The learner will be able to…

Benchmark

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Explain the basic properties of the electromagnetic spectrum and know that energy is transferred by various types of waves and by electrons flowing through matter.

Create a poster which illustrates the electromagnetic spectrum and how each wavelength within it has unique characteristics and uses.

Electromagnetic Waves: Examples

Understand the following as types of electromagnetic waves: radio waves, microwaves, infrared waves, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, x-rays, and gamma rays.

Electromagnetic Spectrum: Connect

Connect the frequency and energy of the electromagnetic

spectrum.

Electromagnetic Spectrum: Technology

Connect frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum that

are outside the range of visible light to technologies.

Energy: Universe

Understand that the total energy of the universe is constant.

Describe the law of conservation of energy.

Energy: Law of Conservation of Energy

Understand that when an energy change takes place only the form changes not the amount.

Describe what energy changes are taking place and what is happening to the amount when presented with different energy transformations.

Energy: Forms

Describe the six forms of energy.

Create a poster illustrating the 6 forms of energy.

Electrical Force: Charges

Understand that like charges repel and unlike charges attract. Know that it is a universal force.

 Conduct an experiment to show like forces repel and opposite charges attract.

Electricity and Magnetism: Relationship.

Explain how moving magnets create an electrical field and how the field is used in motors as well as energy production.

Make a simple electric motor using magnets and wire.

Magnetism: Field

Explain the lines of force that surround a magnet.

Use a magnet and iron filings to show the lines of force. Conduct an experiment to show like poles repel and opposite poles attract.

Electricity: Static

Use static electricity to demonstrate basic electrical properties.

Use a comb to deflect a column of water or pick up pieces of paper and explain what is happening.

Electricity: Circuits

Understand the differences between parallel and series circuit.

Construct a parallel and series circuit. Compare and contrast the two.

Electricity: Production

Compare and contrast the different methods of electricity production.

Cite the pros and cons for the different methods to produce electricity.

Energy: Types

Understand that all energy can be classified into two types: kinetic and potential.

Create a data table with examples of kinetic and potential energies.

Energy: Changes

Understand the energy changes that occur between potential and kinetic energy.

Describe the changes between potential and kinetic energy for different moving objects.

Energy: Source/Explain

Explain energy sources and uses.

Create a poster to illustrate one energy source and share it with the class.

Energy: Waves

Associate waves, such as sound waves, to the transfer of energy.

Use a slinky or rope to demonstrate wave motion.

Energy: Waves/Understand

Understand that energy is transmitted from place to place

by waves, such as those created by water, sound, electric current and moving objects.

Energy: Wave types

Understand the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves by particle movement and example.

Use a slinky to show the motions that take place in transverse and longitudinal waves.

Energy: Wave Parts

Know the parts of transverse and longitudinal waves. Describe the effect of each part on the wave.

Draw a transverse and longitudinal wave and label the parts.

Energy: Wave interactions

Contrast reflection, refraction, and diffraction.

Conduct a lab to show reflection and refraction. Point out the different angles and waves involved.

Forces: Recognize/Lab

Recognize and measure common forces by utilizing laboratory instruments.

Move several different objects around the classroom with the help of a Newton scale to measure the forces involved.

Forces: Motion

Understand that force can cause motion in objects.

Forces: Net force

Understand that forces can be balanced or unbalanced and when unbalanced there is a net force.

Calculate net force and describe the motion that results.

Forces: Archemedes’ principle

Understand Archemedes’ principle and how it relates to objects sinking or floating.

Predict if an object will sink or float based on the masses of the objects or the forces involved.

Forces: Pressure

Understand what pressure is and its affect on fluid movement.

Use pressure differences to crush a pop can and explain why.

Forces: Pressure/ Pascal’s law

Understand the relationship between Pascal’s law and hydraulics.

Explain how a hydraulic lift works.

Forces: Pressure/ Bernoulli’s principle.

Understand how Bernoulli’s principle is used in flight

Describe the processes involved in getting an airplane off the ground.

Forces: Simple Machines/Types

Understand types of simple machines.

List several simple machine found in the environment.

Forces: Simple Machines/Tools/Understand

Understand that simple machines and tools are used to exert forces in order to make objects move.

Construct each of the six simple machines and calculate the mechanical advantage. Describe how you would change each simple machine to increase the mechanical advantage.

Simple Machines: Mechanical Advantage

Understand how simple machines provide mechanical advantage.

Find mechanical advantage.

Forces: Simple Machines/Applied Force

Judge how a simple machine amplifies an applied force.

