Curriculum Standards

 

Georgia's state standards in a broad sense: Click here

 

Fulton County's interpretation and requirements for curriculum:

Characteristics of Science:

Grade
Level		 Name Standard  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS1 Students will explore the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS2 Students will use standard safety practices for all classroom laboratory and field investigations.  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS3 Students will use computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and following scientific explanations.  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS4 Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating equipment and materials in scientific activities.  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS5 Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and technological matters.  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS6 Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS7 Students will question scientific claims and arguments effectively.  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS8 Students will investigate the characteristics of scientific knowledge and how it is achieved.  
6th - 8th S6-8SCS9 Students will investigate the features of the process of scientific inquiry.

 

Safety:

Grade
Level		 Name Standard  
6th S6-8SCS2 Students will use standard safety practices for all classroom laboratory and field investigations.  

Safety Elements:

a. Follow correct procedures for use of scientific apparatus.  
b. Demonstrate appropriate techniques in all laboratory situations.  
c. Follow correct protocol for identifying and reporting safety problems and violations.

 

Geology Standard:

Grade
Level		 Name Standard  
6th S6E5 Students will investigate the scientific view of how the earth’s surface is formed.

Geology Elements:

a. Compare and contrast the Earth’s crust, mantle, and core including temperature, density, and composition.  
b. Classify rocks by their process of formation.  
c. Describe processes that change rocks and the surface of the earth.  
d. Recognize that lithospheric plates constantly move and cause major geological events on the earth’s surface.  
e. Explain the effects of physical processes (plate tectonics, erosion, deposition, volcanic eruption, gravity) on geological features including oceans (composition, currents, and tides).  
f. Describe how fossils show evidence of the changing surface and climate of the Earth.  
g. Describe soil as consisting of weathered rocks and decomposed organic material.  
h. Explain the effects of human activity on the erosion of the earth’s surface.  
i. Describe methods for conserving natural resources such as water, soil, and air.

 

Hydrology Standard:

Grade
Level		 Name Standard  
6th S6E3 Students will recognize the significant role of water in earth processes.

 

Hydrology Elements:

a. Explain that a large portion of the Earth’s surface is water, consisting of oceans, rivers, lakes, underground water, and ice.  
b. Relate various atmospheric conditions to stages of the water cycle.  
c. Describe the composition, location, and subsurface topography of the world’s oceans.  
d. Explain the causes of waves, currents, and tides.

 

Meteorology Standard:

Grade
Level		 Name Standard  
6th S6E4 Students will understand how the distribution of land and oceans affects climate and weather.  

 

Meteorology Elements:

a. Demonstrate that land and water absorb and lose heat at different rates and explain the resulting effects on weather patterns.  
b. Relate unequal heating of land and water surfaces to form large global wind systems and weather events such as tornados and thunderstorms.  
c. Relate how moisture evaporating from the oceans affects the weather patterns and weather events such as hurricanes.

 

Astronomy Standards:

Grade
Level		 Name Standard  
6th S6E2 Students will understand the effects of the relative positions of the earth, moon and sun.  
Grade
Level		 Name Standard  
6th S6E1 Students will explore current scientific views of the universe and how those views evolved.

 

Astronomy Elements:

a. Demonstrate the phases of the moon by showing the alignment of the earth, moon, and sun.  
b. Explain the alignment of the earth, moon, and sun during solar and lunar eclipses.  
c. Relate the tilt of the earth to the distribution of sunlight throughout the year and its effect on climate.
a. Relate the Nature of Science to the progression of basic historical scientific theories (geocentric and heliocentric) as they describe our solar system and the Big Bang as it describes the formation of the universe.  
b. Describe the position of the solar system in the Milky Way galaxy and the universe.  
c. Compare and contrast the planets in terms of
    • Size relative to the earth
    • Surface and atmospheric features
    • Relative distance from the sun
    • Ability to support life
  
d. Explain the motion of objects in the day/night sky in terms of relative position.  
e. Explain that gravity is the force that governs the motion in the solar system.  
f. Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.