ST. AGATHA SCHOOL
GRADE 6 SCIENCE CURRICULUM

Purpose

In Grade 6, we will continue and expand the concepts of technology, astronomy including the study of the earth, moon, sun, planets, and stars, the inside of the earth and tectonic plates including the study of earthquakes and volcanoes, and the changing earth and its valuable resources.

Science Skills

The students will:

• Ask questions that can be answered by scientific investigations.
• Design and conduct investigations.
• Use appropriate tools and methods to gather, analyze and interpret data.
• Use data to develop descriptions, suggest explanations and make predictions.
• Use logic to make relationships between data and explanations.
• Communicate procedures and explanations.
• Use math to analyze data and construct explanations.
• Take the concepts learned, and understand and apply them to the world around them.

Technology

• Differentiate between mass, weight, volume and density.
• Discuss the three different branches of science.
• Discuss careers that involve science and technology.
• Discuss how science, technology and math are intertwined.
• Discuss the different areas of technology including engineering, communication, manufacturing, construction, transportation and biological/chemical.
• Discuss how technology has developed over time.
• Discuss how technology affects society.

Earth and Space Science

Earth:
• Discuss the earth in the solar system.
• Discuss the concepts of rotation and revolution.
• Discuss and demonstrate how seasons occur.
• Discuss and demonstrate why we have night and day.
• Discuss and demonstrate the earth’s orbit around the sun.
• Discuss and demonstrate the concepts of inertia and gravity.

Moon:
• Discuss how the moon revolves around the earth.
• Discuss how the moon was formed.
• Discuss and demonstrate how craters are formed on the moon.

Planets, the Sun and Stars:
• Discuss the formation of the planets, the sun and stars.
• Discuss how long it takes for each planet to revolve around the sun.
• Discuss the surfaces of each planet.
• Discuss how the sun was formed, and the course its life will take.
• Discuss the life and death of a star.
• Discuss galaxies.

Space Program:
• Review important people in the history of the study of space such as Alan Shepard, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, President John F. Kennedy
• Discuss the formation of NASA.
• Discuss and experiment with rockets and how they are constructed.
• Differentiate between space probes, space shuttles and space stations.

The Changing Earth
• Discuss tectonic plates.
• Discuss earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
• Discuss the creation and importance of topographic maps.

Assessments

• Teacher generated tests and quizzes
• Book generated tests and quizzes
• Art projects
• Oral reports
• Science fair projects
• Science and math across the curriculum
• Standardized testing
• End of the year test

Materials Used

• Prentice Hall Science Explorer textbooks
• Teacher generated worksheets
• Class discussions
• Teacher presentations
• Lab kits
• Numerous teacher resource books
• Hands on science materials
• Review games such as Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune
• Reinforcement videos such as “The Magic School Bus” series