advanced high school chemistry curriculum essentials document school draft ceds... · advanced high...

Advanced High School

Chemistry

Curriculum Essentials

Document

Boulder Valley School District

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

May 2012

5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 2

Introduction Science Curriculum Essentials in BVSD

In 2009, the Colorado Department of Education published the most recent version of the Colorado

Academic Standards.

This revision of the Boulder Valley School District Science Curriculum had three main goals:

align with the revised Colorado Academic Standards

maintain unique elements of our BVSD curriculum that reach beyond the standards

maintain a viable list of concepts and skills that students should master in each grade level or

course

Inquiry

A new organizational feature of the Colorado Academic Standards is the integration of science inquiry

skills with specific scientific concepts. Instead of having a separate standard for inquiry, the skills

associated with the process of scientific inquiry are embedded in the Evidence Outcomes for each Grade

Level Expectation. In addition, the nature and history of science has been integrated into the Grade Level

Expectations under ―Nature of the Discipline‖. This approach is echoed by the Framework for K-12 Science

Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas which states that the skills or practices of

inquiry and the core ideas ―must be woven together in standards, curricula, instruction, and assessments.‖

Scientific inquiry remains a central focus of the revised BVSD Science Curriculum Essentials Documents.

The following definition from the National Science Education Standards serves as the basis for our

common understanding of how scientific inquiry is defined.

Scientific inquiry refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose

explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Inquiry also refers to the activities of

students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an

understanding of how scientists study the natural world.

The following points serve to clarify the vision of what inquiry means in BVSD.

Inquiry involves five essential features, which are heavily integrated into the wording of Evidence

Outcomes in the Colorado Academic Standards. Students engaged in scientific inquiry should:

ask or respond to scientifically oriented questions

give priority to evidence

formulate explanations based on evidence

connect explanations to scientific knowledge

communicate and justify explanations

(Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards)

Inquiry based science instruction involves a continuum of learning experiences from teacher-led to learner

self-directed activities, including but not limited to hand-on labs. Hence, both a structured assignment

involving reading and written reflection and an open-ended, hands-on investigation could be considered

inquiry as long as they involve the five essential features identified above.

The ultimate goals of inquiry-based instruction are to engage learners, develop their conceptual

understanding of the natural world around them, and to overcome misconceptions in science.

Inquiry-based activities should balance students’ application of content knowledge, creativity and critical

thinking in order to analyze data, solve a problem or address a unique question.


High School Advanced Chemistry Overview

Standard Big Ideas in Chemistry (Grade Level Expectations)

2. Physical Science 1. The nature of chemical bonding in a substance determines its physical and

chemical properties.

2. Matter has properties related to its structure that can be measured and used to identify, classify and describe substances or objects.

3. The effects of temperature, pressure and volume on a quantity of gas can be

predicted and measured experimentally, and can be explained by the Kinetic

Molecular Theory.

4. The rate (speed) of a reaction depends on a variety of factors. Equilibrium is a dynamic process in which the forward rate of a reaction is the same as the reverse rate of a reaction, and the concentrations of reactants and products no longer change.

5. Scientists ask questions and state hypotheses using prior knowledge to help design and guide scientific investigations, using appropriate technology and safe laboratory practices.

6. Scientists use the tools of math to solve problems, analyze data, and evaluate the validity of results.

7. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed. The mole concept allows chemists to link the atomic world with the macroscopic world through the use of the periodic table. Stoichiometric relationships are used to determine ―how much is needed‖ and ―how much can be produced‖ in chemical reactions.

8. Chemical reactions occur all around us and may either release or consume energy. A large number of reactions involve the transfer of either electrons or hydrogen ions.

9. Observed properties such as light emission and absorption and chemical reactivity can be related to electron configuration and nuclear charge.

10. Solutions need to be clearly described according to the substances and their amounts, including the interactions of the substances in a solution.

11. Temperature of a sample is related to the kinetic energy of the particles

in the sample. Heat flows from a warmer object to a cooler object, and heat

loss by a system equals heat gain by the surroundings (and vice versa).

Course Description

This course provides the opportunity to develop

knowledge and understanding about the

relationships between the structure and

properties of matter and the interaction of

matter and energy. Units of study include:

matter and its changes, atomic structure,

chemical composition, nomenclature, reactions,

stoichiometry, gas laws, periodicity, bonding,

molecular geometry, and thermochemistry.

Laboratory activities reinforce concepts and

principles presented in the course.

As an advanced course, this course goes beyond the

curriculum expectations of a standard course offering by increasing the depth and complexity. Students are engaged in dynamic, high‐level

learning. The pace of an advanced course may be faster than that of a ―standard‖ course.

Topics at a Glance

• Atomic Theory • Normenclature • Lab Practices

• Chemical Reactions • Mathematical Tools in chemistry • The Mole Concept • Stoichiometry • Solutions • Quantum Theory and the Periodic Table

• Bonding • Kinetics and Equilbrium • Thermochemistry • Gases

Assessments

Science ACT

Teacher-created assessments


1. Physical Science

Students know and understand common properties, forms and changes in matter and energy.

Prepared Graduates

The preschool through twelfth-grade concepts and skills that all students who complete the Colorado

education system must master to ensure their success in a postsecondary and workforce setting.

Prepared Graduate Competencies in the Physical Science standard:

Observe, explain, and predict natural phenomena governed by Newton's laws of motion,

acknowledging the limitations of their application to very small or very fast objects

Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of

matter, and predict outcomes of chemical and nuclear reactions

Apply an understanding that energy exists in various forms, and its transformation and

conservation occur in processes that are predictable and measurable

Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions,

collecting and analyzing data, giving priority to evidence, formulating explanations

based on evidence, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating

and justifying explanations.


Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry

Standard: 1. Physical Science

Prepared Graduates:

Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical and

nuclear reactions

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

1. The nature of chemical bonding in a substance determines its physical and chemical properties

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Discriminate between ionic compounds and covalently

bonded molecules based on the electronegativity

differences between the atoms in the compound.

b. Describe bonding in metals

c. Understand the continuum between purely non‐polar

covalent, polar covalent, and ionic substances

d. Describe the nature of intermolecular attractive forces:

hydrogen bonding, dipole‐dipole, and

London/Dispersion

e. Distinguish between a chemical bond and an

intermolecular attractive force

f. Explain observations of chemical and physical

properties according to the nature of bonding within

the substance

g. Use models to represent relationships of atoms in

substances and represent positions of electrons in

compounds using Lewis structures

h. Use VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion)

Theory to represent the three‐dimensional geometry of

atoms in covalently bonded substances

i. Represent resonance structures of molecules

Inquiry Question:

1. How does the kind of chemical bonding give rise to the

properties of a substance?

Relevance and Application:

1. Almost all substances we encounter (and are made out of) are

composed of elements chemically bonded to each other.

2. The shape of water molecules and the strong permanent dipole

of the molecule result in water’s high vapor pressure,

outstanding ability to act as a solvent, and its having a lower

density as a solid than as a liquid. These factors lead to its

critical role in evolution of life on our planet and in our climate.

Nature of Discipline:




Prepared Graduates:

Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical

and nuclear reactions



2. Matter has properties related to its structure that can be measured and used to identify, classify and describe substances or

objects


Students can:

a. Compare and contrast physical and chemical changes

b. Demonstrate physical and chemical methods used to

separate mixtures that are based on the properties of

the substances

c. Describe the atom’s structure (including electron

energy levels, atomic orbitals, and electron

configurations) using evidence from the modern

atomic theory

d. Determine the atomic number and mass number of

isotopes

e. Calculate the average atomic mass of an element

Inquiry Question:

1. What is stuff made of and how do we know?


1. Advances in technology, particularly in spectroscopy and

microscopy, have allowed scientists to develop a more detailed

understanding of the atom.

2. New materials used in engineering are designed at the atomic

level.

3. Experiments and chemical processes are designed according to

the properties of the substances involved: for example,

substances with very different boiling points can be separated

via distillation.


1. Use scientific concepts to explain the nature of the world

around them.

2. Understand that all scientific knowledge is subject to new

findings and that scientific theories are supported by

reproducible results.

3. Employ data-collection technology to gather, view, analyze,

and interpret data about chemical and physical properties of

different compounds.

4. Critically evaluate chemical and nuclear change models.




Prepared Graduates:





3. The effects of temperature, pressure and volume on a quantity of gas can be predicted and measured experimentally, and can be

explained by the Kinetic Molecular Theory


Students can:

a. Use the gas laws, including the ideal gas law, to

calculate the volume, pressure, temperature, or the

molar mass of a gas

b. Explain and use Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures.

c. Compare the properties of real and ideal gases

d. Qualitatively describe how the Kinetic Molecular

Theory describes the macroscopic properties of

temperature and pressure

Inquiry Questions:

1. How do people use the gas laws to represent, analyze, and

communicate relationships in chemical systems and chemical

interactions?


1. An exact proportion of gases is needed in many chemical

reactions. For example, scuba tanks are filled with a set

mixture of oxygen and nitrogen.

2. Nature produces gases that can be studied and analyzed, such

as volcanic gases.

3. Human-managed systems such as wastewater treatment plants

produce gases that can be recycled and converted into useable

resources, such as the reformation of methane gas into

hydrogen gas.


1. Employ data-collection technology to gather, view, analyze,

and interpret data about the properties of gases.

2. Ask testable questions about the nature of gases, and use an

inquiry approach to investigate these.




Prepared Graduates:





4. The rate (speed) of a reaction depends on a variety of factors. Equilibrium is a dynamic process in which the forward rate of a

reaction is the same as the reverse rate of a reaction, and the concentrations of reactants and products no longer change


Students can:

a. Explain the concept of ―rate of reaction‖ and the

factors that affect the rate

b. Define the energy of activation and use it to explain

the role of catalysts in a chemical reaction

c. Explain the concept of dynamic equilibrium in both

physical and chemical systems

d. Write the equilibrium expression for a given reaction

and solve for concentrations of substances and/or the

equilibrium constant

e. Use Le Chatelier’s Principle to predict shifts in the

concentrations of substances when a system at

equilibrium is disturbed, and perform experiments

testing these predictions

Inquiry Question:

1. How do people use the equilibrium model of chemical

interactions to represent, analyze, and communicate structure

and relationships in chemical systems and chemical

interactions?


1. Environmental scientists can apply the understanding of

chemical equilibria to environmental systems that show similar

equilibrium properties.

2. Pressure, temperature, and concentration need to be taken into

consideration in everyday examples of chemical reactions: for

example, altitude affects the amount of leavening needed in

baking and the amount of time needed to cook pasta.


1. Ask testable questions about the nature of equilibrium and use

an inquiry approach to investigate these questions.




Prepared Graduates:

Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions, collecting and analyzing data, giving priority

to evidence, formulating explanations based on evidence, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and

justifying explanations



5. Scientists ask questions and state hypotheses using prior knowledge to help design and guide scientific investigations, using

appropriate technology and safe laboratory practices


Students can:

a. Formulate testable hypotheses based on observed

phenomena and prior knowledge

b. Design and conduct an experiment to test a

hypothesis, identifying the independent and dependent

variables, and using appropriate equipment and

technology to collect data

c. Identify and use appropriate safe practices.

d. Identify major sources of error or uncertainty and how

they can be minimized

e. Calculate percent error and report results using correct

significant figures

f. Write a conclusion linking results to the hypothesis

Inquiry Questions:

1. What types of questions and hypotheses can be answered by

science?

2. What elements of design are critical in conducting a scientific

investigation?

3. How can we ensure that scientific investigations are both safe

and consistent with standard scientific practice?

4. How do we identify sources of error and quantify their impact on

data?

5. How do we know if the conclusions of a scientific investigation

are valid?


1. A scientific approach to answering a question requires

formulating a testable hypothesis.

2. Questions about which a testable hypothesis cannot be

formulated are not amenable to evaluation by the scientific

method.

3. Safe practices in the lab extend to safe practices in the

workplace.


1. The scientific method involves formulating a hypothesis,

designing experiments to test the hypothesis, and evaluating the

data to determine if the results support the hypothesis.




Prepared Graduates:

Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions, collecting and analyzing data, giving priority

to evidence, formulating explanations based on evidence, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and

justifying explanations



6. Scientists use the tools of math to solve problems, analyze data, and evaluate the validity of results


Students can:

a. Use dimensional analysis to solve problems

b. Calculate quantities (such as density and specific heat)

using the correct number of significant figures

c. Identify when error has been introduced into a

scientific investigation because certain variables are

not controlled or more than one variable is changed

d. Distinguish between error, uncertainty, and mistakes

e. Calculate percent error

f. Differentiate between accuracy and precision

g. Use and convert between fundamental metric units

Inquiry Questions:

1. How do we identify sources of error and quantify their impact

on data?

2. How accurately and precisely can a quantity be measured?


1. Being able to identify sources of variability is critical to deciding

if an observation, such as an increase in the number of

tornadoes in a given season, represents an actual change or is

merely the result of natural fluctuation.

2. Incorrect conversion of English to metric units resulted in the

failure of a NASA satellite.


1. Math is a central tool of science.




Prepared Graduates:





7. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed.

The mole concept allows chemists to link the atomic world with the macroscopic world through the use of the periodic table.

Stoichiometric relationships are used to determine ―how much is needed‖ and ―how much can be produced‖ in chemical

reactions


Students can:

a. Explain the mole concept

b. Use mole ratios in a balanced chemical equation to

determine stoichiometric relationships of reactants and

products

c. Balance chemical equations to illustrate mole ratios

and conservation of mass in a chemical reaction

d. Calculate the mass and volume relationships of

substances with emphasis on the mole concept,

including percent composition, empirical formulas,

limiting reactants and percent yield

e. Calculate the empirical formula and molecular formula

of a substance from experimental data

f. Recognize and apply a variety of empirical methods for

determining molar mass

Inquiry Questions:

1. How do we know how much of something we have?

2. How do we know how much we need for a reaction and how

much we will produce?

3. How do we demonstrate that mass is conserved in a chemical

reaction?


1. The mole concept allows scientists to determine how many

essentially invisible particles (individual atoms or molecules)

are present by weighing rather than counting, just as jelly

beans are sold by the pound rather than by the number of jelly

beans.

2. Stoichiometric calculations allow a scientist to determine how

much reactant is necessary to produce a desired amount of

product.


1. Use an inquiry approach to determine the empirical formula of

a compound.




Prepared Graduates:

Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical and

nuclear reactions



8. Chemical reactions occur all around us and may either release or consume energy. A large number of reactions involve the transfer

of either electrons or hydrogen ions


Students can:

a. Determine chemical formulas and names of ionic compounds

and covalent molecules

b. Name substances given IUPAC formulas.

c. Describe and predict the products for different types of

reactions: synthesis, decomposition, single replacement,

double replacement, and combustion

d. Represent ionic and molecular species present in chemicals

using a chemical equation

e. Balance chemical equations to illustrate mole ratios and

conservation of mass in a chemical reaction

f. Define and compare concepts of acids and bases according to

Arrhenius and Bronsted‐Lowry models.

g. Perform a neutralization reaction between acidic and basic

substances

h. Assign oxidation numbers to identify what is oxidized and

what is reduced in an oxidation-reduction reaction.

i. Write oxidation and reduction half-reactions for an oxidation-

reduction process.

Inquiry Questions:

1. How do people identify and name substances?

2. How do people use the chemical equation to represent,

analyze, and communicate relationships in chemical

systems and chemical interactions?

3. How do we know how much of something we have, and how

do we demonstrate that the amount of something is

conserved?


1. Products formed in different types of reactions are useful to

people. For example, the decomposition of sodium azide is

used to inflate air bags.

2. Chemical processes can have both negative and positive

environmental effects. For example, sulfur trioxide, a waste

product from coal burning plants and a smog causing

pollutant, can be removed by combining it with magnesium

oxide.

3. Batteries and solar cells generate electricity by means of

oxidation-reduction reactions.


1. Describe and predict products for different types of

reactions, such as combustion.

2. Use an inquiry approach to test predictions about chemical

reactions.




Prepared Graduates:





9. Observed properties such as light emission and absorption and chemical reactivity can be related to electron configuration and

nuclear charge


Students can:

a. Explain what atomic phenomena cause light emission

and absorption

b. Describe the evidence for the existence of atomic

orbitals, electron configuration and electron energy

levels

c. Describe the periodic relationships of elements based

on the following properties: atomic radii, ionization

energies, electronegativity, and oxidation states

d. Describe the key regions of electromagnetic radiation

and how their properties arise from frequency and

wavelength of the radiation

e. Explain why light can be thought of as a wave or as a

particle

f. Use the relationship c = λν to calculate wavelength and

frequency

g. Use the relationship E = hν to demonstrate why

Inquiry Questions:

1. How does the location of an element on the periodic table

relate to the element’s reactivity?

2. What is happening inside an atom when light is emitted or

absorbed?

3. How does a combination of effective nuclear charge and

electron shielding lead to an observed first ionization energy?


1. The color of gas discharge tubes is due to electrons releasing

energy as they drop from a higher energy orbital to a lower

one.

2. Whether a specific reaction between elements will take place

can be predicted by examining the elements’ positions on the

periodic table.

3. The polarity of a bond, and therefore the predominant

intermolecular forces, can be predicted by examining the

constituents’ relative positions on the periodic table.


1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of a model which

represents complex natural phenomena.




Prepared Graduates:



GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION: High School Chemistry


10. Solutions need to be clearly described according to the substances and their amounts, including the interactions of the

substances in a solution


Students can:

a. Describe types of solutions and factors affecting

solubility of solutes in solvents

b. Calculate the concentration of solutions using the

concept of molarity

c. Describe and show calculations for the preparation of a

molar solution from a solid solute

d. Describe and show calculations for the preparation of a

molar solution by dilution of a more concentrated

stock solution

e. Describe and show calculations for determining the

mass percent of a substance in solution

f. Describe the nature of the pH scale, relating the

values to acidic, basic, and neutral solutions

g. Perform calculations with pH and [H+]

h. Explain how a buffer solution resists changes in pH

Inquiry Questions:

1. What substances are contained in a solution?

2. Why does a solution have specific, unique properties?

3. How does the pH of a solution affect its properties?


1. Almost all liquid phase materials we encounter--such as blood,

cell interiors, environmental systems and oceans—are

solutions.

2. Concentrations of solutions affect the quantity of reactions.

3. Changing the pH of a stable ecosystem can have devastating

effects.


1. Clearly identify the parameters of an experimental system.

2. Ask testable questions about the concentrations of substances

in solution, and use an inquiry approach to investigate these

questions.




Prepared Graduates:





11. Temperature of a sample is related to the kinetic energy of the particles in the sample.

Heat flows from a warmer object to a cooler object, heat loss by a system equals heat gain by the surroundings

(and vice versa)


Students can:

a. Identify and describe different forms of energy and

their transformations

b. Explain what it means when scientists say ―the energy

of the universe is constant‖ (First Law of

Thermodynamics)

c. Use kinetic molecular theory to describe the motion of

molecules and its relationship to temperature and

kinetic energy

d. Use calorimetry to calculate the specific heat of a

substance and the amount of heat change in a

chemical reaction

e. Classify reactions and phase changes as endothermic

or exothermic

f. Calculate the amount of heat lost or gained due to a

phase change of a substance

g. Determine the direction and amount of heat change

for phase changes and chemical reactions

h. Explain how all spontaneous processes are

accompanied by an increase in the entropy of the

universe (Second Law of Thermodynamics)

i. Calculate enthalpy change in a chemical reaction using

Hess’s Law

j. Calculate the heat of reaction using bond energies and

heats of formation

Inquiry Questions:

1. What is heat, and how does it affect the way molecules

interact?

