NGSS Physical Science, Life Science, & Earth Science Bundle

Science Inquiry

• Develop skills in observing, asking questions, and conducting experiments to explore scientific phenomena.

• Understand the importance of the scientific method in investigating and explaining the natural world.

• Practice analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and communicating scientific findings effectively.

Science Inquiry (2 weeks)

• Investigation (2 days)

• Lab Safety, Describing & Explaining (1 day)

• Analyzing Data, Observing, Inferences, Evidence (2 days)

• Scientific Math, Graphing Independent & Dependent Variables (2 days)

Matter

• Identify the states of matter and understand the properties that distinguish solids, liquids, and gasses.

• Explain how changes in temperature and pressure can cause changes in state.

• Explore the concept of density and its applications in real-world contexts.

Matter (3 weeks)

• Ways to Classify and Measure Matter (2 days)

• Volume and Density (2 days)

• States of Matter (2 days)

• Water Stages and Temperature (1 day)

• The Water Cycle and Matter (2 days)

• Pure Substances and Mixtures (2 days)

• Physical and Chemical Properties (2 days)

• Physical and Chemical Change (2 days)

Elements, Compounds, Reactions

• Understand the basic structure of atoms and the periodic table.

• Distinguish between elements, compounds, and mixtures based on their chemical properties.

• Explore chemical reactions, including synthesis, decomposition, and oxidation-reduction reactions, and their applications in everyday life.

Atoms, Elements, Compounds, Reactions (4 weeks)

• Atoms and Parts of Atoms (1-2 days)

• Diagrams of Atoms (Bohr & Electron Cloud) (1 day)

• Periodic Tables (1-2 days)

• Ions, Isotopes and Valence Electrons (1 day)

• Atoms To Elements to Molecules (1-2 days)

• Physical and Chemical Properties (2 day)

• Law of Conservation of Matter (2 day)

• Physical and Chemical Change (2 day)

• Chemical Equationsà Reactants and Products (2 days)

• Rate of Chemical Change (2 day)

• Exothermic and Endothermic (2 day)

• Law of Conservation of Mass (1 day)

Forces and Motions

• Define and differentiate between types of forces, including gravitational, electromagnetic, and frictional forces.

• Understand Newton's laws of motion and their application to real-world situations.

• Investigate the concepts of speed, velocity, and acceleration in the context of everyday examples.

Forces and Motion (3 weeks)

• Earth’s Forces (Magnetism, Gravity, and Friction) (2 days)

• Newton’s Laws of Motion (2 days)

• Application of Newton’s Laws of Motion (1 day)

• Graphing Dependent and Independent Variables (2 days)

• Motion & Speed Terms and Graphs (2 days)

• Velocity and Speed (2 days)

Simple Machines (Work, Power, Efficiency)

• Identify the six types of simple machines and understand how they operate and make work easier.

• Explore the concepts of work, power, and efficiency in mechanical systems.

• Analyze the use of simple machines in complex devices and evaluate their impact on energy conservation and efficiency.

Simple Machines:  Work, Power, Efficiency (3 weeks)

• Common Simple Machines (1-2 days)

• Simple Machines, Friction & Motion (1-2 days)

• Measuring Force (2 days)

• Simple Machines and Work, Power, & Efficiency (2 days)

• Relationship between Work, Power, & Efficiency (2 days)

• Law of Conservation of Energy, Kinetic & Potential Energy (2 days)

Types of Energy  (Properties of Energy)

• Distinguish between renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

• Explore various forms of energy, including mechanical, electrical, chemical, nuclear, and solar energy, and their uses in everyday life.

• Discuss the environmental and societal impacts of different energy sources.

• Understand the law of conservation of energy and its implications for physical systems.

• Explore the concepts of kinetic and potential energy and their transformations. 

Types of Energy & Transformations (3 weeks)

• Energy Types (2-3 days)

• Kinetic vs. Potential Energy (2-3 days)

• Energy Transformation (2-3 days)

• Energy Originations and Law of Conservation of Energy (2-3 days)

Electricity  (Properties of Energy)

• Understand the basic principles of electricity, including current, voltage, and resistance.

• Investigate series and parallel circuits and their applications.

• Explore the generation and distribution of electrical energy and its importance in modern society.

