Advanced High School
Chemistry
Curriculum Essentials
Document
Boulder Valley School District
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
May 2012
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 2
Introduction Science Curriculum Essentials in BVSD
In 2009, the Colorado Department of Education published the most recent version of the Colorado
Academic Standards.
This revision of the Boulder Valley School District Science Curriculum had three main goals:
align with the revised Colorado Academic Standards
maintain unique elements of our BVSD curriculum that reach beyond the standards
maintain a viable list of concepts and skills that students should master in each grade level or
course
Inquiry
A new organizational feature of the Colorado Academic Standards is the integration of science inquiry
skills with specific scientific concepts. Instead of having a separate standard for inquiry, the skills
associated with the process of scientific inquiry are embedded in the Evidence Outcomes for each Grade
Level Expectation. In addition, the nature and history of science has been integrated into the Grade Level
Expectations under ―Nature of the Discipline‖. This approach is echoed by the Framework for K-12 Science
Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas which states that the skills or practices of
inquiry and the core ideas ―must be woven together in standards, curricula, instruction, and assessments.‖
Scientific inquiry remains a central focus of the revised BVSD Science Curriculum Essentials Documents.
The following definition from the National Science Education Standards serves as the basis for our
common understanding of how scientific inquiry is defined.
Scientific inquiry refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose
explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Inquiry also refers to the activities of
students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an
understanding of how scientists study the natural world.
The following points serve to clarify the vision of what inquiry means in BVSD.
Inquiry involves five essential features, which are heavily integrated into the wording of Evidence
Outcomes in the Colorado Academic Standards. Students engaged in scientific inquiry should:
ask or respond to scientifically oriented questions
give priority to evidence
formulate explanations based on evidence
connect explanations to scientific knowledge
communicate and justify explanations
(Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards)
Inquiry based science instruction involves a continuum of learning experiences from teacher-led to learner
self-directed activities, including but not limited to hand-on labs. Hence, both a structured assignment
involving reading and written reflection and an open-ended, hands-on investigation could be considered
inquiry as long as they involve the five essential features identified above.
The ultimate goals of inquiry-based instruction are to engage learners, develop their conceptual
understanding of the natural world around them, and to overcome misconceptions in science.
Inquiry-based activities should balance students’ application of content knowledge, creativity and critical
thinking in order to analyze data, solve a problem or address a unique question.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 3
High School Advanced Chemistry Overview
Standard Big Ideas in Chemistry (Grade Level Expectations)
2. Physical Science 1. The nature of chemical bonding in a substance determines its physical and
chemical properties.
2. Matter has properties related to its structure that can be measured and used to identify, classify and describe substances or objects.
3. The effects of temperature, pressure and volume on a quantity of gas can be
predicted and measured experimentally, and can be explained by the Kinetic
Molecular Theory.
4. The rate (speed) of a reaction depends on a variety of factors. Equilibrium is a dynamic process in which the forward rate of a reaction is the same as the reverse rate of a reaction, and the concentrations of reactants and products no longer change.
5. Scientists ask questions and state hypotheses using prior knowledge to help design and guide scientific investigations, using appropriate technology and safe laboratory practices.
6. Scientists use the tools of math to solve problems, analyze data, and evaluate the validity of results.
7. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed. The mole concept allows chemists to link the atomic world with the macroscopic world through the use of the periodic table. Stoichiometric relationships are used to determine ―how much is needed‖ and ―how much can be produced‖ in chemical reactions.
8. Chemical reactions occur all around us and may either release or consume energy. A large number of reactions involve the transfer of either electrons or hydrogen ions.
9. Observed properties such as light emission and absorption and chemical reactivity can be related to electron configuration and nuclear charge.
10. Solutions need to be clearly described according to the substances and their amounts, including the interactions of the substances in a solution.
11. Temperature of a sample is related to the kinetic energy of the particles
in the sample. Heat flows from a warmer object to a cooler object, and heat
loss by a system equals heat gain by the surroundings (and vice versa).
Course Description
This course provides the opportunity to develop
knowledge and understanding about the
relationships between the structure and
properties of matter and the interaction of
matter and energy. Units of study include:
matter and its changes, atomic structure,
chemical composition, nomenclature, reactions,
stoichiometry, gas laws, periodicity, bonding,
molecular geometry, and thermochemistry.
Laboratory activities reinforce concepts and
principles presented in the course.
As an advanced course, this course goes beyond the
curriculum expectations of a standard course offering by increasing the depth and complexity. Students are engaged in dynamic, high‐level
learning. The pace of an advanced course may be faster than that of a ―standard‖ course.
Topics at a Glance
• Atomic Theory • Normenclature • Lab Practices
• Chemical Reactions • Mathematical Tools in chemistry • The Mole Concept • Stoichiometry • Solutions • Quantum Theory and the Periodic Table
• Bonding • Kinetics and Equilbrium • Thermochemistry • Gases
Assessments
Science ACT
Teacher-created assessments
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 4
1. Physical Science
Students know and understand common properties, forms and changes in matter and energy.