2. What is the relationship between temperature and the heat

change in a chemical or physical change?


1. Energy occurs in different forms and is necessary to do work

and cause change.

2. Chemical reactions occur all around us and may either release

or absorb energy.


1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of a model which

represents complex natural phenomenon.

2. Employ data-collection technology to gather, view, analyze

and interpret data about chemical and physical properties of

different compounds.

3. Use an inquiry approach to test predictions regarding heat

changes in chemical reactions.


Prepared Graduate Competencies in Science

The preschool through twelfth-grade concepts and skills that all students who complete the Colorado

education system must master to ensure their success in a postsecondary and workforce setting.

Prepared Graduates:

Observe, explain, and predict natural phenomena governed by Newton's laws of motion,

acknowledging the limitations of their application to very small or very fast objects

Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and

predict outcomes of chemical and nuclear reactions

Apply an understanding that energy exists in various forms, and its transformation and conservation

occur in processes that are predictable and measurable

Analyze the relationship between structure and function in living systems at a variety of

organizational levels, and recognize living systems’ dependence on natural selection

Explain and illustrate with examples how living systems interact with the biotic and abiotic

environment

Analyze how various organisms grow, develop, and differentiate during their lifetimes based on an

interplay between genetics and their environment

Explain how biological evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of living organisms

Describe and interpret how Earth's geologic history and place in space are relevant to our

understanding of the processes that have shaped our planet

Evaluate evidence that Earth’s geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere interact as a

complex system

Describe how humans are dependent on the diversity of resources provided by Earth and Sun

Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions, collecting and

analyzing data, giving priority to evidence, formulating explanations based on evidence, connecting

explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and justifying explanations.


Standard Grade Level Expectation

High School

1. Physical

Science

1. Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation describe the relationships

among forces acting on and between objects, their masses, and

changes in their motion – but have limitations

2. Matter has definite structure that determines characteristic physical

and chemical properties

3. Matter can change form through chemical or nuclear reactions abiding

by the laws of conservation of mass and energy

4. Atoms bond in different ways to form molecules and compounds that

have definite properties

5. Energy exists in many forms such as mechanical, chemical, electrical,

radiant, thermal, and nuclear, that can be quantified and

experimentally determined

6. When energy changes form, it is neither created not destroyed;

however, because some is necessarily lost as heat, the amount of

energy available to do work decreases

2. Life Science 1. Matter tends to be cycled within an ecosystem, while energy is

transformed and eventually exits an ecosystem

2. The size and persistence of populations depend on their interactions

with each other and on the abiotic factors in an ecosystem

3. Cellular metabolic activities are carried out by biomolecules produced

by organisms

4. The energy for life primarily derives from the interrelated processes of

photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Photosynthesis transforms the

sun’s light energy into the chemical energy of molecular bonds.

Cellular respiration allows cells to utilize chemical energy when these

bonds are broken.

5. Cells use the passive and active transport of substances across

membranes to maintain relatively stable intracellular environments

6. Cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems maintain relatively stable

internal environments, even in the face of changing external

environments

7. Physical and behavioral characteristics of an organism are influenced

to varying degrees by heritable genes, many of which encode

instructions for the production of proteins

8. Multicellularity makes possible a division of labor at the cellular level

through the expression of select genes, but not the entire genome

9. Evolution occurs as the heritable characteristics of populations change

across generations and can lead populations to become better adapted

to their environment



High School (continued)

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. The history of the universe, solar system and Earth can be inferred

from evidence left from past events

2. As part of the solar system, Earth interacts with various

extraterrestrial forces and energies such as gravity, solar phenomena,

electromagnetic radiation, and impact events that influence the

planet’s geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere in a variety of ways

3. The theory of plate tectonics helps to explain geological, physical, and

geographical features of Earth

4. Climate is the result of energy transfer among interactions of the

atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere

5. There are costs, benefits, and consequences of exploration,

development, and consumption of renewable and nonrenewable

resources

6. The interaction of Earth's surface with water, air, gravity, and

biological activity causes physical and chemical changes

7. Natural hazards have local, national and global impacts such as

volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and thunderstorms

Eighth Grade

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Weather is a result of complex interactions of Earth's atmosphere, land

