Grade 9
Science!
Solving social and environmental challenges… making a better world!
Discovering and understanding the nature of the world!
Why is biodiversity important for ecosystems? Why does it matter if bees become extinct?
Where do energy and nutrients in an ecosystem come from, and where do they go?
How are people, plants, animals, soil, and water connected to each other?
What can we do to live sustainable lifestyles?
Sustainable Ecosystems - Big Ideas
Ecosystems have the ability to respond to changes while maintaining their ecological balance.
Our human activities have very large impacts, both positive and negative, on the sustainability of ecosystems.
What are the differences between elements and compounds?
How can the atomic structure of elements and their position in the periodic table help explain their properties?
What elements and compounds are used to make a smart phone, and what environmental impacts are there?
Chemistry - Big Ideas
Chemical elements and compounds have specific physical and chemical properties that determine their uses.
The use of elements and compounds has both positive and negative effects on society and the environment.
What are the differences between static electricity and current electricity?
What happens when electrons flow through electrical circuits to perform functions such as turning on lightbulbs or running a refrigerator?
What are the economic and environmental costs of producing electricity with nuclear energy? With solar energy or wind?
Which appliances in the house use the most electrical energy? How can we reduce the amount of energy they consume?
Electricity - Big Ideas
Electricity is a form of energy produced from a variety of non-renewable and renewable sources.
The production and consumption of electrical energy has many social, economic and environmental implications.
Static and current electricity have distinct properties that determine how they are used.
What are some of the major components of the universe?
What are the different characteristics and properties of stars, planets and galaxies?
What factors make the Earth well-suited for life?
Exploring the Universe - Big Ideas
We can investigate different properties of celestial objects in the universe to develop theories about their formation.
Space exploration has generated much valuable knowledge and many useful technologies at great cost.