Prepared Graduates
The preschool through twelfth-grade concepts and skills that all students who complete the Colorado
education system must master to ensure their success in a postsecondary and workforce setting.
Prepared Graduate Competencies in the Physical Science standard:
Observe, explain, and predict natural phenomena governed by Newton's laws of motion,
acknowledging the limitations of their application to very small or very fast objects
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of
matter, and predict outcomes of chemical and nuclear reactions
Apply an understanding that energy exists in various forms, and its transformation and
conservation occur in processes that are predictable and measurable
Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions,
collecting and analyzing data, giving priority to evidence, formulating explanations
based on evidence, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating
and justifying explanations.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 5
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical and
nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
1. The nature of chemical bonding in a substance determines its physical and chemical properties
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Discriminate between ionic compounds and covalently
bonded molecules based on the electronegativity
differences between the atoms in the compound.
b. Describe bonding in metals
c. Understand the continuum between purely non‐polar
covalent, polar covalent, and ionic substances
d. Describe the nature of intermolecular attractive forces:
hydrogen bonding, dipole‐dipole, and
London/Dispersion
e. Distinguish between a chemical bond and an
intermolecular attractive force
f. Explain observations of chemical and physical
properties according to the nature of bonding within
the substance
g. Use models to represent relationships of atoms in
substances and represent positions of electrons in
compounds using Lewis structures
h. Use VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion)
Theory to represent the three‐dimensional geometry of
atoms in covalently bonded substances
i. Represent resonance structures of molecules
Inquiry Question:
1. How does the kind of chemical bonding give rise to the
properties of a substance?
Relevance and Application:
1. Almost all substances we encounter (and are made out of) are
composed of elements chemically bonded to each other.
2. The shape of water molecules and the strong permanent dipole
of the molecule result in water’s high vapor pressure,
outstanding ability to act as a solvent, and its having a lower
density as a solid than as a liquid. These factors lead to its
critical role in evolution of life on our planet and in our climate.
Nature of Discipline:
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 6
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical
and nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
2. Matter has properties related to its structure that can be measured and used to identify, classify and describe substances or
objects
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Compare and contrast physical and chemical changes
b. Demonstrate physical and chemical methods used to
separate mixtures that are based on the properties of
the substances
c. Describe the atom’s structure (including electron
energy levels, atomic orbitals, and electron
configurations) using evidence from the modern
atomic theory
d. Determine the atomic number and mass number of
isotopes
e. Calculate the average atomic mass of an element
Inquiry Question:
1. What is stuff made of and how do we know?
Relevance and Application:
1. Advances in technology, particularly in spectroscopy and
microscopy, have allowed scientists to develop a more detailed
understanding of the atom.
2. New materials used in engineering are designed at the atomic
level.
3. Experiments and chemical processes are designed according to
the properties of the substances involved: for example,
substances with very different boiling points can be separated
via distillation.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Use scientific concepts to explain the nature of the world
around them.
2. Understand that all scientific knowledge is subject to new
findings and that scientific theories are supported by
reproducible results.
3. Employ data-collection technology to gather, view, analyze,
and interpret data about chemical and physical properties of
different compounds.
4. Critically evaluate chemical and nuclear change models.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 7
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical
and nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
3. The effects of temperature, pressure and volume on a quantity of gas can be predicted and measured experimentally, and can be
explained by the Kinetic Molecular Theory
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Use the gas laws, including the ideal gas law, to
calculate the volume, pressure, temperature, or the
molar mass of a gas
b. Explain and use Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures.
c. Compare the properties of real and ideal gases
d. Qualitatively describe how the Kinetic Molecular
Theory describes the macroscopic properties of
temperature and pressure
Inquiry Questions:
1. How do people use the gas laws to represent, analyze, and
communicate relationships in chemical systems and chemical
interactions?
Relevance and Application:
1. An exact proportion of gases is needed in many chemical
reactions. For example, scuba tanks are filled with a set
mixture of oxygen and nitrogen.
2. Nature produces gases that can be studied and analyzed, such
as volcanic gases.
3. Human-managed systems such as wastewater treatment plants
produce gases that can be recycled and converted into useable
resources, such as the reformation of methane gas into
hydrogen gas.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Employ data-collection technology to gather, view, analyze,
and interpret data about the properties of gases.
2. Ask testable questions about the nature of gases, and use an
inquiry approach to investigate these.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 8
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical
and nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
4. The rate (speed) of a reaction depends on a variety of factors. Equilibrium is a dynamic process in which the forward rate of a
reaction is the same as the reverse rate of a reaction, and the concentrations of reactants and products no longer change
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Explain the concept of ―rate of reaction‖ and the
factors that affect the rate
b. Define the energy of activation and use it to explain
the role of catalysts in a chemical reaction
c. Explain the concept of dynamic equilibrium in both
physical and chemical systems
d. Write the equilibrium expression for a given reaction
and solve for concentrations of substances and/or the
equilibrium constant
e. Use Le Chatelier’s Principle to predict shifts in the
concentrations of substances when a system at
equilibrium is disturbed, and perform experiments
testing these predictions
Inquiry Question:
1. How do people use the equilibrium model of chemical
interactions to represent, analyze, and communicate structure
and relationships in chemical systems and chemical
interactions?
