Wolcott Public
Schools
154 Center Street
Wolcott, Connecticut 06716
www.wolcottps.org – 203-879-8183
Middle School Curriculum
Grade 6
General Science and Earth Science
Children are our Future…
GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Wolcott Public Schools is to develop in each student the knowledge, skills, and attitudes
necessary to become a productive member of the community and a contributing member to society.
Departmental Philosophy:
The philosophy of science involves the development of wonder about the natural world and the ability to
observe, describe, and apply basic process skills. It also allows students to develop descriptions of basic natural
phenomena and the capacity to perform simple experiments and record accurate data. This will then lead to the
development of basic explanations for natural phenomena and the ability to ask good questions and apply
experimental procedures to collect and analyze data. The final goal is for students to develop an interest in
global issues and have the ability to collect, analyze, and use data to explore and explain related science
concepts.
Course Description:
Students will spend their sixth grade year studying General Science and Earth Science. General science
encompasses the scientific method, as well as other basic science concepts, and provides many opportunities for
students to use the tools and language of scientists. Earth Science includes learning about Meteorology, the
Earth from the core to the ever changing surface, and Astronomy, especially the Earth, Moon, and Sun
relationships.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Content Standard: Scientific Inquiry, Scientific Literacy, and Scientific Numeracy
Unit 1: Process Skills
Performance Standards
Sample Activities
Assessment Strategies
Resources
C INQ.1: Identify questions that can
be answered through scientific
investigations.

Skills Activity (pg 26) titled
“Posing Questions”
 Exam
 Questions (verbal)
 Questions (written)
 Text-The Nature of Science
and Technology (pg. 24-28)
 Corresponding worksheets
C INQ.2: Read, interpret, and examine
the credibility of scientific claims in
different sources of information.

Articles from Current Science
and other sources
 Questions (written)
 Current Science Magazine and
online science sites
C INQ.3: Design and conduct
appropriate types of scientific
investigations to answer different
questions.


“It’s Cold in Here!” Lab
“Keeping Flowers Fresh” Lab
(pg 23)
 Lab report
 Exam
 Text- The Nature of Science
and Technology (pg. 13-22)
 Corresponding worksheets
C INQ.4: Identify independent and
dependent variables, and those
variables that are kept constant, when
designing an experiment.

Skills Activity (pg 16) titled
“Controlling Variables”
 Questions (verbal)
 Exam
 Text- The Nature of Science
and Technology (pg. 16-17)
 Corresponding worksheets
C INQ.5: Use appropriate tools and
techniques to make observations and
gather data.


“It’s Cold in Here!” Lab
“For Good Measure” (pg 64)
 Lab reports
 Questions (written)
 Quiz
 Text- The Nature of Science
and Technology (pg. 16-17)
 Corresponding worksheets


Density Lab
Graphing Lab
 Lab reports
 Exam
 Questions (written)
 Text- The Nature of Science
and Technology (pg. 60-67)
 Corresponding worksheets
C INQ.6: Use mathematical
operations to analyze and interpret
data.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Performance Standards
Sample Activities
Assessment Strategies
Resources
Unit 1: Process Skills
(Continued)


Graphing Lab
Graphing problems






Density Lab
Graphing Lab
 Lab report
 Exam
 Text- The Nature of Science
and Technology (pg. 19-22 &
pg. 64)
 Corresponding worksheets
C INQ.9: Provide explanations to
investigated problems or questions.

Density Lab
 Lab report
 Exam
 Corresponding worksheets
C INQ.10: Communicate about
science in different formats, using
relevant science vocabulary,
supporting evidence, and clear logic.

