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High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics Science Curriculum Essentials Document Boulder Valley School District Department of Curriculum and Instruction May 2012

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Page 1: High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics Science Curriculum ... School Draft CEDs/Science HS... · Chemistry/Physics Science Curriculum Essentials Document ... Advanced IB Chemistry

High School

Pre IB

Chemistry/Physics

Science

Curriculum Essentials

Document

Boulder Valley School District

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

May 2012

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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.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 3

High School Advanced Pre IB Chemistry/Physics Overview

Course Description

Pre IB chemistry/Physics is a lab-based, inquiry‐oriented course involving principles and

concepts concerning the physical world. This course involves 1 semester of Chemistry and 1 semester of Physics. Content areas explored include nature and behavior of matter, atomic theory, chemical and

physical changes including bonding and reactions, mechanics, electricity and magnetism, light and sound, and energy. The course emphasizes the study and proper use of fundamental science tools including the metric system, periodic table, graphing techniques and applied technologies. Laboratory activities reinforce concepts and principles

presented. The student will be required to follow the IB internal assessment format for formal labs.

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 will be faster than that of a “standard” course.

Topics at a Glance

Atomic Theory

Mechanics

Forces and Motion

Conservation of mass

Properties of light

Properties of Liquids & Gasses

Quantification using math tools

Chemical Bonding, Reactions, &

Equations

Conservation of energy

Lab Practices using IB format

Periodic Table

Electricity and Magnetism

Assessments

Instructor generated assessments that align with the pre-requisite requirements of the

IB Chemistry and Physics classes.

Science ACT

Standard Big Ideas in Advanced IB Chemistry/Physics (Grade Level Expectations)

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.

7.

8.

When energy changes form, it is neither created nor destroyed; however, because some is necessarily lost as heat, the amount of energy available to do

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

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

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 4

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 occurs 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.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 5

Content Area: Science - High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics

Standard: 1. Physical Science

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

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

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.

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Gather, analyze and interpret data and create graphs

regarding position, velocity, and acceleration of

moving objects

b. Develop, communicate, and justify an evidence-based

analysis of the forces acting on an object and the

resultant acceleration produced by a net force

c. Develop, communicate, and justify an evidence-based

scientific prediction regarding the effects of the action-

reaction force pairs on the motion of two interacting

objects

d. Examine the effect of changing masses and distance

when applying Newton's law of universal gravitation to

a system of two bodies

e. Identify the limitations of Newton’s laws in extreme

situations

f. Uses Newton’s second law (force = mass x

acceleration) to calculate the magnitude of a change in

the motion of an object

g. Applies Newton’s laws to free-body force diagrams and

mathematical problem-solving

h. Apply motion and force concepts to complex moving

objects including 2 dimensional projectile motion.

i. Apply the properties of liquids and gasses to the

concepts of buoyancy and pressure including

Archimedes’ and Bernoulli’s principles

Inquiry Questions:

1. How can forces be acting on an object without changing the

object’s motion?

2. Why do equal but opposite action and reaction forces not

cancel?

Relevance and Application:

1. Newton's laws are used in a variety of design processes such

as vehicle safety, aerospace, bridge design, and interplanetary

probes.

2. An understanding of forces leads to safer building designs

such as earthquake-safe buildings.

3. Forces present in the Earth lead to plate tectonics.

Nature of Discipline:

1. Use an inquiry approach to answer a testable question about

an application of Newton’s laws of motion.

2. Share experimental data, respectfully discuss conflicting

results, and analyze ways to minimize error and uncertainty in

measurement.

3. Differentiate between the use of the terms “law” and “theory”

as they are defined and used in science compared to how they

are used in other disciplines or common use.

4. Use technology to perform calculations and to organize,

analyze, and report data.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 6

Content Area: Science - High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics

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:

2. Matter has definite structure that determines characteristic physical and chemical properties

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Develop, communicate, and justify an evidence-based

scientific explanation supporting the current model of

an atom

b. Gather, analyze, and interpret data on chemical and

physical properties of elements such as density,

melting point, & boiling point

c. Use characteristic physical and chemical properties to

develop predictions and supporting claims about

elements’ positions on the periodic table

d. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of kinetic

molecular theory and its relationship to phases of

matter.

Inquiry Questions:

1. What patterns can be observed in the properties of elements

and families in the periodic table?

2. What properties do nanoscale particles have that are different

than those of macroscopic samples of the same substance?

Relevance and Application:

1. The unique properties of various elements make them useful

for specific applications. For example, metalloids and

semiconductors are useful in electronic applications.

