Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 1 Science
A hands-on introduction to scientific inquiry through the observation of living things, physical patterns, and environmental changes. Students develop foundational skills in classification and data collection while exploring the interconnectedness of their local ecosystem.
Living Things and Local Environments
Students investigate the basic needs of plants and animals and how they interact with their surroundings.
Exploring what plants and animals require to survive and grow in different habitats.
Identifying physical features and how they help organisms function in their environment.
Investigating how local environments provide food, water, and shelter for specific species.
Materials, Objects, and Structures
An exploration of the properties of matter and how the characteristics of materials determine their use in building.
Testing and classifying materials based on texture, flexibility, and strength.
Investigating how to design and build structures that can support weight and remain upright.
Examining how humans use natural resources and the impact of repurposing materials.
Energy in Our Lives
Students explore the role of the sun as a primary energy source and investigate how light and sound move.
Understanding how the sun provides energy and affects the temperature of the Earth.
Exploring how light travels, interacts with objects, and creates shadows.
Discovering how vibrations create sound and how sound travels to our ears.
Daily and Seasonal Changes
An investigation into the cycles of the sun and moon and how seasonal changes affect living things.
Observing patterns of the sun and moon and how they relate to our daily routines.
Identifying the characteristics of each season and the patterns of change in weather.
Exploring how plants, animals, and humans adjust their behaviors to survive different seasons.