SNC1W – Grade 9 Science Online Course (Ontario)

SNC1W is the compulsory Grade 9 de-streamed science course in Ontario, covering biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and space science, along with STEM, coding, and engineering-design skills. It replaced the old academic (SNC1D) and applied (SNC1P) courses, so every Grade 9 student now takes the same science course and keeps all Grade 10 options open.

SNC1W is approachable for most students because it introduces four science areas at a foundational level rather than going deep into any one. The chemistry and physics units can feel new, so steady pacing helps. At OES, free 24/7 tutoring and certified science teachers are available on demand whenever a concept needs extra explanation.

SNC1W labs are completed through virtual labs, online simulations, and simple at-home investigations using everyday materials — no physical school lab is required. These interactive activities let you observe reactions, test variables, and record results safely from home while meeting the same Ontario curriculum expectations as a classroom course. [OES: confirm your exact lab/simulation toolset.]

SNC1W covers four strands: biology (ecosystems and sustainability), chemistry (matter and the properties of substances), physics (electricity and energy), and Earth and space science (the solar system and space exploration). Throughout, students build STEM, coding, and engineering-design skills and connect science to real-world and environmental issues.

SNC1W is the single de-streamed Grade 9 science course that replaced the separate academic (SNC1D) and applied (SNC1P) courses. Every Grade 9 student now takes SNC1W and follows the same curriculum, which keeps both Grade 10 science pathways open instead of locking in a stream in Grade 9.

SNC1W is the prerequisite for both Grade 10 science courses. Choose SNC2D (Academic) if you may take senior biology, chemistry, or physics for university, or SNC2P (Applied) for a college-focused pathway. Both require only SNC1W, so your goals and Grade 9 experience guide the decision.

Yes. Students use SNC1W at OES to lighten a heavy semester, recover a missed credit, or get ahead over a break or the summer. It’s self-paced and open year-round — finish in as little as 4 weeks or spread the work over up to 12 months around your other commitments.

Yes. Ontario students who started Grade 9 in the 2020–21 school year or later must earn at least two online learning credits to graduate, and SNC1W at OES — a Ministry-inspected online school (BSID #667186) — counts toward that requirement. An opt-out process exists through school boards, and specific provisions apply to students affected by the 2021 school closures.

SNC1W meets the Ministry of Education’s attendance and participation expectations through activities blended directly into the course. OES requires students to log in at least once per week for attendance, and participation activities appear throughout the course and are reflected in the grade book — preserving self-paced flexibility while satisfying the requirements for online courses.

Yes — science is one of Ontario’s STEM-related course groups (business studies, computer studies, cooperative education, mathematics, science, and technological education), from which students entering Grade 9 in 2024 or later must complete one credit. For math and science, the credit counts when earned in addition to your compulsory math and science credits, so SNC1W can double as your STEM-group credit.

Ontario’s Growing Success policy pre-determines the evaluation structure for every credit. Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, SNC1W is graded on classroom work completed throughout the course (65%) plus a Ministry-mandated final evaluation worth 20% for Grades 9–10, with attendance and participation also reflected in the final grade. A credit is granted at 50% or higher — and as an inspected private school, OES may administer final evaluations online, while school-board online courses generally require in-person exam sittings.