Ontario · Grade 12
Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation
- SES4U
Ontario’s Grade 12 science course, from Investigation Skills and Careers to Geological Processes.
- Units
- 6
- Lessons
- 12
- Skills
- 88
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- Ontario Ministry of Education
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, with its official code.
Unit 1 · 2 skills
Investigation Skills and Careers
Careers in Earth and Space Science
Careers in Earth and space science
I can describe careers in Earth and space science and the training they require.
Official code: A2.1
Scientists and Their Contributions
Scientists who contributed to Earth and space science
I can describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians, to Earth and space science.
Official code: A2.2
The official wording · 2 outcomes
- A2.1
- identify and describe a variety of careers related to the field of science under study (e.g., astronomer, paleontologist, astrophysicist, geologist, professor, planetarium curator) and the education and training necessary for these careers
- A2.2
- describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadian scientists (e.g., Alice Wilson, George M. Dawson, Thomas Edvard Krogh, William E. Logan, Richard Bond, Helen Sawyer Hogg, Joseph B. Tyrrell), to the fields under study
Key ideas
Earth and space science connects to careers such as astronomer, geologist, geophysicist, and planetary scientist.
Scientists from many places, including Canadians, advanced astronomy and geology.
Each career needs particular education and training, usually a university program.
A contribution can be a discovery, a technique, or a new theory.
Watch out for
- Thinking Earth-science careers are only field geology.
- Thinking all major scientists are from long ago or far away.
- Not knowing a career needs specific education and training.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 15 skills
Astronomy (Science of the Universe)
Milestones and Tools of Astronomy
Analysing an astronomical milestone
I can analyse an astronomical milestone and how it changed thinking.
Official code: B1.1
Development of an astronomy technology
I can analyse the development of an astronomy technology.
Official code: B1.2
Investigating the Universe
Astronomy terminology
I can use astronomy terminology correctly.
Official code: B2.1
Locating features of the night sky
I can locate and record features of the night sky.
Official code: B2.2
Analysing spectroscopic data
I can analyse spectroscopic data to find the properties of stars.
Official code: B2.3
Using the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
I can use the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram to relate stellar properties.
Official code: B2.4
Investigating properties of stars
I can investigate the quantitative properties of stars.
Official code: B2.5
Investigating galaxies
I can investigate the features of different types of galaxies.
Official code: B2.6
The big bang theory
I can describe the big bang theory and its evidence.
Official code: B3.1
The scale of cosmic distances
I can explain cosmic distances and how they are measured.
Official code: B3.2
Electromagnetic radiation in astronomy
I can describe electromagnetic radiation and its use in astronomy.
Official code: B3.3
Classifying stars
I can explain how stars are classified.
Official code: B3.4
Determining stellar properties
I can explain how astronomers determine a specific star's properties.
Official code: B3.5
The life cycle of a star
I can describe the life cycle of a star.
Official code: B3.6
How stars die
I can explain how a star's initial mass determines its death.
