Northstar Academy

Science 9

Course name and abbreviation:

Science 9, Sci 9

Grade Level:

Grade 9

Summary of course content and activities:

Science 9 is the third course in the Science 7, 8, 9 sequence.

This course includes the following strands:
  • Biological Diversity
  • Matter and Chemical Change
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Electrical Principles and Technologies
  • Space Exploration

Who should be taking this course? For whom is this course designed and intended?

This is an academic course for the grade 9 student who:
  • Has successfully completed Science 8.
  • Is intending to graduate from NorthStar Academy, or any other high school, with an academic diploma.

Philosophy statement for and/or behind teaching this course:

Science 9 includes the study of earth and space science, physical science and life science. Through the study of science, learners are given an opportunity to explore and understand the world that God created. They will become aware of the profound influence of science in their lives. Relating the study of science to what the learners already know, deem personally useful and consider relevant facilitates learning. Students learn science in relevant contexts and engage in meaningful activities. Students are encouraged to appreciate it as a scientific endeavor with practical impact on their own lives and on society as a whole.

Major course goals:

Students will be able to:
  • describe and investigate the mechanisms that cause diversity within and among species and how it relates to survival
  • describe how humans impact species survival
  • describe chemical and physical properties and chemical reactions
  • describe the development of ideas pertaining to chemistry
  • use simple nomenclature to describe chemical reactions, elements and compounds
  • describe how substances in our environment harm or support living things and humans
  • describe how air and water quality can be monitored
  • describe how potentially harmful substances can be distributed in our environment
  • describe how devices convert forms of energy into electrical energy
  • describe technology that controls and transfers electrical energy
  • describe energy output and input and efficiency of energy conversions
  • describe environmental and societal impacts from the use of electricity
  • describe how technological development has impacted human understanding of earth and space
  • describe technology that has been developed for life in space and the problems in developing these technologies
  • describe space probes, remote sensing technologies, radio and optical telescopes
  • describe issues and opportunities that have come about as space technology has been applied
Alberta Learning (2004, August 20). Science, Grades 7-8-9 [Online]. Available: http://www.learning.gov.ab.ca/k_12/curriculum/bySubject/science/sci7to9.pdf

Pre-requisite(s):

Students taking Science 9 are presumed to have reached the acceptable standard or better in Science 8.

Number of credits that this course is worth

NA

Materials and resources provided by NSA, purchased by student, and/or recommended:

Provided by NSA:

    Science Focus 9
    Resource Disk

Purchased by student:

Forecasted amount of time required to complete each week's lesson:

Students can expect to complete the course in about 4 hours per week over thirty-six weeks.

Description of student evaluations, quizzes, and tests:

There are three major grading periods. There is a final at the end of this course as well as a provincial.

Additional activities:

Criteria for teacher approval of and willingness to grant assignment/test extensions to students beyond the automatic extension period:

None - For more information on the school's policies concerning extensions and completion, please refer to the school policy document.

NorthStar Academy Canada
#107, 1001 - 20th Avenue, Didsbury, AB
Email: cdninfo@nsaschool.ca
1-403-335-9587
1-877-335-1171 (toll free)
1-403-335-9513 (fax)