Science and Technology
Grade 2: Structures and Mechanisms: Movement
Overall Expectations
?describe the position and movement of objects, and demonstrate an understanding of how simple mechanisms enable an object to move;
?design and make simple mechanisms, and investigate their characteristics;
?recognize that different mechanisms and systems move in different ways, and that the different types of movement determine the design and the method of production of these mechanisms and systems. 
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic Concepts
?describe different mechanisms through observation and investigation (e.g., hinge, inclined plane), and identify the components that are simple machines (e.g., lever, wedge);
?describe, using their observations, the characteristics and movements of simple mechanisms (e.g., hinge, wheels and axle);
?describe, using their observations, the position of an object in relation to other objects or to a specific area (e.g., use such words as over, under, beside, behind);
?identify changes in the position of an object in relation to other objects (e.g., movement upward or to the left);
?describe, using their observations, the pattern of movement of objects (e.g., turning, spinning, swinging, bouncing, vibrating). 
Developing Skills of Inquiry, Design, and Communication
?ask questions about and identify needs or problems related to structures and mechanisms, and explore possible answers and solutions (e.g., investigate the effect of different floor coverings on the motion of a toy car);
?plan investigations to answer some of these questions or solve some of these problems, and describe the steps involved;
?use appropriate vocabulary to describe their investigations, explorations, and observations (e.g., use words such as rotate, turn, faster, and slower to describe the motion of wheels and axles);
?record relevant observations, findings, and measurements, using written language, drawings, charts, and concrete materials (e.g., record what happens to the movement of a vehicle released from a ramp if the size of its wheels is changed);
?communicate the procedures and results of investigations and explorations for specific purposes, using drawings, demonstrations, and oral and written descriptions (e.g., draw a sketch of an object they plan to make and another sketch of the object after it is made; tell the class the procedures they followed in making a vehicle or a container with a hinged lid);
?make simple mechanisms and use them in building a device they have designed (e.g., vehicle with wheels and axles);
?select and use appropriate tools, utensils, and equipment (e.g., use a paper punch to make holes for the axle in cardboard wheels);
?use appropriate techniques to make and fasten the components of a model that they have made (e.g., bend cardboard to make hinges; glue various materials together). 
Relating Science and Technology to the World Outside the School
?identify, through observation, the mechanical parts of objects (e.g., hinges on doors) and describe the motion of these parts;
?compare the motion of objects on different surfaces (e.g., wheels of a toy on carpet, tile, and sand);
?compare the motion of similar objects made with or filled with different materials (e.g., ways in which baseballs and tennis balls bounce; ways in which film canisters containing different materials roll down a slope);
?describe, using their observations, the effect that different surfaces (e.g., wood, tiles, carpet, water) have on the rate at which an object slows down;
?describe, using their observations, the effects of changing the slope of an inclined plane on the motion of an object that is placed on it (e.g., changes in speed, changes in distance travelled);
?predict factors that make a load easier or more difficult to move (e.g., the size of a wheel or hinge, the amount of friction);
?identify different ways in which wheels and axles can be attached to a chassis (e.g., by using an axle-holder, by placing the axle in holes drilled in the frame);
?demonstrate awareness that the wheels of a vehicle rotate clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the direction of movement of the vehicle. 
 Expectations: Copyright The Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1997.  With thanks to B.Phillips, 1998.
Science and Technology
Grade 2: Earth and Space Systems: Air and Water in the Environment
Overall Expectations
?demonstrate an awareness of the forms in which water and air are present in the environment, and describe ways in which living things are affected by water and air;
?investigate the visible effects of air and water in the environment;
?describe ways in which clean air and water are vital for meeting the needs of humans and other living things. 
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic Concepts
?demonstrate an awareness of air as a substance that surrounds us and takes up space, and whose movement we feel as wind;
?describe the movement of air relying on their observations of its effects (e.g., tree branches swaying, clouds moving);
?compare characteristics of and changes in observed air conditions, in both indoor and outdoor environments (e.g., cold winter temperatures outdoors and warm temperatures indoors);
?identify ways in which changes in temperature affect living things, including themselves (e.g., decisions concerning activities or transportation; hibernation; dormancy; migration);
?recognize that water exists in three states on earth (e.g., solid - visible as ice; liquid - visible as rain or as water in lakes, streams, etc.; gas - present but invisible as water vapour);
?identify and describe forms of moisture in the environment (e.g., dew, snow, fog, frost, rain);
?identify the factors that cause things to dry quickly or slowly (e.g., air temperature; amount of moisture in the air; amount of wind);
?recognize evidence of the water cycle (e.g., observe water in a closed container and water in an open container; observe puddles evaporating after a rainstorm).