Official code: B3.7
The official wording · 15 outcomes
- B1.1
- analyse a major milestone in astronomical knowledge or theory (e.g., the discovery of the red shift in the spectra of galaxies; the knowl- edge gathered from the particle accelerator experiments at CERN in Switzerland), and explain how it revolutionized thinking in the scientific community [AI, C]
- B1.2
- analyse why and how a particular technology related to astronomical research was developed and how it has been improved over time (e.g., the evolution from optical to radio tele- scopes and to the Hubble telescope) [AI, C]
- B2.1
- use appropriate terminology related to astronomy, including, but not limited to: Doppler effect, electromagnetic radiation, protostar, celestial equator, ecliptic, altitude and azimuth, and right ascension and declination [C]
- B2.2
- locate observable features of the night sky using star charts, computer models, or direct observation, and record the location of these features using astronomical terms (e.g., celestial equator, ecliptic) and systems (e.g., altitude and azimuth, right ascension and declination) [PR, C]
- B2.3
- analyse spectroscopic data mathematically or graphically to determine various properties of stars (e.g., determine surface temperature from peak wavelength using Wein’s law; predict chemical composition from spectral absorption lines; determine motion using the Doppler effect) [AI, C]
- B2.4
- use the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram to determine the interrelationships between the properties of stars (e.g., between mass and luminosity, between colour and luminosity) and to investigate their evolutionary pathways [PR, AI]
- B2.5
- investigate, in quantitative terms, properties of stars, including their distance from Earth (using the parallax method), surface temper- ature, absolute magnitude, and luminosity [PR, AI]
- B2.6
- investigate, using photographs or diagrams, the basic features of different types of galaxies (e.g., elliptical, spiral, barred spiral, irregular, peculiar), including the Milky Way [PR]
- B3.1
- describe the theoretical and evidential underpinnings of the big bang theory (e.g., the theory that cosmic microwave background radiation is an echo of the big bang; physical evidence of the mass of the universe, and the relationship between mass and gravity) and their implications for the evolution of the universe
- B3.2
- explain the scale of distances between celestial bodies (e.g., with reference to astronomical units, light years, and parsecs) and the methods astronomers use to determine these distances (e.g., stellar parallax, cepheid variables)
- B3.3
- describe the characteristics of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., the relationship between wave- length, frequency, and energy) and the ways in which each region of the electromagnetic spectrum is used in making astronomical observations (e.g., X-rays in the search for black holes; infrared radiation to see through interstellar dust)
- B3.4
- explain how stars are classified on the basis of their surface temperature, luminosity, and chemical composition
- B3.5
- explain, with reference to a specific star (e.g., Rigel, Sirius, Arcturus), how astronomers use techniques to determine the properties of stars (e.g., mass, diameter, magnitude, temperature, luminosity)
- B3.6
- describe the sequence of events in the life cycle of a star, from its formation to the main sequence phase and beyond, with specific reference to energy sources and forces involved
- B3.7
- explain the relationship between the type of death of a star and the star’s initial mass (e.g., a star with a low mass will form a planetary nebula and a white dwarf)
Key ideas
Milestones like the discovery of the red shift or CERN's findings revolutionized astronomy.
Key terms include the Doppler effect, electromagnetic radiation, protostar, celestial equator, ecliptic, altitude and azimuth, and right ascension and declination.
Analysing one explains how it changed thinking in the scientific community.
Precise terms let you describe the sky and stars.
Astronomy technology evolved from optical to radio telescopes and to the Hubble telescope.
Watch out for
- Describing a milestone without explaining its impact on thinking.
- Confusing the celestial equator with the ecliptic.
- Confusing a discovery with a technology.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 17 skills
Planetary Science (Science of the Solar System)
Exploring the Solar System
Issues of space exploration
I can analyse the issues related to exploring the solar system.
Official code: C1.1
Space technology with other applications
I can analyse a space technology and its wider applications.
Official code: C1.2
Investigating the Solar System
Planetary science terminology
I can use planetary science terminology correctly.
Official code: C2.1
Shared geological features
I can identify geological features shared across solar-system bodies.
Official code: C2.2
Effects of radiation in the solar system
I can investigate the effects of radiation in the solar system.
Official code: C2.3
Interactions shaping the solar system
I can investigate how body interactions shaped the solar system.
Official code: C2.4
Earth's protective properties
I can investigate the properties of Earth that protect life.
Official code: C2.5
Techniques for studying solar-system objects
I can investigate techniques for studying solar-system objects.
Official code: C2.6
Composition of the solar system
I can explain the composition of the solar system.
Official code: C3.1
Classes of objects orbiting the sun
I can identify the classes of objects orbiting the sun.
Official code: C3.2
Formation of the solar system
I can explain how the solar system formed.
Official code: C3.3
Factors determining planetary properties
I can identify what determined the properties of solar-system bodies.
Official code: C3.4
Conditions for life beyond Earth
I can explain the properties of bodies that might support life.
Official code: C3.5
Comparing Earth with other bodies
I can compare Earth with other solar-system bodies.
Official code: C3.6
Kepler's laws
I can identify Kepler's laws and use them to describe planetary motion.
