How to read this page
Nova Scotia publishes its curriculum as long official documents written for teachers. This page is the same content, translated for the fridge door: each subject below shows this year's units and the skills inside them. If a skill sounds unfamiliar, that's the point — now you know what to ask about at dinner.
Mathematics this year
Math builds in layers, and this year's layer matters — each unit below leans on the ones before it. In Nova Scotia, that's Mathematics 11 — 4 units, 26 skills.
Statistics
- Standard deviation and the normal curve
- Confidence levels and margin of error
- Critically analyzing statistical claims
Relations and Functions
- Graphing systems of linear inequalities
- Intercepts and roots of quadratics
See the full Mathematics 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Mathematics this year
Math builds in layers, and this year's layer matters — each unit below leans on the ones before it. In Nova Scotia, that's Pre-Calculus 11 — 3 units, 28 skills.
Algebra and Number
- Understanding absolute value
- Simplifying and converting radical expressions
- Solving radical equations
Trigonometry
- Sketching angles in standard position
- Trig ratios from a point on the terminal arm
- Radian measure and degree-radian conversion
Relations and Functions
- Common factors and quadratic trinomials
- Graphing absolute value functions
- Quadratic functions in vertex form
See the full Pre-Calculus 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Mathematics this year
Math builds in layers, and this year's layer matters — each unit below leans on the ones before it. In Nova Scotia, that's Mathematics at Work 11 — 5 units, 25 skills.
Measurement
- Estimating surface area
- Volume vs. capacity and referents
Geometry
- Sketching and identifying right triangles
- Reading dimensions from a scale
Number
- Building a personal budget
- Simple vs. compound interest
- Accounts and banking services
Algebra
- Manipulating and applying formulas
- Slope as rise over run
- Unit analysis
See the full Mathematics at Work 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
English Language Arts this year
Reading, writing, and speaking skills deepen this year — less "can they read it," more "what do they make of it." In Nova Scotia, that's English 11 — 3 units, 38 skills.
Speaking and Listening
- Asking perceptive and probing questions
- Interacting effectively in formal structured situations
Reading and Viewing
- Comparing and analyzing media and visual texts
- Acquiring and selecting information from varied sources
- Articulating what triggers personal responses
Writing and Other Ways of Representing
- Writing to explore and reflect on experiences and learning
- Creating a clear and coherent structure
- Applying strategies to construct complex texts
See the full English 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Science this year
Science gets more structured this year — real investigations, real explanations, real vocabulary. In Nova Scotia, that's Biology 11 — 4 units, 24 skills.
Biodiversity
- Classification systems and nomenclature
- Anatomy and physiology across kingdoms
Maintaining Dynamic Equilibrium I
- Nutrition, fitness, and homeostasis
- Investigating body systems
See the full Biology 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Science this year
Science gets more structured this year — real investigations, real explanations, real vocabulary. In Nova Scotia, that's Chemistry 11 — 3 units, 57 skills.
Stoichiometry
- Molar mass and mole-mass conversions
- Mole ratios from balanced equations
- Designing stoichiometric experiments
From Structures to Properties
- Integrating information from sources
- Formation of ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds
Organic Chemistry
- The uniqueness of carbon
- Classifying organic families
- Framing investigations of polymers
See the full Chemistry 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Science this year
Science gets more structured this year — real investigations, real explanations, real vocabulary. In Nova Scotia, that's Oceans 11 — 5 units, 28 skills.
See the full Oceans 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Science this year
Science gets more structured this year — real investigations, real explanations, real vocabulary. In Nova Scotia, that's Physics 11 — 4 units, 53 skills.
Dynamics
- Vectors for forces
- Designing a dynamics experiment
- Society and dynamics science
Momentum and Energy
- Conservation of momentum (1D)
- Mass, speed, and thermal energy
- Choosing conservation laws
See the full Physics 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Social Studies this year
Social studies widens the lens this year — history, geography, and how communities and governments work. In Nova Scotia, that's Canadian History 11 — 7 units, 31 skills.
