6th Grade Science
What's going on?
Technology
In the 6th grade science class, technology is at the forefront of our learning. We have been using google classroom to keep organized, submit assignments, and have meaningful conversations among peers. Please ask you students to see what is on their classroom pages for each of the classes to keep up to date on what is being learned in the classroom.
Matter
The concept being taught is Matter. Students are learning how to measure matter, what the characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases are, the difference between compounds and mixtures, and how physical and chemical changes affect matter.
Hands-on Learning
Measuring Matter
The students used a variety of tools to measure the mass, volume, and density of different types of matter.
They are becoming familiar with the equipment in the classroom while taking lab safety very seriously. This has also given them the opportunity to use the scientific method to solve problems.
Compounds/Mixtures Lab
Through the use of models, the students discovered the difference between compounds and mixtures. They used their math skills to find the percentage of parts and compare the ratios of each group's findings.
Density Lab
The objective of this lab was to see if objects of the same mass also have the same density. The students were given 5 cylinders, made of different materials, that all weighed 15 grams. They calculated the volume of each cylinder and were then able to determine the density of each cylinder.
Literacy
Vocabulary
There are 10 vocabulary terms for this section that the students have created word webs and filled in definition maps to help them with tackling the new vocabulary. They have taken a pre-test to determine which words they were already familiar with before they entered the classroom. There appears to be a lot of new learning happening with this unit.
Weight
Mass
Compound
Volume
Density
Chemical Bond
Molecule
Mixture
Atom
Element
Guided Reading
Each piece of informational text comes with questions to check the students' understanding as they read. They work in small groups for each section and do not move forward until they are able to answer the question.
Scientific Writing
The students write conclusions following their lab work. They conclusions consist of 5 parts that communicate what they have learned following the fair test they have conducted. The 5 parts of the conclusion are listed below:
Question
Hypothesis
Summary of experiment
Hypothesis support/disprove
Evidence