How to Write a Conclusion
Activity
 Questions (both verbal and
written)
 Lab reports
 Exam
 Text- The Nature of Science
and Technology (pg. 19-22)
 Corresponding worksheets
C INQ.7: Identify and present
relationships between variables in
appropriate graphs.
C INQ.8: Draw conclusions and
identify sources of error.
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Graphs
Lab reports
Quiz
Exam
 Text- The Nature of Science
and Technology (pg. 68-76)
 Corresponding worksheets
GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Content Standard: Energy in the Earth’s Systems – How do external and internal sources of energy affect the Earth’s
systems?
Unit 2: Exploring Earth’s Weather
Performance Standards
Sample Activities
Assessment Strategies
Resources
6.3 – Variations in the amount of the
sun’s energy hitting the Earth’s
surface affect daily and seasonal
weather patterns.
 Local and regional weather are
affected by the amount of solar
energy these areas receive and
by their proximity to a large
body of water.
C 7. Describe the effect of heating on
the movement of molecules in solids,
liquids, and gases.
C 8. Explain how local weather
conditions are related to the
temperature, pressure, and water
content of the atmosphere and the
proximity to a large body of water.








Class Discussion/Notes
Vocabulary Word Wall
Guided Reading dittos
Heating the Earth Project
Videos of weather and climate
Demonstrations with light bulb
and globe on tilted axis
Computer lab – weather
websites
Outdoor weather observations
using barometers,
thermometers, wind gauges,
psychrometers, and rain
gauges







C 9. Explain how the uneven heating
of the Earth’s surface causes winds.
Page 5 of 18
Homework questions
Lab reports
Weather assessment
Climate assessment
Heating the Earth Project
Review worksheets
Notebook checks




Videos
United Streaming
Corresponding worksheets
Text-Exploring Earth’s
Weather (pg. 11-69)
 Globe and maps
 Weather websites
 Weather board games
GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Content Standard: Energy in the Earth’s Systems – How do external and internal sources of energy affect the Earth’s
systems?
Unit 3: Dynamic Earth
Performance Standards
Sample Activities
Assessment Strategies
Resources
7.3—Landforms are the result of the
interaction of constructive and
destructive forces over time.
 Volcanic activity and the
folding and faulting of rock
layers during the shifting of
the Earth’s crust affect the
formation of mountains,
ridges, and valleys.
 Glaciation, weathering and
erosion change the Earth’s
surface by moving earth
materials from place to place.








Class Discussion/Notes
Vocabulary Word Wall
Guided Reading dittos
Videos
Earthquake Lab
Interactive websites
Seismometer activity
Demonstration blocks to show
faults






C 18. Describe how folded and faulted
rock layers provide evidence of the
gradual up and down motion of the
Earth’s crust.
C 19. Explain how glaciation,
weathering, and erosion create and
shape valleys and floodplains.
C 20. Explain how the boundaries of
tectonic plates can be inferred from the
location of earthquakes and volcanoes.
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Homework questions
Lab reports
Review worksheets
Quiz
Exam
Notebook checks




Videos
United Streaming
Corresponding worksheets
Text-Dynamic Earth (pg. 1064, 112-150)
 Interactive websites
 Earth board games
GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Content Standard: Earth in the Solar System – How does the position of Earth in the solar system affect conditions on our
planet?
Unit 4: Astronomy
Performance Standards
Sample Activities
Assessment Strategies
Resources
8.3 – The solar system is composed
of planets and other objects that
orbit the sun.
 Gravity is the force that
governs the motions of objects
in the solar system.
 The motion of the Earth and
moon relative to the sun
causes daily, monthly, and
yearly cycles on Earth.




