GRADE

CATEGORY

SUB-CATEGORY

STANDARD

EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.

In the It’s Deadly Serious activity, students use evidence to make predictions about the causes of a girl’s illness. They refine their predictions as they’re provided with additional information.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Understandings about Scientific Inquiry

Scientific explanations emphasize evidence, have logically consistent arguments, and use scientific principles, models, and theories. The scientific community accepts and uses such explanations until displaced by better scientific ones. When such displacement occurs, science advances.

In the It’s Deadly Serious activity, students refine their initial predictions as they are provided with additional evidence.

5–8

Physical Science

Properties and Changes in Properties in Matter

Substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form new substances (compounds) with different characteristic properties. In chemical reactions, the total mass is conserved. Substances often are placed in categories or groups if they react in similar ways; metals is an example of such a group.

The It’s Deadly Serious activity shows how mixing chemicals can cause a reaction that produces a substance with different characteristic properties, such as hazardous fumes.

5–8

Life Science

Structure and Function in Living Systems

Disease is a breakdown in structures or functions of an organism. Some diseases are the result of intrinsic failures of the system. Others are the result of damage by infection by other organisms.

The It’s Deadly Serious activity gives examples of how the toxic properties of some substances can cause respiratory system failure.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Personal Health

The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions. Injury prevention has personal and social dimensions.

The It’s Deadly Serious activity gives examples of hazards and shows why not heeding safety precautions can be deadly.

The Consumer Product Labels reading discusses the types of hazards certain products pose and how to make sense of these hazards by reading the product label.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Natural Hazards

Human activities also can induce hazards through resource acquisition, urban growth, land-use decisions, and waste disposal. Such activities can accelerate many natural changes.

The Consumer Product Labels reading gives batteries as an example of products that may pose environmental hazards after disposal.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).

The It’s Deadly Serious activity gives examples of chemical hazards from products around the home.

The Consumer Product Labels reading investigates the types of chemical hazards shown on product labels.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions of benefits and risks.

The It’s Deadly Serious activity makes students aware of the risks of chemical hazards and has them make predictions about why illness may follow exposure to some chemical substances.

The Consumer Product Labels reading provides a basis for students to make decisions involving chemical hazards.

GRADE

CATEGORY

SUB-CATEGORY

STANDARD

EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.

In the Scavenger Hunt…of Sorts activity, students gather information about where chemicals are stored around the home and create charts and maps to enter the data for analysis.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Personal Health

The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions. Injury prevention has personal and social dimensions.

In the Being a Critical Consumer activity, students investigate product label statements, MSDSs, and chemical hazards.

The Scavenger Hunt…of Sorts activity involves mapping out where hazardous materials are stored and encourages thinking about safety precautions.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Natural Hazards

Human activities also can induce hazards through resource acquisition, urban growth, land-use decisions, and waste disposal. Such activities can accelerate many natural changes.

The Being a Critical Consumer activity addresses labeling, storage, and disposal of chemicals.

The Scavenger Hunt…of Sorts activity addresses labeling, storage, and disposal of chemicals.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Risk analysis considers the type of hazard and estimates the number of people that might be exposed and the number likely to suffer consequences. The results are used to determine the options for reducing or eliminating risks.

The Scavenger Hunt…of Sorts activity encourages students to question whether they can lower or eliminate their risk by substituting hazardous products with less hazardous ones.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).

The Being a Critical Consumer activity investigates product labels, MSDSs, and risks associated with chemical hazards.

The Scavenger Hunt…of Sorts activity provides examples of everyday hobbies and activities that have chemical hazards and discusses hazards that have no safety precautions, such as working around animal waste.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions of benefits and risks.

The Being a Critical Consumer activity addresses the importance of reading labels on chemicals to properly assess risks.

The Scavenger Hunt…of Sorts activity encourages students to question whether they can lower or eliminate their risk by substituting hazardous products with less hazardous ones.

GRADE

CATEGORY

SUB-CATEGORY

STANDARD

EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Design and conduct a scientific investigation.

