Anchor Phenomenon - Decreasing Water Levels
Aunt Jenna notices decreasing water levels in her fish tank. In this unit, you will describe and measure properties of common materials like water, glass, plants, and rocks. At the end of the unit, you will be able to develop a model of the three states of matter and use it to explain what happens when water evaporates. .
Guiding Questions
How can we tell different materials apart?
How do materials change when they dissolve, evaporate, melt, mix together, or are heated?
How can we model the differences between solids, liquids, and gases?
Unit Project: Decreasing Water Levels
The Unit Project allows students to return to the anchor phenomenon for the unit, Decreasing Water Levels, and apply the performance expectations for the unit to solve or research a problem.
Student Outcomes
Matter can be described and identified in a variety of ways, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Properties that identify matter include color, hardness, reflectivity, thermal conductivity, response to magnetic forces, and solubility.
Standards
5-PS1-3 Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept,
I can develop models that show very small and very large quantities of particles in different states.
I can classify materials based on their properties and describe patterns in the properties of similar materials.
I can communicate how the structure of a material and its function are related.
I can investigate the thermal conductivity of different materials.
I can create and evaluate multiple designs of a hot beverage container that is comfortable to hold.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Student Outcomes
Matter can change physically (mixing, changing temperature and state) as well as chemically (new substances formed).
Standards
5-PS1-2 Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved.
5-PS1-4 Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept,
I can investigate whether mixing two or more substances makes a new substance
I can identify causes of changes in the physical and chemical properties of matter.
I can collect and graph data to provide evidence of what happens when matter changes form.
I can plan and conduct an investigation to collect data that describes the effect of heat on the state of matter.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Student Outcomes
Matter is composed of very small particles that behave differently in a solid, a liquid, or a gas.
Standards
5-PS1-1 Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept,
I can develop a model of matter representing the large quantity of particles too small to be seen.
I can explain the cause-and-effect relationships among temperature, behavior of particles in matter, and state of matter.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Content
Humankind began in Africa.
There were many ancient African civilizations.
Ancient African societies had diverse cultural, social, political, and linguistic characteristics, which have influenced Africa’s diversity in the present.
The diasporas of Africa have had an important impact on our current world.
Thinking Skills
Identify the early civilizations of Africa. Evaluate the impact of geography on Africa’s societies. Compare the societies of ancient Africa and how they connect historically to present day African societies.
Project
To extend on lessons 6-1 to 6-9, students will research current events related to Africa.
Trustworthy News Sites for Current Events
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) www.sabcnews.com
The Guardian Nigeria www.guardian.ng
Capital Ethiopia www.capitalethiopia.com
Daily Nation Kenya www.nation.co.ke
The New Times Rwanda www.newtimes.co.rw
Egypt Today www.egypttoday.com
Social Studies Pre-Test for The Year - Click Here
Lessons - Clickable Links
LESSON 6-1 Lesson Title: Human Eras: Paleolithic, Neolithic, Ancient, Medieval, and Modern
Inquiry Question: Are we living in a new era of human development (or are we still in the Modern Era or Post-Modern Era)? If we are living in a new era, what would you call it and why?
NOTE: The Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework for Grade 6 includes Topic 2 that includes the origins of humans and Topic 3 that includes Ancient Egypt, Timbuktu, and Ghana. In this curriculum, this was included in the Grade 4 curriculum (i.e. 4-12, 4-13. 4-14), which is the introduction to world history and geography. This level of the curriculum will begin with ancient East Africa and does not cover human origins or ancient Egypt, Timbuktu, and Ghana. Teachers are encouraged to use modi7ed versions of those lessons again here to refresh students’ understanding of the topics.
Inquiry Question: What is the most important early African achievement?
LESSON 6-3 Lesson Title: The Nok People: An Art Study
Inquiry Question: What was life like for the Nok people? How are people today trying to preserve the record of their world?
LESSON 6-4 Lesson Title: Ancient Nubia (Kush): How Can You Live in a Desert?
Inquiry Question: What was the ancient Nubians’ most important adaption to their environment?
LESSON 6-5 Lesson Title: Ancient Swahili Coast: The Center of the World?
Inquiry Question: What was the most important factor in making the Swahili Coast wealthy trading ports?
LESSON 6-6 Lesson Title: Medieval Mali: A User’s Guide to Building an Empire
Inquiry Question: What was the most important factor that led to the Mali Empire?
LESSON 6-7 Lesson Title: Landforms of Africa
Inquiry Question: What is Africa’s most important landmark?
LESSON 6-8 Lesson Title: Africa in Our Century
Inquiry Question: What event has had the largest impact on Africa in the 21st Century?
LESSON 6-9 Lesson Title: African Nations Today (Multi-Day Mini-Unit)
Inquiry Question: What are the most important cultural, governmental, economic, and natural aspects of your nation?
