6-ESS2-1

In this unit, students focus on Earth’s interacting systems, evaluating how the hydrosphere and geosphere are shaped by one another. In this lesson, they analyze how people use dams to harness the energy in water, and how dams impact the environment. This page highlights each element of this lesson. 

In this unit, students use what they know about the relationship between energy and matter to investigate phenomena of how energy powers the cycling of Earth materials. They begin with this lesson on modeling the Earth processes that form different kinds of rock. This page provides an overview of this lesson.  

In this unit, students explore phenomena of natural processes that cause Earth’s surface to change over time, analyzing how energy causes Earth’s matter to transform and cycle from one form to another. In this lesson, students investigate how Earth materials are continually being reshaped and reformed by multiple processes that are powered by energy from Earth’s hot interior and the sun. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson. 

In this unit, students explore science phenomena of the life forms that live on Earth, analyzing the cellular structures that make up complex organisms and figuring out how different groups of cells work together to keep the organism functioning properly. This page shows extracts from each part of this lesson.

In this unit, students analyze how living things have specific structures that allow them to function in different environments. They trace how energy flows through a tropical wetland food web, and then test how temperature affects a plant’s ability to transpire through its leaves, affecting its ability to grow. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson on plant structures. 

In this unit, students analyze the phenomena that have shaped Earth’s surface, analyzing how gravitational energy moves glaciers, which have sculpted the land over time. This page showcases elements of the first lesson which focuses on glacier motion.

In this unit, students are introduced to the dynamic nature of ecosystems and how disturbances affect them. In this lesson, students observe the effects of an oil spill on the ability of plants to photosynthesize, which can harm an entire ecosystem. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson.

In this unit, students learn about science phenomena related to ecosystems, studying how all living things interact with and depend on other living things and the environment for survival. In this lesson, students explore how humans can create solutions to protect ecosystems by designing an engineering solution for coastal erosion.This page provides an overview of this lesson.

In this unit, students explore the science phenomena of Earth systems as they interact. Students do this by discovering the importance of water for life on Earth. In this lesson, students figure out groundwater flow by exploring the porosity and permeability of different Earth materials. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson.

In this unit, students analyze the science phenomena of different forces that can act on all structures. They begin by exploring how forces act on different materials and shapes. They then use what they know about forces to design a skyscraper prototype in this lesson, evaluating how their design relates to the ability of the skyscraper to withstand the weight of the structure and the people on it, as well as the force of wind.

In this unit, students explore the science phenomena of the interdependence of living things and their environment as they analyze how individual organisms are suited to their particular environment. In this lesson, students evaluate how Earth’s biomes have changed over geologic time, studying fossils for clues of the past. 

In this unit, students begin an exploration of  life sciences. Once students have described the differences between living and nonliving things and analyzed what all living things need to survive, they focus on the parts of plants that help them get what they need to survive.

In this unit, students build on their scientific knowledge about matter, energy, and heat transfer to explore the phenomena of weather and climate. They investigate how the sun powers the global water cycle, which in turn has very local impacts that affect the phenomena of regional climates around the world. They then use that knowledge to figure out and design a technology that solves the problem of drought-related water shortages.

In this unit, students focus on the processes that cycle Earth materials, connecting the movement of water in the water cycle and wind with changes to Earth’s surface through weathering and erosion. In this lesson, students explore the science phenomena of how convection in Earth’s mantle causes the tectonic plates to move, creating many of Earth’s landforms. This page showcases key components of this lesson.