Page 161 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2008 (revised)

D2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
By the end of this course, students will:
d2.1 use appropriate terminology related to sustainable agriculture and forestry, including, but not limited to: bioremediation, crop rotation, companion planting, organic product, humus, com- post, mulch, silviculture, and naturalization [C]
d2.2 test samples of a variety of types of soil (e.g., clay, loam, commercial potting soil) to determine their nutrients and composition (e.g., pH; the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; porosity; moisture) [PR, AI]
d2.3 use an inquiry process to investigate the nutrients in and composition of a variety of compost samples (e.g., nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium; composition with respect to pH, porosity), and analyse the findings to determine appropriate uses for each sample [IP, PR, AI]
d2.4 prepare a soil mixture (e.g., using compost, manure, vermiculite, black earth, top soil, peat moss, loam, and/or sand) for a selected plant species, based on analysis of the criteria for optimal growth for that species (e.g., cactus, tomato plants, wheat, jack pine) [PR, AI]
d2.5 use a research process to investigate environ- mentally sustainable methods of managing and maintaining healthy and productive agricultural zones and forests (e.g., companion planting, crop rotation, selective tree-harvesting, planting a diverse canopy) [IP, PR]
d2.6 design a landscaping project for their local area (e.g., a rooftop garden, a plot in a com- munity garden, a riparian restoration), taking into account local conditions (e.g., zone hardiness, soil composition, amount of sunlight and rainfall), and propose a course of action to ensure the sustainability of the project and its
healthy interaction with the surrounding environment (e.g., companion gardening, the use of compost to fertilize the soil, the use of native plants, the inclusion of plants that attract birds or butterflies) [IP, PR, AI]
D. Understanding Basic Concepts
By the end of this course, students will:
d3.1 explain the basic principles of various agri- cultural and forestry practices (e.g., Integrated Pest Management), and identify regulations and regulatory bodies associated with these practices (e.g., Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency [PMRA], the Pest Control Products Act)
d3.2 describe the basic requirements for plant growth (e.g., growing medium, light, moisture, nutrients)
d3.3 describe the soil components (e.g., pH, mois- ture, the percentage of humus, porosity with respect to water and air) needed by a variety of plants for optimal growth
d3.4 explain different ecologically sound practices for improving and maintaining soil structure and fertility (e.g., crop rotation, fallowing, adding compost or manure, inter-seeding grains and legumes, mulching, tree harvesting using a shelterwood system)
d3.5 explain agricultural techniques and forestry practices that aim to maintain both biodiversity and long-term productivity (e.g., growing a variety of species, inter-planting crops, planting native and heritage varietals instead of hybrids or transgenic species, saving seeds, maintaining some older trees and snags for animal habitat)
d3.6 describe sustainable water-management practices in agricultural and forestry settings (e.g., regulating the frequency of watering, planting species suited to local precipitation levels, limiting run-off and erosion)
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRy
1
Environmental Science
SVN3M