Gizmos for Alberta - Science: 9th Grade Knowledge and Employability (Alberta Program of Studies adopted 2006)

This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this province's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.

A: : Biological diversity is reflected in the range of species found in local and global environments and by subtle variations in characteristics found within individual species. In this unit, students learn that diversity is maintained through natural processes of sexual and asexual reproduction, though the survival of individual species—and variations within those species—may be influenced by ecological and human-caused factors. Students examine trends toward loss of diversity and examine related issues concerning environmental quality and the impact of technologies.

1.1: : Outcomes for Science, Technology and Society (STS) and Knowledge

A.1: : Students will: investigate and examine diversity within and among species, the importance of diversity and the various environments in which species live

A.1.2: : define community, population, habitat and niche and relate them to diversity within and among species

A.1.3: : recognize that species are dependent on others and their environment

A.2: : Students will: examine the nature of reproductive processes and their role in transmitting species characteristics

A.2.2: : examine how inherited traits influence diversity and survival within and among species

A.2.4: : identify and distinguish between examples of natural and artificial selection (e.g., evolution of beak shapes in birds versus development of milk production in dairy cows)

A.3: : Students will: identify impacts of human action on species survival and variations within species

A.3.1: : investigate human impact on diversity (e.g., agriculture and habitat destruction)

A.3.2: : examine ongoing changes in biological diversity through loss of habitat and the extinction of species (e.g., investigate the effect of changing land use on the survival of wolf or grizzly bear populations)

1.2: : Skill Outcomes

A.4: : Students will: apply science-related initiating and planning skills to ask questions about the relationships among observable variables at home, in the workplace and in the community

A.4.3: : state a prediction, based on background information or an observed pattern of events.

A.6: : Students will: apply science-related analyzing and interpreting skills to examine data and develop and assess possible explanations at home, in the workplace and in the community

A.6.1: : interpret patterns in data and explain relationships among the variables (e.g., examine data on changing animal populations)

A.7: : Students will: apply science-related communication and teamwork skills to work collaboratively on problems and use appropriate language and formats to communicate procedures and results at home, in the workplace and in the community

A.7.1: : communicate questions, ideas, plans and results, using lists, notes in point form, data tables, graphs, drawings, oral language and other means

1.3: : Attitude Outcomes

1.1.1.1.1.1:

B: : Different materials have different properties. In this unit, students are introduced to the formal study of chemical substances through laboratory investigations and introductory studies of chemical theory. In the laboratory, students observe and compare chemical substances and, following safety procedures, investigate the properties of materials and the ways they interact. In conjunction with these studies, students are introduced to ideas about elements and compounds and corresponding structural ideas about atoms and molecules. A general introduction to the periodic table, chemical nomenclature and simplified ways of representing chemical reactions are included.

2.1: : Outcomes for Science, Technology and Society (STS) and Knowledge

B.2: : Students will: describe patterns in chemical reactions

B.2.2: : describe evidence of chemical change in reactions between familiar materials, by:

B.2.2.2: : observing various chemical reactions

B.2.3: : describe the main differences between physical and chemical changes (e.g., change of state, the creation of odour, new products, and temperature change)

B.3: : Students will: describe ideas used when interpreting the chemical nature of matter

B.3.2: : recognize the periodic table as a tool used to display and organize elements according to their properties (e.g., metals and nonmetals, reactivity)

B.3.3: : describe the parts of an atom (e.g., neutrons, protons and electrons)

B.4: : Students will: apply simplified chemical nomenclature when describing elements, compounds and chemical reactions

B.4.1: : identify reactants and products in simple chemical reactions

2.2: : Skill Outcomes

B.5: : Students will: apply science-related initiating and planning skills to ask questions about the relationships among observable variables at home, in the workplace and in the community

B.5.2: : state a prediction, based on background information or an observed pattern of events.

B.7: : Students will: apply science-related analyzing and interpreting skills to examine data and develop and assess possible explanations at home, in the workplace and in the community

B.7.1: : display data, by hand or computer, in a variety of formats, including diagrams, flow charts, tables, and bar graphs

B.7.3: : state a conclusion, based on experimental data

C: : Environments are often viewed from a physical and biological perspective but, to fully understand how they function, it is important to view them from a chemical perspective as well. A study of environmental chemistry helps students understand that chemical substances make up the underlying fabric of the world and are part of the process in all natural cycles and changes. Through this unit, students also become aware of human-produced chemical substances that enter and interact with environments and they investigate the potential impacts of different substances on the distribution and abundance of living things.

