Grade 6-8 Science Courses

  • Grade 6 Science

     

    Unit

    Topics

    3-Day Cycles*

    1

    Physical Science Introduction:

    • Lab safety, equipment, science practices, Claims, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) introduction

    • Density

    • Matter

    • Elements, minerals, rocks

    • Heat Transfer, conduction, convection, radiation

    6

    2

    Earth Systems:

    • Earth’s interior

    • Rock cycle

    • Earth’s surface processes; Weathering, deposition, erosion

    • Plate tectonics, continental drift, continental shapes, sea floor structures, fossil records (what are fossils, how are they made)

    • Weathering, erosion, deposition

    • Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis

    • Geologic time

    • Distribution of Earth’s resources (mineral, energy, groundwater)

    • Effect of human population and resource consumption, Monitoring and minimizing human impact (Note: Will move to unit 1 in the future)

    • Monitoring and minimizing human impact (global challenge)

    10

    3

    Weather & Climate:

    • Water cycle

    • Climates

    • Weather, currents, severe weather

    • Global warming

    4

    4

    Astronomy:

    • Lunar phases

    • Seasons

    • Eclipses

    • Planetary Motion

    • Scale of plantery objects

    4

    Grade 7 Science

    Grade 7 focuses on Life Science topics. An outline of course topics is as follows:

    SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

    Unit/Topic/Skill

    Suggested Time Frame

    Notes

    Unit 1: The Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry

    MP1: 2 cycles

    • The Nature of Science

    • Observation v. Inference

    • Lab Safety. 

    • Includes time for beginning-of-year activities [e.g., classroom rules, get-to-know-you activities, notebook set-up, etc.]

    Unit 2: Scientific Argumentation

    MP1: 1 cycle

    Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER)

    Unit 3: From Molecules to Organisms Part A

    MP1: 2 cycles

    • Characteristics of Life

    • Use of the Microscope

    Unit 4: From Molecules to Organisms Part B

    MP1: 2 cycles

    • Biomolecules

    • Cell Structure and Function

    • Cell Models and Analogies

    Unit 5 From Molecules to Organisms Part C

    MP2: 2 cycles

    Cell Transport, including an engineering design activity

    Unit 6: Organization for Matter & Energy Flow in Organisms

    MP2: 2 cycles

    • Photosynthesis

    • Cellular Respiration

    Unit 7: Growth, Development, Reproduction of Organisms

    MP2: 2 cycles

    • Asexual and sexual reproduction

    • Factors affecting reproductive success

    Unit 8: Inheritance & Variation of Traits Part A

    MP3: 2 cycles

    • DNA

    • Traits

    • Mutations and their effects on proteins

    • Human Genetics Disorder Project

    Unit 9: Inheritance & Variation of Traits Part B

    MP3: 2 cycles

    • Genetics Traits

    • Heredity

    • Punnett Squares

    • Human Genetics Disorder Project

    Unit 10: Body Systems

    MP3: 2 cycles

    • Levels of Organization of Life

    • Body systems, with emphasis on the Digestive and Nervous Systems

    Unit 11: Matter & Energy in Organisms & Ecosystems, Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

    MP4: 2 cycles

    • Biotic and Abiotic Factors

    • Food Chains & Webs

    • Limiting and other factors that affect the health of an ecosystem

    Unit 12: Evidence of Common Ancestry

    MP4: 2 cycles

    • Fossil Record

    • Patterns in anatomical structures

    • Similarities in embryonic development

    • DNA evidence

    Unit 13: Adaptation and Natural Selection

    MP4: 2 cycles

    • Theory of evolution by natural selection

    • Artificial selection
     

    Grade 8 Science

    Grade 8 focuses on Physical Science, which includes an introduction to both physics and chemistry. An outline of course topics is as follows:

    Unit

    Topics

    3-Day Cycles*

    1

    Lab Safety & Science Practices:
    Lab safety and equipment, Claims, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) introduction

    3

    2

    Part A: Forces & Motion:
    Describing motion, balanced and unbalanced forces, Newton’s Laws of Motion

    4
     

    Part B: Types of interactions:
    Gravitational, electric & magnetic forces, electric & magnetic fields

    2

    3

    Part A: Structure & Properties of Matter:
    Atoms, physical properties and changes of matter, pure substances & mixtures, synthetic materials and polymers

    3
     

    Part B: Interactions of Matter:
    Molecules, chemical properties & changes, signs of a chemical change, Law of Conservation of Mass

    2

    4

    Part A: The Energy of Chemical Processes (Thermochemistry)
    States of matter & phase changes, temperature & particle motion, endothermic and exothermic reactions, thermal & kinetic energy, transfer of thermal energy (conduction, convection, radiation)

    4
     

    Part B: The Energy of Physical Processes (Types of Energy):
    Kinetic and potential energy, conservation of energy

    3

    5

    Part A: Mechanical Waves:
    Wave properties & behavior, sound waves

    2
     

    Part B: Electromagnetic Waves:
    Light waves, colors, waves for communication

    2