Calculate MA for several different simple machines.

Forces: Friction

Describe the different types of friction and frictions affect on a moving object.

Conduct a lab to measure the amounts of the different types of friction.

Gravity: Definition

Understand that gravity is a universal force that each body of mass exerts on any other body of mass.

Create a data table in which students use their own weight and how it would change given their location throughout the solar system.

Gravity: Recognize

Recognize the definition of gravity.

Gravity: Strength

Understand that the strength of the gravitational force

between two bodies of mass is directly proportional to the

product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Gravity: Constant

Understand that gravity is a constant and when there is no air all objects fall at the same rate.

Explain why objects fall at the same rate on the Moon but not on Earth.

Heat: Cause

Understand that heat is caused by the motion and vibration of atoms, molecules, and ions.

Measure the temperature of ice, liquid water, and steam. Liken the molecular motion to student in the class and their motion.

Heat: Temperature/Atomic Motion

Understand that the greater the atomic or molecular motion, the higher the temperature.

Heat: Transfer

Explain the three methods of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation.

Site examples of heat transfer in nature. Conduct a lab to show different techniques to stop heat movement by conduction, convection, and radiation.

Heat: Thermal Expansion

Understand that objects expand and contract when heated.

Use the ball and ring and a bimetallic strip to demonstrate thermal expansion.

Inertia: Experimentally

Explain by utilizing experiments the impact of unbalanced forces on inertia.

Illustrate the difference in inertia between an empty grocery cart to a full one.

Light: Color/Connect/Frequency

Connect the frequency of light to color.

With the help of a light kit (source, filters and mirrors), illustrate the way in which light will act when reflected, refracted and diffracted.

Light: Object

Understand that an object can absorb light.

Light: Object/Sight

Understand that in order to see an object, light must be emitted by it or scattered from it.

Light: Object/Refract

Explain how objects refract light.

Light: Object/Transmit

Understand that light can transmit through certain objects but not others.

Light: Object/Transmit

Explain how objects transmit light.

Light: Color

Explain by what light is reflected or absorbed why an object is the color that it is.

Draw a color picture and explain why we see the different colors.

Light: Color Addition and Subtraction

Differentiate between color addition and subtraction. Describe the colors you would get when mixed by subtraction and addition.

Use computer program and the light kit to show what colors you must add or subtract to make a different color.

Light: Mirrors and Lenses

Know the different types of mirrors and lenses.

Complete the path of a light wave after it strikes the different lenses and mirrors.

Motion: Change using F=ma

Understand that the formula F=ma can be used to calculate

the magnitude of the change in motion independent of the nature of the force.

Research Newton’s laws. Have the students team up to illustrate each in small groups.

Motion: Laws of Motion

Describe the motion of different objects using Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion.

Motion: Frame of reference

Understand motion is a change in position to a frame of reference.

Describe the motion of objects based on different frames of reference.

Nuclear Reactions: Definition

Understand that a nuclear reaction converts a fraction of  the mass of interacting particles into energy.

Explain E=MC² and how it relates to the production of energy.

Nuclear Reactions: Fission/Fusion

Differentiate between fission and fusion.

Draw a picture of each type of nuclear power in use.

Sound: Speed of

Calculate the speed of sound and compare it to the speed of light.

Do a lab to calculate the speed of sound.

Sound: Properties

Know the effect of frequency, wavelength, and amplitude on pitch.

Use tuning forks to show the relationship between frequency, wavelength, and pitch.

Speed, Velocity, Acceleration: Calculate

Use the formulas to calculate speed, velocity, and acceleration.

Conduct a lab to gather data and calculate speed, velocity, and acceleration.

Speed: Velocity/Acceleration

Describe the relationship between speed, velocity and acceleration. Interpret speed, velocity, and acceleration graphs.

Create a graph which illustrates the speed, velocity, and acceleration of several students as they run in a controlled setting.

Work: Measure

Measure and calculate work and power by utilizing examples from the student's surroundings.

By knowing the mass of a student, have him/her complete some “work”. By timing the work done, calculate power.

Machines: Compound/Work

Explain how work is accomplished with compound

machines.

Site examples of compound machines in the environment.

Machines: Compound/Simple/Recognize

Recognize that compound machines are composed of

simple machines.

Build a compound machine. Identify the simple machines involved. Calculate its efficiency as the sum of the MA within it.

Machines: Simple/Force

Liken the direction of the force in a simple machine.

Machines: Work/Calculate

Calculate how much work is done by a simple machine.