Official code: C3.7
Newton's laws and planetary motion
I can use Newton's laws to explain planetary motion.
Official code: C3.8
External processes affecting Earth
I can describe the external processes that affect Earth.
Official code: C3.9
The official wording · 17 outcomes
- C1.1
- analyse political considerations related to, and economic and environmental consequences (actual and/ or potential) of, exploration of the solar system (e.g., political pressures underlying the original Space Race; the ability to monitor environmental conditions from space) [AI, C]
- C1.2
- analyse, on the basis of research, a specific technology that is used in space exploration and that has applications in other areas of re- search or in the environmental sector (e.g., Canadian satellites and robotics, spacecraft technologies, ground base and orbital tele- scopes, devices to mitigate the effects of the space environment on living organisms), and communicate their findings [IP, PR, AI, C]
- C2.1
- use appropriate terminology related to planet- ary science, including, but not limited to: solar system, geocentric, heliocentric, geodesy, geosynchronous, eccentricity, apogee, aphelion, perigee, and perihelion [C]
- C2.2
- identify geological features and processes that are common to Earth and other bodies in the solar system (e.g., craters, faults, volcanic eruptions), and create a model or illustration to show these features, using data and images from satellites and space probes [PR, AI, C]
- C2.3
- use an inquiry or research process to investi- gate the effects of various forms of radiation and high-energy particles on bodies, organisms, and devices within the solar system (e.g., the effects of cosmic rays on atmospheric phenom- ena, of ultraviolet light on human and animal eyes and skin, of solar wind on radio communi- cations) [IP, PR]
- C2.4
- investigate the ways in which interactions between solid bodies have helped to shape the solar system, including Earth (e.g., the accretion of minor bodies, the formation of moons, the formation of planetary rings) [PR]
- C2.5
- investigate the properties of Earth that pro- tect life from hazards such as radiation and collision with other bodies (e.g., Earth’s orbital position helps protect it from asteroids, some of which are deflected by the Jovian planets; Earth’s magnetic field protects the planet from solar wind; atmospheric ozone minimizes in- coming ultraviolet radiation) [PR]
- C2.6
- investigate techniques used to study and understand objects in the solar system (e.g., the measurement of gravitational pull on space probes to determine the mass of an object, the use of spectroscopy to study atmospheric com- positions, the use of the global positioning system to track plate movement and tectonic activity from space) [PR]
- C3.1
- explain the composition of the solar system (e.g., the sun, terrestrial inner planets, the asteroid belt, gas giant outer planets, the Kuiper belt, the scattered disc, the heliopause, the Oort cloud), and describe the characteristics of each component
- C3.2
- identify and explain the classes of objects orbiting the sun (e.g., planets, dwarf planets, small solar system bodies [SSSBs])
- C3.3
- explain the formation of the solar system with reference to the fundamental forces and processes involved (e.g., how gravitational force led to the contraction of the original solar nebula)
- C3.4
- identify the factors that determined the properties of bodies in the solar system (e.g., differences in distance from the sun result in temperature variations that determine whether substances on a planet, moon, or other body are solid or gaseous)
- C3.5
- identify and explain the properties of celes- tial bodies within or beyond the solar system, other than Earth, that might support the exist- ence of life (e.g., the possible existence of liquid water on Europa; the proximity of a body to its host star)
- C3.6
- compare Earth with other objects in the solar system with respect to properties such as mass, size, composition, rotation, magnetic field, and gravitational field
- C3.7
- identify Kepler’s laws, and use them to describe planetary motions (e.g., the shape of their orbits; differences in their orbital velocity)
- C3.8
- identify Newton’s laws, and use them to explain planetary motion
- C3.9
- describe the major external processes and phenomena that affect Earth (e.g., radiation and particles from the “quiet” and “active” sun; cosmic rays; gravity of the sun and moon; asteroidal and cometary debris, including their force, energy, and matter)
Key ideas
Space exploration involves political pressures (the Space Race) and economic and environmental consequences.
Key terms include solar system, geocentric, heliocentric, geodesy, geosynchronous, eccentricity, apogee, aphelion, perigee, and perihelion.
