1: The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, conducts laboratory and field investigations following safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices.

1.A: demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards; and

Hearing: Frequency and Volume

Field Investigations
Lab Safety

2: The student uses scientific inquiry methods during laboratory and field investigations.

2.A: plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations by making observations, asking well-defined questions, and using appropriate equipment and technology;

Effect of Environment on New Life Form
Hearing: Frequency and Volume
Pendulum Clock
Real-Time Histogram
Sight vs. Sound Reactions
Time Estimation

2.B: design and implement experimental investigations by making observations, asking well-defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and using appropriate equipment and technology;

Effect of Environment on New Life Form
Hearing: Frequency and Volume
Pendulum Clock
Real-Time Histogram
Sight vs. Sound Reactions
Time Estimation

Lab Safety

2.C: collect and record data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative means such as labeled drawings, writing, and graphic organizers;

Recording Data

2.D: construct tables and graphs, using repeated trials and means, to organize data and identify patterns; and

Effect of Temperature on Gender
Graphing Skills
Seed Germination

3: The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions and knows the contributions of relevant scientists.

3.A: in all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing, including examining all sides of scientific evidence of those scientific explanations, so as to encourage critical thinking by the student;

Hypotheses and Theories
Science and the Media

4: The student knows how to use a variety of tools and safety equipment to conduct science inquiry.

4.A: use appropriate tools to collect, record, and analyze information, including journals/notebooks, beakers, Petri dishes, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, hot plates, test tubes, triple beam balances, microscopes, thermometers, calculators, computers, timing devices, and other equipment as needed to teach the curriculum; and

Triple Beam Balance
Weight and Mass

Hypotheses and Theories
Lab Safety
Science and the Media

4.B: use preventative safety equipment, including chemical splash goggles, aprons, and gloves, and be prepared to use emergency safety equipment, including an eye/face wash, a fire blanket, and a fire extinguisher.

Lab Safety

5: The student knows the differences between elements and compounds.

5.A: know that an element is a pure substance represented by chemical symbols;

Chemical Equations

6: The student knows matter has physical properties that can be used for classification.

6.A: compare metals, nonmetals, and metalloids using physical properties such as luster, conductivity, or malleability;

Circuit Builder
Mineral Identification

Chemical Properties

6.B: calculate density to identify an unknown substance; and

Density Laboratory

6.C: test the physical properties of minerals, including hardness, color, luster, and streak.

Heat Absorption
Radiation

7: The student knows that some of Earth's energy resources are available on a nearly perpetual basis, while others can be renewed over a relatively short period of time. Some energy resources, once depleted, are essentially nonrenewable.

7.A: research and debate the advantages and disadvantages of using coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and solar resources; and

Energy Sources
Science and the Media

7.B: design a logical plan to manage energy resources in the home, school, or community.

Energy Sources

8: The student knows force and motion are related to potential and kinetic energy.

8.A: compare and contrast potential and kinetic energy;

Inclined Plane - Sliding Objects

8.B: identify and describe the changes in position, direction, and speed of an object when acted upon by unbalanced forces;

Force and Fan Carts

8.C: calculate average speed using distance and time measurements;

Free-Fall Laboratory

8.D: measure and graph changes in motion; and

Distance-Time Graphs
Free Fall Tower
Free-Fall Laboratory

8.E: investigate how inclined planes and pulleys can be used to change the amount of force to move an object.

Ants on a Slant (Inclined Plane)
Pulleys

9: The student knows that the Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it just changes form.

9.A: investigate methods of thermal energy transfer, including conduction, convection, and radiation;

Conduction and Convection
Energy Conversion in a System
Heat Absorption
Heat Transfer by Conduction
Herschel Experiment
Radiation

9.B: verify through investigations that thermal energy moves in a predictable pattern from warmer to cooler until all the substances attain the same temperature such as an ice cube melting; and

Conduction and Convection

9.C: demonstrate energy transformations such as energy in a flashlight battery changes from chemical energy to electrical energy to light energy.

Energy Conversion in a System
Energy Conversions
Herschel Experiment
Inclined Plane - Sliding Objects
Radiation

10: The student understands the structure of Earth, the rock cycle, and plate tectonics.

10.B: classify rocks as metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary by the processes of their formation;

Rock Cycle

10.C: identify the major tectonic plates, including Eurasian, African, Indo-Australian, Pacific, North American, and South American; and

Plate Tectonics

10.D: describe how plate tectonics causes major geological events such as ocean basins, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building.

Earthquakes 1 - Recording Station
Plate Tectonics

11: The student understands the organization of our solar system and the relationships among the various bodies that comprise it.

11.A: describe the physical properties, locations, and movements of the Sun, planets, Galilean moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets;

Comparing Earth and Venus
Phases of the Moon
Solar System

11.B: understand that gravity is the force that governs the motion of our solar system; and

Gravity Pitch

12: The student knows all organisms are classified into Domains and Kingdoms. Organisms within these taxonomic groups share similar characteristics which allow them to interact with the living and nonliving parts of their ecosystem.

12.A: understand that all organisms are composed of one or more cells;

Paramecium Homeostasis

12.D: identify the basic characteristics of organisms, including prokaryotic or eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, autotrophic or heterotrophic, and mode of reproduction, that further classify them in the currently recognized Kingdoms;

Forest Ecosystem

12.E: describe biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem in which organisms interact; and

Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Food Chain
Pond Ecosystem