6th grade SC.6.E.7.4: Differentiate and show interactions among the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. (Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning) Research how the spheres of the Earth interact with each other and create a presentation that illustrates these interactions. Create a model that differentiates and explains interactions among the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Create a graphic organizer that recognizes the relationships among Earth’s spheres (What happens in each sphere that affects or influences weather and climate?). SC.6.E.7.5: Explain how energy provided by the sun influences global patterns of atmospheric movement and the temperature differences between air, water, and land. (Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning) Design and build a model to observe convection currents in the atmosphere and hydrosphere Design and perform an experiment that compares the rate of heat loss of different substances (sand, water, soil, rock, cement, etc.) and apply it to the earth system Create a graphic organizer that relates how energy provided by the Sun influences global patterns of atmospheric movement and temperature differences between air, water, and land. SC.6.P.13.1Investigate and describe types of forces including contact forces and forces acting at a distance, such as electrical, magnetic, and gravitational. (Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts) Design and explain demonstrations that show the effect of electrical, magnetic and gravitational forces Explore how friction on various surfaces affects the pulling of a block or a ball rolling. Compare and contrast contact forces and forces acting at a distance and provide examples for each.
SC.6.P.13.3Investigate and describe that an unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed, or direction of motion, or both. Design and perform an experiment that demonstrates how an unbalanced force acts on the motion of an object Interpret how balanced and unbalanced forces affect the tugging on a rope Using a force diagram, explain how two people pushing on opposite sides of a box with unbalanced amounts of force differ from two people pushing on opposite sides of a box with equal force. SC.6.L.14.1: Describe and identify patterns in the hierarchical organization of organisms from atoms to molecules and cells to tissues to organs to organ systems to organisms.(Level 1: Recall) Using different organisms, develop models of hierarchical organization from atoms to organisms and compare and contrast these models. Illustrate the hierarchical relationships of atoms to molecules and cells to tissues to organs to organ systems to organisms and explain interrelationships. Create a graphic organizer on the levels of organization including the terms: atom, molecule, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, and organism SC.6.L.14.2: Investigate and explain the components of the scientific theory of cells (cell theory): all organisms are composed of cells or multi-cellular), all cells come from pre-existing cells, and cells are the basic unit of life. (Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts) Student can successfully create a foldable where each of the components of the cell theory is listed and at least one reason of their importance is given. Research Redi’s Experiment and relate his findings to the cell theory. Create a graphic organizer that illustrates each component of the cell theory.
7th grade SC.7.E.6.2: Identify the patterns within the rock cycle and relate them to surface events (weathering and erosion) and sub-surface events (plate tectonics and mountain building). (Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning) Investigate the processes that rocks go through to become igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary and relate to surface and subsurface events and landform formations. Use information to create a presentation such as a Power Point. Create a diagram of processes large rocks and sediments go through to become different types of rocks and relate to surface and subsurface events and landform formations. Create a model of the rock cycle that identifies patterns and their effect on surface and subsurface events and landform formation. SC.7.E.6.4: Explain and give examples of how physical evidence supports scientific theories that Earth has evolved over geologic time due to natural processes. (Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning) Create a diagram of multiple rocks layers that illustrates physical evidence such as fault, extrusion, intrusion and index fossils and explain how the evidence supports scientific theories that Earth has evolved over time. Evaluate layers of rock and determine how rock layers have changed over time. Interpret a diagram of rock layers and identify examples of physical evidence that supports the statement that Earth has evolved over geologic time due to natural processes.
SC.7.E.6.5: Explore the scientific theory of plate tectonics by describing how the movement of Earth's crustal plates causes both slow and rapid changes in Earth's surface, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and mountain building. (Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts) Research the movement of Earth’s plates at convergent, divergent and transform boundaries and relate that movement to surface and subsurface structures and geologic events. Create an interactive model of the movement of Earth’s plates that illustrates the structures that result from the movement of the plates. Create a booklet that illustrates the type of plate boundary and the structures and geologic events that are associated with the movement of the plates at a specific type of plate boundary. SC.7.P.10.1: Illustrate that the sun's energy arrives as radiation with a wide range of wavelengths, including infrared, visible, and ultraviolet, and that white light is made up of a spectrum of many different colors. (Level 1: Recall) Analyze the types of electromagnetic waves, their wavelengths and frequencies as they transport energy from the Sun to Earth Using a graphic organizer, compare and contrast the wavelengths and other characteristics of the different types of radiation that comes from the Sun’s energy. Create a foldable that describes each type of radiation that is found in energy from the sun. SC.7.P.10.3Recognize that light waves, sound waves, and other waves move at different speeds in different materials. (Level 1: Recall) Design an experiment to quantify the effect of various media on the speed of waves and predict results using an understanding of the relationship between wave speed and media. Create a diagram that displays the changes in speed of waves as each type of wave travels through different media. Describe how the electromagnetic waves, sound waves, and other waves travel at different speeds in different media using everyday examples.
