Science Kindergarten to Grade 6 Curriculum

Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2

Organizing Idea Energy: Understandings of the physical world are deepened by investigating matter and energy.

How can objects, humans, and other animals move?

Guiding Question How can movement of objects and animals be understood? Where do light and sound come from, and how do they move?

Students investigate direction, pathway, and speed of moving objects and

Learning Outcome Children explore movement of objects, humans, and other animals. Students investigate the behaviours of light and sound.
animals.

Knowledge Understanding Skills & Procedures Knowledge Understanding Skills & Procedures Knowledge Understanding Skills & Procedures

Movement is a change Objects, humans, and Move objects in a Directions of Movement consists of Observe and describe Sound behaves in Behaviours of sound Relate vibration to the
in position or location other animals can variety of ways. movement can be direction, a pathway, the direction, pathway, various ways, including affect its production of sound.
that happens over time. move or be moved in described as and speed. and speed of objects or • travelling in a characteristics.
various ways. Identify objects that • up animals. straight line from Identify sources of
Objects can be moved move. • down its source sound.
in various ways, • forward Conduct an • transferring from
including Identify objects that do • backward investigation to one object to Listen to sounds and
• straight lines not move. • sideways determine how objects another describe their
• curves • toward move. • bouncing off a characteristics.
• circles Observe and imitate • away from surface (reflection/
• back and forth how animals can move. Describe and record diffusion) Safely explore the
• zigzags A movement pathway ways objects or • stopping in an production and
• up and down Identify various ways is the path an object or animals move along object (absorption) behaviour of sound.
• fast and slow that humans and other animal follows when it different pathways.
animals can move. moves. Sound is produced by Build a device to
Humans and other vibrations of objects. change the behaviour
animals can move in a Movement pathways of sound.
variety of ways, such can be described as Vibration is a rapid
as • straight back-and-forth
• flying • curved movement.
• crawling • spiral
• hopping • side to side Sources of sound can
• swimming be natural or
Objects or animals human-made, such as
move along pathways • musical instruments
in a variety of ways, • speakers and
such as headphones
• rolling • vocal cords of
• bouncing humans and other
• sliding animals
• objects hitting each
Speed can be other
described as
• fast Characteristics of
• slow sound include
• changing • volume, which can
• not changing be described as
quiet or loud
• pitch, which can be
described as high
or low
• duration, which can
be described as
short or long

Sound can travel

through air, water, and

©2024 Government of Alberta | Alberta Education Final Curriculum: Kindergarten to Grade 3 implemented September 2023. Grades 4 to 6 are available for optional implementation in the 2023–2024 school Page 4
Science | March 2023 year.
 Science Kindergarten to Grade 6 Curriculum

Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2

some solids.

Properties of materials
that affect the
production and
behaviour of sound
include
• size
• texture
• shape
• type
Reasons for human Humans and other Examine the reasons The movement of The movement of Demonstrate how the Sources of light Behaviours of light Identify sources of
and other animal animals move for many why humans and other objects can be objects can be movement of objects include affect its path. light.
movement include reasons. animals move. influenced by influenced in a variety can be influenced. • the Sun
• seeking food and • the shape of the of ways. • electricity Conduct an
water object • fire investigation to
• exercising and • the materials the • some plants and determine how the path
playing object is made animals of light can be
• escaping danger from (bioluminescence) affected.
• the surface texture
of the object Light behaves in Examine how natural
• interactions with various ways, objects affect the path
other objects including of sunlight.
• travelling in a
Wheels can make straight line from
objects easier to its source
move. • bouncing off a
surface
(reflection)
• bending as it travels
from one material
to another
(refraction)
• splitting into colours
(dispersion)

Light travels through

objects that can be
seen through
(transparent).

The path of light is

affected by mirrors,
prisms, and water.

The path of sunlight

can be affected in a
variety of ways by
natural objects, such
as
• leaves
• trees
• bodies of water
• mountains

©2024 Government of Alberta | Alberta Education Final Curriculum: Kindergarten to Grade 3 implemented September 2023. Grades 4 to 6 are available for optional implementation in the 2023–2024 school Page 5
Science | March 2023 year.
 Science Kindergarten to Grade 6 Curriculum

Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2

Organizing Idea Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.

Guiding Question How can environments be explored? In what ways can environments change? How can Earth’s components and relationship to the Sun be understood?

Students investigate Earth, its landforms, its bodies of water, and its
Learning Outcome Children examine and describe surrounding environments. Students analyze environments and investigate interactions and changes.
relationship to the Sun.

Knowledge Understanding Skills & Procedures Knowledge Understanding Skills & Procedures Knowledge Understanding Skills & Procedures

Environment refers to Environments can be Use the senses to The four seasons in Changes in Observe seasonal Components of Earth Earth consists of many Represent various
physical surroundings. explored and wondered make observations Alberta are environments include changes in local include components that components of Earth.
about. about environments. • summer seasonal changes. environments over • land support life.
Environments include • autumn or fall time. • water Discuss how the
plants, humans, and Ask questions about • winter • air various components of
other animals. surrounding • spring Document signs of • plants, humans, Earth interact to
environments. seasonal change over and other animals support life.
Environments include Some places have time.
human-made Demonstrate respect fewer than four At this time, Earth is
structures such as while interacting with seasons, such as Share personal the only planet known
buildings and roads. environments. • two seasons: rainy experiences related to to support life.
and dry seasons.
Environments include Represent a local • three seasons: cool Scientists are looking
land, water, and air. environment in nature. or cold, rainy, and Discuss how changes for life on other planets
dry in the appearance of and moons.
Environments can be environments, plants,
explored using the Many seasonal and animals are related
senses. changes appear in to the seasons.
environments, such as
• snow covering the Represent an
ground environment in different
• snow melting seasons to show
• the surface of lakes environmental
and other bodies changes.
of water freezing
• rivers flowing fast or
slow

Seasonal changes
appear in plants and
animals, such as
• camouflage in
animals
• leaves changing
colour and falling
• flowers blooming
• crops and plants
greening and
growing

©2024 Government of Alberta | Alberta Education Final Curriculum: Kindergarten to Grade 3 implemented September 2023. Grades 4 to 6 are available for optional implementation in the 2023–2024 school Page 6
Science | March 2023 year.