6th Grade Science. Montana Content Standards Montana Content Standards

Montana Content Standards for Sixth Grade Science

Studying and exploring spaceEdwin Powell Hubble (1889-1953) was an American astronomer who, in 1923, showed that the universe is expanding. He used photographs to prove that there are galaxies beyond our own. Prior to this, scientists believed that our galaxy was the entire universe. In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope (clearly named in honor of the great 20th century astronomer) was launched by NASA and has provided some of the most spectacular images of the universe ever seen. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 4

Earth's energy resourcesRenewable resources are resources that can be replenished in a reasonable amount of time. Nonrenewable resources are resources that, once consumed, cannot be replaced. Because oil, natural gas, and coal are the products of plants and organisms, they are known as fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are ultimately a limited resource, it is important to develop and use renewable energy resources. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1

Earth's Fresh WaterFresh water moves over the surface by an interconnected system of streams and rivers. Small streams that feed water into larger rivers are called tributaries. Rivers are closely interconnected and flow from higher to lower elevations where the water collects in larger and larger rivers until it ultimately flows into the oceans. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2

Groundwater ResourcesGroundwater is fresh water stored in regolith and bedrock. Even though solid rock like granite or marble has no pores, it often has a series of cracks and possibly faults. Water accumulates in the cracks in solid bedrock and, at times, is a source of water. A layer of rock material that can store water and allow the movement of water through the ground is called an aquifer. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2

Introduction to earth scienceThe field of Geology includes a number of specialized disciplines including: Mineralogy - the study of minerals, Paleontology - the study of fossils, Petrology - the study of rocks, Geophysics - the study of the physics of the Earth and its atmosphere, Meteorology - the study of weather and weather prediction, Seismology - the study of earthquakes, and Volcanology - the study of volcanoes. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2

Maps as models of the earth/Contour modelsGeologists use a variety of different types of maps to model or depict the three-dimensional Earth on a two-dimensional surface. Each type of map serves a purpose because each type has its special strengths: Topographic Maps, Mercator Projections, Conic Projections, Azimuthal Projections. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 5

Plate TectonicsThe Earth's layers: crust, mantle, core. Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large-scale motion of plates of the Earth's crust over hot mantle rock. Plate tectonics are active on Earth since the very beginning. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Vocabulary Sets: 4

RocksThere are three major groupings of rocks: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. Igneous rocks form when liquid rock cools and hardens. Sedimentary rocks: Clastic, Chemical, Biochemical or organic. Metamorphic rocks: foliated and non-foliated (or massive). Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 3

Earth's AtmosphereFreeThe Earth is unique in our solar system because it has an atmosphere that can support life. By comparison, Venus has an atmosphere that is high in ammonia and other caustic gases; it is so dense that it would crush a human. On the other hand, Mars has no atmosphere at all. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 7

Weather patternsAir masses are extensive bodies of air that have similar temperatures and water content throughout. The boundary or line delineating different air masses is the weather front. A small weather system that has intense energy that creates heavy rains, high winds, and lightning is called a thunderstorm. A hurricane is an extremely large, tropical, rotating weather system that has sustained winds of at least 119 km/hr. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 4

Moving and Controlling the BodyTissues are collections of cells of different types that interact to support the function of the tissues, organs and overall organ system. The brain and spinal cord communicate with all other parts of the body through the nerves that make up the peripheral nervous system. Sensory neurons carry impulses toward the brains and spinal cord. Motor neurons carry impulses away from the brain and interneurons carry impulses within the brain and spinal cord. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Vocabulary Sets: 3

Protection, Reproduction and CooperationThe human body protects itself with non-specific defense systems that react naturally and automatically to invading organisms. Your skin, with its layers of protective tissue, is a very strong, watertight barrier to environmental pathogens. What is an Antigen? A antigen is a molecule that immune system can recognize as either part of the body or as foreign to the body. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Vocabulary Sets: 3

Providing Fuel and TransportationFood is stored and processed in your stomach, so that your body can gain access to the nutrients in the food. Your body relies on what you eat and drink to maintain healthy tissues and to generate the energy. There are six categories of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Vocabulary Sets: 3

