Henry County's science curriculum has three content stands: Earth, Space, and Physical Environment; Forces, Matter, and Energy; and Life Processes. The strands have benchmarks that address student expectations at grades 2, 5, 8, and 12. These benchmarks have performance standards that more specifically delineate what is expected of students.
A. State the problem.
B. Form a hypothesis.
C. Experiment and collect data.
D. Draw conclusions.
A. Recite and identify days of the week, months of the year and the four seasons.
B. Identify the relationship of weather and climate to the seasons.
C. Sequence events in the order of occurrence.
A. Compare day and night.
B. Name the objects in the sky (i.e., sun, moon, planet, stars).
A. Identify and describe the effects of natural occurrences such as floods, volcanoes and earthquakes.
B. Describe common features of the earth's surface.
A. State the problem.
B. Form a hypothesis.
C. Experiment and collect data.
D. Draw conclusions.
A. Analyze a problem in the community.
B. Judge ways you can help solve the problem.
A. Identify the physical components of the universe.
B. Explain the complex forces that act upon bodies within the universe.
A. Describe the earth's movement.
B. Analyze the relationship between the earth's movement and life.
A. Name the factors that contribute to changing the earth's features.
B. Explain the earth's processes and how they change daily living.
A. Design an experiment.
B. Perform experiments that demonstrate observation, classification, inference, measurement, drawing conclusions, defining operationally, recording data, predicting and hypothesizing.
A. Analyze current issues.
B. Identify the use of technology's impact on the global environment.
A. Identify the forces of earth's crustal plate movement.
B. Compare the theories of continental movement.
C. Describe the various earth formations caused by crustal movement.
D. Analyze the cyclical flow of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks.
E. Trace earth's geological changes through time.
F. Explain the cyclical processes of water, nitrogen and carbon.
A. Design and conduct a full scientific investigation.
B. Identify questions and concepts that build and underlay the scientific method.
C. Collect and interpret data graphically and verbally.
D. Summarize data graphically and verbally.
E. Communicate and defend a scientific argument based on research.
F. Use technology to manipulate data and transmit findings of the scientific investigations.
G. Use tools to gather, interpret and analyze data.
H. Revise scientific explanations based on logic and evidence.
I. Identify science that affects stunts locally, regionally, nationally and globally.
J. Relate science to other disciplines and daily life.
A. Analyze current issues in society that incorporate science concepts.
B. Assess the impact of human activity on certain ecological situations.
C. Explore ways to solve current ecological problems and to minimize problems in the future.
D. Analyze the development of new technology and its impact on society.
E. Analyze interactions of science, technology and society.
A. State the problem.
B. Form a hypothesis.
C. Experiment and collect data.
D. Draw conclusions.
A. Identify properties of a solid, liquid, or gas (i.e., weight, size, density, buoyancy).
B. Classify an object as a solid, liquid or gas.
A. Examine gravity as the force that pulls objects to earth.
B. Examine magnetism as the force that attracts some objects to others.
A. Use the scientific method to explore the question of "what makes it go" identify the source of energy.
B. Classify the types of energy (i.e., solar, heat, and electrical).
C. Use the scientific method to explore the question of "what makes a sound".
D. Identify the source of sound.
A. Identify the uses of simple machines.
B. Use simple machines.
A. Gather and interpret scientific information about forces, matter, and energy.
A. State the problem.
B. Form a hypothesis.
C. Experiment and collect data.
D. Draw conclusions.
A. Identify and describe forces and explain how simple machines are used to make work easier.
B. Distinguish between kinetic and potential energy.
A. Classify and describe matter as elements, compounds, and mixtures.
B. Describe atomic structure of and relationship between atoms, elements, and molecules.
C. Use models to identify electrons, protons and neutrons as the basic structural components of atoms.
D. Explain the physical and chemical changes of matter.
A. Design and experiment using the scientific method.
B. Perform experiments that demonstrate observation, classification, inference, measurement, drawing conclusions, defining operationally, recording data, predicting and hypothesizing.
