1: Earth and Space Sciences

1.A: Explain how technology can be used to gather evidence and increase our understanding of the universe.

1.A.2: Explain how the large-scale motion of objects in the universe is governed by gravitational forces and detected by observing electro-magnetic radiation.

Gravitational Force
Orbital Motion - Kepler's Laws
Tides

1.B: Describe how Earth is made up of a series of interconnected systems and how a change in one system affects other systems.

1.B.5: Investigate how thermal energy transfers in the world's oceans impact physical features (e.g., ice caps, oceanic and atmospheric currents) and weather patterns.

Tides

2: Life Sciences

2.A: Explain how processes at the cellular level affect the functions and characteristics of an organism.

2.A.2: Explain why specialized cells/structures are useful to plants and animals (e.g., stoma, phloem, xylem, blood, nerve, muscle, egg and sperm).

Cell Structure

2.A.3: Explain that the Sun is essentially the primary source of energy for life. Plants capture energy by absorbing light and using it to form strong (covalent) chemical bonds between the atoms of carbon-containing (organic) molecules.

Cell Energy Cycle
Interdependence of Plants and Animals
Photosynthesis Lab

2.A.4: Explain that carbon-containing molecules can be used to assemble larger molecules with biological activity (including proteins, DNA, sugars and fats). In addition, the energy stored in bonds between the atoms (chemical energy) can be used as sources of energy for life processes.

Dehydration Synthesis

2.C: Explain how the molecular basis of life and the principles of genetics determine inheritance.

2.C.5: Examine the inheritance of traits through one or more genes and how a single gene can influence more than one trait.

Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Microevolution
Natural Selection

2.D: Relate how biotic and abiotic global changes have occurred in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

2.D.10: Explain additional components of the evolution theory, including genetic drift, immigration, emigration and mutation.

Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis

2.E: Explain the interconnectedness of the components of a natural system.

2.E.7: Relate diversity and adaptation to structures and functions of living organisms at various levels of organization.

Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Natural Selection
Paramecium Homeostasis

2.G: Summarize the historical development of scientific theories and ideas within the study of life sciences.

2.G.11: Trace the historical development of a biological theory or idea (e.g., genetics, cytology and germ theory).

Chicken Genetics

3: Physical Sciences

3.A: Explain how variations in the arrangement and motion of atoms and molecules form the basis of a variety of biological, chemical and physical phenomena.

3.A.1: Explain how atoms join with one another in various combinations in distinct molecules or in repeating crystal patterns.

Covalent Bonds
Dehydration Synthesis
Ionic Bonds
Limiting Reactants

3.A.2: Describe how a physical, chemical or ecological system in equilibrium may return to the same state of equilibrium if the disturbances it experiences are small. Large disturbances may cause it to escape that equilibrium and eventually settle into some other state of equilibrium.

Diffusion

3.B: Recognize that some atomic nuclei are unstable and will spontaneously break down.

3.B.10: Explain the characteristics of isotopes. The nucleus of radioactive isotopes is unstable and spontaneously decays emitting particles and/or wavelike radiation. It cannot be predicted exactly when, if ever, an unstable nucleus will decay, but a large group of identical nuclei decay at a predictable rate.

Element Builder
Half-life
Nuclear Decay

3.B.11: Use the predictability of decay rates and the concept of half-life to explain how radioactive substances can be used in estimating the age of materials.

Exponential Growth and Decay - Activity B
Half-life

3.C: Describe how atoms and molecules can gain or lose energy only in discrete amounts.

3.C.12: Describe how different atomic energy levels are associated with the electron configurations of atoms and electron configurations (and/or conformations) of molecules.

Electron Configuration
Element Builder
Ionic Bonds

3.C.13: Explain how atoms and molecules can gain or lose energy in particular discrete amounts (quanta or packets); therefore they can only absorb or emit light at the wavelengths corresponding to these amounts.

Covalent Bonds
Dehydration Synthesis
Photoelectric Effect

3.D: Apply principles of forces and motion to mathematically analyze, describe and predict the net effects on objects or systems.

3.D.5: Use and apply the laws of motion to analyze, describe and predict the effects of forces on the motions of objects mathematically.

2D Collisions
Air Track
Atwood Machine
Fan Cart Physics
Uniform Circular Motion

3.D.7: Recognize that nuclear forces are much stronger than electromagnetic forces, and electromagnetic forces are vastly stronger than gravitational forces. The strength of the nuclear forces explains why greater amounts of energy are released from nuclear reactions (e.g., from atomic and hydrogen bombs and in the Sun and other stars).

Nuclear Decay

3.D.8: Describe how the observed wavelength of a wave depends upon the relative motion of the source and the observer (Doppler effect). If either is moving towards the other, the observed wavelength is shorter; if either is moving away, the observed wavelength is longer (e.g., weather radar, bat echoes, police radar).

Doppler Shift
Doppler Shift Advanced
Hurricane Motion

3.D.9: Describe how gravitational forces act between all masses and always create a force of attraction. Recognize that the strength of the force is proportional to the masses and weakens rapidly with increasing distance between them.

Gravitational Force