Birds and MammalsA bird is an endothermic vertebrate that lays eggs, has feathers, and has a four- chambered heart. A mammal is an endothermic vertebrate that has skin covered with fur or hair, a four-chambered heart, a wide arrangement of teeth, and young that are born alive and feed by milk that was produced by the mother’s body. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 5

Fishes, Amphibians, and ReptilesFish reproduce using external fertilization. External fertilization is when the female’s eggs are meeting with the male’s sperm outside of the female’s body. Three major groups are the jawless fish, cartilaginous fish, and bony fish. An amphibian is a vertebrate that is ectothermic. Most amphibians live the beginning of their lives in the water. A reptile is a vertebrate that is ectothermic and has scaly skin and a pair of lungs. Lizards, snakes, turtles, tortoises, and crocodiles are all examples of reptiles. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 5

Introduction to AnimalsScientists have discovered about 1.2 million different species of animals on our planet. Planet Earth is home to 8.7 million species, scientists estimate. Animals have adapted to feed on different types of food. There are animals that eat only animals (carnivores), animals that eat only plants (herbivores), and animals that eat both plants and animals (omnivores). Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 4

Mollusks, Arthropods and EchinodermsFreeA molusk is an invertibrate that has an un-segmented, soft body that is almost always protected by outer shells. Snails, octopuses, clams, and oysters are all species of mollusks. Arthropods are invertebrates with external skeletons, segmented bodies, and appendages. Appendages are structures that are jointed and attached to the body. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 7

Sponges, Cnidarians and WormsUntil recently, people thought that sponges were plants. The fact that they take in food puts them into the animal kingdom. When they are adults, they do not move. They attach themselves to a hard surface where they live out their lives. The structure of a sponge is very basic with some specialized tissue, but lacking organs and organ systems. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 4

Cell TransportActive and Passive Cell transport. There are three main types of passive transport - Diffusion, Osmosis and Facilitated Diffusion. There are two types of active transport - Primary (direct) and Secondary (indirect). Read more...iWorksheets: 2Vocabulary Sets: 2

Cells: The Basic Units of LifeThe cell is the basic building blocks of all living organisms. There are many structures within the cell. The structures within the cell are known as organelles, which are all of the structures within the cell that carry out specific functions. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 5

Diversity of lifeThere are many characteristics that scientists use to determine if something is alive. The characteristics are very specific and are applicable to all of the different species that exist on our planet. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 4

Six Kingdoms of LifeThe six Kingdoms are: Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Fungi, Protists, Plants and Animals. Fungi include mushrooms, molds, and yeasts. Protists include some algae, paramecium, and amoeba. Eubacteria are single-celled organisms that don’t have a nucleus. Animals are divided into vertebrates and invertebrates and include mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and fish. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Vocabulary Sets: 3

Plant ProcessesPhotosynthesis is a process powered by sunlight that uses carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen and food. The process requires six molecules of water and six molecules of carbon dioxide. These molecules undergo chemical changes and oxygen and sugars like glucose are produced. The oxygen is let go through the stomata and the sugars are used to power cell functions. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2

Plant reproductionAn angiosperm is a plant that produces seeds within a fruit. Reproduction begins when the pollen from the anther is in contact with the stigma. Eventually the egg will be fertilized in the ovule that is in the ovary and turn from a zygote to an embryo inside the seed. The life cycle of angiosperms among the different species is very similar: Pollination, fertilization, and the development of fruit. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1

Genetics - Study of HeredityHeredity is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring, either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic information of their parents. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 9

ElectricityCharged Particles. Electric charges are either positive (+) or negative (-). The protons in an atom have a positive charge and the electrons around the atom have a negative charge. If two particles have similar charges, they repel each other, but, if they have opposite charges, they attract each other. This explains why an atom holds together. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2

ElectromagnetismThe production of a magnetic field around an electrical current is called electromagnetism. The placement of an electric current in a preexisting magnetic field can cause motion. When this happens, electrical energy is transformed into mechanical energy. The use of electrical energy to produce mechanical energy is the principle behind the workings of an electric motor. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2

MagnetismA magnet is any substance that attracts the element iron or anything with iron in it. All magnets have opposite ends or poles. These are referred to as the north and south poles. In addition, because of polarity, all magnets will point toward the magnetic north pole of the earth. While the greatest magnetic force is at the poles, there is some degree of magnetism all around a magnet. This is called the magnetic field. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1