and water, that are driven by energy from the sun, and can be

predicted and described through complex models

2. Earth has a variety of climates defined by average temperature,

precipitation, humidity, air pressure, and wind that have changed over

time in a particular location

3. The solar system is comprised of various objects that orbit the Sun

and are classified based on their characteristics

4. The relative positions and motions of Earth, Moon, and Sun can be

used to explain observable effects such as seasons, eclipses, and Moon

phases

5. Major geologic events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mid-

ocean ridges, and mountain formation are associated with plate

boundaries and attributed to plate motions

6. Geologic time, history, and changing life forms are indicated by fossils

and successive sedimentation, folding, faulting, and uplifting of layers

of sedimentary rock

7. Complex interrelationships exist between Earth’s structure and natural

processes that over time are both constructive and destructive

8. Water on Earth is distributed and circulated through oceans, glaciers,

rivers, ground water, and the atmosphere

9. Earth’s natural resources provide the foundation for human society’s

physical needs. Many natural resources are nonrenewable on human

timescales, while others can be renewed or recycled



Seventh Grade

2. Life Science 1. Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to

survive and have offspring in a specific environment

2. The human body is composed of atoms, molecules, cells, tissues,

organs, and organ systems that have specific functions and

interactions

3. Cells are the smallest unit of life that can function independently and

perform all the necessary functions of life

4. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important processes by

which energy is acquired and utilized by organisms

5. Multiple lines of evidence show the evolution of organisms over

geologic time

6. Human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter ecosystems

and their resiliency

7. Organisms reproduce and transmit genetic information (genes) to

offspring, which influences individuals’ traits in the next generation

8. Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of

individual organisms, populations, and entire species

9. Organisms interact with each other and their environment in various

ways that create a flow of energy and cycling of matter in an

ecosystem

Sixth Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Identify and calculate the direction and magnitude of forces that act on

an object, and explain the results in the object’s change of motion

2. There are different forms of energy, and those forms of energy can be

changed from one form to another – but total energy is conserved

3. Distinguish between physical and chemical changes, noting that mass

is conserved during any change

4. Recognize that waves such as electromagnetic, sound, seismic, and

water have common characteristics and unique properties

5. Mixtures of substances can be separated based on their properties

such as solubility, boiling points, magnetic properties, and densities

6. All matter is made of atoms, which are far too small to see directly

through a light microscope. Elements have unique atoms and thus,

unique properties. Atoms themselves are made of even smaller

particles

7. Atoms may stick together in well-defined molecules or be packed

together in large arrangements. Different arrangements of atoms into

groups compose all substances.

8. The physical characteristics and changes of solid, liquid, and gas states

can be explained using the particulate model

9. Distinguish among, explain, and apply the relationships among mass,

weight, volume, and density



Fifth Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Mixtures of matter can be separated regardless of how they were

created; all weight and mass of the mixture are the same as the sum

of weight and mass of its parts

2. Life Science 1. All organisms have structures and systems with separate functions

2. Human body systems have basic structures, functions, and needs

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth and sun provide a diversity of renewable and nonrenewable

resources

2. Earth’s surface changes constantly through a variety of processes and

forces

3. Weather conditions change because of the uneven heating of Earth’s

surface by the Sun’s energy. Weather changes are measured by

differences in temperature, air pressure, wind and water in the

atmosphere and type of precipitation

Fourth Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Energy comes in many forms such as light, heat, sound, magnetic,

chemical, and electrical

2. Life Science 1. All living things share similar characteristics, but they also have

differences that can be described and classified

2. Comparing fossils to each other or to living organisms reveals features

of prehistoric environments and provides information about organisms

today

3. There is interaction and interdependence between and among living

and nonliving components of systems

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth is part of the solar system, which includes the Sun, Moon, and

other bodies that orbit the Sun in predictable patterns that lead to

observable paths of objects in the sky as seen from Earth

Third Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Matter exists in different states such as solids, liquids, and gases and

can change from one state to another by heating and cooling

2. Life Science 1. The duration and timing of life cycle events such as reproduction and

longevity vary across organisms and species

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth’s materials can be broken down and/or combined into different

materials such as rocks, minerals, rock cycle, formation of soil, and

sand – some of which are usable resources for human activity

Second Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Changes in speed or direction of motion are caused by forces such as

pushes and pulls.

2. Life Science 1. Organisms depend on their habitat’s nonliving parts to satisfy their

needs

2. Each plant or animal has different structures or behaviors that serve

different functions

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Weather and the changing seasons impact the environment and

organisms such as humans, plants, and other animals



First Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Solids and liquids have unique properties that distinguish them

2. Life Science 1. Offspring have characteristics that are similar to but not exactly like

their parents’ characteristics

2. An organism is a living thing that has physical characteristics to help it

survive

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth’s materials can be compared and classified based on their

properties

Kindergarten

1. Physical

Science

1. Objects can move in a variety of ways that can be described by speed

and direction

2. Objects can be sorted by physical properties, which can be observed

and measured

2. Life Science 1. Organisms can be described and sorted by their physical

characteristics

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. The sun provides heat and light to Earth

Preschool

1. Physical

Science

1. Objects have properties and characteristics

2. There are cause-and-effect relationships in everyday experiences

2. Life Science 1. Living things have characteristics and basic needs

2. Living things develop in predictable patterns

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth’s materials have properties and characteristics that affect how

we use those materials

2. Events such as night, day, the movement of objects in the sky,

weather, and seasons have patterns

Academic Vocabulary

Standard 1: acceleration, accuracy, action-reaction, alloy, amplitude, anecdotal evidence, atom, bias,

boiling point, causation, chemical bond, chemical energy, chemical equation, chemical property, chemical

reaction, combustion, compound, conductivity, conservation of energy, conservation of matter, constant,

controlled experiment, correlation, covalent, cycle, data, decomposition (chemical reaction), density,

dependent variable, efficiency, electrical energy, electromagnetic wave, electron, element, energy,

energy transformation, error, evidence, experiment, explanation, falsifiable, fission, force, frequency,

fusion, gravitation, heat, hypothesis, independent variable, investigation, ionic, kinetic energy, law,

macroscopic, mass, matter, mechanical energy, melting point, metal, metalloid, methodology,

microscopic, mixture, molecule, motion, nanoscale, neutron, non-renewable energy, nuclear energy,

nuclear equation, nuclear reaction, optimum, pH, periodic table, physical property, plate tectonics, polar,

position, potential energy, product, proton, qualitative, quantitative, radiant energy, radioactive,

reactant, renewable energy, replacement (chemical reaction), research-based evidence, semiconductor,

skepticism, substance, super conductor, synthesis (chemical reaction), synthetic, system, testable

question, theory, thermal energy, uncertainty, velocity

Word Definition

Acceleration the rate of increase of speed

Accuracy the degree of agreement between a measured or computed value of a physical

quantity and the standard or accepted value for that quantity

Action-reaction accompanied by a reaction of equal magnitude but opposite direction

Alloy a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give

greater strength or resistance to corrosion

Amplitude in a wave, the maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation from the point of

equilibrium.

Anecdotal

evidence

short account of a particular incident or event that is not scientific or is hearsay

and therefore considered unreliable

Atom the smallest particle of a chemical element, consisting of a positively charged

nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons

Bias statistical sampling or testing error caused by systematically favoring some

outcomes over others

Boiling point the temperature at which a liquid boils at a fixed pressure, especially under

standard atmospheric conditions

Causation the act that produces an effect, where the effect is understood to be a

consequence of the act

Chemical bond any of several forces, especially the ionic bond, covalent bond, and metallic

bond, by which atoms or ions are bound in a molecule

Chemical energy a form of potential energy related to the structural arrangement of atoms or

molecules, which results from the chemical bonds and which can be transformed

to other forms of energy by a chemical reaction

Chemical equation a representation of a chemical reaction using symbols of the elements to indicate

the amount of substance of each reactant and product

Chemical property a property or behavior of a substance when it undergoes a chemical change or

reaction

Chemical reaction a process that involves rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a

substance, as opposed to a change in physical form or a nuclear reaction

Combustion reaction of a substance with oxygen in which energy is released

Compound a pure, macroscopically homogeneous substance consisting of atoms or ions of

two or more different elements in definite proportions that cannot be separated

by physical means. A compound usually has properties unlike those of its

constituent elements

Conductivity the ability or power to conduct or transmit heat, electricity, or sound

Conservation of

energy

a principle stating that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant

regardless of changes within the system

Conservation of

matter

a principle in classical physics stating that the total mass of an isolated system is

unchanged by interaction of its parts

Constant an experimental or theoretical condition, factor, or quantity that does not vary or

that is regarded as invariant in specified circumstances

Controlled

experiment

an experiment that isolates the effect of one variable on a system by holding

constant all variables but the one under observation

Correlation a measurable and predictable relationship

Covalent of, relating to, or denoting chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electrons

between atoms

Cycle a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order

Data factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for

reasoning, discussion, or calculation

Decomposition

(chemical

reaction)

the separation of a chemical compound into elements or simpler compounds

Density the mass of a substance per unit volume

Dependent

variable

the observed or measured variable in an experiment or study whose changes are

determined by the presence of one or more independent variables

Efficiency the ratio of the effective or useful output to the total input in any system

Electrical energy energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor

Electromagnetic

wave

wave of energy having a frequency within the electromagnetic spectrum and

propagated as a periodic disturbance of the electromagnetic field when an

electric charge oscillates or accelerates

Electron an elementary particle in all atoms that has a negative charge

Element substance composed of atoms having an identical number of protons in each

nucleus

Energy the capacity of a physical system to do work

Energy

transformation

to convert energy from one form to another

Error difference between a computed or measured value and a true or theoretically

correct value

Evidence information acquired through objective experience

Experiment a test under controlled conditions that is made to examine the validity of a

hypothesis or determine the efficacy of something previously untried

Explanation a statement based on scientific evidence and logical argument about causes and

effects or relationships between variables

Falsifiable the possibility that an assertion could be shown untrue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_compound

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_element

Fission a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus, especially a heavy nucleus such as

an isotope of uranium, splits into fragments, usually two fragments of

comparable mass, releasing from 100 million to several hundred million electron

volts of energy

Force an influence tending to change the motion of a body or produce motion or stress

in a stationary body; a push or a pull

Frequency the number of repetitions per unit time of a complete waveform

Fusion a nuclear reaction in which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the

simultaneous release of energy

Gravitation the force of attraction that bodies exert on one another as a result of their mass