Class Discussion/Notes
Vocabulary Word Wall
Guided Reading dittos
Demonstrations using models






C 28. Explain the effect of gravity on
the orbital movement of planets in the
solar system.
C 29. Explain how the regular motion
and relative position of the sun, Earth,
and moon affect the seasons, phases of
the moon, and eclipses.
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Homework questions
Lab reports
Review worksheets
Quiz
Exam
Notebook Checks







Videos
United Streaming
Corresponding worksheets
Text-Astronomy (pg. 12-84)
Model of solar system
Model of Earth, moon, and sun
Astronomy websites
GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Pacing Guide
September: Begin with The Nature of Science and Technology. Chapter 1 includes Thinking Like a Scientist,
Scientific Inquiry, Why Study Science, and Careers in Science. Specific concepts covered will include: process
skills (observing, predicting, inferring, classifying and making models), developing a hypothesis, designing an
experiment, collecting and interpreting data, drawing conclusions, and communicating results. Chapter 2
focuses on measurements in SI (length, mass, volume, density, temperature, and time), converting SI units, and
how mathematics is vital to the field of science. Graphing and Safety are part of Chapter 2 as well. Chapter 1
and part of Chapter 2 should be complete.
October: Finish Chapter 2 in The Nature of Science and Technology and prepare the students for the MiniMetric Olympics in the Large Group Instruction Room. Be sure all students have time to practice using each
metric measurement tool before the competition. Practice graphing with students on a regular basis.
November: Complete Chapter 3 in The Nature of Science and Technology. Chapter 3 focuses on how
technology affects society. Continue reviewing concepts taught in Chapters 1 and 2. The Graphing Process
Unit Assessments should be administered in November.
December: Begin Dynamic Earth Chapter 1, Movement of the Earth’s Crust, and Chapter 2, Earthquakes and
Volcanoes, should be complete.
January: Complete Chapter 3, Plate Tectonics, Chapter 4, Rocks and Minerals, and Chapter 5, Weathering
and Soil Formation.
February: Finish Chapter 6, Erosion and Deposition in early February. Coordinate a date to switch books
between classes. Begin Exploring Earth’s Weather, Chapter 1, What is Weather?
March: Complete Chapter 1, What is Weather? Provide ample time for students to take accurate outdoor
measurements and generate graphs to display data. Begin Chapter 2, What is Climate?
April: Finish Chapter 2, What is Climate? and Chapter 3, Climate in the United States. Complete the
Curriculum Embedded Performance Task, “DIG IN!” Start Astronomy, Chapter 1, Earth, Moon, and Sun.
May: Complete Astronomy, Chapter 1, Earth, Moon, and Sun and Chapter 2, The Solar System.
June: Briefly review Astronomy, Chapter 3, Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe. Review all important concepts
and vocabulary taught during the year and provide students with the necessary practice.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Essential Questions
1. Explain how the proper use of scientific tools helps keep you and others safe in the laboratory. .
2. Describe how scientists use the scientific method to prove or disprove a hypothesis or theory.
3. Describe the process skills needed to explore a scientific question.
4. Explain how scientists use data tables and graphs to accurately represent their experimental findings.
5. Explain the importance of learning and utilizing the metric system to express observations and share
experimental findings.
6. Describe the four atmospheric factors that interact to cause weather.
7. Explain how the sun affects Earth’s weather patterns.
8. Describe how the movement within layers of the Earth causes earthquakes and forms volcanoes.
9. Explain the Rock Cycle and how rocks are transformed by heat, pressure, or chemical reaction.
10. Describe the process of soil formation and how it changes the Earth’s surface.
11. How does the Sun affect the rotation and revolution of the planets and the motion of other objects in the
solar system?
12. What role does gravity play in attracting and influencing the objects in the solar system?
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Skills Objectives
1. Students will be able to estimate and measure length, mass, volume, temperature, and time using the
appropriate scientific tool.
2. Students will be able to make both qualitative and quantitative observations and make inferences about
observations.
3. Students will be able to organize data in a table, identify independent and dependent variables, and
present the data as a visual representation (graph).
4. Students will be able to conduct a scientific investigation using the scientific method and then detail
their findings in a lab report.
5. Students will be able to use the scientific method to prove and disprove hypotheses or theories that are
presented to or formed by the students.
6. Students will be able to use the process skills (observe, infer, predict, classify, make models, and
