MISSION

Our mission is to provide students with educational experiences that develop character, imagination, knowledge, and skills for lifelong learning.


VISION

  1. In CFSD, our vision of science education is to build student knowledge and inquiry skills through the gathering and application of information about our world.

  2. We envision students as a part of a learning community, embracing a positive and enthusiastic attitude toward science, engaged in an articulated sequence of scientific knowledge that meets varied learning styles; provides experiences that build confidence and opportunities to develop new questions.

  3. Students, teachers, and Community working as partners, conducting inquiry that leads to in depth understandings and enjoyment of the natural world around us and our responsibilities to it.


PHILOSOPHY

We believe learning is best when:


We believe teaching is best when:


We believe assessment is best when:


In CFSD:



SCIENCE STANDARDS


If students are to come to know and own the questions of science, they need to engage with them the way scientists and technologists do. Asking questions and evaluating evidence are central to inquiry. This concept is further defined for the classroom by two strands that are broad statements about what students should know and be able to do as learners of science. Each strand reflects the inquiry process and the importance of owning questions by focusing on essential knowledge, skills, and strategies that students need in order to become scientifically literate. Each Strand includes specific learning standards These are organized by grade span and provide specificity with regard to what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade span.


Strand 1: Domains of Science

Lifelong learners are able to understand and apply the principles, laws, and fundamental understandings of the natural sciences.


Earth & Space Science:

K-2

Demonstrate an understanding of properties and sources of Earth materials, objects in the sky, changes in earth and sky, resources, and impacts of technology.

3-5

Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of the earth, earth's history, earth in the solar system, natural hazards, and impacts of technology on the earth.


6-8

Demonstrate an understanding of patterns of energy and matter changes on the earth and in space, natural resources, and impacts of technology on the earth.


9-12

Demonstrate an understanding of patterns of energy and matter changes on the earth and in space, natural resources, and impacts of technology on the earth.


Physical Science:

K-2

Demonstrate an understanding of properties of objects and materials, position and motion of objects, light, heat, electricity, magnetism, and uses of physical concepts in technological designs.


3-5

Demonstrate an understanding of properties and changes in matter, forces and motion, and transfer of energy and uses of physical concepts in technological designs.


6-8

Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of atoms and matter, motions and forces, interactions of energy and matter, and uses of physical concepts in technological designs.


9-12

Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of atoms and matter, motions and forces, interactions of energy and matter, and uses of physical concepts in technological designs.


Life Science:

K-2

Demonstrate an understanding of characteristics of organisms, life cycles of organisms, organisms and their environment, health, resources, and technological challenges.


3-5

Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and function in living systems, organism behavior, ecosystems, diversity of organisms, health, and technological benefits and problems.


6-8

Demonstrate an understanding of the cell, heredity, interdependence and behavior of organisms, adaptation of organisms to changing environments, health, environmental quality, technological challenges, and matter, energy, and organization in living systems.


9-12

Demonstrate an understanding of the cell, heredity, interdependence and behavior of organisms, adaptation of organisms to changing environments, health, environmental quality, technological challenges, and matter, energy, and organization in living systems.


Strand 2: Processes of Science

Lifelong learners are able to use the methods of inquiry to participate in scientific investigation and technological problem solving. Developing scientific thinking in students is an important part of science education. To learn how to think scientifically, students need frequent opportunities to develop science process skills, critical thinking skills, and scientific reasoning skills that support scientific inquiry.


Science Process Skills (K-12):

Use the methods of inquiry to participate in scientific investigation and technological problem solving.

Observing

Determining the properties of an object or event by using the senses.


Classifying

Grouping objects or events according to their properties.


Measuring/ Using Numbers

Skills include:


Communicating

Using written and spoken words, graphs, tables, diagrams, and other information presentations, including those that are technology based.


Inferring

Drawing a conclusion about a specific event based on observations and data; may include cause-and-effect relationships.


Predicting

Anticipating consequences of a new or changed situation using past experiences and observation.


Collecting, Recording, and Interpreting Data

Manipulating data, either collected by self or by others, in order to make meaningful information and then finding patterns in that information that lead to making inferences, predictions, and hypotheses.


Identifying and Controlling Variables

Identifying the variables in a situation; selecting variables to be manipulated and held constant.


Defining Operationally

Defining terms within the context of one's own experiences, stating a definition in terms of "what you do" and "what you observe."


Making Hypotheses

Proposing an explanation based on observations.


Experimenting

Investigating, manipulating materials, and testing hypotheses to determine a result.


Making and Using Models

Representing the "real world" using a physical or mental model in order to understand the larger process or phenomenon.


Common Themes (K-12):

Recognize common themes or "big ideas" that run through science as well as many other disciplines and incorporate into one's way of thinking about the world.

Systems

A system is a collection of things that influence one another and appear to be a unified whole. The scientific idea of "system" implies detailed attention to inputs and outputs and to interactions amount the system components.


Scale

Ideas concerning the differences in magnitude of variables, such as size, distance, weight, and temperature, including the idea that the properties of something change at different rates as scale changes.


Constancy and Change

The ways in which anything in nature remains the same or changes, as well as the rate at which change occurs


Models

A model is a physical, mathematical, or conceptual likeness of a thing or process that helps to explain how it works. Models are used to think about processes that happen too slowly, too quickly, or on too large or small a scale to be directly observed.


Critical Thinking Skills & Scientific Reasoning Skills (K-12)

Develop Critical Thinking Skills and Scientific Reasoning Skills over time as one has opportunities to respond to thought-provoking questions that involve investigations and study.

Critical Thinking Skills:

Analyzing

Studying something to identify constituent elements or relationships among elements.


Synthesizing

Using deductive reasoning to pull together key elements


Evaluating

Reviewing and responding critically to materials, procedures, or ideas, and judging them by purposes, standards, or other criteria


Applying

Using ideas, processes, or skills in new situations


Generating Ideas

Expressing thoughts that reveal originality, speculation, imagination, a personal perspective, flexibility in thinking, invention, or creativity


Expressing Ideas

Presenting ideas clearly and in logical order, while using language that is appropriate for the audience and occasion


Solving Problems

Using critical thinking skills to find solutions to a problem


Scientific Reasoning Skills:

Longing to Know and Understand

The desire to probe, find information, and seek explanations


Questioning of Scientific Assumptions

The tendency to hold open for further verification presented assumptions, encounters, and ideas


Search for Data and Its Meaning

The propensity to collect information and to analyze it in context


Demand for Verification

The inclination to repeat and replicate findings and studies


Respect for Logic

The inclination to move from assumptions to testing and data collection to conclusions


Consideration of Premises

The tendency to put into context the reason for a particular point of view


Consideration of Consequences

The tendency to put into perspective the results of a particular point of view


Respect for Historical Contributions

The inclination to understand and learn from earlier ideas, studies, and events





Earth Science K-5


K-2 Student Learnings

Demonstrate an understanding of properties and sources of Earth materials, objects in the sky, changes in earth and sky, resources, and impacts of technology.


Kindergarten

Strand 1:

1B1 -Weather conditions change daily.

1B2 -Sunlight warms the earth's surface, which in turn warms the air above it; the more sunlight received, the warmer that surface and air become.

1B3 -Some materials absorb more of the sun's heat than do other materials.

1B4 -Wind, or moving air, can blow fast or slow.

1B5 -Water in and from the air can exist as water vapor (an invisible gaseous state of water), as a liquid (clouds, fog, rain, dew), and as a solid (snow, hail, sleet, frost).

1B6 -There are four seasons--spring, summer, autumn, winter--and the weather varies with each season.

1B7 -The weather conditions change with the seasons, and people adjust their activities and their clothing to meet the changes.

1B8 -Animals change in a variety of ways in response to seasonal weather conditions.

1B9 -Weather conditions, such as temperature, affect the growth of plants.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:

-Daily weather conditions change; there is constancy in weather patterns.

-There is constancy in the sun's heat and changes in temperature that result from the amount of sunlight the earth receives.

-There is constancy in the sun's heat and change of temperature resulting from the absorption of the sun's heat by different materials.

-Wind blows at different speeds, but there is constancy of wind and the change in its speed.

-There is constancy in the identity of water, as well as the changes in its state.

-There is constancy of weather during a season and changes in weather from season to season.

-There is constancy of weather during a season and changes that people make to adjust themselves to the temperature of a particular season.

-There is constancy of weather during a season and how animals change to adjust to the temperature of a particular season.

-There is constancy of weather during a season and how plants change to adjust to the temperature of a particular season.


First Grade

Strand 1:

1D1 -Several kinds of soil compose the different layers of the earth's surface.

1D2 -Soil contains rocks, water, once-living things, and living organisms.

1D3 -When water is added to soil, some of the water will be absorbed by the soil.

1D4 -Rocks can be grouped according to color, shape, and texture.

1D5 -Rocks have varying degrees of hardness.

1D6 -Rocks vary in size, from grains of sand to boulders.

1D7 -Water flows downhill in streams or rivers.

1D8 -A small amount of water may accumulate to form a puddle; a large amount of water may accumulate to form a lake.

1D9 -Food scraps change form in soil over time and can be recycled as compost for a vegetable garden.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:

-Parts that interact with each other make up a system. The different kinds of soil on the earth combine to make up the system that covers the earth's surface.

-Explore the earth's land and water system to discover that soil contains a variety of living and non living things.

-Explore the earth's system of land and water to discover that land and water interact when soil absorbs water.

-Rocks represent one example of the diverse materials that comprise the earth's system of land and water. Although soil covers a lot of the land, rocks are always under the soil and are often exposed at the surface. Recognize that materials comprising the earth's system of land and water display many characteristics.

-Explore the earth's system of land and water to discover that one of the materials that makes up the system, rocks, vary in hardness.

-Explore the earth's system of land and water to discover that rocks have many different sizes and shapes.

-Learn that actions can be taken to help ensure the health of earth's system of land and water.

-Use a model to discover that water always flows downhill.

-Make and use a model to discover that water accumulates in puddles and lakes.


Second Grade

Strand 1:

2C1 -Dinosaurs, which lived on land long ago, had many different characteristics.

2C2 -Fossils provide evidence that some dinosaurs were among the largest animals that have ever lived and that others were quite small.

2C3 -Some fossils are the remains of once-living things; some fossils are imprints of once-living things.

2C4 -A fossil imprint is formed when a plant or animal leaves a trace, or print, of itself in soil, which gradually turns to rock.

2C5 -Dinosaur fossil footprints are clues to the size of a dinosaur and the size and shape of its feet.

2C6 -Fossil bones give clues to sizes and shapes of dinosaurs.

2C7 -Flat teeth are good for grinding food, and pointed teeth are good for tearing food.

2C8 -Skeletons are clues to sizes and shapes of dinosaurs.

2C9 -Although dinosaurs became extinct a long time ago, some of them had characteristics similar to animals that are alive today.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:

-Examine fossil imprints and fossil remains to learn what early plants and animals looked like. Both imprints and remains are actual-size models rather than scale models.

-Simulate making fossil imprints. An imprint is a model for a cast of a plant or animal, and there are differences between simulated imprints and fossil imprints.

-Make hand prints to simulate how fossil footprints are made. An imprint is a model of a hand print or a footprint.

-Simulate searching for fossil remains. Remains are full-size clues to the size and shape of an animal. Model digging up fossil remains.

-Use models of teeth to learn how the shapes of teeth fit their uses. Experiment with the models by using them to tear and grind different kinds of food.

-Put together and examine models of dinosaur skeletons. Tell about a dinosaur's size and shape by examining its skeleton.


-Examine dinosaur models (scaled-down replicas). Compare sizes and characteristics of dinosaur models prepared to scale, or a proportionally reduced size.


  1. Scale:

-Compare pictures of dinosaurs drawn to scale, a proportionally reduced size. Use the scale to calculate the sizes of dinosaurs relative to their own sizes or the sizes of familiar objects.


-Compare the body parts of dinosaurs with those of living animals. See constancy in the way that living animals resemble dinosaurs and change in the ways that today's animals differ from those that lived long ago.



3-5 Student Learnings

Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of the earth, earth's history, earth in the solar system, natural hazards, and impacts of technology on the earth.


Third Grade

Strand 1:

3B -The Sun, the Moon, and the Earth have different physical characteristics and regular movements that result in daily, monthly, and yearly patterns.

3B1 - The Sun and the Moon can be described by comparing their physical features, sizes, and locations relative to Earth.

3B1.1 - The Moon is a faraway, airless, cratered ball of rock with a diameter about one-fourth of Earth's.

3B1.2 - Astronauts who visit the airless Moon must bring along life-support equipment and adapt to lunar gravity that is about one-sixth of Earth's.

3B1.3 - The Sun is a star--a ball of gases much larger than Earth and much farther away than the Moon--that gives off heat and light essential to life on Earth.

3B2 - Earth rotates on its axis once a day, the Moon revolves around the Earth about once a month, and Earth revolves around the Sun one a year.

3B2.1 - Earth rotates eastward on its axis once every 24 hours, making objects in the sky appear to move from east to west and appear to circle the North Star at night.

3B2.2 - Earth, one of the nine known planets in our solar system, revolves around the Sun once a year; the positions in the sky of the Sun and constellations seem to change as Earth moves it its orbit.

3B2.3 - The Moon revolves around Earth and rotates on its axis about once a month, causing the same side of the Moon to remain facing Earth, and causing the Moon's phases as different portions of the Moon's sunlit half become visible from Earth.

3B3 - Revolution and rotation within the Sun-Earth-Moon system result in seasonal changes and eclipses of the Sun and Moon.

3B3.1 - Seasons occur because, as Earth revolves around the Sun, the tilt of Earth's axis causes different amounts of sunlight to strike particular parts of Earth's curved surface at different times of the year.

3B3.2 - A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth and blocks the Sun from view; a lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into Earth's shadow.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

  1. Scale:

-Because the Sun and the Moon are so far away, they seem to be small bodies in the sky. Create scale models of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon to understand their relative sizes and distances.

-Because our solar system is so large, it takes Earth an entire year to move around the Sun, and the Moon about 27 days to move around Earth. Use scale models to better comprehend the distances and motions involved.

  1. Models:

-Use models to help understand that Earth and Moon motions cause seasons and eclipses.


Fourth Grade

Strand 1:

4E -The weather on Earth is always changing.

4E1 - Earth's atmosphere, where weather occurs, is a mixture of gases that occupies space, has weight, and is affected by changes in temperature.

4E1.1 - Air is a mixture of gases that takes up space and has weight; it is largely composed of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. Air is vital to life on Earth, and changes in the condition of the air result in different kinds of weather.

4E1.2 - Uneven heating of Earth by the Sun results in uneven heating of the air above Earth's surface. Differences in the temperature of the air cause it to move.

4E2 - Weather changes from day to day and place to place, partly as a result of change sin air pressure and the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.

4E2.1 - Air pressure, which can be measured with a barometer, is the push of air against its surroundings.

4E2.2 - The direction from which the wind is blowing is determined by use of a wind vane; the speed of the wind can be measured with an anemometer.

4E2.3 - Fluctuations in the water vapor content of the air result in variations in humidity, clouds, and precipitation.

4E3 - Changes in cloud formations, wind direction, and barometric pressure are good local weather predictors.

4E3.1 - Clouds of different sizes, shapes, and altitudes provide clues about changes in weather.

4E3.2 - Weather maps, including information on fronts and air masses, allow patterns to be seen that can be used to make weather predictions.

4E3.3 - Tornadoes, hurricanes, and thunderstorms are dangerous storms, during which people must take safety precautions.

4E4 - Seasonal weather changes and climate differences are the result of several factors including the amount and intensity of sunlight and the tilt of Earth's axis.

4E4.1 - The tilt of Earth's axis and the orientation of the axis to the Sun cause variations in the number of hours and intensity of sunlight per day, which result in seasonal changes.

4E4.2 - Climate is influenced by a region's latitude and by large bodies of water and mountains in and near the region; clues to Earth's past climates are found in tree rings, fossils, and glacial ice.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

  1. Systems:

-Earth's atmosphere is a system composed of air, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. The interaction of solar energy with the atmosphere produces various conditions on Earth.

-Weather systems are the result of interactions of several processes. Air pressure changes with temperature. Winds occur when there are differences in air pressure between two areas. Water vapor affects weather by producing clouds and precipitation.


  1. Constancy & Change:

-The weather is always changing, but patterns of change can be found by studying certain atmosphere indicators.

-Climate reveals a theme of constancy as seasons recur year after year, but changes are seen in precipitation and temperature differences.


Fifth Grade

Strand 1:

5E - Earth is a sphere composed mainly of rock and metal; although seemingly static, Earth is constantly changing.

5E1 - Minerals are solid elements or compounds from Earth's crust that can be classified by their properties and that have many uses.

5E1.1 - Minerals have distinct properties, including hardness, luster, color, streak, and cleavage, that can be used to identify them.

5E1.2 - Some minerals form crystals; this is one property, among many, that make minerals useful for building materials, in computer chips, and in other electronic products.

5E2 - Rocks, which are made of one or more kinds of minerals, can be identified by their properties and classified by how they are formed and changed.

5E2.1 - Rocks have distinct properties by which they can be identified and can be classified by how they form.

5E2.2 - The properties of rocks make them suitable for a variety of uses, in particular as building materials.

5E2.3 - Earth processes are constantly changing rocks from one type to another; a model for these changes is called the rock cycle.

5E3 - Earth is a layered sphere of rock and metal; many crustal features result from the bending and breaking of rock.

5E3.1 - Earth is made up of four concentric spheres of rock and metal: the inner core (solid iron and nickel), the outer core (liquid iron and nickel), the mantle (very dense rock), and the crust (surface rocks).

5E3.2 - When rock forms in layers, the oldest layer is usually on the bottom; fossils embedded in layered rock allow rock in different locations to be matched by age.

5E3.3 - Rock layers can be bent, or folded; folding often forms mountains.

5E3.4 - A fault is a break in rocks along which the rocks have moved; vertical movement along faults can result in the formation of fault-block mountains.

5B -Earth is part of a solar system of planets circling a star in one of the many galaxies in the universe.

5B2 - Earth is a part of a solar system that consists of one star--the Sun--and a variety of planets and other objects that revolve around that star.

5B2.1 - Our solar systems includes the Sun, Earth, and eight other known planets that orbit the Sun, moons that orbit the planets, and numerous smaller objects such as comets and asteroids.

5B2.2 - Our solar system's nine known planets differ in size and distance from the Sun, resulting in different characteristics for each planet.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:

-A mineral possesses specific properties characteristic of that mineral. However, minerals can be changed or altered, including by combining them with other materials, to produce matter with new and useful purposes.

-Earth is a dynamic planet. Some changes on Earth occur quickly; others--like the formation of some rocks--take tens, hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years.


-Use models to study land forms and land-forming processes that are difficult or impossible to observe firsthand.

-Our solar system's diameter is more than 11 billion km, a distance too large to easily imagine. Use scale models of the solar system to better visualize the distance and the relative sizes of the planets.




Physical Science K-5


K-2 Student Learnings

Demonstrate an understanding of properties of objects and materials, position and motion of objects, light, heat, electricity, magnetism, and uses of physical concepts in technological designs.


Kindergarten

Strand 1:

KD1 -Many common objects seem to move, but this movement occurs in many different ways.

KD2 -Living things move in many different ways.

KD3 -Objects can be made to move by applying forces such as pushing and pulling.

KD4 -Different surfaces on which an object moves can change the distance the object will travel and the ease of moving the object.

KD5 -Objects near the earth fall to the ground unless they are held up by something.

KD6 -Some objects move in a back-and-forth motion if they are given a push or a pull.

KD7 -Some objects move round and round when acted on by a push or a pull.

KD8 -The shape, size, weight, and material of an object affect its motion when a push or a pull acts upon that object.

KD9 -The direction of an object's motion can be changed when it strikes another object.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

-A system is a collection of things and processes that interact to perform some function. The motion of everything in the universe--from atoms to solar systems--is governed by a few basic laws of motion. Exploration of the system of motion and observe that objects move in different ways and at different speeds.

-The human body is a complex structure comprised of organs and systems. Explore the ways the skeletal and muscular systems work together to help people move.

-Investigate the way various objects move when rolled and bounced. Observe and identify how the shape, size, weight, and material of an object affect an object's motion.

-Investigate the system of motion by exploring directional motion--the way an object's direction is changed when that object strikes another object.

-Explore the forces of push and pull by modeling push and pull and applying the principles learned to their everyday life.

-Explore how objects move on different surfaces by modeling how the force of friction acts on a moving object. Apply the principles learned about friction to everyday life.

-Investigate falling objects. Model how the force of gravity pulls an object to the earth unless the object is held up by something. Apply the principles learned about gravity to everyday life.

-Investigate objects that move in a back-and-forth motion. Model how pushes and pulls set the object in motion and how the object gradually slows. Apply the principles learned about back-and-forth motion to everyday life.

-Investigate objects that move in a round-and-round motion. Model how pushes and pulls set the object in motion and how the object gradually slows down.


First Grade

Strand 1:

1C1 -Objects can be classified according to their magnetic properties and their non magnetic properties.

1C2 -Magnetic force can pass through air and certain materials, making it possible to move objects without touching them; the strength of the magnet being used and the thickness of the material will affect the magnetic force on an object.

1C3 -Magnets have different amounts of strength; the size of a magnet is not always an indication of its strength; magnetic force is greatest at the ends (poles) of a magnet.

1C4 -The poles of two magnets always act in the same way when they are brought near each other; two like poles repel each other, and two unlike poles attract each other.

1C5 -The space around which the force of a magnet acts or is felt is called the magnetic field; evidence of this magnetic field can be observed by using iron filings.

1C6 -A temporary magnet can be made by stroking an object with a magnet to line up the magnetic domains within the magnetic materials comprising the object.

1C7 -When floating in water, a bar magnet acts like a compass by turning until its north-seeking pole points to the earth's north pole.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:

Measure/use numbers


Common Themes

-A system is made up of parts that interact with each other. The magnet, the object that it attracts, and the magnetic field surrounding the magnet make up a magnetic system. Explore a magnetic system. Observe that a magnet attracts some kinds of objects and not others.

-Explore magnetic systems. Discover that magnetic force passes through some materials and not through others.

-Explore what happens when two magnets are brought close together. Magnets attract and repel each other in predictable ways.

-Investigate magnetic systems, discovering that magnets have magnetic fields surrounding them. These fields explain the strength and direction of the magnets' attraction for objects.

-Discover how some metal objects can be turned into magnets themselves. See temporary magnets function in the magnetic system.

-Discover that a magnet that is free to move will align itself north and south. See the needle of a compass function within the large magnetic system of the earth itself.


-Discover that magnets are strongest at their poles. Observe that magnets have different shapes, sizes, and strengths.


Second Grade

Strand 1:

2B1 -There exists a variety of sources of light, some that are natural and others that are made by people.

2B2 -An object can be seen by people when the object is illuminated by a light source.

2B3 -Light sources produce both light and heat.

2B4 -Light travels in a straight line.

2B5 -Different objects transmit light in different ways.

2B6 -Objects placed in a beam of light cast shadows.

2B7 -The size and clarity of a shadow can be altered by adjusting the distance and angle between the light source and the object casting the shadow.

2B8 -White light is a combination of many colors, and when separated, produces the colors of the spectrum.

2B9 -Mixing colors produces different colors.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

  1. Systems:

-The sun is the most important source of light in the solar system, which also includes the earth, other planets, and planetary moons. Light sources, both natural and those made by people, are an important part of the function of many systems on earth.

-Recognize how light affects and connects system components on the earth.

-Light sources are part of a system, interacting with other objects by providing light and heat.

-Light travels in a straight line. A beam of light is part of a visual system that includes the light, their eyes, and the objects around them.

-Light is part of a visual system in which different materials are affected by light in different ways.

-Light, physical objects, and shadows are all part of a visual system.

-A shadow's size, direction, and clarity is the result of the interaction of parts of a visual system, namely, the light source and the object making the shadow.

-White light is a system consisting of many colors of light.

-Colors are part of a system in which colors combine in predictable ways to make new colors.



3-5 Student Learnings

Demonstrate an understanding of properties and changes in matter, forces and motion, and transfer of energy and uses of physical concepts in technological designs.


Third Grade

Strand 1:

3B -The properties of any sample of matter are determined by the kinds and arrangement of its particles--atoms and molecules.

4B1 - Matter can be described by its properties, many of which can be measured.

4B1.1 - Matter is anything that has mass and volume; matter can be described and classified on the basis of its properties.

4B1.2 - Matter, which is made up of particles in constant motion, can change state when heat is gained or lost.

4B2 - Matter, which is made up of particles in constant motion, can change state when heat is gained or lost.

4B2.1 - Matter commonly exists in three states--solid, liquid, and gas--and is made up of atoms and molecules that are constantly moving.

4B2.2 - Matter can change state when heat is gained or lost.

4B3 - Matter can be described by physical and chemical properties; it can change physically in size, shape, or state, and it can change chemically to form some other kind of matter.

4B3.1 - Physical change includes changes in size, shape, and state, with no different kinds of matter being formed; adding or taking away heat can cause matter to change physically.

4B3.2 - A chemical change involves a change of one kind of matter into another kind of matter.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

-Most properties by which matter is described (size, mass, temperature, and so on) show great differences in scale, depending on he material being described. Almost everything has limits on how big or small it can be, based on its physical properties.

-The properties and behavior of all matter, regardless of its size or state, are determined by the nature of particles much too small to be observed directly.


-When matter goes through a physical change, its features may change. When matter goes through a chemical change, however, a different kind of matter is formed. In either case, the total amount of matter never changes.


Fourth Grade

Strand 1:

4D - Magnetism and electrical energy are related; a magnetic field can produce electricity, and electric current can produce a magnetic field.

4D1 - Magnets, and the magnetic force fields around them, have observable properties.

4D1.1 - Magnets attract certain materials such as iron and steel; magnets have north and south poles.

4D1.2 - Magnets have magnetic fields that exert forces in all directions around the magnet.

4D2 - There are two forms of electrical energy--static and current.

4D2.1 - Static electricity consists of an electric charge on the surface of an object.

4D2.2 - Current electricity is the flow of negative charges through a conductor in a closed circuit.

4D2.3 - Electric circuits can be put together in series or in parallel.

4D3 - Electric current is produced in generators, electric cells, and solar cells, and it can be changed into useful forms of energy.

4D3.1 - Electric current sources include generators, electric cells, and solar cells.

4D3.2 - Electrical energy is changed into useful forms of energy in electric devices.



Strand 2:

Process Skills:



Common Themes

-The properties of magnets result from the nature of the atoms that compose them. Models are useful in understanding magnets and magnetic fields.

-Using models of current flow and energy transfer allows students to better understand how electricity is produced, moved, and transformed.

-In order for current to flow through an electrical system, a circuit must be closed. When a circuit is open, there is a break in the pathway, which keeps current from flowing through the system.


Fifth Grade

Strand 1:

5C - Energy is needed to do work.

5C1 - Energy, which is the ability to cause change, can be transferred and can change form.

5C1.1 - There are many different forms of energy; energy can be transferred.

5C1.2 - Energy can be changed, or transformed, from one form to another.

5C1.3 - Energy is needed to do work, which is done when a force moves through a distance.

5C2 - Simple machines, which can be classified into a few basic types, make work easier.

5C2.1 - Simple machines make work easier by increasing the effect of a force or by changing the direction of a force; ramps are an example of an inclined plane, a type of simple machine.

5C2.2 - Levers and pulleys are types of simple machines that can be set up in a variety of ways for maximum effectiveness.

5C2.3 - A wheel and axle is a simple machine made up of two connected wheels of different sizes that turn about the same point.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

-A system can be thought of as a number of interacting or interrelated parts. In such a context, energy, work, and machines are parts of a system. Energy is needed to do work, which is the transfer of force through a distance. Machines make work easier by changing the effectiveness or direction of forces applied to them.

-Our lives are filled with machines. Some seem very complex, but some are actually machine systems--combinations of simple machines that work together to perform a task.




Life Science K-5


K-2 Student Learnings

Demonstrate an understanding of characteristics of organisms, life cycles of organisms, organisms and their environment, health, resources, and technological challenges.


Kindergarten

Strand 1:

KA1 -Objects from an environment can be classified as living or non living.

KA2 -Living and non living things are found in a variety of locations.

KA3 -All seeds, when they begin to sprout, have the same basic plant parts--roots, stems, and leaves.

KA4 -Plants need air, food, water, light, and a suitable environment to survive.

KA5 -Plants are alive and go through predictable life cycles, including growth, development, reproduction, and death.

KA6 -Animals have basic needs, such as air, water, food, and shelter.

KA7 -Animals go through stages of growth and development.

KA8 -Animals go through predictable life cycles.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

-A living thing is a system made up of parts that work together.

-Living and non living things form parts of a larger system--the environment in which they are found.

-A plant is a living system made up of parts that work together to meet its need.

-An animal is a living system made up of parts that work together to supply its needs.


-Growth represents an observable response by plants to adjust to changes in their environment.

-Through growth, development, reproduction, and death, plants experience constancy and change during their life cycles.

-Change is involved in the growth and developmental stages of different animals' life cycles and constancy is involved in the similarities between offspring and their parents.

-Different kinds of animals experience change during their life cycles.


First Grade

Strand 1:

1A1 -A wide variety of plants and animals can be found living almost everywhere on earth.

1A2 -Some plants are similar to one another in the way they look and in the things they do.

1A3 -The characteristics of plants vary from one kind of plant to another and among plants of the same kind.

1A4 -Some animals are similar to one another in appearance and in the things they do.

1A5 -All animals have the ability to move from place to place; animal movement frequently varies from one kind of animal to another and includes walking, running crawling, hopping, flying, and swimming.

1A6 -All animals have body coverings which vary with the kinds of animals.

1A7 -Animal homes vary, but all the homes provide shelter and limited safety for the animals.

1A8 -All animals must eat in order to survive; different kinds of animals have different mouth parts to help them eat their own kinds of food.

1A9 -Animals can be grouped or classified according to their characteristics.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

-Plants and animals are systems whose parts work together to supply their needs. In addition, they are parts of a larger system, their habitat. The actions of plants and animals contribute to the overall functioning of the habitat. - Plant systems have similarities among them.

-Plant systems have basic parts. There are similarities and differences among leaves, stems, flowers, and roots in different plant systems.

-Animal systems have similarities among them.

-The movements of different animals are the result of a system of body parts that make the movements possible.

-Different kinds of animal body coverings-features that help them survive and thrive as part of their environment.

-Animals meet their needs for shelter and safety in different ways different ways as important parts of the environmental system.

-Each system is made up of parts that work together. Mouth parts help animals eat their food.

-An environmental system is made up of interacting parts.


Second Grade

Strand 1:

2A1 -Objects from an environment can be classified into two categories: living and once-living, and non living.

2A2 -Most plants and animals need air, food, water, light, and suitable environments to survive.

2A3 -Green plants have specific parts that enable them to meet their basic needs.

2A4 -Living things are dependent on both living and non living parts of their environments for survival.

2A5 -Animals use living an non living resource in their environment to provide shelter.

2A6 -Animals' characteristics and body structures are uniquely adapted to their environment and to the kinds of food they eat.

2A7 -Some animals change the places that they live to make the environment better meet their needs.

2A8 -Environments can be changed by both natural and human forces.

2A9 -Different environments contain plants and animals that are suited to that environment and are able to survive under the conditions of that environment.

2A10 -Specific plants and animals have features that allow them to survive in specific environments.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

-Living, once-living, and non living things change form and interact, and in doing so, provide constancy in the environment.

-Plants have roots, stem, and leaves, which help them meet their needs. There is constancy in the functions of these plant structures.

-Living things interact with living and non living resources to meet their needs. These interactions illustrate constancy and change within ecosystems.

-Explore the theme of constancy and change while learning that all animals have body parts or other adaptations that allow them to meet their needs in their environments.

-Discover ways that animals change their environment to meet their needs. Those changes may, in turn, affect other animals or plants in the environment.

-Learn about environmental changes that can be caused by natural or human forces.

-Learn that a constant for all deserts is low rainfall, a condition to which some living things have adapted


-Through mapmaking and observing a model of a natural habitat, learn what living things need to survive by observing interactions on a smaller scale.

-Learn about animal shelters by making a model of an ant home and discussing ways the model is like and unlike a natural setting.


-Use models of desert and woodland habitats to compare features of plants from those environments.

-Use models of desert and woodland habitats to compare features of plants from those environments.

-Explore constancy and change by observing that plants and animals are well-suited to the environment in which they live.



3-5 Student Learnings

Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and function in living systems, organism behavior, ecosystems, diversity of organisms, health, and technological benefits and problems.


Third Grade

Strand 1:

3A - Animals and plants undergo predictable changes as they mature.

3A1 - Each animal species has a predictable life cycle, in which offspring are produced that will develop into adults similar to their parents.

3A1.1 - Living things grow through predictable life cycles which include growth, development, reproduction, and death. Life cycles differ from species to species.

3A1.2 - The egg is the first stage in the life cycle of an animal. Most animals hatch from eggs laid by a female. Some animals develop from fertilized eggs inside the female's body and are then born alive.

3A1.3 - Some young animals and adult animals of the same species resemble each other. Other young animals look very different from the adults they will become.

3A1.4 - Animal species varying the ways they ensure that their young survive to adulthood

3A2 - Flowering and cone-bearing plants have life cycles that include pollination and the formation and dispersal of seeds.

3A2.1 - A seed is the first stage in the life cycle of a seed plant. Seeds have properties that enable them to survive and develop into new plants.

3A2.2 - The seed of a flowering plant is formed in the flower, which has three main parts. Pollination must take place to produce a seed.

3A2.3 - The seed of a conifer is formed on the scale of a cone. The cone is a structure that protects the seed.

