Home » Using PASS » Curriculum » PASS Course List » Science » Integrated Science 1A
 

Integrated Science 1A
   

Course Description

The main purpose of this course is to expose the student to many different areas of study in science. It provides information and practice in the following areas of Integrated Science: cells, the basic building blocks of life, systems that produce a functioning organism, Newton’s Laws of Motion, weather, climate, the earth’s atmosphere and biomes. This Integrated Science course exposes students to concepts in Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science and Biology.

Credits: 5

DOE
State Standards

Course Content

Unit 1 - Powers of Ten

California Curriculum Standards

Students know atoms and molecules in liquids move in a random pattern. (Standard 2d; Chemistry)

Students know the kinetic theory of gases. (Chemistry 4g)

Students know large molecules (polymers), such as proteins, nucleic acids are formed from repetitive combinations of simple subunits. (Chemistry 10a)

Students know cells are enclosed within semi-permeable membranes. (Biology 2a)

Students know how prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells and viruses differ in complexity and general structure. (Biology 1c)

Students know the general structure of DNA. (Biology 5a)

Students know why an individual with a compromised immune system (AIDS) may be unable to fight off and survive infections by microorganisms that are usually benign. (Biology 10e)

Students know plate tectonics operate over geologic time and have changed the pattern of land, sea & mountains on the earth’s surface. (Earth Sciences 3)

Students know the solar system is located in an outer edge of a spiral galaxy. (Earth Science 1d)

Students know how the composition of the earth’s atmosphere has changed. (Earth Science 8b)

Investigate a societal based issue by researching the literature, analyzing data and communicating the findings. (Standard 1m; Investigation and Experimentation)

Select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships and display data.  (Investigation and Experimentation 1a)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • Explain what Powers of Ten means.
  • Explain how Prefixes can be used to simplify Powers of Ten communications.      
  • Identify the Spheres of the Earth.
  • Briefly explain the role of Ozone in the Earth’s Atmosphere.
  • Explain the process of Acid Rain Deposition.
  • Recognize the difference between Stars, Galaxies, Clusters and Novas.
  • Describe and identify the structure in Cells.
  • Identify the phases of Matter and Atomic Theory.
  • Explain and practice the Writing Process.

Unit 2 - What Are We Made Of?

California Curriculum Standards

Students know atoms and molecules in liquids move in a random pattern. (Chemistry 2d)

Students know the kinetic theory of gases. (Chemistry 4g)

Students know large molecules (polymers), such as proteins, nucleic acids are formed from repetitive combinations of simple subunits. (Chemistry 10a)

Students know cells are enclosed within semi-permeable membranes. (Biology 2a)

Students know how prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells and viruses differ in complexity and general structure. (Biology 1c)

Students know the general structure of DNA. (Biology 5a)

Students know why an individual with a compromised immune system (AIDS) may be unable to fight off and survive infections by microorganisms that are usually benign. (Biology 10e)

Students know plate tectonics operate over geologic time and have changed the pattern of land, sea & mountains on the earth’s surface. (Earth Sciences 3)

Students know the solar system is located in an outer edge of a spiral galaxy. (Earth Science 1d)

Students know how the composition of the earth’s atmosphere has changed. (Earth Science 8b)

Investigate a societal based issue by researching the literature, analyzing data and communicating the findings. (Investigation and Experimentation 1m)

Select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships and display data.  (Investigation and Experimentation 1a)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • Explain what Powers of Ten means.
  • Explain how Prefixes can be used to simplify Powers of Ten communications.      
  • Identify the Spheres of the Earth.
  • Briefly explain the role of Ozone in the Earth’s Atmosphere.
  • Explain the process of Acid Rain Deposition.
  • Recognize the difference between Stars, Galaxies, Clusters and Novas.
  • Describe and identify the structure in Cells.
  • Identify the phases of Matter and Atomic Theory.
  • Explain and practice the Writing Process.

Unit 3 - How Do We Work?

California Curriculum Standards

Students know heat flow and work are two forms of energy transfer between systems. (Physics 3a)

Students know applying a force to an object perpendicular to the direction of its motion causes the object to change direction but not speed. (Physics 1f)

Students know chemical bonds between atoms in molecules such as H2 , CH4 , NH3 , H2 CCH2 , N2 , Cl2 , and many large biological molecules are covalent. (Chemistry 2b)

Students know the observable properties of acids, bases and salt solutions. (Chemistry 5a)

Students know how the complementary activity of major body systems provides cells with oxygen and nutrients and removes toxic waste products such as carbon dioxide. (Biology 9a)

Students know how the nervous system mediates communication between different parts of the body and the body’s interactions with the environment. (Biology 9b)

Students know the functions of the nervous system and the role of neurons in transmitting electrochemical impulses. (Biology 9d)

Students know the roles of sensory neurons, interneurons and motor neurons in sensation, thought and response. (Biology 9e)

Investigate a societal based issue by researching the literature, analyzing data and communicating the findings. (Investigation and Experimentation 1m)

Select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships and display data.  (Investigation and Experimentation 1a)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • Explain how the skeletal and muscular systems support the movement and functioning of human bodies.
  • List the types of simple machines.
  • Explain how work is defined in terms of motion.
  • Identify the parts of the circulatory systems and how they function.
  • Briefly explain how the respiratory system gets oxygen to the cells.
  • Explain the process of digestion.
  • Recognize the difference between the central nervous systems and the autonomic nervous system.
  • Describe and identify the parts of the human brain.
  • Experiment with taste and tongue anatomy.

