an understanding of the components, characteristics, and associated phenomena of the solar system and the universe, and the importance of the Sun to processes on Earth;

                                          Resources Required:

                                          This course is entirely online and does not require nor rely on any textbook. The materials required for the course are:

                                          • A smart phone, camera, or similar device to record video and sound, 
                                          • A scanner, smart phone camera, or similar device to upload handwritten or hand-drawn work,
                                          • Online access to third party software,
                                          • Access to a webcam,
                                          • Up-to-date operating system,
                                          • Up-to-date browser.

                                          Teaching and Learning Strategies:

                                          Teaching and learning strategies assist both teachers and students in achieving specific learning objectives. A number of methods have been used to create an online learning environment that will engage students in a variety of ways and support their understanding of scientific concepts. These strategies may include:

                                          • Clearly described unit expectations
                                          • Hands-on lab activities
                                          • Virtual lab activities
                                          • Virtual field trips
                                          • Animations and simulations
                                          • Creative problem solving
                                          • Case Studies
                                          • Assessment FOR learning activities
                                          • Student reflection and self-assessment
                                          • Discussions of issues relating science to technology, society, and the environment
                                          • Research Reports
                                          • Opinion-based Reports
                                          • Concept-supporting games
                                          • Model building
                                          • Field observations

                                          Assessment and Evaluation Strategies of Student Performance:

                                          Every student attending Christian Virtual School is unique. We believe each student must have the opportunities to achieve success according to their own interests, abilities, and goals. Like the Ministry of Education, we have defined high expectations and standards for graduation, while introducing a range of options that allow students to learn in ways that suit them best and enable them to earn their diplomas. Christian Virtual School’s Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting Policy is based on seven fundamental principles, as outlined in the Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools document.

                                          When these seven principles are fully understood and observed by all teachers, they guide the collection of meaningful information that helps inform instructional decisions, promote student engagement, and improve student learning. At Christian Virtual School, teachers use practices and procedures that:

                                          1. are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
                                          2. support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning English, and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
                                          3. are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
                                          4. are communicated clearly to students and parents or guardians at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
                                          5. are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
                                          6. provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement; and
                                          7. develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to access their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.

                                          For more information on our assessment and evaluation strategies, refer to Section 6, Student Achievement, in the Course Calendar.

                                          Program Planning Considerations: