Course Overview

Students perform experiments, develop scientific reasoning, and recognize science in the world around them. They build a model of a watershed, test how cell membranes function, track a hurricane, and analyze the effects gravity. Students will explore topics such as:

• Water Resources—water pollution; conservation; aquifers; watersheds; wetlands
• The World's Oceans—properties of ocean water; currents, waves, and tides; the ocean floor; marine organisms
• Earth's Atmosphere—layers; weather patterns, maps, and forecasts; fronts; El Niño; and the greenhouse effect
• Forces of Motion—types of pushes or pulls; position and speed; inertia; energy as a measure of work; gravity and motion
• Chemistry—structure of atoms; elements and compounds; the Periodic Table; chemical reactions; acids and bases
• Cells and Cell Processes—structure; membrane function; respiration and photosynthesis; growth cycles; genes and DNA
• Taxonomy of Plants and Animals—levels of classification; plants, animals, monerans, viruses, protists, and fungi
• Animal Physiology—circulatory, respiratory, digestive, excretory, and immune systems