Globalization
- Theories of the peopling of the Americas
- Relationships with France, Britain, and the USA
Development
- Economic systems of Aboriginal societies
- The free trade debate
Governance
- First Nations governing structures
- The evolution of federalism
Independent Study
- Conducting and communicating historical research
Sovereignty
- Sovereignty struggles around the world
- The emergence of Quebec nationalism
Justice
- Contributions to Canada's legal system
- Canada's immigration policies
See the full Canadian History 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Social Studies this year
Social studies widens the lens this year — history, geography, and how communities and governments work. In Nova Scotia, that's Mi'kmaw Studies 11 — 6 units, 21 skills.
Introductory
- Worldview and perspective in history and culture
- Mi'kmaw society before European contact
Independent Study
- Designing and conducting a Mi'kmaw research project
Governance
- Pre-contact territories and civilization
- Comparing pre- and post-contact governance
Culture
- Cultural bias and views of First Nations
- The continuing role of Mi'kmaw Elders
Spirituality
- Traditional Mi'kmaw spirituality
- The blend of Catholicism and Mi'kmaw spirituality
See the full Mi'kmaw Studies 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
French this year
French builds through listening, speaking, and simple reading — confidence first, grammar second. In Nova Scotia, that's Core French 11 — 2 units, 19 skills.
Communication
- Negotiating for understanding
- Developing descriptions and comparisons
- Choosing pertinent information
Linguistic Elements
- Using expressions that support interaction
- Refuting, rejecting, and contradicting to express an opinion
See the full Core French 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →
Three ways parents use this list
Common questions
What does my child learn in Grade 11 in Nova Scotia?
Nova Scotia's official curriculum sets out Mathematics, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, French for Grade 11 — 396 specific skills in total. The big themes: Mathematics covers geometry and logical reasoning; Mathematics covers algebra and number and trigonometry; Mathematics covers measurement and geometry. The full list is on this page.
Is this the official Nova Scotia curriculum?
It's built from Nova Scotia's official program of studies, reorganized into plain language — and each subject links to a course page that quotes the ministry's own wording and links to the government source, so you can check our work. One honest caveat: we're not the ministry, curricula do change, and we can't guarantee this reflects the very latest revision, so confirm anything important against the live provincial curriculum data.
My child is finding one of these skills hard. What can I do?
That's normal — every skill on this page is one most kids wobble on at first. MapleMind teaches any of them one-on-one: a short lesson in plain words, a worked example, then solving together. It's free to start, on any device, in 14 languages.
Keep exploring
Knowing the list is half the job
The other half is the teaching — and that's what MapleMind does. Pick any skill on this page and see it taught properly, free, in under a minute.
MapleMind isn't affiliated with any ministry of education. We build these guides from each province's official program of studies and refresh them from time to time — but curricula change, and we can't guarantee this page reflects the very latest revision. Always confirm against the live provincial curriculum data. Last updated 2026-08-15.
Social Studies this year
Social studies widens the lens this year — history, geography, and how communities and governments work. In Nova Scotia, that's African Canadian Studies 11 — 7 units, 46 skills.
Module 1: Evolution and Change
- Background knowledge about African heritage
- The meaning and elements of culture
+ 5 more skills in this unit →Module 2: Elements of the African Diaspora
- Locating ancient African civilizations
- Elements of pre-colonial African cultures
+ 2 more skills in this unit →Module 3A: Impact of Colonial Expansion
- Colonial systems causing slavery
- Displacement, migration, and forced migration
+ 4 more skills in this unit →Module 3B: Struggle for Identity
- The American Revolution and people of African descent
- The Civil War and its aftermath
+ 5 more skills in this unit →Module 4: Independent Study
- Developing an inquiry proposal
- Organizing research findings
+ 6 more skills in this unit →Module 5: In Pursuit of Justice
- Power, disenfranchisement, segregation, and racism
- Legal documents and the Canadian context
+ 3 more skills in this unit →Module 6: The Journey toward Empowerment
- The empowerment model and institutional change
- Contributions in social and educational institutions
- The evolution of Black families in Canada
+ 6 more skills in this unit →See the full African Canadian Studies 11 curriculum, with the ministry's own wording →