Suggested approach/ Flow through the module

HOOK: Start by exposing the students to a counterintuitive/discrepant event to demonstrate the importance of observation and measurement e.g. using upturned glass funnel/ping pong ball demo of Bernoulli’s principle (why does the ball go up?)

AfL probe; demo with breakers of colourless liquids with different pH – ‘Are these substances the same? How could we tell? etc. (use this activity to reinvest and refresh concepts about characteristic properties)

• Introduce concepts of characteristic properties and acidity and alkalinity

• Inquiry investigation based on pH (Questioning) (possibly stomach acid remedy)

• Practical session in which known characteristic properties are used to identify unknown substance (possibly Rock/Mineral identification)

• Steps to Inquiry (reinvesting sec 1 concepts)

• Use a “Black box” activity to develop the idea of making inferences and modelling

Learning activities General:

• Counterintuitive/discrepant event demo e.g. balloon video and/or oscillator reaction

• Black box activity; rope and tube puzzle

• Steps to Inquiry – students manipulate variables to see if quantity of Tums required to neutralize acid is affected

• Practical task: pH investigation of household products could be set up as ‘test stations’ in circus activity

Suggested approach/ Flow through the module

HOOK: Honda The Cog https://goo.gl/aZZedh

AfL probe; Introduce students to a variety of objects that transmit or transform motion, use simple machines and ask why we have the object- what problem does this solve. This discussion will also reinvest some of the concepts from sec 1 (simple machines, force, motion, systems)

• Teacher led discussion on how technology can be used to solve problems

• Introduce idea that not all motion or directions of motion are desirable in a tech object hence the need to devise guiding controls and to choose appropriate type of link

• Students examine a variety of objects and attempt to identify guides and links

• Introduce and demo motion transmission and transformation in a number of objects

• Challenge students with a “black-box” (motion transformation) demonstration, asking them to account for the mechanism that must be in place

• Students are issued a “black-box” (motion transformation) design challenge

Learning activities General:

• Present students with selection of objects and ask them why the object exists i.e. what problem is the technology solving

• Use same objects to demonstrate guidance/guiding controls and to introduce notion of links

• Use STIC/CDP activity ‘Animated cards’ to develop ideas of motion transmission/transformation http://goo.gl/KCyfCt

• Students are issued a “black-box” (motion transformation) design challenge

Suggested approach/ Flow through the module

HOOK/AfL probe; Provide a startling real-world example that demonstrates separation of mixtures (astronauts separating urine,) and challenge the students with ‘how is this possible?’ - use this formatively to establish prior knowledge levels

• Develop the concepts of homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures by asking students to observe ‘unknown’ samples and decide if each is mixture - students should explain how their observations lead to their decision. This module is an opportunity to review the classification of matter

• Explore the idea of a solution and define associated vocab (solute, solvent, solution dissolving, saturation)

• Introduce key concept that separating mixtures is a desirable and highly practical technique that can be used

• Explain that separations are only possible if there is some different properties between the things you are trying to separate and that scientist need to find and identify these differences when designing a separation process

• Provide students the opportunity to practice the different separation techniques.

• Ask students to design and perform a procedure to separate a complex mixture

• Ask students to analyze or design a technical object that separates a complex mixture.

• Note: This module is an opportunity to reinvest previously learned concepts related to properties, organization and changes. For example, identifying components that have been separated using characteristic properties, recognizing chemical and physical changes during the separation of mixtures, comparing the mass of a mixture with the mass of its components, explaining some of the changes at the particle level.

Learning activities General:

• Observation stations for mixtures; several stations around the lab each with an ‘unknowns’ which should include some genuine &

• obvious mixtures, some non-obvious mixtures e.g. ethanol and water as well as some non-mixtures

• Students practice separation techniques; sand/salt/water separation, distillation, chromatography, magnetic separation (iron from cereals)

• MELS practical component prototype examination (separation of a complex mixture): ‘An Odd Mixture’ Students design and construct a filter for water treatment

• Analysis of a coin separator – compare different models

Suggested approach/ Flow through the module

HOOK: GALLIUM SPOON video

AfL probe; Provide students with extreme examples of how the Earth has changed in a short period of time (e.g. overnight formation of new islands) by showing before and after pictures and asking students to infer what happened. (Use formatively)

• Use Google Earth Pro (now free!) or similar resource to show how the Earth’s crust is divided into plate and how those plates have moved over time.

• Once it has been established that tectonic plates move, ask students “Why do tectonic plates move”? Students practice generating hypotheses and model ideas.

• Explore how the movement of tectonic plates cause the formation and occurrence of mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes using physical models and representations in the classroom as much as possible. Include references to effects of a force.

• When discussing volcanoes topics relating to properties and organization can be reinvested (lava, emissions etc.)

• Challenge students to interpret and make inferences about the occurrences of earthquakes, volcanoes using data sets and graphs (e.g. Tuva labs).

• Continue to explore the idea of how the Earth is always changing to introduce the idea of relief. (e.g. compare the Laurentians with the Rockies)

Learning activities General:

• Engineering design activity: Construct a tower that will withstand an earthquake.

• Seismograph

• Volcanoes clustered around the Pacific Rim (‘Ring of Fire’), found on Iceland, Hawaii

Suggested approach/ Flow through the module

AfL probe; Challenge students - What IS a planet? What makes a planet a planet? use Socratic questioning to refine idea and build concept

HOOK; use BBC - Your Life on earth website to calculate the distance a given student has travelled since birth (around sun and through galaxy) http://goo.gl/nOi3VR

• Challenge students - What IS a planet? What makes a planet a planet? use Socratic questioning to refine idea and build concept

• Introduce students to the two main types of planetary motion - rotation and orbit and use this to reinforce idea of universal gravitation

• Relate planetary rotation & orbit to the concept of day/night and seasons - compare Earth to other planets - what age would you be on different planets?

