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Overview:

Students will be looking at content through the lens (CCC) of systems and system models as they study the
Earth as a system and systems that drive phenomenon on Earth as well as systems of living organisms.
There is also an emphasis on investigating the influence humans have on the systems covered in the units.

In the first unit students will be investigating energy, specifically the flow of energy in systems and how it is
transferred and converted. Students will also look at how heat moves and the ways conductors and
insulators can influence the flow of heat, culminating in a passive solar design engineering project.

In the second unit, students will begin to learn about Earth systems and weather. They will draw on
understanding of energy and apply that knowledge to understand how energy is transferred within the
atmosphere and hydrosphere. Students will use understanding of weather patterns to predict climates in
various parts of the world.

In the third unit, students will focus on human activity in Earths systems and the impact made on global
climate. They will engage in an engineering design project to monitor and minimize human impact.

As students move into the final two units they will shift from Earth systems to living organisms. Students will
still be focused on the CCC of systems and they look at body systems and the organization of living
organisms. Students will look at cells and the way the organelles of a cell function together as a system.
Finally, students will conclude with an investigation of reproduction and basics of genetic inheritance.

Unit 1: Energy

Essential Questions: Phenomenon:


-How does energy change and move within a -Kinetic energy balls being hit together to burn paper
system? -Two cups one with hot and one with cold water
-Why does the temperature equalize over time and connected by a metal bar, the cold slowly begins to
how is the heat moving? rise in temperature and the warm water begins to
lose temperature

PEs: CCCs:
6-PS3-4. Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
6-PS3-5.
Energy and Matter
6-PS3-3.

SEPs: Subunits:
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Energy
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Heat

Recommended Labs: Summative Assessment(s):


Energy Toys -Compare how samples heat up
Origami Frog Lab -Passive Solar Design Project
Energy Scenarios
Melting Ice Cube
Ice Cubes on Different Surfaces
Thermos Design
Unit 2: Earth Systems

Essential Questions: Phenomenon:


How does water move through the system? Water Cycle in a Jar

PEs: CCCs:
MS-ESS2- 4 Energy and Matter
MS-ESS2- 5 Cause and Effect
Systems and System Models
MS-ESS2- 6
Stability and Change

SEPs: Subunits:
Developing and Using Models Water Cycle
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Weather

Recommended Labs: Summative Assessment(s):


Water Cycle in a Jar -Develop a model of the water cycle that accounts for
How Does Matter Change States? (Inquiry in Action) all parts (seen and unseen, e.g., transpiration) and
Water Cycle Dice Game predicts the impact a drought has on the cycling of
Climatology Activity and Data Collection water
Hot and Cold Water Density Demonstration
-Given a region create a model of all the factors
Air Mass Baggies
(unequal heating, rotation, atmosphere, ocean) that
Land and Sea Heating Experiment
Rotation of the Earth determine the climate and use the model to predict
Using Convection to Understand Wind the climate.
Global Convection Currents

Unit 3: Human Impact on Earth Systems

Essential Questions: Phenomenon:


Why are we losing polar ice? Ice sheets are receding (Chasing Ice)

PEs: CCCs:
MS-ESS3- 5. Cause and Effect
MS-ESS3- 3. Systems and System Models
Stability and Change

SEPs: Subunits:
Asking Questions and Defining Problems Climate Change
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Human Impact

Recommended Labs: Summative Assessment(s):


NASA Ice Simulation -Choose one event from history that is suggested to
Chasing Ice have influenced global climate - what is the cause
Global warming timeline and effect of the event? What were conditions like
Conserving Resources Game before the event? Did this event cause a gradual or
Oil Spill Lab
sudden change? What is the evidence that supports
Environmental problems research
the idea that your event actually impacted global
climate?
-Groups choose a problem to design a solution
about, and engage in revision and engineering cycle

Unit 4: Organisms Systems and Cells

Essential Questions: Phenomenon:


How do sensory receptors respond to stimuli? Touching a hot stove and pulling your hand back
How does the health of one of my organ systems before you feel pain
impact the health of my other organ systems? Your body will shut down if you stop breathing
How do you explain the relationship between the Looking at the variety in structure in cells
structures and functions of cell organelles?

PEs: CCCs:
MS-LS1- 8 Systems and System Models
MS-LS1- 3 Structure and Function

SEPs: Subunits:
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Senses
Information Body Systems
Engaging in Argument from Evidence Cells

Recommended Labs: Summative Assessment(s):


Reaction Time Lab -Using evidence from a series of labs, present
Sensory Stations evidence that sensory about an assigned sensory
Tissues Microscope Lab receptor and lead the class in an activity
Lung Model -Evidence based write up on how our body is a
Circulatory System Activity function of systems
Digestive System Activity -Design an experiment to test if a given object is
Model of Urinary Tract alive or not
Musculo-Skeletal Model
-Cell analogy project
Seeing Cells
Bacteria lab
Cell Wall & Membrane Activities
Naked Egg
Brain Day

Unit 5: Reproduction and Genetics

Essential Questions: Phenomenon:

PEs: CCCs:

SEPs: Subunits:
Environmental and Genetic Factors
Reproduction

Recommended Labs: Summative Assessment(s):

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