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MRS. PATTIE'S SCIENCE PAGE
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Wednesday, December
17th
HOMEWORK
 | QUIZ---Over Forces and Motions---Friday,
December 19th. Please notice the date change due to the snow day. |
| FYI--Each student has been given a
paperback book called "Forces and Machines". Students need
to understand pgs. F6, F14-16, F18-F21, and F24-F29. |
Website to explore: http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/mmedia/newtlaws/cci.html
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OUR
CURRENT UNIT OF STUDY:
FORCES
AND MOTION---SEE HIGHLIGHTED SECTION BELOW.
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SIXTH
GRADE SCIENCE
PROGRAM OF STUDIES
The
science program in grade six incorporates opportunities for students to work and
think like scientists as they apply abilities needed for scientific inquiry.
These abilities include: (1) identifying questions that can be answered through
scientific investigations, (2) designing and conducting scientific
investigations, (3) using appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze
and interpret data, (4) developing descriptions, explanations, predictions and
models using evidence, (5) thinking critically and logically to uncover the
relationships between evidence and explanations, (6) recognizing and analyzing
alternative explanations and predictions, (7) communicating scientific
procedures and explanations.
Students
should have opportunities to work individually and in groups of varying size and
composition in order to conduct investigations, process information and
discuss/debate important scientific concepts. Students must have regular
opportunities to share their ideas with others and to test questions they
generate as a result of their learning experiences.
In
our technologically advanced society, information gathering must extend beyond
the classroom walls and must involve a variety of credible sources. Scientists
also place a high value on accurate record keeping and open communication of
findings. The science classroom should mirror this by emphasizing multiple,
varied and consistent methods of documenting and communicating learning.
The
scientific content standards at the sixth grade level are directly aligned with
Kentucky
's
Academic Expectations. Science standards are organized around seven
“Big Ideas” that are important to the discipline of science. These big ideas
are: Structure and Transformation of Matter, Motion and Forces, The Earth and
the Universe, Unity and Diversity, Biological Change, Energy Transformations and
Interdependence. The Big Ideas are conceptual organizers for science and are the
same at each grade level. This ensures students have multiple opportunities
throughout their school careers to develop skills and concepts linked to the Big
Ideas.
Under
each Big Idea are statements of Enduring Knowledge/Understandings that represent
overarching generalizations linked to the Big Ideas of science. The
understandings represent the desired results - what learning will focus upon and
what knowledge students will be able to explain or apply. Understandings can be
used to frame development of units of study and lesson plans.
Skills
and concepts describe ways that students demonstrate their learning and are
specific to each grade level. The skills and concepts for science are
fundamental to scientific literacy, scientific inquiry and build on prior
learning.
Effectively
implementing the Program of Studies requires a common understanding of some of
the terms referenced throughout this document. These terms include:
Investigate/Explore-
compile a variety of information through hands-on experiences (utilizing process
skills such as measuring, observing, questioning, classifying, predicting and
inferring) and/or consult a variety of print and non-print media in order to
formulate conclusions and/or gather evidence/data.
Experiment/Test-
conduct a scientifically valid and controlled investigation, collecting and
analyzing data. Use findings and conclusions to form logical explanations and
openly share.
Research-
consult of a variety of credible sources of information to gain knowledge,
answer questions and support conclusions
and
explanations.
Model-
represent a phenomenon or concept. Models are often conceptual in nature, and
the term ‘model’ does not always imply a physical product.
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Big
Idea: Structure and Transformation of Matter (Physical Science)
A
basic understanding of matter is essential to the conceptual development
of other big ideas in science. During the middle years, physical and
chemical changes in matter are observed, and students begin to relate
these changes to the smaller constituents of matter—namely, atoms and
molecules. The use of models (and an understanding of their scales and
limitations) is an effective means of learning about the structure of
matter. Looking for patterns in properties is also critical to comparing
and explaining differences in matter.
Academic
Expectations
2.1
Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use
those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.2
Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and
trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future
events.
2.4
Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain
the organization and functioning of living and nonliving things and
predict other characteristics that might be observed.
2.5
Students understand that under certain conditions nature tends to
remain the same or move toward a balance.
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Grade
6 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students
will understand that
·
all matter is composed of
parts that are too small to be seen without magnification.
·
no matter how substances
within a closed system interact with one another, or how they combine or
break apart, the total weight of the system remains the same.
