Introduction
In 2014, the Shelby County Schools Board of Education adopted a set of ambitious, yet attainable goals for school and student
performance. The District is committed to these goals, as further described in our strategic plan, Destination2025. By 2025,
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80% of our students will graduate from high school college or career ready
90% of students will graduate on time
100% of our students who graduate college or career ready will enroll in a post-secondary opportunity
In order to achieve these ambitious goals, we must collectively work to provide our students with high-quality, College and Career
Ready standards-aligned instruction. Acknowledging the need to develop competence in literacy and language as the foundation for
all learning, Shelby County Schools developed the Comprehensive Literacy Improvement Plan (CLIP). The CLIP ensures a quality
balanced literacy approach to instruction that results in high levels of literacy learning for all students across content areas. Destination
2025 and the CLIP establish common goals and expectations for student learning across schools. CLIP connections are evident
throughout the science curriculum maps.
The Tennessee State Standards provide a common set of expectations for what students will know and be able to do
at the end of a grade. College and Career Ready Standards are rooted in the knowledge and skills students need to succeed in postsecondary study or careers. While the academic standards establish desired learning outcomes, the curriculum provides instructional
planning designed to help students reach these outcomes. Educators will use this guide and the standards as a roadmap for curriculum
and instruction. The sequence of learning is strategically positioned so that necessary foundational skills are spiraled in order to
facilitate student mastery of the standards.
Our collective goal is to ensure our students graduate ready for college and career. The standards for science practice describe
varieties of expertise that science educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students. These practices rest on important
“processes and proficiencies” with longstanding importance in science education. The Science Framework emphasizes process
standards of which include planning investigations, using models, asking questions and communicating information.
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Construct
explanations
and design
solution
Obtain,
evaluate, and
communicate
information
Engage in
argument
Ask questions
and define
problems
Patterns
Develop and
use models
Practices
in
Science
Use math,
technology,
and
computational
thinking
Plan and carry
out
investigations
Cause and
Effect
Stability and
change
Cross Cutting
Concepts
Analyze and
interpret data
Energy and
matter
Systems and
system
models
Crosscutting concepts have value because they provide students with connections and intellectual tools that are related across the
differing areas of disciplinary content and can enrich their application of practices and their understanding of core ideas. Throughout
the year, students should continue to develop proficiency with the eight science practices. Crosscutting concepts can help students
better understand core ideas in science and engineering. When students encounter new phenomena, whether in a science lab, field trip,
or on their own, they need mental tools to help engage in and come to understand the phenomena from a scientific point of view.
Familiarity with crosscutting concepts can provide that perspective. A next step might be to simplify the phenomenon by thinking of it
as a system and modeling its components and how they interact. In some cases it would be useful to study how energy and matter flow
through the system, or to study how structure affects function (or malfunction). These preliminary studies may suggest explanations
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for the phenomena, which could be checked by predicting patterns that might emerge if the explanation is correct, and matching those
predictions with those observed in the real world.
Science Curriculum Maps
This curriculum map is designed to help teachers make effective decisions about what science content to teach so that, our students
will reach Destination 2025. To reach our collective student achievement goals, we know that teachers must change their instructional
practice in alignment with the three College and Career Ready shifts in instruction for science.
To ensure that all student will be taught science content and processes in a comprehensive, consistent, and coherent manner,
Science Curriculum Maps are provided. Foundation texts for the maps include Shelby County Schools Framework for Standards
Based Curriculum, Science Curriculum Frameworks-K-12 (State of Tennessee Board of Education, and National Science Education
Standards).
Teachers function most effectively and students learn best within an “aligned” curriculum delivery system. An aligned system begins
with a concerted effort to implement the state curriculum frameworks. Many districts have developed curriculum guides built around
these frameworks to ensure that what is taught in particular grades and courses is closely linked with student Learning Expectations
found in the state standards. Classroom teachers use these locally-generated curriculum guides to plan and implement their individual
grade or course Pacing Guides. Expectations for student performance are clear and carefully tied to daily instructional events and
classroom assessment practices. In theory, a fully aligned system closes the loop between state standards and student learning.
Additionally, a coherent instructional/assessment system offers the potential for heightening student learning as reflected by their
performance on state-mandated standardized tests. Our collective goal is to ensure our students graduate ready for college and career.
Most of the elements found in the state Curriculum Frameworks were incorporated into the curriculum mapping
materials prepared by Shelby County Schools. Additional features were included to add clarity and to offer avenues that could assist
teacher in developing grade level lessons.
