SOUTH DAKOTA SCIENCE STANDARDS
6-8
Sixth Grade Nature of Science
Grade
Standards, Supporting Skills, and Examples
Indicator 1: Understand the nature and origin of scientific knowledge.
Note:
These skills should be taught and practiced in grade-level study of
Physical, Life, and Earth/Space Science although mastery is not expected at
these grade levels.
Standard |
Bloom’s Taxonomy |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessment |
Resources |
|
|
ü Recognize scientific knowledge as not merely a set of static facts, but is dynamic and affords the best current explanations. ü Identify important contributions to the advancement of science from people of differing cultures, genders, and ethnicity. ü Examples: George W. Carver-peanuts, Gregor Mendel-genetics, Sylvia Earle-oceanography, Darwin-evolution |
Famous Scientists PowerPoint Mole Day Lab |
Google.com Enchantedlearning.com Wikipedia.org Brain Pop Destination machine Wireless notebook and display screen National Mole Day Website |
Indicator 2: Apply the skills necessary to conduct
scientific investigations.
Standard |
|
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
6.N.2.1. Students are able to pose questions that can be explored through scientific investigations. |
Application |
Example: How does light affect plant growth? ü Conduct systematic scientific investigations. · Use appropriate supportive technologies. · Describe the limits of accuracy inherent in a particular measuring device or measurement procedure. · Manipulate one variable over time with many repeated trials to test a hypothesis. · Construct and interpret graphs from data to make predictions. · Use research methods to investigate practical and/or personal scientific problems and questions. ü Describe and demonstrate various safety factors associated with different types of scientific activity. · Use appropriate scientific equipment safely in all investigations. · Wear appropriate attire. |
Lab reports Lab practical quiz Polyacrylamide lab Film canister lab/alkaseltzer lab Oak Lake DO lab Diversity index lab Metric lab Quiz over microscope Measurement quiz Rube Goldberg apparatus Writing assignment on a proper conclusion Vocabulary quizes |
Oak Lake Field Station Oak Lake Resource Packets Macro Invertebrate Key Grassland/Prairie Reference books “If You’re Not From the Prairie” story |
Sixth Grade Nature
of Science
Performance Descriptors
Advanced |
Sixth
grade students performing at the advanced level: · pose a question and a hypothesis that can be explored through scientific exploration. |
Proficient |
Sixth
grade students performing at the proficient level: · pose questions that can be explored through scientific investigations. |
Basic |
Sixth
Grade students performing at the basic level: · given a prompt, pose one question that can be scientifically explored. |
Sixth Grade Physical
Science
Grade Standards, Supporting Skills,
and Examples
Indicator 1:
Describe structures and properties of, and changes in, matter.
Standard |
Bloom’s
Taxonomy |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
6.P.1.1. Students are able to identify the subatomic particles that make up atoms. |
Knowledge |
·
Electrons, protons, and neutrons |
Atom poem/Rapp/Story Build a model of an atom Bohr’s model drawings Proton/neutron/electron worksheets |
Websites Powers of Ten video website Brain Pop |
6.P.1.2. Students are able to classify matter based on physical and chemical properties. |
Application |
Examples: mass, weight, volume, acidity, density, texture, color, melting point, boiling point ü Compare and contrast compounds and elements. Examples:
sugar, salt, water (as compounds); Au, Fe, Na (as element symbols) ü Use the Periodic Table as a tool to describe elements. ü Examples: symbols, metals/non-metals, groups/rows, families |
“Soup or Solid” lab “I’ve Been Slimed” lab Boiling point/melting point/freezing point lab Role modeling/charades of physical changes Alien Periodic Table activity |
Periodic Table Activity book Brain Pop |
6.P.1.3. Students are able to describe phase changes in matter differentiating between the particle motion in solids, liquids, and gases. |
Comprehension |
+ Contruct
and interpret graphs depicting gas laws. + Construct and interpret graphs depicting
phase changes in matter. |
Melting Ice Lab Boyle’s/Charles Law graphs |
Prentice Hall “Chemical Building Blocks” |
Indicator 2: Analyze
forces, their forms, and their effects on motions.
