Course title

Pre-requisite

Course description

Physical Science
This course will build in students an interest in global issues and the ability to collect; analyze and use data to explore and explain related science concepts. In physical science the students will be studying matter; atomic structure; chemicals; chemistry concepts; motion; energy; and electricity. These concepts will be given in lecture; project; and lab forms so students will gain a deeper understanding of how these concepts affect them daily. The physical science concepts will be given in actionable ways so students learn to be not only be knowledgeable of the topics; but also to use this knowledge to change the world around them.
Lecture and Activity Schedule:

Unit 1: Matter
• Science Skills
o What is Science?
o Scientific Approach
o Measurement
o Presenting Scientific Data
• Properties of Matter
o Classifying Matter
o Physical properties
o Chemical properties
• States of Matter
o Solids; liquids; and gases
o The gas laws
o Phase changes

Unit 2: Chemistry
• Atomic Structure
o Atoms
o Structure of an atom
o Modern atomic theory
• The Periodic Table
o Organizing the elements
o Periodic table
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• Chemical Bonds
o Ionic bonding
o Covalent
o Compounds and formulas
o Structure of metal
• Chemical Reactions
o Describing reactions
o Types
o Energy changes
o Reaction rates
o Equilibrium
• Solutions; Acids; and Bases
o Solubility
o Properties
o Strength
• Carbon Chemistry
o Carbon Compounds
o Polymers
o Reactions in cells
• Nuclear Chemistry
o Radioactivity
o Nuclear decay
o Artificial transmutation
o Fission and fusion

Unit 3: Motion
• Motion
o Distance and displacement
o Speed and velocity
o Acceleration
• Forces and motion
o Forces
o Newton’s first law; second law; and third law
o Universal forces
• Forces in fluid
o Fluid pressure
o Forces and pressure in fluids
o Buoyancy
• Work; Power; and machines
o Work and power
o Work and machines
o Simple machines

Unit 4: Energy
• Energy
o Forms
o Conversion
o Conservation
o Resources
• Thermal Energy
o Thermal energy and matter
o Using heat
• Mechanical waves and sound
o Mechanical waves
o Properties
o Behavior
o Sound and hearing

Unit 5: Magnetism and light
• Electromagnetic Spectrum and light
o Electromagnetic waves
o Spectrum
o Behavior of light
o Color
o Sources of light
• Optics
o Mirrors
o Lenses
o Optical Instruments
o Eye and Vision
• Electricity
o Charge and static electricity
o Current and Ohm’s law
o Circuits
• Magnetism
o Magnetic fields
o Electromagnetism
o Energy generation and transmission

Labs will be used in each unit as well to introduce students to the topics first hand.
• Science Skills
o Lab: Measuring volume and Temperature
o Problem: How can you accurately measure the volume and temperature?
o Procedure: Students will use a beaker; graduated cylinder; and water to estimate water volume.
o Students will use beakers; water; thermometer; and ice to test the temperature of water.
• Properties of Matter
o Lab: Recognizing Chemical and Physical Changes
o Problem: How can you identify chemical and physical changes?
o Procedure: Students will be able to identify chemical and physical changes by using test tubes; rack; various solutions; foil; candle; matches; and a watch. Students will complete a series of experiments using the solutions and make observation before; during; and after the experiment.
• States of Matter
o Lab: Investigating space between particles in matter.
o Problem: How much space is there between grains of sand or between particles in liquid?
o Procedure: Students will work with different solutions and sand to understand the space that exists in between atoms.
• Atomic Structure
o Lab: Students will be assigned an isotope with an atomic number between 1 and 18.
o Problem: How might the structure of an atom be modeled?
o Procedure: They will use various materials to construct a model of the isotope.
• The Periodic Table
o Lab: Using Clues to Identify Elements
o Problem: Where do the elements described in the clues fit in the periodic table?
o Procedure: Examine a partial periodic table and use clues given by the teacher to identify and fill in the chart.
• Chemical Bonds
o Lab: Comparing Ionic and Molecular Compounds
o Problem: How do different forces of attraction affect the behavior of ionic compounds and molecular compounds?
o Procedure: Students will take time to melt and dissolve in water sodium chloride; paraffin; and sugar and record their observations and understand the ionic and molecular compounds.
• Chemical Reactions
o Lab: Recognizing a synthesis Reaction
o Problem: How can you know when a synthesis reaction has occurred?
o Procedure: Students will find the mass of copper powder and heat it up on a Bunsen burner; they will then observe and record the changes in color and mass of the copper powder. Discuss if there was a chemical reaction and if it was an endothermic or exothermic reaction.
• Solutions; Acids; and Bases
o Lab: Comparing antacids
o Problem: Which brand of antacid neutralizes the most acid per dose?
o Procedure: Students will test three brands of antacids by adding them to different acids and record and analyze which reduces the most acid per dose.
• Carbon Chemistry
o Lab: Testing for Nutrients in food.
o Problem: Which foods contain sugars; starches lipids; and proteins?
o Procedure: Students will record their hypothesis on multiple foods; then students will observe the change in chemicals with different nutrients. Students will then create an experiment and test 10 different foods and drinks.
• Nuclear Chemistry
o Lab: Modeling Radioactive Decay
o Problem: How can a model help describe the decay of radioactive isotopes?
o Procedure: Using a capacitor and voltmeter students will record the voltage and its half-life to model the decay of radioactive materials.