Relevance and Application:
1. Environmental scientists can apply the understanding of
chemical equilibria to environmental systems that show similar
equilibrium properties.
2. Pressure, temperature, and concentration need to be taken into
consideration in everyday examples of chemical reactions: for
example, altitude affects the amount of leavening needed in
baking and the amount of time needed to cook pasta.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Ask testable questions about the nature of equilibrium and use
an inquiry approach to investigate these questions.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 9
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions, collecting and analyzing data, giving priority
to evidence, formulating explanations based on evidence, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and
justifying explanations
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
5. Scientists ask questions and state hypotheses using prior knowledge to help design and guide scientific investigations, using
appropriate technology and safe laboratory practices
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Formulate testable hypotheses based on observed
phenomena and prior knowledge
b. Design and conduct an experiment to test a
hypothesis, identifying the independent and dependent
variables, and using appropriate equipment and
technology to collect data
c. Identify and use appropriate safe practices.
d. Identify major sources of error or uncertainty and how
they can be minimized
e. Calculate percent error and report results using correct
significant figures
f. Write a conclusion linking results to the hypothesis
Inquiry Questions:
1. What types of questions and hypotheses can be answered by
science?
2. What elements of design are critical in conducting a scientific
investigation?
3. How can we ensure that scientific investigations are both safe
and consistent with standard scientific practice?
4. How do we identify sources of error and quantify their impact on
data?
5. How do we know if the conclusions of a scientific investigation
are valid?
Relevance and Application:
1. A scientific approach to answering a question requires
formulating a testable hypothesis.
2. Questions about which a testable hypothesis cannot be
formulated are not amenable to evaluation by the scientific
method.
3. Safe practices in the lab extend to safe practices in the
workplace.
Nature of Discipline:
1. The scientific method involves formulating a hypothesis,
designing experiments to test the hypothesis, and evaluating the
data to determine if the results support the hypothesis.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 10
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions, collecting and analyzing data, giving priority
to evidence, formulating explanations based on evidence, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and
justifying explanations
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
6. Scientists use the tools of math to solve problems, analyze data, and evaluate the validity of results
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Use dimensional analysis to solve problems
b. Calculate quantities (such as density and specific heat)
using the correct number of significant figures
c. Identify when error has been introduced into a
scientific investigation because certain variables are
not controlled or more than one variable is changed
d. Distinguish between error, uncertainty, and mistakes
e. Calculate percent error
f. Differentiate between accuracy and precision
g. Use and convert between fundamental metric units
Inquiry Questions:
1. How do we identify sources of error and quantify their impact
on data?
2. How accurately and precisely can a quantity be measured?
Relevance and Application:
1. Being able to identify sources of variability is critical to deciding
if an observation, such as an increase in the number of
tornadoes in a given season, represents an actual change or is
merely the result of natural fluctuation.
2. Incorrect conversion of English to metric units resulted in the
failure of a NASA satellite.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Math is a central tool of science.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 11
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical
and nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
7. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed.
The mole concept allows chemists to link the atomic world with the macroscopic world through the use of the periodic table.
Stoichiometric relationships are used to determine ―how much is needed‖ and ―how much can be produced‖ in chemical
reactions
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Explain the mole concept
b. Use mole ratios in a balanced chemical equation to
determine stoichiometric relationships of reactants and
products
c. Balance chemical equations to illustrate mole ratios
and conservation of mass in a chemical reaction
d. Calculate the mass and volume relationships of
substances with emphasis on the mole concept,
including percent composition, empirical formulas,
limiting reactants and percent yield
e. Calculate the empirical formula and molecular formula
of a substance from experimental data
f. Recognize and apply a variety of empirical methods for
determining molar mass
Inquiry Questions:
1. How do we know how much of something we have?
2. How do we know how much we need for a reaction and how
much we will produce?
3. How do we demonstrate that mass is conserved in a chemical
reaction?
Relevance and Application:
1. The mole concept allows scientists to determine how many
essentially invisible particles (individual atoms or molecules)
are present by weighing rather than counting, just as jelly
beans are sold by the pound rather than by the number of jelly
beans.
2. Stoichiometric calculations allow a scientist to determine how
much reactant is necessary to produce a desired amount of
product.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Use an inquiry approach to determine the empirical formula of
a compound.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 12
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical and
nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
8. Chemical reactions occur all around us and may either release or consume energy. A large number of reactions involve the transfer
of either electrons or hydrogen ions
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Determine chemical formulas and names of ionic compounds
and covalent molecules
b. Name substances given IUPAC formulas.
c. Describe and predict the products for different types of
reactions: synthesis, decomposition, single replacement,
double replacement, and combustion
d. Represent ionic and molecular species present in chemicals
using a chemical equation
e. Balance chemical equations to illustrate mole ratios and
conservation of mass in a chemical reaction
f. Define and compare concepts of acids and bases according to
Arrhenius and Bronsted‐Lowry models.
g. Perform a neutralization reaction between acidic and basic
substances
h. Assign oxidation numbers to identify what is oxidized and
what is reduced in an oxidation-reduction reaction.
i. Write oxidation and reduction half-reactions for an oxidation-
reduction process.
