PHYSICAL/EARTH SCIENCE   

Physical/Earth Science is a year-long exploration of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) which includes the concepts of Earth’s Natural Resources, Climate Change, Earth’s Processes, Planetary Motion, and Understanding the Universe. The course utilizes the 3-Dimensional Learning process which integrates Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts and the Science and Engineering Practices. Lessons are designed using a version of the 5E model of instruction which includes the following components: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. Students engage in various learning activities including but not limited to hands-on and virtual labs, engineering design projects, model building and inquiry based activities. Topics  to be studied include, electricity, plate tectonics, collisions and momentum, meteors, orbits and gravity, electromagnetic radiation, stars and the Big Bang Theory.