Model expected behavior in the classroom.
Discuss school and classroom rules.
Review laboratory procedures and classroom rules.
Explain and show comprehension of science process skills and the scientific method.
Make use of the metric system and the scientific measurement.

September

Explain the relationship between motion and a frame of reference.
Relate speed to distance and time.
Distinguish between speed and velocity.
Solve problems related to time, distance, displacement, speed, and velocity.
Describe the concept of acceleration as a change in velocity.
Explain why circular motion is continuous acceleration even when the speed does not change.
Calculate acceleration as the rate at which velocity changes.
Graph acceleration on a velocity-time graph.
Explain the effects of unbalanced forces on the motion of objects.
Compare and contrast static and kinetic function.
Describe how friction may be either harmful or helpful.
Identify ways in which friction can be reduced or increased.
Identify the law that says that objects change their motion only when a net force is applied.
Relate the first law of motion to important applications such as seat belt safety issues.
Calculate force, mass, and acceleration by using Newton's second law.
Explain that when one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object exerts a force equal in size and opposite in direction on the first object.
Show that all forces come in pairs commonly called action-reaction pairs.
Recognize that all moving objects have momentum.

October

Define work and power.
Calculate the work done on an object and the rate at which work is done.
Use the concept of mechanical advantage to explain how machines make doing work easier.
Calculate the mechanical advantage of various machines.
Name and describe the six types of simple machines.
Discuss the mechanical advantage of different types of simple machines.
Recognize simple machines within compound machines.
Explain the relationship between energy and work.
Define potential energy and kinetic energy.
Calculate kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy.
Distinguish between mechanical and nonmechanical energy.
Identify and describe transformations of energy.
Explain the law of conservation of energy.
Discuss where energy goes when it seems to disappear.
Analyze the efficiency of machines.
Define temperature in terms of the average kinetic energy of atoms or molecules.
Convert temperature readings between the Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin scales.
Recognize heat as a form of energy transfer.
Investigate and demonstrate how energy is transferred by conduction, convection, and radiation.
Identify and distinguish between conductors and insulators.
Solve problems involving specific heat.
Describe the concepts of different heating and cooling systems.
Compare different heating and cooling systems in terms of their transfer of usable energy.
Explain how a heat engine uses heat energy uses heat energy to do work.

November

Recognize that waves transfer energy.
Distinguish between mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves.
Explain the relationship between particle vibration and wave motion.
Distinguish between transverse waves and longitudinal waves.
Identify the crest, trough, amplitude, and wavelength of a wave.
Define the terms frequency and period.
Solve problems involving wave speed, frequency, and wavelength.
Describe the Doppler effect
Describe how waves behave when they meet an obstacle or pass into another medium.
Explain what happens when two waves interfere.
Distinguish between constructive and destructive interference.
Explain how standing waves are formed.
Recognize what factors affect the speed of sound.
Relate loudness and pitch to properties of sound waves.
Explain how harmonics and resonance affect the sound from musical instruments.
Describe the function of the ear.
Explain how sonar and ultrasound imaging work.
Recognize that light has both wave and particle characteristics.
Relate the energy of light to the frequency of electromagnetic waves.
Describe different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Explain how electromagnetic waves are used in communication, medicine, and other areas.
Describe how light reflects off smooth and rough surfaces.
Explain the law of reflection.
Show how mirrors form real and virtual images.
Explain why objects appear to be different colors.
Describe how colors may be added or subtracted.
Describe how light is refracted as it passes between mediums.
Explain how fiber optic use total internal reflection.
Explain how converging and diverging lenses work.
Describe the function of the eye.
Describe how prisms disperse light and how rainbows form.