A district-wide, K-12, standards-based curriculum is implemented in science. This curriculum is articulated in the form of individual
SCS curriculum maps for each grade and subject. These SCS curriculum maps enable the district to implement a single curriculum
that emphasizes specific standards. Since Shelby County has a high rate of mobility among the student population, the SCS
curriculum maps ensure that all students receive the same program of high-level instructional content and academic expectations,
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regardless of which school they attend. The utilization of a district-wide standards-based curricular program ensures that students in
SCS are engaged in hands-on inquiry based activities as teachers implement the curriculum maps.
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State Standards
Embedded Standards
Learning Outcomes
Adopted Resources*
Core Ideas
Unit 1.1 Energy in Systems - 3 weeks
Academic vocabulary: chemical potential energy, conservation of energy, elastic potential, energy, energy transformation, gravitational
potential, kinetic energy, conductivity, electrical conductor, insulator, simple circuit
GLE 0607.10.2 Analyze various types of
energy transformations.
GLE 0607.12.2 Explain how simple
electrical circuits can be used to
determine which materials conduct
electricity.
GLE 0607.Inq.2 Use appropriate
tools and techniques to gather,
organize, analyze, and interpret
data.
GLE 0607.Inq.3 Synthesize
information to determine cause
and effect relationships between
evidence and explanations.
GLE 0607.Inq.4 Recognize
possible sources of bias and
error, alternative explanations,
and questions for further
exploration.
GLE 0607.Inq.5 Communicate
scientific understanding using
descriptions, explanations, and
models.
Identify different sources and
forms of energy.
Investigate energy in electrostatic
systems.
Propose explanations for the
observed behavior of charged
objects.
Identify the properties of good
scientific models.
Write an explanation detailing
how energy is transformed in a
common object.
STCMS Electrical Energy and
NGSS Practice 1: Asking
Circuit Design TG, Lessons 1-4, p. questions (for science) and
2-60.
defining problems (for
engineering)
Tennessee Holt Science and
Technology TE, Chapter 14,
NGSS Practice 3: Planning
Section 1: Electric Charge and
and carrying out
Static Electricity, p. 416-423.
investigations
Glencoe Tennessee Science
Grade 6 TWE, Chapter 14,
Section 1: What is Energy? and
Section 2: Energy
Transformations, p.418-430.
Chapter 15, Section 1: Electric
Charge, p. 450-456.
NGSS Practice 4: Analyzing
and interpreting data
Writing: Support claims with
logical reasoning and
relevant, accurate data and
evidence that demonstrate an
understanding of the topic or
text, using credible sources.
Writing: Provide a concluding
statement or section that
follows from and supports the
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argument presented.
Writing: Use precise language
and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic.
Unit 1.2 Circuits - 3 weeks
Academic Vocabulary: electrical energy, circuit, pendulum
GLE 0607.10.1 Compare and contrast
the three forms of potential energy.
GLE 0607.10.2 Analyze various types of
energy transformations.
GLE 0607.10.3 Explain the principles
underlying the Law of Conservation of
Energy.
GLE 0607.Inq.1 Design and
conduct open-ended scientific
investigations.
GLE 0607.Inq.2 Use appropriate
tools and techniques to gather,
organize, analyze, and interpret
data.
GLE 0607.Inq.3 Synthesize
GLE 0607.12.1 Describe how simple
information to determine cause
circuits are associated with the transfer of and effect relationships between
electrical energy.
evidence and explanations.
GLE 0607.Inq.5 Communicate
scientific understanding using
descriptions, explanations, and
models.
Build electrical circuits in which a
light bulb or a combination of light
bulbs will light in prescribed
ways.
Identify the advantages and
disadvantages of series and
parallel circuits and how they
transfer energy
Relate transformations between
kinetic and potential energy in
systems to the law of
conservation of energy.
Justify classification of potential
energy in systems as elastic,
chemical, or gravitational.
STCMS Electrical Energy and
Circuit Design: Lessons 5-10 p.
46-110
NGSS Practice 3: Planning
and carrying out
investigations
Tennessee Holt Science and
Technology TE, Chapter 14,
Section 2: Electrical Current,
Electrical Energy, and Section 3:
Electric Calculations, and Section
4: Electric Circuits p. 424-441.
NGSS Practice 4: Analyzing
and interpreting data
Glencoe Tennessee Science
Grade 6 TWE, Chapter 15,
Section 2: Electric Current and
Section 3 Electric Circuits, p.457 –
479.
