Nova Scotia · Grade 11
Oceans 11
- OCE11
Nova Scotia’s Grade 11 science course, from Structure and Motion to Fisheries.
- Units
- 5
- Lessons
- 5
- Skills
- 28
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- Nova Scotia Department of Education
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, numbered by unit.
Unit 1 · 6 skills
Structure and Motion
The World's Oceans and Ocean Careers
The world's oceans and ocean careers
I can name and locate the world's oceans and major connected seas, and describe science- and technology-based ocean careers.
Skill 1.1
The structure of Earth's waters
I can analyze the basic structure of Earth's waters - basins and depth zones, and the split between salt and fresh water - and support my analysis with evidence.
Skill 1.2
The unique properties of water
I can identify and describe the unique properties of water and collect data showing how temperature and salinity change its density.
Skill 1.3
Currents, the Coriolis effect, and thermohaline circulation
I can explain how surface currents, the Coriolis effect, and thermohaline (density-driven) circulation are related in one connected ocean-conveyor system.
Skill 1.4
Wave motion in the sea
I can identify the parts of a wave and describe how wind waves form, travel, and break, using marine and everyday examples.
Skill 1.5
Tides and tide theory
I can explain what causes tides and describe the main types of tides, using the Bay of Fundy as an example.
Skill 1.6
The official wording · 6 outcomes
- 1.1
- identify oceans and related water areas in the world and describe related science- and technology- based careers
- 1.2
- analyze the basic structure of Earth’s waters using evidence and information to support your findings
- 1.3
- identify, collect data, and describe the unique properties of water
- 1.4
- identify, explain, and show how ocean currents’ Coriolis effect, and thermohaline currents are related
- 1.5
- identify and describe wave motion found in the marine environment and in everyday situations
- 1.6
- identify and describe tide theory and types of tides
Key ideas
There is one continuous global ocean divided into five named basins: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern (Antarctic).
Related water areas include seas, gulfs, bays, and straits (e.g. the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Bay of Fundy) that connect to the open ocean.
Ocean-related careers span science and technology: oceanographer, marine biologist, hydrographer, fisheries officer, aquaculture technician, marine engineer, ship's officer.
Nova Scotia's economy and identity are tied to the ocean, giving many local career pathways.
About 97% of Earth's water is salt water in the oceans; only ~3% is fresh, most locked in ice and groundwater.
Watch out for
- Thinking the oceans are separate, walled-off bodies of water rather than one connected global ocean.
- Thinking ocean work is only fishing - it also includes research, mapping, engineering, and resource management.
- Thinking the seafloor is a flat featureless bottom rather than shelves, slopes, ridges, and trenches.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 5 skills
Marine Biome
The Marine Biome and Its Biodiversity
The marine biome and its interconnections
I can explain what the marine biome is, describe its biodiversity, and identify the interconnections (feeding and energy links) within it.
Skill 2.1
Comparing marine organisms and communities
I can compare representative marine organisms and communities by their structure, habitat, and role.
Skill 2.2
Open ocean versus coastal zones
I can compare the open ocean and coastal zones using proper terms and explain their impact on local ecosystems.
Skill 2.3
Sampling and classifying marine organisms
I can design and report a sampling procedure to estimate the abundance of marine organisms at a local shore, and apply classification and naming systems to what I find.
Skill 2.4
How an organism functions in its habitat
I can explain how a chosen marine organism functions in its habitat through its adaptations, feeding, and role.
Skill 2.5
The official wording · 5 outcomes
- 2.1
- explain the marine biome and describe the biodiversity of ocean life and determine interconnections that exist within the marine biome
- 2.2
- compare representative marine organisms and communities
- 2.3
- compare characteristics of the open ocean and coastal zones referencing terms and impact on local ecosystems
- 2.4
- develop and report appropriate sampling procedures to obtain quantitative data on the abundance of marine organisms at a local coastal area and describe and apply classification systems and nomenclatures to organisms found in the marine biome
- 2.5
- explain how a particular organism functions in its habitat
Key ideas
The marine biome is the ocean life zone - the largest biome on Earth - divided into open-ocean (pelagic) and bottom (benthic) realms and by depth.
Biodiversity is the variety of life - from microscopic plankton to the largest whales - across many phyla.
Phytoplankton are the primary producers of the open ocean, forming the base of most marine food webs.
Interconnections include food webs, nutrient cycling, and energy flow that tie producers, consumers, and decomposers together.