Introduction to matterMatter is anything that takes up space and has mass. Some of its properties are physical and would include such things as color, volume and weight. Other properties are chemical and deal with how matter chemically reacts with other materials. Matter can undergo both physical and chemical changes. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2

Solids, liquids and gasesMatter exists in three different states or phases: solid, liquids and gases or vapors. A solid has a definite shape and volume, A liquid has a definite volume but no definite shape and A gas has neither a definite volume nor shape. Gases or vapors are influenced by three factors: temperature, volume and pressure. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2

Our impact on earthAny waste substance that is added to a natural system in amounts greater than that natural system can break it down or eliminate it is called pollution. The waste substance itself is the pollutant. A natural resource that can be replenished is called a renewable resource. In most cases, water is a renewable resource. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1

Work, Power & Simple Machines. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Vocabulary Sets: 2

MT.6-8.PS. PHYSICAL SCIENCE content standards for sixth through eighth grades are that each student will:

6-8.PS.2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred

Science Worksheets: Chemical and physical changes of matterA chemical change is a change in which one kind of substance is changed into a different kind of substance. Chemical changes produce substances that were not there when you started. You can’t reverse or undo a chemical change. The substance or object involved in physical change is the same before and after the change (unlike a chemical change). The change is not permanent and can be undone. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1

6-8.PS.8. Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object's motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object

Newton's Laws of motionWhat is motion? Motion is the process of an object changing its place or its position. Motion is not speed. Speed is the rate an object changes position. Newton's law of motion. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2

6-8.PS.10. Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the mass of interacting objects

6-8.PS.11. Design and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact

6-8.PS.12. Construct and interpret graphic displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object

6-8.PS.14. Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer

Properties of matter and EnergyWhat is matter? Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. Kinetic energy is energy that is happening now; it is energy in motion. Potential energy is energy that is waiting to happen; it is stored energy. How does heat get transferred: By conduction, by convection and by radiation. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2

6-8.PS.15. Plan an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by the temperature of the sample

Science worksheets: Solids, liquids and gases.Solid, liquid, and gas are all states of matter. The molecules in solids are tightly packed together. The molecules in liquids are not as close as those in solids; they have a little more room to move around. The molecules in gases are far apart. Gases can fill any size room or any size container. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1

6-8.PS.16. Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object

6-8.PS.18. Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials

Sound and light energySound is a type of energy that travels in waves which are caused by vibrations. Characteristics of Sound. Vibrations: movements made rapidly back and forth. Sound Waves: an invisible transfer of sound energy as it travels away from the energy source. Wavelength: the distance between a point on one sound wave and a similar point on another sound wave. Frequency: The number of vibrations in a period of time is called the frequency of a vibration. Volume: The loudness or quietness of a sound is its volume. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2

MT.6-8.LS. LIFE SCIENCE content standards for sixth through eighth grades are that each student will:

6-8.LS.1. Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells, either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells

The 6-Kingdoms of lifeScientists classify plants and animals according to the structures and characteristics of each organism. They compare and contrast organisms, and those with similar structures and characteristics are grouped together. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :4

6-8.LS.2. Develop and use a model to describe the structure and function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function

Cells, tissues and organsFreeCells need ENERGY to do all this work. Cellular respiration is the process where cells turn food into usable energy. When similar cells group together and work together for the same purpose, they form tissues. For example, skin tissues protect our bodies from dirt and germs getting inside our bodies. Nerve tissue helps us feel things, such as if something is hot or cold. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :6

6-8.LS.3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells

Animal Diversity and AdaptationsFreeHere are some examples of the systems that animals and humans have in common: Integumentary system, Muscular system, Endocrine system, Nervous system, Circulatory system, Respiratory system, Digestive system, Excretory System, Reproductive system, Immune system, Skeletal System. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :5

6-8.LS.4. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms

Roots, Stems and LeavesPlants have two different root systems: a Taproot and a Fibrous Root system. Leaves of a plant are made of plant organs and tissues. The top layer of leaf, which protects the leaf, is called its epidermis. Leaves have tiny openings underneath them called the stomata which let air and water in and out of the leaf. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :3

