Enduring Understanding(s)

• Chemical changes occur when matter reacts and produces new substances but physical changes yield different forms of the same substance rather than a new substance.
• Every experiment provides useful results, whether or not the results match the hypothesis.
• Evidence of chemical change include color change, gas formation, solid formation, and temperature change.
• Scientific investigations follow processes that require systematic and logical development, observation, and careful analysis.
• Scientific investigations generally lead to new questions.
• Substances may be classified by their physical and/or chemical properties.
• The foundation of scientific theory is replicable investigations.
• Through repeated inquiry, patterns emerge and theories are proposed.

Essential Questions

• How can substances be classified?
• How does science help us answer questions about the world around us?
• What are characteristics of a physical change?
• What does it mean to question?
• What happens to substances during a chemical change?

·         What is evidence of a chemical change?

• What is scientific inquiry?
• Why do scientists conduct investigations?

Enduring Understanding(s)

• Atoms and molecules are respectively the smallest components of elements and compounds.
• Elements and compounds have different physical and chemical properties.
• Elements are organized into families on the periodic table by similar properties.
• Elements are pure substances, compounds are chemically combined, and mixtures can be separated into their component parts.

Essential Questions

• How are elements organized on the periodic table?
• What are the differences among elements, compounds, and mixtures?
• What are the differences between atoms and molecules?

Enduring Understanding(s)

• All organisms are composed of cells, and cells function in a similar way in all organisms.
• Cells comprise different body tissues, organs, and organ system.
• Organisms grow and develop through an increase in cell number and/or cell size.
• Through cell division, cells can become specialized for specific functions.

Essential Questions

• How do cells become specialized?
• How do organisms grow and develop?