Curriculum Links: Urban Oasis: A Habitat in High Park
By participating in Urban Oasis: A Habitat in High Park, students have an opportunity to meet the following curriculum expectations: (specific examples from the program are shown in bold)
Science and Technology
Understanding Life Systems: habitats and Communities
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
1. analyse the effects of human activities on habitats and communities;
2. investigate the interdependence of plants and animals within specific habitats and communities;
3. demonstrate an understanding of habitats and communities and the relationships among the plants and animals that live in them.
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
Developing Investigation and Communication Skills
- 2.1 follow established safety procedures for working with soils and natural materials (Abiotic Factors and Investigate a Habitat)
- 2.2 build food chains consisting of different plants and animals including humans (Go With The Flow)
- 2.5 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including habitat, population, community, adapation, and food chain, in oral and written communication (all activities throughout the day)
Understanding Basic Concepts
- 3.1 demonstrate an understanding of habitats as areas that provide plants and animals with the necessities of life (Investigate a Habitat, Words to Know, Living Links, Go with the Flow)
- 3.2 demonstrate an understanding of food chains as systems in which energy from the sun is transferred to producers and then to consumers (Investigate a Habitat, Words to Know, Living Links, Go with the Flow)
- 3.3 identify factors that affect the ability of plants and animals to survive in a specific habitat (Investigate a Habitat)
- 3.5 classify organisms, including humans, according to their role in a food chain (Investigate a Habitat, Words to Know, Living Links, Go with the Flow)
- 3.6 identify animals that are carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores (Investigate a Habitat, Words to Know, Living Links, Go with the Flow)
- 3.7 describe structural adaptations that allow plants to survive in specific habitats (Investigate a Habitat)
Language
Writing
- choose words that are most effective for their purpose (all activities throughout the day)
- label and use pictures and diagrams appropriately (all activities throughout the day)
Reading
- understand specialised terms in different subject areas (e.g., science, technology) (all activities throughout the day)
- begin to develop research skills (formulate questions, locate information, clarify their understanding of information through discussion) (all activities throughout the day)
Oral and Visual Communication
- use appropriate tone of voice and gestures in social and classroom activities (all activities throughout the day)
- listen to others and stay on topic in group discussion (all activities throughout the day)
- use appropriate strategies to organize and carry out group projects (all morning activities)
Physical Education
Active Participation - Physical Activity
- participate vigorously in all aspects of the program (all activities throughout the day)
- follow the rules of fair play in activities (afternoon activity: Living Links)
- demonstrate respectful behaviour towards others in the group (all activities throughout the day)
Report Comments
Feel free to use these comments when completing reports.
- During the Urban Oasis Program at TUSC, *name* was able to work co-operatively with peers in order to identify abiotic and biotic elements in the natural environment. *He/She* used a variety of equipment to assess characteristics of a Black Oak savannah and investigated producer, consumer and decomposer species in their habitats.