3A2.4 - During their growth and development into mature plants, seed plants undergo predictable changes and respond to changes in their environments.



Strand 2:

Process Skills:



Common Themes

-All plants go through changes during their life cycles. The seeds a plant produces will become the same kind of plant. Over time, plants become adapted to changes in the environment.


Fourth Grade

Strand 1:

4C - Animals, which have adaptations that help them meet their needs, can be grouped by the presence or absence of a backbone.

4C1 - Despite their many differences, all animals share certain basic needs, which they may meet through body structure and behavior.

4C1.1 - All animals share the need for food, water, and shelter as well as the need to maintain body temperature within certain ranges.

4C1.2 - Structural adaptations, such as teeth, beaks, claws, and body coverings, help animals meet their needs.

4C1.3 - Behavioral adaptations, by an individual or a group, help animals meet their needs; behaviors can be instinctive or learned.

4C2 - Living things can be classified by their physical and behavioral characteristics; a member of the animal kingdom is classified as either having or not having a backbone.

4C2.1 - All living things, called organisms, can be classified into five large categories--the plant, animal, fungus, protist, and moneran kingdoms; the presence or absence of a backbone is one characteristic used to classify a member of the animal kingdom.

4C2.2 - Animals with backbones are called vertebrates and include fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals; these vertebrate groups are distinguished by how they maintain their body temperature, how they breathe, and their body coverings.

4C2.3 - Animals without backbones are called invertebrates and are enormously diverse; the different groups of invertebrates are classified by body structures, feeding behaviors, and methods of locomotion.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

-Animals have systems for adapting to meet their basic needs of food, water, and a suitable environment.

-The system for classifying animals has five large categories known as kingdoms. These are Plants, Animals, Fungi, Monerans, and Protists. Each has various subgroups. For example, animals are subgrouped as those with backbones and those without backbones.


Fifth Grade

Strand 1:

5D - Organisms live in specific ecosystems, take part in cycles of energy and matter, and suffer when those ecosystems or cycles are disturbed.

5D1 - Interactions among living things and with their nonliving environment create an ever-changing ecosystem.

5D1.1 - The living things, together with all the nonliving things that support them, form an ecosystem; ecosystems are constantly changing.

5D1.2 - Organisms in an ecosystem are related by their methods of obtaining energy and their sources of energy.

5D2 - Energy and matter flow throughout an ecosystem.

5D2.1 - Energy flows through an ecosystem from the Sun to producers, to consumers, and finally to decomposers.

5D2.2 - Matter, including water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen, cycles between living and nonliving things in ecosystems.

5D3 - Ecosystems and the major biomes can be described by their climate and the organisms that live there; Earth's diversity of living things is decreased when species become extinct.

5D3.1 - Several types of ecosystems, called biomes, cover huge areas of land and are characterized by their climate and the kinds of living things they support; fresh water and salt water also support may kinds of ecosystems.

5D3.2 - Biodiversity--the variety of species and the diversity among members of a species--varies from ecosystem to ecosystem; extinction of species--much of it caused by habitat destruction--reduces biodiversity and can affect the lives of humans.


Strand 2:

Process Skills:


Common Themes

-Each part of a system is important for the working of that system. In ecosystems, there are both living and nonliving components.

-Earth's major biomes and ecosystems are made up of many populations of living things that interact with each other and with abiotic factors in various ways.


-Earth's ecosystems tend to remain stable as a result of a dynamic equilibrium in which matter and energy change form through the activities of living things.




Earth, Physical Life Science 6-8


6-8 Student Learnings

Earth Science:

Demonstrate an understanding of patterns of energy and matter changes on the earth and in space, natural resources, and impacts of technology on the earth.


Physical Science:

Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of atoms and matter, motions and forces, interactions of energy and matter, and uses of physical concepts in technological designs.


Life Science:

Demonstrate an understanding of the cell, heredity, interdependence and behavior of organisms, adaptation of organisms to changing environments, health, environmental quality, technological challenges, and matter, energy, and organization in living systems.


Sixth Grade

General Overview

The sixth grade science curriculum integrates life, physical, and earth science into four major units of study. Through those units, students learn the scientific process and develop the habits of mind necessary for the serious study of science.


Science and Technology

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Scientific Process

II. The Role of the Scientist

III. Technology's Impact on Society


Riparian Ecosystems

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Life Science Topics: The Riparian habitat

A. Characteristics of the different plant communities

B. Comparison of plant communities

C. Components of a habitat

D. Niche

E. Permanent and temporary residents of the habitat

F. Food chains and flow of energy

G. Parts of cell

H. Aquatic algae and protozoa

II. Earth Science Topics: Formation of a Canyon

A. Forces

B. Faulting and folding

C. Rocks and minerals of Sabino Canyon

D. Soil type

E. Permeability

III. Physical Science Topics: Hydrology

A. Water chemistry and its effects on habitat

1. solution chemistry

2. acid base interactions

B. Stream flow rates and water discharge

1. effect on habitat

2. effect on larger ecosystem

C. Force of water

1. erosion

2. transport

3. deposition of stream sediments

IV. Science Technology and Society

A. Historical management of riparian areas

B. Causes of degradation of riparian areas

C. Conservation efforts in riparian areas


Astronomy

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Physical Science

A. Movement of constellations in the night sky

B. Behavior of light in relationship to development of telescopes and spectroscopes

C. Arrangement of the electromagnetic spectrum

D. How light behaves with different types of mirrors and lenses

E. Types of images

F. Characteristics of transverse waves

G. Newton's law of motion and gravitation in relation to planetary motion

H. The relationship of mass, volume, and density of a celestial object to its gravity

I. Stages in the development of stars

J. Star classification by temperature and mass

K. Three types of galaxies

L. Forces governing galaxy formation

II. Earth Science

A. Elemental composition of the earth with other celestial objects

B. Differences between atoms, elements, compounds

C. Using spectroscopy to identify elements in stars

D. Influence of gravity on the amount of a planet's atmosphere

III. Science Technology and Society: International cooperation in current and future space exploration


Oceans and Atmosphere

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Physical Science

A. Effect of water depth on temperature, pressure and light

B. Three types of heat transfer

C. Heat transfer's relationship to the major oceanic and atmospheric phenomena

D. Thermal, potential and kinetic energy

E. Comparison of transverse waves to water waves

II. Earth

A. Formation of convection cycles which create global, regional and local winds

B. Formation of convection cycles which create ocean currents, including el nino

C. Air masses

1. origin

2. temperature

3. humidity

D. Measurement of temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, air pressure to aide in predicting weather changes