2. Alloys are created by combining metals with other elements to

produce materials with useful properties that are not found in

nature. For example, iron and carbon make steel.

3. Consumers can make informed decisions regarding the

purchase of household chemicals when they understand

chemical properties and their implications. For example,

choosing lead based versus non-lead based paints weighs

safety concerns against color and durability in applications.

4. The unique properties of nanoscale particles provide special

benefits and dangers.

Nature of Discipline:

1. Recognize that the current understanding of molecular

structure related to the physical and chemical properties of

matter has developed over time and become more

sophisticated as new technologies have led to new evidence.

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

inquiry approach to investigate it.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 7

Content Area: Science - High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics

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:

3. Matter can change form through chemical or nuclear reactions abiding by the laws of conservation of mass and energy

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Recognize, analyze, interpret, and balance chemical

equations (synthesis, decomposition, combustion, and

replacement), nuclear equations (fusion and fission),

and nuclear decay reactions

b. Predict reactants and products for different types of

chemical and nuclear reactions

c. Predict and calculate the amount of products produced

in a chemical reaction based on the amount of

reactants

d. Demonstrate an understanding of the mole concept and

how it relates to stoichiometric calculations

Inquiry Questions:

1. What patterns of chemical reactions exist?

2. How are chemical reactions distinguished from nuclear

reactions?

Relevance and Application:

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

people. For example, polymerase reactions making nylon.

2. The use of chemicals can have both positive and negative

environmental effects. For example, the use of lime to make

acidic soils more productive or the use of CFCs causing the

ozone hole.

3. When using radioactive substances, there are benefits such

as medicine and energy production as well as dangers such

as environmental and health concerns.

Nature of Discipline:

1. Critically evaluate chemical and nuclear change models.

2. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of a model which

represents complex natural phenomenon.

3. Use an inquiry approach to test predictions about chemical

reactions.

4. Share experimental data, and respectfully discuss conflicting

results.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 8

Content Area: Science - High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics

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:

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

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Develop, communicate, and justify an evidence-based

scientific explanation supporting the current models of

chemical bonding

b. Use characteristic physical and chemical properties to

develop predictions and supporting claims about

compounds’ classification as ionic, polar or covalent

c. Describe the role electrons play in atomic bonding. Use

Lewis dot structures and structural formulas to model

how covalent molecules are bonded

d. Predict the type of bonding that will occur among

elements based on their position in the periodic table

e. Demonstrate an understanding of writing balanced

chemical equations and predicting products based on

knowledge of the types of reactions

Inquiry Questions:

1. How can various substances be classified as ionic or covalent

compounds?

2. What role do electrons play in different types of chemical

bonds?

Relevance and Application:

1. Related compounds share some properties that help focus

chemists when looking for a substance with particular

properties for a specific application. For example, finding new

super conductors.

2. Carbon atoms bond in ways that provide the foundation for a

wide range of applications. For example, forming chains and

rings such as sugars and fats that are essential to life and

developing synthetic fibers and oils.

3. Living systems create and use various chemical compounds

such as plants making sugars from photosynthesis, chemicals

that can be used as medicine, and endocrine glands producing

hormones.

Nature of Discipline:

1. Recognize that the current understanding of molecular

structure related to the physical and chemical properties of

matter has developed over time and become more

sophisticated as new technologies have led to new evidence.

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

and interpret data about chemical and physical properties of

different compounds.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 9

Content Area: Science - High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics

Standard: 1. Physical Science

Prepared Graduates:

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

predictable and measurable

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

5. Energy exists in many forms such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, radiant, thermal, and nuclear, that can be quantified and

experimentally determined

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Develop, communicate, and justify an evidence-based

scientific explanation regarding the potential and

kinetic nature of mechanical energy

b. Use appropriate measurements, equations and graphs

to gather, analyze, and interpret data on the quantity

of energy in a system or an object

c. Use direct and indirect evidence to develop predictions

of the types of energy associated with objects

d. Identify different energy forms, and calculate their

amounts by measuring their defining characteristics

e. Gather and analyze data to determine the specific heat

of a substance

f. Design, predict, and communicate results of

investigations that examine energy transformations in

chemical reactions using IB, internal assessment

format

Inquiry Questions:

1. What factors can be measured to determine the amount of

energy associated with an object?

2. What are the most common forms of energy in our physical

world?

3. What makes an energy form renewable or nonrenewable?

4. What makes some forms of energy hard to measure?

Relevance and Application:

1. Society and energy providers must conduct a cost-benefit

analysis of different ways to provide electricity to our society.