Unit 4 - Forces and Motion

California Curriculum Standards

Students know that when forces are balanced, no acceleration occurs; thus an object continues to move at a constant speed or stays at rest (Newton’s first law). (Physics 1b)

Students know how to apply the law F = ma to solve one-dimensional motion problems that involve constant forces (Newton’s second law). (Physics 1c)

Students know that when one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object always exerts a force of equal magnitude and in the opposite direction (Newton’s third law). (Physics 1d)

Students know the relationship between the universal law of gravitation and the effect of gravity on an object at the surface of Earth. (Physics 1e)

Students know circular motion requires the application of a constant force directed at toward the center of the circle. (Physics 1g)

Students know how to calculate momentum as the product mv . (Physics 2d)

Students know an unbalanced force on an object produces a change in its momentum. (Physics 1f)

Students know how the differences and similarities among the sun, the terrestrial planets and the gas planets may have been established during. (Earth Science 1a)

Students know the evidence indicating that the planets are much closer to Earth than the stars are. (Earth Science 1d)

Investigate a societal based issue by researching the literature, analyzing data and communicating the findings. (Investigation and Experimentation 1m)

Select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships and display data.  (Investigation and Experimentation 1a)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • Explain how Inertia (Newton’s first law) works.
  • List the types of forces acting on moving and nonmoving objects.
  • Explain how f=ma (Newton’s second law) applies to moving objects.
  • Identify the parts of an Action/Reaction system and how they relate.
  • Briefly explain how circular motion works.
  • Explain the process of planetary motion and formation.
  • Recognize the difference between Earth and outer space with respect to gravity.
  • Describe and identify the parts of a physics problem (ie. shooting a basketball).
  • Create an experimental car and passenger system to test seat belts and car crashes.

Unit 5 - How Is The Weather?

California Curriculum Standards

Students know how water, carbon and nitrogen cycle between abiotic resources and organic matter in the ecosystem and how oxygen cycles through photosynthesis and respiration. (Biology 6d)

Students know the relative amount of incoming solar energy compared with Earth’s internal energy and the energy used by society. (Earth Science 4a)

Students know the fate of incoming solar energy in terms of reflection, absorption and photosynthesis. (Earth Science 4b)

Students know the different atmospheric gases that absorb the Earth’s thermal radiation and the mechanism and significance of the greenhouse effect. (Earth Science 4c)

Students know how differential heating of Earth results in circulation patterns in the atmosphere and oceans that globally distribute the heat. (Earth Science 5a)

Students know the relationship between the rotation of Earth and the circular motions of ocean currents and air in pressure centers. (Earth Science 5b)

Students know rainforests and deserts on Earth are distributed in bands at specific latitudes. (Earth Science 5d)

Students know the interaction of wind patterns, ocean currents and mountain ranges result in the global pattern of latitudinal bands of rain forests and deserts. (Earth Science 5f)

Students know weather (in the short run) and climate (in the long run) involve the transfer of energy into and out of the atmosphere. (Earth Science 6a)

Students know how the effects on climate of latitude, elevation, topography and proximity to large bodies of water and cold or warm ocean currents. (Earth Science 6b)

Students know how Earth’s climate has changed over time, corresponding to changes in Earth’s geography, atmospheric composition and other factors, such as solar radiation and plate movement. (Earth Science 6c)

Students know the carbon cycle of photosynthesis and respiration and the nitrogen cycle. (Earth Science 7a)

Students know the thermal structure and chemical composition of the atmosphere. (Earth Science 8a)

Students know how the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere has evolved over geologic time and know the effect of outgassing, the variations of carbon dioxide concentration and the origin of atmospheric oxygen. (Earth Science 8b)

Students know the location of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, its role in absorbing ultraviolet radiation and the way in which this layer varies both naturally and in response to human activities.  (Earth Science 8c)

Investigate a societal based issue by researching the literature, analyzing data and communicating the findings. (Investigation and Experimentation 1m)

Select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships and display data.  (Investigation and Experimentation 1a)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • Explain how the composition of atmospheric gases have changed over time.
  • Describe the layers of the atmosphere.
  • Explain how the ionosphere /magnetosphere contribute to life on Earth.
  • Identify radiant energy and the possible outcomes as it travels to Earth.
  • List and describe the winds on the Earth’s surface and how they relate.
  • Briefly explain how tornado/hurricane forms and dissipates.
  • Explain the process of measuring relative humidity.
  • Recognize the information on meteorological weather maps and how it can predict future weather.