E. Characteristics of weather fronts

F. Four major cloud types

G. Factors in cloud formation

H. Cloud types as a weather predictor

I. Weather maps and symbols: Severe weather

1. thunderstorms

2. tornadoes

3. hurricanes

J. Wave action and the creation and erosion of beaches

K. Effects of oceans on global climate

L. Salinity of ocean and fresh water

III. Life Science

A. Plant communities of the ocean

B. Component of ocean habitat

C. Animal classifications in the ocean

D. Food chains in the ocean ecosystem

E. Migratory patterns of animals in the ocean

F. Niche in the ocean environment

IV. Science Technology and Society

A. Global warming

B. Ozone depletion

C. Effect of international commercial fishing on the balance of the ocean food web

D. Effect of pollution of ocean ecosystem

E. Factors which cause acid rain



Seventh Grade

General Overview

With a focus on earth science, students explore scientific concepts related to earth, physical and life science as well as the history of science and its role in preserving natural resources in the future. Students practice the scientific process including forming a hypothesis, gathering evidence, providing a valid explanation and isolating a variable. They can differentiate between beliefs and observations and they can explain the importance of and demonstrate accurate record keeping. Finally, students use technology to examine more than one side of an issue, recognizing that technology is controlled by people and fails to provide all the answers. Using systems thinking students use feedback loops as tools to examine the interconnectedness of the planet.


Science and Technology

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Scientific Process

II. The Role of the Scientist

III. Technology's Impact on Society


It is expected that students will participate in the scientific process throughout their middle school science experience. Teachers may choose to incorporate these additional competencies in the existing units or may opt to spend a few days on engaged in activities focused specifically on the scientific method.


Dynamic Earth

Students will


Topical Outline

I. Heat's Affect on the Earth

A. Interior of the earth is hot

B. Heat causes movement which we experience as earthquakes and volcanoes

C. Heat causes movement of crustal plates

II. Wegner's proposed model of continental drift

A. Continental drift

B. Seafloor spreading

C. Patterns of earthquakes and volcanoes as supporting evidence for unifying theory of plate tectonics

III. Physical Earth

A. Atoms, elements, and the Periodic Table

B. Minerals

C. Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic rocks

D. Rare minerals and the depletion of resources

IV. Erosion

A. Changes in earth may be abrupt or gradual

B. Water's effect on the earth

C. Topographic maps

D. Surfaces of earth are changed by motion of water

E. Topography of land

F. Explain how decreasing cover (eg. human activity) can change land surface


Ancient Earth

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Fossils

A. Fossils contain information regarding history of the earth

B. Fossil remains in rocks related to body plans and change over time


Hydrology

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Water Cycle

II. Resource Depletion

A. Resources become unavailable through depletion or pollution (eg soils, minerals, water, air)

B. Water is a finite resources that when polluted remains in the water cycle, but becomes unavailable

III. Tucson is dependent on aquifer water and augmented systems


Eighth Grade

General Overview

Eighth grade continues the emphasis on scientific inquiry, both experimentation and investigation. Students are asked to employ the habits of scientific thinking by using critical thinking; writing, reading and speaking about science; and participating in individual and cooperative endeavors. Eighth grade also builds on the use of systems tools such a simulations, stock/flow diagrams and models to illustrate connections and relationships


Science and Technology

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Scientific Process

II. The Role of the Scientist

III. Technology's Impact on Society


It is expected that students will participate in the scientific process throughout their middle school science experience. Teachers may choose to incorporate these additional competencies in the existing units or may opt to spend a few days on engaged in activities focused specifically on the scientific method.


Biochemical Cycles

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Energy from the Sun

II. Producers (Plants)

A. Respiration

B. Photosynthesis

III. Basic Chemical Equations

A. Photosynthesis

B. Reactants and products

IV. Consumers: Energy Flow


Cells and Microbiology

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Cells

A. Cell theory

B. Cell structure

C. Cell function

1. cells are specialized

2. cells work together in systems

D. Cell division: mitosis

II. Microbiology

A. Viruses

B. Bacteria

C. Immune systems

III. Animal Form and Behavior

A. Animals have a variety of body plans (focus on external/skeletal) which contribute to their feeding and reproductive success

B. Genetics

1. 1/2 of genes come from one parent

2. genetic information is carried in all cells

3. small differences between parents and offspring can change descendants

C. Changes in form and behavior

1. traits change the ability to survive or breed

2. the process of selective breeding and how change occurs over time


Diversity of Life

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Five Kingdoms

II. Plants

A. Characteristics

B. Structure

C. Classification

III. Animals

A. Characteristics

B. Structure

C. Classification

IV. Ecosystems

A. Food webs/chains

B. Roles of organisms

C. Kinds of ecosystems

D. Interactions


Energy Sources and Uses

Students will?


Topical Outline

I. Work

A. Energy, force and motion

B. Harnessing energy

II. Electricity and Electromagnetism: Hydroelectric power

III. Alternative Energy Sources





CFSD 1/28/97