Environmental Science, SVN3E
Environmental Science SVN3E, Workplace Preparation, is an optional, Grade 11 Science course which forms part of the revised 2008 Ministry of Education (Ontario) Ontario Science Curriculum .
SVN3E (along with its sister course, Environmental Science SVN3M), will be taught in Ontario high schools for the first time in September, 2009.
The course is designed to provide fundamental knowledge of and skills relating to Environmental Science that will help students succeed in work and life after secondary school.
Background
Prior to 2008, Environmental Science had never been represented as a distinct topic in the Ontario science curriculum, but was amalgamated into other disciplines, for example, in the 2000 Ontario Science Curriculum .
The Curriculum
The SVN3E Environmental Science Workplace Preparation course covers a range of topics, including the impact of human activities on the environment; human health and the environment; energy conservation; resource science and management; and safety and environmental responsibility in the workplace. SVN3E emphasizes relevant, practical applications and current topics in environmental science. It pays special attention to students’ literacy and mathematical literacy skills as well as the development of their environmental and scientific literacy.
Prerequisites
Students must hold Science, Grade 9, Academic or Applied, or a Grade 9 or 10 locally developed compulsory credit (LDCC) course in science.
The SVN3E Pilot Program
In 2008, the Environmental Science SVN3E Workplace Preparation course was piloted in Ontario. Pilot teachers field-tested and developed materials for the SVN3E course. They created a document summarizing their findings.
SVN3E Teacher Network
The Environmental Science Interactions community is a social networking community for SVN3E teachers, hosted by Ning. Community members share and discuss SVN3E resources, teaching strategies, and other Environmental Science topics.