Marine organisms are grouped by lifestyle: plankton (drifters), nekton (active swimmers like fish and whales), and benthos (bottom-dwellers).
Watch out for
- Thinking large plants (like kelp) are the ocean's main producers - most ocean production is by tiny drifting phytoplankton.
- Thinking deep-sea life has no energy source - it depends on organic matter sinking from the sunlit surface (and, at vents, on chemosynthesis).
- Thinking all sea animals are fish - many are invertebrates (molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms) or mammals.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 5 skills
Coastal Zones
Coastal Zones and Their Management
The concept of coastal zones and how they vary
I can explain what a coastal zone is and discuss how coastal zones vary around the world.
Skill 3.1
Causes and characteristics of coastal-zone types
I can describe the major types of coastal zones and explain the processes that cause and shape each.
Skill 3.2
Sustainability and human use of the coast
I can explain how humans use coastal environments and what sustainable use of their populations and resources means, locally and globally.
Skill 3.3
Human interactions and competing views on the coast
I can list human interactions with coastal processes and describe the competing views different stakeholders hold.
Skill 3.4
Integrated coastal zone management
I can explain the purpose and process of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and analyze how a local management structure and its interrelationships work.
Skill 3.5
The official wording · 5 outcomes
- 3.1
- discuss the concept of coastal zones and how these vary around the world
- 3.2
- describe and explain the causes and characteristics of major types of coastal zones
- 3.3
- identify and explain sustainability and human use of an environment, including populations and resources, locally and globally
- 3.4
- list and discuss human interactions with the processes involved in the coastal zone environment, and describe competing views
- 3.5
- discuss the purpose and process of integrated coastal zone management and analyze a coastal zone management structure and the interrelationships found in a local area
Key ideas
A coastal zone is the transition area where land and sea meet and interact - from the nearshore waters to the land affected by the sea.
It includes beaches, cliffs, dunes, estuaries, salt marshes, and the shallow waters just offshore.
Coastal zones vary with climate, geology, tides, wave energy, and human development - a tropical mangrove coast differs from a rocky Nova Scotia shore.
Coastal zones are dynamic - they change with tides, storms, sediment supply, and sea-level change.
Erosional coasts (rocky headlands, cliffs, sea stacks) form where waves remove material faster than it is supplied.
Watch out for
- Thinking the coastline is a fixed line - it shifts constantly with tides, storms, and erosion/deposition.
- Thinking all coasts look and behave the same - they vary greatly with geology, climate, and wave/tide energy.
- Thinking beaches are permanent - sand is constantly moved by waves and longshore currents.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 6 skills
Aquaculture
Farming the Sea
Aquaculture locations and species
I can identify and compare where aquaculture happens and which species are farmed in Nova Scotia, across Canada, and globally.
Skill 4.1
The biology of cultured organisms
I can describe the groups of organisms raised in aquaculture and explain the anatomy, physiology, and ecology of a major cultured species.
Skill 4.2
Conditions for aquaculture operations
I can describe, measure, and analyze the water and site conditions an aquaculture operation needs.
Skill 4.3
Site planning: risks and benefits
I can analyze aquaculture site planning from several perspectives and report the risks and benefits to society and the environment.
Skill 4.4
Aquaculture business opportunities
I can identify, analyze, and evaluate aquaculture business opportunities.
Skill 4.5
Aquaculture-related issues
I can explain the main issues associated with aquaculture and the different perspectives on them.
Skill 4.6
The official wording · 6 outcomes
- 4.1
- identify, and compare aquaculture locations and species grown in Nova Scotia, in the rest of Canada, and globally
- 4.2
- describe and identify groups of organisms raised through aquaculture and their geographic locations, referring to anatomy and physiology of a major species and ecology of cultured species
- 4.3
- describe, measure, and analyze conditions for aquaculture operations
- 4.4
- analyze site planning from various perspectives and report on both the risks and benefits to society and the environment
- 4.5
- identify, analyze, and evaluate various aquaculture business opportunities
- 4.6
- explain aquaculture-related issues
Key ideas
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms - finfish, shellfish, and aquatic plants - in controlled conditions.
Nova Scotia farms Atlantic salmon, blue mussels, and oysters in its sheltered bays and coastal waters.
Across Canada, salmon dominates on the west and east coasts; globally, species like tilapia, shrimp, carp, and seaweed are major.
