Course Description:

    Earth Science is the primary focus of our 6^th grade curriculum. This course prepares students with rich, motivating content and in-depth coverage of Environmental Science, Weather, Earth’s Changing Surface, Astronomy, and the Scientific Process. Students will also participate in a wide variety of activities, which allow students to explore science concepts for themselves. This course is further enhanced by means of instruction on research and the development of presentation skills.

Scientific Method :  

Through "Bubble-ology" and various experiments in each unit of study, students will develop questions, make predictions, test predictions, make observations, draw conclusions, and make connections.

Weather & Climate :

Students explore the Earth's atmosphere, the effects of air pollution and global warming, how air pressure and altitude make it difficult to breathe on Mt. Everest, a more in-depth look at the water cycle, and explore the weather like meteorologists.

Weather Underground (for map lesson, part 4)

Mount Washington Observatory (for winds lesson)

Astronomy : 

Students take a break from studying our planet Earth and take a visit into outer space.  Topics explored include:  why we have day, night, years, and seasons; the phases of the moon; eclipses; the Sun; comets, asteroids, and meteors; the Moon and the planets; possibly rockets.

Environmental Science :

Students learn about ecosystems, habitats, and the living and non-living things associated with them.  Also, we study how populations sizes are controlled, how organisms are able to survive, how organisms have a role in the functioning of an ecosystem.  Towards the Spring, environmental awareness is explored.

Blue Planet Biomes

Missouri Botanical Garden

ThinkQuest

University of Cal Museum of Paleontology

Wild Classroom

Environmental Literacy Council

Marietta College "Biomes of the World"

World Biomes

Windows to the Universe:  Ecosystems

Thurston High School:  Biomes

Rapid Run Middle School:  Biomes of the World

Enchanted Learning:  Biomes

Kids Do Ecology

National Geographic

BrainPop: Environment

BrainPop: Ecology

Earth's Changing Surface :

Students discover how the Earth's surface has formed and how it continues to change.  We learn about the life of rocks through the rock cycle, as well as how to read topography and relief maps.  Mr. Saito shares numerous stories and pictures of his adventures in the great outdoors (i.e. rivers, canyons, glaciers, mountains, deserts, etc.).

The Learning Zone

Mineralogy for Kids

Stupid Page of Rocks

Exploring Earth

Beyond Books

BBC Home

BrainPop:  Earth Systems

**There will be at least one field trip during the year to help supplement our science curriculum.  This past year we visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

**Throughout the year, we will make connections between the Science curriculum and:

Current Events, TV, Math, Social Studies,

Personal Experiences, Research, Movies