Water supply, purification, treatment, and conservation are introduced. Students construct waterwheels to demonstrate that the power of falling water can be harnessed to do work. Motion and Design Students explore the physics of matter and apply these concepts to technological design. They investigate the effects of friction, gravity, kinetic and potential energy as it relates to the motion of various vehicles they construct. They also cover cost analysis as it relates to product performance.
Students assemble models of mountains and create topographic maps.
Variables Students engage in scientific inquiry. They observe and compare the outcomes of experiments, identify relationships between independent and dependent variables, graph relationships, and make predictions using the results of their experiments. Mixtures and Solutions Students investigate basic concepts of chemistry - properties of mixtures and solutions, dissolving a solid in a solvent, concentration and saturation of a solution, evidence of chemical reaction, evaporation, and crystal formation. Students gain experience with laboratory tools and techniques. Environments Students gain experience with living and nonliving environmental factors in terrestrial and aquatic systems.