Extreme Environments

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In this program, students discover what it takes to be an extreme explorer in one of the last unexplored frontiers on earth. They’ll learn about the history of deep ocean exploration and how technology can be used to overcome challenging conditions. With the techniques they learn, they can design a submersible inspired by a visit to the PX-15 Ben Franklin.

GRADE 5 TO GRADE 7

90 minutes

Program structure

  • 10-minute introduction
  • 75 minutes of program activities
  • 5-minute wrap-up

Big ideas

THESE CONCEPTS ARE COVERED IN THE PROGRAM:

  • Natural resources continue to shape the economy and identity of different regions of Canada.
  • Machines are devices that transfer force and energy.
  • The solar system is part of the Milky Way, which is one of billions of galaxies.
  • Evolution by natural selection provides an explanation for the diversity of living things.
  • Geographic conditions shaped the emergence of civilizations.

Content

SOCIAL STUDIES

  • Resources and economic development in different regions of Canada
  • Human responses to geographic challenges and opportunities, including climates, landforms and natural resources
  • Scientific, philosophical and technological development

Science

  •  Properties of simple machines and their force effects
  • The position, motion, and components of our solar system in our galaxy including extreme environments (Contributions of Canadians to exploration technologies)
  • Survival needs of organisms

Curriculum connections

SOCIAL STUDIES

  • Use social studies inquiry processes and skills to:
    • Ask questions
    • Gather information
    • Interpret ideas
    • Analyze ideas
    • Communicate findings and decisions
  • Build arguments defending the significance of individuals, groups, places, events or developments (significance)
  • Build narratives that capture the attitudes, values and worldviews by people at different times or places (perspective)

SCIENCE

  • Identify questions to answer and solve problems through scientific inquiry (questioning and predicting)
  • Experience and interpret the local environment (processing and analyzing data and information)
  • Co-operatively design projects; transfer and apply learning to new situations (applying and innovating)
  • Communicate ideas, explanations, and processes in a variety of ways (communicating)
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