• Investigate the properties of thermal energy and its transfer mechanisms: conduction, convection, and radiation.

Electricity (2 weeks)

• Electrical Energy and How It is Produced (1 day)

• Electrical Flow and Circuits (1 day)

• Conductors and Resisters (1 day)

• AC and DC (1 day)

• Series and Parallel (1 day)

• Electrical Measurements (1 day)

• Generators (1 day)

Sound, Light, and Heat Waves  (Properties of Energy)

• Describe the properties and behaviors of sound, light, and heat waves.

• Explore the concepts of reflection, refraction, and absorption and their applications in technology and nature.

• Investigate the principles of thermodynamics and their relevance to heat transfer and energy efficiency.

Waves (Sound, Light, and Heat Waves) (4 weeks)

• Types of Waves, Wave Diagram and Characteristics (2 days)

• Sound Waves (3 days)

• Light Waves (3 days)

• Law of Reflection, Law of Refraction (2 days)

• Electromagnetic Waves (2 days)

• Wavelength of Color (2 days)

• Thermal Energy, Heat Waves (3 days)

Energy Use and Renewal

• Analyze patterns of energy consumption and their environmental impacts.

• Explore strategies for energy conservation and efficiency in homes, transportation, and industries.

• Investigate the development and potential of renewable energy technologies and their role in sustainable living.

Energy Use and Renewal (3 weeks)

• Types of Resources (2 days)

• Alternate Energy Sources (2 days)

• Technology and Energy (1 day)

• Pollution (2 days)

• Conservation (2 days)

• Reuse, Reduce, Recycle (1 day)

• Effects of Energy Use (1 day)

• Population and Carrying Capacity (1 day)

• Global Warming  (2 days) 

Science Inquiry

• Develop an understanding of the scientific method and its application in experimental design.

• Practice formulating hypotheses, conducting experiments, collecting data, and drawing conclusions.

• Enhance skills in observation, measurement, and analytical thinking.

Science Inquiry (2 weeks)

• Investigation (2 days)

• Lab Safety, Describing & Explaining (1 day)

• Analyzing Data, Observing, Inferences, Evidence (2 days)

• Scientific Math, Graphing Independent & Dependent Variables (2 days)

Elements of Life

• Identify the basic chemical elements that are essential to life processes.

• Understand the roles of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur in biological molecules.

• Explore how these elements combine to form the molecules of life (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids).

Elements of Life (1 week)

• Atoms to Biospheresà Level of Organization of Life (1 day)

• Elements of Life in Living Organisms (1 day)

• Characteristics of Living and Non-Living Things (1 day)

Cells

• Describe the cell as the basic unit of life and distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

• Understand cell structure and function, including organelles like the nucleus, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.

• Explore cell processes such as osmosis, diffusion, and cellular respiration.

Cells (4 weeks)

• Microscopes, Cell Theory, Types of Cells (1 day)

• Cellular Structure and Function (2 days)

• Organelles in Plant vs. Animal Cells (2 days)

• Processes, Osmosis and Diffusion ( 1day)

• Carbon Cycles, Photosynthesis and Respiration (3 days)

• Aerobic and Anaerobic Cellular Respiration (2 days)

• Nitrogen Cycle (1 day)

Reproduction and Heredity

• Explain the basics of sexual and asexual reproduction and their biological significance.

• Understand the fundamentals of genetics, including the role of DNA, genes, and chromosomes in heredity.

• Discuss Mendelian genetics and the patterns of inheritance.

Reproduction and Heredity (2 weeks)

• Asexual and Sexual Reproduction, Mitosis & Meiosis (3 days)

• Genetics, Chromosomes, Genes (2 days)

• Punnett Square (2 days)

• Selective Breeding (1 day)

• Sex-Linking Genes (1 day)

• Environment and Genetic Survival (1 day)

Classification, Life Cycles, Plants, Flowers

• Learn the principles of biological classification and the use of dichotomous keys.

• Explore the life cycles of different organisms, focusing on their unique stages.

• Understand the structure and function of plants and flowers, including photosynthesis and pollination.