Location depends on water temperature, shelter, depth, water quality, and access - comparing sites means weighing these factors.
Cultured groups include finfish (salmon, trout), molluscs (mussels, oysters), crustaceans (shrimp), and algae/seaweed.
Watch out for
- Thinking aquaculture is only fish - shellfish and seaweed are major farmed products.
- Thinking any coastal spot works for any species - each needs specific temperature, shelter, and water quality.
- Thinking farmed fish can be raised in any water regardless of their biology - life-cycle stages have specific needs (e.g. salmon need fresh then salt water).
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 5 · 6 skills
Fisheries
The Sustainable Fishery
The fishery as a sustainable resource
I can explain why a sustainable fishery matters for food supply and employment, using correct terminology.
Skill 5.1
Anatomy of a commercial fishery species
I can describe, identify, and analyze the external and internal anatomy of a major commercial finfish or shellfish species.
Skill 5.2
Ecological factors in the fishery
I can construct, interpret, and evaluate the ecological factors that shape a fishery.
Skill 5.3
Fish-population dynamics
I can compile and organize fish-population data and explain how the physical and biological environment together shape a stock's health and distribution.
Skill 5.4
Risks and benefits of fishery technology
I can compare the risks and benefits to society and the environment of new science and technology in the fisheries.
Skill 5.5
Fisheries research and management organizations
I can identify the main organizations in Canadian fisheries research and management and analyze their multiple perspectives.
Skill 5.6
The official wording · 6 outcomes
- 5.1
- explain the importance of a sustainable fishery as a resource to global and local food supply and employment with reference to terminology
- 5.2
- describe, identify, and analyze the external and internal anatomy of a major finfish or shellfish species that is part of the commercial fishery
- 5.3
- construct, interpret, and evaluate various ecological factors
- 5.4
- compile and organize fish population data and explain the dynamic interrelationships among the physical environment, the biological environment, and the health and distribution of a fish stock
- 5.5
- compare the risks and benefits to society and the environment of applying scientific knowledge or introducing a technology to the fisheries
- 5.6
- identify, describe, and analyze multiple perspectives of the main organizations in research and decision making in fisheries management in Canada
Key ideas
A fishery is a renewable resource - it can keep producing if harvested no faster than the stock replaces itself.
Terminology: stock, catch, quota, bycatch, maximum sustainable yield, and overfishing.
Fisheries feed billions of people globally and support coastal employment - harvesters, processors, and related jobs.
Sustainability means keeping the stock healthy so it provides food and jobs for future generations too.
External finfish anatomy: fins, scales, lateral line, gill covers, mouth - each linked to swimming, sensing, or feeding.
Watch out for
- Thinking the ocean's fish are inexhaustible - stocks can and do collapse when overfished.
- Thinking sustainability just means catching less forever - it means matching catch to how fast the stock renews.
- Thinking fish breathe like mammals - they extract dissolved oxygen from water across their gills.
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.
Which course?
Nova Scotia has 4 science courses for Grade 11. Here they are side by side.
- Biology 11BIO114 units · 24 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversMatter and Energy for Life · Biodiversity · Maintaining Dynamic Equilibrium I · Interactions among Living Things
- Chemistry 11CHE113 units · 57 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversStoichiometry · From Structures to Properties · Organic Chemistry
- Oceans 11This courseOCE115 units · 28 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversStructure and Motion · Marine Biome · Coastal Zones · Aquaculture · Fisheries
- Physics 11PHY114 units · 53 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversKinematics · Dynamics · Momentum and Energy · Waves
What a university, college or program asks for is theirs to say: check its admission page, and your school’s course guide.
The official curriculum
This page follows Nova Scotia’s own curriculum for Oceans 11.
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Oceans 11 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 Oceans 11 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
- 30
- Fillable fields
- 1,420
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Oceans 11
What is Oceans 11?
Nova Scotia’s Grade 11 science course: 5 units and 28 skills, from Structure and Motion to Fisheries.
What units are in Oceans 11?
1. Structure and Motion, 2. Marine Biome, 3. Coastal Zones, 4. Aquaculture and 5. Fisheries.
Is there a provincial exam for Oceans 11?
No. Nova Scotia gives no provincial exam for Oceans 11.
What comes after Oceans 11?
Biology 12, Chemistry 12 and Physics 12.
Can MapleMind help with Oceans 11?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Oceans 11, 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 Oceans 11
Practise every skill of Oceans 11 in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