·
chemical changes result in the
formation of a substance that has different properties than the original
substance.
·
not all substances that are
mixed together will chemically combine. Because of this, physical
properties can be used to separate mixtures.
·
new ideas in science sometimes
spring from unexpected findings, and they usually lead to new
investigations.
Grade
6 Skills and Concepts
Students
will
·
use hand lenses and
microscopes to investigate substances composed of particles too small to
be seen without magnification
·
use observations and evidence
to describe and verify chemical changes in matter
·
classify changes in substances
as physical or chemical changes
·
distinguish between mixtures
and compounds
·
explain how or why mixtures
can be separated using physical properties, and investigate strategies for
separating mixtures
·
explore the feasibility of
various procedures for separating mixtures, taking into account
constraints such as availability and properties of materials, safety,
economic and ethical issues
·
investigate how important
scientific advances have resulted from unexpected observations or
experimental results
·
plan, present and support
information from investigations using a variety of modes
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Big
Idea: Motion and Forces (Physical Science)
Whether
observing airplanes, baseballs, planets, or people, the motion of all
bodies is governed by the same basic rules. At the middle level,
qualitative descriptions of the relationship between forces and motion
will provide the foundation for quantitative applications of
Newton
’s Laws.
Academic
Expectations
2.1
Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use
those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.2
Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and
trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future
events.
2.3
Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components
work together or affect each other.
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Grade
6 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students
will understand that
·
friction is a force that turns
the energy of motion into heat, causing moving objects to eventually slow
or stop unless additional force (energy) is added.
·
when any force acts on an
object, the change in speed or direction depends on the size and direction
of the force.
·
mechanical systems must be
designed to take forces such as friction into account. Friction and/or the
heat produced by it can have significant effects on the system.
Grade
6 Skills and Concepts
Students
will
·
use observations and
appropriate tools (e.g., timer, meter stick, balance, spring scale) to
document the position and motion of objects
·
use graphical and
observational data to make inferences, predictions and draw conclusions
about the motion of an object as related to the mass or force involved
·
observe real-life phenomena to
discover the effects of friction on moving objects and mechanical systems
·
represent the motion of
objects and their response to unbalanced forces in a variety of ways
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Big
Idea: The Earth and the Universe (Earth/Space Science)
The
Earth system is in a constant state of change. These changes affect life
on Earth in many ways. Development of conceptual understandings about
processes that shape the Earth begin at the elementary level with
understanding what Earth materials are and that change occurs. At the
middle level, students investigate how these changes occur. An
understanding of systems and their interacting components will enable
students to evaluate supporting theories of Earth changes. The use of
models and observance of patterns to explain common phenomena is essential
to building a conceptual foundation and supporting ideas with evidence at
all levels. In middle school, students begin to look beyond what can be
directly observed as they explore the Earth-sun-moon system, as well as
the rest of our solar system, employing the concept of scale within their
models. Patterns play an important role as students seek to develop a
conceptual understanding of gravity in their world and in the universe.
Academic
Expectations
2.1
Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use
those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.2
Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and
trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future
events.
2.3
Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components
work together or affect each other.
2.5
Students understand that under certain conditions nature tends to
remain the same or move toward a balance.
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Grade
6 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students
will understand that
·
regular and predictable
movements of the sun, moon and Earth are responsible for many observed
phenomena on Earth, (e.g. day/night, year, moon phases, eclipses). The
regular patterns of these phenomena can be predicted using data or models.
·
the total amount of material
that makes the solid Earth is relatively constant (excluding impacts),
even though rocks and minerals often change properties through a variety
of processes that transform them (rock cycle).
·
the Earth’s surface is not
uniform due to a number of constructive and destructive forces that
constantly reshape it. The past effects of these processes can be
inferred, and the data these inferences are based upon can also be used to
predict future changes.
·
complex systems like the Earth
or solar system are difficult to comprehend or explain without depending
on averages and ranges of data. Technology is essential for helping to
collect and analyze this data.
