Ms.

Wissert
6th Grade Pacing Calendar
Unit: The Scientific Method September

Unit Overview

This unit on the Scientific Method provides opportunities to assess students learning before,
during, and after the different learning activities. The students will learn the different steps of the
scientific method, will practice what they learned through class work and homework, and will
finally demonstrate their understanding by conducting a lab in which they use all aspects of the
scientific method.
Essential Questions
-How can the scientific method be useful in my own life?
-What are the different steps of the scientific method and how do they work together?
-How do the different variables (manipulated, responding, control) relate to one another and how
does a change in one variable effect the other variables?
-How do scientists use quantitative, qualitative, experimental and non-experimental methods of
scientific inquiry to understand Earth?
-How do observations made while testing proposed explanations provide new insights into
natural phenomena?

Differentiated Text and Materials

Graphic Organizers
The SIOP model
language
Modeling
Analysis of content vocabulary
(suffixes and prefixes)

* Constructing models
* Providing students with materials in another
*Providing students with extra visuals
* Google Translate

Topic

Time
Frame

The
12 days
Scientifi
c Method

Major
Understandings
-M1.1a identify
independent and
dependent
variables
-M1.1b identify
relationships among
variables including:
direct, indirect,
cyclic, constant;
identify non-related
material
-M1.1c apply
mathematical
equations to describe
relationships among
variables in the
natural world.
-M2.1Use inductive
reasoning to
construct, evaluate,
and validate
conjectures and
arguments,
recognizing that
patterns and
relationships can
assist in explaining
and extending
mathematical
phenomena.
-M2.1a interpolate
and extrapolate
from data
-M2.1b quantify
patterns and trends
-M3.1Apply
mathematical
knowledge
to solve real-world

Common
Assessments/Writing
Core
Standards
ELA/MATH
words and
1) Steps to the
phrases as
Scientific
they are used
Method
in
Worksheet
2) Building
a specific
Background
scientific or
writing
technical
activity
context
3)
Writing a
relevant to
conclusion
grades 6-8
activity
text
4)
Lab Reports
and topics.
RST.6- 8.7
Integrate
quantitative
or technical
information
expressed in
words in a
text with a
version of that
information
expressed
visually (e.g.,
in a
flowchart,
diagram,
model, graph,
or table).
(MS-LS3- 1),
(MS-LS3- 2)
SL.8.5
Include
multimedia
components
and visual
displays in
presentations
to clarify

problems and
problems that arise
from the
investigation of
mathematical ideas,
using representations
such as pictures,
charts, and tables.
-M3.1a use
appropriate scientific
tools
to solve problems
about the natural
world
-S1.1 Formulate
questions
independently with
the aid of
references
appropriate for
guiding the
search for
explanations of
everyday
observations.
S1.1a formulate
questions about
natural phenomena
S1.1b identify
appropriate
references
to investigate a
question
S1.1c refine and
clarify questions so
that they are subject
to scientific
investigation
S1.2 Construct
explanations
independently for
natural phenomena,

claims and
findings and
emphasize
salient points.
Math
MP.4
Model with
mathematics.
(MS-LS32)6.SP.B.5
Summarize
numerical
data sets in
relation to
their context.
(MS-LS3- 2)

especially by
proposing
preliminary
visual models of
phenomena
-S1.2a independently
formulate a
hypothesis
-S1.2b propose a
model of a natural
phenomenon
-S1.2c differentiate
among
observations,
inferences,
predictions,
and explanations
-S1.3 Represent,
present, and defend
their proposed
explanations of
everyday
observations so that
they canbe
understood and
assessed by others.
-S1.4 Seek to clarify,
to assess
critically, and to
reconcile with their
own thinking the
ideas presented by
others, including
peers, teachers,
.