Conceptual Physical Science Curriculum – Lab Science
Seton Hall Prep School
FIRST TRIMESTER
I.
UNIT 1 - Measurement and Conversions
A. Relevance to our lives
B. Metrics
1. All terms regarding relevant measurements (length, area, volume, mass, density, weight,
gravity)
2. Earth Science Integration - link gravity to tides
C. Dimensional Analysis with Math Intro
1. Approach to metric conversions
2. Process as applied to real world situations
UNIT 1 OBJECTIVES
Measurement and Conversions
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Describe Physical Science and its application to the world.
 Identify and use steps in scientific problem solving.
 Describe models and their relevance to science.
 Articulate understanding of the SI system of units.
 Convert Metric and English units with the dimensional analysis.
 Identify properties of all matter and specific properties of some matter.
 Measure mass, length, and volume. Calculate area, volume, and density.
 Describe, calculate, and use the density concept.
 Differentiate mass and weight.
 Integrate the concepts of mass, weight, and gravity in order to articulate understanding of neap and spring tides.
II.
UNIT 2 - Phases and Phase Changes
A. Compare/Contrast Phases – link to motion/energy
Properties of each including:
1. crystal vs. amorphous
2. viscosity
3. three basic gas laws & Bernoulli’s Principle
a. pressure
i. atmospheric
ii. various measurements of standard
b. direct and inverse proportions
c. graphing gas laws. (Graph paper and Excel spreadsheet style)
4. Wind - Isobar Mapping
a. Pressure gradient force
b. Coriolis force
B. Changes in Phase (and the physical change concept)
1. boil, freeze, deposit, condense, melt, evaporate,
2. heat vs. temperature
a. latent heat
b. convection, conduction, and radiation
3. atmospheric impacts on boiling point
4. water in the atmosphere
a. Humidity, relative humidity, saturation and dew point. Sling psychrometer.
b. Vapor (invisible) vs. Fog/Cloud (visible)
c. Cloud creation, but not cloud classification yet.
UNIT 2 OBJECTIVES
Phases and Phase Changes
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Describe the four states of matter and the properties of each.
 Predict and graph changes in gases in regard to temperature, pressure, volume, and number of particles.
 Apply the three basic gas laws and Bernoulli’s Principle to direct or inverse proportions. Understand them well
enough to apply these concepts to practical/everyday situations.
 Understand the factors that determine wind speed and direction.
 Create an isobar map and then determine wind vectors.
 Describe six changes in state.
 Create the phase change diagram for water comparing heat and temperature using hands-on methods
through lab, demonstration, and/or digital probe-ware.
 Differentiate between endothermic and exothermic changes and use them to predict phase changes.
 Calculate and measure pressure (including atmospheric pressure).
 Differentiate between heat and temperature.
 Identify and observe boiling point changes as a result of atmospheric pressure changes.
 Understand humidity, relative humidity, dew point, saturation, and cloud creation.
 Manipulate a sling psychrometer in order to assess relative humidity.
 Integrate most of the concepts of this unit in order to understand the creation of a storm cloud.
III.
UNIT 3 - Meteorology (Stemming from Phases Unit.)
A. Weather and weather forecasting as necessary components of modern society
B. Uneven heating (3 types transfer) causes weather patterns
1. Seasonal – Insolation and hours of daylight
a. Relevance of Equator and Tropics
b. Insolation changes
c. Sunrise/Sunset positional changes
d. Daylight changes
e. Equinox/Solstice
2. Solar radiation interactions with various surfaces
SECOND TRIMESTER
C. Atmosphere
1. Level Classification
2. Solar radiation interactions at various atmospheric levels
D. Global Movement of air
E. Weather Patterns: Air masses, Fronts, & Storms
F. Moisture – Cloud Classification
UNIT 3 OBJECTIVES
Meteorology
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Appreciate the complex nature of our atmosphere and the challenges of forecasting.
 Understand that the sun is the cause of all weather.
 Model the seasons and explain all relevant details.
 Know the layers of the atmosphere and how the sun interacts with each of them.
 Model the global wind patterns and relate them to air masses, fronts, various types of precipitation, hurricanes,
Nor’easters, mid-latitude cyclones.
 Assess some of the atmospheric characteristics by mastering the cloud types.
 Predict some short term weather by mastering the cloud types.
 Forecast basic weather characteristics with front/atmospheric pressure maps.
IV.
UNIT 4 - Composition of Matter (including balancing chemical reactions)
Classification of Matter with a Learning Schematic
A. The study of “everything”
B. Homogeneous Matter
1. Homogeneous Substances (elements/compounds)
a. Introduce chemical change
b. Introduce the Law of Conservation of Mass
c. Introduce the Law of Conservation of Energy
2. Homogeneous Mixtures (solutions)
C. Heterogeneous mixtures
D. Balancing Equations
UNIT 4 OBJECTIVES
Composition of Matter
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Appreciate that this unit classifies all matter around them.
 Classify all types of matter.
 Contrast physical and chemical changes.
 Differentiate between pure substances and mixtures.
 Describe characteristics of elements and compounds.
 Articulate common elements and compounds, especially those that would provide foundation for Biology.
 Compare/Contrast compounds and mixtures.
 Differentiate between heterogeneous and homogenous mixtures.
 Demonstrate proficiency in balancing chemical reactions.
 Identify clues that a chemical reaction has taken place.
 Prepare themselves for the chemistry foundation required for the Biology Sciences.
V.
