New Brunswick · Grade 6
Science, Grade 6
New Brunswick’s Grade 6 science course, from Behaviour and Properties of Light to Learning and Living Sustainably.
- Units
- 4
- Lessons
- 5
- Skills
- 18
- Provincial exam
- Yes
- Official curriculum
- gnb.ca
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, numbered by unit.
Unit 1 · 3 skills
Behaviour and Properties of Light
How Light Behaves
Light and the electromagnetic spectrum
I can describe key properties of light and how it behaves through reflection, refraction, and shadows.
Skill 1.1
Sound and how it travels
I can describe properties of sound and how it travels through different materials.
Skill 1.2
Smell receptors
I can explain how smell receptors detect chemicals in the air.
Skill 1.3
The official wording · 3 outcomes
- 1.1
- Light: Electromagnetic spectrum (EMS); Sources of visible light; Properties of light; Behavior of light e.g., dispersion, absorption and transmission; Law of reflection; Refraction; Shadow formation
- 1.2
- Sound: Properties; Propagation through different mediums (matter)
- 1.3
- Olfactory (smell) receptors: biochemical and biophysical receptors
Key ideas
Visible light is one part of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS).
The law of reflection: light bounces off a surface at the same angle it hits it.
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one material into another (like air into water).
Shadows form when an object blocks light; a white surface splitting light into colours is dispersion.
Sound is a vibration that travels as a wave through matter.
Watch out for
- Thinking we see objects because our eyes send out rays - we see light that reflects off objects into our eyes.
- Thinking shadows are 'made of' something - a shadow is just where light is blocked.
- Thinking sound travels through empty space - it needs a medium.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 5 skills
Biological Forms and Processes
The Senses
Seeing: vision
I can describe how the eye detects light and name the main parts of the human eye.
Skill 2.1
Hearing: the ear
I can describe how the ear detects sound and name the main parts of the human ear.
Skill 2.2
Touch, taste, and smell
I can describe the senses of touch, taste, and smell and how to care for these organs.
Skill 2.3
Balance and body position
I can explain the sense of balance (vestibular) and proprioception (knowing where my body parts are).
Skill 2.4
The nervous system
I can describe how the nervous system processes information from the senses.
Skill 2.5
The official wording · 5 outcomes
- 2.1
- Seeing (Vision): Detection and response to visible light; Different kingdoms organs e.g., plants, eye spots, compound eyes, mammalian eyes, etc.; Model of human eye e.g., structures and functions
- 2.2
- Hearing (Auditory): Detection and response; how do different organisms process sound; Model of human ear e.g., structures and functions
- 2.3
- Touch (Tactile), Taste (Gustatory) and Smell (Olfactory): Conditions and diseases affecting organs; Prevention; Treatment
- 2.4
- Vestibular (sense of balance) and proprioception (unconscious awareness of the position of our body parts)
- 2.5
- Information processing: brain, spinal cord, and nerve network (Nervous System)
Key ideas
Vision is the detection of and response to visible light.
The human eye has parts such as the pupil, lens, and retina.
Light enters the eye and forms an image the brain interprets.
Different animals have different kinds of eyes (eye spots, compound eyes, mammalian eyes).
Hearing detects sound vibrations from the environment.
Watch out for
- Thinking the eye sends out light to see - it receives light that reflects off objects.
- Thinking all animals see the same way - eyes vary greatly across species.
- Thinking we hear with only the outer ear - the eardrum and inner ear do the detecting.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 3 skills
Technological Applications
Technologies for the Senses
Wayfinding technologies
I can describe technologies that extend our senses to gather information.
Skill 3.1
Corrective technologies
I can describe technologies that correct problems with the senses.
Skill 3.2
Adaptive technologies
I can describe adaptive technologies that help people with sensory impairments.