Heat a form of energy associated with the motion of atoms or molecules and capable

of being

transmitted through solid and fluid media by conduction, through fluid media by

convection, and through empty space by radiation

Hypothesis a tentative explanation for an observation

Independent

variable

a manipulated variable in an experiment or study whose presence or degree

determines the change in the dependent variable

Investigation a detailed inquiry or systematic examination

Ionic formed by the electrostatic attraction of oppositely charged ions

Kinetic energy the energy possessed by an object because of its motion

Law a phenomenon of nature that has been shown to invariably occur whenever

certain conditions exist or are met

Macroscopic large enough to be perceived or examined by the unaided eye

Mass the quantity of matter which a body contains, as measured by its acceleration

under a given force or by the force exerted on it by a gravitational field

Matter physical substance or material in general; that which occupies space and

possesses mass

Mechanical energy energy of an object due to its motion or position

Melting point the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid at standard atmospheric

pressure

Metal a substance with high electrical conductivity, luster, and malleability, which

readily loses electrons to form positive ions (cations)

Metalloid an element with properties intermediate between those of a metal and nonmetal

Methodology means, technique, or procedure; method

Microscopic too small to be seen by the unaided eye but large enough to be studied under a

microscope

Mixture a composition of two or more substances that are not chemically combined with

each other and are capable of being separated

Molecule the simplest unit of a chemical compound that can exist, consisting of two or

more atoms held together by chemical bonds

Motion a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something

Nanoscale relating to or occurring on a scale of nanometers (10 -9 m)

Neutron a neutral elementary particle of about the same mass as a proton

Non-renewable

energy

of or relating to an energy source, such as oil or natural gas, or a natural

resource, such as a metallic ore, that is not replaceable after it has been used

Nuclear energy the energy released by a nuclear reaction

http://chemistry.about.com/library/glossary/bldef57020.htm


http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryglossary/a/iondefinition.htm

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/glossary/g/cationdef.htm


http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa010103a.htm

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa010103b.htm

Nuclear equation notations are used to represent the decay of one element into another or the

fusion of atoms from different elements

Nuclear reaction a change in the identity or characteristics of an atomic nucleus that results when

it is bombarded with an energetic particle, as in fission, fusion, or radioactive

decay

Optimum the point at which the condition, degree, or amount of something is the most

favorable

pH p(otential of) H(ydrogen); a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution,

numerically equal to 7 for neutral solutions, increasing with increasing alkalinity

and decreasing with

Periodic table a table of the chemical elements arranged in order of atomic number, usually in

rows, so that elements with similar atomic structure (and hence similar chemical

properties) appear in vertical columns

Physical property a property of an element or compound that can be observed without a chemical

reaction of the substance

Plate tectonics a theory explaining the structure of the earth's crust and many associated

phenomena as resulting from the interaction of rigid lithospheric plates that

move slowly over the underlying mantle

Polar descriptor for a chemical compound whose molecules exhibit electrically positive

characteristics at one extremity and negative characteristics at the other

Position place or location

Potential energy stored energy; the ability of a system to do work due to its position or internal

structure. For example, gravitational potential energy is a stored energy

determined by an object's position in a gravitational field while elastic potential

energy is the energy stored in a spring

Product a substance resulting from a chemical reaction

Proton an elementary particle in all atoms that has a positive charge

Qualitative involving distinctions, descriptions, or comparisons based on qualities that can be

observed without measurement (e.g. color, shape, appearance)

Quantitative involving distinctions, descriptions, or comparisons that can be quantified or

measured

Radiant energy energy that is transmitted in the form of (electromagnetic) radiation

Radioactive emitting or relating to the emission of ionizing radiation or particles

Reactant a substance participating in a chemical reaction, especially a directly reacting

substance present at the initiation of the reaction

Renewable energy energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides,

and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished)

Replacement

(chemical

reaction)

chemical reactions in which one element is replaced by another (single

replacement), or where the positive ion of one compound is exchanged with the

positive ion of another compound (double replacement)

Research-based

evidence

data derived from sound scientific research methods. It is noted as research-

based to differentiate from anecdotal or circumstantial evidence

Semiconductor any of various solid crystalline substances, such as germanium or silicon, having

electrical conductivity greater than insulators but less than good conductors, and

used especially as a base material for computer chips and other electronic

devices

Skepticism a doctrine that suspends judgment until there is sufficient scientific evidence to

believe a claim

http://physics.about.com/od/glossary/g/work.htm

http://physics.about.com/od/classicalmechanics/a/gravity_3.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resource

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunlight

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_energy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_resource

Substance a particular kind of matter with uniform properties

Super conductor an element or metallic alloy which, when cooled to near absolute zero, loses all

electrical resistance

Synthesis

(chemical

reaction)

formation of a compound from simpler compounds or elements

Synthetic prepared or made artificially

System a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a

complex whole

Testable question a question that can tested in a scientific investigation

Theory a set of statements or principles devised to explain a large set of data and has

been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted

Thermal energy the energy of the motion of the particles or the oscillations in a system; the total,

internal energy of a thermodynamic system or sample of matter that results in

the system's temperature

Uncertainty the estimated amount or percentage by which an observed or calculated value

may differ from the true value

Velocity a vector quantity whose magnitude is a body's speed and whose direction is the

body's direction of motion

http://physics.about.com/od/glossary/g/absolutezero.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_energy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermodynamic_system