Living Organism (3 weeks)

• Classification

• Dichotomous Key (1 day)

• Domain Classification (1 day)

• Binomial Nomenclature (1 day)

• Life Cycles

• Complete Metamorphosis (1 day)

• Incomplete Metamorphosis (1 day)

• Examples of Life Cycles (1 day)

• Plants

• Plant Parts and Functions (1 day)

• Leaf Structure and Functions (1 day)

• Flower Parts and Functions (1 day)

• Sexual Reproduction in Plants (1 day)

• Asexual reproduction in plants (1day)

• Cross-Pollination (1 day)

• Plant Reproduction (1 day)

• Bean Parts & Orange Parts (1 day)

Ecology

• Discuss the interactions between organisms and their environment, including ecosystems, food chains, and food webs.

• Understand the concepts of biomes, biodiversity, and the importance of conservation.

• Analyze human impacts on the environment and the importance of sustainable practices.

Ecology (4 weeks)

• The Study of Ecology (2 days)

• Biomes (2 days)

• Players in Ecosystems (2 days)

• Symbiotic Relationships (2 days)

• Food Chains (1 day)

• Food Webs (1 day)

• Energy Pyramid (1 day)

• Energy Flow Chart (1 day)

• The Role of Wetlands (1 day)

Adaptations

• Explore how organisms adapt to their environments through structural, behavioral, and physiological adaptations.

• Understand the role of natural selection in evolution and the development of adaptations.

• Examine case studies of specific adaptations in plants and animals.

Adaptations (4 weeks)

• Adaptations in Ecosystems (1 day)

• Behavioral and Structural (Physical Adaptations) (2 days)

• Non-Native Species (1 day)

• Ability to Survive (2 days)

• Natural Selection (1 day)

• Environment and Genetic Survival (1 day)

• Changes within an Ecosystem (1 day)

• Resources (1 day)

• Reuse, Reduce, Recycle (1 day)

• Carrying Capacity (1 day)

Body Systems and Healthy Living

• Identify the major human body systems (circulatory, respiratory, digestive, etc.) and their functions.

• Understand the importance of nutrition, exercise, and hygiene in maintaining a healthy body.

• Discuss the prevention and treatment of common diseases and the role of the immune system in protecting the body.

Body Systems & Healthy Lifestyles and Diseases (4 weeks)

• Body System Overview (1 day)

• Skeletal System (1 day)

• Muscular System (1 day)

• Digestive System (1 day)

• Respiratory System (1 day)

• Circulatory System (1 day)

• Integumentary System (1 day)

• Immune System (1 day)

• Reproductive System (1 day)

• Nervous System (1 day)

• Major Organ System Interactions (2 days)

• Diseases (1 day)

• Genetic Diseases ( 1 day)

• Human Growth and Life Span (1 day)

• Diet and Exercise (1 day)

Science Inquiry

• Understand and apply the scientific method to explore natural phenomena, including asking questions, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions.

• Develop skills in observing, measuring, and using scientific tools and technologies.

Science Inquiry (2 weeks)

• Investigation (2 days)

• Lab Safety, Describing & Explaining (1 day)

• Analyzing Data, Observing, Inferences, Evidence (2 days)

• Scientific Math, Graphing Independent & Dependent Variables (2 days)

Atoms and Ions

• Identify the basic structure of atoms and the role of electrons, protons, and neutrons.

• Understand the formation of ions through the gain or loss of electrons and their importance in chemical reactions.

Atoms, Elements, Compounds, Reactions (4 weeks)

• Atoms and Parts of Atoms (1-2 days)

• Diagrams of Atoms (Bohr & Electron Cloud) (1 day)

• Periodic Tables (1-2 days)

• Ions, Isotopes and Valence Electrons (1 day)

• Atoms To Elements to Molecules (1-2 days)

• Physical and Chemical Properties (2 day)

• Law of Conservation of Matter (2 day)

• Physical and Chemical Change (2 day)

• Chemical Equationsà Reactants and Products (2 days)

• Rate of Chemical Change (2 day)

• Exothermic and Endothermic (2 day)

• Law of Conservation of Mass (1 day)

Minerals, Rocks, Soil

• Classify minerals and rocks based on their properties and formation processes.

• Analyze the composition and structure of different types of soil and their roles in supporting ecosystems.