3.1: : Outcomes for Science, Technology and Society (STS) and Knowledge

C.1: : Students will: investigate and describe, in general terms, the role of different substances in the environment in supporting or harming humans and other living things

C.1.5: : recognize that a balanced diet, containing proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, contributes to overall health

C.2: : Students will: identify processes for measuring different substances in the environment and for monitoring air and water quality

C.2.3: : identify acids, bases and neutral substances, based on their pH (e.g., use indicator solutions or pH meters to measure the pH in water supplies)

3.2: : Skill Outcomes

C.5: : Students will: apply science-related performing and recording skills to conduct investigations into the relationships among observations and gather and record data at home, in the workplace and in the community

C.5.2: : use instruments and materials effectively and accurately to collect data (e.g., measure and compare the pH in household products)

D: : Electricity provides the means to energize many devices, systems and processes that are part of our technological environment. Electrical devices are used to transfer and transform energy, to provide mechanisms for control and to transmit information in a variety of forms. In this unit, students learn about electrical conversions and the societal and environmental implications associated with the production and use of electrical energy. Using a conversion, problem-solving approach, students create and modify circuits. Students also develop skills for evaluating technologies by comparing alternative designs and by considering their efficiency, effectiveness and environmental impact.

4.1: : Outcomes for Science, Technology and Society (STS) and Knowledge

D.1: : Students will: investigate the use of devices to convert various forms of energy to electrical energy and electrical energy to other forms

D.1.1: : identify and describe everyday forms of energy (e.g., mechanical, chemical, thermal and electrical)

D.1.2: : examine and list common forms of energy conversion

D.1.3: : identify examples of energy transfer and transformation (e.g., chemical energy transformed into electrical energy and then to light energy in a flashlight; mechanical energy transformed into electrical energy and then transferred through power grids)

D.2: : Students will: describe technologies used for transfer and control of electrical energy

D.2.3: : identify electrical conductors and insulators

D.2.4: : create and explain simple series and parallel electrical circuits

D.2.5: : describe the relationship among current, voltage and resistance and relate to amperes, volts and ohms

4.2: : Skill Outcomes

D.5: : Students will: apply science-related initiating and planning skills to ask questions about the relationships among observable variables at home, in the workplace and in the community

1.1.1.1.1.1:

D.7: : Students will: apply science-related analyzing and interpreting skills to examine data, and develop and assess possible explanations at home, in the workplace and in the community

D.7.1: : test the design of a constructed device or system

E: : Technologies have played an essential role in the study of space and in the emerging use of space environments. Our modern understanding of space has developed in conjunction with advances in techniques for viewing distant objects, for transmitting images and data through space and for manned and unmanned space exploration. A study of space exploration provides an opportunity for students to examine how science and technology interact and to learn how one process augments the other. Students become aware that technologies developed to meet the challenges of space are applied to new purposes.

5.1: : Outcomes for Science, Technology and Society (STS) and Knowledge

E.1: : Students will: investigate and describe the ways in which human understanding of Earth and space has depended on technological development

E.1.3: : describe the characteristics of the celestial bodies that make up the solar system and compare their characteristics with those of Earth

E.1.4: : investigate techniques for determining the position and motion of objects in space (e.g., phases of the moon, Earth’s seasons, planets, star systems and the movement of human-made satellites)

E.1.5: : relate events on Earth to events/activities in space (e.g., weather, solar flares and the moon’s effect on tides)

5.2: : Skill Outcomes

E.4: : Students will: apply science-related initiating and planning skills to ask questions about the relationships among observable variables at home, in the workplace and in the community

E.4.2: : state a prediction or hypothesis based on background information or an observed pattern of events (e.g., predict the next appearance of a comet, based on past observations).

E.5: : Students will: apply science-related performing and recording skills to conduct investigations into the relationships among observations and gather and record data at home, in the workplace and in the community

E.5.3: : organize data, using a format that is appropriate to a given task or experiment (e.g., maintain a log of observed changes in the night sky).

Correlation last revised: 11/17/2022

Alberta - Science: 9th Grade Knowledge and Employability

Alberta Program of Studies | Adopted: 2006