Standard |
Bloom’s
Taxonomy Level |
Supporting
Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
6.P.2.1. Students are able to describe how push/pull forces acting on an object produce motion. |
Comprehension |
Examples: illustration of see-saw, sailboat on water, kite ü Demonstrate how all forces have magnitude and direction. ü Newton’s Laws of Motion |
|
Brain Pop |
Indicator
3: Analyze interactions of energy and matter.
Standard |
Bloom’s TaxonomyLevel |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
6.P.3.1. Students are able to identify types of energy transformations. |
Comprehension |
Examples: mechanical to electrical, chemical to light, kinetic to potential (and vice versa) ü Explain basic principles of electricity and magnetism including static, current, circuits, and magnetic fields. ü Investigate the properties of light (electromagnetic spectrum). ü Illustrate sunlight to chemical (photosynthesis). + Describe methods of heat transfer + Describe characteristics of light and sound. + Relate waves to the transfer of energy. |
Circuit board activity Light and Sound Labs Hot House Lab |
|
Sixth Grade Physical Science
Performance Descriptors
Advanced |
Sixth grade
students performing at the advanced level: · draw models of simple atoms indicating appropriate positions of protons, electrons, and neutrons; · identify physical and chemical changes; · explain the role of temperature in phase changes of matter; · predict motion(s) of an object acted on by multiple push/pull forces; · given a scenario, identify energy transformation(s). |
Proficient |
Sixth grade students performing at the proficient level: · identify the subatomic particles that make up atoms; · classify matter based on physical and chemical properties; · describe phase changes in matter differentiating between the particle motion in solids, liquids, and gases; · describe how push/pull forces acting on an object produce motion; · identify types of energy transformations. |
Basic |
Sixth grade students performing at the basic level: · label the protons, neutrons, and electrons of an atom; · classify matter based on physical property; · given an illustration of particle motion, can identify solids, liquids, and gases; · given an illustration, identify push/pull forces; · give an example of one energy transformation. |
Sixth
Grade Life Science
Grade Standards,
Supporting Skills, and Examples
Indicator 1: Understand the fundamental structures, functions, classifications, and mechanisms found in living things.
Standard |
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessment |
Resources |
6.L.1.1. Students are able to illustrate the difference between plant and animal cells. |
Comprehension |
· Plant cells have chloroplasts and cell walls. ü Identify basic cell organelles and their functions. ü Recognize cells as the building blocks of living things. · Observe cells with a compound microscope |
Cell booklet Cell vocab foldable Illustrate cells as seen under the microscope Identify cell structures under the microscope |
Cells Alive website Brain Pop |
6.L.1.2. Students are able to explain the importance and scientific use of a classification system. |
Comprehension |
· Management of diversity for organization and categorization
Example: identification and classification of newly- discovered organisms ü Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species ü
Kingdom classification system (monera, protista, plantae,
fungi, animalia) |
Classifying Button Lab Classifying Project in
groups Dichotomous Key Bean Lab |
Classification websites Dichotomous Key websites Enchanted Learning.com |
Indicator 2: Analyze various patterns and products of natural and induced biological change.
Standard |
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
|
|
ü Investigate the lineage of organisms to predict traits and features. Examples: family genealogy, Mendel’s pea plants, Punnett Squares ü Describe the difference between a hybrid and a purebred trait. |
Punnet Square activity |
|
Indicator 3: Analyze how organisms are linked to one another and the environment.
Standard |
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
|
|
ü Model cycles in ecosystems. Ex: water, carbon dioxide/oxygen ü Describe the relationship between characteristics of biomes and the organisms that live there. ü Describe how organisms adapt to biotic and abiotic factors in a biome. + Describe the roles of producers, decomposers, consumers in a system. + Analyze energy transfer within a food web. |
Tap Water Tour Lab |
|
Sixth Grade Life Science
Performance Descriptors
Advanced |
Sixth grade students performing at the advanced level: ·
Explain the reasons
for the differences between plant and animal cells; ·
Design a
classification system. |
Proficient |
Sixth grade students performing at the proficient level: ·
Illustrated the
difference between plant and animal cells; ·
Explain the
importance and scientific use of a classification system. |
Basic |
Sixth grade students performing at the proficient level: ·
Name two
similarities and differences between plant and animal cells; ·
List the five
kingdoms. |
Sixth
Grade Earth/Space Science
Grade Standards,
Supporting Skills, and Examples
Indicator 1: Analyze the various structures and processes of the Earth system.
