Teacher - Paul Kaldahl
Email - paulkaldahl@eudoraschools.org
Embedded Files
Mission Statement: Students completing the class will gain usable knowledge to explain natural phenomena, understand the nature of scientific process, and be able to demonstrate proficiency of the use of science to ask questions, conduct investigations, analyze data, develop models, solve problems and engage in scientific argumentation to solve real world problems.
Order of Topics
Astronomy - First Quarter
1. The Earth-Sun-Moon System: Students will create a model of the Sun-Earth-Moon System to analyze cyclic patterns and their effects on the earth.
Students will...
- 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.
2. Solar System: Students will create a model the Earth and its solar system to analyze cyclic patterns and sizes of objects in space.
Students will . . .
- describe the collection of objects that make up the solar system.
- analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
- investigate gravity's role in objects orbiting around the sun.
- examine the nebular hypothesis as a possible explanation of the formation of the solar system.
3. The Solar System & Beyond Students will develop and use a model to describe the organization of the universe. Students will examine gravity’s role in motions.
Students will . . .
- describe objects that make up the Universe.
- calculate the scale of the Universe.
- construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects.
- develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.
Chemistry - Second Quarter & Beginning of Third Quarter
4. The Composition of Matter: Students will develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
Students will....
- identify the characteristics of atoms, elements, and molecules
- develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
5. States of Matter: Students will develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
Students will...
- compare and contrast the properties of liquids, solids, and gases before and after a chemical reaction (motion, temperature, appearance of the substances).
- develop a model that describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
6. Chemical Reactions: Students will analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred and if the law of conservation of mass has been supported.
Students will...
- construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes.
- develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction.
- gather information to show that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
Meteorology - End of Third Quarter & Beginning of Fourth Quarter
7. The Atmosphere and Energy: Students will develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
Students will...
- identify key features of the atmosphere
- construct arguments based on scientific evidence to explain how heat moves through the atmosphere
- Model how the atmosphere blocks certain wavelengths of light
- Analyze data to discover how the greenhouse effect works.
8. Weather: Students will explain how natural phenomena affect water and weather patterns.
Students will . . .
- identify steps of the water cycle.
- describe how local weather patterns are affected by complex changes of water in the atmosphere influenced by winds, landforms, and ocean temperatures and currents.
- explain the role of sunlight and gravity on global water movements.
9. Climate: Students will identify patterns that determine climates.
Students will . . .
- develop and use a model to describe how uneven heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
- apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
- construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.
- develop and answer questions to clarify evidence from atmospheric and oceanic measurements that show causation to the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
Engineering and Technology - End of Fourth Quarter
10. Robotics: students will create projects using robotics equipment.
Students will . . .
- define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
- develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
- integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information than analog signals.
Report abuse