Course Content 2013-2014
In
the fall students will learn about the Diversity of Life. The Diversity of Life unit emphasizes the use of
knowledge and evidence to construct explanations for the structures and
functions of living organisms. Students will observe and maintain protists,
plants, and animals in the classroom and study their characteristic features.
The study progresses from macroscopic to microscopic observations to discover
the fundamental unit of life, the cell. Students will then investigate organism
subsystems and behaviors and consider their diversity of adaptive structures
and strategies. The unit is broken down into 10 investigations.
Investigation 1:
What is life?
Investigation
2: Introduction to the Microscope
Investigation
3: Microscopic Life
Investigation
4: Cells
Investigation
5: Seeds of Life
Investigation
6: Transpiration
Investigation
7: Plant Reproduction
Investigation
8: Snails
Investigation
9: Roaches
Investigation
10: Kingdoms of Life
Students
in the spring will learn about Forces and Motion. This unit investigates linear motion,
including position and several aspects of change of position—distance,
displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration. They will also investigate the
fundamental forces in familiar environments, such as pushes, pulls, impacts,
and falls. Students will conduct
investigations of opposing forces and additive forces to help them develop the
idea that a net force on an object produces motion. The unit is broken down
into the following investigations.
Investigation
1: From Here to There
Investigation
2: Speed
Investigation
3: Comparing Speeds
Investigation
4: Representing Motion
Investigation
5: Acceleration
Investigation
6: Force
Investigation
7: Gravity
Investigation
8: Momentum
Throughout
both semesters students will also learn about the scientific method and will be
able to write hypotheses and procedures, plan and conduct scientific
experiments, record and analyze experimental data and draw solid conclusions
based upon the scientific data obtained.
http://www.fossweb.com/