Grade
6 Skills and Concepts
Students
will
·
use observations, models and
evidence to explain the cause and effect relationships in the rock cycle
and to make predictions about constantly changing Earth materials
·
investigate, create and
identify the limitations of models which can be used to substantiate and
predict the actual results (e.g. moon phases, seasons, eclipses) of the
interactions of the sun, moon and Earth
·
investigate constructive and
destructive forces at work on the Earth’s surface and the landforms that
result from them
·
research how scientists
organize data from complex systems and also how technology
enables/enhances scientific research and data analysis
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Big
Idea: Unity and Diversity (Biological Science)
All matter is comprised of the same basic elements, goes
through the same kinds of energy transformations, and uses the same kinds
of forces to move. Living organisms are no exception. In middle school,
students begin to compare, contrast, and classify the microscopic features
of organisms—the cells, as well as investigate reproduction as the
essential process to the continuation of all species. Expected patterns of
genetic traits are predicted. Distinctions are made between learned
behaviors and inherited traits. Emphasis at every level should be placed
upon the understanding that while every living thing is composed of
similar small constituents that combine in predictable ways, it is the
subtle variations within these small building blocks that account for both
the likenesses and differences in form and function that create the
diversity of life.
Academic
Expectations
2.1
Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use
those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.2
Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and
trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future
events.
2.3
Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components
work together or affect each other.
2.5
Students understand that under certain conditions nature tends to
remain the same or move toward a balance.
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Grade
6 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students
will understand that
·
cells are the fundamental
units that perform the basic functions needed to sustain life. Some
organisms contain only a single cell, while others may have many millions
of specialized cells grouped together in cooperative systems with specific
functions (tissues and/or organs).
·
every cell within an organism
contains all of the information needed to completely replicate that
organism, regardless of the function that cell performs.
·
although plants and animals
exhibit a great variety in body structures that contribute to their
survival and reproduction, the basic way that individual cells function is
similar in all living organisms.
·
the behavior of an organism
can be influenced by both heredity and experiences. The relative influence
of these factors can be inferred by careful observation/data collection
over a period of time.
·
the great diversity of life is
a result of many factors, both internal and external to organisms.
·
even the most different of
organisms are fundamentally more alike than different. Their seemingly
great differences conceal the great similarities apparent at the cellular
level.
·
classification systems do not
exist in nature, but are created by scientists to describe the vast
diversity of organisms, frame research questions and suggest relationships
among living things.
Grade
6 Skills and Concepts
Students
will
·
obtain information from
observations, models and other sources to explain the functions of cells
necessary to sustain life
·
use scientific tools (e.g.,
microscope) to observe and describe unicellular and multi-cellular
organisms and the specialized cells they contain
·
describe and represent (e.g.
construct a chart, diagram, or graphic organizer) relationships between
and among levels of organization for structure and function, including
cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms (e.g., bacteria, protists,
fungi, plants, animals) and ecosystems
·
design and conduct scientific
investigations to make inferences about factors influencing the behavior
of organisms, and compare the results with those of investigations done by
others
·
investigate the relative
influence of heredity and experience on the behavior of organisms
·
identify and describe the
cellular structures that allow for replication/reproduction
·
classify organisms into simple
categories and discuss the limitations of classification systems
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Big
Idea: Biological Change (Biological Science)
The
only thing certain is that everything changes. At the middle school level,
students study relationships among populations and ecosystems that
contribute to the success or demise of a specific population or species.
Students construct basic explanations that can account for the great
diversity among organisms.
Academic
Expectations
2.1
Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use
those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.2
Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and
trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future
events.
2.5
Students understand that under certain conditions nature tends to
remain the same or move toward a balance.
2.6
Students understand how living and nonliving things change over
time and the factors that influence the changes.
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Grade
6 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students
will understand that
·
small differences between
parents and offspring result in future generations that are very different
from their ancestors.
·
sensing and controlling
internal processes in response to the external environment are essential
for an organism’s survival, regardless of how simple or complex it is.
·
scientists vary widely in what
they study and how they do their work. While there is no fixed set of
steps they follow, the basic process of science involves collecting
relevant evidence, logical reasoning and the use of imaginative thinking
in constructing explanations for what they observe.
Grade
6 Skills and Concepts
Students
will
·
investigate how small
differences between parents and offspring can accumulate over time,
eventually resulting in a wide variety of types of organisms with
different characteristics from their different ancestors
·
explain how various organisms
sense (e.g. hunger, fatigue, temperature awareness) and control their
internal environments (e.g. fat metabolism, adrenaline release,
perspiration) and how this contributes to their survival
·
identify current research
topics in biological sciences and identify the means/processes scientists
are using to generate data about them
·
explain how the basic ideas of scientific investigation remain the same
regardless of the field of study
·
generate questions about the
diversity of species, then collect information from a variety of sources
to formulate explanations supported by scientific evidence
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Big
Idea: Energy Transformations (Unifying Concepts)
Energy
transformations are inherent in almost every system in the universe—from
tangible examples at the elementary level, such as heat production in
simple Earth and physical systems to more abstract ideas beginning at
middle school, such as those transformations involved in the growth, dying
and decay of living systems. The use of models to illustrate the often
invisible and abstract notions of energy transfer will aid in
conceptualization, especially as students move from the macroscopic level
of observation and evidence (primarily elementary school) to the
microscopic interactions at the atomic level (middle and high school
levels).