A. Develop a position on issues related to forces, matter and energy.
B. Defend position using the tools of science and technology.
A. Formulate an experiment that illustrates how forces react with matter and energy.
B. Show the transition from potential energy to kinetic energy in everyday events.
C. Show the transition from kinetic energy to potential energy in everyday events.
D. Demonstrate the work accomplished by simple and compound machines.
E. Demonstrate the value of the mechanical advantage of a machine.
A. Utilize current meteorological technology to examine weather patterns.
B. Analyze the physical, chemical, and geological procession at work in the ocean.
C. Describe different forms and uses of wave energy.
A. Determine the factors needed for energy to be converted to matter.
B. Analyze the structure of atoms.
C. Compare and contrast molecules and compounds.
D. Differentiate between the structure of compounds, mixtures, solutions, and plasmas.
A. Design and conduct a full scientific investigation.
B. Identify questions and concepts that build and underlay the scientific method.
C. Collect and interpret data graphically and verbally.
D. Summarize data graphically and verbally.
E. Communicate and defend a scientific argument based on research.
F. Use technology to manipulate data and transmit findings of the scientific investigations.
G. Use tools to gather, interpret and analyze data.
H. Revise scientific explanations based on logic and evidence.
I. Identify science that affects stunts locally, regionally, nationally and globally.
J. Relate science to other disciplines and daily life.
A. Analyze current issues in society that incorporate science concepts.
B. Assess the impact of human activity on certain ecological situations.
C. Explore ways to solve current ecological problems and to minimize problems in the future.
D. Analyze the development of new technology and its impact on society.
E. Analyze interactions of science, technology and society.
A. Classify matter according to its composition.
B. Use atomic theory to explain behavior of matter.
C. Explain the various theories of the origin of matter.
D. Differentiate between physical changes and chemical changes.
E. Apply periodic law to describe the relationship of elements.
F. Recognize that all matter is composed of molecules, atoms, or ions.
G. Distinguish common acids and bases.
H. Develop, explain and use the concept of pH.
I. Infer the nature of matter.
A. Demonstrate the implications of energy conservation.
B. Interpret consequences of radioactivity.
C. Analyze the nature of heat energy.
D. Describe the various methods of generating electricity.
E. Demonstrate how waves interact with matter.
F. Analyze electromagnetic waves.
G. Describe the nature of sound.
H. Differentiate between and insulator and a conductor.
I. Describe electrical circuits and demonstrate safe uses of electrical devices.
J. Discriminate relationships among units in electrical circuits.
K. Analyze the relationship between an electrical current and its magnetic field.
L. Describe the energy requirements of life.
A. Analyze the concept of work.
B. Describe the concept of force.
C. Explain how machines enable one to do work.
D. Describe the concept of gravity.
E. Analyze linear motion.
A. State the problem.
B. Form a hypothesis.
C. Experiment and collect data.
D. Draw conclusions.
A. Identify the different characteristics of living things which help them to adapt to their environment.
B. Describe and evaluate how plants and animals are beneficial to one another.
C. Identify some animals that have become extinct and describe how others have changed over time.
D. Classify living things by areas they live in.
A. Explain and discuss why all living things need food, air, and water.
B. Explain why some living things need shelter.
A. Identify differences and similarities between parents and offspring.
B. Identify differences and similarities of life cycles of living things.
A. Gather and explain scientific information.
A. Gather and analyze scientific information.
A. State the problem.
B. Form a hypothesis.
C. Experiment and collect data.
D. Draw conclusions.
A. Analyze the cause and effect relationship between human interactions with the environment.
B. Decide what personal behaviors contribute to environmental well-being.
A. Describe energy transfer within a food web.
B. Determine the sequential relationship among producers, consumers, decomposers, and scavengers.
A. Explain how living things adapt to their environment.
B. Infer how inability to adapt impacts living things.
C. Classify living things based on similarities and differences.
D. Name and describe groups of invertebrates.
E. Name and describe groups of vertebrates.
A. Design and experiment using the scientific method.
B. Perform experiments that demonstrate observation, classification, inference, measurement, drawing conclusions, defining operationally, recording data, predicting and hypothesizing.
A. Choose a current issue in the community related to science and technology and defend your belief of that topic.
B. Plan an environmental impact study on an area of the community.
C. Justify the use of a new technology's impact on the environment.
A. Describe life processes in the biosphere.
B. Classify the levels of complexity needed to support the life processes.
C. Compare and contrast body systems of various organisms.
D. Explain the functions of each component of a cell.
A. Trace the Earth's biological changes through time.
B. Explain the cyclical processes of water, nitrogen, and carbon.
C. Trace the flow of energy through the food web.
A. Design and conduct a full scientific investigation.
B. Identify questions and concepts that build and underlay the scientific method.
C. Collect and interpret data graphically and verbally.
D. Summarize data graphically and verbally.
E. Communicate and defend a scientific argument based on research.
F. Use technology to manipulate data and transmit findings of the scientific investigations.
G. Use tools to gather, interpret and analyze data.
H. Revise scientific explanations based on logic and evidence.
I. Identify science that affects students locally, regionally, nationally and globally.
J. Relate science to other disciplines and daily life.
A. Analyze current issues in society that incorporate science concepts.
B. Assess the impact of human activity on certain ecological situations.
C. Explore ways to solve current ecological problems and to minimize problems in the future.
D. Analyze the development of new technology and its impact on society.
E. Analyze interactions of science, technology and society.
A. Explain the cellular basis of life.
B. Analyze the transport of materials through cell membranes.
C. Explain homeostasis.
A. Identify asexual reproduction, its methods, and its applications to society.
B. Explain sexual reproduction at the cellular level.
C. Employ appropriate terminology when describing sexual and asexual reproduction.
D. Relate methods of sexual reproduction in plants.
E. Relate methods of sexual reproduction in animals.
F. Explain the chemical basis of genetic expression.
G. Relate chemical mutation to genetic disease.
H. Apply genetic concepts.
A. Describe theories of organic variation and evidence that supports them.
B. Apply concepts of organic variation.
C. Discriminate relationships when using a classification model to a group of living things.
D. Identify and explain the roles of common organisms in the different kingdoms.
A. Assess the behavior of organisms in terms of the common function of living organisms.
B. Explain the importance of the interaction of living and non-living factors in an ecosystem.
C. Distinguish among communities and their changes through time.
D. Relate how populations may change through time.
E. Relate geography and climate to the biome type of a given area.
F. Assess the impact of human activity on certain ecological situations.
G. Explore ways to help solve current ecological problems and to minimize problems in the future.
A. Identify and explain the importance between living and non-living factors in an ecosystem.
B. Analyze and explain photosynthesis and respiration.
C. Describe the cycling of materials in nature (i.e., carbon, nitrogen, water, etc.).
D. Recognize that life has a chemical basis.