This is a SKILLS-BASED curriculum. Nevertheless, there is a certain vagueness dividing skills from content. Is converting from meters to inches a skill or a content? For now, lets ignore the difference and look at the most interesting and important science content and skills. Let's list those that we wish our students to learn in this course. If we can arrive at a consensus on this list, we will make sure to design labs/problems/activities that will facilitate the learning of these skills and content.
Density Mass Volume Electricity Electric Motor Generator Electric light Automobiles Airplanes Atoms Nuclear power plant Fire Heat Sound Molecules/elements Life (kinds of life, definition of life, turing test) Cells DNA/genes Human Body Five senses Brain physiology and development Emotion--fear, anger, happiness, sadness, depression Nutrition Homeostasis Disease Medicine Human evolution Survival science Solar system, galaxy, and astronomy Earth Air, atmosphere, and gases Gravity Water Weather Dirt Gaia, environmental movement, ecology, pollution Recycling Six simple machines and how are they used? http://www.mikids.com/ Construction/engineering--bridges, houses, skyscrapers
Density
Mass
Volume
Electricity
Electric Motor
Generator
Electric light
Automobiles
Airplanes
Atoms
Nuclear power plant
Fire
Heat
Sound
Molecules/elements
Life (kinds of life, definition of life, turing test)
Cells
DNA/genes
Human Body
Five senses
Brain physiology and development
Emotion--fear, anger, happiness, sadness, depression
Nutrition
Homeostasis
Disease
Medicine
Human evolution
Survival science
Solar system, galaxy, and astronomy
Earth
Air, atmosphere, and gases
Gravity
Water
Weather
Dirt
Gaia, environmental movement, ecology, pollution
Recycling
Six simple machines and how are they used? http://www.mikids.com/
Construction/engineering--bridges, houses, skyscrapers