Developing Skills of Inquiry, Design, and Communication
?ask questions about and identify needs or problems arising from events in the outdoor environment, and explore possible answers and solutions (e.g., observe that there is a relationship between the patterns and movement of clouds and changes in weather; monitor the length of time needed for various materials used for clothing to dry in order to determine which materials are more suitable for wet weather);
?plan investigations to answer some of these questions or solve some of these problems, and describe the steps involved;
?use appropriate vocabulary in describing their explorations, investigations, and observations (e.g., use words such as solid, liquid, vapour; use the correct terms to describe quantities of water in standard (metric) and non-standard units of measure);
?record relevant observations, findings, and measurements, using written language, drawings, concrete materials, and charts (e.g., record and graph weather data gathered over a period of a few weeks);
?communicate the procedures and results of explorations and investigations for specific purposes, using drawings, demonstrations, and oral and written descriptions (e.g., write the instructions for constructing a pinwheel, adding helpful drawings or diagrams). 
Relating Science and Technology to the World Outside the School
?predict and describe how local weather conditions affect living things, including themselves (e.g., effect of wind on trees in autumn, effect of snowfall on humans? ability to travel);
?describe the different uses of water and identify some that are essential for maintaining our health (e.g., water is used for drinking and washing; clean drinking water is essential for the health of humans);
?identify sources of drinking water (e.g., wells, springs, Great Lakes, rivers);
?recognize that clean water is an increasingly scarce resource in many parts of the world and that the water we use is part of our environment and should be used wisely (e.g., taps should be turned off while brushing teeth; toxic substances such as paint should not be poured down the drain);
?demonstrate awareness of the ways in which the disposal of waste water can affect our health and the health of other living things (e.g., pouring waste water containing chemicals into a lake or river can seriously harm people and the organisms that live in the water). 
 Expectations: Copyright The Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1997.  With thanks to B.Phillips, 1998.
Science and Technology
Grade 3: Structures and Mechanisms: Stability
Overall Expectations
?demonstrate an understanding of the factors that affect the stability of objects;
?design and make structures that include mechanisms and that can support and move a load, and investigate the forces acting on them;
?describe, using their observations, systems involving mechanisms and structures, and explain how these systems meet specific needs and how they have been made. 
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic Concepts
?describe, using their observations, ways in which the strength of different materials can be altered (e.g., folding increases the strength of paper);
?describe ways in which forces alter the shape or strength of different structures (e.g., a load may cause a cardboard box to buckle);
?describe ways to improve the strength and stability of a frame structure (e.g., use of triangulation or a cross-member);
?describe, using their observations, the role of struts (e.g., to resist compression) and ties (e.g., to resist tension) in structures under load (e.g., describe the effect of adding a strut to a wooden frame);
?describe, using their observations, the changes in the amount of effort needed to lift a specific load with a lever when the position of the fulcrum is changed;
?describe, using their observations, how simple levers amplify or reduce movement (e.g., in operating the limbs of a puppet);
?describe the effects of different forces on specific structures and mechanisms (e.g., a structure collapses when the load is too heavy; a latch on a gate opens when pressed). 
Developing Skills of Inquiry, Design, and Communication
?ask questions about and identify needs and problems related to structures and mechanisms in their immediate environment, and explore possible answers and solutions (e.g., investigate the effects of folding on the shape and strength of materials);
?plan investigations to answer some of these questions or solve some of these problems, and explain the steps involved;
?use appropriate vocabulary to describe their investigations, explorations, and observations (e.g., use terms such as fulcrum, load, and effort when describing levers);
?record relevant observations, findings, and measurements, using written language, drawings, charts, and graphs (e.g., record the modifications they have made to increase the stability and strength of their structures);
?communicate the procedures and results of investigations for specific purposes and to specific audiences, using demonstrations, drawings, simple media works, and oral and written descriptions (e.g., make a mobile that illustrates their discoveries about balance);
?design and make a stable structure that will support a given mass and perform a specific function (e.g., a bridge, a photo frame);
?use appropriate materials to strengthen and stabilize structures that they have designed and made and that are intended to support a load (e.g., use gussets, struts, ties, buttresses);
?design and make a levered mechanism (e.g., a model of an animal whose legs are moved with a lever);
?design and make a stable structure that contains a mechanism and performs a function that meets a specific need (e.g., a drawbridge, a crane);
?use appropriate equipment and adhesives when making structures that they have designed themselves (e.g., transparent tape for paper; low-temperature glue gun for wood);
?use hand tools (e.g., hand saws, scissors) and equipment (e.g., templates, mitre boxes) appropriately to cut a variety of materials (e.g., wood, paper, cardboard, plastic). 
Relating Science and Technology to the World Outside the School
?distinguish between the structure of an object (e.g., the chassis of a vehicle) and its mechanical parts (e.g., the wheels and axles);
?recognize that geometrical patterns in a structure contribute to the strength and stability of that structure (e.g., a climbing frame);
?demonstrate awareness that the strength in structures is due to bulk (or mass), number of layers (e.g., layers in particle board), and shape (e.g., triangulation);
?identify a number of common levers (e.g., crowbars, scissors, hammers, pliers, wheelbarrows, tweezers, tongs) and describe how they make work easier;
?identify efficient ways of joining the components of a mechanical structure or system (e.g., construct a right-angled corner; use an axle at a right angle to the frame);
?describe, using their observations, how different balance points of different masses affect the stability of a structure;
?predict which body positions provide the most stability in various circumstances (e.g., standing with legs apart, lying on the ground). 
 Expectations: Copyright The Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1997.  With thanks to B.Phillips, 1998.
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