The NWT Science and Technology 2004 Curriculum, Grade K-6 outlines the knowledge, skills, and attitude in that student must develop in Grades K-6, as well as the levels of achievement at which the students are expected to master these knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Teachers will use these levels of achievement to assess a student's accomplishments. The knowledge, skills, and attitudes outlined in the curriculum are consistent with the goals of science education in Canada, outlined in the Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes, K-12 (Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, 1997).

What is Science and Technology? Science = a form of knowledge that seeks to describe and explain the natural and physical world and its place in the universe. Technology = includes much more than the knowledge, skills, and attitude related to computers, electronics, and their applications. Technology is both a form of knowledge and application that uses concepts and skills from many disciplines and cultures to design and construct useful "tools" that meet and identified need or solve a specific problem.

Goals The goals of science and technology education stem from the nature of science and technology and from the needs of NWT students. The goal are intended to ensure that all students acquire a basic scientific literacy and technological capability before entering secondary school. The goals for the students are to:

• Understand the basic concepts of science and technology
• Develop the skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry and technological design through experiential and discovery learning;
• Relate scientific and technology knowledge to each other and to the world outside the school; and
• Appreciate the contributions and accomplishments of all people in the advancement of science and technology.

Curriculum Expectations and Achievement Levels The NWT Science and Technology Curriculum has two main elements:

Strands and Topics: Science and Technology, Grade K-6 The knowledge, skills, and attitude outlined in the expectations for the science and technology program are mandatory.

Science Learning Outcomes Science learning outcomes focus on five specific themes (the five senses, colours, keeping warm, machines, and dinosaurs). There are also skills to be developed and scientific understandings to be explored. These can be found in the science curriculum document. They include such things as asking questions, planning investigations, using appropriate terminology, recording relevant observations and findings, and communicating the procedures and results. These outcomes are all closely tied to the English Language Arts outcomes, as well. 1.1 demonstrate a basic understanding of the five senses 2.1 recognize and list the primary colours 2.2 create secondary colours by combining different primary colours 3.1 identify and explain methods of keeping warm and ways we keep warm throughout the seasons 4.1 demonstrate an understanding of the concept of a machine 4.2 describe the energy source to make a machine work 4.3 explain the specific uses of a machine 5.1 investigate representative types of dinosaurs that lived on land, water, and in the air over 65 million years ago

Primary Science Books

Grade 1 Flip Chart Book Teachers Guide Student Books: - Changes All Around Me - It's Alive - Looking at Shoes - At the Playground - Energy for Work and Play Grade 2 Flip Chart Book Teacher's Guide Student Books: - Weather Watch - All About Animals - In the Kitchen - Mechanics at Work - On the Move Grade 3 Each with Teacher's guide: - Plant Growth - Magnetism - Forces and Movement - Stability - Soil

Achievement Levels: Science and Technology, Grade K-6 The characteristics given for level 3 represent achievement that is considered to be the standard for the grade.

Notes:

Resources:

• The Addison Wesley resources, Science and Technology, are deemed as the core resources for the teaching of science and technology K-6.

Selection of activities:

• The Science and Technology K-6 resources from Addison Wesley incorporate numerous hands-on / discovery learning activities into their program of studies. Some of the activities can be used as classroom activity centres, while others are used as either small group / individual explorations or teacher demonstrations.
• Each Teacher Resource Manual (TRM) includes a Curriculum Correlation page that outlines the matching learning outcomes (or expectations) covered through each activity. Although there are many activities described for each unit, teachers are given the freedom to choose with activities to use, as long as the learning outcomes are covered in enough depth to ensure student understanding.
• Each unit ends with a Design Project. It is strongly recommended that teachers include the design project into their unit activities. Many of the learning outcomes are achieved through this project.
• Teachers should feel comfortable using alternative activities from other resources to supplement their program (like Project Wild games, internet website, etc). When using supplemental resources, teachers need to ensure that the curriculum learning outcomes are being achieved.

Integration:

• Student in K-6 will benefit from a program in which their immediate world is integrated in the understanding and applications of science and technology. An integrated program can help students make connections between the concepts, skills, and attitudes of other disciplines and their culture.
• Cross-curricular learning demonstrates the connection to other subject areas. Teachers should emphasize the cross-curricular learning by:
  • Coordinating the teaching of related content in two or more subject (Example: Data management in mathematics can be linked to making a graph of data collected in a science and technology activity; Comprehension of non-fiction texts can be linked to the reading of science-related articles.)
  • Providing opportunities for students to work towards expectation in two or more subject with one lesson. (For example, social studies teachers developing a unit on what type of houses people have around the world could give students opportunities to learn about the properties of materials (science and technology), the characters of geomtric shapes (mathematics), and theaesthetics of design (visual art and technology). At the end of the units, students could be asked to write a paper (language) assessing the impact of a scientific or technology innovation on the lifestyle of people (science and technology/social studies).
  • Linking English Language Arts to Science is often overlooked but there are numerous texts, fiction and non-fiction, that can be used to broaden student understanding of science concepts. A list is being developed and will be posted on the NWT web site.

Safety:

• Teachers are responsible for ensuring the safety of students during classroom and outdoor activities and also for encouraging and motivating students to assume responsibility for safety as an individual and as a group. (other important notes within curriculum)

Attitudes in Science and Technology:

Communication:

• Communications is an essential component of the science and technology curriculum because many of the activities and tasks that students undertake involve the use of communication skills, written, pictorial, graphical and/ or oral.
• The language of science and technology includes special terms that are recognized as belonging to these fields. The use of aboriginal language, in context, will also enable students to appreciate and better understand the sciences from a variety of cultural contexts.

Use of Computers:

• The use of computers can extend and enrich students' learning in science and technology. Whenever possible, students should be encouraged to use computers in a purposeful manner to enhance their understanding of the science and technology program.
• Ideasd include:
  • Use the World Wide Web to enable students and teachers to research and learn about science and technology in the world beyond the school.
  • Use the internet to communciate with students in other schools and in other parts of the world.
  • Use the internet to broaden their understanding of global scientific issues.
  • Use computer programs to compile, organize and store data gathered through investigations;
  • Use computer programs to write reports and papers;
  • Use computer programs to work with simulations in areas of study in which hands-on activities are not feasible (e.g. astronomy) or in which there is too great a safety risk (e.g. investigations involving toxic substances).

Great Science Resources:

Found in all schools: Books:

• Canadian Wildlife Federation resources:
  • Project Wild
  • Below Zero
• NWT Renewable Resources:
  • NWT's Focus on Forests
• WILD Education:
  • Wild Sheep of North America
  • Project Caribou
• Science is ...A source book of fascinating facts, projects and activities by Susan Bosak
• Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children by Michael J. Caduto

Video:

• Ernie's Earth - The Wonders of Winter
• National Film Board videos
• DCSB Dogrib Skin Lodge

Internet:

• www.lessonsoftheland.ca    
• www.yahooligans.com (search engine for kids)

Science & Technology K-3 Websites

Note: This list is being updated on the NWT website,as addresses change or new additions are made. Troubleshooting tip. Try truncating to root addresses if pages are not found.