Minerals, Rocks, and Soil (3 weeks)

• Chemistry in Minerals, Physical Properties (2 days)

• Rocks, Three Types (1 day)

• Rock Cycle (2 days)

• Weathering and Soil (2 days)

• Soil Horizons (1 day)

• Erosion and Deposition (2 days)

Fossils and Geological Dating

• Understand the formation of fossils and what they can tell us about Earth's past life and environments.

• Learn about different methods of geological dating and their use in determining the age of Earth materials.

Fossils and Geological Timelines (2 weeks)

• Fossils, Types of Preservation (2 days)

• Dating the Earth (Absolute and Relative Age Dating (2 days)

• Geological Timelines (2 days)

Earth’s Forces

• Investigate the forces that shape Earth's surface, including erosion, weathering, and tectonic activities.

• Explore the impact of these forces on natural landscapes and human activities.

Earth’s Forces (1 week)

• Earth’s Forces (all), Magnetism (1 day)

• Gravity (1 day), Newton’s 2nd Law

• Friction (1 day)

• Balances and Unbalanced forces, Newton’s Laws (1 day)

• Predicting Directions (1 day)

Earth’s Layers and Plate Tectonics

• Describe the structure of Earth’s layers, including the crust, mantle, and core.

• Understand the theory of plate tectonics and its role in explaining earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building.

Earth’s Layers (1 week)

• Earth, Gravity, and Spheres (1 day)

• Earth’s Layers (1 day)

• Earth’s Magnetic Field (1 day)

• Earth’s Surface (landforms and Topography (1 day)

Plate Tectonics ( 2 weeks)

• Pangea, Theory of Plate Tectonics (1 day)

• Plate Boundaries (2-3 days)

• Forces that cause plate movement (1 day)

• Plate tectonics and the Rock Cycle (1 day)

• Earthquakes and Volcanoes (1 day)

• Ring of Fire and Natural Disasters ( 1 day)

Landforms and Topography

• Identify various types of landforms and the processes that form them.

• Use topographic maps to understand the features of different landscapes and their elevation changes.

Landforms and Topography (2 weeks)

• Earth’s Surface & Landforms (1 day)

• Topographic Maps (1 day)

Atmosphere

• Describe the composition and structure of Earth's atmosphere.

• Understand the role of the atmosphere in climate and weather patterns, as well as its importance in protecting life on Earth.

Atmosphere (4 weeks)

• Layers of Atmosphere

• Layers of Atmosphere (1  day)

• Air Pressure and Altitude (1 day)

• Radiation (1 day)

• Thermal Energy Transfer (1 day)

• Wind Patterns

• Winds (1 day)

• Air Pollution (1 day)

• Water Cycle

• Hydrosphere & Water Cycle in Atmosphere (1 day)

• States of Water in Water Cycle (1 day)

• Water Pollution (1 day)

• Climate & Weather

• Weather, Patterns, Severe Weather (2 days)

• Climate (1 day)

Earth, Sun, Moon, Space

• Explore the relationships between the Earth, Sun, and Moon, including the phases of the Moon, eclipses, and seasons.

• Investigate the characteristics of our solar system and the basics of space exploration.

Earth, Sun, Moon, Space (3 weeks)

• Earth, Sun, Moon Relationships

• Gravitational pull, rotation, and axis (1 day)

• Moon and Tides (1 day)

• Seasons (1-2 day)

• Solstices & Equinoxes (1 day)

• The Moon and Phases (1 day)

• Eclipses (1 day)

• Solar System and Technology

• The Solar System’s Objectsà Planets (1 day)

• Asteroids, Comets, Sun & Stars (1 day)

• Space Exploration and Discoveries (2 days)

Pollution and Environment

• Identify the sources and types of pollution and their effects on the environment and human health.

• Explore strategies for reducing pollution and promoting sustainability to protect Earth's ecosystems.

Pollution, Energy Use and Renewal (3 weeks)

• Types of Resources (2 days)

• Alternate Energy Sources (2 days)

• Technology and Energy (1 day)

• Pollution (2 days)

• Conservation (2 days)

• Reuse, Reduce, Recycle (1 day)

• Effects of Energy Use (1 day)

• Population and Carrying Capacity (1 day)

• Global Warming  (2 days)