2. An understanding of energy transformations is necessary

when designing clean energy systems that convert any type of

energy into electricity such as wind generators and solar cells.

3. There are advantages and disadvantages to using various

energy sources such as gasoline, diesel, ethanol, hydrogen,

and electricity as transportation fuel.

4. Politics plays a role in shaping energy policy such as balancing

conflicting stakeholder needs.

5. Energy plays a role in living systems and Earth’s systems. For

example, cells convert sugar to ATP and then to energy,

energy inside the Earth drives plate tectonic phenomena such

as earthquakes and volcanoes, and energy from the Sun

drives weather.

6. Extension: Advances in battery technology are vitally

important as electronics become more ubiquitous and as the

world looks for new sources of energy.

7. Extension: Knowledge of electricity and electric circuits is

relevant to all electrical devices. This includes mobile devices

and the electricity used in homes.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 10

Nature of Discipline:

1. Critically evaluate scientific claims made in popular media or by

peers regarding the application of energy forms, and determine if

the evidence presented is appropriate and sufficient to support

the claims.

2. Use the historical context and impact of early energy research

and consider the potential implications for current energy studies

on science and our society.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 11

Content Area: Science - High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics

Standard: 1. Physical Science

Prepared Graduates:

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

predictable and measurable

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

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

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Use direct and indirect evidence to develop and

support claims about the conservation of energy in a

variety of systems, including transformations to heat

b. Evaluate the energy conversion efficiency of a variety

of energy transformations

c. Describe energy transformations both quantitatively

and qualitatively

d. Differentiate among the characteristics of mechanical

and electromagnetic waves that determine their

energy

e. Examine, evaluate, question, and ethically use

information from a variety of sources and media to

investigate energy conservation and loss

f. Apply the terms frequency, wavelength and amplitude

to both sound (longitudinal) and light (transverse)

wave

g. Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the

relationship between frequency, wavelength, and the

velocity of light

h. Investigate the basic concepts of optics including

reflection, refraction, and internal reflection

Inquiry Questions:

1. Why is 100 percent efficiency impossible in an energy

transformation?

2. How does the law of conservation of energy help us solve

problems involving complex systems?

3. Scientists or engineers often say energy is “lost.” Is there a

word that might be better than “lost?” Why?

Relevance and Application:

1. Incremental strides have been made in improving the

efficiency of different forms of energy production and

consumption. For example, today’s engines are much more

efficient than those from 50 years ago, and batteries are more

powerful and last longer than those from just a few years ago.

2. Different technologies such as light-emitting diodes, compact

fluorescent lights, and incandescent light bulbs have different

efficiencies and environmental impacts.

Nature of Discipline:

1. Critically evaluate scientific claims made in popular media or

by peers regarding the application of energy transformations,

and determine if the evidence presented is appropriate and

sufficient to support the claims.

2. Ask testable questions and make a falsifiable hypothesis about

the conservation of energy, and use an inquiry approach to

find an answer.

3. Share experimental data, and respectfully discuss conflicting

results emulating the practice of scientists.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 12

Content Area: Science - High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics

Standard: 1. Physical Science

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

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

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

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Convert measurements using dimensional analysis to

solve multi-step problems

b. Use appropriate metric units when recording

measurements

c. Understand the concept of significant figures and apply

to simple calculations

d. Connect the concept of significant figures to precision

of measuring tools

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

and manipulate formulas

f. Identify when error has been introduced into a

scientific investigation because certain variables are

not controlled or more than one variable is changed

g. Calculate percent error

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?

Relevance and Application:

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.

Nature of Discipline:

1. Math is a central tool of science.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 13

Content Area: Science - High School Pre IB Chemistry/Physics

Standard: Physical Science

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

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

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

appropriate technology and safe laboratory practices

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Formulate testable hypotheses based on observed

phenomena and prior knowledge

b. Design and conduct an experiment to test the

hypothesis, identifying the independent and dependent

variables, and using appropriate equipment and

technology to collect data

c. Identify and use appropriate safe practices

d. 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?

Relevance and Application:

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.

Nature of Discipline:

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.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 14

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.

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 15

Standard Grade Level Expectation

High School

2. 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

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5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 16

Standard Grade Level Expectation

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

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Standard Grade Level Expectation

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

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Standard Grade Level Expectation

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

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Standard Grade Level Expectation

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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 increasing acidity.

Periodic table 1. 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

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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

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

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

body's direction of motion