December

Indicate which pairs of charges will repel and which will attract.
Explain what factors affect the strength of the electric force.
Describe the characteristics of the electric field due to a charge.
Describe how batteries are sources of voltage.
Explain how a potential difference produces a current in a conductor.
Define resistance.
Calculate the resistance, current, or voltage, given the other two quantities.
Distinguish between conductors, superconductors, semi-conductors, and insulators.
Use schematic diagrams to represent circuits.
Distinguish between series and parallel circuits.
Calculate electric power using voltage and current.
Explain how fuses and circuit breakers are used to prevent circuit overload.
Recognize that like magnetic poles repel and unlike poles attract.
Describe the magnetic field around a permanent magnet.
Explain how compasses work.
Describe the orientation of Earth's magnetic field.
Describe how magnetism is produced by electric currents.
Interpret the magnetic field of a solenoid and of an electromagnet.
Explain the magnetic properties of a material in terms of magnetic domains.
Explain how galvanometers and electric motors work.
Describe the conditions required for electromagnetic induction.
Apply the concept of electromagnetic induction to generators.
Explain how transformers increase or decrease voltage across power lines.

January

Explain the relationship between matter, atoms, and elements.
Distinguish between elements and compounds.
Describe molecules and explain how they are formed.
Interpret and write some common chemical formulas.
Categorize materials as pure substances or mixtures.
Distinguish between the physical and chemical properties of matter and give examples of each.
Perform calculations involving density.
Explain how materials are suited for different uses based on their physical and chemical properties and give examples.
Describe characteristic properties of matter and give examples.
Explain physical change and give examples of physical changes.
Explain chemical change and give examples of chemical changes.
Compare and contrast physical and chemical changes.
Describe how to detect whether a chemical change has occurred.
Summarize the main points of the kinetic theory of matter.
Describe how temperature relates to kinetic energy.
Describe four common states of matter.
List the different changes of state and describe how particles behave in each state.
State the laws of conservation of mass and conservation of energy and explain how they apply to changes in state.
Describe the buoyant force and explain how it keeps objects afloat.
Define Archimedes' principle.
Explain the role of  density in an object's ability to float.
State and apply Pascal's principle.
State and apply Bernoulli's principle.
Explain how gases differ from solids and liquids.
State and explain the following gas laws:  Boyle's law, Charles's law, and Gay-Lussac's law.
Describe the relationship between gas pressure, temperature, and volume.

February

Explain Dalton's atomic theory and describe why it was more successful than Democritus's theory.
State the charge, mass, and location of each part of an atom according to the modern model of the atom.
Compare and contrast Bohr's model with the modern model of the atom.
Relate the organization of the periodic table to the arrangement of electrons within an atom.
Explain why some atoms gain or lose electrons to form ions.
Determine how many protons, neutrons, and electrons an atom has, given its symbol, atomic number, and mass number.
Describe how the abundance of isotopes affects an element's average atomic mass.
Locate alkali metals, alkaline-earth metals, and transition metals in the periodic table.
Locate semiconductors, halogens, and noble gases in the periodic table.
Relate an element's chemical properties to the electron arrangement of its atoms.
Explain the relationship between a mole of a substance and Avogadro's constant.
Find the molar mass of an element by using the periodic table.
Solve problems converting the amount of an element in moles to its mass in grams, and vice versa.
Distinguish between compounds and mixtures.
Relate the chemical formula of a compound to the relative numbers of atoms or ions present in the compound.
Use models to visualize a compound's chemical structure.
Describe how the chemical structure of a compound affects its properties.
Explain why atoms sometimes join to form bonds.
Explain why some atoms transfer their valence electrons to form ionic bonds, while other atoms share valence electrons to form covalent bonds.
Differentiate between ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds.
Compare the properties of substances with different types of bonds.
Name simple ionic and covalent compounds.
Predict the charge of a transition metal cation in an ionic compound.
Write chemical formulas for simple ionic compounds.
Distinguish a covalent compound's empirical formula from its molecular formula.
Describe how carbon atoms bond covalently to form organic compounds.
Identify the names and structures of groups of simple organic compounds and polymers.
Identify what makes up the polymers that are essential to life.

March

Recognize some signs that a chemical reaction may be taking place.
Explain chemical changes in terms of the structure and motion of atoms and molecules.
Describe the differences between endothermic and exothermic reactions.
Identify situations involving chemical energy.
Distinguish among five general types of chemical reactions.
Predict the products of some reactions based on the reaction type.
Describe reactions that transfer or share electrons between molecules, atoms, or ions.
Demonstrate how to balance chemical equations.
Interpret chemical equations to determine the relative number of moles of reactants needed and moles of products formed.
Explain how the law of definite proportions allows for predictions about reaction amounts.
Identify mole ratios in a balanced chemical equation.
Calculate the relative masses of reactants and products from a chemical equation.
Describe the factors affecting reaction rates.
Explain the effect a catalyst has on a chemical reaction.
Explain chemical equilibrium in terms of equal forward and reverse reaction rates.
Apply Le Chatelier's principle to predict the effect of changes in concentration, temperature, and pressure in an equilibrium process.
Distinguish between heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures.
Compare the properties of suspensions, colloids, and solutions.
Give examples of solutions that contain solids or gases.
Explain how the polarity of water enables it to dissolve many different substances.
Relate the ability of a solvent to dissolve a solute to the relative strengths of forces between molecules.
Describe three ways to increase the rate at which a solute dissolves in a solvent.
Explain how a solute affects the freezing point and boiling point of a solution.
Explain the meaning of solubility and compare the solubilities of various substances.
Describe dilute, concentrated, saturated, unsaturated, and supersaturated solutions.
Relate changes in temperature and pressure to changes in solubility of solid and gaseous solutes.
Express the concentration of a solution as molarity and calculate the molarity of a solution given the amount of solute and the volume of the solution.

April

Describe the ionization of strong acids in water and the dissociation of strong bases in water.
Distinguish between solutions of weak acids or bases and solutions of strong acids or bases.
Relate pH to the concentration of hydronium ions and hydroxide ions in a solution.
Write ionic equations for neutralization reactions.
Identify the products of a neutralization reaction.
Describe the composition of a salt.
Describe the chemical structures of soaps and detergents and explain how they work.
Describe the chemical composition of bleach and its uses.
Describe how an antacid reduces stomach acid.
Identify acidic and basic household products and their uses.
Identify four types of nuclear radiation and their properties.
Balance equations for nuclear decay.
Calculate the half-life of a radioactive isotope.
Describe how the strong nuclear force affects the composition of a nucleus.
Distinguish between fusion and fission and provide examples of each.
Recognize the equivalence of mass and energy and why small losses in mass release large amounts of energy.
Explain what a chain reaction is, how one is initiated, and how it can be controlled.
Describe sources of nuclear radiation, including where it exists as background radiation.
List and explain three beneficial uses and three possible risks of nuclear radiation.
Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy as a power source.

May

Recognize Earth as one of many planets that orbit the sun.
Explain how gravity works within the solar system.
Describe eclipses and phases of the moon.
List two characteristics of the moon and show how the moon affects Earth's tides.
Identify the planets of the solar system and their features.
Distinguish between the inner and outer planets and their relative distances from the sun.
State two characteristics that allow Earth to sustain life.
Describe two characteristics of a gas giant.
Contrast ancient models of the solar system with the current model.
Estimate the age of our solar system.
Summarize two points of the nebular model and describe how it can explain astronomical observations.
Explain how scientists think the moon was formed.
Describe the basic structure and properties of stars.
Explain how the surface temperature of a star is measured.
Recognize that all normal stars are powered by fusion reactions that form elements.
Identify the stages in the evolution of stars.
Define galaxy and identify Earth's home galaxy.
Describe two characteristics of a small galaxy.
Distinguish between the three types of galaxies.
Describe two aspects of a quasar and identify the tools scientists use to study quasars.
Describe the basic structure of the universe.
Describe red shift and explain what it tells scientists about our universe.
State the main features of the big bang theory and explain the evidence supporting the expansion of the universe.
Explain how scientists are using tools and models to hypothesize what may happen to the universe in the future.