THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM

GRADES 9–12

Science
This file is an extract and may not reflect or represent the full Ontario Curriculum.

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PDF versions of a curriculum include the following information from the Curriculum and Resources
website:

• the Program Planning and Assessment and Evaluation sections of the Curriculum and Resources
website that apply to all Ontario curriculum, Grades 1–12;
• the Curriculum Context that is specific to a discipline;
• the strands of the curriculum; and
• glossaries and appendices as applicable.

The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9–12: Science,

Educators should be aware that, with the exception of the Grade 9 science course, 2022 (SNC1W), the
2008 Science curriculum for Grade 10 and the 2008 Science curriculum for Grades 11–12 remain in
effect. All secondary science courses for Grades 10–12 will continue to be based on those documents.
All references to Grade 9 that appear in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008 and The
Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2008 have been superseded by The Ontario Curriculum,
Grade 9: Science, 2022. As of September 2022, this course replaces Science, Grade 9, Academic (SNC1D)
and Science, Grade 9, Applied (SNC1P). These courses expired at the end of the 2021-22 school year.

Version History:
Version
Description
Date
April 25, New Grade 9 Science, De-streamed course (SNC1W) issued. This course replaces the
2022 Grade 9 Science, Academic (SNC1D) and the Grade 9 Science, Applied (SNC1P) courses.

Program Planning and Assessment and Evaluation Content

Last updated: June 2023

This content is part of official issued curriculum providing the most up-to-date information (i.e., front
matter). This content is applicable to all curriculum documents, Grades 1 to 12. Educators must consider
this information to guide the implementation of curriculum and in creating the environment in which it
is taught.

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Educators should be aware that, with the exception of the Grade 9 science course, 2022 (SNC1W), the
2008 Science curriculum for Grade 10 and the 2008 Science curriculum for Grades 11–12 remain in
effect. All secondary science courses for Grades 10–12 will continue to be based on those documents.
All references to Grade 9 that appear in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008 and The
Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2008 have been superseded by The Ontario Curriculum,
Grade 9: Science, 2022. As of September 2022, this course replaces Science, Grade 9, Academic (SNC1D)
and Science, Grade 9, Applied (SNC1P). These courses expired at the end of the 2021-22 school year.

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Contents
Considerations for program planning ...........................................................................................................6
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................6
Roles and Responsibilities.........................................................................................................................6
Student Well-Being and Mental Health ....................................................................................................6
Instructional Approaches ..........................................................................................................................8
Planning for Students with Special Education Needs .............................................................................10
Planning for English Language Learners .................................................................................................14
Healthy Relationships .............................................................................................................................18
Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusive Education ......................................................................................18
The Role of the School Library ................................................................................................................21
The Role of Information and Communications Technology ...................................................................22
Education and Career/Life Planning .......................................................................................................22
Experiential Learning ..............................................................................................................................24
Pathways to a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) .................................................................................25
Health and Safety....................................................................................................................................25
Ethics.......................................................................................................................................................27
Assessment and Evaluation ........................................................................................................................28
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................28
Fundamental Principles ..........................................................................................................................28
Culturally Responsive and Relevant Assessment and Evaluation ...........................................................29
Learning Skills and Work Habits ..............................................................................................................31
Content Standards and Performance Standards ....................................................................................31
Assessment “for Learning” and “as Learning” ........................................................................................32
Evaluation ...............................................................................................................................................33
Reporting Student Achievement ............................................................................................................34
Categories of Knowledge and Skills ........................................................................................................35
Criteria and Descriptors ..........................................................................................................................36
Levels of Achievement ............................................................................................................................36
Sample Achievement Charts ...................................................................................................................37
SNC1W - Science, Grade 9 ..........................................................................................................................53
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................53
The Program in Science ..........................................................................................................................58

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 Big Ideas .............................................................................................................................................66
Scientific Processes ............................................................................................................................72
Program Planning and Cross-Curricular and Integrated Learning in Science..........................................82
Assessment and Evaluation of Student Achievement ............................................................................89
Expectations by Strand ...........................................................................................................................97
A. STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections ...............................................................................................97
B. Biology ................................................................................................................................................98
C. Chemistry ..........................................................................................................................................100
D. Physics ..............................................................................................................................................101
E. Earth and Space Science ...................................................................................................................102
Information for Parents ........................................................................................................................104
Resources ..............................................................................................................................................104

Une publication équivalente est disponible en français sous le titre suivant : Le curriculum de l’Ontario,
de la 9e à la 12e année – Sciences

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Considerations for program
planning
Introduction
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Ontario elementary and secondary schools strive to support high-quality learning and student well-
being. Schools give individual students the opportunity to learn in ways that are best suited to their
individual strengths and needs. At the secondary level, students’ ability to thrive academically and
personally is also supported by their ability to choose courses and programs that best suit their skills,
interests, and preferred postsecondary destinations.

Educators plan teaching and learning in every subject and discipline so that the various needs of all
students are addressed and so that students can see themselves reflected in classroom resources and
activities. This section highlights the key strategies and policies that educators and school leaders
consider as they plan effective and inclusive programs for all students.

Roles and Responsibilities

Student Well-Being and Mental Health
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Promoting the healthy development of all students, as well as enabling all students to reach their full
potential, is a priority for educators across Ontario. Students’ health and well-being contribute to their
ability to learn in all disciplines, and that learning in turn contributes to their overall well-being. A well-
rounded educational experience prioritizes well-being and academic success for all students by
promoting physical and mental health, social-emotional learning, and inclusion. Parents, community
partners, and educators all play critical roles in creating this educational experience.

Educators support the well-being of children and youth by creating, fostering, and sustaining a learning
environment that is healthy, caring, safe, inclusive, and accepting. A learning environment of this kind
supports not only students’ cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development but also their sense
of self and/or spirit, their mental health, their resilience, and their overall state of well-being. All this will
help them achieve their full potential in school and in life.

A variety of factors, known as “determinants of health”, have been shown to affect a person’s overall
state of well-being. Some of these are income, education and literacy, gender and culture, physical and
social environment, personal health practices and coping skills, and availability of health services.
Together, these factors influence not only whether individuals are physically healthy but also the extent
to which they will have the physical, social, and personal resources needed to cope and to identify and

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achieve personal aspirations. These factors also have an impact on student learning, and it is important
to be aware of them as factors contributing to a student’s performance and well-being.

An educator’s awareness of and responsiveness to students’ cognitive, emotional, social, and physical
development, and to their sense of self and/or spirit, is critical to their success in school. A number of
research-based frameworks, including those described in Early Learning for Every Child Today: A
Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings, 2007, On My Way: A Guide to Support Middle Years
Childhood Development, 2017, and Stepping Stones: A Resource on Youth Development, 2012, identify
developmental stages that are common to the majority of students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. At
the same time, these frameworks recognize that individual differences, as well as differences in life
experiences and exposure to opportunities, can affect development, and that developmental events are
not specifically age dependent.

The framework described in Stepping Stones is based on a model that illustrates the complexity of
human development. Its components – the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social domains – are
interrelated and interdependent, and all are subject to the influence of a person’s environment or
context. At the centre is an “enduring (yet changing) core” – a sense of self, and/or spirit – that connects
the different aspects of development and experience (p. 17).

Source: Stepping Stones: A Resource on Youth Development, p. 17

Educators who have an awareness of a student’s development are taking all of the components into
account. They focus on the following elements of each component:

• cognitive development – brain development, processing and reasoning skills, use of strategies
for learning
• emotional development – emotional regulation, empathy, motivation

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 • social development – self-development (self-concept, self-efficacy, self-esteem); identity
formation (gender identity, social group identity, spiritual identity); relationships (peer, family,
romantic)
• physical development – physical activity, sleep patterns, changes that come with puberty, body
image, nutritional requirements

The Role of Mental Health and Well-Being

Mental health and well-being touch all components of development. Mental health is much more than
the absence of mental illness. Well-being depends not only on the absence of problems and risks but
also on the presence of factors that contribute to healthy growth and development. By nurturing and
supporting students’ strengths and assets, educators help promote positive mental health and well-
being in the classroom. At the same time, they can identify students who need additional support and
connect them with the appropriate supports and services.

What happens at school can have a significant influence on a student’s overall well-being. With a
broader awareness of mental health, educators can plan instructional strategies that contribute to a
supportive classroom climate for learning in all subject areas, build awareness of mental health, and
reduce stigma associated with mental illness. Taking students’ well-being, including their mental health,
into account when planning instructional approaches helps establish a strong foundation for learning
and sets students up for success.

Instructional Approaches
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Effective instruction is key to student success. To provide effective instruction, teachers need to consider
what they want students to learn, how they will know whether students have learned it, how they will
design instruction to promote the learning, and how they will respond to students who are not making
progress.

When planning what students will learn, teachers identify the main concepts and skills described in the
curriculum expectations, consider the contexts in which students will apply the learning, and determine
students’ learning goals.

Instructional approaches should be informed by evidence from current research about in-
structional practices that are effective in the classroom. For example, research has provided compelling
evidence about the benefits of explicitly teaching strategies that can help students develop a deeper
understanding of concepts. Strategies such as “compare and contrast” (e.g., through Venn diagrams and
comparison matrices) and the use of analogy enable students to examine concepts in ways that help
them see what the concepts are and what they are not. Although such strategies are simple to use,
teaching them explicitly is important in order to ensure that all students use them effectively.

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A well-planned instructional program should always be at the student’s level, but it should also push the
student towards their optimal level of challenge for learning, while providing support and anticipating
and directly teaching skills that are required for success.

A Differentiated Approach to Teaching and Learning

A differentiated approach to teaching and learning is an important part of a framework for effective
classroom practice. It involves adapting instruction and assessment to suit individual students’ interests,
learning preferences, and readiness in order to promote learning.

An understanding of students’ strengths and needs, as well as of their backgrounds, life experiences,
and possible emotional vulnerabilities, can help teachers identify and address the diverse strengths and
needs of their students. Teachers continually build their awareness of students’ learning strengths and
needs by observing and assessing their readiness to learn, their interests, and their learning styles and
preferences. As teachers develop and deepen their understanding of individual students, they can
respond more effectively to each student’s needs by differentiating instructional approaches – for
example, by adjusting the method or pace of instruction, using different types of resources, allowing a
wider choice of topics, or even adjusting the learning environment, if appropriate, to suit the way the
student learns and how the student is best able to demonstrate learning. Differentiation is planned as
part of the overall learning design, but it also includes making adaptations during the teaching and
learning process based on “assessment for learning”. Common classroom strategies that support
differentiated instruction include cooperative learning, project-based approaches, problem-based
approaches, and explicit instruction. Unless students have an Individual Education Plan with modified
expectations, what they learn continues to be guided by the curriculum expectations and is the same for
all students.

Lesson Design

Effective lesson design involves several important elements. Teachers engage students in a lesson by
activating their prior learning and experiences, clarifying the purpose for learning, and making
connections to contexts that will help them see the relevance and usefulness of what they are learning.
Teachers select instructional strategies to effectively introduce concepts, and consider how they will
scaffold instruction in ways that will best meet the needs of their students. At the same time, they
consider when and how to check students’ understanding and to assess their progress towards
achieving their learning goals. Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to apply their
knowledge and skills and to consolidate and reflect on their learning. A three-part lesson design (e.g.,
“Minds On, Action, and Consolidation”) is often used to structure these elements. Effective lesson
design also incorporates culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy (CRRP), which recognizes that all
students learn in ways that are connected to background, language, family structure, and social or
cultural identity. CRRP is discussed more fully in the section Equity and Inclusive Education.

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Planning for Students with Special Education Needs
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Classroom teachers are the key educators of students with special education needs. They have a
responsibility to help all students learn, and they work collaboratively with special education teachers
and educational assistants, where appropriate, to achieve this goal. Classroom teachers commit to
assisting every student to prepare for living with the highest degree of independence possible.

Learning for All: A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for All Students, Kindergarten to Grade
12, 2013 describes a set of beliefs, based in research, that should guide program planning for students
with special education needs. Teachers planning programs or courses in all disciplines need to pay
particular attention to these beliefs, which are as follows:

• All students can succeed.

• Each student has their own unique patterns of learning.
• Successful instructional practices are founded on evidence-based research, tempered by
experience.
• Universal design1 and differentiated instruction2 are effective and interconnected means of
meeting the learning or productivity needs of any group of students.
• Classroom teachers are the key educators for a student’s literacy and numeracy development.
• Classroom teachers need the support of the larger community to create a learning environment
that supports students with special education needs.
• Fairness is not sameness.

In any given classroom, students may demonstrate a wide range of strengths and needs. Teachers plan
programs that are attuned to this diversity and use an integrated process of assessment and instruction
that responds to the unique strengths and needs of each student. An approach that combines principles
of universal design and differentiated instruction enables educators to provide personalized, precise
teaching and learning experiences for all students.

In planning programs or courses for students with special education needs, teachers should begin by
examining both the curriculum expectations in the grade or course appropriate for the individual

1The goal of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is to create a learning environment that is open and
accessible to all students, regardless of age, skills, or situation. Instruction based on principles of
universal design is flexible and supportive, can be adjusted to meet different student needs, and enables
all students to access the curriculum as fully as possible.
2Differentiated instruction is effective instruction that shapes each student’s learning experience in
response to the student’s particular learning preferences, interests, and readiness to learn. See the
section Instructional Approaches for more information.

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student and the student’s particular strengths and learning needs to determine which of the following
options is appropriate for the student:

• no accommodations3 or modified expectations; or

• accommodations only; or
• modified expectations, with the possibility of accommodations; or
• alternative expectations, which are not derived from the curriculum expectations for the grade
or course and which constitute alternative programs and/or courses.

If the student requires either accommodations or modified expectations, or both, the relevant
information, as described in the following paragraphs, must be recorded in their Individual Education
Plan (IEP). More detailed information about planning programs for students with special education
needs, including students who require alternative programs4 and/or courses, can be found in Special
Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide, 2017 (Draft) (referred to
hereafter as Special Education in Ontario, 2017). For a detailed discussion of the ministry’s requirements
for IEPs, see Part E of Special Education in Ontario.

Students Requiring Accommodations Only

Some students with special education needs are able, with certain “accommodations”, to participate in
the regular grade or course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. Accommodations
allow the student with special education needs to access the curriculum without changes to the regular
expectations. Any accommodations that are required to facilitate the student’s learning must be
identified in the student’s IEP (Special Education in Ontario, 2017, p. E38). A student’s IEP is likely to
reflect the same required accommodations for many, or all, subjects or courses.

Providing accommodations to students with special education needs should be the first option
considered in program planning. Instruction based on principles of universal design and differentiated
instruction focuses on providing accommodations to meet the diverse needs of learners.

There are three types of accommodations:

• Instructional accommodations are changes in teaching strategies, including styles of

presentation, methods of organization, or use of technology and multimedia. Some examples
include the use of graphic organizers, photocopied notes, adaptive equipment, or assistive
software.
• Environmental accommodations are changes that the student may require in the classroom
and/or school environment, such as preferential seating or special lighting.

3“Accommodations” refers to individualized teaching and assessment strategies, human supports,

and/or individualized equipment (see Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in
Ontario Schools, First Edition, Covering Grades 1 to 12, 2010, p. 72).
4 Alternative programs are identified on the IEP by the term “alternative (ALT)”.

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 • Assessment accommodations are changes in assessment procedures that enable the student to
demonstrate their learning, such as allowing additional time to complete tests or assignments or
permitting oral responses to test questions.

(For more examples, see page E39 of Special Education in Ontario, 2017.)

If a student requires “accommodations only”, assessment and evaluation of their achievement will be
based on the regular grade or course curriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined for
the particular curriculum. The IEP box on the student’s Provincial Report Card will not be checked, and
no information on the provision of accommodations will be included.

Students Requiring Modified Expectations

Modified expectations for most students with special education needs will be based on the regular
grade or course expectations, with changes in the number and/or complexity of the expectations.
Modified expectations must represent specific, realistic, observable, and measurable goals, and must
describe specific knowledge and/or skills that the student can demonstrate independently, given the
appropriate assessment accommodations.

It is important to monitor, and to reflect clearly in the student’s IEP, the extent to which expectations
have been modified. At the secondary level, the principal will determine whether achievement of the
modified expectations constitutes successful completion of the course, and will decide whether the
student is eligible to receive a credit for the course. This decision must be communicated to the parents
and the student.

Modified expectations must indicate the knowledge and/or skills that the student is expected to
demonstrate and that will be assessed in each reporting period (Special Education in Ontario, 2017, p.
E27). Modified expectations should be expressed in such a way that the student and parents can
understand not only exactly what the student is expected to know or be able to demonstrate
independently, but also the basis on which the student’s performance will be evaluated, resulting in a
grade or mark that is recorded on the Provincial Report Card. The student’s learning expectations must
be reviewed in relation to the student’s progress at least once every reporting period, and must be
updated as necessary (Special Education in Ontario, 2017, p. E28).