Analysing them weighs the considerations and consequences together.
Precise terms let you describe orbits and solar-system structure.
Space technologies (Canadian satellites and robotics, spacecraft, telescopes) have applications beyond space.
Watch out for
- Considering only one type of consideration.
- Confusing geocentric with heliocentric.
- Ignoring the environmental consequences.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 17 skills
Recording Earth's Geological History
Climate, Geology, and Geological Time
The climate-geology relationship
I can analyse the relationship between climate and geology.
Official code: D1.1
Climate change and life over geological time
I can assess the impact of long-term climate change on life using geological records.
Official code: D1.1
Contributions to understanding geological time
I can evaluate contributions to our understanding of geological time.
Official code: D1.2
Reading the Geological Record
Geological history terminology
I can use geological history terminology correctly.
Official code: D2.1
Geological history of an Ontario area
I can investigate the geological history of an Ontario area.
Official code: D2.2
Evidence of major changes in Earth history
I can investigate geological evidence of major changes in Earth history.
Official code: D2.3
Geological versus human time scales
I can illustrate how geological time compares to human time.
Official code: D2.4
Unconformities
I can illustrate the development of unconformities in strata.
Official code: D2.5
Modelling radioactive decay
I can model radioactive decay and half-life.
Official code: D2.6
Interacting processes over Earth history
I can investigate how interacting processes affected Earth's environment over time.
Official code: D2.7
Evolution of life through the eras
I can describe the evolution of life through the geological eras.
Official code: D3.1
Evidence of a changing Earth
I can describe evidence that Earth has changed over time.
Official code: D3.2
How fossils form
I can describe how fossils are produced and preserved.
Official code: D3.3
Relative and absolute dating
I can compare relative and absolute dating.
Official code: D3.4
Isotopic age determination
I can describe methods of isotopic age determination.
Official code: D3.5
Paradigm shifts in geology
I can explain how paradigm shifts shaped geological thinking.
Official code: D3.6
Determining the age of Earth
I can explain the evidence used to determine the age of Earth.
Official code: D3.7
The official wording · 17 outcomes
- D1.1
- analyse the relationship between climate and geology
- D1.1
- using geological records, assess the impact of long-term climate change on life on Earth
- D1.2
- evaluate the significance of contributions, including Canadian contributions, to our under- standing of geological time and of changes in Earth systems over time (e.g., the contributions of Raymond A. Price; the Canadian contribution to the development of Landsat) [AI, C]
- D2.1
- use appropriate terminology related to Earth and its geological history, including, but not limited to: Milankovitch cycles, era, epoch, period, parent isotope, hot spot, paleomagnetism, and index fossil [C]
- D2.2
- use a research process to investigate the geo- logical history of an area in Ontario (e.g., use a sequence diagram, geological maps showing main geological units or associated rock types, and/or surficial/bedrock geology maps to investigate the Oak Ridges Moraine or Niagara Escarpment) [IP, PR]
- D2.3
- investigate various types of preserved geo- logical evidence of major changes that have taken place in Earth history (e.g., fossil evidence of mass extinctions, topographic evidence of past glaciations, evidence of plate movement in igneous rocks with magnetic reversals) [PR]
- D2.4
- produce a model or diagram to illustrate how geological time scales compare to human time scales (e.g., major events in Earth’s geo- logical history or the geological history of their region compared to major events in human history or students’ own lifespans) [PR, C]
- D2.5
- produce diagrams to illustrate the develop- ment of various types of unconformities preserved in a sequence of strata (e.g., angular unconformity, disconformity, nonconformity) [PR, C]
- D2.6
- design and build a model to represent radioactive decay and the concept of half-life determination [IP, PR]
- D2.7
