Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 9 Science
This course explores the interconnected systems of the natural world through hands-on investigation and critical analysis. Students engage with the principles of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science to understand how energy and matter flow through our environment.
01Sustainable Ecosystems and Stewardship
Explores the complex interactions within local and global ecosystems and the impact of human activity on biodiversity.
Differentiating between biotic and abiotic factors and analyzing their interdependencies within an ecosystem.
Constructing food chains and webs to illustrate energy flow and trophic relationships within ecosystems.
Investigating how carbon and water move through biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.
Investigating how nitrogen and phosphorus move through biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.
Analyzing the transfer of energy through trophic levels and the efficiency of energy conversion.
Analyzing factors that control the growth of populations using exponential and logistic models.
Investigating how environmental resistance and carrying capacity influence population dynamics.
Exploring how competition and predation shape species populations and ecosystem structure.
Investigating mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism and their ecological roles.
Exploring the importance of biodiversity and the services healthy ecosystems provide.
02The Nature of Matter
A deep dive into atomic structure, the periodic table, and the physical and chemical properties of elements and compounds.
Tracing the evolution of atomic models from ancient philosophy to Dalton's atomic theory.
Understanding the discovery of the nucleus and the planetary model of the atom.
Exploring the modern understanding of electron probability and orbitals.
Understanding protons, neutrons, electrons, and the concept of isotopes.
Determining electron configurations and identifying valence electrons for chemical reactivity.
Exploring the historical development and fundamental organization of the periodic table.
Investigating patterns in atomic radius, ionization energy, and electronegativity.
Classifying elements based on their properties and location on the periodic table.
Investigating how atoms transfer electrons to form ionic compounds.
Investigating how atoms share electrons to form molecular compounds.
03Principles of Electricity
Investigating static and current electricity through the study of circuits, resistance, and energy transformation.
Understanding the fundamental nature of electric charge and Coulomb's Law.
Exploring charging by friction, conduction, and induction.
Visualizing electric fields and understanding electric potential energy.
Defining the fundamental quantities of current electricity and Ohm's Law.
Designing and analyzing series circuits to understand current and voltage distribution.
Designing and analyzing parallel circuits to understand current and voltage distribution.
Analyzing circuits with combinations of series and parallel components using schematic diagrams.
Calculating electrical power and energy consumption in circuits.
Exploring the relationship between electricity and magnetism.
Understanding how changing magnetic fields can generate electric currents.
04Space Exploration and the Universe
Examining our place in the cosmos by studying celestial bodies and the technologies used to observe them.
Investigating the nebular hypothesis and the processes that formed our solar system.
Exploring the characteristics and geological processes of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Investigating the gas giants and ice giants, their moons, and ring systems.
Exploring other celestial objects in our solar system and their significance.
Understanding the Sun's structure, energy production, and properties of other stars.
Exploring the formation of stars and their stable main sequence phase.
Investigating the life cycles of stars, from red giants to black holes.
Exploring the structure of galaxies and evidence for the expanding universe.
Understanding the prevailing cosmological model for the universe's origin.
Investigating methods for detecting exoplanets and the conditions for extraterrestrial life.
05Earth Systems and Climate Change
Investigating the interactions between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere and how they drive global climate.
Understanding how solar radiation interacts with Earth's atmosphere and surface.
Modeling how gases in the atmosphere trap heat and regulate Earth's temperature.
Analyzing historical climate data, ice cores, and other indicators of global warming.
Investigating the layers of the atmosphere and the gases that compose it.
Studying how heat is distributed around the globe through wind patterns.
Studying how heat is distributed around the globe through ocean currents.
Investigating the role of ice and snow in Earth's climate system and feedback mechanisms.
Examining the environmental, social, and economic consequences of global warming.
Evaluating technological solutions for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Assessing the role of renewable energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
06Scientific Literacy and Engineering Design
Synthesizing scientific knowledge to solve real world problems using the engineering design cycle.
Applying the first steps of the engineering design process: identifying needs and conducting research.
Generating multiple potential solutions to an engineering problem.
Developing physical or digital models and testing their functionality.
Analyzing test results and refining designs based on criteria and constraints.
Exploring how engineers look to nature to solve complex human challenges.
Applying principles of sustainability to engineering design and innovation.
Developing skills in interpreting data and constructing scientific arguments.
Practicing effective communication of scientific findings to diverse audiences.
Critically analyzing the societal impacts and ethical dilemmas presented by scientific advancement.