Inquiry Questions:
1. How do people identify and name substances?
2. How do people use the chemical equation to represent,
analyze, and communicate relationships in chemical
systems and chemical interactions?
3. How do we know how much of something we have, and how
do we demonstrate that the amount of something is
conserved?
Relevance and Application:
1. Products formed in different types of reactions are useful to
people. For example, the decomposition of sodium azide is
used to inflate air bags.
2. Chemical processes can have both negative and positive
environmental effects. For example, sulfur trioxide, a waste
product from coal burning plants and a smog causing
pollutant, can be removed by combining it with magnesium
oxide.
3. Batteries and solar cells generate electricity by means of
oxidation-reduction reactions.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Describe and predict products for different types of
reactions, such as combustion.
2. Use an inquiry approach to test predictions about chemical
reactions.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 13
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical
and nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
9. Observed properties such as light emission and absorption and chemical reactivity can be related to electron configuration and
nuclear charge
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Explain what atomic phenomena cause light emission
and absorption
b. Describe the evidence for the existence of atomic
orbitals, electron configuration and electron energy
levels
c. Describe the periodic relationships of elements based
on the following properties: atomic radii, ionization
energies, electronegativity, and oxidation states
d. Describe the key regions of electromagnetic radiation
and how their properties arise from frequency and
wavelength of the radiation
e. Explain why light can be thought of as a wave or as a
particle
f. Use the relationship c = λν to calculate wavelength and
frequency
g. Use the relationship E = hν to demonstrate why
Inquiry Questions:
1. How does the location of an element on the periodic table
relate to the element’s reactivity?
2. What is happening inside an atom when light is emitted or
absorbed?
3. How does a combination of effective nuclear charge and
electron shielding lead to an observed first ionization energy?
Relevance and Application:
1. The color of gas discharge tubes is due to electrons releasing
energy as they drop from a higher energy orbital to a lower
one.
2. Whether a specific reaction between elements will take place
can be predicted by examining the elements’ positions on the
periodic table.
3. The polarity of a bond, and therefore the predominant
intermolecular forces, can be predicted by examining the
constituents’ relative positions on the periodic table.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of a model which
represents complex natural phenomena.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 14
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical
and nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION: High School Chemistry
Concepts and skills students master:
10. Solutions need to be clearly described according to the substances and their amounts, including the interactions of the
substances in a solution
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Describe types of solutions and factors affecting
solubility of solutes in solvents
b. Calculate the concentration of solutions using the
concept of molarity
c. Describe and show calculations for the preparation of a
molar solution from a solid solute
d. Describe and show calculations for the preparation of a
molar solution by dilution of a more concentrated
stock solution
e. Describe and show calculations for determining the
mass percent of a substance in solution
f. Describe the nature of the pH scale, relating the
values to acidic, basic, and neutral solutions
g. Perform calculations with pH and [H+]
h. Explain how a buffer solution resists changes in pH
Inquiry Questions:
1. What substances are contained in a solution?
2. Why does a solution have specific, unique properties?
3. How does the pH of a solution affect its properties?
Relevance and Application:
1. Almost all liquid phase materials we encounter--such as blood,
cell interiors, environmental systems and oceans—are
solutions.
2. Concentrations of solutions affect the quantity of reactions.
3. Changing the pH of a stable ecosystem can have devastating
effects.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Clearly identify the parameters of an experimental system.
2. Ask testable questions about the concentrations of substances
in solution, and use an inquiry approach to investigate these
questions.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 15
Content Area: Science - High School Advanced Chemistry
Standard: 1. Physical Science
Prepared Graduates:
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and predict outcomes of chemical
and nuclear reactions
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
11. Temperature of a sample is related to the kinetic energy of the particles in the sample.
Heat flows from a warmer object to a cooler object, heat loss by a system equals heat gain by the surroundings
(and vice versa)
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Identify and describe different forms of energy and
their transformations
b. Explain what it means when scientists say ―the energy
of the universe is constant‖ (First Law of
Thermodynamics)
c. Use kinetic molecular theory to describe the motion of
molecules and its relationship to temperature and
kinetic energy
d. Use calorimetry to calculate the specific heat of a
substance and the amount of heat change in a
chemical reaction
e. Classify reactions and phase changes as endothermic
or exothermic
f. Calculate the amount of heat lost or gained due to a
phase change of a substance
g. Determine the direction and amount of heat change
for phase changes and chemical reactions
h. Explain how all spontaneous processes are
accompanied by an increase in the entropy of the
universe (Second Law of Thermodynamics)
i. Calculate enthalpy change in a chemical reaction using
Hess’s Law
j. Calculate the heat of reaction using bond energies and
heats of formation
Inquiry Questions:
1. What is heat, and how does it affect the way molecules
interact?
