This indicator provides a narrative assessment of the integration of biodiversity into Ontario’s elementary and secondary curricula.

Status:

• Ontario’s curriculum is updated regularly to reflect new concepts, theories, and relevant environmental and societal issues. For example, in 2022, the Ministry of Education implemented a revised Science and Technology, Grades 1-8 curriculum. This revised curriculum includes learning expectations related to environmental education, such as understanding how climate change contributes to biodiversity loss and its consequences, recognizing the importance of biodiversity in supporting agriculture, and exploring the impacts of harvesting food from natural environments along with strategies to maintain or restore ecosystems.
• Biodiversity has been integrated into elementary and secondary school curricula and opportunities to learn about biodiversity have increased in revised curriculum. Since 2019, elementary curriculum, including Science and Technology, Social Studies, History and Geography, and Health and Physical Education have been revised and include opportunities to learn about biodiversity. In secondary schools, students have opportunities to learn about biodiversity in the mandatory Gr. 9 Geography and Gr. 9-10 Science courses. Other opportunities to learn about biodiversity exist in optional Gr. 9-12 Canadian World Studies, Science, Computer Studies, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies, Technological Education, Health and Physical Education, and Social Sciences and Humanities courses.
• The Ministry of Education continues to include environmental education as part of the considerations for curriculum revision, resulting in an increased focus on environmental issues such as biodiversity and related issues including habitat loss, invasive and endangered species, climate change, sustainability, and ecosystems.

Biodiversity in elementary (1-8) and secondary (9-12) curriculum:

• In Social Studies, Grades 1-6; History and Geography, Grades 7 and 8, students learn about the human-created and natural world and gradually delve into impacts of human activities on the natural world. As students mature, they learn about how they can make choices that minimize the negative impacts of their actions, and they learn how environmental stewardship can take place at the personal, national and international level. In this curriculum, concepts and issues such as respect for natural systems, land use, pollution, habitat loss, resource extraction/harvesting and use, and action plans to reduce environmental impacts are introduced and students’ learning deepens and expands as they progress through the grades.
• In Science, Grades 1-8, the curriculum includes a strand on Life Systems where students begin learning about the needs and characteristics of living things and progress to learning about habitats and communities, and interactions in the environment. In Grade 6, biodiversity is the focus of the Life Systems strand. In this strand students learn to:
  Assess the importance of biodiversity, and describe ways of protecting biodiversity; and
  Demonstrate an understanding of biodiversity, its contributions to the stability of natural systems, and its benefits to humans.

In Health and Physical Education, Grades 1-8, and Grades 9-12, students learn to:

• • Respect and appreciate the environment including the value of fresh air and outdoor spaces;
  • Understand the environmental benefits of healthy practices such as active transportation and the environmental implications of various food choices, being aware of the impact of using trails, and understanding the health risks associated with environmental factors such as sun exposure and air pollution; and
  • Become environmentally responsible citizens by making connections between themselves and the world around them.

In Grade 9 Science, the biology strand focuses on sustainable ecosystems and human activity. Students learn to:

• • assess impacts of climate change on ecosystem sustainability and on various communities, and describe ways to mitigate these impacts;
  • demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic and interconnected nature of ecosystems, including how matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems.

Canadian and World Studies, Grades 9-12 contains curricula for Gr. 9 Geography, Gr. 10 History and Gr. 10 Civics and Citizenship. These courses are a mandatory component of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. In these courses, students develop the skills they need to solve problems and communicate ideas and decisions about significant developments, events, and issues. Biodiversity and related issues such as pollution, climate change, impacts of consumption, land use and issues of civic importance such as environmental responsibility are explored extensively. There continues to be learning opportunities in the optional Gr 11 – 12 courses found within this curriculum.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies, Grades 9-12 encourages students to engage in learning related to land and the environment. For example, students learn to:

• • Explore various ways in which Indigenous artists analyse the relationship between humanity and the natural environment and reclaim a personal connection to the land through their art;
  • Investigate how First Nations communities put the principles of environmental sustainability and stewardship into practice, and make connections between environmental protection and responsible use of the natural environment; and
  • Analyse various perspectives on the role of humanity within the natural world, as expressed in oral, written, media, and cultural text forms.

In Grades 11-12, Computer Studies courses teach students environmental stewardship and sustainability. Students are given the opportunity to explore the safe handling and disposal of computers, materials and substances and engage in developing and implementing strategies to reduce, reuse, and recycle computers, their products and associated technologies. The Grade 10 Digital Technology and Innovations in the Changing World course provides opportunities for students to examine the use of computer modelling and simulations to help address climate change.

In Social Sciences and Humanities, students in Grades 10-12 come to understand the environmental impact of their choices and those of the broader society with respect to the use or overuse of resources including clothing, food, housing, etc. In the General Social Sciences and Equity Studies suite of courses students can examine the impact of climate change on individuals and diverse groups and communities. Finally, in World Religions courses, students explore the ways in which environmental stewardship and responsible environmental practices are woven into the tenets of a number of religions and belief traditions.

In Technological Education, students in Grades 9-12 develop an understanding of the fundamental technological concepts, one of which is environmental sustainability. The new Grades 9 and 10 Technological Education curriculum, issued in May 2024, includes two new courses: Technology and the Skilled Trades, Grade 9, Open (TAS1O) and Technology and the Skilled Trades, Grade 10, Open (TAS2O). In these courses, students learn to:

• • assess local and global impacts of various technological innovations on the environment
  • analyze how the development and application of technologies are impacted by environmental considerations

Along with a new Grade 9 and 10 Technological Education curriculum, the Ontario government is implementing a new Technological Education high school graduation requirement. Starting with students entering Grade 9 in the 2024-25 school year, all students will be required to earn a Grade 9 or 10 Technological Education credit as part of their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. This graduation requirement will expose Ontario’s students to at least one Technological Education course. As part of the new graduation requirement, students may choose to take a broad-based technology focused course on Green Industries (if offered by their school) where they may be further exposed to learning on biodiversity.