Core Kits for Grades 7 & 8
Kit Descriptions
Grade 7: Catastrophic Events of STC Earth
Students clarify what they already know about the earth's natural catastrophic
events and give them an opportunity to perform a series of engaging hands-on
activities through which they extend and enrich this knowledge. As
students progress through the module they plan and conduct their own procedures,
devising their own data tables and analyzing the results they obtain. This
unit is divided into three parts: Storms, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes.
Grade 7: Energy, Machines & Motion of STC Physical
During the module, students construct a variety of machines as they explore both physical science and technological design concepts. Energy: investigating how forces transform energy. Machines: conduct inquiries to learn how simple machines work. Motion: explore the motion of three student-built vehicles.
Grade 7: Human Body Systems of STC Life
Students have a natural curiosity about their bodies and how they work.
Use this hands-on science module to tap that curiosity and extend their
knowledge. The module's 23 lessons are divided into three parts: The
Digestive System, the Respiratory System and Circulatory Systems, and the
Musculoskeletal System.
Grade 8: Earth History of FOSS Earth
Students investigate rocks and fossils from the Grand Canyon to discover clues
that reveal Earth's history. They study the processes that created the
rocks. Students then use the knowledge and data from rock observations to
make inferences about organisms, environments, and events that occurred over
Earth's history.
Grade 8: Populations and Ecosystems of FOSS Physical
Students raise populations of organisms to discover population dynamics in a
range of conditions from ideal to extreme. Populations (producers and
consumers) are put together to discover balance. Concepts:
predator/prey, food chain, consumer, producer, population, interdependence,
ecosystem.
Grade 8: Properties of Matter of STC Physical
This module offers a series of carefully sequenced inquiries to develop students' understanding about what matter is, what its properties are, and how it behaves. Three part module:
- Characteristic Properties of Matter
- Mixtures and Solutions
- Compounds, Elements and Chemical Reactions
Abbreviations for Series:
FOSS = Full Option Science System, a series of units developed with NSF funding by Lawrence Hall of Science at University of California, Berkeley, and currently published by Delta Education.
GEMS = Great Explorations in Math and Science, a series of activity based teacher's guides and handbooks developed and published by Lawrence Hall of Science at University of California, Berkeley.
STC = Science and Technology for Children