- investigate interactions over time between physical, chemical, and biological processes, and explain how they have affected environmental conditions throughout Earth’s geological history (e.g., the impact of increasing amounts of atmospheric oxygen on stromatolites; the impact of increasing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide on global warming; the influence of plants on the water cycle, other life forms, the atmosphere, weathering, and erosion) [PR, AI, C]
- D3.1
- describe evidence for the evolution of life through the Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras, using important groups of fossils that date from each era (e.g., stromatolites, trilobites, brachiopods, crinoids, fish, angio- sperms, gymnosperms, dinosaurs, mammals)
- D3.2
- describe various kinds of evidence that life forms, climate, continental positions, and Earth’s crust have changed over time (e.g., evidence of mass extinction, of past glaciations, of the existence of Pangaea and Gondwanaland)
- D3.3
- describe some processes by which fossils are produced and/or preserved (e.g., original preservation, carbonization, replacement, permineralization, mould and cast formations)
- D3.4
- compare and contrast relative and absolute dating principles and techniques as they apply to natural systems (e.g., the law of superposition; the law of cross-cutting relationships; varve counts; carbon-14 or uranium-lead dating)
- D3.5
- identify and describe the various methods of isotopic age determination, giving for each the name of the isotope, its half-life, its effective dating range, and some of the materials that it can be used to date (e.g., uranium-lead dating of rocks; carbon dating of organic materials)
- D3.6
- explain the influence of paradigm shifts (e.g., from uniformitarianism to catastrophism) in the development of geological thinking
- D3.7
- explain the different types of evidence used to determine the age of Earth (e.g., index fossils; evidence provided by radiometric dating of geological materials or lithostratigraphy) and how this evidence has influenced our under- standing of the age of the planet
Key ideas
Climate and geology influence each other over geological time.
Key terms include Milankovitch cycles, era, epoch, period, parent isotope, hot spot, paleomagnetism, and index fossil.
Analysing the relationship links geological processes to climatic conditions.
Precise terms let you describe geological time and evidence.
Geological records preserve evidence of how climate change affected life.
Watch out for
- Treating climate and geology as unrelated.
- Confusing an era, period, and epoch.
- Confusing the relationship with the impact on life.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 5 · 16 skills
Earth Materials
Exploring and Extracting Earth Materials
Economic impact of Earth materials
I can assess the economic impact of Earth-material extraction.
Official code: E1.1
Analysing exploration and extraction technologies
I can analyse the technologies used to explore for and extract natural resources.
Official code: E1.2
Environmental repercussions of extraction
I can assess the environmental repercussions of extraction technologies.
Official code: E1.2
Investigating Minerals and Rocks
Earth materials terminology
I can use Earth materials terminology correctly.
Official code: E2.1
Properties and uses of Earth materials
I can investigate the properties of Earth materials and how they affect use.
Official code: E2.2
Identifying minerals
I can identify and classify common minerals using tests.
Official code: E2.3
Investigating igneous rocks
I can classify igneous rocks and determine their origin.
Official code: E2.4
Investigating sedimentary rocks
I can classify sedimentary rocks and determine their origin.
Official code: E2.5
Investigating metamorphic rocks
I can classify metamorphic rocks and infer their formation.
Official code: E2.6
Investigating a local geological setting
I can investigate a local geological setting and classify its rocks.
Official code: E2.7
Investigating crystal growth
I can investigate the factors affecting crystal size and form.
Official code: E2.8
Physical and chemical properties of minerals
I can identify mineral properties and the tests for them.
Official code: E3.1
Formation of igneous rocks
I can describe how igneous rocks form and their characteristics.
Official code: E3.2
Formation of sedimentary rocks
I can describe how sedimentary rocks form and their characteristics.
Official code: E3.3
Formation of metamorphic rocks
I can describe how metamorphic rocks form and vary.
Official code: E3.4
Earth materials and waste disposal
I can describe how Earth materials help safely dispose of waste.