Standard |
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessment |
Resources |
6.E.1.1. Students are able to describe how the spheres (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere) of the Earth interact. |
Comprehension |
ü Composition of spheres |
|
|
6.E.1.2. Students are able to examine the role of water on the Earth. |
Comprehension |
· Surface Examples: waves, glaciers, rivers · Underground Example: aquifers · Atmosphere Examples: precipitation, humidity |
Water Cycle Poster |
|
6.E.1.3. Students are able to explain processes involved in the formation of the Earth’s structure. |
Comprehension |
Examples: plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes ü
Interpret topographic and digital imagery or remotely sensed data to
identify surface features. Examples: local, global, regional ü Explain the formation of different rock types and their characteristics. ü Use geospatial technologies to investigate natural phenomena. ü Examples: GPS, GIS, remote sensing |
|
|
Indicator 2: Analyze
essential principles and ideas about the composition and structure of the
universe.
Standard |
Bloom’s
Taxonomy Level |
Supporting
Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
6.E.2.1. Students are able to identify the organization and relative
scale of the solar system. |
Knowledge |
· Sun, Moon, Earth, other planets and their moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets ü Origins and age of the universe ü Explain the association of time measurement with celestial motions. Examples: time zones,
leap years, international dateline |
Planet Project: - Brochure - Scale model of solar system - Presentation |
Websites on planets and solar system |
Sixth Grade Earth/Space Science
Performance
Descriptors
Advanced |
Sixth
grade students performing at the advanced level: ·
analyze the role of water as it
interacts with the Earth’s spheres; ·
explain the role of plate
tectonics in shaping the earth; ·
compare and contrast terrestrial
and gaseous planets. |
Proficient |
Sixth
grade students performing at the proficient level: ·
describe how the spheres
(lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere) of the Earth
interact; ·
examine the role of water on the
Earth; ·
explain processes involved in the
formation of the Earth’s structure; ·
identify the organization and
relative scale of the solar system. |
Basic |
Sixth grade students performing at the basic
level: ·
identify the spheres of Earth; ·
list two effects of
water on Earth; ·
identify processes of weathering
and erosion in the formation of earth’s structures; ·
list the planets in order from the
Sun outward. |
Sixth
Grade Science, Technology, Environment, and Society
Grade Standards, Supporting Skills, and Examples
Indicator 1: Analyze various implications/effects of scientific advancement within the environment and society.
Standard |
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
6.S.1.1. Students are able to describe how science and technology have helped society to solve problems. |
Comprehension |
Examples: GPS, GIS, remote sensing, prevention and treatment of diseases, vaccinations, water treatment, prosthetics |
|
|
Indicator 2: Analyze the
relationships/interactions among science, technology, environment, and society.
Standard |
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level |
Supporting Skills and Examples |
Assessments |
Resources |
6.S.2.1. Students are able, given a scenario, to identify the problem(s) of human activity on the local, regional, or global environment. |
Knowledge |
Examples: urban expansion, water treatment + Investigate an environmental issue by identifying a problem, look for the cause, study the effects, and look for a solution. |
|
Fruitvale Activity Tap Water Tour Oak Lake or Wetland Unit Wetland Trunk from ADWD. |
Sixth Grade Science
Technology, Environment, and Society
Performance Descriptors
Advanced |
Sixth
grade students performing at the advanced level: · list pros and cons of technological solutions to problems. |
Proficient |
Sixth
grade students performing at the proficient level: · describe how science and technology have helped society to solve problems; · given a scenario, identify the problem(s) of human activity on the local, regional, or global environment. |
Basic |
Sixth
grade students performing at the basic level: · recognize a problem. |