If a student requires modified expectations, assessment and evaluation of their achievement will be
based on the learning expectations identified in the IEP and on the achievement levels outlined under
Levels of Achievement in the “Assessment and Evaluation” section.

Elementary: The IEP box on the Elementary Progress Report Card and the Elementary Provincial Report
Card must be checked for any subject in which the student requires modified expectations, and, on the
Elementary Provincial Report Card, the appropriate statement from Growing Success: Assessment,
Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, First Edition, Covering Grades 1 to 12, 2010, page 61, must
be inserted.

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Secondary: If some of the student’s learning expectations for a course are modified but the student is
working towards a credit for the course, it is sufficient simply to check the IEP box on the Provincial
Report Card, Grades 9–12. If, however, the student’s learning expectations are modified to such an
extent that the principal deems that a credit will not be granted for the course, the IEP box must be
checked and the appropriate statement from Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in
Ontario Schools, First Edition, Covering Grades 1 to 12, 2010, pages 62–63, must be inserted.

In both the elementary and secondary panels, the teacher’s comments should include relevant
information on the student’s demonstrated learning of the modified expectations, as well as next steps
for the student’s learning in the subject or course.

Planning for English Language Learners

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English Language Learners in Ontario Schools

Ontario schools have some of the most multilingual student populations in the world. The first language
of approximately 28 per cent of the students in Ontario’s English-language schools is a language other
than English. In addition, some students use varieties of English – sometimes referred to as dialects –
that differ significantly from the English required for success in Ontario schools. Many English language
learners were born in Canada and have been raised in families and communities in which languages
other than English, or varieties of English that differ from the language used in the classroom, are
spoken. Other English language learners arrive in Ontario as newcomers from other countries; they may
have experience of highly sophisticated educational systems, or they may have come from regions
where access to formal schooling was limited.

When they start school in Ontario, many of these students are entering a new linguistic and cultural
environment. All teachers share in the responsibility for these students’ English-language development.

As students who are learning English as a second or additional language in English-language schools,
English language learners bring a rich diversity of background knowledge and experience to the
classroom. These students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds not only support their learning in their
new environment but also become a cultural asset in the classroom community. Effective teachers find
positive ways to incorporate this diversity into their instructional programs and into the classroom
environment.

Most English language learners in Ontario schools have age-appropriate proficiency in their first
language, as well as age-appropriate literacy skills. Although they need frequent opportunities to use
English at school, they also derive important educational and social benefits from continuing to develop
their first language while they are learning English. Teachers should encourage parents to continue to
use their own language at home, both to preserve the language as part of their children’s heritage and
identity and to provide a foundation for their language and literacy development in English. It is also

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important for teachers to find opportunities to bring students’ languages into the classroom, using
parents and community members as a resource.

English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development Programs

During their first few years in Ontario schools, English language learners may receive support through
one of two distinct programs designed to meet their language-learning needs:

English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are for students born in Canada or newcomers whose first
language is a language other than English, or is a variety of English significantly different from that used
for instruction in Ontario schools. Students in these programs have had educational opportunities to
develop age-appropriate first-language literacy skills.

English Literacy Development (ELD) programs are primarily for newcomers whose first language is a
language other than English, or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction
in Ontario schools, and who arrive with significant gaps in their education. These students generally
come from countries where access to education is limited or where there are limited opportunities to
develop language and literacy skills in any language. Schooling in their countries of origin may have been
inconsistent, disrupted, or even completely unavailable throughout the years that these children would
otherwise have been in school.

Supportive Learning Environments

In planning programs for students with linguistic backgrounds other than English, teachers need to
recognize the importance of the orientation process, understanding that every learner needs to adjust
to the new social environment and language in a unique way and at an individual pace. For example,
students who are in an early stage of English-language acquisition may go through a “silent period”
during which they closely observe the interactions and physical surroundings of their new learning
environment. They may use body language rather than speech or they may use their first language until
they have gained enough proficiency in English to feel confident of their interpretations and responses.
Students thrive in a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment that nurtures their self-confidence
while they are receiving focused literacy instruction. When they are ready to participate, in paired,
small-group, or whole-class activities, some students will begin by using a single word or phrase to
communicate a thought, while others will speak quite fluently.

In a supportive learning environment, most students will develop oral language proficiency quite
quickly. Teachers can sometimes be misled by the high degree of oral proficiency demonstrated by
many English language learners in their use of everyday English and may mistakenly conclude that these
students are equally proficient in their use of academic English. Most English language learners who
have developed oral proficiency in everyday English will still require instructional scaffolding to meet
curriculum expectations. Research has shown that it takes five to seven years for most English language
learners to catch up to their English-speaking peers in their ability to use English for academic purposes.

Program Adaptations
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Responsibility for students’ English-language development is shared by all teachers, including the
ESL/ELD teacher (where available), and other school staff. Volunteers and peers may also be helpful in
supporting English language learners in the classroom. By adapting the instructional program, teachers
facilitate these students’ learning. Appropriate adaptations include modifications and accommodations,
as follows:

• modification of some or all of the grade or course expectations so that they are challenging but
attainable for the learners at their current level of English proficiency, with the necessary
support from the teacher;
• use of a variety of instructional strategies;5
• use of a variety of learning resources;6
• use of assessment accommodations that support students in demonstrating the full range of
their learning.7

Teachers need to adapt the program for English language learners as they acquire English proficiency.
For English language learners at the early stages of English language acquisition, teachers are required
to modify curriculum expectations as needed. Most English language learners require accommodations
for an extended period, long after they have achieved proficiency in everyday English.

Assessment and Evaluation

When curriculum expectations are modified in order to meet the language-learning needs of English
language learners, assessment and evaluation will be based on the documented modified expectations.
Teachers will check the ESL/ELD box on the Provincial Report Card only when modifications have been
made to curriculum expectations to address the language needs of English language learners (the box
should not be checked to indicate simply that they are participating in ESL/ELD programs or if they are

5Examples include: small-group instruction; extensive use of visual cues, images, diagrams; visual
representations of key ideas; graphic organizers; scaffolding; previewing of text; modelling; use of music,
movement, and gestures; open-ended activities; pre-teaching of key vocabulary; peer tutoring; strategic
use of students’ first languages.
6Examples include: visual material; simplified text; bilingual dictionaries; subject-specific glossaries;
resources available in languages that students speak at home; concrete materials; learning materials
and activities – displays, music, dances, games, and so on – that reflect cultural diversity.
7Examples include: provision of additional time; provision of options for students to choose how they
will demonstrate their learning, such as portfolios, oral interviews, presentations, oral or visual
representations, demonstrations and models, dramatic activities, and songs and chants; use of tasks
requiring completion of graphic organizers or cloze sentences instead of essay questions or other
assessment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English.

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only receiving accommodations). There is no requirement for a statement to be added to the
“Comments” section of the report cards when the ESL/ELD box is checked.

Although the degree of program adaptation required will decrease over time, students who are no
longer receiving ESL or ELD support may still need some program adaptations to be successful.

Related Policy and Resource Documents

For further information on supporting English language learners, refer to the following documents:

• Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, First Edition,
Covering Grades 1 to 12, 2010
• The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9–12: 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
• Supporting English Language Learners with Limited Prior Schooling: A Practical Guide for Ontario
Educators, Grades 3 to 12, 2008
• Supporting English Language Learners: A Practical Guide for Ontario Educators, Grades 1 to 8,
2008
• Many Roots, Many Voices: Supporting English Language Learners in Every Classroom, 2005.

Healthy Relationships
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Every student is entitled to learn in a safe, caring environment, free from discrimination, violence, and
harassment. Research has shown that students learn and achieve better in such environments. A safe
and supportive social environment in a school is founded on healthy relationships – the relationships
between students, between students and adults, and between adults. Healthy relationships are based
on respect, caring, empathy, trust, and dignity, and thrive in an environment in which diversity is
honoured and accepted. Healthy relationships do not tolerate abusive, controlling, violent,
bullying/harassing, or other inappropriate behaviours. To experience themselves as valued and
connected members of an inclusive social environment, students need to be involved in healthy
relationships with their peers, educators, and other members of the school community.

Several provincial policies, programs, and initiatives, including Foundations for a Healthy School, the
Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, and Safe Schools, are designed to foster caring and safe learning
environments in the context of healthy and inclusive schools. These policies and initiatives promote
positive learning and teaching environments that support the development of healthy relationships,
encourage academic achievement, and help all students reach their full potential.

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In its 2008 report, Shaping a Culture of Respect in Our Schools: Promoting Safe and Healthy
Relationships, the Safe Schools Action Team confirmed “that the most effective way to enable all
students to learn about healthy and respectful relationships is through the school curriculum” (p. 11).
Educators can promote this learning in a variety of ways. For example, by giving students opportunities
to apply critical thinking and problem-solving strategies and to address issues through group discussions,
role play, case study analysis, and other means, they can help them develop and practise the skills they
need for building healthy relationships. Co-curricular activities such as clubs and intramural and
interschool sports provide additional opportunities for the kind of interaction that helps students build
healthy relationships. Educators can also have a positive influence on students by modelling the
behaviours, values, and skills that are needed to develop and sustain healthy relationships, and by taking
advantage of “teachable moments” to address immediate relationship issues that may arise among
students.

Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusive Education

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A positive, inclusive, equitable, and non-discriminatory elementary and secondary school experience is
vitally important to a student’s personal, social, and academic development, to their future economic
security, and to a realization of their full potential. Human rights principles recognize the importance of
creating a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person, so that
each person can contribute fully to the development and well-being of their community. Indeed, human
rights law guarantees a person’s right to equal treatment in education. It requires educators and school
leaders to prevent and respond appropriately to discrimination and harassment, to create an inclusive
environment, to remove barriers that limit the ability of students, and to provide accommodations,
where necessary.

Ontario’s education system, at all levels, must respect diversity, promote inclusive education, and work
towards identifying and eliminating barriers to equal treatment in education that limit the ability of
students to learn, grow, and contribute to society. Discriminatory biases, harassment, non-inclusive
environments, lack of accommodation, systemic barriers, power dynamics, societal poverty, and racism
make it difficult for students to acquire the skills they need to be successful, competitive, and productive
members of society. Ontario schools aim to improve the academic outcomes and experiences of
students who have traditionally not benefited from the promise of public education.

In an environment based on the principles of inclusive education, all students, parents, caregivers, and
other members of the school community – regardless of ancestry, culture, ethnicity, sex, disability, race,
colour, religion, age, marital or family status, creed, gender identity/expression, gender, sexual
orientation, socio-economic status, or other factors – are welcomed, included, treated fairly, and
respected. Diversity is valued when all members of the school community feel safe, welcomed, and
accepted. Every student is supported and inspired to succeed in a culture of high expectations for
learning.

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Research has shown that students who do not see themselves reflected in what they are learning, in
their classrooms, and in their schools become disengaged and do not experience as great a sense of
well-being or as high a level of academic achievement as those who do.

Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy (CRRP)

In an inclusive education system, students must see themselves reflected in the curriculum, their
physical surroundings, and the broader environment, so that they can feel engaged in and empowered
by their learning experiences. Students need to experience teaching and learning that reflect their needs
and who they are. To ensure that this happens, educators in Ontario schools embrace culturally
responsive and relevant pedagogy (CRRP), which recognizes that all students learn in ways that are
connected to background, language, family structure, and social or cultural identity.

CRRP provides a framework for building positive environments, improving student responsibility and
success, encouraging parent-school relationships, and building strong community connections. It also
emphasizes that it is important for educators and school leaders to examine their own biases and to
analyse how their own identities and experiences affect how they view, understand, and interact with
all students. This can help to prevent discrimination, harassment, and the creation of poisoned
environments. Educators are responsible for meaningful teaching and learning that recognizes and
responds to who is in the classroom and the school.

By knowing “who our students are”, educators and leaders can tailor policies, programs, and practices
to better meet the needs of their diverse student populations, to provide accommodation of the needs
specified by human rights law, and to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. CRRP
involves recognizing that “culture” encompasses various aspects of social and personal identity. It also
means acknowledging students’ multiple social and personal identities and the social issues that arise
where identities intersect. The CRRP approach is designed to spark conversation and support educators
and school leaders as they seek to implement effective equity strategies and policies. Educators are
encouraged to engage in meaningful inquiry, in collaboration with colleagues, to address equity issues
and the particular needs of the students they serve.

Implementing Principles of Inclusive Education

The implementation of inclusive education principles in education influences all aspects of school life. It
promotes a school climate that encourages all students to work to high levels of achievement, affirms
the worth of all students, and helps students strengthen their sense of identity and develop a positive
self-image. It encourages staff and students alike to value and show respect for diversity in the school
and the broader society. Inclusive education promotes equity, healthy relationships, and active,
responsible citizenship. The absence of inclusive approaches to education can create discriminatory
environments, in which certain individuals or groups cannot expect to receive fair treatment or an
equitable experience based on aspects of their identity.

Teachers can give students a variety of opportunities to learn about diversity and diverse perspectives.
By drawing attention to the contributions and perspectives of historically marginalized groups, and by

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creating opportunities for their experiences to be affirmed and valued, teachers can enable students
from a wide range of backgrounds to see themselves reflected in the curriculum. It is essential that
learning activities and materials used to support the curriculum reflect the diversity of Ontario society.
In addition, teachers should differentiate instruction and assessment strategies to take into account the
background and experiences, as well as the interests, aptitudes, and learning needs, of all students.

Interactions between the school and the community should reflect the diversity of both the local
community and the broader society. A variety of strategies can be used to communicate with and
engage parents and members of diverse communities, and to encourage their participation in and
support for school activities, programs, and events. Family and community members should be invited
to take part in teacher interviews, the school council, and the parent involvement committee, and to
attend and support activities such as plays, concerts, co-curricular activities and events, and various
special events at the school. Schools need to be prepared and ready to welcome families and
community members. Schools may consider offering assistance with child care or making alternative
scheduling arrangements in order to help caregivers participate. Special outreach strategies and
encouragement may be needed to draw in the parents of English language learners and First Nations,
Métis, or Inuit students, and to make them feel more welcomed in their interactions with the school.

The Role of the School Library

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The school library program can help build and transform students’ knowledge in order to support
lifelong learning in our information- and knowledge-based society. The school library program supports
student success across the curriculum by encouraging students to read widely, teaching them to
examine and read many forms of text for understanding and enjoyment, and helping them improve
their research skills and effectively use information gathered through research.

The school library program enables students to:

• develop a love of reading for learning and for pleasure;

• develop literacy skills using fiction and non-fiction materials;
• develop the skills to become independent, thoughtful, and critical researchers;
• obtain access to programs, resources, and integrated technologies that support all curriculum
areas;
• understand and value the role of public library systems as a resource for lifelong learning.

The school library program plays a key role in the development of information literacy and research
skills. Teacher-librarians, where available, collaborate with classroom or content-area teachers to
design, teach, and provide students with authentic information and research tasks that foster learning,
including the ability to:

• access, select, gather, process, critically evaluate, create, and communicate information;

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 • use the information obtained to explore and investigate issues, solve problems, make decisions,
build knowledge, create personal meaning, and enrich their lives;
• communicate their findings to different audiences, using a variety of formats and technologies;
• use information and research with understanding, responsibility, and imagination.

In addition, teacher-librarians can work with content-area teachers to help students:

• develop digital literacy in using non-print forms, such as the Internet, social media, and blogs,
and knowing the best ways to access relevant and reliable information;
• design inquiry questions for research projects;
• create and produce single-medium or multimedia presentations.

Teachers need to discuss with students the concept of ownership of work and the importance of
copyright in all forms of media.

The Role of Information and Communications

Technology
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The variety and range of information and communications technology (ICT) tools available to educators
today enables them to significantly extend and enrich their instructional approaches and to create
opportunities for students to learn in ways that best suit their interests and strengths. Technology has
also enhanced the ability to connect with communities outside the school, making it possible to engage
a diversity of community partners in student learning.

Rich opportunities can be tapped to support students in developing digital literacy, an essential
transferable skill.

Education and Career/Life Planning

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The goals of the Kindergarten to Grade 12 education and career/life planning program are to:

• ensure that all students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed
education and career/life choices;
• provide classroom and school-wide opportunities for this learning; and
• engage parents and the broader community in the development, implementation, and
evaluation of the program, to support students in their learning.

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The framework of the program is a four-step inquiry process based on four questions linked to four
areas of learning: (1) Knowing Yourself – Who am I?; (2) Exploring Opportunities – What are my
opportunities?; (3) Making Decisions and Setting Goals – Who do I want to become?; and (4) Achieving
Goals and Making Transitions – What is my plan for achieving my goals?

The curriculum expectations in most subjects and disciplines of the Ontario curriculum provide
opportunities to relate classroom learning to the education and career/life planning program as outlined
in Creating Pathways to Success: An Education and Career/Life Planning Program for Ontario Schools –
Policy and Program Requirements, Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2013. All classroom teachers support
students in education and career/life planning by providing them with learning opportunities, filtered
through the lens of the four inquiry questions, that allow them to reflect on and apply subject-specific
knowledge and skills; explore subject-related education and career/life options; and become
competent, self-directed planners who will be prepared for success in school, life, and work. Education
and career/life planning will support students in their transition from secondary school to their initial
postsecondary destination, whether it be in apprenticeship training, college, community living,
university, or the workplace. For more information on postsecondary pathway choices, see the
Education and Training and Skilled Trades pages on the Ontario government website.