SC.8.E.5.3: Distinguish the hierarchical relationships between planets and other astronomical bodies relative to solar system, galaxy, and universe, including distance, size, and composition. (Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning) Use a scale model of the universe to develop a plan for space travel including specific limitations of space travel. (Scaleoftheuniverse.com) Create a scale model of the solar system and relate the scale to galaxies and the university. Use a graphic organizer to distinguish astronomical bodies in the universe based on relative distance, relative size, and general composition SC.8.E.5.5: Describe and classify specific physical properties of stars: apparent magnitude (brightness), temperature (color), size, and luminosity (absolute brightness).(Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts) Analyze the pictorial display of data of the HR diagram to compare patterns of similarities of physical properties of stars. Use mathematical representations (data) of physical properties of stars and plot the data to develop an HR diagram. Use a visual HR model to identify the physical properties of different stars: apparent magnitude, temperature (color), size, and absolute brightness. SC.8.E.5.7: Compare and contrast the properties of objects in the Solar System including the Sun, planets, and moons to those of Earth, such as gravitational force, distance from the Sun, speed, movement, temperature, and atmospheric conditions. (Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts) Based on characteristics of objects in the Solar System such as gravitational force, distance from the Sun, speed, movement, temperature, and atmospheric conditions, explain why other astronomical bodies cannot support life. Develop and use a model to compare and contrast the characteristics of objects in the Solar System such as gravitational force, distance from the Sun, speed, movement, temperature, and atmospheric conditions. Develop a model of the Solar System and use the model to describe the differences in temperature, size, gravitational pull, distances, and atmospheric compositions of objects in the solar system.
SC.8.E.5.9: Explain the impact of objects in space on each other including: 1. the Sun on the Earth including seasons and gravitational attraction and 2. The Moon on the Earth, including phases, tides, and eclipses, and the relative position of each body. (Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning) Analyze how relative positions of and corresponding tides affect extreme weather events. Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons. Use the model to explain the role of gravity in the motions of the Earth-sun-moon system. Use a model of the system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons. Use the model to describe the role of gravity in the motions of the system. SC.8.P.8.4: Classify and compare substances on the basis of characteristic physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured; for example, density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points, and know that these properties are independent of the amount of the sample. (Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts) Use various physical properties to separate a mixture into separate parts. Explain how physical properties help isolate/remove each part of the mixture. Discuss how the separation would work in a larger or smaller size/volume of the mixture. Describe density and/or calculate and compare the densities of various materials using the materials’ masses and volumes. (may require use of the density formula to calculate density, mass, or volume when comparing substances) Classify and compare the density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points of several common substances that you encounter in your everyday life, ex. gold, silver, aluminum, glass, plastic, water, oil)
SC.8.P.8.5: Recognize that there are a finite number of elements and that their atoms combine in a multitude of ways to produce compounds that make up all of the living and nonliving things that we encounter. (Level 1: Recall) Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures. (Examples of molecular-level models could include drawings, 3D ball and stick structures, or computer representations showing different molecules with different types of atoms, such as a protein) Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures. (Examples of extended structures could include sodium chloride or diamonds) Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures. (Emphasis is on developing models of molecules that vary in complexity. Examples of simple molecules could include water, ammonia and methanol) SC.8.P.9.2: Differentiate between physical changes and chemical changes. (Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts) Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. (Examples of reactions could include burning sugar or steel wool, fat reacting with sodium hydroxide, and mixing zinc with HCl) Determine if a chemical reaction has occurred using the indicators that signify a chemical change or a physical change. Investigate chemical changes and describe indicators that signify a chemical change has taken place. Classify changes in matter as chemical or physical change.