Language of the Lab

6th Grade: Thematic Science Unit Syllabus: Language of the Lab– 2009-2010

In this unit, we will learn about the tools and methods used by Earth scientists. We will be introduced to various measurement tools that will be used throughout the school year. Scientists use the International System of Units (SI…or metric), so we will in this class, as well. Correct lab safety procedures will also be discussed.

Georgia Performance Standards:

1) S6CS1

a: Students will keep honest, clear, and accurate records in science.

b. Students will understand that hypotheses are valuable if they lead to fruitful investigations, even if the hypotheses turn out not to be completely accurate descriptions.

2) S6CS10:

a: Students will read in ALL curriculum areas

b. Students will discuss books and:

. 1. discuss messages and themes from books in all subject areas.

. 2. respond to a variety of texts in multiple modes of discourse.

. 3. relate messages and themes from one subject area to that of another.

. 4. evaluate the merit of texts in every subject discipline.

. 5. examine author’s purpose in writing.

. 6. recognize the features of disciplinary texts.

c. Students will build vocabulary knowledge and:

. 1. demonstrate an understanding of contextual vocabulary in various subjects.

. 2. use content vocabulary in writing and speaking.

. 3. explore understanding of new words found in subject area texts.

d. Students will establish context by:

. 1. exploring life experiences related to subject area content.

. 2. discussing in both writing and speaking how certain words are subject area related.

. 3. determining strategies for finding content and contextual meaning for unknown words.

3) S6CS2

a. Students will use standard safety practices for all classroom laboratory and field investigations.

4) S6CS3

a. Students will analyze scientific data by using, interpreting, and comparing numbers in several equivalent forms, such as integers and decimals.

b. Students will use metric input units (such as seconds, meters, or grams per milliliter) of scientific calculations to determine the proper unit for expressing the answer

c. Students will address the relationship between accuracy and precision and the importance of each.

d. Students will draw conclusions based on analyzed data.

5) S6CS4

a. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating equipment and materials in scientific activities.

Online Textbook Resources:

1) Visual Concepts: Earth Science, Scientific Method, Measurement & Safety

2) Textbook Audio (Students: Your textbook will read aloud with you!)

3) Concept Mapping Tool: Sciences of the Earth (Great practice!)

4) Virtual Investigations: The World of Earth Science

5) Lab Video: Using Scientific Methods

Online Textbook: my.hrw.com

Username: mutzx

Password: n3j3h

(SKILLSTUTOR: Information to come)

Required Reading:

Textbook reading may be counted toward your overall number of pages read for the 1,000,000 word count but not as a genre. Remember to log your pages!

1) (Pages xxvi-xxvii) How to Use Your Textbook

2) (Pages 2-11) Branches of Earth Science

3) (Pages xxviii-xxxi) Safety First!

Key Vocabulary Terms: (not all inclusive)

Hypothesis, analysis, observation, metric, classification, graphing, prediction, measurement, inferring, communicating, conclusion.

Sample Activities to learn concepts: Frayer vocabulary card, hands-on metric measurement, gummy bear lab

Grading Scale: 100-90 = A

89-80 = B

79-74 = C

73-70 = D

Grading Breakdown: Practice = 10% (homework, warmups)

Progress = 20% (class work and quizzes)

Application = 35% (labs)

Mastery = 35% (tests and projects)

*Study guides will be distributed in advance of a major test.

Late Work Policy: Some late work will be accepted after the due date and can earn a maximum of 80%. Examples: one-day late = 20 points off. After 1^st day late = 50 points off. No work will be accepted after one week unless it was due to an excused absence. No homework will be accepted late. No projects will be accepted more than one week late with a maximum score of 80% unless it was due to an excused absence.

Test:

After each test, students will be prescribed a test task. Test tasks are differentiated activities based on the grade earned on a test. This will enrich and reinforce science concepts covered in the Language of the Lab unit. Completion of the activities will be required and counted as a test grade. Students will be given one class period to work on the test task as well as two nights before it is due.

STUDENTS: You MUST bring a ‘pleasure’ reading book on all test days!

Test Tasks:

Level 3 (0-74): Must complete 3 tasks

1) Is science always done in a laboratory? If yes, explain why. If no, explain why.

Your answer must include five sentences.
Sentences must include correct capitalization and punctuation.
All vocabulary must be spelled correctly.

2) Define the following concepts:

length
mass
weight
temperature
volume

3) List the base metric units used with the concepts from Test Task 2

4) Define each of the following science words:

observation
classification
inferencing
graphing
communicating
metric system

5) Play the Metric Matching Game for 15 minutes (must get supervising teacher’s/parent’s signature):

http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/match/matchgeneric.asp?filename=metriclength

Level 2 (75-89): Must complete 2 tasks

1) Skills Practice; page 36

2) Describe two situations in which a scientist may not be working in a science lab but he/she is still ‘doing’ science. You must include the following:

Description of location
Name the type of Earth scientist
Name 2 specific scientific actions the scientist is doing (are he/she dusting fossils or measuring temperature?)
Using pages 785-786 in your textbook, list which step of the scientific method each of the 2 specific scientific actions would fall under.

3) Choose 3 tools that are used for metric measurement.

Explain what each of the tools measure.
Explain the most common base unit used.

4) Give an example of each of the following science words being put to work in a science lab:

observation
classification
inferencing
graphing
communicating
metric system

Level 1 (90-100): Must complete 1 task

1) Science Puzzlers, Twisters, & Teasers; pages 1-2 in “the World of Physical Science AND p. 1 of “The World of Earth Science.”

2) Answer question 11 (page 11) by doing the following: a) include a minimum of three aspects of Earth Science, b) create an illustration that explains why these three aspects are important, and c) share with the class through a powerpoint presentation. Save to 2003 powerpoint version.

3) Working with a partner, design a way to keep sandwiches in a sack lunch from being squashed in a packpack. Follow the template to describe how your group used the scientific method, and you should describe the steps the group followed. When finished, point out different ways you could have approached each step.

4) Write a detective story in which a detective solves a problem by using each step of the scientific method.

.cobbk12.org/schools/mcclure/

Cost of replacement for science text: $70.75. Please take care of your book.

Email: 6th Grade Science Teachers:

ryan.limpert@cobbk12.org 6B

beth.parsons@cobbk12.org 6C

*teresa.utz@cobbk12.org 6A

kym.perkins@cobbk12.org

darcy.mcfarlane@cobbk12.org

Blogs: http://cobblearning.net/rlimpert 6B

http://cobblearning.net/bparsons 6C

* http://cobblearning.net/tutz 6A