Experiential Learning
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Experiential learning is hands-on learning that occurs in person or virtually and provides
developmentally appropriate opportunities for students of all ages to:

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 • participate in rich experiences connected to the world outside the school;
• reflect on the experiences to derive meaning; and
• apply the learning to their decisions and actions.

Adapted from David A. Kolb, Experiential Learning:

Experience as the Source of Learning and Development,
2nd ed. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education, 2015)

Planned learning experiences in the community may include outdoor education, project/program-based
learning, job shadowing and job twinning, field trips, field studies, work experience, and cooperative
education. These experiences provide opportunities for students to see the relevance of their classroom
learning and its connection to the broader world. They also help them develop transferable and
interpersonal skills and work habits that prepare them for their future, and enable them to explore
careers of interest as they plan their pathway through school to their postsecondary destination,
whether in apprenticeship training, college, community living, university, or the workplace.

Experiential learning opportunities associated with various aspects of the curriculum help broaden
students’ knowledge of themselves and of a range of career opportunities ‒ two areas of learning
outlined in Creating Pathways to Success: An Education and Career/Life Planning Program for Ontario
Schools – Policy and Program Requirements, Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2013. The key to providing
successful experiential learning opportunities is to ensure that the experiential learning cycle
(participate, reflect, apply) is a planned part of the experience.

In secondary school, pathways programs that incorporate experiential learning are available to students.
They include the following courses and programs:

• cooperative education courses, outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11–12: Cooperative
Education, 2018
• Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) (see “Prepare for Apprenticeship” on the Ontario
government website)
• Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program
• Dual credit programs

Pathways to a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)

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The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) is a specialized, ministry-approved program that allows students
in Grades 11 and 12 to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while meeting the
requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

The SHSM program assists students in their transition from secondary school to apprenticeship training,
college, university, or the workplace.

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This program enables students to gain sector-specific skills and knowledge in engaging, career-related
learning environments and to prepare in a focused way for graduation and postsecondary education,
training, or employment.

Course offerings and program planning should support students who are pursuing specialized programs,
including the SHSM program. Bundles of credits provide students with knowledge and skills that are
connected with the specific sector of their SHSM program and that are required for success in their
chosen destination.

Health and Safety

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In Ontario, various laws, including the Education Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA),
Ryan’s Law (Ensuring Asthma Friendly Schools), 2015, and Sabrina’s Law, 2005, collectively ensure that
school boards provide a safe and productive learning and work environment for both students and
employees. Under the Education Act, teachers are required to ensure that all reasonable safety
procedures are carried out in courses and activities for which they are responsible. Teachers should
model safe practices at all times; communicate safety requirements to students in accordance with
school board policies, Ministry of Education policies, and any applicable laws; and encourage students to
assume responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.

Concern for safety should be an integral part of instructional planning and implementation. Teachers are
encouraged to review:

• their responsibilities under the Education Act;

• their rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
• their school board’s health and safety policy for employees;
• their school board’s policies and procedures on student health and safety (e.g., on concussions;
on medical conditions such as asthma; with respect to outdoor education excursions);
• relevant provincial subject association guidelines and standards for student health and safety,
such as Ophea’s Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (formerly the Ontario
Physical Education Safety Guidelines);
• any additional mandatory requirements, particularly for higher-risk activities (e.g., field trips
that involve water-based activities), including requirements for approvals (e.g., from the
Supervisory Officer), permissions (e.g., from parents/guardians), and/or qualifications (e.g.,
proof of students’ successful completion of a swim test).

Wherever possible, potential risks should be identified and procedures developed to prevent or
minimize, and respond to, incidents and injuries. School boards provide and maintain safe facilities and
equipment, as well as qualified instruction. In safe learning environments, teachers will:

• be aware of up-to-date safety information;

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 • plan activities with safety as a primary consideration;
• inform students and parents of risks involved in activities;
• observe students to ensure that safe practices are being followed;
• have a plan in case of emergency;
• show foresight;
• act quickly.

Students should be made aware that health and safety is everyone’s responsibility – at home, at school,
and in the community. Teachers should ensure that students have the knowledge and skills needed for
safe participation in all learning activities. Students must be able to demonstrate knowledge of the
equipment being used and the procedures necessary for its safe use. Health and safety resource guides
for Kindergarten to Grade 8 and for Grades 9 to 12 provide the scope and sequence of Ontario
curriculum expectations to assist teachers in bringing health and safety education into the classroom in
every subject area. The guides identify expectations in the Ontario curriculum that can help students
develop knowledge and skills related to health and safety (injury prevention and health protection), safe
behaviours, and safe practices.

Learning outside the classroom, such as on field trips or during field studies, can provide a meaningful
and authentic dimension to students’ learning experiences, but they also take the teacher and students
out of the predictable classroom environment and into unfamiliar settings. Teachers must plan these
activities carefully in accordance with their school board’s relevant policies and procedures and in
collaboration with other school board staff (e.g., the principal, outdoor education lead, Supervisory
Officer) to ensure students’ health and safety.

The information provided in this section is not exhaustive. Teachers are expected to follow school board
health and safety policies and procedures.

Ethics
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The Ontario curriculum provides varied opportunities for students to learn about ethical issues and to
explore the role of ethics in both public and personal decision making. Students may make ethical
judgements when evaluating evidence and positions on various issues, and when drawing their own
conclusions about issues, developments, and events. Teachers may need to help students determine
which factors they should consider when making such judgements. It is crucial that teachers provide
support and supervision to students throughout the research and inquiry process, ensuring that
students engaged in an inquiry are aware of potential ethical concerns and that they address such
concerns in acceptable ways. Teachers may supervise students’ use of surveys and/or interviews, for
example, to confirm that their planned activities will respect the dignity, privacy, and confidentiality of
their participants. When students’ activities involve Indigenous communities and/or individuals,
teachers need to ensure the appropriate use and protection of Indigenous knowledge. Teachers also
supervise the choice of the research topics to protect students from exposure to information and/or

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perspectives for which they may not be emotionally or intellectually prepared (for example, where a
student’s investigation might involve personal interviews that could lead to the disclosure of abuse or
other sensitive topics).

Teachers must thoroughly address the issues of plagiarism and cultural appropriation with students. In a
digital world that provides quick access to abundant information, it is easy to copy the words, music, or
images of others and present them as one’s own. Even at the secondary level, students need to be
reminded of the ethical issues related to plagiarism and appropriation. Before starting an inquiry,
students should have an understanding of the range of forms of plagiarism and appropriation, from
blatant to nuanced, as well as of their consequences. Students often struggle to find a balance between
creating works in their own voice or style and acknowledging the work of others. It is not enough to tell
them not to plagiarize or appropriate others’ work, and to admonish those who do. Teachers need to
explicitly teach all students how to use their own voice or style while appropriately acknowledging the
work of others, using accepted forms of documentation.

Assessment and Evaluation

Introduction
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Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, First Edition, Covering
Grades 1 to 12, 2010 sets out the Ministry of Education’s assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy.
The policy aims to maintain high standards, improve student learning, and benefit students, parents8,
and teachers in elementary and secondary schools across the province. Successful implementation of
this policy depends on the professional judgement9 of educators at all levels as well as on their ability to
work together and to build trust and confidence among parents and students.

A brief summary of some major aspects of the current assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy is
given below. Teachers should refer to Growing Success for more detailed information.

8 The word parent(s) is used on this website to refer to parent(s) and guardian(s). It may also be taken to
include caregivers or close family members who are responsible for raising the child.
9 “Professional judgement”, as defined in Growing Success (p. 152), is “judgement that is informed by
professional knowledge of curriculum expectations, context, evidence of learning, methods of
instruction and assessment, and the criteria and standards that indicate success in student learning. In
professional practice, judgement involves a purposeful and systematic thinking process that evolves in
terms of accuracy and insight with ongoing reflection and self-correction”.

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Fundamental Principles
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The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning.

The seven fundamental principles given below (excerpted from Growing Success, page 6) lay the
foundation for rich and challenging practice. When these principles are fully understood and observed
by all teachers, they will guide the collection of meaningful information that will help inform
instructional decisions, promote student engagement, and improve student learning.

To ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the
improvement of learning for all students, teachers use practices and procedures that:

• are fair, transparent, and equitable;

• support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the
language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
• are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much
as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all
students;
• are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course
and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
• are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple
opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
• provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support
improved learning and achievement;
• develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific
goals, and plan next steps for their learning.

Culturally Responsive and Relevant Assessment and

Evaluation
Culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy (CRRP) reflects and affirms students’ cultural and social
identities, languages, and family structures. It involves careful acknowledgement, respect, and
understanding of the similarities and differences among students, and between students and teachers,
in order to respond effectively to student thinking and promote student learning.

Engaging in assessment from a CRRP stance requires that teachers gain awareness of and reflect on their
own beliefs about who a learner is and what they can achieve (see the questions for consideration
provided below). In this process, teachers engage in continual self-reflection – and the critical analysis of
various data – to understand and address the ways in which teacher identity and bias affect the

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assessment and evaluation of student learning. Assessment from a CRRP stance starts with having a
deep knowledge of every student and an understanding of how they learn best.

The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment for learning creates
opportunities for teachers to intentionally learn about each student and their sociocultural and linguistic
background in order to gather a variety of evidence about their learning in a way that is reflective of and
responsive to each student’s strengths, experiences, interests, and cultural ways of knowing. Ongoing
descriptive feedback and responsive coaching are essential for improving student learning.

Teachers engage in assessment as learning by creating ongoing opportunities for all students to develop
their capacity to be confident, independent, autonomous learners who set individual goals, monitor
their own progress, determine next steps, and reflect on their thinking and learning in relation to
learning goals and curriculum expectations. One way in which teachers differentiate assessment is by
providing tasks that allow multiple entry points for all students and that enable all students to design
and create personally meaningful assignments, projects, performances, and other demonstrations of
their learning.

Assessment of learning is used by the teacher to summarize student learning at a given point in time.
This summary is used to make judgements about the quality of student learning on the basis of
established criteria, to assign a value to represent that quality, and to support the communication of
information about achievement to each student and to parents, teachers, and others.

The evidence that is collected about student learning, including through observations and conversations
as well as student products, should reflect and affirm the student’s lived experiences within their school,
home, and community, their learning strengths, and their knowledge of concepts and skills. This process
of triangulating evidence of student learning allows teachers to improve their understanding of how
each student is progressing in their learning.

When teachers engage in the process of examining their own biases regarding classroom assessment
and evaluation practices, they might consider some of the following questions:

• Are the tasks accessible to, and inclusive of, all learners? Do the tasks include appropriate and
varied entry points for all students?
• Do the tasks connect to students' prior learning and give them opportunities to be sense makers
and to integrate their new learning? Do the selected tasks reflect students’ identities and lived
experiences?
• Do all students have equitable access to the tools they need to complete the tasks being set?
• What opportunities can teachers build into their practice to offer students descriptive feedback
to enhance learning? Are graded assessment tasks used in a way that complements the use of
descriptive feedback for growth?
• How can information be conveyed about students’ learning progress to students and parents in
an ongoing and meaningful way?
• What is the purpose of assigning and grading a specific task or activity? Are student choice and
agency considered?

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 • How do teacher biases influence decisions about what tasks or activities are chosen for
assessment?

Learning Skills and Work Habits

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The development of learning skills and work habits is an integral part of a student’s learning. To the
extent possible, however, the evaluation of learning skills and work habits, apart from any that may be
included as part of a curriculum expectation in a course, should not be considered in the determination
of a student’s grades. Assessing, evaluating, and reporting on the achievement of curriculum
expectations and on the demonstration of learning skills and work habits separately allows teachers to
provide information to the parents and student that is specific to each of these two areas.

The six learning skills and work habits are responsibility, organization, independent work, collaboration,
initiative, and self-regulation.

Content Standards and Performance Standards

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The Ontario curriculum for Grades 1 to 12 comprises content standards and performance standards.
Assessment and evaluation will be based on both the content standards and the performance standards.

The content standards are the overall and specific curriculum expectations given in the curriculum for
every subject and discipline.

The performance standards are outlined in the achievement chart, also provided in the curriculum for
every subject and discipline (each achievement chart is specific to the subject/discipline; see the sample
charts provided). The achievement chart is a standard province-wide guide and is to be used by all
teachers as a framework for assessing and evaluating student achievement of the expectations in the
particular subject or discipline. It enables teachers to make consistent judgements about the quality of
student learning, based on clear performance standards and on a body of evidence collected over time.
It also provides teachers with a foundation for developing clear and specific feedback for students and
parents.

The purposes of the achievement chart are to:

• provide a common framework that encompasses all curriculum expectations for all
subjects/courses across the grades;
• guide the development of high-quality assessment tasks and tools (including rubrics);
• help teachers plan instruction for learning;

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 • provide a basis for consistent and meaningful feedback to students in relation to provincial
content and performance standards;
• establish categories and criteria for assessing and evaluating students’ learning.

Assessment “for Learning” and “as Learning”

View in ASL

Assessment is the process of gathering information that accurately reflects how well a student is
achieving the curriculum expectations in a grade or course. The primary purpose of assessment is to
improve student learning. Assessment for the purpose of improving student learning is seen as both
“assessment for learning” and “assessment as learning”. As part of assessment for learning, teachers
provide students with descriptive feedback and coaching for improvement. Teachers engage in
assessment as learning by helping all students develop their capacity to be independent, autonomous
learners who are able to set individual goals, monitor their own progress, determine next steps, and
reflect on their thinking and learning.

As essential steps in assessment for learning and as learning, teachers need to:

• plan assessment concurrently and integrate it seamlessly with instruction;

• share learning goals and success criteria with students at the outset of learning to ensure that
students and teachers have a common and shared understanding of these goals and criteria as
learning progresses;
• gather information about student learning before, during, and at or near the end of a period of
instruction, using a variety of assessment strategies and tools;
• use assessment to inform instruction, guide next steps, and help students monitor their
progress towards achieving their learning goals;
• analyse and interpret evidence of learning;
• give and receive specific and timely descriptive feedback about student learning;
• help students to develop skills of peer assessment and self-assessment.

Evaluation
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Evaluation refers to the process of judging the quality of student learning on the basis of established
performance standards, and assigning a value to represent that quality. Evaluation accurately
summarizes and communicates to parents, other teachers, employers, institutions of further education,
and students themselves what students know and can do with respect to the overall curriculum
expectations. Evaluation is based on assessment of learning that provides evidence of student
achievement at strategic times throughout the course, often at the end of a period of learning.

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All curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction and assessment, but evaluation focuses
on students’ achievement of the overall expectations10. Each student’s achievement of the overall
expectations is evaluated on the basis of the student’s achievement of related specific expectations. The
overall expectations are broad in nature, and the specific expectations define the particular content or
scope of the knowledge and skills referred to in the overall expectations. Teachers will use their
professional judgement to determine which specific expectations should be used to evaluate
achievement of the overall expectations, and which ones will be accounted for in instruction and
assessment but not necessarily evaluated.

Determining a report card grade involves the interpretation of evidence collected through observations,
conversations, and student products (tests/exams, assignments for evaluation), combined with the
teacher’s professional judgement and consideration of factors such as the number of tests/exams or
assignments for evaluation that were not completed or submitted and the fact that some evidence may
carry greater weight than other evidence.

Secondary

Seventy per cent of the final grade (a percentage mark) in a course will be based on evaluation
conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent
level of achievement, with special consideration given to more recent evidence. Thirty per cent will be
based on a final evaluation administered at or towards the end of the course. This evaluation will be
based on evidence from one or a combination of the following: an examination, a performance, an
essay, and/or another method of evaluation suitable to the course content. The final evaluation allows
the student an opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive achievement of the overall expectations for
the course.

Reporting Student Achievement

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Elementary

Three formal report cards are issued in Ontario’s publicly funded elementary schools, as described
below.

10Beginning in the 2021–22 school year, schools are asked not to assess, evaluate or report on the
overall expectations related to social-emotional learning skills in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8,
Mathematics (2020) and The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8, Health and Physical Education (2019). It is
the ministry’s expectation that instruction of the social-emotional learning skills will continue while
educators engage in ongoing professional learning.

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The Elementary Progress Report Card shows a student’s development of learning skills and work habits
during the fall of the school year, as well as the student’s general progress in working towards
achievement of the curriculum expectations in each subject (reported as “progressing very well”,
“progressing well”, or “progressing with difficulty”).

