Time Frame

Theme – 2009

Theme – 2010

Start of year to Teacher Convention

US Citizenship and Government:

q      Rights and responsibilities of citizens in their government.

q      Characteristics of various government structures.

q      The three branches of the U.S. government, their purpose and checks and balances.

Geography and Culture

q      Understand the physical geography of the world.

q      Understand the cultural geography of the world.

q      Understand the impact of being part of a global community.

Teacher Convention to Holiday Break

Scientific Method:

q      Use scientific method to describe, investigate and explain phenomena.

q      Design and conduct a variety of theirown investigations.

q      Use metric system and apply it for scientific measurement.

q      Understand phases of matter and how they apply to real world applications.

Environment

q      Understands ecosystems.

q      Understands biotic and abiotic interactions.

q      Understands man’s effects on his environment.

Holiday Break to February Break

Cause and Effect (Movement):

q      Understand forces and motion.

q      Understand the factors and implications associated with movements and settlements of people and groups.

Diversity

q      Understand the characteristics of organisms.

q      Understand patterns and the role of evolution and diversity.

q      Understand the cultural forces of unity and disunity.

February Break to April Break

Change:

q      Understand physical and chemical properties of matter and transformations.

q      Understand the role of the atom; structure, history and relationship to the periodic table.

Healthy Humans

q      Understands the key systems of the human body.

q      Understand the effects of disease and human behavior on health.

April Break to End of Year

Conflict:

q      Analyze the nature of conflict and resolution and how they impact our state, country and the world today.

q      Students will understand the sequence and impact of major events and figures through U.S. history.

Economics

q      Evaluate the impact of economic systems on the needs and wants of all people.