Sixth Grade – Science Curriculum Map School: Wheeler Avenue
School
Month: September Topic: Scientific Method
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Essential
Questions & Content Understandings |
Vocabulary
Concepts and Skills |
Materials
and Resources |
Assessments |
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What is the scientific method? How do scientists use
observations while testing to explain their world? How does the scientific
method help you to solve a problem? Explore classroom environment and materials; using scientific method test materials to solve problems and find the answers to questions Inventions / Inventors Study Vocabulary of an inventor Improving existing inventions |
Question Hypothesis Procedures Observations Measuring Classifying Drawing Conclusions Generalizing / Synthesizing
Data |
How Things Work –
CD ROM Superstar Science
Multidimensional Danny Dunn and
the Heat Ray by Jay
Williams and Raymond Abrashkin Invention Book by Steven Caney Text Book Trade Books – Guided Reading Various Articles Various Lab Activities Video Collection Web Sites: http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/ Possible Trip
Sites: |
Lab Sheets Lab Reports Student Participation Various Independent Projects |
Sixth Grade – Science Curriculum Map School:
Wheeler Avenue School
Month: October Topic:
Biomes (Chapters 3 & 5) Page 2 of 8
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Essential
Questions & Content Understandings |
Vocabulary
Concepts and Skills |
Materials
and Resources |
Assessments |
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How do living things adapt
to changes in their environment? What are the features of
land biomes? What are the features of
water biomes? Moth survival (Binder) Adaptation project Measuring variations in
peanuts Demonstration how a trait
can aid survival (Binder) Text (Pages 82-83) How well
has the gray wolf adapted to the presence of humans? Biomes in miniature (Binder
Page 60) Which biome is home? (P
36-37) |
Adaptations Land Biomes Water Biomes Ecosystems Extinction Variations Occur Within a
Species |
Adaptation Project
(Rubric) Styrofoam Peanuts Metric Ruler Graph Paper Marker Scissors Impatiens Seeds Lima Bean Seeds Rye Seeds Milk Cartons Potting Soil Plastic Wrap Websites: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/ http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/rivers/ Possible Science
Trips To Consider: Sands Point
Preserve |
Lab Sheets Lab Reports Student Participation Various Independent Projects |
Sixth Grade – Science Curriculum Map School: Wheeler Avenue School
Month: November
Topic: Plate
Tectonics (Earth Science) Page 3 of 8
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Essential
Questions & Content Understandings |
Vocabulary
Concepts and Skills |
Materials
and Resources |
Assessments |
|
What causes the Earth’s
surface features to form and change over time? What are the 3 layers of
the Earth? Where do boundaries form?
Name 3 types. What causes the crust to
move? Where is the new / old crust? Mid-ocean ridge model
(Brown & yellow constructions paper, oak tag) - Seafloor spreading Earth model – hard boiled
egg – straw – (3 layers of Earth) Toast – 3 types of
boundaries Predicting the shape of a
super-continent. (Text page 32 – Coast lines and land features) |
Inner Core Outer Core Mantle Crust (Ages, New & Old) Pangaea Super and Sub Continents Spreading Boundary Fracture Boundary Colliding Boundary Fault Earthquake Volcano (3 Cones) Ridges Seafloor Spreading Continental Drift Sonar Plate Tectonics Focus Richter Scale Seismograph |
Nonfiction Trade
Books (Leveled) Fiction Trade
Books (Leveled) Textbook Software: Earth,
Volcanoes, Sun Web Sites: http://www.nyelabs.com/billnye.html http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/ http://www.gpc.peachnet.edu/~pgore Possible Science
Trips To Consider: BOCES: Outdoor Education American Museum of Natural
History |
Lab Sheets Lab Reports Student Participation Various Independent Projects |
Sixth Grade – Science Curriculum Map School: Wheeler Avenue School
Month: December/January Topic:
Chemistry Page 4
of 8
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Essential
Questions & Content Understandings |
Vocabulary
Concepts and Skills |
Materials
and Resources |
Assessments |
|
What is matter? What are
the properties of matter? Is air matter? What are the basic building
blocks of matter? What is a chemical change? How is matter classified? Describing matter and
properties of matter (Binder) Is Air Matter? Experiment
with balloons/newspaper (Balancing) experiment with crumpled paper and cup Atom Models (Protons,
neutrons and electrons) Strega Nona’s Magic Lessons
(Binder Page 206) Chemical and Physical change Let’s go on an Element Hunt
(Binder – Page 41) |
Matter (3 States) Physical Properties Chemical Properties Physical Changes Chemical Changes Building Blocks of Matter Atoms Molecules Elements Periodic Table |
Antacid tablet, balloon, 1
liter bottle String, newspaper,
balloons, basin of water, crumpled paper (Press down at a 90 degree angle)
Does paper get wet? Periodic table, M&M’s,
candies, Styrofoam ball, glitter and string Clay (3 colors),
toothpicks, markers Yeast (new and old), glass
containers, sugar, hot and cold water, stoppers, plastic tubing Periodic table chart Superstar Science CD-ROM Websites: http://www.chemicalelements.com/index.html http://www.sweethaven.com/chemele/ http://www.iit.edu/~smile/cheminde.html http://www.howe.k12.ok.us/~jimaskew |
Lab Sheets Lab Reports Student Participation Various Independent Projects |
Sixth Grade – Science Curriculum Map School: Wheeler Avenue School