The Elementary Provincial Report Card shows a student’s achievement at specific points in the school
year. The first Provincial Report Card reflects student achievement of the overall curriculum
expectations introduced and developed from September to January/February of the school year, as well
as the student’s development of learning skills and work habits during that period. The second reflects
achievement of curriculum expectations introduced or further developed from January/February to
June, as well as further development of learning skills and work habits during that period. The Provincial
Report Card for Grades 1–6 uses letter grades; the report card for Grades 7 and 8 uses percentage
grades.

Secondary

The Provincial Report Card, Grades 9–12, shows a student’s achievement at specific points in the school
year or semester. There are two formal reporting periods for a semestered course and three formal
reporting periods for a non-semestered course. The reports reflect student achievement of the overall
curriculum expectations, as well as development of learning skills and work habits.

Communication with parents and students

Although there are formal reporting periods, communication with parents and students about student
achievement should be continuous throughout the year or course, by a variety of means, such as
parent-teacher or parent-student-teacher conferences, portfolios of student work, student-led
conferences, interviews, phone calls, checklists, and informal reports. Communication about student
achievement should be designed to provide detailed information that will encourage students to set
goals for learning, help teachers to establish plans for teaching, and assist parents in supporting learning
at home.

Categories of Knowledge and Skills

View in ASL

The categories represent four broad areas of knowledge and skills within which the expectations for any
given subject or course can be organized. The four categories should be considered as interrelated,
reflecting the wholeness and interconnectedness of learning.

The categories help teachers focus not only on students’ acquisition of knowledge but also on their
development of the skills of thinking, communication, and application.

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The categories of knowledge and skills are as follows:

Knowledge and Understanding. Subject-specific content acquired in each grade or course (knowledge),
and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding).

Thinking. The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes.

Communication. The conveying of meaning and expression through various forms.

Application. The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts.

In all subjects and courses, students should be given numerous and varied opportunities to demonstrate
the full extent of their achievement of the curriculum expectations across all four categories of
knowledge and skills.

Teachers will ensure that student learning is assessed and evaluated in a balanced manner with respect
to the four categories, and that achievement of particular expectations is considered within the
appropriate categories. The emphasis on “balance” reflects the fact that all categories of the
achievement chart are important and need to be a part of the process of instruction, learning,
assessment, and evaluation. However, it also indicates that for different courses, the relative
importance of each of the categories may vary. The importance accorded to each of the four categories
in assessment and evaluation should reflect the emphasis accorded to them in the curriculum
expectations for the subject or course and in instructional practice.

Criteria and Descriptors

View in ASL

To further guide teachers in their assessment and evaluation of student learning, the achievement chart
provides “criteria” and “descriptors”.

A set of criteria is identified for each category in the achievement chart. The criteria are subsets of the
knowledge and skills that define the category. The criteria identify the aspects of student performance
that are assessed and/or evaluated, and they serve as a guide to what teachers look for. Each curriculum
has subject- or discipline-specific criteria and descriptors. For example, in the English curriculum, in the
Knowledge and Understanding category, the criteria are “knowledge of content” and “understanding of
content”. The former includes examples such as forms of text and elements of style, and the latter
includes examples such as relationships among facts. “Descriptors” indicate the characteristics of the
student’s performance, with respect to a particular criterion, on which assessment or evaluation is
focused. Effectiveness is the descriptor used for each of the criteria in the Thinking, Communication, and
Application categories. What constitutes effectiveness in any given performance task will vary with the
particular criterion being considered. Assessment of effectiveness may therefore focus on a quality such
as appropriateness, clarity, accuracy, precision, logic, relevance, significance, fluency, flexibility, depth,
or breadth, as appropriate for the particular criterion.

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Levels of Achievement
View in ASL

The achievement chart also identifies four levels of achievement, defined as follows:

Level 1 represents achievement that falls much below the provincial standard. The student
demonstrates the specified knowledge and skills with limited effectiveness. Students must work at
significantly improving in specific areas, as necessary, if they are to be successful in a subject or course in
the next grade.

Level 2 represents achievement that approaches the standard. The student demonstrates the specified
knowledge and skills with some effectiveness. Students performing at this level need to work on
identified learning gaps to ensure future success.

Level 3 represents the provincial standard for achievement. The student demonstrates the specified
knowledge and skills with considerable effectiveness. Parents of students achieving at level 3 can be
confident that their children will be prepared for work in subsequent grades or courses.

Level 4 identifies achievement that surpasses the provincial standard. The student demonstrates the
specified knowledge and skills with a high degree of effectiveness. However, achievement at level 4 does
not mean that the student has achieved expectations beyond those specified for the grade or course.

Specific “qualifiers” are used with the descriptors in the achievement chart to describe student
performance at each of the four levels of achievement – the qualifier limited is used for level 1; some for
level 2; considerable for level 3; and a high degree of or thorough for level 4. Hence, achievement at
level 3 in the Thinking category for the criterion “use of planning skills” would be described in the
achievement chart as “[The student] uses planning skills with considerable effectiveness”.

Sample Achievement Charts

View in ASL

Three samples of the achievement chart are provided, from the following subjects/disciplines:

• The Arts, Grades 1–8

• Science and Technology, Grades 1–8
• English, Grades 11 and 12

These three samples illustrate the consistent characteristics of the performance standards across all
subjects and disciplines and across all grades. The samples also illustrate how the achievement chart
varies – particularly with respect to the examples provided for the criteria in each category – to reflect

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the nature of the particular subject or discipline. For instance, the examples for the criterion
“Application of knowledge and skills” in the Application category of the achievement chart for the arts
include performance skills, composition, and choreography, whereas those for science and technology
include investigation skills and safe use of equipment and technology.

As discussed in the preceding sections, the achievement chart identifies four categories of knowledge
and skills and four levels of achievement in the particular subject/discipline.

The Achievement Chart for The Arts, Grades 1–8

Knowledge and Understanding – Subject-specific content acquired in each grade (knowledge), and
the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
The student:
Knowledge of content (e.g., demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
facts, genres, terms, limited some considerable thorough
definitions, techniques, knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of
elements, principles, forms, content content content content
structures, conventions)
Understanding of content demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
(e.g., concepts, ideas, limited some considerable thorough
procedures, processes, understanding understanding understanding understanding
themes, relationships among of content of content of content of content
elements, informed opinions)
Thinking – The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
The student:
Use of planning skills (e.g., uses planning uses planning uses planning uses planning
formulating questions, skills with skills with skills with skills with a
generating ideas, gathering limited some considerable high degree of
information, focusing effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
research, outlining, organizing
an arts presentation or
project, brainstorming/
bodystorming, blocking,
sketching, using visual
organizers, listing goals in a
rehearsal log, inventing
notation)

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 Use of processing skills (e.g., uses uses uses uses
analysing, evaluating, processing processing processing processing
inferring, interpreting, editing, skills with skills with skills with skills with a
revising, refining, forming limited some considerable high degree of
conclusions, detecting bias, effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
synthesizing)
Use of critical/creative uses critical/ uses critical/ uses critical/ uses critical/
thinking processes (e.g., creative creative creative creative
creative and analytical thinking thinking thinking thinking
processes, design process, processes with processes with processes with processes with
exploration of the elements, limited some considerable a high degree
problem solving, reflection, effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
elaboration, oral discourse, effectiveness
evaluation, critical literacy,
metacognition, invention,
critiquing, reviewing)
Communication – The conveying of meaning through various forms
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
The student:
Expression and organization expresses and expresses and expresses and expresses and
of ideas and understandings organizes ideas organizes ideas organizes ideas organizes ideas
in art forms (dance, drama, and and and and
music, and the visual arts), understandings understandings understandings understandings
including media/ multimedia with limited with some with with a high
forms (e.g., expression of effectiveness effectiveness considerable degree of
ideas and feelings using effectiveness effectiveness
visuals, movements, the voice,
gestures, phrasing,
techniques), and in oral and
written forms (e.g., clear
expression and logical
organization in critical
responses to art works and
informed opinion pieces)
Communication for different communicates communicates communicates communicates
audiences (e.g., peers, adults, for different for different for different for different
younger children) and audiences and audiences audiences and audiences and
purposes through the arts purposes with and purposes purposes with purposes with
(e.g., drama presentations, limited with some considerable a high degree
visual arts exhibitions, dance effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
and music performances) and effectiveness
in oral and written forms
(e.g., debates, analyses)

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 Use of conventions in dance, uses uses uses uses
drama, music, and the visual conventions, conventions, conventions, conventions,
arts (e.g., allegory, narrative vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary,
or symbolic representation, and and and and
style, articulation, drama terminology of terminology of terminology of terminology of
conventions, choreographic the arts with the arts with the arts with the arts with a
forms, movement vocabulary) limited some considerable high degree of
and arts vocabulary and effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
terminology in oral and
written forms
Application – The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various
contexts
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
The student:
Application of knowledge applies applies applies applies
and skills (e.g., performance knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and
skills, skills in familiar skills in familiar skills in familiar skills in familiar
composition, choreography, contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with a
elements, principles, limited some considerable high degree of
processes, technologies, effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
techniques, strategies,
conventions) in familiar
contexts (e.g., guided
improvisation, performance of
a familiar work, use of
familiar forms)
Transfer of knowledge and transfers transfers transfers transfers
skills (e.g., concepts, knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and
strategies, processes, skills to new skills to new skills to new skills to new
techniques) to new contexts contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with a
(e.g., a work requiring stylistic limited some considerable high degree of
variation, an original effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
composition, student-led
choreography, an
interdisciplinary or
multidisciplinary project)

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 Making connections within makes makes makes makes
and between various connections connections connections connections
contexts (e.g., between the within and within and within and within and
arts; between the arts and between between between between
personal experiences and the various various various various
world outside the school; contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with a
between cultural and limited some considerable high degree of
historical, global, social, effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
and/or
environmental contexts;
between the arts and other
subjects)

The Achievement Chart for Science and Technology, Grades 1–8

Knowledge and Understanding – Subject-specific content acquired in each grade (knowledge), and
the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
The student:
Knowledge of content (e.g., demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
facts, terminology, definitions) limited some considerable thorough
knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of
content content content content
Understanding of content (e.g., demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
concepts, ideas, theories, limited some considerable thorough
principles, procedures, processes) understanding understanding understanding understanding
of content of content of content of content
Thinking and Investigation – The use of critical and creative thinking skills and inquiry and problem-
solving skills and/or processes
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
The student:
Use of initiating and planning uses initiating uses initiating uses initiating uses initiating
skills and strategies (e.g., and planning and planning and planning and planning
formulating questions, identifying skills and skills and skills and skills and
the problem, developing strategies strategies strategies strategies
hypotheses, scheduling, selecting with limited with some with with a high
strategies and resources, effectiveness effectiveness considerable degree of
developing plans) effectiveness effectiveness
Use of processing skills and uses uses uses uses
strategies (e.g., performing and processing processing processing processing
recording; gathering evidence skills and skills and skills and skills and
and data; examining different strategies strategies strategies strategies
points of view; selecting tools, with limited with some with with a high
equipment, materials, and effectiveness effectiveness considerable degree of
technology; observing; effectiveness effectiveness
manipulating materials; proving)

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 Use of critical/creative thinking uses critical/ uses critical/ uses critical/ uses critical/
processes, skills, and strategies creative creative creative creative
(e.g., analysing, interpreting, thinking thinking thinking thinking
problem solving, evaluating, processes, processes, processes, processes,
forming and justifying skills, and skills, and skills, and skills, and
conclusions on the basis of strategies strategies strategies strategies
evidence, developing solutions, with limited with some with with a high
considering diverse perspectives) effectiveness effectiveness considerable degree of
effectiveness effectiveness
Communication – The conveying of meaning through various forms
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
The student:
Expression and organization of expresses and expresses and expresses and expresses and
ideas and information in oral, organizes organizes organizes organizes
visual, and/or written forms ideas and ideas and ideas and ideas and
(e.g., diagrams, models, articles, information information information information
project journals, reports) with limited with some with with a high
effectiveness effectiveness considerable degree of
effectiveness effectiveness
Communication for different communicates communicates communicates communicates
audiences (e.g., peers, adults, for different for different for different for different
community members) and audiences and audiences and audiences and audiences and
purposes (e.g., to inform, to purposes with purposes with purposes with purposes with
persuade) in oral, visual, and/or limited some considerable a high degree
written forms effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
effectiveness
Use of conventions, vocabulary, uses uses uses uses
and terminology of the discipline conventions, conventions, conventions, conventions,
in oral, visual, and/or written vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary,
forms (e.g., symbols, formulae, and and and and
International System of Units) terminology terminology terminology terminology
of the of the of the of the
discipline with discipline with discipline with discipline with
limited some considerable a high degree
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
effectiveness
Application – The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various
contexts
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
The student:

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 Application of knowledge and applies applies applies applies
skills (e.g., concepts and knowledge knowledge knowledge knowledge
processes; procedures related to and skills in and skills in and skills in and skills in
the safe use of tools, equipment, familiar familiar familiar familiar
materials, and technology; contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with
investigation skills) in familiar limited some considerable a high degree
contexts effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
effectiveness
Transfer of knowledge and skills transfers transfers transfers transfers
(e.g., concepts and processes, knowledge knowledge knowledge knowledge
safe use of equipment and and skills to and skills to and skills to and skills to
technology, investigation skills) new contexts new contexts new contexts new contexts
to new contexts with limited with with with a high
effectiveness some considerable degree of
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
Making connections within and makes makes makes makes
between various contexts (e.g., connections connections connections connections
connections between sciences; within and within and within and within and
connections to everyday and real- between between between between
life situations; connections various various various various
among concepts within science contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with
and technology; connections limited some considerable a high degree
involving use of prior knowledge effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
and experience; connections effectiveness
among science and technology
and other disciplines, including
other STEM [science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics]
subjects)
Proposing courses of practical proposes proposes proposes proposes
action to deal with problems courses of courses of courses of highly
relating to our changing world practical practical practical effective
action of action of action of courses of
limited some considerable practical
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness action

The Achievement Chart for English, Grades 11 and 12

Knowledge and Understanding – Subject-specific content acquired in each course (knowledge), and
the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)
Categories 50 – 59% 60 – 69% 70 –79% 80 – 100%
(Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) (Level 4)
The student:

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 Knowledge of content (e.g., demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
forms of text; strategies used limited some considerable thorough
when listening and speaking, knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of
reading, writing, and viewing and content content content content
representing; elements of style;
literary terminology, concepts,
and theories; language
conventions)
Understanding of content (e.g., demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
concepts; ideas; opinions; limited some considerable thorough
relationships among facts, ideas, understanding understanding understanding understanding
concepts, themes) of content of content of content of content
Thinking – The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes
Categories 50 – 59% 60 – 69% 70 –79% 80 – 100%
(Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) (Level 4)
The student:
Use of planning skills (e.g., uses planning uses planning uses planning uses planning
generating ideas, gathering skills with skills with skills with skills with a
information, focusing research, limited some considerable high degree of
organizing information) effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
Use of processing skills (e.g., uses uses uses uses
drawing inferences, interpreting, processing processing processing processing
analysing, synthesizing, skills with skills with skills with skills with a
evaluating) limited some considerable high degree of
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
Use of critical/creative thinking uses critical/ uses critical/ uses critical/ uses critical/
processes (e.g., oral discourse, creative creative creative creative
research, critical analysis, critical thinking thinking thinking thinking
literacy, metacognition, creative processes processes processes processes
process) with limited with some with with a high
effectiveness effectiveness considerable degree of
effectiveness effectiveness
Communication – The conveying of meaning through various forms
Categories 50 – 59% 60 – 69% 70 –79% 80 – 100%
(Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) (Level 4)
The student:
Expression and organization of expresses and expresses and expresses and expresses and
ideas and information (e.g., clear organizes organizes organizes organizes
expression, logical organization) ideas and ideas ideas and ideas and
in oral, graphic, and written information and information information
forms, including media forms with limited information with with a high
effectiveness with some considerable degree of
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness

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 Communication for different communicates communicates communicates communicates
audiences and purposes (e.g., for different for different for different for different
use of appropriate style, voice, audiences and audiences audiences and audiences and
point of view) in oral, graphic, purposes with and purposes purposes with purposes with
and written forms, including limited with some considerable a high degree
media forms effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
effectiveness
Use of conventions (e.g., uses uses uses uses
grammar, spelling, punctuation, conventions, conventions, conventions, conventions,
usage), vocabulary, and vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary,
terminology of the discipline in and and and and
oral, graphic, and written forms, terminology terminology terminology terminology
including media forms of the of the of the of the
discipline with discipline with discipline with discipline with
limited some considerable a high degree
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
effectiveness
Application – The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various
contexts
Categories 50 – 59% 60 – 69% 70 –79% 80 – 100%
(Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) (Level 4)
The student:
Application of knowledge and applies applies applies applies
skills (e.g., literacy strategies and knowledge knowledge knowledge knowledge
processes; literary terminology, and skills in and skills in and skills in and skills in
concepts, and theories) in familiar familiar familiar familiar
familiar contexts contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with
limited some considerable a high degree
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
effectiveness
Transfer of knowledge and skills transfers transfers transfers transfers
(e.g., literacy strategies and knowledge knowledge knowledge knowledge
processes; literary terminology, and skills to and skills to and skills to and
concepts, and theories) to new new contexts new contexts new contexts skills to new
contexts with limited with with contexts with
effectiveness some considerable a high degree
effectiveness effectiveness of
effectiveness
Making connections within and makes makes makes makes
between various contexts (e.g., connections connections connections connections
between the text and personal within and within and within and within and
knowledge and experience, other between between between between
texts, and the world outside various various various various
school) contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with
limited some considerable a high degree
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness of
effectiveness

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SNC1W - Science, Grade 9
De-streamed
Issued: 2022
This course enables students to develop their understanding of concepts related to biology, chemistry,
physics, and Earth and space science, and to relate science to technology, society, and the environment.
Throughout the course, students will develop and refine their STEM skills as they use scientific research,
scientific experimentation, and engineering design processes to investigate concepts and apply their
knowledge in situations that are relevant to their lives and communities. Students will continue to
develop transferable skills as they become scientifically literate global citizens.
Prerequisite: None
Disciplines: Science

Introduction
Preface
This curriculum policy presents the compulsory Grade 9 science course, 2022 (SNC1W). This course
supersedes the two Grade 9 courses outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science,
2008. Effective September 2022, all science programs for Grade 9 will be based on the expectations
outlined on this site.