In the Accidental Ingestion activity, students investigate how chemicals can spread from their hands to food through a modeling experiment that substitutes household spices for chemical contaminants.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.

The Accidental Ingestion activity uses a modeling technique to illustrate and answer questions about how chemicals are transferred from unwashed hands to food.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.

In the Accidental Ingestion activity, students look at evidence and develop explanations.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions.

The Accidental Ingestion activity addresses not just direct contamination of food from hands but also indirect contamination of food, such as from utensils and cutting boards.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Understandings about Scientific Inquiry

Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing objects, organisms, or events; some involve collecting specimens; some involve experiments; some involve seeking more information; some involve discovery of new objects and phenomena; and some involve making models.

The Accidental Ingestion activity investigates how chemicals can spread from hands to food through a model that substitutes household spices for chemical contaminants. Using real hazardous chemicals in the experiment would be too risky.

5–8

Physical Science

Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter

A substance has characteristic properties, such as density, a boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of the amount of the sample. A mixture of substances often can be separated into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic properties.

In the How Chemicals Enter the Body reading, students learn how chemicals can enter the body through several routes, such as skin absorption, inhalation, and ingestion. The way a hazardous chemical enters the body depends on its characteristic properties.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Personal Health

The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions. Injury prevention has personal and social dimensions.

The How Chemicals Enter the Body reading discusses the need for protective equipment when working around chemical hazards.

The Accidental Ingestion activity illustrates how contaminants can end up in food if proper precautions, such as hand-washing, are not taken.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).

The How Chemicals Enter the Body reading discusses ways in which chemicals enter the body and the associated risks.

The Accidental Ingestion activity illustrates how contaminants can end up in food if proper precautions, such as hand-washing, are not taken.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions of benefits and risks.

The How Chemicals Enter the Body reading discusses the decision to protect one’s health by using personal protective equipment around hazardous chemicals.

The Accidental Ingestion activity illustrates how contaminants can end up in food if proper precautions, such as hand-washing, are not taken.

5–8

History and Nature of Science

Nature of Science

Scientists formulate and test their explanations of nature using observation, experiments, and theoretical and mathematical models. Although all scientific ideas are tentative and subject to change and improvement in principle, for most major ideas in science, there is much experimental and observational confirmation. Those ideas are not likely to change greatly in the future. Scientists do and have changed their ideas about nature when they encounter new experimental evidence that does not match their existing explanations.

The Accidental Ingestion activity investigates how chemicals can spread from hands to food through a modeling experiment that has students look at evidence and develop explanations. The activity addresses not just direct contamination of food from hands, but also indirect contamination of food, such as from utensils and cutting boards.

5–8

History and Nature of Science

Nature of science

It is part of scientific inquiry to evaluate the results of scientific investigations, experiments, observations, theoretical models, and the explanations proposed by other scientists. Evaluation includes reviewing the experimental procedures, examining the evidence, identifying faulty reasoning, pointing out statements that go beyond the evidence, and suggesting alternative explanations for the same observations. Although scientists may disagree about explanations of phenomena, about interpretations of data, or about the value of rival theories, they do agree that questioning, response to criticism, and open communication are integral to the process of science. As scientific knowledge evolves, major disagreements are eventually resolved through such interactions between scientists.

The Accidental Ingestion activity investigates how chemicals can spread from hands to food through a modeling experiment that has students look at evidence and develop explanations. The activity addresses not just direct contamination of food from hands, but also indirect contamination of food, such as from utensils and cutting boards.

GRADE

CATEGORY

SUB-CATEGORY

STANDARD

EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Design and conduct a scientific investigation.

In the Label, Test, Advertise activity, students investigate whether a homemade product works as well and is more cost effective than an alternate commercial product.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.

In the Build a Personal Action Plan activity, students utilize evidence they’ve acquired throughout the handbook to describe and explain chemical safety precautions as they pertain to one of their hobbies.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations.

