Page 22 - Science - Grade 9, DE-STREAMED COURSE (SNC1W)

Scientific and Engineering Design Processes
In addition to developing knowledge related to specific concepts, the study of science offers students varied opportunities to learn skills that are relevant to their everyday world. Strand A is focused on such skills, and refers to the following three processes:
• a scientific research process
• a scientific experimentation process • an engineering design process
The skills associated with these processes include:
• initiating and planning (e.g., asking questions, clarifying problems, planning procedures)
• performing and recording (e.g., following procedures, accessing information, recording
observations and findings)
• analysing and interpreting (e.g., organizing data, reflecting on the effectiveness of actions
performed, drawing conclusions)
• communicating (e.g., using appropriate vocabulary, communicating findings in a variety of ways)
Scientific Processes
There are a variety of processes that are followed when investigating questions in a scientific manner. In scientific investigations, students engage in activities that allow them to develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas in much the same way that scientists do. Like scientists, students must develop skills in the two major processes of scientific investigations: research and experimentation. These two processes play an important role in the Grade 9 science course. Teachers should ensure that students engage often in these processes and consider ethical protocols when doing so, as they develop skills and knowledge in the other four strands of the course.
When planning scientific investigations, teachers should also consider the impact that emerging technologies are having on scientific processes, and how scientific processes have led to innovations and new technologies. For example, ongoing advances in technology are changing how data is obtained, processed, stored, and visualized, as well as how scientific knowledge is shared; at the same time, scientific discoveries related to materials and their use are being applied to the development of new technologies. In this context, teachers can make important connections between technology and science, showing how they are interrelated. They can encourage students to use technologies to support their scientific investigations, and students can consider how their research and experimentation findings relate to potential new technologies.
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