The Grade 9 science curriculum focuses on the fundamental concepts of science and on science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills. It supports students in making connections
between skills and concepts and the practical applications of science in their lives, and in learning about
biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and space science. This curriculum is designed to help students
prepare for deeper levels of science as they continue in secondary school and beyond.

In addition to the considerations outlined in this curriculum context, all of the general “Program
Planning” sections on this site apply to this course. Educators should review and implement these
sections, as well as the components that appear below.

Vision and Goals of the Grade 9 Science Course

The vision of the Grade 9 science course is for students to acquire and develop the skills and knowledge
they need to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world. As discoveries and innovations in STEM
increasingly impact our lives, science continues to adapt and evolve. A central component of this
curriculum is safe, practical, hands-on, experiential learning that will support students in becoming
successful and discerning individuals who are scientifically literate.

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Throughout the Grade 9 science course, students apply scientific and engineering design processes to
develop their sense of wonder about the world, to explore their curiosity about what they observe, and
to investigate problems relating to science, technology, society, and the environment. Students are
encouraged to consider what practical steps they themselves can take to help solve some of these
problems.

This curriculum provides numerous opportunities for students to develop essential STEM skills and to
extend and deepen their understanding of the fundamental concepts of science. Students will continue
to develop the ability to make connections that honour the complex, cross-curricular, and sometimes
ambiguous nature of modern scientific problems. As they bring experiences from their own lives to the
classroom, students are encouraged to see the connections between science and other subject areas.

Concepts and skills related to environmental education11 appear throughout the curriculum, providing
students with opportunities to investigate the world around them and to build the skills and knowledge
that serve as the foundation for deep understanding about complex and interconnected issues such as
dynamic equilibrium, biodiversity, sustainability, and climate change. Learning in all strands is enriched
when students think critically about environmental issues when relating science to society, or when
developing innovative solutions through a scientific or engineering design process.

As students progress through the course, they gain an appreciation for the broad range of STEM fields
and sectors, including skilled trades. They also come to realize that, while they are all impacted in
various ways by discoveries and innovations in these areas, they can one day become contributing
members of these fields and sectors and shape the direction of future scientific and technological
innovation, to help support a better future for all.

While embodying optimism and hope for the future, this course provides opportunities to investigate
exciting innovations, discoveries, and concepts in science. The curriculum also provides opportunities for
students to consider the intended and unintended consequences of scientific progress as they relate
science to our changing world, and as they investigate important issues such as climate change and
issues related to the impact of emerging technologies, which can include bias, accessibility, and ethical
concerns.

Ensuring that all students see themselves as confident, effective science learners and practitioners is at
the forefront of the program. Students analyse scientific discoveries and innovations made by people

11“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.”
– Ontario Ministry of Education, Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future: Report of the Working Group
on Environmental Education (June 2007), p. 6

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with diverse experiences and integrate their own scientific skills and knowledge to enhance their
learning in the classroom. Students explore Indigenous knowledges, which can broaden their
understanding of and appreciation for Indigenous cultures and practices, and also provide them with
valuable ways in which to investigate how diverse perspectives enrich scientific practices.

Finally, the science curriculum helps students develop important scientific literacy skills that will enable
them to thrive in their future professional and personal lives, and to become discerning, knowledgeable,
and active problem solvers in their communities.

In summary, the Ontario Grade 9 science course aims to provide all students with the skills and
knowledge required to:

• apply research, experimentation, and engineering design skills to help find solutions to complex
problems in their own lives and in the lives of those in their communities;
• understand the cross-curricular and cross-disciplinary nature of problem solving within the
STEM fields;
• appreciate the wonder and awe of the world and be optimistic and realistic about the power
and limitations of science to solve environmental and social problems;
• consider carefully the intended and unintended consequences of scientific progress;
• develop scientific literacy and skills that will allow them to be discerning citizens and find
answers to scientific questions;
• see themselves as future contributing members of STEM fields and sectors, including skilled
trades;
• see themselves as confident, effective science learners, with rich social and cultural backgrounds
that can help them to contribute to scientific discovery and related technological innovation;
• discover effective, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable solutions to scientific and technological
problems that impact their lives and the lives of those in their communities;
• recognize the importance of Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing, and of bringing
diverse perspectives to current challenges within STEM fields.

The three main goals of the Grade 9 science course are for students:

1. to develop the skills and make the connections needed for scientific investigation
2. to relate science to our changing world, including technology, society, the economy, and the
environment
3. to investigate and understand scientific concepts

Achieving these three goals will enable students to develop a high degree of scientific literacy.

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The Importance of STEM Education
STEM education is the cross-curricular study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and
the application of those subjects in real-world contexts. As students engage in STEM education, they
develop the transferable skills that they need to meet the demands of today’s global economy and
society, and to become scientifically literate citizens.

STEM education helps students develop an understanding and appreciation of each of the core subjects
of science, technology, and mathematics. At the same time, it supports a more holistic understanding
and application of skills and knowledge related to engineering design and innovation. STEM learning
integrates and applies concepts, processes, and ways of thinking associated with these subjects to
enable students to design economical, ethical, innovative, and sustainable solutions to technical and
complex real-world problems.

Skills developed through STEM education include computational thinking, coding, innovation, and
scientific and engineering design. These skills are in high demand in today’s globally connected world, as
advancements in science continue to impact all areas of our lives, and they form a critical component of
the Grade 9 science course. Students use an engineering design process and associated skills to design,
build, and test devices, models, structures, and systems and they write and execute code in
investigations and when modelling concepts.

Approaches to STEM education may vary across Ontario schools. STEM-related subjects may be taught
separately, but cross-curricular connections should form a part of student learning. Strand A of the
Grade 9 science course focuses on the STEM skills and connections that frame learning in the other four
strands: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth and Space Science. Strand A also provides opportunities
for critical cross-curricular learning as students consider the connections between science and other
subject areas. The Grade 9 science course also encourages students to examine various STEM-related
careers, including skilled trades.

Classroom activities focused on solving real-world problems and on understanding practical applications
of concepts can combine components from two or more STEM-related subjects and can include contexts
related to the student’s home and community or to various occupations, including the skilled trades.
The integration of a number of STEM-related subjects can reinforce students' understanding of each
subject and of the interrelationships among them.

Curriculum expectations related to exploring Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing can create
opportunities for inclusive and impactful integrative studies. Diverse perspectives engage students in a
variety of creative and critical thinking processes that are essential for developing innovative, ethical,
and effective solutions to societal and environmental problems.

The themes and components of STEM education are woven throughout the Grade 9 science curriculum
to ensure that Ontario educators and students become innovators and leaders for ethical and
sustainable change in society and the workforce, and to create opportunities in our diverse communities

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to foster integrative thinking and problem solving. The curriculum also supports the development of
scientific literacy in students, enabling them to better appreciate, understand, and navigate the world in
which they live.

Curiosity and Wonder in Science

Curiosity and wonder are at the core of scientific disciplines and should be at the core of student-
centred science education. Students come to school with a natural curiosity about the way in which the
world works, and as they learn about natural phenomena, scientific concepts and theories, and scientific
discoveries and innovations made by diverse individuals, they can be amazed and inspired. The Ontario
science curriculum strives to nurture and support curiosity and wonder in order for all students to enjoy
science, to be engaged and achieve success within the program, and to see themselves as confident
learners and as scientifically literate individuals. The curriculum also strives to inspire students with a
spirit of inventing, designing, making, and entrepreneurship as they use their knowledge from the
classroom to develop innovative, made-in-Canada solutions to global issues.

Within the science classroom, students’ curiosity may be expressed explicitly, with direct questions, such
as “How does that work?”, or expressed subtly as they consider the results of an experiment or the
results of testing an engineered design. They may bring questions into the classroom about scientific
phenomena they have observed in their own lives, or initial classroom investigations may lead them to
extend their thinking and further compare and analyse concepts. Processes such as scientific research,
scientific experimentation, and engineering design provide a framework within which to situate and
nurture this curiosity. Students can revise and refine their initial questions, and then proceed through a
formal process to seek answers or develop solutions.

Wonder is exhibited as students are surprised at the results of their research, experimentation, or
engineered design, or as they admire the natural processes that make up our world. By offering a wide
variety of investigations, the Ontario curriculum provides opportunities for students to appreciate and
wonder about scientific concepts and processes, as well as current and emerging technologies and
innovations.

The excitement and promise of discoveries and innovations is balanced with an awareness of the
limitations, and potentially harmful impacts, of science. Students should develop an understanding of
the types of problems that can be solved by science, as well as of the critical role that human creativity,
empathy, and ethics have in innovations and solutions that support accessibility, inclusivity, and equity
for all.

In addition to being at the core of scientific disciplines, curiosity and wonder should be integral
components of helping students develop the skills and make the connections needed for scientific
investigation; develop the ability to relate science to our changing world; explore and understand
concepts; and develop as scientifically literate individuals.

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The Program in Science
Overview
The Grade 9 science course builds on the elementary science and technology program and is based on
the same broad areas of learning. The first strand focuses on investigation skills. Each of the other four
strands focuses on one of the scientific subdisciplines – biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and space
science. The transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9 is a smooth one because the strands of the elementary
science and technology curriculum are closely aligned with those of the Grade 9 science course.

The Grade 9 science course is designed to be inclusive of all students in order to facilitate their transition
from the elementary grades to the secondary level. It offers opportunities for all students to build a solid
foundation in science, broaden their knowledge and skills, and begin to see themselves as scientists.
This approach allows students to make informed decisions in choosing future science courses based on
their interests, and in support of future plans for apprenticeship training, university, college, community
living, or the workplace.

Similar to the elementary curriculum, the Grade 9 course adopts a strong focus on the processes that
best enable students to understand scientific concepts and learn related skills. Attention to scientific and
engineering design processes is considered essential to a balanced science program. In this course, these
processes include a scientific research process, a scientific experimentation process, and an engineering
design process.

Throughout the course, students make connections to real-life applications and to their lived
experiences. Teachers implement the curriculum through effective assessment and instructional
practices that are rooted in culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy (CRRP). Teachers utilize a
variety of assessment and instructional approaches that provide students with multiple entry points to
access science learning and multiple opportunities to demonstrate their achievement in science.

This course continues the learning from the elementary science and technology curriculum and prepares
students for success in all senior secondary science courses in all pathways moving forward. Students
who successfully complete the Grade 9 science course may proceed to a science course in Grade 10.

The course information that appears in the next section is in effect starting in the 2022–23 school year.
The 2008 science curriculum for Grade 10 and the 2008 science curriculum for Grades 11–12 remain in
effect. All references to Grade 9 that appear in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008
and The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2008 have been superseded by the section
below.

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Courses in Science, Grades 9 to 12
Science

Grade Course Name Course Type Course Code Prerequisite

9 Science De-streamed SNC1W None
10 Science Academic SNC2D Grade 9 Science, De-streamed
(2022), or
Grade 9 Science, Academic
(2008), or Grade 9 Science,
Applied (2008)
10 Science Applied SNC2P Grade 9 Science, De-streamed
(2022), or Grade 9 Science,
Academic (2008), or Grade 9
Science, Applied (2008)
12 Science University/College SNC4M Grade 10 Science, Academic, or
any Grade 11 university,
university/college, or college
preparation course in science
12 Science Workplace SNC4E Grade 10 Science, Applied, or a
Grade 10 Locally Developed
Compulsory Credit (LDCC) course
in science

Biology

Grade Course Name Course Type Course Code Prerequisite

11 Biology University SBI3U Grade 10 Science, Academic
11 Biology College SBI3C Grade 10 Science, Academic or
Applied
12 Biology University SBI4U Grade 11 Biology, University

Chemistry

Grade Course Name Course Type Course Code Prerequisite

11 Chemistry University SCH3U Grade 10 Science, Academic
12 Chemistry University SCH4U Grade 11 Chemistry, University
12 Chemistry College SCH4C Grade 10 Science, Academic or
Applied

Earth and Space Science

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 Grade Course Name Course Type Course Code Prerequisite
12 Earth and Space University SES4U Grade 10 Science, Academic
Science

Environmental Science

Grade Course Name Course Type Course Code Prerequisite

11 Environmental University/College SVN3M Grade 10 Science, Academic or
Science Applied
11 Environmental Workplace SVN3E Grade 9 Science, De-streamed
Science (2022), or Grade 9 Science,
Academic (2008), or Grade 9
Science, Applied (2008), or a
Grade 9 or 10 Locally Developed
Compulsory Credit (LDCC) course
in science

Physics

Grade Course Name Course Type Course Code Prerequisite

11 Physics University SPH3U Grade 10 Science, Academic
12 Physics University SPH4U Grade 11 Physics, University
12 Physics College SPH4C Grade 10 Science, Academic or
Applied

Note: Each of the courses listed above is worth one credit.

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Note: For students who completed any of the Grade 9 science courses prior to September 2022, refer to
the prerequisite chart on page 13 of The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008.

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Half-Credit Courses

The course outlined in this curriculum is designed to be offered as a full-credit course. However, it may
also be delivered as two half-credit courses. Half-credit courses, which require a minimum of fifty-five
hours of scheduled instructional time, must adhere to the following conditions:

• The two half-credit courses created from a full course must together contain all of the
expectations of the full course.
• Students must successfully complete both parts of the course if it is to be used as a prerequisite
for another course.
• The title of each half-credit course must include the designation Part 1 or Part 2. A half credit
(0.5) will be recorded in the credit-value column of both the report card and the Ontario Student
Transcript.

Boards will report all half-credit courses to the ministry annually in the School October Report.

Curriculum Expectations
The Ontario Curriculum, Grade 9: Science, 2022 identifies the expectations for the course and describes
the skills and knowledge that students are expected to acquire, demonstrate, and apply in their class
work and investigations, and in various other activities on which their achievement is assessed and
evaluated.

Mandatory learning is described in the overall and specific expectations of the curriculum.

Two sets of expectations – overall expectations and specific expectations – are listed for each strand, or
broad area of the curriculum, in Grade 9 science. The strands include Strand A: STEM Skills, Careers, and
Connections and four other strands, lettered B, C, D and E. Taken together, the overall and specific
expectations represent the mandated curriculum.

The overall expectations describe in general terms the skills and knowledge that students are expected
to demonstrate by the end of the course. The specific expectations describe the expected skills and
knowledge in greater detail. The specific expectations are organized under numbered subheadings, each
of which indicates the strand and the overall expectation to which the group of specific expectations
corresponds (e.g., “B2” indicates that the group relates to overall expectation 2 in Strand B). This
organization is not meant to imply that the expectations in any one group are achieved independently of
the expectations in the other groups, nor is it intended to imply that the learning associated with the
expectations happens in a linear, sequential way. The numbered headings are used merely as an
organizational structure to help teachers focus on particular aspects of knowledge, concepts, and skills
as they develop various lessons and learning activities for students.

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In the Grade 9 science course, the overall expectations outline the fundamental concepts and skills that
are required for students to become scientifically literate global citizens. The curriculum focuses on
connecting, developing, reinforcing, and refining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students
acquire as they work towards meeting the overall expectations in the course. This approach reflects and
accommodates the progressive nature of development of knowledge, concepts, and skills in science
learning. In the course, the two overall expectations in each strand are developed in related sets of
specific expectations.

Teacher Supports

Specific expectations are accompanied by supports such as examples and/or instructional tips.12 The
examples are meant to clarify the requirement specified in the expectation, illustrating the kind of skill
or knowledge, the specific area of learning, the depth of learning, and/or the level of complexity that the
expectation entails. The instructional tips suggest instructional strategies and authentic contexts for the
effective modelling, practice, and application of scientific concepts. The examples and instructional tips
are optional supports that teachers can draw on to support teaching and learning, in addition to
developing their own supports that reflect a similar level of complexity. Whatever the specific ways in
which the requirements outlined in the expectations are implemented in the classroom, they must be
inclusive and, wherever possible, reflect the diversity of the student population and the population of
the province.