Student Work Book
Student Source Book
Anchor Phenomenon - Food Chains and Food Webs
The flow of materials and energy through an ecosystem is called a food chain. A network of food chains is called a food web. An ecosystem consists of living and nonliving things. At the end of this unit, you will be able to develop a model of an ecosystem that can be used to explain how different organisms are connected in an ecosystem.
Guiding Questions
What matter do plants need to grow?
How does matter move within an ecosystem?
How does energy move within an ecosystem?
Unit Project: Building a Mini Ecosystem
The Unit Project allows students to return to the anchor phenomenon, Food Chains and Food Webs, for the unit and apply the performance expectations for the unit to solve or research a problem.
Student Outcomes
Plants use energy from the sun, air, and water to manufacture food for themselves. Minerals from the soil are incorporated into this food.
Standards
5-LS1-1 Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept,
I can use evidence to argue that plants get most of the materials they need to grow from air and water.
I can develop a model of how matter moves through plants and of plant processes that interact with each other and depend on each other.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Student Outcomes
Food chains and food webs are models that show food relationships in an ecosystem. Material that is in plant material like grass moves through a food web as animals eat the plants. Some animals eat other animals for their food.
Standards
5-LS2-1 Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept,
I can develop a model of how matter is conserved as it moves through an ecosystem.
I can develop a model based on evidence of how animals feed on each other.
I can explain how decomposers help move matter in the environment
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Student Outcomes
The sun is the original source of energy for ecosystems. Energy from the sun enables plants to make food for themselves. Animals can, in turn, eat this food and the energy and matter it contains can be passed on to other animals. .
Standards
5-PS3-1 Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept,
I can develop models that demonstrate that energy from the sun is transformed by living things into energy in animals’ food.
I can construct an explanation based on mathematical and computational thinking and logical reasoning for the small amount of energy transferred between organisms in a food web.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Content
There were many ancient Asian civilizations.
Ancient Asian societies had diverse cultural, social, political, and linguistic characteristics, which have influenced Asia’s diversity in the present.
The diasporas of West, South, and East Asia have had an important impact on our current world.
Thinking Skills
Identify the early civilizations of Asia.
Evaluate the impact of geography on Asia’s societies.
Compare the societies of ancient Asia and how they connect historically to present-day Asian societies.
Project
To extend on lessons 6-10 to 6-24, students will research current events related to Asia.
Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) – Japanese Public Broadcasting www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/
The Straits Times – Singapore www.straitstimes.com
The Korea Herald www.koreaherald.com
Asia Times Hong Kong www.asiatimes.com
Times of Indian www.timeso>ndia.indiatimes.com Al Jazeera www.aljazeera.com
Lessons - Clickable Links
LESSON 6-10 Lesson Title: Life in Ancient Mesopotamia
Inquiry Question: How should we remember ancient Mesopotamia?
LESSON 6-11 Lesson Title: Life in the Ancient Indus Valley
Inquiry Question: How should we remember ancient Indus Valley?
LESSON 6-12 Lesson Title: Native Peoples of Oceania: Indigenous Australians, Māori, and Samoans
Inquiry Question: How would you depict on of the Native peoples of Oceania in a graphic novel?
LESSON 6-13 Lesson Title: Phoenicia: The Ancient Mediterranean World
Inquiry Question: If you were an ancient historian, how would you write the history of the Phoenicians?
LESSON 6-14 Lesson Title: Israel–Palestine Conflict: Making a Plan for Peace
Inquiry Question: What is the best solution for creating peace in Palestine and Israel?
Inquiry Question: If you could live in any Central Asian empire, which one would it be and why?
LESSON 6-16 Lesson Title: Ancient Chinese Inventions
Inquiry Question: What was the most important invention of ancient China?
LESSON 6-17 Lesson Title: Ancient Chinese Dynasties: Zhou, Qin, Han, Tang
Inquiry Question: Which dynasty of China was strongest?
LESSON 6-18 Lesson Title: Ancient Peoples of Eastern Asia: Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and Việt
Inquiry Question: What is each ancient people’s greatest contribution to the world?
Inquiry Question: How did a giraffe end up in the Chinese imperial court?
LESSON 6-20 Lesson Title: Comparing Global Trade Routes: Ancient and Modern Silk Roads
Inquiry Question: What has changed the world more, the Silk Road (100s BCE–1450s CE) or the Belt and Road Initiative (2013 CE-present)?
LESSON 6-21 Lesson Title: The Crusades: Resistance to Invaders
Inquiry Question: What was the most important act of resistance to the European Crusades in the Middle East?
LESSON 6-22 Lesson Title: Climate and Terrain of Asia
Inquiry Question: Which of Asia’s regions would you like to visit most?
LESSON 6-23 Lesson Title: Asia in Our Century
Inquiry Question: What event has had the largest impact on Asia in the 21st Century?