In the Label, Test, Advertise activity, students use observational and computed data to provide explanations for their decisions.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry

Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.

In the Build a Personal Action Plan activity, students develop a personal safety action plan and communicate it to others through reports, pamphlets, and websites.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Understandings about Scientific Inquiry

Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry.

In the Label, Test, Advertise activity, students compute the cost differences between homemade and commercial products.

5–8

Science as Inquiry

Understandings about Scientific Inquiry

Scientific explanations emphasize evidence, have logically consistent arguments, and use scientific principles, models, and theories. The scientific community accepts and uses such explanations until displaced by better scientific ones. When such displacement occurs, science advances.

In the Label, Test, Advertise activity, students use observational and computed data to explain their decision of using one product over another.

5–8

Physical Science

Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter

Substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form new substances (compounds) with different characteristic properties. In chemical reactions, the total mass is conserved. Substances often are placed in categories or groups if they react in similar ways; metals is an example of such a group.

The Label, Test, Advertise activity involves mixing chemicals to produce a cleaning material with different characteristics than the original substances.

5–8

Science and Technology

Abilities of Technological Design

Evaluate completed technological designs or products: Students should use criteria relevant to the original purpose or need, consider a variety of factors that might affect acceptability and suitability for intended users or beneficiaries, and develop measures of quality with respect to such criteria and factors; they should also suggest improvements and, for their own products, try proposed modifications.

The Label, Test, Advertise activity investigates whether a homemade product works as well and is more cost effective than an alternate commercial product.

5–8

Science and Technology

Understandings about Science and Technology

Technological designs have constraints. Some constraints are unavoidable, for example, properties of materials, or effects of weather and friction; other constraints limit choices in the design, for example, environmental protection, human safety, and aesthetics.

The Label, Test, Advertise activity addresses issues of a homemade chemical product’s effectiveness, safety, and deterioration over time.

5–8

Science and Technology

Understandings about Science and Technology

Technological solutions have intended benefits and unintended consequences. Some consequences can be predicted, others cannot.

The Label, Test, Advertise activity addresses possible safety concerns of using homemade chemical products.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).

In the Build a Personal Action Plan activity, students create a safety plan to address risks and chemical hazards when engaging in particular hobbies or activities.

5–8

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Risks and Benefits

Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions of benefits and risks.

In the Build a Personal Action Plan activity, students communicate a safety plan to others, informing them of risks and chemical hazards inherent to particular hobbies or activities.

5–8

History and Nature of Science

Nature of Science

Scientists formulate and test their explanations of nature using observation, experiments, and theoretical and mathematical models. Although all scientific ideas are tentative and subject to change and improvement in principle, for most major ideas in science, there is much experimental and observational confirmation. Those ideas are not likely to change greatly in the future. Scientists do and have changed their ideas about nature when they encounter new experimental evidence that does not match their existing explanations.

The Label, Test, Advertise activity investigates whether a homemade product works as well and is more cost effective than an alternate commercial product. The activity requires students to gather and analyze data to evaluate one product’s effectiveness over another’s. Students use observational and computed data to provide explanations for their decisions.

5–8

History and Nature of Science

Nature of Science

It is part of scientific inquiry to evaluate the results of scientific investigations, experiments, observations, theoretical models, and the explanations proposed by other scientists. Evaluation includes reviewing the experimental procedures, examining the evidence, identifying faulty reasoning, pointing out statements that go beyond the evidence, and suggesting alternative explanations for the same observations. Although scientists may disagree about explanations of phenomena, about interpretations of data, or about the value of rival theories, they do agree that questioning, response to criticism, and open communication are integral to the process of science. As scientific knowledge evolves, major disagreements are eventually resolved through such interactions between scientists.

The Label, Test, Advertise activity investigates whether the a homemade product works as well and is more cost effective than an alternate commercial product. The activity requires students to gather and analyze data to evaluate one product’s effectiveness over another’s. Students use observational and computed data to provide explanations for their decisions.