Fundamental Concepts and “Big Ideas” in Science

This course provides numerous opportunities for students to develop essential STEM skills and make
important connections that will allow them to deepen their understanding of the fundamental concepts
and big ideas of science. The fundamental concepts in science provide a framework for the development
of scientific knowledge. They also help students to integrate scientific knowledge with knowledge in
other subject areas, such as technological education, mathematics, geography, and the arts. The
fundamental concepts that are addressed in the Ontario science curriculum are matter, energy, systems
and interactions, structure and function, sustainability and stewardship, and change and continuity.
These fundamental concepts are described in the following chart.

Fundamental Concepts
Matter Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Matter has
particular structural and behavioural characteristics.
Energy Energy comes in many forms, and can change forms. Energy is required to
make things happen (to do work). Work is done when a force causes
movement.

12The teacher supports will be made available at a later date, after the issuing of the curriculum
expectations and the curriculum context.

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 Systems and A system is a collection of living and/or non-living things and processes
Interactions that interact to perform some function. A system includes inputs, outputs,
and relationships among system components. Natural and human-made
systems develop in response to, and are limited by, a variety of
environmental factors.
Structure and Function This concept focuses on the interrelationship between the function or use
of a natural or human-made object and the form that the object takes.
Sustainability and Sustainability is the concept of meeting the needs of the present without
Stewardship compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Stewardship involves understanding that we need to use and care for the
natural environment in a responsible way and making the effort to pass
on to future generations no less than what we have access to ourselves.
Values that are central to responsible stewardship are as follows: using
non-renewable resources with care; reusing and recycling what we can;
and switching to renewable resources where possible.
Change and Continuity Change is the process of becoming different over time, and can be
quantified.
Continuity represents consistency and connectedness within and among
systems over time. Interactions within and among systems result in
change and variations in consistency.

In this course, “big ideas” describe the aspects of the fundamental concepts that are addressed in each
strand. Developing an understanding of the big ideas requires students to consider and apply STEM skills
as they engage in investigative processes and make connections between related scientific concepts,
between science and other disciplines, and between science and everyday life.

The relationships between the fundamental concepts, STEM skills and connections, big ideas, goals of
the science program, and overall and specific expectations of this curriculum are indicated in the
following chart.

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Big Ideas

Biology

• Environmental sustainability depends on the dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems.

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 • The cycling of matter and flow of energy within and between Earth’s four spheres are natural
processes that help maintain balance in ecosystems.
• Human activities, including activities that contribute to climate change, impact environmental
sustainability, and it is our collective responsibility to mitigate these impacts.

Chemistry

• Atoms are the building blocks of matter.

• There is a relationship between the atomic structure of elements, their properties, and the
organization of the periodic table.
• Elements and compounds have specific physical and chemical properties, which determine their
uses.
• The use of elements and compounds in consumer products and chemical technologies has both
positive and negative impacts on society, the economy, and the environment.

Physics

• The distinct properties of static and current electricity can be explained by the behaviour of
electric charges.
• Electrical energy can be produced from renewable and non-renewable sources and converted to
other forms of energy to meet various needs.
• The production and consumption of electrical energy has social, economic, and environmental
impacts that can be addressed through sustainable practices.

Earth and Space Science

• The solar system and the universe have various components with distinct characteristics that
can be investigated and quantified.
• The Sun plays a critical role in sustaining life on Earth and in contributing to renewable energy
production.
• Space observation, space exploration, and associated space exploration technologies advance
our understanding of the universe, and have social, economic, and environmental impacts.

The Strands and Topics in the Grade 9 Science Course

The expectations in the science curriculum are organized into five distinct but related strands. Strand A
is an overarching strand that focuses on the STEM skills and connections that will enable students to
investigate concepts and integrate knowledge from each of the other strands and to make connections
between science and other subject areas. This strand also encourages students to examine various
STEM-related careers, including skilled trades. In Strands B through E, students integrate Strand A
expectations as they develop their understanding of strand-specific concepts, investigate phenomena,
and make meaningful connections to the real world.

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Throughout the course, learning related to the expectations in Strand A occurs in the context of learning
related to the other four strands.

The five strands are as follows:

• A. STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections

• B. Biology
• C. Chemistry
• D. Physics
• E. Earth and Space Science

The chart below illustrates the relationship between Strand A and the other four strands.

Strand A – STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections

Strand A focuses on the STEM skills that will enable students to explore and investigate scientific
concepts. Students apply these skills as they integrate knowledge from the other four strands and as
they make connections between these skills, their scientific knowledge, real-world issues in science, and
various STEM-related occupations, including skilled trades.

In this strand, students use scientific research, scientific experimentation, and engineering design
processes to carry out investigations, design solutions to problems, develop a conceptual understanding
of the science they are learning, and communicate their findings. Students also use coding to investigate
and model scientific concepts and relationships. Through the planning and conducting of hands-on

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investigations, students apply knowledge and understanding of established health and safety
procedures.

In Strand A, students design an experiment or a prototype to explore a problem relevant to a STEM-

related occupation or skilled trade. Students continue to develop and apply scientific literacy skills to
examine local and global social and environmental issues, and assess how the development and
application of science is influenced by social, economic, and cultural contexts. Students analyse the
contributions to science by people with diverse lived experiences and from various communities and
have the opportunity to learn about Indigenous sciences and to make connections to First Nations,
Métis, and Inuit knowledge systems and perspectives.

Strand B – Biology

In this strand, students develop an understanding of sustainable ecosystems and how sustainability is
related to various ecological factors and processes, such as biodiversity, air and water quality, and soil
health. Students assess how human activities impact the environment, including how they contribute to
climate change, and explore ways to address some of the impacts. Students investigate the flow of
energy and the cycling of matter in the environment and the importance of these natural processes in
maintaining a dynamic equilibrium in ecosystems.

Strand C – Chemistry

In this strand, students explore the relevance of chemistry to their daily lives by investigating the use
and safe disposal of various elements and compounds. Additionally, they assess the impacts of chemical
processes and technologies on society and the environment. Students investigate the nature of matter
by studying properties of elements and compounds, the structure of atoms, and the relationship
between the atomic structure of elements and the organization of the periodic table.

Strand D – Physics

In this strand, students develop an understanding of the impacts of electrical energy production and
consumption on society, the environment, and the economy, and explore ways to achieve sustainable
practices. Students also investigate the nature of electric charges, including properties of static and
current electricity, and explain the relationships between various electrical quantities.

Strand E – Earth and Space Science

In this strand, students investigate the impacts of space exploration on society, the environment, and
the economy, and the importance to society of technological innovations resulting from space
exploration. Students also learn about the components of the solar system and the universe and the
Sun’s relationship to processes on Earth.

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Topics in Grade 9 Science

Strands B through E in the Grade 9 course cover the four major scientific subdisciplines – biology,
chemistry, physics, and Earth and space science. They are designed to build on the required knowledge
and skills of the elementary science and technology curriculum, especially the curriculum for Grades 6,
7, and 8, while at the same time expanding and deepening students’ understanding of the fundamental
concepts. The chart below provides an outline of the topics in Grade 9 science, and also shows their
broad connections to the science and technology curriculum for Grades 6 to 8.

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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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Scientific Research Process

Scientific research includes both primary research, which is done through first-hand, direct observation
of objects, living things, phenomena, and systems; and secondary research, which is done by reviewing
the work and the findings of others. Research is a starting point for investigations, and it can also play a
role during or after an experiment to support or build upon findings and observations.

Research does not always follow a linear path. New information or findings may lead students to refine
their research question(s) or change the course of the intended research. This should not be a source of
concern, as there are times when research proceeds in this manner, with new findings impacting the
researcher and the research process itself.

The most appropriate entry points into a scientific research process, and the most appropriate
components of the process to be focused on, may depend on student readiness. Prior experience and
knowledge, as well as access to resources, the context of the learning, and the amount of time available,
may also be factors. For these reasons, educators may need to provide multiple entry points to engage
all students in the learning.

Considering the vast and ever-increasing number of sources of information available today, students
need to be aware of how to find and identify appropriate information during research. Critical-thinking
skills are essential to assess the information gathered, in part by considering the biases, interests, and
motivation of the authors, as well as the trustworthiness of the source or publisher. Students should
also carefully consider how scientific knowledge is shared, whether in formal, peer-reviewed contexts or
through less formal channels such as social media.

The following diagram summarizes the scientific research process and shows how its components relate
to the skills of initiating and planning; performing and recording; analysing and interpreting; and
communicating.

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The components of a research process are described in more detail below. The process will not always
be linear, and these components are meant as a general guide to the process.

Initiating and Planning

• Define the research question

• develop several specific and concise research questions
• select an appropriate research question for investigation
• identify prior knowledge and experience related to the research question
• identify key words
• develop a work plan
• consider resources available
• Identify and select resources

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 • identify various resources to consult
• consult the selected resources, by using various research tools and/or by visiting a library,
museum, or other facility
• consider bias in the resources
• select relevant and appropriate resources

Performing and Recording

• Identify and record information

• classify resources by subtopics
• identify important data from the selected resources
• identify important information, and record it in the form of notes, graphics, or
illustrations or using audio and video formats
• keep track of references for all resources

Analysing and Interpreting

• Analyse information and summarize findings

• look for missing or conflicting ideas
• rank the information according to its relevance
• eliminate unnecessary data
• consider bias in the data or on the part of the researcher
• check whether the data answers the research question
• answer the research question and write a summary

Communicating

• Communicate results
• choose a form or medium for communication that is appropriate for the intended
audience
• choose the information to share, and develop a draft presentation or publication, using
appropriate vocabulary
• consider cultural, ethical, and other implications related to the communication of the
work
• review the draft, considering the audience’s perspective, and edit as required
• present or publish the work

Scientific Experimentation Process

Experimentation involves performing various steps to test and validate or reject a hypothesis, as well as
manipulating different variables in order to observe the results. It involves experiential, hands-on
learning that engages and empowers students as they develop their investigation skills.

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A process of experimentation is often iterative and may involve conducting fair tests to determine the
effects of changing one factor in an experimental set-up. In a fair test, the student identifies variables
that may affect the results of the experiment; selects one variable to be altered (tested) while keeping
other variables constant; measures all trials in the same way; and repeats tests to determine the validity
of the results. As part of their experimentation, students are encouraged to consider the concept of fair
tests, and whether or not complete objectivity and the absence of bias is possible in science
investigations.

As with the scientific research process described above, the most appropriate entry points into a
scientific experimentation process, and the most appropriate components of the process to be focused
on, may depend on student readiness. Prior experience and knowledge, as well as access to tools and
equipment, the context of the learning, and the amount of time available may also be factors. Educators
may therefore need to provide multiple entry points to engage all students in the learning. In any given
classroom, students may demonstrate a wide range of strengths and needs. It is important that
experiments are attuned to this diversity and include an integrated process that responds to the unique
strengths and needs of each student.

It is important to have students conduct experiments in all strands, so that students can gain experience
doing different types of experiments in different contexts. This also ensures that students are provided
with hands-on, experiential, and exciting ways to uncover a broad range of scientific concepts. The
experiments can be small or large, guided by the teacher or student-led. They can be designed to
consolidate existing skills and knowledge or to introduce new skills and develop new knowledge.

Students should follow established experimental and health and safety procedures. They should also be
guided to eventually develop their own experimental procedures, keeping health and safety in mind.

The following diagram summarizes the scientific experimentation process and shows how its
components relate to the skills of initiating and planning; performing and recording; analysing and
interpreting; and communicating.

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Components of this experimentation process are described in more detail below. The process will not
always be linear, and these components are meant as a general guide to the process.

Initiating and Planning

• Define a problem and its context

• identify and review resources related to an area of investigation
• consider questions related to the area of investigation
• define a specific problem, and identify what is to be investigated
• formulate a hypothesis or consider expected results
• Design the experiment
• clearly define the steps of the experiment
• identify the materials, equipment, and health and safety precautions needed

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 • consider the variables that will remain constant and those that will be changed
• identify the data to be collected

Performing and Recording

• Conduct the experiment

• carry out the experiment, paying close attention to the designed steps
• follow all procedures and processes related to health and safety and environmental
sustainability
• Record data
• consider the potential type of data to be obtained
• consider how to best record, organize, and represent the data
• record clear and precise data

Analysing and Interpreting

• Analyse and summarize the data

• perform any required calculations
• represent the data, using appropriate forms
• explain the result obtained based on the data
• review the identified resources, considering the results from the experiment
• develop a clear and concise conclusion based on a summary of the data
• consider sources of error and how to minimize these sources of error in future
experiments

Communicating

• Communicate results
• choose a form or medium for communication that is appropriate for the intended
audience
• choose the information to share, and develop a draft presentation or publication, using
appropriate vocabulary
• review the draft, considering the audience’s perspective, and edit as required
• present or publish the work

Engineering Design Process

An engineering design process (EDP) provides a framework for students and teachers as they plan and
build solutions to problems or develop ways to address needs that connect to the curriculum and the
world around them. An EDP recognizes that twenty-first-century science problems can be complex and
sometimes ambiguous, and provides appropriate, purposeful stages to navigate these challenges.

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Like the two scientific processes described above, an EDP is an iterative process that may involve
students revisiting a prior stage as they acquire new information about the problem being investigated,
or as they acquire a better understanding of the person or people for whom they are designing a
solution. Students may even restart, or repeat, the entire process when one approach proves
unsuccessful. This should be seen as an important and necessary part of learning and design in science.

Since students will be seeking solutions to problems that will impact others, ethical issues as well as the
perspectives and needs of a variety of individuals and communities should be considered throughout
the process. Students can conduct interviews with end-users, or they can research individuals or
communities that may be affected by potential solutions. Their approach should be empathetic, and
students should consider various perspectives, as well as factors such as usability and environmental
sustainability, throughout the process.

The EDP described below involves students initiating and planning solutions, performing tests and
recording data, analysing and interpreting results, and communicating those results using appropriate
vocabulary and forms for a variety of purposes. The end product of the EDP might not be a tangible
object; it might instead be a computer simulation or a model, or even a new scientific process or system.

As with scientific processes, there is no single EDP, but rather a range of engineering practices that are
followed when designing solutions or developing projects. Students and teachers may find the need to
emphasize specific aspects of the EDP provided, or to make substitutions with components of processes
that they may find elsewhere. Students and teachers may even find other EDPs that they may want to
work with, and a comparison of various processes may prove beneficial for students and teachers.

Appropriate entry points into the EDP and the specific components of the process that are focused on
may depend on student readiness. Prior experience and knowledge, as well as access to resources, the
context of the learning, and the amount of time available, may also be factors; therefore, educators may
need to provide multiple entry points to engage all students in the learning.

The EDP provided here allows students to engage with important scientific concepts and skills within
curriculum expectations as they develop the transferable skills and cross-curricular concepts that
embody STEM education.

The following diagram summarizes the EDP and shows how its components relate to the skills of
initiating and planning; performing and recording; analysing and interpreting; and communicating.

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Components of this EDP are described in more detail below. The process will not always be linear, and
these components are meant as a general guide to the process.

Initiating and Planning

• Research and understand a problem

• identify and review resources related to a problem
• identify the users affected by the problem
• conduct interviews with those affected by the problem
• listen closely to those affected by the problem and use empathy to understand their
experiences, perspectives, and concerns
• review related problems and solutions to these problems
• identify issues related to sustainability and to health and safety

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 • Ideate and generate potential solutions
• brainstorm several ideas and potential solutions
• review potential solutions, considering related research, problems, and solutions
• develop specific success criteria and constraints, and evaluate potential solutions based
on these criteria and constraints
• consider the end-users and those impacted by potential solutions, taking into
consideration their experiences, perspectives, and concerns
• consider applying related and existing solutions (or some aspects of them) to the
identified problem
• consider developing new solutions that are different from existing solutions
• refine or combine potential solutions

Performing and Recording

• Select an option and develop a prototype

• select the most appropriate solution, based on established criteria
• plan the design of the solution, considering the required stages as well as available
materials, equipment, and time
• consider the economic, environmental, ethical, and health and safety concerns related to
the potential design
• consider the key components of the design, and ensure that they can be effectively
produced
• construct a prototype of the design
• Test the prototype
• develop tests to evaluate the solution
• conduct tests in a variety of contexts, including in controlled and in real-world
environments and with various potential users
• record observations and data
• obtain feedback on the prototype from others, including teachers, classmates, friends,
family members, and/or community members

Analysing and Interpreting

• Evaluate and revise the prototype

• analyse results from testing to determine what changes should be made to the prototype
to enhance the end-user experience
• considering the results of testing, review initial resources, existing knowledge, and other
brainstormed ideas to improve upon the design
• consider additional components, materials, equipment, or time needed
• refine the prototype to develop a finished product

Communicating

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 • Communicate the solution
• choose a form or medium for communication that is appropriate for the intended
audience
• identify the important information and components of the solution or project to share,
and develop a draft or plan for the presentation or demonstration, using appropriate
vocabulary
• consider issues that might arise during the presentation or demonstration, and minimize
their risk
• review drafts and plans, considering the audience’s perspective, and make changes as
required
• present or finalize the design or solution

Program Planning and Cross-Curricular and

Integrated Learning in Science
Educators consider many factors when planning a science program that cultivates the best possible
environment in which all students can maximize their learning. This section highlights important areas of
focus that educators should consider, including areas of cross-curricular and integrated learning, as they
plan effective and inclusive science programs. In addition, all of the general “Program Planning” sections
on this site apply to this curriculum.
Instructional Approaches in Science
Effective science instruction in the Grade 9 de-streamed science course begins with knowing the
complex identities and profiles of the students, having high academic expectations for and of all
students, providing supports when needed, and believing that all students can learn and do science.
Teachers incorporate culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy (CRRP) and provide authentic learning
experiences to meet individual students’ learning strengths and needs. Effective science instruction
focuses on the development of conceptual understanding and takes place in a safe and inclusive
learning environment, where all students are valued, empowered, engaged, and able to take risks.

