Big Ideas
Big Ideas
Living things are diverse, can be grouped, and interact in their ecosystems.
- Sample questions to support inquiry with students:
- What is biodiversity?
- Why is biodiversity important in an ecosystem?
- Interconnectedness means that all things are related to and interact with each other in the environment. How does local First Peoples knowledge of living things demonstrate interconnectedness?
All matter is made of particles.
- Sample questions to support inquiry with students:
- Why is matter known as the material of the universe?
- How are matter and energy related?
Thermal energy can be produced and transferred.
- Sample questions to support inquiry with students:
- What can be a source of thermal energy?
- How is thermal energy transferred between objects?
Wind, water, and ice change the shape of the land.
- Sample questions to support inquiry with students:
- How is the shape of the land changed by environmental factors?
- What are landforms?
- What landforms do you have in your local area?
Content
Learning Standards
Content
biodiversity in the local environment
- biodiversity: the variety of different types of living things in an ecosystem
- characteristics of local plants, animals and fungi
the knowledge of local First Peoples
the interconnection between living and non-living things in the local environment; our shared responsibility to care for the local environment (i.e., stewardship); information shared from the local First Peoples community and Elders
of ecosystems- population: all the members of the same type of living thing (species) in an area
- communities: different populations in an area living together
energy is needed for life
- producers (plants), consumers (animals), and decomposers (bacteria and fungi) respond to their environment in energy pyramids (flow of energy in the community from the sun)
- food chains: the flow of food energy from one organism to another (e.g., grass to rabbit to lynx)
- food webs: interconnecting food chains (e.g., a rabbit may be eaten by a lynx or a wolf)
matter is anything that has mass and takes up space
atoms are building blocks of matter
sources
thermal energy can be produced by chemical reactions (e.g., hand warmers), friction between moving objects, the sun, etc.
of thermal energythe energy that comes from the movement of particles within matter
transfer of thermal energy
- conduction (touching — e.g., hold an ice cube)
- convection (current — why do we hang mittens over a heat source?)
- radiation (through space by a wave — e.g., heat from the sun)
major local landforms
mountains, hills, plateaus, valleys, riverbeds, deltas, glaciers, etc.; oral narrative about landforms
local First Peoples knowledge of local landforms
observable changes in the local environment caused by erosion and deposition by wind, water, and ice
Curricular Competency
Learning Standards
Curricular Competency
Questioning and predicting
Questioning and predicting
Cause and effect is the basic principle that an action will result in a consequence. In science, this concept is closely related to the concepts of pattern and change. However, cause and effect may or may not have a predictable outcome.
- Key questions about cause and effect:
- What are some causes of biodiversity in BC’s wetlands?
- What is the effect of wind on mountains?
Demonstrate curiosity about the natural world
Observe objects and events in familiar contexts
Identify questions about familiar objects and events that can be investigated scientifically
Make predictions based on prior knowledge
Planning and conducting
Suggest ways to plan and conduct an inquiry to find answers to their questions
Consider ethical responsibilities when deciding how to conduct an experiment
Safely use appropriate tools to make observations and measurements, using formal measurements and digital technology as appropriate
Make observations about living and non-living things in the local environment
Collect simple data
Processing and analyzing data and information
Experience and interpret the local environment
Identify First Peoples perspectives and knowledge as sources of information
Sort and classify data and information using drawings or provided tables
Use tables, simple bar graphs, or other formats to represent data and show simple patterns and trends
Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings
Evaluating
Make simple inferences based on their results and prior knowledge
Reflect on whether an investigation was a fair test
Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of evidence
Identify some simple environmental implications of their and others’ actions
Applying and innovating
Contribute to care for self, others, school, and neighbourhood through personal or collaborative approaches
Co-operatively design projects
Transfer and apply learning to new situations
Generate and introduce new or refined ideas when problem solving
Communicating
Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways, such as diagrams and simple reports, using digital technologies as appropriate
Express and reflect on personal or shared experiences of place
Place is any environment, locality, or context with which people interact to learn, create memory, reflect on history, connect with culture, and establish identity. The connection between people and place is foundational to First Peoples perspectives of the world.
- Key questions about place:
- How does what you know about place affect your observations, questions, and predictions?
- How does understanding place help you analyze information and recognize connections and relationships in your local environment?
- How does place connect with stewardship?
- How can you be a steward in your local environment?