Official code: E3.5
The official wording · 16 outcomes
- E1.1
- assess the direct and indirect impact on local, provincial/regional, or national econ- omies of the exploration for and extraction and refinement/processing of Earth materials (e.g., gold, uranium, sand, gravel, dimension stone, fossil fuels) [AI, C]
- E1.2
- analyse technologies and techniques used to explore for and extract natural resources
- E1.2
- assess their actual or potential environmental repercussions
- E2.1
- use appropriate terminology related to Earth materials, including, but not limited to: geothermal vents, porosity, permeability, cleavage, fracture, cementation, evaporite, and foliation [C]
- E2.2
- investigate the properties of various Earth materials (e.g., density, conductivity, porosity; whether they are magnetic or radioactive), and explain how these properties affect how the materials are used and what technologies and techniques are used to explore for or extract them (e.g., radiometric instruments, electro- magnetic or gravity surveys) [PR, AI, C]
- E2.3
- conduct a series of tests (e.g., hardness, streak, density) to identify and classify common minerals (e.g., quartz, calcite, potassium feldspar, plagioclase feldspar, muscovite, biotite, talc, graphite, hornblende) [PR, AI]
- E2.4
- investigate common igneous rocks (e.g., granite, obsidian, andesite, basalt, gabbro), using a hand lens, classify them on the basis of their texture (e.g., porphyritic, phaneritic, aphanitic) and composition (e.g., acid, intermediate, basic), and use this information to determine their origins (i.e., extrusive or intrusive) [PR, AI]
- E2.5
- investigate sedimentary rocks (e.g., con- glomerate, breccia, sandstone, shale, limestone, dolostone, chert, gypsum, rock salt, coal), using a hand lens, classify them on the basis of their texture (e.g., coarse- or fine-grained, detrital) and composition (e.g., clastic, chemical, fossil inclusions), and use this information to deter- mine their origin (e.g., clastic, chemical) [PR, AI]
- E2.6
- investigate metamorphic rocks (e.g., slate, phyllite, schist, gneiss, quartzite, marble), using a hand lens, and classify them on the basis of their characteristics (e.g., foliation, crystallinity) in order to identify their parent rock and the temperature, pressure, and chemical conditions at their formation [PR, AI]
- E2.7
- investigate a geological setting in their local area (e.g., a river/stream bed or lakeshore; a rock outcrop), and identify and classify rock samples collected from that area [PR, AI]
- E2.8
- plan and conduct an inquiry to investigate the factors that determine the size and form of mineral crystals (e.g., the temperature of the solution, the type of salt, the level of saturation, the temperature of slides containing melted salol) [IP, PR]
- E3.1
- identify the physical and chemical properties of selected minerals, and describe the tests used to determine these properties
- E3.2
- describe the formation (i.e., intrusive or extrusive) and identify the distinguishing characteristics of igneous rocks (e.g., compos- ition and eruption type; mineralogical content indicating the type of volcano in which a rock was formed)
- E3.3
- describe the formation of clastic and chem- ical sediments, and the characteristics of the corresponding sedimentary rocks (e.g., shape and size of particles, nature of their deposition)
- E3.4
- describe the different ways in which meta- morphic rocks are formed (i.e., through changes in temperature, pressure, and chemical condi- tions) and the factors that contribute to their variety (e.g., variation in parent rock; regional or contact metamorphism)
- E3.5
- describe the role of Earth materials in the safe disposal of industrial and urban waste and toxic materials (e.g., the low permeability of clays makes them suitable material for barriers in waste disposal sites)
Key ideas
Extracting Earth materials (gold, uranium, sand, fossil fuels) affects local, regional, and national economies.
Key terms include geothermal vents, porosity, permeability, cleavage, fracture, cementation, evaporite, and foliation.
Assessing the impact weighs direct and indirect economic effects.
Precise terms let you describe minerals and rocks.
Technologies and techniques are used to locate and extract natural resources.
Watch out for
- Considering only direct economic effects.
- Confusing cleavage with fracture.
- Ignoring the indirect impacts of extraction.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 6 · 21 skills
Geological Processes
Monitoring Geological Processes
Monitoring geological hazards
I can evaluate the technology for monitoring geological hazards.
Official code: F1.1
Technologies revealing Earth's interior
I can analyse technologies that reveal Earth's interior and surface.
Official code: F1.2
The human-geology relationship
I can analyse the relationship between human activity and geology.
Official code: F1.3
Managing the human-geology relationship
I can propose ways to manage the human-geology relationship sustainably.
Official code: F1.3
Investigating Geological Processes
Geological processes terminology
I can use geological processes terminology correctly.