6-8.LS.5. Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth, release energy, or both, as this matter moves through an organism

Energy and ecosystemsAn ecosystem includes all the living and non-living things in an area. This includes populations and communities of many different animals. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :3

6-8.LS.7. Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem

Interactions among living thingsAn important and essential interaction among living things involves the flow of energy within an environment. All living organisms need energy to survive! Energy moves through an environment through food chains and food webs. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :3

Cycles of life and BiomesThe Nitrogen Cycle Process: Nitrogen is taken in by plants through their roots, animals eat plants, and the nitrogen is passed along the food chain to animals. Herbivores get nitrogen by eating plants. Carnivores get nitrogen by eating herbivores. Nitrogen is returned to the soil when an organism dies – decomposers break down the dead organisms and change the nitrogen compounds in the dead organism’s body into the kind plants can use. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2

6-8.LS.8. Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems

MT.6-8.ESS. EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE content standards for sixth through eighth grades are that students will:

6-8.ESS.2. Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system

The solar systemAll planets in our solar system rotate and they all revolve around the Sun. Inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth. Outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Comets are made of ice and rock. They have four parts: a nucleus which is the solid portion of the comet and is made of dust and ice, a coma which is a cloud of dust and evaporated gases, an ion tail and a dust tail. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :3

6-8.ESS.3. Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system

6-8.ESS.5. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time scales and spatial scales

Minerals of Earth's crustMinerals are solid elements formed naturally in the Earth’s surface. Every mineral has a unique chemical composition – a mix of the chemicals that formed it. Rocks are made up of minerals, sometimes more than one kind of mineral! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2

6-8.ESS.6. Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions

6-8.ESS.7. Develop a model to describe the cycling of earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process

Earth's freshwater and atmospherePlanet Earth (the planet on which we happen to live) spins on an imaginary line called an axis. One spin around on its axis is called a revolution. As the earth rotates, the areas facing the Sun slowly change, and that means the time of day and the temperatures change.The sun is the main energy supply for the water cycle. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :4

6-8.ESS.8. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity

6-8.ESS.10. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses result in changes in weather conditions

Weather, Weather patterns and climateHow do clouds form? Main types of clouds. Precipitation. Air Pressure. What are the Four Most Influential Air Masses that Affect the Weather in North America? What is needed for a thunderstorm to occur? Thunderstorm key ingredients: Moisture, Instability and Uplift. What is a hurricane? What is a tornado? What is climate? Climate Zones: Polar zone, Temperate zone, Tropical zone. The location of the zone determines its climate. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :5

6-8.ESS.11. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates

Earth's oceansOceans are a natural resource for salt and the fish and other sea animals we eat. Ocean Currents. Ocean Tides, Trenches, Mid-Ocean Ridges, Seamounts, The Flat Abyssal Plains, The Continental Shelf. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2

6-8.ESS.12. Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century

6-8.ESS.15. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems including indigenous populations

Energy resourcesA renewable resource is a resource that can be naturally restored or at least replenished as it is needed: The power of WIND, the power of WATER, the power of the SUN, Geothermal energy (heat from the earth), the Energy of TRASH. Fossil fuels - Crude Oil, Coal, Natural Gas - are nonrenewable resources. These types of resources take much longer to replace than most societies can wait. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2

MT.RST.6-8. Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

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).

The nature of scienceScience process skills include observing, classifying, estimating, measuring, inferring, predicting, creating graphs, and developing models. Identify Dependent and Controlled Variables: A dependent variable is the variable that is being observed during an experiment. A control variable is the part of an experiment that you do not make any changes to which you can use to compare the other parts of your experiment to. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1

MT.WHST.6-8. Writing Standards for Literacy in Science, and Technical Subjects

Text Types and Purposes

WHST.6-8.1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

WHST.6-8.1.e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

WHST.6-8.2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

WHST.6-8.2.d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

WHST.6-8.2.f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.

Production and Distribution of Writing

WHST.6-8.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Standards

NewPath Learning resources are fully aligned to US Education Standards. Select a standard below to view correlations to your selected resource:

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Montana Content Standards 6th Grade Science Activities