SCIENCE

SCIENCE CURRICULUM & RESOURCES

UNITS OF STUDY

Earth Science: Earthquakes rock!

Students will learn about the natural phenonmen of earthquakes. During this unit, student generated questions about earthquakes will be taught through various hands on activities. Such acvities will focus on: types of rocks, fossils, erosion, weathering, faults, understanding semisographs and the Richter scale. A final performance task will focus on the engineering of an earthquake structure that can withstand different magnitudes of earthquakes.

Physical Science: Waves

Students will use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance.

Life Science: Animal and Plant Adaptations

This unit explores how plant and animal adaptations in their structures and functions help an animal survive. These can be physical characteristics which are found on the animal's body, such as claws. They can also be behavioral adaptations such as penguins huddling together to keep warm. By exploring, observing, and creating models, students will be able to use evidence to engage in arguments about plant and animal adaptation. Students will also learn how light is received by the eye and plays an important role in animal survival.

Physical Science: Energy

Students will explore energy in its various forms. Students will have opportunities to design and test ways to convert energy from one form to another. Students will make observations and draw conclusions about energy in their everyday lives.