The student is expected to:

Safety

1.  Demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations

Scientific Method

2.  Plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypothesis, and selecting equipment and technology

3.  Collect data and make measurements with precision

4.  Organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from data

5.  Communicates valid conclusions

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

6.  Analyze, review scientific explanations, including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and weaknesses using scientific evidence and information

7.  Draw inferences based on data related to products and services

The student is expected to

Cells

1.  Investigate and identify cellular processes including homeostasis, permeablity, energy production, transportation of molecules, disposal of wastes, function of cellular parts, and synthesis of new molecules

Nucleic Acids & Mechanism of Genetics

2.  Describe components of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and illustrate how information for specifying the traits of an organism is carried in the DNA

3.  Explain replication, transcription, and translation using models of DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA)  11^th grade only

4.  Identify and illustrate how changes in DNA cause mutations and evaluate the significance of these changes

5.  Compare genetic variations observed in plants and animals  10^th grade only

Taxonomy

6.  Identify characteristics of kingdoms including monerans, protests, fungi, plants and animals

Systems

7.  Interpret the functions of systems in organisms including circulatory, digestive, nervous, endocrine, reproductive, integumentary, skeletal, respiratory, muscular, excretory, and immune

8.  Compare the interrelationships of organ systems to each other and to the body as a whole 11^th grade only

The student is expected to:

Viruses & Bacteria

1.  Compare the structure and functions of viruses to cells and describe the role of viruses in causing diseases and conditions such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome, common cold, smallpox, influenza and warts

2.  Identify and describe the role of bacteria in maintaining health such as in digestion and causing diseases such as in streptococcus infections and diphtheria

Evolution

3.  Identify evidence in change in species using fossils, DNA sequences, anatomical similarities, physiological similarities and embryology 11^th grade only

4.  Illustrate the results of natural selection in speciation, diversity, phylogeny, adaptation, behavior and extinction

Energy Transfer

5.  Analyze the flow of matter and energy through different trophic levels and between organisms and the physical environment

Ecosystems

6.  Interpret interactions among organisms exhibiting predation, parasitism, commensalisms and mutualism

7.  Investigate and explain the interactions in an ecosystem including food chains, food webs, and food pyramids

Plants in the Environment

8.  Evaluate the significance of structural and physiological adaptations of plants to their environment

The student is expected to:

Fluids

1.  Investigate and identify properties of fluids including density, viscosity and buoyancy

Periodic Table

2.  Relate the chemical behavior of an element including bonding to its placement on the periodic table

Elements, Compounds & Mixtures

3.  Classify samples from everyday life as being element, compound or mixtures 10^th grade only

Physical & Chemical Change

4.  Distinguish between physical and chemical changes in matter such as oxidation, digestion, changes in state and stages in the rock cycle

Conservation of Mass (balancing equations)

5.  Investigate and identify the law of conservation of mass

Properties of Water

6.  Relate the structure of water to its function as the universal solvent

7.  Electrolytes : pH-electrolytic behavior

8.  Relate the concentration of ions in a solution to the physical and chemical properties such as pH, electrolytic behavior, and reactivity 11^th grade only

Solubility

9.  Demonstrate how various factors influence solubility including temperature, pressure and nature of the solute and solvent

The student is expected to:

Calculations

1.  Calculate speed, momentum, acceleration, work, and power in systems such as in the human body, moving toys, and machines

Newton’s Laws

2.  Investigate and describe applications of Newton’s laws such as in vehicle restraints, sports activities, geological processes and satellite orbits

Mechanical Advantage

3.  Investigate and demonstrate mechanical advantage and efficiency of various machines such as levers, motors, wheels, axles, pulleys and ramps

Waves

4.  Demonstrate wave types and their characteristics through a variety of activities such as modeling with ropes and coils, activating tuning forks and interpreting data on seismic waves  10^th grade only

5.  Demonstrate wave interactions including interference, polarization, reflection, refraction and resonance within various materials  11^th grade only

Conservation of Energy

6.  Describe the law of conservation of energy

Heat

7.  Investigate and demonstrate the movement of heat through solids, liquids and gases by convection, conduction and radiation

Energy Sources

8.  Investigate and compare the economic and environmental impact of using various energy sources such as rechargeable or disposable batteries and energy cells

Circuits

9.  Investigate and compare series and parallel circuits  10^th grade only