Curriculum Connection -- Science

Ever wonder just why your teacher assigns the kinds of tasks you do in class? Well, what I have been learning in MY school this year is that student learning in all of Ontario is regulated by a set of documents produced by the Ministry of Education, known as the curriculum. These documents set out a series of standards and expectations by which ALL Ontario students are expected to be judged, ensuring a common curriculum for everyone in the province! Neat huh?

So what kind of expectations do these documents set out? What sort of ways can they be taught? And how do your teachers know if you have learned what was expected of you? Well, those are some BIG questions - but it may be a lot easier and more fun than you'd expect! Let's take a look for ourselves..

Subject: Science
Strand: Earth and Space Systems - The Earth's Crust
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of Grade 7, students will:
5.1. Demonstrate an understanding of the composition of the earth's crust, and describe how changes in the earth's crust result from both internal and external processes.

I'm sure you've been told that the best way to handle science material is with the 'hands on' approach - but how can you look at something as HUGE as the composition of the earth without the help of some serious scientists? By using the internet, of course! When you browse the Smithsonian website devoted to The Dynamic Earth, you essentially have the information of hundreds of scientific studies at your fingertips. Choose the multimedia option and surf your way to the 'Plate Techtonics and Volcanoes' section for hours of exploring! This site presents all its information with colourful graphs, maps and charts, as well as some very exciting videos and interactive features. I definitely suggest trying the 'Build a Volcano' activity in the 'Volcanoes and Hot Spots' section - there is nothing cooler than watching a volcano erupt (except for maybe knowing WHY it's happening!)

So what are you waiting for? Check it out!

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com