communicate) in real world applications.
7. Students will be able to describe the four atmospheric factors that interact to cause weather: heat
energy, air pressure, moisture, and winds.
8. Students will be able to list and describe the factors that affect the climate of a given area.
9. Students will be able to describe the forces of nature that cause the changing of the Earth’s surface.
10. Students will be able to show how the movement of the Sun, Earth, and Moon explains the day, year,
phases of the moon, and eclipses.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Assessments
1. Process Unit and The Nature of Science and Technology Assessments: will test students on their
basic process skills like observing, inferring, predicting, classifying, measuring, estimating, graphing,
and the scientific method. These assessments will also include laboratory safety and the use of
appropriate scientific tools.
2. Dynamic Earth Assessment: will test students on their knowledge of the constructive and destructive
forces that occur on Earth. This assessment will test their knowledge of volcanic activity, faulting,
folding, glaciation, weathering, and erosion.
3. Exploring Earth’s Weather Assessment: will test students on their knowledge of how the energy
from the sun affects the Earth’s local and global weather patterns, the difference between climate and
weather, and their understanding of the four atmospheric factors that interact to cause weather.
4. Astronomy Assessment: will test students on their knowledge of the Earth, sun and moon relationship
and how gravity affects the motion of the objects in the solar system.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Appendix
Possible Websites:
Weather:
National Weather Service http://www.weather.gov/
Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/
Frisbie Elementary School: Roof Mounted Weather Station
http://weather.weatherbug.com/CT/Wolcott-weather.html?zcode=z6286&zip=06716
Astronomy:
NASA http://www.nasa.gov/
National Geographic Solar System and More http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system
Dynamic Earth:
The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History http://www.mnh.si.edu/earth/main_frames.html
Earthquake Information Center http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.html
USGS Home http://geology.usgs.gov/
Glaciers and Glaciation http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/Glaciers/framework.html
USGS Volcano pages http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/volc/
General Science:
Earth Science for Kids from NASA http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/
Smithsonian Museum http://www.smithsonian.org/
Basic Units of Metric Measurement http://www.mathleague.com/help/metric/metric.htm
CMT Curriculum Embedded Performance Task:
“DIG IN!” (See attached pages)
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Curriculum Embedded Performance Task
Middle School Science
Content Standard 6.1, 6.2 or 6.4
DIG IN!
Student Materials
Connecticut State Department of Education
Bureau of Curriculum and Instruction
Page 13 of 18
GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Dig In!
A Guided Exploration of How Water Moves Through Soil
ENGAGE
When you think of soil, you may think of just plain dirt. Look again at the picture of the soil on the cover. Can
you see some things that are mixed in with the soil? Are there other materials that are mixed in that are not so
easily seen?
EXPLORE
Imagine that your class will be planting a vegetable garden as part of a study about ecosystems. You need to
choose the best location for the garden, and one of the important factors is the type of soil.
In this activity, you will observe and compare different types of soil. Then you will investigate factors that may
affect how much water the soils can hold and how quickly water can pass through them. Finally, you will apply
the results of your investigations to make decisions about the location of a new garden.
1. Observe the different soil samples with and without the hand lens. Notice different properties such as
color, grain size, lumpiness, etc. Do you notice anything that is alive or was once alive?
2. Record your observations in your science notebook. Make an organized list of things you notice and things
you wonder.
3. Identify a property that may be related to the soil’s ability to hold water. This property is called
“absorbency”. Write a research question that can be answered by doing an experiment.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Experiment #1 – Relationship Between Soil Properties and Water Absorption
1. Gather the following materials to use in planning and conducting your experiment:
For each lab group:
2-liter plastic bottles
1 liter each of 4 different soil types (in labeled zip-loc bags)
 Sand
 topsoil or potting soil
 clay soil, powdered clay or cat litter (no additives)
 home soil sample (optional)
 school campus soil sample (optional)
Piece of fine mesh, panty hose, screen, or cheesecloth
Duct tape
500 mL beaker
100 mL graduated cylinder
Water
Stopwatch or clock
For each student:
Scissors
Hand lens
