6th Grade Science With Hands on Activities

Sixth Grade Science Class Outline

This is a yearlong course that students can log in for the weeks that interest them. I teach with a presentation and align hands on activities to the standards. I also stop periodically to check for student understanding. We use the whiteboard occasionally and I do encourage discussion but I also understand that middle school students sometimes want to be quiet. I do ask that they keep their camera on, but I don't demand it. I will cover all the National Science Standards that are required for grade 6 science. 

Here is the schedule:

Interactive Notebook Set Up: 			                                                         
      Week of August 26-September 8
      Week 1: How to set up a Science Interactive Notebook

Weeks 2-6: Matter 

     Week 2: Matter and Its Interactions 		                                                 
          Week of September 9-15
          This week will include an introduction/review on atoms and molecules.
     Week 3: Matter and Its Interactions		                                                 
          Week of  September 16- 22
          This week will focus on simple molecules.
     Week 4: Matter and Its Interactions                                                            
          Week of September 23-29th
          This week will focus on complex molecules.
     Week 5: Matter and Its Interactions                                                            
          Week of September 30- October 6
          This week will focus on complex molecule activities.
     Week 6:  Analyze and Interpret Data                                                          
          Week of October 7- 13
          This week will focus on Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings on the properties of 
          substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. 

Weeks 7 & 8: Forces

     Week 7: Forces		        		                                                        
          Week of October 14- 20
          This week will focus on experiments applying Newton’s Third Law to a problem of two colliding objects.
     Week 8: Forces      				                                                        
         Week of October 21-27
         Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object  and the mass of the object.

Weeks 9-15: Mechanical Energy

     Week 9: Kinetic Energy			                                                        
         Week of October 28- November 3
         Introduction to Kinetic Energy     	
     Week 10: Kinetic Energy 			                                                        
            Week of November 4- 10
            This week will include the construction and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and the speed of an object.
     Week 11: Potential Energy 		                                                        
            Week of November 11- 17
	    Introduction to Potential Energy
     Week 12: Potential Energy      		                                                        
            Week of November 18- 24
            Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of 
           potential energy is stored in the system.   
     Week 13: Waves				                                                        
           Week of November 25- December 1
           Use mathematical representations to describe a simple model for waves that includes how the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy in a wave.
     Week 14: Waves 				                                                        
           Week of December 2- 8          
     Week 15: Waves     				                                                        
           Week of December 8- 15
           Activities that describe how waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

Week 16: Engineering

     Week 16: S.T.E.A.M. Project
           Week of December 16- 20
           Modify the Room- Creating an aesthetically pleasing barrier that muffles the sound of music coming from a room. 


Spring Semester:

Weeks 1-4: Space Science
     Week 1:   Lunar Phases			                                                       
         Week of January 6-12
         Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases. 
    Week 2:   Eclipses				                                                       
         Week of January 13-26
	 Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe eclipses of the sun and moon. 
    Week 3:  Seasons				                                                       
         Week of January 27- February 2
         Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of seasons.
    Week 4: Gravity of Celestial Objects                                                       
         Week of February 3- 9
         Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.

Weeks: 5-11: Earth Science

    Week 5: Energy Flow on Earth		                                                      
        Week of February 10- 16
        Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process. (Rock Cycle)
    Week 6: Slow Earth Changes: Plate Tectonics (Monday Class)  Testing Minerals (other classes)                                 
       Week of February 17- 23
       Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and 
       spatial scales.
    Week 7: Slow Earth Changes: Mountain Building                                  
        Week of February 24-March 2
        Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.
    Week 8: Rapid Earth Changes: Landslides and Reactions                   
        Week of March 3- 9
        Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.
    Week 9: Rapid Earth Changes: Space Rocks!	                             
        Week of March 10-16
        Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.
   Week 10: Slow and Rapid Earth Changes: Volcanoes	                    
        Week of March 17-23
        Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.
  Week 11: Slow and Rapid Earth Changes: Earthquakes	                     
        Week of March 24-30
        Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Weeks 12-18: Biology

   Week 12: Cells					                                                     
        Week of March 31- April 6
        Investigate to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.
   Week 13: Cells
        Week of April 7-13
        Understand that there are many types of living cells.

   Week 14: Bacteria and Viruses
        Week of April 14-20
        Understand bacteria and virus cells and how they differ from other cells.

*No class on Tuesday, April 16th- Spring Break for the Teacher- Be on the lookout for Solar Eclipse content after the 8th!

    Week 15: Animal Cells					                                             
       Week of April 21-27
        Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and the ways the parts of cells contribute to the function.

Week 16: Plant Cells					                                             
        Week of April 28-May 4
        Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and the ways the parts of cells contribute to the function.

    Week 17: Resources for Organisms			                                     
        Week of May 5-11
        Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
   
Week 18: Interactions Between Organisms		                                  
         Week of May 12-18
        Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

Weeks 19 & 20: Engineering Design

 Week of May 19-25
   Week 19: Engineering Design Challenge: Last Critter Standing
               Design a new animal species that will flourish in the ecosystem of a newly discovered planet