Big Idea

Science is a way of understanding the universe through observation and the collection of empirical evidence.

Content Goals

• Students will understand what is meant by ‘characteristic property’

• Students will begin to understand the relationship between energy and temperature

• Students will understand that matter can exist in different states

Process Goals

• Students will develop the ability to design, carry out, and evaluate scientific investigations

• Students will develop the ability to make scientific claims and justify them with evidence

Smarter Science skill(s)

–Observing, Questioning, Predicting, Modelling

Big Idea

Mixtures are all around us, from the metals we use to build tall buildings to the foods we eat. Making and separating mixtures is an important part of modern life.

Content Goals

• Students will understand what is meant by "mixtures"

• Students will understand what is meant by "solutions"

• Students will understand the different techniques to separate mixtures

Process Goals

• Students will begin to develop the laboratory skills necessary to separate mixtures and solutions

• Students will begin to use models to represent what is happening at the particle level in mixtures and solutions

Smarter Science skill(s): Observing, modelling, measuring, classifying, explaining

Big Idea

Over an unimaginably long period of time, selective forces have caused living organisms to evolve and adapt to their environments with regular patterns that can be studied

Content Goals

• Students will understand how selective forces can forces cause living organisms to adapt

• Students will understand that animal behaviours, like their physical appearances, are adaptations due to selective forces

• Students will understand the difference between species and populations

• Students will understand how we taxonomize animals

Process Goals

• Students will compare and contrast living forms and identify similarities and differences

• Students will infer what physical traits may have evolved so that animals are now better adapted for their environment

• Students will observe and hypothesize the purpose of certain animal traits and behaviours

• Students will model natural selection and evolution

• Students will explain the "tree of life"

Smarter Science skill(s) - observing, hypothesizing, comparing & contrasting, inferring, modeling, explaining

Big Idea

All living things, if given the opportunity, are able to reproduce. We are all descendants of living organisms that have survived long enough to successfully reproduce.

Content Goals

• Students will understand the characteristics of living things

• Students will know the difference between plant and animal cells

• Students will recognize the major components of animal cells and understand their function

• Students will know the difference between sexual and asexual reproduction

• Students will understand the mechanism by which plants and animals respectively reproduce

Process Goals

• Students will begin to learn how to use a microscope

• Students will be able to infer the type/origin of a cell by making observations through a microscope (Plant vs Animal)

Smarter Science skill(s) - comparing & contrasting, inferring, modeling, explaining

Big Idea

Earth is not an immobile or static object. It has complicated internal and external processes that affect the way the planet looks.

Content Goals

• Students will be able to describe the internal structure of the Earth

• Students will know the general characteristics of the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere

• Students will understand how tectonic plates are responsible for orogenesis, volcanoes and earthquakes

• Students will be able to understand the similarities and differences of the three types of rocks.

• Students will be able to understand how humans make use of/interact with the lithosphere.

• Students will understand how erosion effects the lithosphere.

Process Goals

• Students will be able to use observations to classify or identify rocks

• Students will be able to predict the existence of volcanoes, earthquakes and mountain folding based on the boundaries of tectonic plates.

• students will infer the age of mountains based on their shape

Smarter Science skill(s) - comparing & contrasting, inferring, modeling, explaining

Big Idea

The amount of light (energy) causes the seasons, day and night cycles, phases of the moon and eclipses. And, the amount of light a celestial body receives depends on that body's position and angle relative to the sun.

Content Goals

• Students will be understand how the position of the moon in the sky affects how we perceive it.

• Students will know the cycles of the moon

• Students will understand the causes of eclipses

• Students will understand how the rotation of the Earth causes day and night cycles and causes the apparent motion of the sun in the sky

• Students will understand how the tilt of the Earth causes the seasons

Process Goals

• Students will be able to predict the phase of the moon based on its potion in the sky relative to the sun and Earth

• Student will be able to model and demonstrate the phases of the moon and the day and night cycles

• Students will be able to predict the season on different places on the globe based on the Earth's position relative to the sun.

• Students will be able to model and explain the phenomena of eclipses

Smarter Science skill(s) - predicting, modeling, explaining

Big Idea

Forces are what cause movement to start or stop. They cause changes in directions and can make things speed up or slow down. They are usually referred to as "pushing", "pulling" or "twisting". Forces can also cause objects to change its shape.

When machines feel forces, they are to guide components or to link them.

Content Goals

• Students will be able to understand how forces affect an object's movement

• Students will know the different types of motions (linear, rotational and helical)

• Students will be understand how forces affect an object's shape

• Students will know the symbols for representing forces in diagrams

• Students will understand basic mechanical functions of mechanisms (links and guides)

Process Goals

• Students will be able to sketch objects and the forces applied to them

• Students will observe different technical objects and predict the motion of their components

• Students will plan and design engineering solutions to problems

Smarter Science skill(s) - Observing, planning, designing, constructing and inventing

Big Idea

For a very long time now, Humanity has been using scientific principles to develop technologies that improve our quality of life.

Engineers use analysis and design skills to solve technological problems.

Content Goals

• Students will understand how to evaluate a prototype of technical object based on its specifications (human, technical, industrial, economic, physical, environmental)

• Students will know how to use a diagram of principles (design plan) to how a technical object operates

• Students will understand how simple machines within a diagram operate

• Students will know where materials come from

• Students will know what kinds of equipment are used during the engineering process

Process Goals

• Students will define specifications for a technical object of their invention

• Students will be able to evaluate technical objects from their diagrams of principles (design plan)

• Students will demonstrate the principles of simple machines within their inventions

• Students will select materials and equipment for their inventions

Smarter Science skill(s) - Demonstrating, selecting, planning, designing, constructing and inventing