Plastic spoon
Gloves
2. To conduct your experiment, you can make a soil testing device like the one in the diagram:
a. Cut the plastic bottle across the middle.
Remove the labels and the caps. The bottle top
will hold the soil, and the beaker (or the bottle
bottom) will catch the water.
bottle top
b. Position the mesh near the bottle neck so it will
keep the soil in the bottle top.
c. Rest the bottle top, neck down, on the bottle
bottom so that water poured through the soil in
the bottle top will flow into the bottle bottom.
3. Design a procedure that will help you answer your research question. List the steps you will follow in your
science notebook. Include enough detail so that anyone could repeat your experiment.
4. In this experiment, the dependent variable is the soil absorbency. In your science notebook, record the
independent variable you will investigate and the variables that must be kept constant in your
experiment.
5. Design a data table to record your findings in your science notebook.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
6. Do your experiment and record your findings. Do the data seem reasonable? If not, do you need to
repeat any trials to correct errors?
7. Calculate the amount of water remaining in each soil.
8. Interpret the data. Use your calculations to help you reach a conclusion about what properties affect
soil absorbency (how much water the soil holds).
9. Share your procedures and conclusions with others in your class. How are they alike? How are they
different? What changes could be made to the procedures to make the results more similar?
EXPLAIN
Investigate Through Research
The food we eat and water we drink, in many ways, depend on the quality of the soil. Do some research in
books, magazines or the Internet to find out more about what soil is, where it comes from, different soil types
and how wet and dry soils affect an ecosystem.
Write a reflection in your science notebook that explains your understanding of how the soil type affects what
grows in a particular area.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
ELABORATE
Investigating Further
Experiment #2 – Relationship Between Soil Properties and Water Percolation Rate
In this investigation, you will explore properties that affect how quickly water moves through different soil
types. This is called the soil’s “percolation rate”.
1. Observe the different soils again. What are your ideas about soil properties that might be related to soil
percolation? Discuss your ideas with your partners.
2. Predict which soil type might have the fastest percolation rate based on the properties you observed.
3. Write a procedure that will help to answer your question. To conduct your experiment, you can use a soil
testing device like the one used in Experiment #1. List the steps you will follow in your science notebook.
Include enough detail so that anyone could repeat your experiment.
4. Identify the dependent and independent variables in your experiment. Identify the variables that will be
kept constant in your experiment.
5. Create a data table to record your findings in your science notebook.
6. Do your experiment and record your findings.
7. Think about the data you have collected. Do the data seem reasonable? If not, do you need to repeat any
trials to correct any problems?
8. Analyze the data. Calculate the average time it took for the water to move through each of the soils.
9. Interpret the data. What conclusions can be made based on your data?
10. Share your procedures and conclusions with others in your class. How are they alike? How are they
different? What changes could be made to the procedures to make the results more similar?
Possible Variations/Extensions (optional):
Some plants prefer moist soil, while others prefer dry soil. You may want to find out if a soil’s moisture
content can be changed by experimenting with different soil combinations.
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GENERAL SCIENCE & EARTH SCIENCE – GRADE 6
Applying Your Findings To Solve A Problem
Imagine that you are going to plant a vegetable garden at your school or at home. You need to know what type
of soil you have so you can select the right plants and know how much or how often you will need to water
them. Use what you’ve learned through your experiments and your research to describe the type of soil in the
school or home sample you have tested.
Communicate Your Conclusions:
Make a recommendation to the school principal about where the garden should be planted and how much
watering it will need. Write an expository report that includes the following:

An introduction that summarizes your research questions and findings;

A description of the different soils you observed and how they were tested;

A description of the school soil type and how it is similar to or different than the other samples you
tested;

A recommendation about whether the school garden should be planted in the area from which you took
your test sample; and

A conclusion that suggests areas for further research needed before planting the school garden.
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