Skill 3.3
The official wording · 3 outcomes
- 3.1
- Wayfinding technologies e.g., telescope, periscope, eyes, ears, camera, remote sensing
- 3.2
- Corrective technologies e.g., eye glasses, hearing aid
- 3.3
- Adaptive technologies e.g., Braille, immersive reader, seeing-eye dog
Key ideas
Some technologies extend our senses beyond their natural limits.
A telescope lets us see far-away objects.
A camera captures images; a periscope lets us see over or around barriers.
Remote sensing gathers information from a distance.
Corrective technologies fix or improve a sense that is not working fully.
Watch out for
- Thinking these devices create new senses - they extend the senses we have.
- Thinking a telescope makes things closer - it makes them appear larger and clearer.
- Thinking glasses cure the eye - they correct how light focuses while worn.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 7 skills
Learning and Living Sustainably
Caring for Our Senses
Protecting the sense organs
I can describe safety practices that protect my sense organs.
Skill 4.1
Keeping our senses healthy
I can describe habits that keep my eyes, ears, and other sense organs healthy.
Skill 4.2
Empathy and sensory impairments
I can describe different sensory impairments and show empathy for people who experience the world differently.
Skill 4.3
Careers in sensory science
I can name careers that help people care for their senses and describe what they do.
Skill 4.4
Science and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
I can connect caring for our senses and accessibility to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Skill 4.5
Designing for the Senses
Design an accessibility device
I can design a simple accessibility device that addresses a sensory impairment or limitation.
Skill 4.6
The life cycle of what we make
I can trace the life cycle of a product and explain how making things affects the environment.
Skill 4.7
The official wording · 7 outcomes
- 4.1
- Safety and prevention practices: wafting, eyewear, protective earwear, gloves, UV clothing, sunscreen
- 4.2
- Health and well being of self: sensory organs; eyes; ears; olfactory system
- 4.3
- Empathy for those with sensory impairments: visually impaired, hard of hearing, colour blindness
- 4.4
- Life and career pathways: scientific literate citizen, eye surgeon, ENT specialist, hearing health professional, audiologist, hearing instrument technician, optometrist, ophthalmologist
- 4.5
- Science and the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-being [SDG 3], Reduced Inequalities [SDG 10], Life Below Water [SDG 14] and Life on Land [SDG 15]
- 4.6
- Design challenge: Build an accessibility device to address a sensory impairment and/or limitation
- 4.7
- Ecological systems: economic and environmental challenge of making stuff; what we make; how we make it; how does it fit into a larger system; and life cycle of a product
Key ideas
Safety glasses protect the eyes from splashes and flying bits.
An accessibility device helps someone do a task their sense makes hard.
Ear protection guards hearing from very loud sounds.
Design starts by understanding the real need of the person using it.
Sunscreen and UV clothing protect the skin from the Sun's harmful rays.
Watch out for
- Thinking sense organs cannot be damaged - loud noise, UV light, and chemicals can harm them.
- Thinking the first design is always the final one - designers improve after testing.
- Thinking you should sniff an unknown substance directly - you should waft the smell gently toward you.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The official curriculum
This page follows New Brunswick’s own curriculum for Science, Grade 6.
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Science, Grade 6 one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.
Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep Science, Grade 6 organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 28
- Fillable fields
- 1,223
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Science, Grade 6
What is Science, Grade 6?
New Brunswick’s Grade 6 science course: 4 units and 18 skills, from Behaviour and Properties of Light to Learning and Living Sustainably.
What units are in Science, Grade 6?
1. Behaviour and Properties of Light, 2. Biological Forms and Processes, 3. Technological Applications and 4. Learning and Living Sustainably.
Is there a provincial exam for Science, Grade 6?
Yes. The Grade 6 Scientific Literacy Assessment is written in New Brunswick. Next sitting: May 25, 2027.
What comes after Science, Grade 6?
Science, Grade 7.
Can MapleMind help with Science, Grade 6?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Science, Grade 6, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
Get ready for Science, Grade 6
Practise every skill of Science, Grade 6 in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
