Expected Outcomes from Ontario Ministry of Education Life Sciences Curriculum

The Life Systems strand combines the study of traditional topics in life science or biology (e.g., animals, plants, ecosystems, and cells) with technology as it relates to basic human needs (e.g., the need for food, shelter, and clothing). Students begin their study of life systems with aspects that are familiar to them (e.g., animals and plants in their environment, their own bodies) and gradually move on to study global or abstract aspects, such as ecosystems, and less readily visible aspects, such as the microscopic world of cells. Of particular importance in the Life Systems strand is the investigation of interactions between living things and their environment.

The topics covered in this strand are:

Grade 1: Characteristics and Needs of Living Things
Grade 2: Growth and Changes in Animals
Grade 3: Growth and Changes in Plants
Grade 4: Habitats and Communities
Grade 5: Human Organ Systems
Grade 6: Diversity of Living Things
Grade 7: Interactions Within Ecosystems
Grade 8: Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Systems

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the similarities and differences in the physical characteristics of different plant species and the changes that take place in different plants as they grow;
• investigate the requirements of plants and the effects of changes in environmental conditions on plants;
• describe ways in which plants are important to other living things, and the effects of human activities on plants.

Specific Expectations

Understanding Basic Concepts

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

• identify the major parts of plants (e.g., seeds, stem, pistil) and describe their basic functions;
• classify plants according to visible characteristics (e.g., type of tree bark, leaf shape, type of flowers);
• describe, using their observations, the changes that plants undergo in a complete life cycle (e.g., from the germination of a seed to the production of flowers or fruit);
• describe, using their observations, the effects of the seasons on plants (e.g., leaf buds grow into leaves in the spring; leaves turn colour in the fall);
• compare the life cycles of different kinds of plants (e.g., plants that grow from bulbs or from seeds);
• identify traits that remain constant in some plants as they grow (e.g., leaf shape, leaf size, flower colour);
• describe, using their observations, how the growth of plants is affected by changes in environmental conditions (e.g., changes in light, soil);
• explain how different features of plants help them survive (e.g., leaf structure, fibrous or tap root systems).

Developing Skills of Inquiry, Design, and Communication

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

• design and conduct a hands-on inquiry into seed germination or plant growth;
• ask questions about and identify some needs of plants, and explore possible answers to these questions and ways of meeting these needs (e.g., predict how long a particular plant could go without water before its leaves started to droop);
• plan investigations to answer some of these questions or find ways of meeting these needs, and explain the steps involved;
• use appropriate vocabulary in describing their investigations, explorations, and observations (e.g., stem, pistil, stamen, flower);
• record relevant observations, findings, and measurements, using written language, drawings, charts, and graphs (e.g., produce a series of drawings to show a plant at different stages of development);
• communicate the procedures and results of investigations for specific purposes and to specific audiences, using drawings, demonstrations, simple media works, and oral and written descriptions (e.g., make a graph that shows the number and kinds of trees found in different yards; design and construct a terrarium or garden that reproduces the conditions that they found to be requirements of specific plants).

Relating Science and Technology to the World Outside the School

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

• describe ways in which humans use plants for food, shelter, and clothing (e.g., trees are used for building houses; cloth is made from cotton);
• describe ways in which humans can protect natural areas to maintain native plant species (e.g., establishing conservation areas, wildlife reserves, wetland sanctuaries);
• identify the parts of a plant that are used to produce specific products for humans (e.g., sugar, dyes, paper, cloth, lumber) and describe the steps in production;
• describe various plants used in food preparation (e.g., vegetables, fruits, spices, herbs) and identify places where they can be grown;
• describe various settings in which plant crops are grown (e.g., farms, orchards, home gardens);
• describe ways in which plants and animals depend on each other (e.g., plants provide food for energy, and animals help distribute pollen and seeds);
• compare the requirements of some plants and animals, and identify the requirements that are common to all living things (e.g., the need for water and minerals);
• demonstrate awareness of ways of caring for plants properly (e.g., ensure that a plant has sufficient light and water);
• identify some functions of different plants in their local area (e.g., trees provide shade; grass binds soil to prevent soil erosion). >

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of habitat and community, and identify the factors that could affect habitats and communities of plants and animals;
• investigate the dependency of plants and animals on their habitat and the interrelationships of the plants and animals living in a specific habitat;
• describe ways in which humans can change habitats and the effects of these changes on the plants and animals within the habitats.