LESSON 6-24 Lesson Title: Asian and Oceania Nations Today (Multi-Day Mini-Unit)
Inquiry Question: What are the most important cultural, governmental, economic, and natural aspects of your nation?
Student Work Book
Student Source Book
Anchor Phenomenon - Water Solutions: Recycling Wastewater
Earth’s freshwater supplies are shrinking. One solution to this problem is to recycle wastewater. In some places, experts encourage homeowners and people using commercial buildings to recycle their wastewater. A visit to a public utility building shows how technology and the use of plant material can be part of the solution.
Throughout this unit, you will explore a variety of phenomena that arise from the interaction of the biosphere and hydrosphere. By the end of the unit, you will be able to use conceptual models that you build to understand how humans impact and protect these particular Earth systems.
Guiding Questions
How can we represent systems as complicated as the entire planet?
Where does my tap water come from, and where does it go?
How much water is available on Earth for living things to meet their needs?
What can we do to protect Earth’s resources?
Unit Project: Tracking Water Pollution
In this activity, students return to the unit anchor phenomenon, Water Solutions: Recycling Wastewater, and apply the the concepts, principles, and knowledge acquired from the unit to design and develop a water filter to provide solutions for problems related to water pollution.
Student Outcomes
All life on earth depends on water. Plants need fresh water to grow, and animals need those plants to grow. Ecosystems are systems of organisms that rely on water and interact with their environment.
Standards
5-ESS2-1 Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept:
I can develop a model that shows how the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact,
I can explain how plants and animals have internal and external structures and behaviors that support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Student Outcomes
Water covers much of Earth. Most of that water is found in the salty oceans. The remainder is freshwater found in glaciers, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and a few other bodies of water. It is very important to conserve our freshwater resources.
Standards
5-ESS2-2 Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept:
I can graph relative proportions of water found in different forms on Earth.
I can develop a model that describes the patterns in water distribution on Earth.
I can develop a model of the hydrosphere that describes how its components interact.
I can argue from evidence for the most important source of freshwater.
I can compare multiple ways to conserve freshwater.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Student Outcomes
Humans depend on Earth’s natural resources in many ways. For the sake of future generations, it is important that we conserve and protect those resources.
Standards
3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.
I can learning targets
By the end of this concept:
I can describe how human activities have major effects on land, vegetation, and water reservoirs.
I can calculate the quantity of trees required to meet a school system’s paper demands.
I can generate and compare multiple solutions to conserve Earth’s natural resources.
I can define a problem relating to overconsumption of Earth’s resources.
I can describe how humans depend on oceans and how human activities affect oceans.
I can argue from evidence for the conservation of ocean resources.
I can explain ways individual communities use science ideas to protect Earth’s resources and environment.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Content
There were many ancient American civilizations.
Ancient American societies had diverse cultural, social, political, and linguistic characteristics, which have influenced the Americas’ diversity in the present.
The diasporas of the Americas has had an important impact on our current world.
Thinking Skills
Identify the early civilizations of the Americas. Evaluate the impact of geography on the Americas’ societies.
Compare the societies of the ancient Americas and how they connect historically to present-day American societies.
Project
To extend on lessons 6-25 to 6-30, students will research current events related to North and South America
OR
To extend on lessons 6-1 to 6-30, students will research one of the ancient civilizations studied in this curriculum or a particular ancient civilization of personal importance not in the curriculum
Lessons - ALL CLICKABLE LINK
LESSON 6-25 Lesson Title: The Salish People: Examining the cəsnaʔəm (Marpole Midden) Site ̓
Inquiry Question: What is the best way to protect ancient Indigenous cultural sites?
NOTE: The Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework for Grade 6 includes Topic 2 that includes the origins of humans and Topic 5 that includes Ancient Aztec and Maya. In this curriculum, this was included in the Grade 4 curriculum (i.e. 4-24), which is the introduction to world history and geography. This level of the curriculum will begin with other Indigenous peoples of the Americas and does not include Aztec, Incas, or Maya. Teachers are encouraged to use modi7ed versions of those lessons again here to refresh students’ understanding of the topics.
LESSON 6-26 Lesson Title: Native People of the Caribbean: The Taíno
Inquiry Question: What was life like in the Caribbean before the invasion of Europeans?
LESSON 6-27 Lesson Title: Indigenous People of the Amazon
Inquiry Question: How can we protect the Indigenous people of the Amazon?
LESSON 6-28 Lesson Title: Places of Latin America
Inquiry Question: What Latin America place would you like to visit and why?
LESSON 6-29 Lesson Title: Latin America in Our Century
Inquiry Question: What event has had the largest impact on Latin America in the 21st Century?
LESSON 6-30 Lesson Title: Nations of the Americas Today (Multi-Day Mini-Unit)
Inquiry Question: What are the most important cultural, governmental, economic, and natural aspects of your nation?