Official code: F2.1
Weathering and erosion
I can investigate weathering and erosion and model weathering.
Official code: F2.2
Modelling sedimentary sequences
I can model simple sedimentary sequences.
Official code: F2.3
Modelling seismic waves
I can model the main types of seismic waves.
Official code: F2.4
Locating an earthquake epicentre
I can locate an earthquake's epicentre from seismographic data.
Official code: F2.5
Modelling Earth's interior
I can produce a scale model of Earth's interior.
Official code: F2.6
Modelling mass wasting
I can model the types and causes of mass wasting.
Official code: F2.7
Deducing geologic history from maps
I can deduce an area's geologic history from maps and cross sections.
Official code: F2.8
Plate boundaries and internal processes
I can describe plate boundaries and their internal processes.
Official code: F3.1
Types of seismic waves
I can describe the characteristics of the main seismic waves.
Official code: F3.2
Measuring earthquakes
I can compare methods of measuring earthquakes.
Official code: F3.3
Erosional processes and landscapes
I can explain how erosion changes landscapes.
Official code: F3.4
Sediment transport
I can describe types of sediment transport and their loads.
Official code: F3.5
Erosional landforms
I can describe landforms produced by erosion.
Official code: F3.6
Depositional structures
I can describe sedimentary structures formed by deposition.
Official code: F3.7
Mapping tectonic activity
I can map areas of tectonic activity by boundary type.
Official code: F3.8
The rock cycle
I can explain the rock cycle.
Official code: F3.9
The official wording · 21 outcomes
- F1.1
- evaluate the accuracy and reliability of technological methods of monitoring and predicting earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions [AI, C]
- F1.2
- analyse developments in technology (e.g., sonar, seismology, magnetometers) or Earth science endeavours (e.g., Lithoprobe, Geosat, Ocean Drilling Program) that have contributed to our understanding of Earth’s interior, crust, and surface [AI, C]
- F1.3
- analyse the relationship between human activities and various geological structures and processes
- F1.3
- propose ways in which the relationships can be effectively or sustainably managed
- F2.1
- use appropriate terminology related to geo- logical processes, including, but not limited to: shear forces, compression forces, liquifaction, Benioff zone, aquifer, internal plastic flow, basal slip, mid- oceanic ridge, bedding, cross-cutting, isostasy, and lithification [C]
- F2.2
- investigate the difference between weather- ing and erosion (e.g., weathering occurs when the edge of a riverbank disintegrates from the force of the water; erosion occurs when the water transports the soil downstream), and construct models of the processes of physical, chemical, and biological weathering (e.g., tap water dripping on a bar of soap; vinegar drip- ping on a marble chip; dried beans soaking in a sealed plastic jar) [PR]
- F2.3
- produce a model showing simple sediment- ary sequences (e.g., successive layering, sorted sequences), using block diagrams or three- dimensional models (e.g., layering as sand settles in an aquarium) [PR, C]
- F2.4
- investigate, through laboratory inquiry or computer simulation, the main types of seismic waves, and produce a model (e.g., using 3D block diagrams or springs and ropes) to illustrate for each the nature of its propagation, the transfer of energy, and its movement through rocks [PR, C]
- F2.5
- locate the epicentre of an earthquake, given the appropriate seismographic data (e.g., the travel-time curves to three recording stations for a single event) [AI]
- F2.6
- produce a scale model (e.g., a 3D block diagram) of the interior of Earth, differentiating between the layers and their characteristics (e.g., label cross-sections with the dimensions of the crust, mantle, and inner and outer core, and add travel-time curves for various seismic waves to provide data on the characteristics of the individual layers) [PR, C]
- F2.7
- design and test models that show the types (i.e., falls, slides, or flows) and causes (e.g., effect of gravity [angle of repose], water content, earthquakes) of mass wasting [IP, PR, AI]
- F2.8
- analyse information from a plan view (e.g., topographic map, air photo, geologic map) and sectional view (e.g., cross section, block diagram) in order to deduce the geologic history of an area [AI]
- F3.1
- describe the types of boundaries (convergent, divergent, transform) between lithospheric plates, and explain the types of internal Earth processes occurring at each (e.g., subduction, divergence, convergence, hot spot activity, folding, faulting)
- F3.2
- describe the characteristics of the main types of seismic waves (i.e., P- and S-waves; R- and L-waves), and explain the different modes of travel, travel times, and types of motion asso- ciated with each
- F3.3