Academic
Expectations
2.1
Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use
those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.2
Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and
trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future
events.
2.3
Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components
work together or affect each other.
2.4
Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain
the organization and functioning of living and nonliving things and
predict other characteristics that might be
observed.
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Grade
6 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students
will understand that
·
oceans have a major effect on
climate, because water in the oceans holds a large amount of heat.
·
several Earth systems and
processes occur primarily because of the constant influx of solar energy.
·
seasons are a result of the
interaction of the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to its orbital
path.
·
energy, in the form of
sunlight, is transformed by a chemical reaction in plant cells
(photosynthesis) to form essential nutrients for the plant to live and
grow.
·
inside a closed system, the
temperature increases or decreases as heat energy is added or removed.
·
the Earth is a complex system
of energy transformations, materials and processes. Understanding the
whole requires first understanding individual subsystems and their
interactions.
Grade
6 Skills and Concepts
Students
will
·
model and explain why some
locations on Earth have seasons
·
identify Earth processes
influenced by energy from the sun (e.g. water cycle, nitrogen cycle,
photosynthesis) and describe the sun’s role in those processes
·
explain the cause and effect
relationships between oceans and climate and describe the predictable
patterns that result
·
describe the role of
photosynthesis in energy storage within plants
·
experimentally investigate the
relationship between temperature and heat transfer in closed systems
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Big
Idea: Interdependence (Unifying Concepts)
It
is not difficult for students to grasp the general notion that species
depend on one another and on the environment for survival. But their
awareness must be supported by knowledge of the kinds of relationships
that exist among organisms, the kinds of physical conditions that
organisms must cope with, the kinds of environments created by the
interaction of organisms with one another and their physical surroundings,
and the complexity of such systems. In middle school, students should be
guided from specific examples of the interdependency of organisms to a
more systematic view of the interactions that take place among organisms
and their surroundings. Students growing understanding of systems in
general will reinforce the concept of ecosystems. Stability and change in
ecosystems can be considered in terms of variables such as population
size, number and kinds of species, productivity, and the effect of human
intervention.
Academic
Expectations
2.1
Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use
those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.2
Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and
trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future
events.
2.3
Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components
work together or affect each other.
2.4
Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain
the organization and functioning of living and nonliving things and
predict other characteristics that might be observed.
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Grade
6 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students
will understand that
·
ecosystems are more than just
the organisms they contain: geography, weather, climate and geologic
factors also influence the interactions within an ecosystem.
·
communities do not exist in
isolation, but are globally interconnected by a number of Earth systems
(e.g. ocean, atmosphere, lithosphere).
·
science can sometimes be used
to inform ethical decisions by identifying the likely consequences of an
action, but cannot be used to establish if taking that action would be
right or wrong.
Grade
6 Skills and Concepts
Students
will
·
describe and explore the
biotic and abiotic factors that affect change in ecosystems
·
document and describe
consequences of change in one or more abiotic factors on a population
within an ecosystem
·
investigate how communities
are interconnected, how they interact with different Earth systems, and
represent these global connections/interactions in a variety of ways (e.g.
writing, models, multi-media, claymation)
·
differentiate the usefulness
of scientific research to predict the possible consequences of decisions
about environmental issues from its limitations in making ethical/moral
decisions about those issues
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SCIENCE EXPECTATIONS
§Respect
yourself, others and your school.
§Be
prepared.
§Stay
on task.
§Work
cooperatively in YOUR cooperative group.
§
Materials are to be used in an
appropriate way and ONLY when given instruction.
§Work,
including cleanup, is done by everyone
in a cooperative group.
SCIENCE GRADING
| Participation
-- 5%
|
| Science
Notebook --10%
|
| Non-graded
Homework--10%
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| Graded
Homework--15%
|
| Quizzes/Newspaper
Articles--25%
|
|
Projects/Tests
--35% |
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