Science



Unit 1

Energy and Engineering


Students use their knowledge of force, motion, and forms of energy to solve an engineering challenge. Students design, plan, and implement an investigation that tests the effect of force on an object.  They investigate how mechanical energy can be affected by different forces including gravity and magnetism.  During the module, students investigate the flow of electricity in series and parallel circuits and how it can be transferred into other forms of energy including light, thermal, and sound energy.  They extend their knowledge of light by investigating how light travels and can be reflected and refracted.  Students explore sound energy through pitch and volume and how it is used in their everyday lives.  Through these explorations students will have a better understanding of how various forms of energy interact and affect our lives.

Science - 5.6(A), 5.6(B), 5.6(C), 5.6(D)


Science - 5.1(A), 5.2(A), 5.2(B), 5.2(C), 5.2(D), 5.2(E), 5.2(F), 5.2(G), 5.3(A), 5.4




Unit 2

Earth Systems

Students engage in Project Based Learning (PBL) situation in which they take on the role of a geotechnical engineer to determine the best site to build a TarPul, or wire bridge.  Students will build on their understanding of weathering, erosion, and deposition and investigate how landforms are the result of changes to the Earth’s surface by wind, water, and ice.  Students will go deeper in their learning about the patterns in the Sun, Earth, Moon system to explain their interactions.

Science - 5.7(A), 5.7(B), 5.8(A), 5.8(B), 5.8(C), 5.8(D)


Science -  5.1(A), 5.1(B), 5.2(A), 5.2(B), 5.2(C), 5.2(D), 5.2(E), 5.2(F), 5.2(G), 5.3(A), 5.3(B), 5.3(C), 5.4


Unit 3

Mixing It Up


Students will build on their knowledge of the physical properties of matter (mass, magnetism, physical state, relative density, solubility in water, ability to conduct or insulate thermal or electrical energy) and how it is classified, changed, and used in our everyday lives. Through this study, students predict how the properties of matter can change in mixtures and solutions. Using a Problem-Based Learning Strategy, students apply their understanding of physical properties to design a plan for a local garbage company. In this plan, students explain how to extract recyclable materials in order to reduce the amount of garbage that will enter the landfill. 

Science -  5.5(A), 5.5(B), 5.5(C)

Science -  5.1(A), 5.1(B), 5.2(A), 5.2(B), 5.2(C), 5.2(D), 5.2(E), 5.2(F), 5.2(G), 5.3(A), 5.3(C), 5.4


Unit 4

Ecosystem Interactions


In this unit, students engage in Project Based Learning (PBL) and are asked to take on the role of environmental engineers using the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to design a process for cleaning up an oil spill in a river.  Students will use their background knowledge of environmental systems to investigate the relationships and cycles within a river ecosystem.  They will compare the structures and functions of organisms and explain how they affect their ability to survive in their environment.  Students will refine their understanding of inherited traits and learned behaviors and differentiate between them.  They will investigate the interdependence of living and nonliving components of an ecosystem and how they are impacted by changes. 

Science - 5.9(A), 5.9(B), 5.9(C), 5.9(D), 5.10(A), 5.10(B)

Science -  5.1(A), 5.2(A), 5.2(B), 5.2(C), 5.2(D), 5.2(E), 5.2(F), 5.2(G), 5.3(A), 5.3(B), 5.3(C), 5.4