UNIT 5 - Atoms, Ions & The Periodic Table
A. Theorists: Democritus, Dalton, Thomson, Curie, Rutherford & Bohr
B. Modern Atomic Theory – subatomic particles, atomic mass, atomic number, mass number,
isotope, ion, electron cloud, energy level
C. Periodic Table
1. patterns
a. Groups/Families
b. Periods
2. scientists: Mendeleev & Moseley
3. modern periodic table arrangement
UNIT 5 OBJECTIVES
Atoms, Ions, and the Periodic Table
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Understand the evolution of Atomic Theory and the appreciate creativity and the brilliance of the theorists who
contributed to it.
 Understand Modern Atomic Theory and its relevance to their lives and modern society.
 Appreciate that the modern model is still a changing model.
 Discover the patterns in the Periodic Table and extrapolate them.
 Predict properties of elements based on their positions on the periodic table.
 Predict basic reactivities of certain combinations of elements based on their positions on the periodic table.
 Calculate atomic mass, atomic number, ionic charge, and the number of protons, neutrons, and
electrons of various isotopes.
 Value atomic theory as more than just a concept, but a model that has enabled societal advancements. Students
will also appreciate that this model has also been used by some to create human tragedy.
THIRD TRIMESTER
VI.
UNIT 6 - Bonding as reason for all chemical reactions
A. electron structure (valence, octet, but not electron configurations)
B. ionic vs. covalent bonding
1. specific examples of biologically relevant ionic compounds
2. specific examples of biomolecules
3. naming of binary compounds
4. polar bonds vs. nonpolar bonds
C. intermolecular bonding
1. comparison of polar molecules to nonpolar molecules – need to view shapes of
molecules in order to do so.
2. hydrogen bonding – critical for pre-Biology
3. properties of water as related to bonding
a. capillary action
b. adhesion
c. cohesion
d. surface tension
e. “universal solvent?”
UNIT 6 OBJECTIVES
Bonding
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Understand the evidence supporting the electron structure of atoms.
 Differentiate between ion and covalent bonds as well as ionic and molecular compounds.
 Apply ionic and covalent bonding concepts to specific biomolecules.
 Discover the properties of water and then use deductively reasoning to model the polarity of water molecules.
 Classify binary compounds and then name them appropriately with IUPAC nomenclature.
 Experiment with ionic and molecular compounds.
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Model the ionic, covalent, and intermolecular bonding of ions, atoms, and molecules respectively.
Appreciate the importance of hydrogen bonding in regard to its role in making water a liquid at room
temperature.
Appreciate the subtleties of bonding that enable all materials to have the properties they exhibit.
Apply all of the concepts of bonding to the properties of water.
VII.
UNIT 7 - Nuclear
A. Relevance to our modern world
B. Radiation – connection to modern society.
C. Alpha, Beta, & Gamma
1. real world examples of alpha
2. real world examples of beta
3. real world examples of gamma
4. Geiger counter with radioisotopes
D. Half-life & radiometric dating.
1. Carbon dating of once-living organisms
2. Uranium dating of rocks to date the earth as relatively new technology.
E. E = mc2.
1. Einstein and connection to history.
2. Nuclear vessels, nuclear power, nuclear warheads.
3. Nuclear vs. Thermonuclear.
F. Fission/Fusion.
UNIT 7 OBJECTIVES
Nuclear
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Classify alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.
 Understand that radiation is not necessarily a pejorative term.
 Apply knowledge of radioactivity to complete long radioactive decay series.
 Apply specific examples radioactivity to issues such as radiation treatment, radioactive diagnosis of
illness, radon, dirty bombs, background radiation, etc.
 Evaluate the pros and cons of nuclear power.
 Evaluate the pros and cons of nuclear weapons research.
 Understand the role of nuclear in recent history and its impact on our modern world.
VIII. UNIT 8 - Waves
A. Intro to wave concepts and its multitude of applications to students’ lives.
B. Wave properties and wave measurements
C. Types based on motion
1. longitudinal
2. transverse
D. Speed formula and relevance of medium
E. Wave actions:
1. reflection
2. refraction
3. interference
F. Sound waves
G. Electromagnetism then Electromagnetic waves
UNIT 8 OBJECTIVES
Waves
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Classify waves as transverse or longitudinal, mechanical or electromagnetic.
 Compare and contrast waves in regard to characteristics such as pitch, frequency, wavelength,
amplitude, power, color, speed, etc.
 Solve mathematical problems regarding wave measurements.
 Model various wave movements and categories.
 Examine the quality of music while manipulating the quantitative characteristics produced from the audio
source.
 Apply the three wave actions to various aspects of their lives.
IX.
UNIT 9 - Geology (selected topics related to our dynamic earth) as it encompasses all units
A. Intro: all aspects of your existence are based on geology
B. Quakes: source of indirect evidence of Earth’s internal structure via P and S wave
transmission.
C. General rock types as pertains to rocks’ history
D. Plates tectonics: earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building
E. Geologic Timeline – critical before biology
UNIT 9 OBJECTIVES
Geology
During and/or at the conclusion of this unit, students will:
 Apply many concepts from the entire school year to this dynamic unit.
 Appreciate that basically all things on this Earth are produced from this Earth and that we are living examples
of that connection.
 Deduce the structure of the Earth based on earthquake evidence at the surface.
 Differentiate between the various plate boundaries and their possible actions.
 Differentiate and identify the basic rock types.
 Classify specific examples of rocks.
 Master eras and times of the eras on the departmentally accepted Geologic Timeline.