STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
The Hook: Students are shown several pictures of animals, including humans, and brainstorm a list of all the characteristics these animals have in common.
Structure and Function guides students through 11 hands-on inquiries organized in four clusters:
- Fundamental Units—Cells, Tissues, and Organs
- Circulation and Respiration
- Digestion
- Support and Movement
The Performance Assessment: Students are asked to help an elementary school child understand the importance of maintaining a healthy body. They write and illustrate a Science Rock Big Book on an organ system of their choice from the unit.
BEHAVIOR AND REGULATION
The Hook: Students brainstorm a list of how it feels to be ill and think about a time they weren’t feeling well. Next, they read an article by Katlyn Diseasebuster from the Center for Disease Control, which lists current avoidable diseases that affect children in the world today. Students are asked to think about ways to encourage others to change their lifestyles.
Behavior and Regulation guides students through 10 hands-on inquiries organized in four clusters:
- Regulation
- Human Reproduction
- Protection from Disease
- Behavior
The Performance Assessment: Students create a three-tiered poster display and interactive workshop on the effects lifestyle has on the health of an individual. They also write a letter to the CDC offering advice and outlining the workshops they created.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE EARTH
The Hook: Students are introduced to the processes that shape the Earth by watching a video. They construct a “KWL” chart and brainstorm what they already know and what they want to know about Earth’s history. Then they view a plea from “Earth Child,” who urges them to learn more about how her natural wonders were formed.
Biography of the Earth guides students through 10 hands-on inquiries organized in three clusters:
- Scientific Inquiry
- The Lithosphere
- The Rock Cycle
The Performance Assessment: Students choose a geologic phenomenon to research. Using a variety of resources to obtain information on their research topic, they share their project with the class.
FORCES AND MOTION
The Hook: Students share background knowledge about objects in motion by describing physical reactions they have experienced while riding in a car, on a bicycle, rollerblading, etc. They watch a video showing safety measures that have been designed to counteract physical reactions that occur during car collisions.
Forces and Motion guides students through 11 hands-on inquiries organized in three clusters:
- Identifying Forces
- Forces at Work
- Objects in Motion
The Performance Assessment: Students read a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that links the probability of occupant fatality to the mass of the vehicles involved in highway crashes. Students brainstorm other variables that may affect the survival of occupants. They design and test safety restraint systems to protect occupants in collisions. Finally, they write a letter to the National Highway Transportation Board that presents their investigations, data, and recommendations.