• Continue to compare planets - terrestrial vs gaseous, temperature (why IS Venus hotter than Mercury etc.)

• Explore how characteristic properties of light explain how light/ shadow produce the phases of the moon as well as eclipses

• Use ideas about magnetism to introduce the idea that the earth’s magnetic field is strongest at the north and south poles and relate this to the appearance of aurora in these regions - can explain the vital role the magnetosphere plays in protecting life on Earth

• Discuss the role that meteorite (and comet!) impacts have had on life on Earth and highlight Quebec examples of impact craters

Learning activities:

• Scale model: http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/SS/SolarSystemModel.php

• Use stretched membrane and mass to demonstrated the curvature of space time and orbits of (rolling planets) - see Eureka

• Construct SCALE model of the universe with appropriate proportionalities (use online resource) and reinforce math concepts of proportions

• Students observe moon at home and keep a lunar observation diary

Suggested approach/ Flow through the module

HOOK: Solar FREAKIN' Roadways! Video https://goo.gl/Yc4wc6

AfL probe; what IS energy?

• Introduce energy types/forms and distinguish the important difference between energy types and energy sources

• ‘Energy Circus’; students identify the energy transformations occurring at a number of stations around class

• Classify energy resources as being renewable or non-renewable

• Explore the sun as an energy source and the subsequent energy transformations that occur (wind, tornados, convection currents)

• Provide students with some practical experience by building models that transform renewable energy sources and then analyze the models that they built. See http://www.re-energy.ca/

• Analyze a technical object as a system, including energy transformations. Reinvest concepts from mechanical engineering.

• Design project/Design challenge involving energy transformation e.g. The Watermill

Learning activities

• Building models that transform renewable energy sources See http://www.re-energy.ca/

• Unequal heating lab (lights, trays of sand, water, soil).

• Convection currents demo e.g. glass basin over ice water/hot water beakers,

Suggested approach/ Flow through the module

HOOK: video of bacteria reproduction e-coli time lapse and/or t4 bacteriophage infection

AfL probe; “How long could we as a species survive if all organisms on Earth ceased to reproduce?” “Do all living things reproduce?” “Are there any non-living things that reproduce?” “Do human clones exist?”

• Explore the idea of transmitting characteristics and information through genes and chromosomes.

• Introduce the idea of asexual vs. sexual reproduction, exploring benefits and costs.

• Explore sexual and asexual reproductive mechanisms in plants with lab activity examining parts of a flower. Optional Gizmo on pollination.

• Compare animal sexual/asexual reproductive mechanisms.

• Consider using foldables or other graphic organizers to help students consolidate knowledge.

• Look at human reproduction (organs, gametes, fertilization, pregnancy, stages of development)

• Discuss the various ways of preventing pregnancy and the impact of this technology (birth control) on society.

• Discuss STI’s,

Learning activities

• Plant dissection

• Gizmos: Pollination, Germination

• NOVA video “Life’s Greatest Miracle”.

• Video: The Great Sperm Race https://goo.gl/oo5vZ0

• Presentation by Public Health Nurse on Contraception and STI’s

• Demonstration of spread of STI’s using milk, starch and iodine

• Students design a pamphlet on STIs or methods of preventing pregnancy

Suggested approach/ Flow through the module

HOOK/AfL probe; present students with a remarkable case of adaptation (e.g. horny toad Moloch horridus) and ask students to explain how that feature or characteristic came to exist

• Nova video on evolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNPbjtej1Hk

• Clarify students’ understanding of adaptation and explore examples of physical and behavioural adaptations, comparing organisms in different

• environments

• Introduce the idea of evolution, (species moving from simple to complex), reinvesting concept of species

• This is a good opportunity to explore how models are developed in science, and tested through the collection of observations and data. (Darwinian vs. Lamarck)

• Contextualize evolution as the driver that produces adaptation  Explore genetic mutation, genes and chromosomes and highlight how these are involved in the mechanism of evolution

• Ensure that students have the opportunity to consolidate learning through a student-centred activity e.g.

Learning activities

• N.B. there is high risk of this topic turning into ‘talk & chalk’/lecture based. It is advisable to use activities which promote student involvement  Idea of adaptations via Darwin’s Finches (beak adaptations/changes in food patterns result in Chromosomal changes))

• Blue frog inquiry card

• Use classic ‘peppered moth’ (biston betularia) example to show how the environment can drive evolution of a relatively short time  Adaptation:Students design an organism for a hypothetical environment with conditions specified by teacher (Alabama Science)

• Evolution: Wow Lab lego activity

• Chromosomes: Extract DNA from a kiwi or similar

• Opportunies/applications to provoke sense of awe and wonder;

  • venoms and anti-venom adpatation in predator and prey (e.g. http://goo.gl/NpyAvX )

  • bizarre parasitic adaptations (e.g. parasites influencing host behaviour!)

• Tech Integration

• Introduce technical objects that have been inspired by nature, an opportunity to explore how engineers design objects for an identified need

• “Companies seeking breakthrough products tend to ignore the greatest invention machine in the universe:

• life’s more than three-billion-year history of evolution by natural selection.” (Amelia Hennighausen)

• e.g. velcro, gecko hair gloves,