2. What is the relationship between temperature and the heat
change in a chemical or physical change?
Relevance and Application:
1. Energy occurs in different forms and is necessary to do work
and cause change.
2. Chemical reactions occur all around us and may either release
or absorb energy.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of a model which
represents complex natural phenomenon.
2. Employ data-collection technology to gather, view, analyze
and interpret data about chemical and physical properties of
different compounds.
3. Use an inquiry approach to test predictions regarding heat
changes in chemical reactions.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 16
Prepared Graduate Competencies in Science
The preschool through twelfth-grade concepts and skills that all students who complete the Colorado
education system must master to ensure their success in a postsecondary and workforce setting.
Prepared Graduates:
Observe, explain, and predict natural phenomena governed by Newton's laws of motion,
acknowledging the limitations of their application to very small or very fast objects
Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and
predict outcomes of chemical and nuclear reactions
Apply an understanding that energy exists in various forms, and its transformation and conservation
occur in processes that are predictable and measurable
Analyze the relationship between structure and function in living systems at a variety of
organizational levels, and recognize living systems’ dependence on natural selection
Explain and illustrate with examples how living systems interact with the biotic and abiotic
environment
Analyze how various organisms grow, develop, and differentiate during their lifetimes based on an
interplay between genetics and their environment
Explain how biological evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of living organisms
Describe and interpret how Earth's geologic history and place in space are relevant to our
understanding of the processes that have shaped our planet
Evaluate evidence that Earth’s geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere interact as a
complex system
Describe how humans are dependent on the diversity of resources provided by Earth and Sun
Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions, collecting and
analyzing data, giving priority to evidence, formulating explanations based on evidence, connecting
explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and justifying explanations.
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 17
Standard Grade Level Expectation
High School
1. Physical
Science
1. Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation describe the relationships
among forces acting on and between objects, their masses, and
changes in their motion – but have limitations
2. Matter has definite structure that determines characteristic physical
and chemical properties
3. Matter can change form through chemical or nuclear reactions abiding
by the laws of conservation of mass and energy
4. Atoms bond in different ways to form molecules and compounds that
have definite properties
5. Energy exists in many forms such as mechanical, chemical, electrical,
radiant, thermal, and nuclear, that can be quantified and
experimentally determined
6. When energy changes form, it is neither created not destroyed;
however, because some is necessarily lost as heat, the amount of
energy available to do work decreases
2. Life Science 1. Matter tends to be cycled within an ecosystem, while energy is
transformed and eventually exits an ecosystem
2. The size and persistence of populations depend on their interactions
with each other and on the abiotic factors in an ecosystem
3. Cellular metabolic activities are carried out by biomolecules produced
by organisms
4. The energy for life primarily derives from the interrelated processes of
photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Photosynthesis transforms the
sun’s light energy into the chemical energy of molecular bonds.
Cellular respiration allows cells to utilize chemical energy when these
bonds are broken.
5. Cells use the passive and active transport of substances across
membranes to maintain relatively stable intracellular environments
6. Cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems maintain relatively stable
internal environments, even in the face of changing external
environments
7. Physical and behavioral characteristics of an organism are influenced
to varying degrees by heritable genes, many of which encode
instructions for the production of proteins
8. Multicellularity makes possible a division of labor at the cellular level
through the expression of select genes, but not the entire genome
9. Evolution occurs as the heritable characteristics of populations change
across generations and can lead populations to become better adapted
to their environment
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 18
Standard Grade Level Expectation
High School (continued)
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. The history of the universe, solar system and Earth can be inferred
from evidence left from past events
2. As part of the solar system, Earth interacts with various
extraterrestrial forces and energies such as gravity, solar phenomena,
electromagnetic radiation, and impact events that influence the
planet’s geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere in a variety of ways
3. The theory of plate tectonics helps to explain geological, physical, and
geographical features of Earth
4. Climate is the result of energy transfer among interactions of the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere
5. There are costs, benefits, and consequences of exploration,
development, and consumption of renewable and nonrenewable
resources
6. The interaction of Earth's surface with water, air, gravity, and
biological activity causes physical and chemical changes
7. Natural hazards have local, national and global impacts such as
volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and thunderstorms
Eighth Grade
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. Weather is a result of complex interactions of Earth's atmosphere, land
