All modules address a specific Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) performance expectation, as well as allow students to experience the process of science. One scientific process is highlighted per grade level.

General Schedule for Modules:

  • Observe a Phenomena
  • Generate Variables
  • Design an Experiment
  • Carryout Experiment
  • Analyze Data/Draw Conclusions
  • Present Results via Poster Presentation
  • Tie to Standards

Highlighted Practice for Grade:

  • 2nd: Observations
  • 3rd: Testable Questions
  • 4th: Procedures
  • 5th: Conclusions
  • 6th: Analyzing and Interpreting Data

SCITREK CURRICULUM

               2nd Grade     3rd Grade     4th Grade     5th Grade     6th Grade

 

2nd Grade

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2nd Grade Soil Water Retention Image

Module 1: Soil Water Retention

In the Soil Water Retention Module students learn about what variables affect the amount of water a soil can absorb. They explore variables such as soil compactness, liquid thickness, soil amount, and soil type. Students relate their findings back to landslides and look at how engineers design solutions to prevent landslides. (2-ESS2-1)

Module 2: Plants

In the Plants Module students grow "fast plants" and learn about what variables affect plant growth. They explore variables such as soil type, liquid amount, nutrient type, and light amount. In this module students work on graphing skills. (2-LS2-1)
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2nd Grade Plants Image

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3rd Grade

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3rd Grade Mealworms Image

Module 1: Mealworms

In the Mealworms Module students learn about mealworms habitats. Students explore variables such as moisture level, food type, bedding, and light amount to determine which direction mealworms travel. Once they learn about a mealworms habitat the explore what happens to a species when their habitat changes. (3-LS4-3).

Module 2: Motion

In the Motion Module students role balls down ramps and learn about what variables affect ball motion. They explore variables such as run material, ball mass, ball circumference, ramp length, run length, and ramp height. They use these studies to predict ball motion. In this module students work with fractions. (3-PS2-2)

           
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3rd Grade Motion Image

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4th Grade

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4th Grade Respiration Image

Module 1: Respiration

In the Respiration Module students are given bottles with blue solution in which they can change the contents and conditions of the bottles. When the bottles sit for 24 hours some of the bottles change to yellow. Students explore what makes the bottles change color. Students explore variables such as aquatic animal type, plant type, and light amount. The results of their finding show that the presence of CO2 is the cause of the color change. They use this to learn about respiration in plants and animals as well as photosynthesis. In addition they explore how CO2 levels are changing in the environment. (4-LS1-1).

Module 2: Wind Turbines

In the Wind Turbine Module students explore how changing a wind turbine affect the amount of current the wind turbine produces. They explore variables such as blade materials, blade angle, turbine angle, amount of weights, run material, ball mass, and number of blades. They use the class results to engineer the wind turbine the produces the most current. In addition students explore types of energy and how energy is transferred. (4-PS3-4)

           
                                 
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4th Grade Wind Turbines Image

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5th Grade

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5th Grade Shadows Image

Module 1: Shadows

In the Shadows Module students learn about shadows length and width. They explore variables such as light color, light height, light distance, object height, object length, and object width. They then apply these finding to predicting the shadows the sun make both in the winter and in the summer. (5-ESS1-2)

Module 2: Chromatography

In the Chromatography Module, students learn about smears produced by pens. They explore variables such as pen type, pen color, liquid type, and initial dot height. They apply these findings to further understand matter and physical properties. Then, they are able to use types of physical properties to identify different substances. (5-PS1-3)

           
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5th Grade Chromatography Image
                                 

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6th Grade

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6th Grade Solar Power Image

Module 1: Solar Power

In the Solar Power Module, students learn about the amount of power that a solar panel can produce. They explore variables such as panel angle, temperature, and shading affects. They apply these findings to think about power sources and their effects on the environment as well as ways to minimize our power consumption specifically when using light bulbs. They learn how to work in teams to plan their investigations to obtain data from their experiments that will allow them to make further predictions about the power produced by a solar panel at any configuration of the three variables. (MS-ESS3-3). 

Module 2: Thermal Transfer

 

In the Thermal Transfer Module, students learn how mixing four different substances affects the temperature change during a chemical reaction. They explore variables such as calcium chloride mass, sodium chloride mass, sodium bicarbonate mass, water volume, and stirring speed. They also learn that if they work as a class instead of individual group they get more usable information from the experiments and they are able to predict the temperature change regardless of the amount of the substance that are combined. (MS-PS3-4)

           
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6th Grade Thermal Transfer Image
                                 

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