Chemistry, biology, earth science, and ecology are the foundations of the sixth grade science program. Students apply their learning through field experiences and projects, and regularly experience science first-hand in a self-contained, fully equipped science lab. The sixth grade science units include the following topics:
UNITS OF STUDY
The Nature of Science: Scientific Investigations
• Scientific method of problem solving
• Using scientific instruments
• Metric System
Weather: Earth's Atmosphere
• Composition of the atmosphere
• Pressure and Density of the Atmosphere
• Layers of the atmosphere
• Air Quality
Weather: Weather Factors
• Thermal Energy and Temperature
• Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere
• Circulation in the Atmosphere: Winds
• Water in the Atmosphere
• Clouds
• Precipitation
Weather: Weather Patterns
• Air Masses
• Fronts
• Cyclones
• Storms
• Weather Forecasting
Investigating Groundwater
• Groundwater
• Understanding concentrations
• Interpreting maps
• Testing for contamination
• Cleanup plans
Cells: The Building Blocks of Life
• Discovering Cells
• Looking Inside Cells
• Microscopes
• Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
• Chemistry of Life
Cells: Cell Processes and Energy
• Cell Transportation
• Photosynthesis
• Respiration
• Cell Division
Viruses, Bacteria, and Infectious Diseases
• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Barriers to Pathogens
• Pathogens
• Preventing and Fighting Infectious Diseases