Course Content
A. Science Practices
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A.01. Identify laboratory tools.
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A.02. Identify laboratory safety equipment.
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A.03. Identify steps of the scientific method.
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A.04. Explain the scientific method.
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A.05. Discuss the importance of scientific practices in research.
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A.06. Identify the importance of laboratory safety.
B. Designing Experiments
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B.01. Identify the experimental question.
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B.02. Identify control and experimental groups.
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B.03. Identify independent and dependent variables.
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B.04. Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials.
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B.05. Understand an experimental protocol about plant growth.
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B.06. Understand an experimental protocol about diffusion.
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B.07. Understand an experimental protocol about evaporation.
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B.08. Design experiments to test a hypothesis.
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B.09. Analyze the limitations of experimental designs.
C. Atoms and Molecules
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C.01. What are atoms and chemical elements?
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C.02. How are substances represented by chemical formulas and models?
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C.03. Identify chemical formulas for ball-and-stick models.
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C.04. Describe the atomic composition of molecules.
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C.05. Classify elementary substances and compounds using models.
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C.06. Classify elementary substances and compounds using chemical formulas.
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C.07. Apply knowledge of molecular composition to predict properties of substances.
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C.08. Predict how temperature changes affect the states of matter.
D. Chemical Reactions
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D.01. Identify reactants and products.
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D.02. Count atoms and molecules in chemical reactions.
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D.03. Describe energy changes in chemical reactions.
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D.04. Compare physical and chemical changes.
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D.05. Calculate amounts of reactants or products in chemical reactions.
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D.06. Explore chemical structure and properties: soapmaking.
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D.07. Explore chemical structure and properties: food flavors.
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D.08. Predict the products of a chemical reaction.
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D.09. Determine the limiting reactant in a chemical reaction.
E. Thermal Energy
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E.01. Compare thermal energy transfers.
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E.02. Predict heat flow and temperature changes.
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E.03. Describe the relationship between temperature and thermal energy.
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E.04. Investigate the role of thermal energy in everyday life.
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E.05. Model the transfer of thermal energy using kinetic theory.
F. Particle Motion and Energy
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F.01. How does particle motion affect temperature?
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F.02. Particle motion and changes of state.
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F.03. How does particle motion affect gas pressure?
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F.04. Identify how particle motion affects temperature and pressure.
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F.05. Explore the relationship between temperature, pressure, and volume of gases.
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F.06. Apply the kinetic theory of matter to explain changes of state.
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F.07. Analyze the relationship between particle motion and the properties of matter.
G. Units and Measurement
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G.01. Choose units of distance, mass and volume.
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G.02. Abbreviate mass and volume units.
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G.03. Abbreviate time, length, speed and acceleration units.
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G.04. Abbreviate force, energy and electricity units.
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G.05. Convert between metric and imperial units.
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G.06. Apply dimensional analysis to problem-solving.
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G.07. Understand the importance of accurate measurements.
H. Solutions
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H.01. Diffusion across membranes.
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H.02. Compare concentrations of solutions.
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H.03. Predict how changes in concentration affect properties of solutions.
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H.04. Explain the role of solvents and solutes.
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H.05. Investigate how the solubility of a solute is affected by temperature.
I. Rocks
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I.01. Identify rocks and minerals.
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I.02. Classify rocks as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic.
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I.03. Introduction to the rock cycle.
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I.04. How do rock layers form?
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I.05. Label parts of rock cycle diagrams.
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I.06. Select parts of rock cycle diagrams.
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I.07. Explore different types of rocks, and how they are used.
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I.08. Model the rock cycle using various materials.
J. Earth’s Features
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J.01. Label Earth layers.
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J.02. Label Earth features at tectonic plate boundaries.
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J.03. Describe tectonic plate boundaries around the world.
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J.04. Explain how plate tectonics shape Earth’s surface.
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J.05. Analyze the impact of volcanic activity.
K. Earth’s Cycles
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K.01. Label parts of water cycle diagrams.
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K.02. Select parts of water cycle diagrams.
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K.03. Model the water cycle.
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K.04. Analyze the role of the water cycle on Earth.
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K.05. Explain how the carbon cycle impacts the environment.
L. The Greenhouse Effect
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L.01. The greenhouse effect.
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L.02. Analyze the role of greenhouse gases.
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L.03. Predict how human activity affects the greenhouse effect.
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L.04. Evaluate the environmental impact of the greenhouse effect.
M. Ecosystems
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M.01. Describe populations, communities and ecosystems.
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M.02. Identify ecosystems.
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M.03. Describe ecosystems.
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M.04. Assess the impact of factors on ecosystems.
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M.05. Explore the connections between ecosystems.
N. Ecological Interactions
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N.01. Interpret food webs I.
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N.02. Interpret food webs II.
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N.03. Use food chains to predict changes in populations.
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N.04. Classify symbiotic relationships.
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N.05. How does matter move in food chains?
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N.06. Investigate primary succession on a volcanic island.
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N.07. Analyze energy flow in food webs and predict its changes.
O. Plants
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O.01. Identify plant parts and their functions.
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O.02. Identify flower parts and their functions.
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O.03. Illustrate the importance of plant structures.
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O.04. Predict the effects of changes in plant structure.
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O.05. Evaluate how plants impact the environment.
P. Plant Reproduction
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P.01. Angiosperm and conifer life cycles.
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P.02. Moss and fern life cycles.
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P.03. Explain the process of plant reproduction.
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P.04. Compare sexual and asexual reproduction in plants.
Q. Photosynthesis
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Q.01. How do plants use and change energy?
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Q.02. Identify the photosynthetic organism.
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Q.03. Summarize the process of photosynthesis.
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Q.04. Explore factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis.
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Q.05. Investigate the significance of photosynthesis for life on Earth.
R. Fossils
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R.01. Compare fossils to modern organisms.
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R.02. Compare ages of fossils in a rock sequence.
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R.03. Summarize fossil formation and uses.
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R.04. Explain what fossils reveal.
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R.05. Compare and contrast different methods of dating fossils.
S. Adaptations and Natural Selection
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S.01. Calculate the percentages of traits in a population.
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S.02. Calculate the averages of traits in a population.
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S.03. Introduction to natural selection.
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S.04. Construct explanations of natural selection.
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S.05. How can animal behaviors affect reproductive success? Identify evidence to support a claim.
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S.06. Analyze the influence of environmental changes on natural selection.
T. Conservation
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T.01. Coral reef biodiversity and human uses: explore a problem.
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T.02. Coral reef biodiversity and human uses: evaluate solutions.
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T.03. Explain the importance of biodiversity and the need for conservation.
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T.04. Design plans to address environmental issues.
U. Natural Resources and Human Impacts
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U.01. Evaluate claims about natural resource use: groundwater.
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U.02. Evaluate claims about natural resource use: fossil fuels.
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U.03. Assess how human activities affect natural resources.
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U.04. Evaluate the importance of sustainable practices.
V. Engineering Practices
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V.01. Identify parts of the engineering-design process.
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V.02. Evaluate tests of engineering-design solutions.
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V.03. Use data from tests to compare engineering-design solutions.
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V.04. Explore the engineering-design process: going to the Moon!
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V.05. Apply the engineering-design process to solve problems.