Student Work Book
Student Source Book
Anchor Phenomenon - Shadows of children Holding Hands
Believe it or not, this picture was taken from over the heads of a row of children holding hands. What is interesting about the picture is how the shadows show up better than the children. Where do you suppose the sun was when the picture was taken? Was the sun higher in the sky or lower in the sky?
Throughout this unit, you will explore patterns of shadows to see how they change during the day—and even over a period of months. You will learn what causes shadows to move and change. Also, you will discover that patterns are fun to observe and predict. The light for the shadows of the row of children came from the sun. But the sun is not the only big object in the sky that gives off light. Other stars do too. And even though those stars do not make the shadows we see, they do move in patterns that you can figure out.
Guiding Questions
How does gravity affect Earth?
What cycles and patterns are there in the movement of the sun and stars?
Why do we have day and night?
How can we determine the distance of stars?
Unit Project: Human Sundail
In this activity, students return to the anchor phenomenon for the unit, Shadows of Children Holding Hands, and apply the the knowledge, concepts, and principles they learned in the unit to develop a design to investigate patterns of motion in the sky.
Student Outcomes
Gravity is an attractive force that pulls on everything. It’s a force that operates between objects that are not even touching. Gravity pulls on bike riders as well as moons and planets.
Standards
3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
5-PS2-1 Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept:
I can describe patterns in objects experiencing gravitational force glossary term (opens in a new window) on small scales, such as falling while skating, and large scales, such as planets orbiting the sun.
I can argue from evidence that the gravitational force Earth exerts on objects is directed downward, toward the center of Earth.
I can plan and conduct an investigation to produce data to show evidence of the effects of gravity and air resistance on different objects.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Student Outcomes
Earth’s rotation causes shadows to move throughout the day, the sun to appear to move across the sky, and stars to seem to move in patterns across the night sky. Groups of stars form constellations
Standards
5-ESS1-2 Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept:
I can describe how the movement of Earth in space causes cyclical patterns of night and day, seasons, and the apparent movement of the sun, planets, and stars.
I can evaluate the claim that sunrise times differ in different cities and over time and describe patterns in sunrise times.
I can represent data to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Student Outcomes
Our sun is a star. Astronomers study stars with many kinds of telescopes. Our sun seems so big and bright compared to other stars because it is closer to Earth than any other stars.
Standards
3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
5-ESS1-1 Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this concept:
I can describe how the movement of Earth in space causes cyclical patterns of night and day, seasons, and the apparent movement of the sun, planets, and stars.
I can evaluate the claim that sunrise times differ in different cities and over time and describe patterns in sunrise times.
I can represent data to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
Link to Concept Lessons and Materials
Content
There United States is a nation that was founded on principles of both equality and inequality. The U.S. Constitution created three branches of government with different checks and balances on power. The Bill of Rights ensures certain rights and responsibilities that are essential for democracy.
Thinking Skills
Identify the founding principles that were based on equity and inequity. Identify the three branches of government and the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Compare past and present American
Project
To extend on lessons 5-7 to 5-14, students will research important patriots and loyalists from diverse race, gender, and class backgrounds.
OR
To extend on lessons 5-15 to 5-18, students will research important current-day political problems of their choosing (the environment, education, health care, etc.) and present possible bills and government solutions.
LESSON 5-8 Lesson Title: Mock Trial: The Boston Massacre
Inquiry Question: Was Captain Thomas Preston guilty of murder during the Boston Massacre?
LESSON 5-9 Lesson Title: Road to Revolution: French & Indian War, and Acts of Parliament
Inquiry Question: Would you have supported the Crown?
LESSON 5-10 Lesson Title: The Boston Tea Party
Inquiry Question: Were the colonists justi6ed in rebelling from Britain?
LESSON 5-11 Lesson Title: Lexington and Concord
Inquiry Question: Who 6red the 6rst shot on Lexington Green?
LESSON 5-12 Lesson Title: Declaring Independence
Inquiry Question: What was the most important point made in the Declaration of Independence?
LESSON 5-13 Lesson Title: Revolutionary War Journals
Inquiry Question: What was life like during the American Revolution?
LESSON 5-14 Lesson Title: Winners and Losers: The Peace of Paris
Inquiry Question: Was the Peace of Paris fair?
LESSON 5-15 Lesson Title: Shays’ Rebellion
Inquiry Question: Were the participants of Shays’ Rebellion justi6ed in their revolt?
LESSON 5-16 Lesson Title: Mock Convention: Writing the Constitution
Inquiry Question: Did the delegates as the Constitutional Convention make the right decisions?
LESSON 5-17 Lesson Title: Know Your Rights! An Introduction to the Bill of Rights
Inquiry Question: What is the most important right guaranteed to you under the Bill of Rights?
Student Work Book
Student Source Book