Learning should be relevant: embedded in the lived realities of all students and inspired by authentic,
real-life contexts as much as possible. This approach allows students to develop key scientific concepts
and skills, to appreciate the beauty and wide-ranging nature of science, and to realize the potential of
science to raise awareness and effect social change that is innovative and sustainable. A focus on making
learning relevant supports students in their use of scientific reasoning to make connections throughout
their lives.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI)

Students in every science classroom vary in their identities, lived experiences, personal interests,
learning profiles, and readiness to learn new concepts and skills. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and

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differentiated instruction (DI) are robust and powerful approaches to designing assessment and
instruction to engage all students in scientific tasks that develop conceptual understanding. UDL and DI
can be used in combination to help teachers respond effectively to the strengths and needs of all
students.

The aim of the UDL framework is to assist teachers in designing science programs and environments that
provide all students with equitable access to the science curriculum. Teachers take into account
students’ diverse learner profiles by designing tasks that offer individual choice, ensuring relevance and
authenticity, providing graduated levels of challenge, and fostering collaboration in the science
classroom. Teachers also represent concepts and information in multiple ways to help students become
resourceful and knowledgeable learners. For example, teachers use a variety of media to ensure that
students are provided with alternatives for auditory and visual information. To support learners as they
focus strategically on their learning goals, teachers create an environment in which learners can express
themselves using a range of kinesthetic, visual, and auditory strengths. For example, teachers can vary
ways in which students can respond and demonstrate their understanding of concepts, and support
students in goal-setting, planning, and time-management skills related to their science learning.

Designing science tasks through UDL allows the learning to be “low floor, high ceiling” – that is, all
students are provided with the opportunity to find their own entry point to the learning. Teachers can
then support students in working at their own pace and provide further support as needed, while
continuing to move student learning forward by using varied approaches and engaging students in
learning tasks with varied levels of complexity and challenge. This is an inclusive approach that is
grounded in a growth mindset: the belief that everyone can do well in science.

While UDL provides teachers with broad principles for planning science instruction and learning
experiences for a diverse group of students, DI allows them to address specific skills and learning needs.
DI is student centred and involves a strategic blend of whole-class, small-group, and individual learning
activities to suit students’ differing strengths, interests, and levels of readiness to learn. Attending to
students’ varied readiness for learning science is an important aspect of differentiated teaching.
Learners who are ready for greater challenges need support in aiming higher, developing belief in
excellence, and co-creating problem-based tasks to increase the complexity while still maintaining joy in
learning. Students who are struggling to learn a concept need to be provided with the scaffolding and
encouragement to reach high standards. To make certain concepts more accessible, teachers can
employ strategies such as offering students choice, and providing open-ended problems that are based
on relevant real-life situations and supported with visual and hands-on learning.

Universal Design for Learning and differentiated instruction are integral aspects of an inclusive science
program and the achievement of equity in science education. More information on these approaches
can be found in the ministry publication Learning for All: A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction
for All Students, Kindergarten to Grade 12 (2013).

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Health and Safety in Science Education
In Ontario, various laws, including the Education Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA),
Ryan’s Law (Ensuring Asthma Friendly Schools), 2015, and Sabrina’s Law, 2005, collectively ensure that
school boards provide a safe and productive learning and work environment for both students and
employees. Under the Education Act, teachers are required to ensure that all reasonable safety
procedures are carried out in the programs and activities for which they are responsible. Teachers
should always model safe practices; communicate safety requirements to students in accordance with
school board policies, Ministry of Education policies, and any applicable laws; and encourage students to
assume responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.

Concern for safety must be an integral part of instructional planning and implementation. Teachers are
encouraged to review:

• their responsibilities under the Education Act;

• their rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
• their school board’s health and safety policy for employees;
• their school board’s policies and procedures relating to student health and safety (e.g., those
related to concussions, medical conditions such as asthma, outdoor education excursions);
• relevant provincial subject association guidelines and standards for student health and safety;
• any additional mandatory requirements, particularly for higher-risk activities (e.g., field trips,
workplaces), including requirements for approvals (e.g., from the supervisory officer),
permissions (e.g., from parents),13 and/or qualifications.

Wherever possible, potential risks should be identified and procedures developed to prevent or
minimize, and respond to, incidents and injuries. School boards provide and maintain safe equipment,
facilities, materials, and tools as well as qualified instruction. In safe learning environments, teachers
will:

• be aware of up-to-date safety information;

• plan activities with safety as a primary consideration;
• inform students and parents of risks involved in activities;
• observe students to ensure that they are following safe practices, including the wearing of
personal protective equipment;
• have a plan in case of emergency;
• show foresight;
• act quickly.

13The word parent(s) is used on this website to refer to parent(s) and guardian(s). It may also be taken
to include caregivers or close family members who are responsible for raising the child.

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To carry out their responsibilities with regard to safety, it is important not only that teachers have
concern for their own safety and that of students, but also that they have:

• the knowledge necessary to safely use the materials, tools, and procedures involved in science;
• knowledge concerning the care of living things – plants and animals – that are brought into the
classroom;
• the skills needed to perform tasks efficiently and safely.

Note: Teachers supervising students using power equipment such as drills, sanders, and saws need to
have specialized training in handling such tools.

Students should be made aware that health and safety is everyone’s responsibility – at home; at school;
in the community, including in the natural environment; and while visiting, and participating
in experiential learning in, workplace settings. Teachers should ensure that students have the
knowledge and skills needed for safe participation in all learning activities. Students must be able to
demonstrate knowledge of the equipment, facilities, materials, and tools being used and the procedures
necessary for their safe use.

Students demonstrate that they have the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind required for safe
participation in science activities when they:

• maintain a well-organized and uncluttered work space;

• follow established safety procedures;
• identify possible safety concerns;
• suggest and implement appropriate safety procedures;
• carefully follow the instructions and example of the teacher;
• consistently show care and concern for their safety and that of others.

An important part of scientific research, scientific experimentation, and engineering design processes is
that students select appropriate equipment, materials, and tools for their investigations and designs.
Schools and boards should collaborate to ensure that students have access to the necessary facilities,
equipment, materials, and tools to support their learning and maintain a safe learning environment.

Learning outside the classroom, such as on field trips or during field studies, can provide a meaningful
and authentic dimension to students’ learning experiences. Teachers must plan these activities carefully
in accordance with their school board’s relevant policies and procedures and in collaboration with other
school board staff (e.g., the principal, outdoor education lead, supervisory officer) to ensure students’
health and safety.

The information provided in this section is not exhaustive. Teachers are expected to follow all school
board health and safety policies and procedures.

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Coding and the Impact of Emerging Technologies
Coding Concepts and Skills

Strand A, STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections, includes expectations related to the application of
coding concepts and skills that are to be integrated across the other four strands. This allows students to
explore a wide variety of scientific concepts and contexts through coding, while also learning valuable
skills related to the automation and control of systems.

In Grade 9 science, coding is to be integrated across the strands as a means of providing the following:

• a hands-on, experiential way to learn about scientific concepts. For example, students can
create models or simulations and then alter their components to see how the changes affect the
system. This approach gives students a better understanding of both the system itself and the
scientific concepts involved;
• a hands-on, experiential way to do science. For example, students can obtain data from sensors
and use coding concepts and skills to analyse experimental data, draw conclusions, and solve
scientific problems;
• a hands-on, experiential way to demonstrate their learning. For example, students can program
automated digital stories, dioramas, presentation components, or interactive museum displays
to showcase their skills and knowledge and to teach others about scientific concepts in an
engaging and interactive way;
• a hands-on, experiential way to learn about the digital world around them. For example,
students can learn about algorithms and automation and can develop an understanding of how
social media, autonomous cars, artificial intelligence, and other digital technologies are
programmed. Digital technologies are demystified as students develop an understanding of the
foundational instructions that program our digital world;
• an opportunity to share and take pride in their work. For example, after students have
programmed a computer, they can share their project with their classmates, peers, family,
and/or community members. This gives them an opportunity to connect with others in a science
context;
• an opportunity for agency in their science learning. For example, the coding context provides
students with multiple entry points and multiple directions to take, allowing them to be creative
and innovative as they design and build scientific solutions, and as they imagine what might be
possible in the future;
• an opportunity for students to realize that they can shape the future in a positive way. For
example, while students are accustomed to using digital technologies, they learn through coding
that they also have the opportunity to develop these technologies and create change.

Teachers may find it valuable to connect coding expectations with an engineering design process (EDP),
as the development of a coding project often requires a guiding design framework for which an EDP is

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very well suited. Students can define and research the specific science problem that they want to solve
through coding and then generate ideas and select the best plan or program design. Coding
environments allow for rapid ideating, prototyping, testing, and evaluating as students refine and debug
their projects, projects, and as they connect these projects to entrepreneurial ventures or to solving
problems in their communities. The finalizing and sharing stage of an EDP provides an exciting and
enriching classroom and school experience where students can showcase their coding projects to
classmates, peers, and/or the school community. Finally, students or teachers should find creative ways
of archiving projects, through digital storage of code, photographs, or videos. Many students may want
to keep these archived projects in a science portfolio.

It is important to note that the coding expectations in Grade 9 science build on the coding expectations
in Grade 1 to 8 science and technology, and that these coding expectations complement the coding
expectations in Grade 1 to 8 mathematics and in Grade 9 mathematics. Students and teachers will find
that the skills and knowledge developed in one curriculum area will be supported in the other. By
complementing each other, these expectations provide students with an in-depth exploration of coding
concepts and skills within science, science and technology, and mathematics, which speaks to coding’s
cross-curricular nature and its application in a wide variety of STEM fields.

The Impact of Emerging Technologies

The science curriculum includes learning related to the impact of emerging technologies on everyday life
and in various STEM-related careers, including the skilled trades. This is an engaging topic that can
capture the imagination of students as they consider exciting innovations in science across all
subdisciplines of science, and as they imagine a hopeful future. This topic also provides students with an
opportunity to critically assess technologies and to consider issues surrounding accessibility, privacy,
appropriate use, bias, ethical design, and environmental sustainability.

Teachers and students may want to investigate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and
automation, that impact a wide range of areas and disciplines, including careers. They may also want to
explore emerging technologies in specific areas, such as sustainable agricultural practices, green
chemistry, electrical energy production and storage, and space exploration.

Students will assess the impact of emerging technologies on their own lives and the lives of others, in
fields of study within science, and on related careers. In doing so, students can use a critical lens when
investigating important environmental and societal issues related to science, and can be optimistic and
excited about the future. This learning also provides an opportunity for students to see themselves
working with and further developing these emerging technologies in the future.

Skilled Trades
A skilled trade is a career path that requires hands-on work and specialty knowledge. Skilled trades
workers apply scientific concepts as they build and maintain infrastructure like our homes, schools,

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hospitals, roads, water treatment plants, power stations, farms, and parks. They keep industries running
and perform many services that we rely on every day, such as hairstyling, plumbing, food preparation,
and social services. There is a wide variety of skilled trades in Ontario, falling under the sectors of
construction, industrial, motive power, and service.

Throughout the science curriculum, students will describe practical applications of scientific concepts in
their home and community. These expectations provide opportunities for students to learn about
science, technology, and innovation related to the skilled trades. In addition, a number of scientific
concepts within the Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth and Space Science strands relate directly to
the creative and critical-thinking, problem-solving, and hands-on work essential to the skilled trades.
Educators are encouraged to help students make these important connections, as they provide students
with authentic, meaningful, and hands-on experiences and activities that connect directly to their lives
and communities. Educators are also encouraged to provide students with valuable experiential learning
opportunities that connect students with role models with diverse lived experiences. Classroom
presentations given by guest speakers from under-represented populations, such as women engaged in
the skilled trades, may provide an excellent opportunity to do so.

The secondary technological education curriculum includes broad-based areas of learning that relate to
many skilled trades, and it is important that students become aware of and exposed to the skilled trades
and apprenticeship as a potential pathway.

Climate Change
Climate change is an important topic addressed in age-appropriate learning throughout the strands of
the science course. While climate change concepts and discussions address important environmental
concerns, it is important to also foster hope and optimism in teaching and learning about climate change
and other environmental issues. Students will develop the skills and knowledge needed to understand
the causes and potential innovative solutions and mitigation strategies related to climate change and
other environmental issues, and how they can make the most environmentally responsible decisions
possible, given the choices they have.

Assessment and Evaluation of Student Achievement

Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, First Edition, Covering
Grades 1 to 12, 2010 sets out the Ministry of Education’s assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy.
The policy aims to maintain high standards, improve student learning, and benefit all students,
parents,14 and teachers in elementary and secondary schools across the province. Successful

14The word parent(s) is used on this website to refer to parent(s) and guardian(s). It may also be taken
to include caregivers or close family members who are responsible for raising the child.

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implementation of this policy depends on the professional judgement15 of teachers at all levels as well
as their high expectations of all students, and on their ability to work together with and to build trust
and confidence among parents and students.

Major aspects of assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy are summarized in the main “Assessment
and Evaluation” section. The key tool for assessment and evaluation in science – the achievement chart
– is provided below.

Culturally Responsive and Relevant Assessment and Evaluation

in Science
Culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy (CRRP) reflects and affirms students’ racial and social
identities, languages, and family structures. It involves careful acknowledgement, respect, and
understanding of the similarities and differences among students, and between students and teachers,
in order to respond effectively to student thinking and promote student learning.

Engaging in assessment from a CRRP stance requires that teachers gain awareness of and reflect on their
own beliefs about who a science learner is and what they can achieve (see the questions for
consideration provided below). In this process, teachers engage in continual self-reflection – and the
critical analysis of various data – to understand and address the ways in which teacher identity and bias
affect the assessment and evaluation of student learning. Assessment from a CRRP stance starts with
having a deep knowledge of every student and understanding of how they learn best.

The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment for learning creates
opportunities for teachers to intentionally learn about each student and their sociocultural and linguistic
background in order to gather a variety of evidence about their learning in a way that is reflective of and
responsive to each student’s strengths, experiences, interests, and cultural ways of knowing. Ongoing
descriptive feedback and responsive coaching for improvement are essential for improving student
learning.

Teachers engage in assessment as learning by creating ongoing opportunities for all students to develop
their capacity to be confident, independent, autonomous learners who set individual goals, monitor
their own progress, determine next steps, and reflect on their thinking and learning in relation to
learning goals and curriculum expectations. One way in which teachers differentiate assessment is by
providing tasks that allow multiple entry points for all students to engage and that enable all students to
access complex science.

15“Professional judgement”, as defined in Growing Success (p. 152), is “judgement that is informed by
professional knowledge of curriculum expectations, context, evidence of learning, methods of
instruction and assessment, and the criteria and standards that indicate success in student learning. In
professional practice, judgement involves a purposeful and systematic thinking process that evolves in
terms of accuracy and insight with ongoing reflection and self-correction”.

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Assessment of learning is used by the teacher to summarize learning at a given point in time. This
summary is used to make judgements about the quality of student learning on the basis of established
criteria, to assign a value to represent that quality, and to support the communication of information
about achievement to each student, parents, teachers, and others.

The evidence that is collected about student learning, including observations and conversations as well
as student products, should reflect and affirm the student’s lived experiences within their school, home,
and community, learning strengths, and scientific knowledge. This process of triangulating evidence of
student learning allows teachers to improve the accuracy of their understanding with respect to how
each student is progressing in their learning.

