Science

2019-2020 North Syracuse Central School District

Grade 6 Science Topical Outline/Core Disciplinary Ideas/Pacing Guide


Unit 1- Interactions, Energy, and Dynamic Relationships in Ecosystems

*7 Weeks (Sep 5- Oct 25)

Food Chains and Food Webs

● Principle of the conservation of energy● Flow of energy and matter through food chains and food webs● Methods of obtaining nutrients● Role of producers, consumers, and decomposers● Herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores● Respiration and Recycling● Population and definition of species● Communities

Activities:

  • Food Chain/Food Web Chip Game
  • Photosynthesis Activity
  • Limits on Population Growth activity

Unit 2- The Impact of humans on the Earth (Resources and Conservation)

*7 Weeks (Oct 28- Dec 20)

Human Impacts

● Ecosystems (including basic abiotic factors such as water, nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide/Oxygen Cycle)● Factors affecting the population growth of organisms- Predator/Prey Relationships● Relationship among organisms: beneficial and harmful● Effects on environmental changes on humans and other populations

Activities:

  • Energy Webquest
  • Oil Spill Activity
  • Onondaga Lake Project
  • Wetlands

Unit 3- Properties of Matter

*7 Weeks (Jan 6 – Feb 14)

● Solids, liquids, and gases● Matter- anything that takes up space● Relationships between matter and motion● Density● Radiation, convection, and conduction (transfer of heat)● Phase changes● Expansion and contraction

Activities:

  • Exploring Temp. Scales
  • Rate of Dissolving
  • Solubility

Unit 4- Weather

*7 Weeks (Feb 24 – April 3rd)

● Interactions between atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere● Light Energy vs. Heat Energy● Extreme Weather events: hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, droughts● Air masses and fronts● Weather factors: Pressure, relative humidity, temperature, wind● Travel Brochure- Project Based Assessment

Activities:

  • Weather Log
  • Weather Brochure/Google slides activity (Severe Weather)
  • Heating Rates of Land & Water

Unit 5- Earth Processes Introduction

*3-4 Weeks (April 14 - May 15)

● Earth’s Crust & Core● Plate Movement and how/why it happens● Earthquakes, Volcanoes & Mountain Ranges● Weathering & Erosion

Activities:

  • Glacier Experiment
  • Earthquake/Volcano Activity
  • Erosion Rates

General Skills (from NYS Core Curriculum)

● Follow safety procedures in the classroom and experiments● Recognize and analyze patterns and trends● Sequence events● Identify cause and effect relationships



Unit 6- Earth, Moon, and Sun Systems

*4-5 Weeks (May 18 - June 21)

Exploring the Universe

● Sequencing the planets● Identify the moon phases● Compare and contrast solar and lunar eclipses● Gravitational pull in the tides● Rotation and Revolution● Gravitational relationships● Seasonal Changes/Tilt of Earth

Activities:

  • Earth Seasons
  • Moon Phases
  • Solar/Lunar Eclipses

Students will be able to access videos on science content. Current topics include: weather (air pressure, fronts, types of storms, severe weather) matter, universe (solstice, tides, seasons, moon phases). For students to access click log in, sign in with G suite for education, and log in with school google account.

Ignite your child's curiosity on this website. Access videos, virtual field trips, and activities for your child to discover more in the world of science. Students will access this website by clicking on log in, scroll down and click sign in with google, put in your google account information, and then you will be on the home page. Students can pick content by subject, whats trending, by standard, etc..

This website is full of science videos with activities to do along with them. 6th grade topics that are being worked on at this time are weather (air pressure, fronts, severe weather), the Universe (solstice, moon phases, tides, seasons), and Matter.