Overview

The study of ecosystems is an introduction to the study of ecology and involves investigation of the complex interactions between all types of organisms and their environment. Students will learn that ecosystems consist of communities of plants and animals that are dependent on each other as well as on the non–living parts of the environment. They will also learn that groups of ecosystems make up biomes, which, in turn, are components of the biosphere. In investigating ecosystems, students will examine the effects of natural factors, such as climate changes, as well as the impact of technological changes on the environment.

Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the interactions of plants, animals, fungi, and micro- organisms in an ecosystem;
• investigate the interactions in an ecosystem, and identify factors that affect the balance among the components of an ecosystem, e.g., forest fires, parasites;
• demonstrate an understanding of the effects of human activities and technological innovations, as well as the effects of changes that take place naturally, on the sustainability of ecosystems.

Life Systems: Grade 8  –  Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Systems

Overview

In Grade 5, students were introduced to the cell as the basic unit of life in the study of human organ systems. In Grade 8, students will continue to develop their knowledge of systems in living things, focusing on the structure and function of cells in plants and animals and on the organization of cells into tissues, organs, and organ systems.

Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the basic structure and function of plant and animal cells, and describe the hierarchical organization of cells in plants and animals;
• investigate basic cellular processes and certain specialized cells in plants;
• describe ways in which study of the structure, function, and interdependence of human organ systems can result in improvements in human health.

Specific Expectations

Understanding Basic Concepts

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

• identify unicellular organisms (e.g., amoebae) and multicellular organisms (e.g., worms, humans);
• investigate ways in which unicellular organisms meet their basic needs (e.g., for food, movement);
• identify organelles in cells through observation (e.g., vacuole, nucleus, chloroplast) and explain their functions;
• describe, using their observations, differences in structure between plant and animal cells;
• describe the organization of cells into tissues, organs, and systems;
• explain the function of selectively permeable membranes in cells;
• describe and explain the structure and function of specialized cells and tissues in different parts of plants (e.g., in roots, stems, leaves);
• recognize that cells in multicellular organisms need to reproduce to make more cells to form and repair tissues;
• explain how the structure of the roots, stem, and leaves of a plant permit the movement of food, water, and gases;
• compare the structure of different plants (e.g., cactus, coniferous tree, moss) and show how their structure enables them to live in specific conditions;
• describe, using their observations, the movement of gases and water into and out of cells during diffusion and osmosis.

Developing Skills of Inquiry, Design, and Communication

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

• use a microscope accurately to find, observe, and draw microscopic objects;
• formulate questions about and identify needs related to the functioning of cells, and explore possible answers to these questions and ways of meeting these needs (e.g., design and conduct an experiment to test a hypothesis about the effect of chemicals on a unicellular organism; design and conduct an experiment to test the effectiveness of different substances in preventing cut flowers from wilting);
• plan investigations for some of these answers and solutions, identifying variables that need to be held constant to ensure a fair test and identifying criteria for assessing solutions;
• use appropriate vocabulary, including correct science and technology terminology, to communicate ideas, procedures, and results (e.g., use scientific terms such as organelle, diffusion, osmosis, selectively permeable);
• compile qualitative and quantitative data gathered through investigation in order to record and present results, using diagrams, flow charts, frequency tables, graphs, and stem-and-leaf plots produced by hand or with a computer (e.g., use a diagram to present an estimate of the number of cells in a petri dish);
• communicate the procedures and results of investigations for specific purposes and to specific audiences, using media works, oral presentations, written notes and descriptions, charts, graphs, and drawings (e.g., create a simulation illustrating movement of water and nutrients between cells and through various organs and systems).

Relating Science and Technology to the World Outside the School

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

• describe the needs and functions of various cells and organs in relationship to the needs of the human body as a whole;
• describe the basic factors that contribute to the efficient functioning of the human respiratory, circulatory, digestive, excretory, and nervous systems;
• describe some ways in which the various systems in the human body are interdependent;
• describe similarities and differences in the functions of comparable structures in different groups of living things (e.g., compare the food intake and digestion of a unicellular organism, an invertebrate, and a vertebrate);
• describe ways in which research about cells has brought about improvements in human health and nutrition (e.g., development of medicines, immunization procedures, and diets based on the needs of organs such as the heart);
• describe ways in which substances work by altering the way cells function (e.g., insulin);
• describe ways in which various types of cells contribute to the healthy functioning of the human body (e.g., red blood cells transport oxygen throughout the body);
• illustrate how blood is pushed by pressure throughout the body to carry oxygen and nutrients to cells, tissues, and organs.

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