Page 164 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2008 (revised)

Grade 11, University/College Preparation
f1. assess the impact on society and the environment of the use of various renewable and non-renewable energy sources, and propose a plan to reduce energy consumption;
f2. investigate various methods of conserving energy and improving energy efficiency;
f3. demonstrate an understanding of energy production, consumption, and conservation with respect to a variety of renewable and non-renewable sources.
F1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
F2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
f. conServAtion of energy OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | science
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
f1.1 evaluate the impact on the environment of renewable and non-renewable energy sources, and propose an environmentally friendly solution to reduce non-renewable energy consumption (e.g., a plan for broader use of hybrid cars or solar panels) [AI, C]
Sample issue: In some remote areas that are off the electrical grid, generators that run on fossil fuels are used to generate electricity. However, these devices are inefficient, and they produce carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming, and noise pollution.
Sample questions: What impact can hydroelec- tric dams and generating stations have on the local environment? What effects do coal mining and the use of coal-burning power plants have on the local, regional, and global environment? How can the use of ethanol reduce the amount of petroleum needed to run cars?
f1.2 assess the costs and benefits to society of the use of renewable and non-renewable energy sources, using a variety of criteria (e.g., associ- ated health concerns, reliability, ability to meet demand, start-up and production costs) [AI, C]
Sample issue: The extraction, processing, and burning of fossil fuels damage the environment. However, some fossil fuels, such as coal, are plentiful and therefore a reliable source of energy. Some alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar power, are less reliable, and their unit costs are much higher.
Sample questions: How do the costs of coal and geothermal power compare? Do these costs change when environmental costs and benefits of the two sources are factored in? What are the health concerns associated with nuclear power? Why are wind and solar power less reliable than fossil fuel sources? How could that change?
By the end of this course, students will:
f2.1 useappropriateterminologyrelatedtoenergy conservation, including, but not limited to: renewable resource, non-renewable resource,
and R-value
f2.2 investigate energy consumption and costs in their household over a given period of time, and suggest ways in which their household could conserve energy [PR, AI, C]
f2.3 plan and conduct an energy audit of a home or business, and propose ways to improve its energy efficiency [IP, PR, AI, C]
f2.4 design and construct a working model of a device that uses an alternative energy source (e.g., a wind generator, a solar-powered car, a “fan boat”) [IP, PR]
f2.5 plan and conduct an inquiry to evaluate the effectiveness of various insulation materials and/or techniques (e.g., straw, foam, fibreglass, blown cellulose) [IP, PR, AI]
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