This course is designed for students that are identified through an IEP to be placed in an intensive classroom environment are actively engaged in a comprehensive science program as they enrich their understanding to make sense of the natural world through phenomenon-based instruction and the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) of the Next Generation of Science Standards (NGSS). Students will receive appropriate instructional interventions during science lessons. Sixth grade students will focus on Physical Science and Earth and Space Science. The Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) for sixth grade includes: the structure and properties of matter, chemical reactions, types of interactions, definitions of energy, conservation of energy and energy transfer, the relationship between energy and forces, energy in chemical process and everyday life, the universe and its stars, Earth and the solar system and the history of planet Earth, Earth materials and systems, plate tectonics and large-scale system interactions, the roles of water in Earth’s surface processes, weather and climate, biogeology, natural resources, natural hazards, human impact on Earth systems, and global climate change. The CCCs infused in this course will be patterns, cause and effect, scale proportion and quantity, systems and system models, structure and function, energy and matter, and stability and change. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in SEPs by developing and using models, analyzing and interpreting data, planning and carrying out investigations, designing solutions, asking questions, developing and using models, analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations and designing solutions and engaging in argument and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students will be introduced to various STEM careers while in grades K-12. The content from this course will be assessed on the new 8th grade Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA). This course is designed to be a small class environment for students enrolled in a special education specialty program. The class will incorporate instructional practices and strategies based on student learning styles and individual needs.