and water, that are driven by energy from the sun, and can be
predicted and described through complex models
2. Earth has a variety of climates defined by average temperature,
precipitation, humidity, air pressure, and wind that have changed over
time in a particular location
3. The solar system is comprised of various objects that orbit the Sun
and are classified based on their characteristics
4. The relative positions and motions of Earth, Moon, and Sun can be
used to explain observable effects such as seasons, eclipses, and Moon
phases
5. Major geologic events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mid-
ocean ridges, and mountain formation are associated with plate
boundaries and attributed to plate motions
6. Geologic time, history, and changing life forms are indicated by fossils
and successive sedimentation, folding, faulting, and uplifting of layers
of sedimentary rock
7. Complex interrelationships exist between Earth’s structure and natural
processes that over time are both constructive and destructive
8. Water on Earth is distributed and circulated through oceans, glaciers,
rivers, ground water, and the atmosphere
9. Earth’s natural resources provide the foundation for human society’s
physical needs. Many natural resources are nonrenewable on human
timescales, while others can be renewed or recycled
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 19
Standard Grade Level Expectation
Seventh Grade
2. Life Science 1. Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to
survive and have offspring in a specific environment
2. The human body is composed of atoms, molecules, cells, tissues,
organs, and organ systems that have specific functions and
interactions
3. Cells are the smallest unit of life that can function independently and
perform all the necessary functions of life
4. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important processes by
which energy is acquired and utilized by organisms
5. Multiple lines of evidence show the evolution of organisms over
geologic time
6. Human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter ecosystems
and their resiliency
7. Organisms reproduce and transmit genetic information (genes) to
offspring, which influences individuals’ traits in the next generation
8. Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of
individual organisms, populations, and entire species
9. Organisms interact with each other and their environment in various
ways that create a flow of energy and cycling of matter in an
ecosystem
Sixth Grade
1. Physical
Science
1. Identify and calculate the direction and magnitude of forces that act on
an object, and explain the results in the object’s change of motion
2. There are different forms of energy, and those forms of energy can be
changed from one form to another – but total energy is conserved
3. Distinguish between physical and chemical changes, noting that mass
is conserved during any change
4. Recognize that waves such as electromagnetic, sound, seismic, and
water have common characteristics and unique properties
5. Mixtures of substances can be separated based on their properties
such as solubility, boiling points, magnetic properties, and densities
6. All matter is made of atoms, which are far too small to see directly
through a light microscope. Elements have unique atoms and thus,
unique properties. Atoms themselves are made of even smaller
particles
7. Atoms may stick together in well-defined molecules or be packed
together in large arrangements. Different arrangements of atoms into
groups compose all substances.
8. The physical characteristics and changes of solid, liquid, and gas states
can be explained using the particulate model
9. Distinguish among, explain, and apply the relationships among mass,
weight, volume, and density
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 20
Standard Grade Level Expectation
Fifth Grade
1. Physical
Science
1. Mixtures of matter can be separated regardless of how they were
created; all weight and mass of the mixture are the same as the sum
of weight and mass of its parts
2. Life Science 1. All organisms have structures and systems with separate functions
2. Human body systems have basic structures, functions, and needs
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. Earth and sun provide a diversity of renewable and nonrenewable
resources
2. Earth’s surface changes constantly through a variety of processes and
forces
3. Weather conditions change because of the uneven heating of Earth’s
surface by the Sun’s energy. Weather changes are measured by
differences in temperature, air pressure, wind and water in the
atmosphere and type of precipitation
Fourth Grade
1. Physical
Science
1. Energy comes in many forms such as light, heat, sound, magnetic,
chemical, and electrical
2. Life Science 1. All living things share similar characteristics, but they also have
differences that can be described and classified
2. Comparing fossils to each other or to living organisms reveals features
of prehistoric environments and provides information about organisms
today
3. There is interaction and interdependence between and among living
and nonliving components of systems
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. Earth is part of the solar system, which includes the Sun, Moon, and
other bodies that orbit the Sun in predictable patterns that lead to
observable paths of objects in the sky as seen from Earth
Third Grade
1. Physical
Science
1. Matter exists in different states such as solids, liquids, and gases and
can change from one state to another by heating and cooling
2. Life Science 1. The duration and timing of life cycle events such as reproduction and
longevity vary across organisms and species
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. Earth’s materials can be broken down and/or combined into different
materials such as rocks, minerals, rock cycle, formation of soil, and
sand – some of which are usable resources for human activity
Second Grade
1. Physical
Science
1. Changes in speed or direction of motion are caused by forces such as
pushes and pulls.
