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Let’stalkabout ...Science

Grades Primary–3

The aim of the Atlantic Canada Science curriculum

is to develop scientific literacy. Scientific literacy is

an evolving combination of the science-related

attitudes, skills, and knowledgestudents need to developinquiry, problem-solving, anddecision-making abilities to become

lifelong learners and to maintain a sense of wonder

about the world around them.

The three processes forscience primary to 12 areinquiry, problem solving, anddecision making.

Students use inquiry to answer “why”questions, problem solving to answer “how”questions, and decision making to answer“should” questions.

Inquiry

Scientific inquiry involves posing questionsand developing explanations. Skills such asquestioning, observing, inferring, predicting,measuring, hypothesizing, classifying,designing experiments, collecting data,analysing data, and interpreting data arefundamental to engaging in science. Theseactivities provide students with opportunitiesto understand and practise the process oftheory development in science and understandthe nature of science.

Problem Solving

The process of problem solving involvesseeking solutions to human problems. Itconsists of proposing, creating, and testingprototypes, products, and techniques todetermine the best solution to a given problem.

Decision Making

The process of decision making involvesdetermining what we should do in a particularcontext or in response to a given situation.Inquiry and problem solving actively involvesstudents in decision making.

Your child will explore science grades primaryto 3 through the following units:

Primary

• Exploring the World with Our Senses

• Exploring Sand and Water with Our Senses

• Exploring Moving Things with Our Senses

• Exploring the World of Living Things withOur Senses

Science 1

• Material, Objects, and Our Senses

• Needs and Characteristics of Living Things

• Daily and Seasonal Changes

Science 2

• Air and Water in the Environment

• Liquids and Solids

• Relative Position and Motion

• Animal Growth and Changes

Science 3

• Exploring Soils

• Plant Growth and Changes

• Materials and Structures

• Invisible Forces

This pamphlet is part of a series to inform parents aboutthe Nova Scotia Department of Education Public SchoolProgram for students in grades primary to 3.

For more information, contact your child’s teacher.

let’s talk about ...

Let’s talk about ...

ScientificLiteracy

Children develop scientific literacy by doing science. Learning to be a successful

young scientist means that your child

• does “hands-on, minds-on” science to develop the skill of observing

• uses tools, such as balances, to describe objects with greater detail

• actively participates in answering questions such as What is happening?,

What evidence do you have?, and What new ideas did you discover?

• has opportunities to develop and record his or her understandings before, during,

and after science activities

• communicates, in different ways, what he or she has done and learned in science

Question Investigate Discover!Your child will have opportunities to

• ask questions that lead him or her toexploring materials to get answers

• ask questions he or she can get answers tothrough investigation

• listen to the kinds of questions being askedby students and teachers

• have time to think about a question

• decide how to proceed to answer his orher question

Your child will have opportunities to

• make observations using his or her senses

• decide if some observations from his or herfindings are more important than others

• collect evidence based on observations tosupport findings and answer questions

• make predictions based on his orher observations

• be curious about his or her investigations andthink about what might be implied or meant

Your child will have opportunities to

• think about his or her experiences and howthese relate to the environment

• say “Ah ha!” and find satisfaction about hisor her findings from an investigated question

• record observations through pictures, charts,and words

• support his or her findings with observations

• communicate to peers about his or herfindings using a variety of formats