6th Grade Full Science Curriculum - Welcome to Scientific Discovery! (Ongoing)

All learning goals, lessons, and assessments are based on the National Next Generation Science Standards & Utah Science with Engineering Education Standards.

Structure & Function Within the Solar System: 
-Students will develop and use a model of the Sun-Earth-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the Sun and Moon, and seasons. 
- Students will Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity and inertia in orbital motions of objects in our solar system. 
- Students will use computational thinking to analyze data and determine the scale and properties of objects in the solar system. 

Energy Affects Matter: 
-Students will develop models to show that molecules are made of different kinds, proportions and quantities of atoms. 
-Students will develop a model to predict the effect of heat energy on states of matter and density. 
-Students will plan and carry out an investigation to determine the relationship between temperature, the amount of heat transferred, and the change of average particle motion in various types or amounts of matter. 
-Students will design an object, tool, or process that minimizes or maximizes heat energy transfer. Identify criteria and constraints, develop a prototype for iterative testing, analyze data from testing, and propose modifications for optimizing the design solution. 

Earth's Weather Patterns & Climate: 
-Students will develop a model to describe how the cycling of water through Earth's systems is driven by energy from the Sun, gravitational forces, and density.
-Students will investigate the interactions between air masses that cause changes in weather conditions.
-Students will collect and analyze weather data to provide evidence for how air masses flow from regions of high pressure to low pressure causing a change in weather. 
-Students will develop and use a model to show how unequal heating of Earth's systems cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. 
-Students will construct an explanation supported by evidence for the role of the natural greenhouse effect in Earth's energy balance, and how it enables life to exist on Earth. 

Stability & Change in Ecosystems: 
-Students will analyze data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations in an ecosystem.
-Students will ask questions to predict how changes in resource availability affects organisms in those ecosystems. 
-Students will construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems. 
-Students will develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
-Students will construct an argument supported by evidence that the stability of populations is affected by changes to an ecosystem. 
-Students will evaluate competing design solutions for preserving ecosystem resources and biodiversity based on how well the solutions maintain stability within the ecosystem.