- compare qualitative and quantitative methods used to measure earthquake intensity and magni- tude (e.g., the Mercalli Scale, the Richter Scale)
- F3.4
- explain how different erosional processes contribute to changing landscapes (e.g., channel erosion, mass-wasting events)
- F3.5
- identify and describe types of sediment transport (e.g., water, wind, glacial) and the types of load (i.e., dissolved load, suspended load, bed load) as sediment is moved by each type of transport
- F3.6
- describe the landforms produced by water, wind, or ice erosion
- F3.7
- describe the sedimentary structures formed by wind, water, or ice deposition
- F3.8
- identify major areas of tectonic activity in the world by plotting the location of major recorded earthquakes and active volcanoes on a map, and distinguish the areas by type of tectonic activity (e.g., Japan – convergent boundary; Iceland – divergent boundary; California – transform boundary)
- F3.9
- explain the processes of continuous recycling of major rock types (i.e., the rock cycle) through- out Earth history
Key ideas
Technologies monitor and predict earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.
Key terms include shear and compression forces, liquefaction, Benioff zone, aquifer, internal plastic flow, basal slip, mid-oceanic ridge, isostasy, and lithification.
Evaluating them judges their accuracy and reliability.
Precise terms let you describe internal and surface processes.
Technologies (sonar, seismology, magnetometers) and endeavours (Lithoprobe, Geosat) reveal Earth's interior and surface.
Watch out for
- Assuming monitoring technology is perfectly accurate.
- Confusing shear with compression forces.
- Not distinguishing accuracy from reliability.
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?
Ontario has 6 science courses for Grade 12. Here they are side by side.
- Biology, Grade 12, University PreparationSBI4U6 units · 56 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversInvestigation Skills and Careers · Biochemistry · Metabolic Processes · Molecular Genetics · Homeostasis · Population Dynamics
- Chemistry, Grade 12, College PreparationSCH4C6 units · 70 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversInvestigation Skills and Careers · Matter and Qualitative Analysis · Organic Chemistry · Electrochemistry · Chemical Calculations · Chemistry in the Environment
- Chemistry, Grade 12, University PreparationSCH4U6 units · 72 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversInvestigation Skills and Careers · Organic Chemistry · Structure and Properties of Matter · Energy Changes and Rates of Reaction · Chemical Systems and Equilibrium · Electrochemistry
- Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University PreparationThis courseSES4U6 units · 88 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversInvestigation Skills and Careers · Astronomy (Science of the Universe) · Planetary Science (Science of the Solar System) · Recording Earth's Geological History · Earth Materials · Geological Processes
- Physics, Grade 12, College PreparationSPH4C6 units · 80 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversInvestigation Skills and Careers · Motion and Its Applications · Mechanical Systems · Electricity and Magnetism · Energy Transformations · Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems
- Physics, Grade 12, University PreparationSPH4U6 units · 60 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversInvestigation Skills and Careers · Dynamics · Energy and Momentum · Gravitational, Electric, and Magnetic Fields · The Wave Nature of Light · Revolutions in Modern Physics: Quantum Mechanics and Special Relativity
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 Ontario’s own curriculum for Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation.
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation 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 Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation 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
- 39
- Fillable fields
- 2,381
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Questions about Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation
What is Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation?
Ontario’s Grade 12 science course: 6 units and 88 skills, from Investigation Skills and Careers to Geological Processes.
What units are in Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation?
1. Investigation Skills and Careers, 2. Astronomy (Science of the Universe), 3. Planetary Science (Science of the Solar System), 4. Recording Earth's Geological History, 5. Earth Materials and 6. Geological Processes.
Is there a provincial exam for Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation?
No. Ontario gives no provincial exam for Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation.
Can MapleMind help with Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation, 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.