• Motion
o Lab: Investigating Free Fall
o Problem: What effect does horizontal motion have on the time an object takes to fall?
o Procedure: Students will measure the time spherical objects take to reach the ground.
• Forces and motion
o Lab: Testing Galileo’s Hypothesis
o Problem: How do the length and steepness of a ramp affect the rate of acceleration of an object rolling down the ramp?
o Procedure: Using a board; book and ball students will test Galileo’s hypothesis that free falling objects fall at a constant rate.
• Forces in fluid
o Lab: Investigating Sinking and Floating
o Problem: What happens to the ability of an object as its mass and volume change?
o Procedure: measure how a canister floats in water while adding and subtracting BB’s from the canister increasing and decreasing its volume.
• Work; Power; and machines
o Lab: Mechanical Advantages of Levers
o Problem: How do the mechanical advantages of first-class; second-class; and third-class levers differ?
o Procedure: Students will build and compare the actual mechanical advantage of the different levers.
• Energy
o Lab: Determining the Effect of Mass on Kinetic Energy
o Problem: How is the energy of a moving object influenced by its mass?
o Procedure: Students will test the length a filled bottle of water will move a filled cup of water by rolling the bottle down a ramp; using different amounts of water and lengths.
• Thermal Energy
o Lab: Boiling Water in a paper cup
o Problem: Will the water in the cup ignite before the cup ignites?
o Procedure: Using a Bunsen burner students will heat water in a paper cup and record times and observations as the water begins to boil.
• Mechanical waves and sound
o Lab: Measuring the Speed of Sound
o Problem: What is the speed of sound in air?
o Procedure: Students will measure sound outdoors by timing a noise from the point of impact to the point they hear the sound.
• Electromagnetic Spectrum and light
o Lab: Predicting Spectra
o Problem: How is the color of a solution related to the wavelengths of light that it absorbs?
o Procedure: View the light spectrum from an incandescent light. Use a spectroscope to observe changes in light.
• Optics
o Lab: Refraction and Reflection
o Problem: How do refraction and reflection change the direction of light?
o Procedure: Observe how light is refracted and reflected using cardboard; pins; and a mirror.
• Electricity
o Lab: Constructing a Telephone
o Problem: How do energy conversions take place within the transmitter of a telephone?
o Procedure: Students will understand the transmitter in a telephone by constructing a simple model that will light a lightbulb.
• Magnetism
o Lab: Making a compass
o Problem: How accurate is a classroom compass that you make?
o Procedure: While understanding the concepts of magnets students will construct a compass and test its accuracy compared to other models of compasses.

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Approved

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• LINT
• Integrated science

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Online / Virtual