2. Life Science 1. Organisms depend on their habitat’s nonliving parts to satisfy their
needs
2. Each plant or animal has different structures or behaviors that serve
different functions
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. Weather and the changing seasons impact the environment and
organisms such as humans, plants, and other animals
5/7/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 21
Standard Grade Level Expectation
First Grade
1. Physical
Science
1. Solids and liquids have unique properties that distinguish them
2. Life Science 1. Offspring have characteristics that are similar to but not exactly like
their parents’ characteristics
2. An organism is a living thing that has physical characteristics to help it
survive
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. Earth’s materials can be compared and classified based on their
properties
Kindergarten
1. Physical
Science
1. Objects can move in a variety of ways that can be described by speed
and direction
2. Objects can be sorted by physical properties, which can be observed
and measured
2. Life Science 1. Organisms can be described and sorted by their physical
characteristics
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. The sun provides heat and light to Earth
Preschool
1. Physical
Science
1. Objects have properties and characteristics
2. There are cause-and-effect relationships in everyday experiences
2. Life Science 1. Living things have characteristics and basic needs
2. Living things develop in predictable patterns
3. Earth Systems
Science
1. Earth’s materials have properties and characteristics that affect how
we use those materials
2. Events such as night, day, the movement of objects in the sky,
weather, and seasons have patterns
Academic Vocabulary
Standard 1: acceleration, accuracy, action-reaction, alloy, amplitude, anecdotal evidence, atom, bias,
boiling point, causation, chemical bond, chemical energy, chemical equation, chemical property, chemical
reaction, combustion, compound, conductivity, conservation of energy, conservation of matter, constant,
controlled experiment, correlation, covalent, cycle, data, decomposition (chemical reaction), density,
dependent variable, efficiency, electrical energy, electromagnetic wave, electron, element, energy,
energy transformation, error, evidence, experiment, explanation, falsifiable, fission, force, frequency,
fusion, gravitation, heat, hypothesis, independent variable, investigation, ionic, kinetic energy, law,
macroscopic, mass, matter, mechanical energy, melting point, metal, metalloid, methodology,
microscopic, mixture, molecule, motion, nanoscale, neutron, non-renewable energy, nuclear energy,
nuclear equation, nuclear reaction, optimum, pH, periodic table, physical property, plate tectonics, polar,
position, potential energy, product, proton, qualitative, quantitative, radiant energy, radioactive,
reactant, renewable energy, replacement (chemical reaction), research-based evidence, semiconductor,
skepticism, substance, super conductor, synthesis (chemical reaction), synthetic, system, testable
question, theory, thermal energy, uncertainty, velocity
Word Definition
Acceleration the rate of increase of speed
Accuracy the degree of agreement between a measured or computed value of a physical
quantity and the standard or accepted value for that quantity
Action-reaction accompanied by a reaction of equal magnitude but opposite direction
Alloy a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give
greater strength or resistance to corrosion
Amplitude in a wave, the maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation from the point of
equilibrium.
Anecdotal
evidence
short account of a particular incident or event that is not scientific or is hearsay
and therefore considered unreliable
Atom the smallest particle of a chemical element, consisting of a positively charged
nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons
Bias statistical sampling or testing error caused by systematically favoring some
outcomes over others
Boiling point the temperature at which a liquid boils at a fixed pressure, especially under
standard atmospheric conditions
Causation the act that produces an effect, where the effect is understood to be a
consequence of the act
Chemical bond any of several forces, especially the ionic bond, covalent bond, and metallic
bond, by which atoms or ions are bound in a molecule
Chemical energy a form of potential energy related to the structural arrangement of atoms or
molecules, which results from the chemical bonds and which can be transformed
to other forms of energy by a chemical reaction
Chemical equation a representation of a chemical reaction using symbols of the elements to indicate
the amount of substance of each reactant and product
Chemical property a property or behavior of a substance when it undergoes a chemical change or
reaction
Chemical reaction a process that involves rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a
substance, as opposed to a change in physical form or a nuclear reaction
Combustion reaction of a substance with oxygen in which energy is released
Compound a pure, macroscopically homogeneous substance consisting of atoms or ions of
two or more different elements in definite proportions that cannot be separated
by physical means. A compound usually has properties unlike those of its
constituent elements
Conductivity the ability or power to conduct or transmit heat, electricity, or sound
Conservation of
energy
a principle stating that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant
regardless of changes within the system
Conservation of
matter
a principle in classical physics stating that the total mass of an isolated system is
unchanged by interaction of its parts
Constant an experimental or theoretical condition, factor, or quantity that does not vary or
that is regarded as invariant in specified circumstances
Controlled
experiment
an experiment that isolates the effect of one variable on a system by holding
constant all variables but the one under observation
Correlation a measurable and predictable relationship
Covalent of, relating to, or denoting chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electrons
between atoms
Cycle a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order
Data factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for
reasoning, discussion, or calculation
Decomposition
(chemical
reaction)
the separation of a chemical compound into elements or simpler compounds
Density the mass of a substance per unit volume
Dependent
variable
the observed or measured variable in an experiment or study whose changes are
determined by the presence of one or more independent variables
Efficiency the ratio of the effective or useful output to the total input in any system
Electrical energy energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor
Electromagnetic
wave
wave of energy having a frequency within the electromagnetic spectrum and
propagated as a periodic disturbance of the electromagnetic field when an
electric charge oscillates or accelerates
Electron an elementary particle in all atoms that has a negative charge
Element substance composed of atoms having an identical number of protons in each
nucleus
Energy the capacity of a physical system to do work
Energy
transformation
to convert energy from one form to another
Error difference between a computed or measured value and a true or theoretically
correct value
Evidence information acquired through objective experience
Experiment a test under controlled conditions that is made to examine the validity of a