Month: January / February Topic:
Chemistry Page 5
of 8
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Essential
Questions & Content Understandings |
Vocabulary
Concepts and Skills |
Materials
and Resources |
Assessments |
|
What are the differences between
compounds and mixtures? In what ways are acids and
bases similar and different? Compare the two main types
of bonds. What are chemical
reactions? Vinegar / Baking Soda Litmus Paper Vinegar / Egg Experiment Hula Hoop / Plastic Balls
(Bonding) Compounding the Matter
(Binder P. 43) Observing a Chemical Change Models of Molecules using
dots (Binder) Baking Soda, Vinegar,
Balloon, Soda Bottle |
Mixtures Compounds Chemical Bonds Covalent Bonds Ionic Bonds Ions Chemical Formulas Chemical Reactions Products Chemical Equations Acids Bases pH |
Nonfiction Trade
Books (Leveled) Fiction Trade
Books (Leveled) Textbook “Matter Matter
Everywhere” Superstar Science
CD-ROM (For Mac) Vinegar – Baking Soda – Egg
– Litmus Paper – pH Indicators - Soda Bottles
– Balloons Web Sites: http://www.chem4kids.com/files http://www.chemicalelements.com/index.html |
Lab Sheets Lab Reports Student Participation Various Independent Projects |
Sixth Grade – Science Curriculum Map School: Wheeler Avenue School
Month: March / April Topic: Physics
(Gravity & Motion) Page 6 of 8
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Essential
Questions & Content Understandings |
Vocabulary
Concepts and Skills |
Materials
and Resources |
Assessments |
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How do the interactions of matter, energy and force result in changes of motion? What happens to humans in space? How do you determine the speed and acceleration of an object? What is gravity? Something’s Got To Go Demonstration of Newton’s 3
Laws of Motion Newton’s Cradle Speed of an object
Activity: Tennis Ball / Ramp Motion Activity: Describe
Objects in Motion The Forces Be With You:
Fulcrum / Gravity Activity (Observing how objects move) |
Observe, compare and describe different patterns of motions of objects and the effects of various forces on the motion of objects Weight Mass Gravity Types of Motion Speed Velocity Acceleration |
Nonfiction Trade
Books (Leveled) Fiction Trade
Books (Leveled) Textbook Making Things Work and
Move, by Neil Ardley Using Forces and Motion, by Glen Phelan Web Sites: http://www.howstuffworks.com/index.htm http://www.learner.org/exhibits/ http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/ Possible Science
Trips To Consider: New York Hall of Science
(Physics Playground) Amusement Parks |
Lab Sheets Lab Reports Student Participation Various Independent Projects |
Sixth Grade – Science Curriculum Map School: Wheeler Avenue School
Month: April / May Topic:
Physics (Lights & Sound) Page 7 of
8
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Essential
Questions & Content Understandings |
Vocabulary
Concepts and Skills |
Materials
and Resources |
Assessments |
|
Draw and describe the parts of a wave. On the electromagnetic spectrum, where would you find short / long wavelengths? Why? How can light be reflected and refracted? How are sound and light waves alike and different? Measuring angles of
reflected rays Refraction of light through
lens Exploring light and
reflection Observing water waves Observing and classifying
sounds (Text page 273) Light waves observation
using rope Opaque / transparent
objects using colored construction paper, flashlight and cellophane |
Waves (Light, Sound,
Compressional, Transverse, Radio) Frequency – Amplitude – Wavelength
–Trough Electromagnetic Spectrum Electromagnetic Wave Rays (Gamma, Infrared,
X-rays, Ultraviolet, Light) Reflection / Refraction Convex / Concave Mirror – Lens – Lasers Visible Spectrum – Prism Roy G. Biv Primary Colors Pitch – Intensity -
Decibels |
Flashlight – Lenses –
Mirrors - Prisms Music & Sound (Modern Media) The Magic of Light and
Sound (National Geo.) Light (National Geo.) Sound (National Geo.) Nonfiction Trade
Books (Leveled) Fiction Trade
Books (Leveled) Textbook Video Collection Websites: http://www.newman.ac.uk/ http://www.opticalres.com/kidoptx.html Possible Science Trips
To Consider: New York Hall of Science |
Lab Sheets Lab Reports Student Participation Various Independent Projects |
Sixth Grade – Science Curriculum Map School: Wheeler Avenue School
Month: May / June Topic:
Biology
Page 8 of 8
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Essential
Questions & Content Understandings |
Vocabulary
Concepts and Skills |
Materials
and Resources |
Assessments |
|
What are the parts of a cell? What are the stages of human reproduction? What is HIV/AIDS& how can we prevent this? Structure of a Cell Parts of a Cell Human Body – Reproductive Organs Conception to Birth (Twins) The Human Machine (Binder Page 199) Do You Have Blue Jeans? (Binder Page 92) The Virtual Tour of the Human Body |
Cells – Tissues – Organs Nucleus Cell Membrane DNA Chromosomes Mitosis Fertilization Human Sexuality HIV / AIDS Human Reproduction |
Great Body Shop Issues
(Cells, Conception to Birth, HIV-AIDS) Brown Paper – Blue Pencils The Human Machine, by Catherine Stephen Fighting Disease, by Kate Jerome Nonfiction Trade Books
(Leveled) Fiction Trade Books
(Leveled) Textbook Web Sites: http://k12science.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/ http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/mjvl/biology http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/animcell.htm Possible Trips to Consider: Dolan DNA Lab – Cold Spring
Harbor American Museum of Natural
History |
Lab Sheets Lab Reports Student Participation Various Independent Projects |