Topic 1 Energy

Suggested Time: 12 days

Objectives

Students will:

• describe the differences between kinetic and potential energy; and

• investigate and identify examples of kinetic and potential energy.

• define a force as a push or pull that results from an object’s interaction with another object; and

• observe and identify changes that occur when objects come into close contact with each other.

• define theory as a scientific explanation for an observation of a phenomenon or pattern in the natural world;

• discuss the process of careful and repeated data collection necessary for a theory to be valid;

• acknowledge that a theory may change based on new evidence; and

• give examples of some well-known theories, such as the Big Bang theory, cell theory, and plate tectonic theory.

• discuss that laws are based on numerous experiments pertaining to natural phenomena;

• acknowledge that a scientific law is valid everywhere; and

• compare and contrast scientific and societal laws.

• define a scientific model as a visual representation that helps people gain a greater understanding of a scientific concept;

• explain how models can be used to study things that are too large or too small to see;

• discuss that models can be used to study objects from the past;

• compare and contrast mathematical and physical models; and

• apply knowledge to discuss the benefits and limitations of using models to study science.