Page 170 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2008 (revised)

Grade 11, Workplace Preparation
B1. analyse selected current environmental problems in terms of the role human activities have played in creating or perpetuating them, and propose possible solutions to one such problem;
B2. investigate air, soil, and water quality in natural and disturbed environments, using appropriate technology;
B3. demonstrate an understanding of some of the ways in which human activities affect the environment and how the impact of those activities is measured and monitored.
B1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
B2. Developing Skills of Investigation and Communication
B. humAn impAct on the environment
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:
B1.1 propose possible solutions, on the basis of research, to a current practical environmental problem that is caused, directly or indirectly, by human activities [IP, PR, AI, C]
Sample issue: Car emissions contribute to smog as well as global warming. Road tolls and in- creased use of public transit to cut down on the number of cars on the road, and the implemen- tation and enforcement of idling by-laws, could significantly cut these emissions.
Sample questions: How can various kinds of chemical spills in local ecosystems (e.g., fields, rivers, streams) be cleaned up? In what ways does improper sewage treatment or agricultural run-off threaten local water supplies, and how can these dangers be addressed or averted? What can be done to minimize the effect of an invasive species (e.g., purple loosestrife) on a native species (e.g., milkweed)?
B1.2 analyse the risks and benefits to the environ- ment of human recreational activities and the leisure industry [AI, C]
Sample issue: Ecotourism attempts to reduce the waste and environmental damage associat- ed with mass tourism. Although responsible ecotourism seeks to conserve local ecosystems through sustainable practices, and can, for
example, help reduce deforestation and animal poaching rates, any human intrusion can dam- age fragile ecosystems.
Sample questions: What are the risks to the environment of herbicide use and water con- sumption on golf courses? What are some of the risks and benefits to the environment of landscaping? In what ways can hunters and fishers damage the environment? In what ways can they contribute to its sustainability? What rules are needed to ensure that visitors to a pro- tected area do not harm that ecosystem?
By the end of this course, students will:
B2.1 use appropriate terminology relating to the environmental impact of human activity, including, but not limited to: carbon footprint, carbon neutral, biodegradable, biodiversity, carrying capacity, sustainability, and invasive and native species [C]
B2.2 plan and conduct an inquiry, using appropriate technology, to compare soil quality in natural and disturbed environments (e.g., compare the phosphorous content, pH, organic matter con- tent, water content, water-holding capacity, nutrient content, porosity, and/or bulk density of soil from a forest or meadow and soil from a garden or farmer’s field that has been treated with chemical fertilizer) [IP, PR, AI]
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