Science Curriculum -The Included Ideas 

There are five broad topics:

Energy includes these major ideas:

Energy is the thread that runs through all sections of the course
Sound is investigated as waves are compared to light
Light is investigated in context of  astronomy 

The Chemistry section includes:

Energy is transformed through energy chains
Measuring by volume & Mass
Density  D=M/V
Solubility definitions; a characteristic property; speed affected by temp, particle size, and stirring.
Matter is made of atoms; atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons which have charge, mass
The number of these particles give elements their nature and explain their properties
Common elements
Period Chart structure is revealed
Ions
Why chemicals react
The 3 types of chemical reactions
Matter is conserved when ice melts, salt dissolves, and a chemical reacts
Acids, bases,& salts; neutralization
Chemical formulas & equations
Electricity is made in chemical reactions
                Some electrodes & electrolytes make more electricity than others
Some batteries are rechargeable
Materials may be conductors or insulators
Substances can be told apart by their densities, solubility's, and pH
Nuclear reactions

The Heat section includes these topics:

Heat vs. Temperature  
Heat transfer
Change of state
Absolute zero
Applications: heat engines, thermostats, refrigeration
Substances can be told apart by their melting points and boiling points
Frictional force - opposes other forces and can be changed in magnitude to our advantage

The Mechanics section develops these ideas:

FORCE
    Forces are pushes or pull
    Pendulum can be used to calculate g       g is 9.8 m/sec/sec     Gravitational force
    Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
MOTION
Simple Motion
    caused by unbalanced forces
    speed
    velocity is a speed in a certain direction
    acceleration is a change in velocity
    velocity and acceleration can be measured and have units
Newton's 3 Laws of Motion explain how things move
        Inertia
        F=ma
        Action-Reaction
        Recognizing them and Using them
WORK
    Work equals a force times the distance it acts W=f*d
MACHINES
    5 kinds of Simple Machines:  Lever   Inclined plane  Wheel & Axle   Pulley   Gear
    Mechanical Advantage is how many times easier a task is
    MA trades less force for more distance; it can be calculated
    Compound machines are made up of simple machines
POWER
    How fast work is done
    Power = Work/Time Watts = newton*meters/sec
Applications
    Powered vehicles, rockets, projectiles
    Electricity is related to magnetism     Magnetic fields;  electromagnets;         
            Oersted's principle   Electric current makes magnetic field
            Faraday's                 Magnetic field creates electricity
     Motor
    Generator
 
  

The Earth-Sun-Moon section includes:

Earth in Space  -location and time
Angle of Insolation of sunlight
Seasons -caused by tilt of earth's axis
Moon Phases - names and causes
Tides - cause and types
Sun as a star
Stellar Life Cycle
Light from the sun
· Nature of light as Electromagnetic radiation
· Total spectrum: Radio through Cosmic  including stellar
· Refraction
· Fiber optics, communication, digital signals
· Lenses, Glasses, contacts
· Telescopes & binoculars  Eyes
·Waves, Wavelength, & Frequency
·Wave theory, particle theory
 

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