Page 38 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008 (revised)

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | science

For further information on supporting English language learners, refer to The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development, 2007; English Language Learners – ESL and ELD Programs and Services: Policies and Procedures for Ontario Elementary and Secondary Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2007; and the resource guide Many Roots, Many Voices: Supporting English Language Learners in Every Classroom, 2005.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Environmental education is education about the environment, for the environment, and in the environment that promotes an understanding of, rich and active experience in, and an appreciation for the dynamic interactions of:
• The earth’s physical and biological systems
• The dependency of our social and economic systems on these natural systems
• The scientific and human dimensions of environmental issues
• The positive and negative consequences, both intended and unintended, of the interactions between human-created and natural systems.
Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future: Environmental Education in Ontario Schools (June 2007), p. 6
As noted in Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future: Environmental Education in Ontario Schools, environmental education “is the responsibility of the entire education community. It is a content area and can be taught. It is an approach to critical thinking, citizenship, and personal responsibility, and can be modelled. It is a context that can enrich and enliven education in all subject areas, and offer students the opportunity to develop a deeper con- nection with themselves, their role in society, and their interdependence on one another and the earth’s natural systems” (p. 10).
The increased emphasis on relating science to technology, society, and the environment (STSE) within this curriculum document provides numerous opportunities for teachers to integrate environmental education effectively into the curriculum. The STSE expectations provide meaningful contexts for applying what has been learned about the environment, for thinking critically about issues related to the environment, and for considering per- sonal action that can be taken to protect the environment. Throughout the courses and strands, teachers have opportunities to take students out of the classroom and into the world beyond the school, to observe, explore, and investigate. One effective way to ap- proach environmental literacy is through examining critical inquiry questions related to students’ sense of place, to the impact of human activity on the environment, and/or to systems thinking. This can be done at numerous points within the science curriculum.
The following are some examples:
• A sense of place can be developed as students investigate natural and human factors that influence Earth’s climate.
• An understanding of the effects of human activity on the environment can develop as students consider the impact of their actions (e.g., taking part in tree planting at a local park, walking or biking to school instead of riding in the car, packing a litterless lunch) on their local environment.
• Systems thinking can be developed as students understand what a system is and how changing one part of it (e.g., introducing zebra mussels into a local lake or non-native invasive plants into a wetland) can affect the whole system.