Chapter 14, Section 1 What is
energy? P. 418-422.
Reading: Follow precisely a
multistep procedure when
carrying out experiments,
taking measurements, or
performing technical tasks.
Writing: Use precise language
and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic.
Mathematics: Reason
abstractly and quantitatively.
Write an explanation of how
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series and parallel circuits
transfer energy.
Writing: Support claims with
logical reasoning and
relevant, accurate data and
evidence that demonstrate an
understanding of the topic or
text, using credible sources
Unit 1.3 Using Energy – 3 weeks
Academic vocabulary: electrical energy, energy of conservation, battery, circuit
GLE 0607.10.2 Analyze various types of
energy transformations.
GLE 0607.10.3 Explain the principles
underlying the Law of Conservation of
Energy.
GLE 0607.Inq.1 Design and
conduct open-ended scientific
investigations.
GLE 0607.Inq.3 Synthesize
information to determine cause
and effect relationships between
evidence and explanations.
GLE 0607.T/E.1 Explore how
technology responds to social,
political, and economic needs.
GLE 0607.T/E.2 Know that the
engineering design process
involves an ongoing series of
events that incorporate design
constraints, model building,
Compare the electrical energy
supplied each second by a
battery to the electrical energy
used each second by light bulbs
and motors.
Compare the electrical energy
that a battery supplies with the
electrical energy used by devices
in a circuit.
Conduct an electrical energy
inventory of a home and produce
a plan to reduce electrical energy
usage by 10 percent.
Defend a position on the
importance of household energy
STCMS Electrical Energy and
Circuit Design: Lessons 11-13 p.
118-139
Tennessee Holt Science and
Technology TE, Chapter 12,
Section 2: Energy Conversion,
Section 3: Conversion of Energy,
Section 4: Energy Resources, p.
354-369.
Glencoe Tennessee Science
Grade 6 TWE, Chapter 14,
Section 2: Energy
Transformations and Section 3:
Sources of Energy, p.423-447.
Chapter 15, Section 3 Electric
Circuits p.462 – 479.
NGSS Practice 1: Asking
questions (for science) and
defining problems (for
engineering)
NGSS Practice 3: Planning and
carrying out investigations.
NGSS Practice 5: Using
mathematics and
computational thinking
NGSS Practice 6: Constructing
explanations (for science) and
designing solutions (for
engineering)
Mathematics: Reason
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testing, evaluating, modifying,
and retesting.
conservation
abstractly and quantitatively.
Writing: Support claims with
logical reasoning and relevant,
accurate data and evidence
that demonstrate an
understanding of the topic or
text, using credible sources
TOOLBOX
Unit 1.1 Energy in Systems - 3 weeks
Plans
The lesson plan on this site helps students to investigate how energy is produced and then transformed to other types of energy:
http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/transforming-energy/
Student Activities
Various songs and videos including Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner that will help to explain The Law of Conservation of Energy and identify various energy
transformations. http://www.sophia.org/tutorials/energy-transformations
Students can practice correctly identifying energy transformations on this website: http://www.poweringourfuture.com/students/energy/
Unit 1.2 Circuits - 3 weeks
The following website provides a lesson plan for electricity.
Plans
http://www.compadre.org/precollege/static/unit.cfm?sb=10&course=1
Lesson plan for electrical circuits:
http://www.srpnet.com/education/pdfx/electriccircuits.pdf
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Background for
Teachers
An online tutorial for adults containing chapters on all aspects of current electricity: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/circuits-
Student Activities
Students can move through explanations of electrical circuits at this website for below basic students: http://www.andythelwell.com/blobz/
topic/circuits-resistance/
Other Resources
Excellent article on electrical circuits and how they work that can increase literacy in the classroom.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/circuit.html
Unit 1.3 Using Energy - 3 weeks
Plans
Background for
Teachers
Renewable and nonrenewable lesson plan complete with activities and worksheets: http://www.stopwaste.org/docs/schools/Lesson01.pdf
This video uses the law of conservation of energy to see how potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.https://www.khanacademy.org/testprep/mcat/physical-processes/work-and-energy-mcat/v/conservation-of-energy/
Teachers can access videos, as well as, the corresponding Study Guides for students and Activity Guides for teachers, which can be used for analysis in the
classroom. www.pbs.org/opb/circus/classroom/circus-physics/conservation-energy/
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