Science for Young Scientists

Welcome to an exciting journey of discovery as we delve into a variety of elementary scientific concepts! Throughout this course, students will have the opportunity to explore topics such as the structure of the ocean floor, the principles of force and motion, the wonders of different biomes, and the fascinating states of matter.

Each week will be filled with engaging activities designed to enhance learning and comprehension. Students will start by watching informative videos on the weekly topics, accompanied by a handy notetaker to jot down key points. These videos will serve as a springboard for further exploration.

Following the videos, students will embark on hands-on activities tailored to each topic. These activities may include reading passages, answering questions, conducting simple science experiments, or participating in interactive labs—all designed to deepen understanding and reinforce concepts.

For added excitement, students will have the chance to unlock their problem-solving skills through Breakout Edu sessions at the end of each unit. By working together and deciphering clues, students will enhance their teamwork and critical thinking abilities in a fun and interactive setting.

To test their knowledge and retention, students will also have the opportunity to take Kahoot quizzes at the end of each unit. These quizzes will provide a lively and engaging way to review key concepts and assess learning progress. Since this is a self-paced course, these are available upon request due to time release lengths of each quiz.

Finally, at the end of each unit, students will demonstrate their mastery of the concepts through assessments conducted via Google Forms. Immediate feedback will be provided, allowing students to review their performance and identify areas for improvement.

In addition to the engaging course content, students will also receive digital access to Science World and SuperSTEM Magazine, providing them with additional resources and opportunities for exploration.

The topics per week are as follows:

Unit 1: States of Matter and Physical/Chemical Changes
Week 1: States of Matter (how they are determined)
               Activity: Students will engage in reading a passage about the states of matter and answer questions to deepen their understanding.

Week 2: States of Matter (physical properties of matter and chemical properties, how they change)
               Activity: Students will conduct a mini-lab at home to distinguish between mixtures and solutions, requiring no additional supplies.

Week 3: Rate of Dissolving and separation of mixtures and solutions
             Activity: Students will participate in a mini-lab at home to experiment with separating mixtures and solutions, with necessary supplies provided.

Week 4: Scientific Inquiry and the Scientific Method
             Activity: Students will analyze passages and identify different types of independent and dependent variables, along with ensuring lab safety.

Unit 2: Biomes
Week 5: Biomes (Terrestrial)
              Activity: Students will engage in an activity to determine the habitat locations of animals based on their adaptations and environmental descriptions.

Week 6: Biomes (Aquatic)
            Activity: Students will label the components of the ocean and identify organisms residing in various water biomes.

Week 7: Biomes (Food chains, webs, and energy transfer)
             Activity: Students will complete a "Who eats who" activity to classify organisms based on keywords learned during the lesson.

Unit 3: Ocean and Land Structures
Week 8: Ocean Structure (structure of the ocean floor)
             Activity: Students will read an article from Super Science about Victor Vescovo and the Five Deep Expedition, followed by answering related questions.

Week 9: Landforms and what they do
             Activity: Students will participate in the "What landform am I" activity, categorizing landforms based on provided descriptions.

Week 10: Landforms and how they are changed
               Activity: Students will read a passage about weathering, deposition, and erosion, followed by answering questions regarding each process.

Unit 4: Forces and Motion
Week 11: Force and Motion- What is force
             Activity: Students will fill in the blanks to complete missing vocabulary related to key concepts learned throughout the week's lesson.

Week 12: Force and Motion- How force is determined
          Activity: Students will conduct a mini-lab at home to explore the impact of force and how it can be altered, requiring no additional supplies.

Get ready to embark on a thrilling scientific journey filled with discovery, exploration, and hands-on learning!