hypothesis or determine the efficacy of something previously untried
Explanation a statement based on scientific evidence and logical argument about causes and
effects or relationships between variables
Falsifiable the possibility that an assertion could be shown untrue
Fission a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus, especially a heavy nucleus such as
an isotope of uranium, splits into fragments, usually two fragments of
comparable mass, releasing from 100 million to several hundred million electron
volts of energy
Force an influence tending to change the motion of a body or produce motion or stress
in a stationary body; a push or a pull
Frequency the number of repetitions per unit time of a complete waveform
Fusion a nuclear reaction in which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the
simultaneous release of energy
Gravitation the force of attraction that bodies exert on one another as a result of their mass
Heat a form of energy associated with the motion of atoms or molecules and capable
of being
transmitted through solid and fluid media by conduction, through fluid media by
convection, and through empty space by radiation
Hypothesis a tentative explanation for an observation
Independent
variable
a manipulated variable in an experiment or study whose presence or degree
determines the change in the dependent variable
Investigation a detailed inquiry or systematic examination
Ionic formed by the electrostatic attraction of oppositely charged ions
Kinetic energy the energy possessed by an object because of its motion
Law a phenomenon of nature that has been shown to invariably occur whenever
certain conditions exist or are met
Macroscopic large enough to be perceived or examined by the unaided eye
Mass the quantity of matter which a body contains, as measured by its acceleration
under a given force or by the force exerted on it by a gravitational field
Matter physical substance or material in general; that which occupies space and
possesses mass
Mechanical energy energy of an object due to its motion or position
Melting point the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid at standard atmospheric
pressure
Metal a substance with high electrical conductivity, luster, and malleability, which
readily loses electrons to form positive ions (cations)
Metalloid an element with properties intermediate between those of a metal and nonmetal
Methodology means, technique, or procedure; method
Microscopic too small to be seen by the unaided eye but large enough to be studied under a
microscope
Mixture a composition of two or more substances that are not chemically combined with
each other and are capable of being separated
Molecule the simplest unit of a chemical compound that can exist, consisting of two or
more atoms held together by chemical bonds
Motion a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something
Nanoscale relating to or occurring on a scale of nanometers (10 -9 m)
Neutron a neutral elementary particle of about the same mass as a proton
Non-renewable
energy
of or relating to an energy source, such as oil or natural gas, or a natural
resource, such as a metallic ore, that is not replaceable after it has been used
Nuclear energy the energy released by a nuclear reaction
Nuclear equation notations are used to represent the decay of one element into another or the
fusion of atoms from different elements
Nuclear reaction a change in the identity or characteristics of an atomic nucleus that results when
it is bombarded with an energetic particle, as in fission, fusion, or radioactive
decay
Optimum the point at which the condition, degree, or amount of something is the most
favorable
pH p(otential of) H(ydrogen); a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution,
numerically equal to 7 for neutral solutions, increasing with increasing alkalinity
and decreasing with
Periodic table a table of the chemical elements arranged in order of atomic number, usually in
rows, so that elements with similar atomic structure (and hence similar chemical
properties) appear in vertical columns
Physical property a property of an element or compound that can be observed without a chemical
reaction of the substance
Plate tectonics a theory explaining the structure of the earth's crust and many associated
phenomena as resulting from the interaction of rigid lithospheric plates that
move slowly over the underlying mantle
Polar descriptor for a chemical compound whose molecules exhibit electrically positive
characteristics at one extremity and negative characteristics at the other
Position place or location
Potential energy stored energy; the ability of a system to do work due to its position or internal
structure. For example, gravitational potential energy is a stored energy
determined by an object's position in a gravitational field while elastic potential
energy is the energy stored in a spring
Product a substance resulting from a chemical reaction
Proton an elementary particle in all atoms that has a positive charge
Qualitative involving distinctions, descriptions, or comparisons based on qualities that can be
observed without measurement (e.g. color, shape, appearance)
Quantitative involving distinctions, descriptions, or comparisons that can be quantified or
measured
Radiant energy energy that is transmitted in the form of (electromagnetic) radiation
Radioactive emitting or relating to the emission of ionizing radiation or particles
Reactant a substance participating in a chemical reaction, especially a directly reacting
substance present at the initiation of the reaction
Renewable energy energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides,
and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished)
Replacement
(chemical
reaction)
chemical reactions in which one element is replaced by another (single
replacement), or where the positive ion of one compound is exchanged with the
positive ion of another compound (double replacement)
Research-based
evidence
data derived from sound scientific research methods. It is noted as research-
based to differentiate from anecdotal or circumstantial evidence
Semiconductor any of various solid crystalline substances, such as germanium or silicon, having
electrical conductivity greater than insulators but less than good conductors, and
used especially as a base material for computer chips and other electronic
devices
Skepticism a doctrine that suspends judgment until there is sufficient scientific evidence to
believe a claim
Substance a particular kind of matter with uniform properties
Super conductor an element or metallic alloy which, when cooled to near absolute zero, loses all
electrical resistance
Synthesis
(chemical
reaction)
formation of a compound from simpler compounds or elements
Synthetic prepared or made artificially
System a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a
complex whole
Testable question a question that can tested in a scientific investigation
Theory a set of statements or principles devised to explain a large set of data and has
been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted
Thermal energy the energy of the motion of the particles or the oscillations in a system; the total,
internal energy of a thermodynamic system or sample of matter that results in
the system's temperature
Uncertainty the estimated amount or percentage by which an observed or calculated value
may differ from the true value
Velocity a vector quantity whose magnitude is a body's speed and whose direction is the
body's direction of motion