Hands-On Science and Technology for Ontario, Grade 6 An Inquiry Approach With STEM Skills and Connections New Edition, Updated & Revised By Jennifer E. LawsonContributions by Kellie Ierullo & Jennifer Manitowabi Series: Hands-On Science and Technology for Ontario Imprint: Portage & Main Press Categories: Education, Science & Technology, Elementary, Computers & Technology Show edition details Softcover, coil bound : 9781774920718, 359 pages, January 2026 Pre-Order Now Softcover, coil bound $145.00 Expected to ship: 2026-01-06 View Table of Contents Download Digital Resources Read Excerpt Share: Table of contents Introduction to Hands-On Science and Technology for Ontario, Grade 6 1 Introduction to Hands-On Science and Technology 2 Program Introduction 2 The Inquiry Approach to Science and Technology 2 21st Century Teaching and Learning 3 The Goals of the Science and Technology Program 3 Hands-On Science and Technology Strands and Expectations 4 Hands-On Science and Technology Fundamental Concepts and Big Ideas 4 Hands-On Science and Technology Program Principles 5 Infusing Indigenous Perspectives 5 Cultural Connections 7 Land-Based Learning 7 Technology 7 Sustainability 7 Program Implementation 8 Program Resources 8 Classroom Environment 11 Planning Units—Timelines 12 Classroom Management 12 Classroom Safety 12 Scientific Inquiry Skills: Guidelines for Teachers 12 Observing 12 Questioning 13 Exploring 13 Classifying 13 Measuring 14 Communicating, Analyzing, and Interpreting 14 Predicting 16 Inferring 17 Inquiry Through Investigation and Experiments 17 Inquiry Through Research 17 Online Considerations 18 Addressing Students’ Literacy Needs 18 Technological Problem Solving 19 Makerspace 19 The Hands-On Science and Technology Assessment Plan 22 Assessment for Learning 23 Assessment as Learning 23 Assessment of Learning 24 Performance Assessment 25 Portfolios 25 Evidence of Student Achievement Levels for Evaluation 26 Important Note to Teachers 26 References 27 Assessment Reproducibles 28 Achievement Chart for Science & Technology 43 Unit 1: Biodiversity 45 Introduction 46 Unit Overview 50 Curriculum Correlation 51 Resources for Students 52 1 What Do We Know About the Diversity of Living Things? 55 2 How Can We Show Classification Systems in Different Ways? 60 3 How Is the Animal Kingdom Organized? 65 4 How Can We Compare and Contrast Animals? 71. 5 What Can We Learn by Investigating an Arthropod Colony? 78 6 What Are Characteristics of Organisms in the Plant Kingdom? 84 7 How Do Living Things Adapt to Survive in Their Environment? 88 8 What Can We Learn About Organisms Through a Pond Study? 92 9 What Are Bacteria? 99 10 What Is a Fungus? 103 11 What Are Some Benefits and Issues Related to Biodiversity? 107 12 Inquiry Project: How Can I Use Technological Problem-Solving Skills to Explore the Diversity of Living Things? 112 Unit 2: Flight 115 Introduction 116 Unit Overview 119 Curriculum Correlation 120 Resources for Students 121 1 How Do Organisms and Other Objects Move Through Air? 124 2 What Are the Properties of Air? 130 3 What Are the Features of Lighter-Than-Air Flying Devices? 138 4 What Is Bernoulli’s Principle? 144 5 How Is Bernoulli’s Principle Used in the Design of Airplane Wings? 150 6 What Are the Forces Affecting Flight? 155 7 How Are Unbalanced Forces Used to Steer Flying Devices? 163 8 How Is Pneumatic Power Used in Flight? 169 9 How Can We Design and Construct Model Aircraft to Meet Certain Criteria? 173 10 Inquiry Project: What Is the Environmental Impact of Aviation Technology? 177 Unit 3: Electricity and Electrical Devices 181 Introduction 182 Unit Overview 185 Curriculum Correlation 186 Resources for Students 187 1 What Do We Know About Electricity? 190 2 What Is Static Electricity? 194 3 What Is Current Electricity? 201 4 How Do We Get Electricity From Chemical Sources? 205 5 How Do Electric Circuits Work? 211 6 What Are Electrical Conductors and Insulators? 215 7 How Do Electrical Switches Work? 219 8 What Do We Know About Parallel and Series Circuits? 222 9 How Can We Design and Construct an Electrical Device to Perform a Useful Function? 228 10 How Can We Construct an Electromagnet? 231 11 How Do Motors and Generators Transform Energy? 235 12 What Is the Environmental Impact of Using Electricity? 241 13 How Can We Reduce the Environmental Impact of Using Electricity? 247 14 Inquiry Project: What More Do I Want to Know About Electricity? 253 Unit 4: Space 257 Introduction 258 Unit Overview 262 Curriculum Correlation 263 Resources for Students 264 1 What Do We Know About Space? 268 2 What Are the Features of Our Solar System? 272 3 What Are the Characteristics of the Planets in Our Solar System? 277 4 What Are the Characteristics of the Sun? 283 5 Why Do We Have a Day/Night Cycle? 287 6 Why Do We Have a Year Cycle? 291 7 How Can We Use the Sun to Tell Time? 295 8 What Is the Surface of the Moon Like? 299 9 What Are Gravity, Mass, and Weight? 303 10 What Are the Phases of the Moon? 308 11 What Is a Lunar Eclipse? 312 12 What Are Constellations? 315 13 What Can We Learn About Space Exploration? 319 14 How Have Canadians Contributed to Space Science and Technology? 323 15 How Has Space Exploration Contributed to Daily Life on Earth? 327 16 What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration? 331 17 Inquiry Project: What More Do I Want to Know About Space? 335 References 339 Appendix: Image Banks 341About the Contributors 352 Related Media Teach coding with confidence in grade 6 using lesson plans custom-written for Ontario's science and technology (2022) curriculum. Description Hands-On Science and Technology for Ontario, Grade 6 is an easy-to-use resource for teaching the five strands of the Ontario science and technology (2022) curriculum: STEM Skills and Connections Life Systems: Biodiversity Matter and Energy: Electricity and Electrical Devices Structures and Mechanisms: Flight Earth and Space Systems: Space Hands-On Science and Technology for Ontario, Grade 6 encourages students’ natural curiosity about science and the world around them as they participate in hands-on activities and explore their environment. Using the inquiry approach, this comprehensive resource fosters students’ understanding of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills makes coding and emerging technologies approachable for both teachers and students emphasizes personalized learning using a four-part instructional process: activate, action, consolidate and debrief, enhance relates science and technology to sustainability and our changing world, including society, the economy, and the environment focuses on practical applications of the engineering design process as students work on solutions to real-life problems builds understanding of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives specific to Ontario explores contributions to science and technology by people with diverse lived experiences Using proven Hands-On features, this book provides resources for both teachers and students including background information on the science topics; complete, easy-to-follow lesson plans; materials lists; and digital image banks and reproducibles (find download instructions in the Appendix of the book). Innovative elements developed specifically for the Ontario curriculum include the following: plugged and unplugged coding activities in nearly every lesson land-based learning activities opportunities for students to use guided research, hands-on inquiry, and the engineering design process a fully developed assessment plan to guide assessment for, as, and of learning ideas and prompts for STEM Makerspace projects