Page 162 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2008 (revised)

Grade 11, University/College Preparation
e1. analyse economic, political, and environmental considerations affecting waste management strategies;
e2. investigate the effectiveness of various waste management practices;
e3. demonstrate an understanding of the nature and types of waste and strategies for its management.
E1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
E2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | science
By the end of this course, students will:
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
e1.1 analyse, on the basis of research, the impact of economic and political considerations on the development of waste management practices or strategies (e.g., incineration of hazardous waste; biological filtration and reuse of greywater; user fees for garbage disposal; vermicomposting) [IP, PR, AI, C]
Sample issue: The use of landfill sites has been a long-time strategy for disposal of garbage. As local sites fill up, some municipalities are shipping their garbage to distant sites. This strategy is often politically unpopular and, with high fuel prices, is increasingly expensive, so local politicians are under pressure to implement new strategies.
Sample questions: What are the costs of recy- cling compared to the costs of using landfill sites or incinerating garbage? Why is garbage incineration a controversial political issue? Why do municipal recycling programs recycle only a limited number of items?
e1.2 evaluate the short- and long-term impact on the environment of a specific type of waste (e.g., waste products from animal farming; plastic shopping bags; tailings from mines) [AI, C]
Sample issue: Non-rechargeable batteries can be convenient, but their disposal presents problems. Batteries contain heavy metals and corrosive substances that can contaminate landfill sites and leach into surrounding soil or water. Ontario municipalities designate batteries as hazardous waste, yet some people continue to throw them in the garbage.
Sample questions: What impact do disposable diapers have on the environment? What effects does the dumping of solid waste into lakes, rivers, or oceans have on aquatic life? How long does it take polystyrene, widely used to make food and drink containers, to break down? What environmental challenges are associated with nuclear waste?
By the end of this course, students will:
e2.1 use appropriate terminology related to waste management, including, but not limited to: solid, liquid, and gaseous waste; toxic waste; heavy metal; chlorinated hydrocarbons; and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) [C]
e2.2 plan and conduct an inquiry in a micro- environment to treat a solid, liquid, or gaseous waste (e.g., reduce the acidity in a closed bog system in an aquarium; use a vermicomposter to recycle solid organic matter) [IP, PR]
e2.3 use a research process to investigate the waste generated throughout the life cycle of a product (e.g., the waste associated with all the materials and energy that go into the development and disposal of a computer or a running shoe) [IP, PR]
e2.4 plan and conduct a waste audit within their school, and propose a plan of action for waste reduction based on their findings (e.g., review the school’s policy regarding paper and plastic recycling, monitor actual practices, and propose strategies to improve them) [IP, PR, AI, C]
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e. reducing And mAnAging wASte OVERALL EXPECTATIONS