When teachers engage in the process of examining their own biases regarding classroom assessment
and evaluation practices, they might consider some of the following questions:

• Are the tasks accessible to, and inclusive of, all learners? Do the tasks include appropriate and
varied entry points for all students?
• Do the tasks connect to students' prior learning and give them opportunities to be sense makers
and to integrate their new learning? Do the selected tasks reflect students’ identities and lived
experiences?
• Do all students have equitable access to the tools they need to complete the tasks being set?
• What opportunities can teachers build into their practice to offer students descriptive feedback
to enhance learning? Are graded assessment tasks used in a way that complements the use of
descriptive feedback for growth?
• How can information be conveyed about students’ learning progress to students and parents in
an ongoing and meaningful way?
• What is the purpose of assigning and grading a specific task or activity? Are student choice and
agency considered?
• How do teacher biases influence decisions about what tasks or activities are chosen for
assessment?

The Achievement Chart for Grade 9 Science

The achievement chart identifies four categories of knowledge and skills and four levels of achievement
in Grade 9 science. (For important background, see “Content Standards and Performance Standards” in
the main Assessment and Evaluation section.)

Knowledge and Understanding – Subject-specific content acquired in the course (knowledge), and the
comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)

Categories 50–59% 60–69% 70–79% 80–100%

(Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) (Level 4)

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 Knowledge of content The student The student The student The student
(e.g., facts, terminology, demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
definitions) limited some considerable thorough
knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of
content. content. content. content.
Understanding of content The student The student The student The student
(e.g., concepts, ideas, demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
theories, principles, limited some considerable thorough
procedures, processes) understanding understanding understanding understanding
of content. of content. of content. of content.

Thinking and Investigation – The use of critical and creative thinking skills and inquiry and problem-
solving skills and/or processes

Categories 50–59% 60–69% 70–79% 80–100%

(Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) (Level 4)
Use of initiating and The student The student The student The student
planning skills and uses initiating uses initiating uses initiating uses initiating
strategies (e.g., and planning and planning and planning and planning
formulating questions, skills and skills and skills and skills and
identifying problems, strategies with strategies with strategies with strategies with
developing hypotheses, limited some considerable a high degree
scheduling, selecting effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. of
strategies and resources, effectiveness.
developing plans)
Use of processing skills and The student The student The student The student
strategies (e.g., performing uses processing uses processing uses processing uses processing
and recording; gathering skills and skills and skills and skills and
evidence and data; strategies with strategies with strategies with strategies with
examining different points limited some considerable a high degree
of view; selecting tools, effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. of
equipment, materials, and effectiveness.
technology; observing;
manipulating materials;
proving)
Use of critical/creative The student The student The student The student
thinking processes, skills, uses critical/ uses critical/ uses critical/ uses critical/
and strategies (e.g., creative creative creative creative
analysing, interpreting, thinking thinking thinking thinking
problem solving, processes, skills, processes, processes, processes,
evaluating, forming and and strategies skills, and skills, and skills, and
justifying conclusions on with limited strategies with strategies with strategies with
the basis of evidence, effectiveness. some considerable a high degree
developing solutions, effectiveness. effectiveness. of
considering diverse effectiveness.
perspectives)

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Communication – The conveying of meaning through various forms

Categories 50–59% 60–69% 70–79% 80–100%

(Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) (Level 4)
Expression and The student The student The student The student
organization of ideas and expresses and expresses and expresses and expresses and
information in oral, visual, organizes ideas organizes ideas organizes ideas organizes ideas
and/or written forms (e.g., and information and and and
diagrams, models, articles, with limited information information information
project journals, reports) effectiveness. with some with with a high
effectiveness. considerable degree of
effectiveness. effectiveness.
Communication for The student The student The student The student
different audiences (e.g., communicates communicates communicates communicates
peers, adults, community for different for different for different for different
members) and purposes audiences and audiences audiences and audiences and
(e.g., to inform, to purposes with and purposes purposes with purposes with a
persuade) in oral, visual, limited with some considerable high degree of
and/or written forms effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness.
Use of conventions, The student The student The student The student
vocabulary, and uses uses uses uses
terminology of the conventions, conventions, conventions, conventions,
discipline in oral, visual, vocabulary, and vocabulary, and vocabulary, and vocabulary, and
and/or written forms (e.g., terminology terminology terminology terminology
symbols, formulas, SI units) with with with with a high
limited some considerable degree of
effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness.

Application – The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts

Categories 50–59% 60–69% 70–79% 80–100%

(Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) (Level 4)
Application of knowledge The student The student The student The student
and skills (e.g., concepts applies applies applies applies
and processes; procedures knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and
related to the safe use of skills in familiar skills in familiar skills in familiar skills in familiar
tools, equipment, contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with a
materials, and technology; limited some considerable high degree of
investigation skills) in effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness.
familiar contexts
Transfer of knowledge and The student The student The student The student
skills (e.g., concepts and transfers transfers transfers transfers
processes, safe use of knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and
equipment and technology, skills to new skills to new skills to new skills to new
investigation skills) to new contexts with contexts with contexts with contexts with a
contexts limited some considerable high degree of
effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness.

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 Making connections within The student The student The student The student
and between various makes makes makes makes
contexts (e.g., connections connections connections connections connections
between sciences; within and within and within and within and
connections to everyday between between between between
and real-life situations; various contexts various various various
connections among with limited contexts with contexts with contexts with a
concepts within science; effectiveness. some considerable high degree of
connections involving use of effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness.
prior knowledge and
experience; connections
among science and other
disciplines, including other
STEM [science, technology,
engineering, and
mathematics] subjects)
Proposing courses of The student The student The student The student
practical action to deal proposes proposes proposes proposes highly
with problems relating to courses of courses of courses of effective
our changing world practical action practical action practical action courses of
of limited of some of considerable practical action.
effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness.

Criteria and Descriptors for Grade 9 Science

To guide teachers in their assessment and evaluation of student learning, the achievement chart
provides “criteria” and “descriptors” within each of the four categories of knowledge and skills.

A set of criteria is identified for each category in the achievement chart. The criteria are subsets of the
knowledge and skills that define the category. The criteria identify the aspects of student performance
that are assessed and/or evaluated, and they serve as a guide to what teachers look for. In the Grade 9
science course, the criteria for each category are as follows:

Knowledge and Understanding

• knowledge of content (e.g., facts, terminology, definitions)

• understanding of content (e.g., concepts, ideas, theories, principles, procedures, processes)

Thinking and Investigation

• use of initiating and planning skills and strategies (e.g., formulating questions, identifying
problems, developing hypotheses, scheduling, selecting strategies and resources, developing
plans)
• use of processing skills and strategies (e.g., performing and recording; gathering evidence and
data; examining different points of view; selecting tools, equipment, materials, and technology;
observing; manipulating materials; proving)

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 • use of critical/creative thinking processes, skills, and strategies (e.g., analysing, interpreting,
problem solving, evaluating, forming and justifying conclusions on the basis of evidence,
developing solutions, considering diverse perspectives)

Communication

• expression and organization of ideas and information in oral, visual, and/or written forms (e.g.,
diagrams, models, articles, project journals, reports)
• communication for different audiences (e.g., peers, adults, community members) and purposes
(e.g., to inform, to persuade) in oral, visual, and/or written forms
• use of conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline in oral, visual, and written
forms (e.g., symbols, formulas, International System of Units)

Application

• application of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts and processes; procedures related to the safe
use of tools, equipment, materials, and technology; investigation skills) in familiar contexts
• transfer of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts and processes, safe use of equipment and
technology, investigation skills) to new contexts
• making connections within and between various contexts (e.g., connections between sciences;
connections to everyday and real-life situations; connections among concepts within science;
connections involving use of prior knowledge and experience; connections among science and
other disciplines, including other STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics]
subjects)
• proposing courses of practical action to deal with problems relating to our changing world

Descriptors indicate the characteristics of the student’s performance, with respect to a particular
criterion, on which assessment or evaluation is focused. Effectiveness is the descriptor used for each
criterion in the Thinking and Investigation, Communication, and Application categories. What
constitutes effectiveness in any given performance task will vary with the particular criterion being
considered. Assessment of effectiveness may therefore focus on a quality such as appropriateness,
clarity, accuracy, precision, logic, relevance, significance, fluency, flexibility, depth, or breadth, as
appropriate for the particular criterion.

Expectations by Strand
A. STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections
This strand focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
investigation skills, practical applications of science, connections between science
and various careers, and contributions to the development of science from people

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with diverse lived experiences. The learning related to this strand takes place in
the context of learning in the Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth and Space
Science strands.

Overall expectations
Throughout this course, in connection with the learning in the Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth and
Space Science strands, students will:

A1. STEM Investigation Skills

apply scientific processes and an engineering design process in their investigations to develop a
conceptual understanding of the science they are learning, and apply coding skills to model scientific
concepts and relationships

Specific expectations
Throughout this course, in connection with the learning in the other strands, students will:
A1.1 apply a scientific research process and associated skills to conduct investigations, making
connections between their research and the scientific concepts they are learning
A1.2 apply a scientific experimentation process and associated skills to conduct investigations, making
connections between their observations and findings and the scientific concepts they are learning
A1.3 apply an engineering design process and associated skills to design, build, and test devices, models,
structures, and/or systems
A1.4 apply coding skills to investigate and to model scientific concepts and relationships
A1.5 apply their knowledge and understanding of safe practices and procedures, including the
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), while planning and carrying out hands-on
investigations

A2. Applications, Careers, and Connections

analyse how scientific concepts and processes can be applied in practical ways to address real-world
issues and in various careers, and describe contributions to science from people with diverse lived
experiences

Specific expectations
Throughout this course, in connection with the learning in the other strands, students will:
A2.1 design an experiment or a prototype to explore a problem relevant to a STEM-related occupation,
such as a skilled trade, using findings from research
A2.2 describe how scientific innovations and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence
systems, impact society and careers

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A2.3 analyse how the development and application of science is economically, culturally, and socially
contextualized, by investigating real-world issues
A2.4 apply scientific literacy skills when investigating social and environmental issues that have
personal, local, and/or global impacts
A2.5 analyse contributions to science by people from various communities, including communities in
Canada

B. Biology
Sustainable Ecosystems and Climate Change
In this strand, students integrate learning from Strand A as they investigate
concepts, develop and apply skills, and make meaningful connections to their lives,
their communities, and the environment.

Overall expectations
By the end of this course, students will:

B1. Relating Science to Our Changing World

assess impacts of climate change on ecosystem sustainability and on various communities, and describe
ways to mitigate these impacts

Specific expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
B1.1 assess impacts of climate change on the sustainability of local and global ecosystems, describe local
or global initiatives for combatting climate change, and identify solutions to address some of the
impacts
B1.2 assess impacts of climate change on communities in Canada, including First Nations, Métis, and
Inuit communities
B1.3 investigate and explain how sustainable practices used by various communities, including First
Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, reflect an understanding of the importance of the dynamic
equilibrium of ecosystems

B2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts

demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic and interconnected nature of ecosystems, including how
matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems

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Specific expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
B2.1 investigate interactions between the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere, and
explain why these interactions are important for ecosystem sustainability
B2.2 explain how naturally occurring phenomena, including the cycling of matter and the flow of energy,
contribute to the dynamic equilibrium within and between ecosystems
B2.3 compare and contrast the processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis, and explain how
their complementary relationship contributes to the dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems
B2.4 investigate factors and processes, including biodiversity, air and water quality, soil health, and
succession, and explain how they contribute to ecosystem sustainability
B2.5 explain the effects of various human activities on the dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems
B2.6 identify and use various indicators of climate change to describe the impacts of climate change on
local and global ecosystems, and analyse how human activities contribute to climate change
B2.7 explain how sustainable practices related to the cycling of matter and the flow of energy can be
applied in agricultural innovations

C. Chemistry
The Nature of Matter
In this strand, students integrate learning from Strand A as they investigate
concepts, develop and apply skills, and make meaningful connections to their lives,
their communities, and the environment.

Overall expectations
By the end of this course, students will:

C1. Relating Science to Our Changing World

assess social, environmental, and economic impacts of the use of elements, compounds, and associated
technologies

Specific expectations
By the end of this course, students will:

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C1.1 assess social, environmental, and economic impacts of processes associated with the life cycle of
consumer products, considering the elements and compounds used to make them, and suggest ways to
enhance positive impacts and/or minimize negative impacts
C1.2 analyse impacts of using emerging chemical technologies in various fields, including in the skilled
trades, and assess factors that influence the development of these technologies

C2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts

demonstrate an understanding of the nature of matter, including the structure of the atom, physical and
chemical properties of common elements and compounds, and the organization of elements in the
periodic table

Specific expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
C2.1 investigate properties, changes, and interactions of matter that are important for the dynamic
equilibrium of ecosystems and their sustainability
C2.2 research the role of experimental evidence in the development of various atomic models, and
compare and contrast different models of the atom
C2.3 identify the location, relative mass, and charge of subatomic particles within an atom, using the
Bohr-Rutherford model
C2.4 explain the relationship between the position of an element in the periodic table and the structure
of its atoms, using models
C2.5 investigate the physical and chemical properties of elements, and use their findings to relate these
properties to the organization of the periodic table, classify elements, and identify patterns in the
periodic table
C2.6 investigate and describe physical and chemical properties of elements and compounds, including
those that make up common household products
C2.7 describe the relationship between the structure of simple compounds and their chemical formulas

D. Physics
Principles and Applications of Electricity
In this strand, students integrate learning from Strand A as they investigate
concepts, develop and apply skills, and make meaningful connections to their lives,
their communities, and the environment.

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Overall expectations
By the end of this course, students will:

D1. Relating Science to Our Changing World

assess social, environmental, and economic impacts of electrical energy production and consumption,
and describe ways to achieve sustainable practices

Specific expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
D1.1 assess social, environmental, and economic benefits and challenges resulting from the production
of electrical energy from various sources
D1.2 evaluate how electrical energy production and consumption impact various communities locally or
globally, and describe ways to achieve sustainable practices
D1.3 develop a plan of action to address a local or global electrical energy production or consumption
issue, including strategies for energy conservation
D1.4 analyse social, environmental, and economic impacts of emerging technologies related to electrical
energy production, consumption, storage, and conservation

D2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts

demonstrate an understanding of the nature of electric charges, including properties of static and
current electricity

Specific expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
D2.1 conduct investigations to explain the behaviour of electric charges in static and current electricity,
and to relate the observed behaviour to the properties of subatomic particles and atomic structure
D2.2 determine the conductivity of various materials by investigating their ability to hold or transfer
electric charges
D2.3 identify the components of a direct current (DC) circuit and explain their functions, and identify
electrical quantities, their symbols, and their corresponding International System of Units (SI) units
D2.4 investigate the relationships between electric current, potential difference, and resistance in
electrical circuits, and develop a mathematical model to represent the relationships
D2.5 apply a mathematical model to calculate electric current, potential difference, and resistance in
real-world situations
D2.6 construct series and parallel circuits to compare electric current, potential difference, and
resistance in both types of circuits

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D2.7 explain the difference between electricity and electrical energy
D2.8 determine the efficiency of various electrical devices that consume or produce electrical energy,
and identify the energy transformations in each device

E. Earth and Space Science

Space Exploration
In this strand, students integrate learning from Strand A as they investigate
concepts, develop and apply skills, and make meaningful connections to their lives,
their communities, and the environment.

Overall expectations
By the end of this course, students will:

E1. Relating Science to Our Changing World

evaluate social, environmental, and economic impacts of space exploration and of technological
innovations derived from space exploration

Specific expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
E1.1 evaluate social, environmental, and economic impacts of space observation and exploration
E1.2 evaluate how space observation and exploration technologies contribute to our understanding of
climate change, natural disasters, and other phenomena
E1.3 assess ways in which technological innovations related to space observation and exploration are
applied in various fields, including their contributions to sustainable practices on Earth

E2. Investigating and Understanding Concepts

demonstrate an understanding of the components, characteristics, and associated phenomena of the
solar system and the universe, and the importance of the Sun to processes on Earth

Specific expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
E2.1 describe the importance of the Sun and its characteristics, including its role in the solar system and
in sustaining life on Earth

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E2.2 explain how the Sun’s energy causes natural phenomena on Earth, and how these phenomena
contribute to renewable energy production
E2.3 summarize observational evidence used to support theories about the origin and evolution of the
universe and the solar system, considering diverse ways of knowing
E2.4 describe major components of the solar system and the universe and compare their characteristics
E2.5 quantify distances in the solar system and the universe by applying an understanding of relative
distances and sizes and using appropriate units of measure
E2.6 conduct investigations to explain the causes of various astronomical phenomena that can be
observed from Earth

Information for Parents

A parent’s guide to Science, Grade 9 (2022)For informational purposes only, not part of official issued
curriculum.
For informational purposes only, not part of official issued curriculum.

Resources
Sample Course Plans – Grade 9 Science, De-streamed (SNC1W), 2022

Key Changes – Grade 9 Science, De-streamed (SNC1W)

For informational purposes only, not part of official issued curriculum. The Government of Ontario is
not responsible for content on other websites, and cannot guarantee the accessibility of other
websites.

For informational purposes only, not part of official issued curriculum. The Government of Ontario is not
responsible for content on other websites, and cannot guarantee the accessibility of other websites.

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