Our Curriculum › Science › 6th Grade
Science 6
A year of 6th-grade life science: cells, the body's systems, ecosystems and how they change, plus engineering design and several hands-on investigations. The second half leans heavily on review and reflection.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
10 units
Each opens to its lessons
3 fair-test investigations
Soil, decomposition and paper airplanes
Standards
NGSS middle school science
What's taught, unit by unit
Cells, energy & body systemsDays 1–20
Single-celled and many-celled life, cell parts, plant vs. animal cells, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, then the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, excretory, muscular and nervous systems and how they cooperate.
- 1 · Welcome to Science 6: Cells, the Building Blocks of Life
- 2 · Unicellular vs. Multicellular Organisms
- 3 · Basic Cell Parts
- 4 · Plant Cells vs. Animal Cells
- 6 · Photosynthesis: How Plants Make Food
- 7 · Cellular Respiration: Releasing Energy
- 8 · Comparing Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
- 9 · Matter and Energy Input-Output in Cells
- 11 · The Body as a System: Introduction
- 12 · The Digestive System
- 13 · The Respiratory System
- 14 · The Circulatory System
- 16 · The Excretory System
- 17 · The Muscular System
- 18 · The Nervous System
- 19 · How Body Systems Work Together
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
EcosystemsDays 21–30
Living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem, producers, consumers and decomposers, trophic levels, food webs, how matter cycles and energy flows, biodiversity, and how ecosystems recover from disruption.
- 21 · Introduction to Ecosystems
- 22 · Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers
- 23 · Trophic Levels: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Consumers
- 24 · Food Webs: Interconnected Food Chains
- 26 · Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
- 27 · Flow of Energy in Ecosystems
- 28 · Biodiversity
- 29 · Ecosystem Resilience and Disruption
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Engineering designDays 31–40
The design process from start to finish: defining a problem, comparing possible solutions, building and testing a prototype, analyzing the data, improving the design, and presenting the results. Includes a look at engineering careers.
- 31 · Introduction to Engineering Design
- 32 · Defining a Design Problem
- 33 · Systematically Evaluating Design Solutions
- 34 · Building and Testing a Prototype
- 36 · Analyzing Test Data to Optimize a Design
- 37 · Iterative Testing: Round 2
- 38 · Engineering in Careers
- 39 · Presenting Your Engineering Design Process
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Body balance, case studies & first investigationsDays 41–80
Homeostasis, feedback loops and the immune system, cell division, and ecological succession. Then invasive species, human impact, conservation, a habitat model, and hands-on soil-water and decomposition investigations with presentations.
- 41 · Homeostasis: Staying in Balance
- 42 · Feedback Loops in the Body
- 43 · Body Systems Working Together
- 44 · Your Immune System: Fighting Invaders
- 46 · Cell Division: How Your Body Grows and Heals
- 47 · Organelles at Work: A Closer Look
- 48 · Energy Transformation Inside a Cell
- 49 · Ecological Succession: Life After a Disturbance
- 51 · Deeper Dive: Invasive Species Case Study
- 52 · Deeper Dive: Comparing Two Ecosystems' Biodiversity
- 53 · New Investigation: Designing a Habitat Model
- 54 · Building Your Habitat Model
- 56 · Deeper Dive: Ecosystem Case Study
- 57 · Deeper Dive: Human Impact on Ecosystems
- 58 · Deeper Dive: Conservation Efforts
- 59 · Presenting Your Science Learning
- 61 · New Investigation: Which Soil Type Holds Water Best?
- 62 · Conducting the Soil Investigation
- 63 · Analyzing Soil Investigation Results
- 64 · Deeper Dive: Soil and Ecosystems Connected
- 66 · Deeper Dive: Cumulative Review — Cells and Cell Processes
- 67 · Deeper Dive: Cumulative Review — Ecosystems and Ecological Change
- 68 · Choosing Your Favorite Investigation to Present
- 69 · Practicing Your Science Presentation
- 71 · Enrichment: The Science of Preservation
- 72 · Enrichment: Decomposition and Decay
- 73 · New Investigation: Which Material Decomposes Fastest?
- 74 · Setting Up the Decomposition Investigation
- 76 · Enrichment: Museum Science Careers
- 77 · Deeper Dive: Long-Term Ecosystem Change
- 78 · Checking Your Decomposition Investigation
- 79 · Analyzing Decomposition Investigation Results
Plus 8 review days, not listed.
Midyear review & reflectionDays 81–90
Cumulative reviews of cells, body systems, ecosystems and engineering design, followed by looking back at progress and setting science goals for the rest of the year. Almost no new content.
- 81 · Cumulative Review: Cells and Body Systems
- 82 · Cumulative Review: Ecosystems
- 83 · Cumulative Review: Cell Processes and Ecosystem Change
- 84 · Cumulative Review: Engineering Design
- 86 · Analyzing Final Decomposition Results
- 87 · Reflecting on Your Science Growth
- 88 · Choosing Your Favorite Topic to Explore Further
- 89 · Setting Science Goals for the Rest of the Year
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Ecosystems of the worldDays 91–100
How climate shapes ecosystems, then rainforests, deserts and tundra, the human pressures each one faces, and conservation efforts around the world. Students prepare an ecosystem presentation.
- 91 · Deeper Dive: Climate Zones and Ecosystems
- 92 · Ecosystems of the World: Rainforests
- 93 · Ecosystems of the World: Deserts
- 94 · Ecosystems of the World: Tundra
- 96 · Researching Ecosystems for Your Expedition Journal
- 97 · Human Impact on World Ecosystems
- 98 · Conservation Around the World
- 99 · Preparing an Ecosystem Presentation
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Paper airplane investigationDays 101–110
Using evidence to support a claim, then a full fair test of which paper airplane design flies farthest: hypothesis, controlled trials, graphing, structure and function, and a presentation of the results.
- 101 · Deeper Dive: The Science Behind Persuasion
- 102 · New Investigation: Which Paper Airplane Design Flies Farthest?
- 103 · Conducting the Paper Airplane Investigation
- 104 · Analyzing Paper Airplane Results
- 106 · Deeper Dive: Structure and Function in Design
- 107 · Cumulative Review: Investigation Skills
- 108 · Choosing a New Investigation to Present
- 109 · Practicing Your New Science Presentation
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Trivia, goals & time capsuleDays 111–125
Mostly review and reflection: a trivia marathon, a life-science and engineering review, preparing and practicing a showcase, setting and revisiting goals, and building a science time capsule. Little new content.
- 111 · Enrichment: Science Trivia Marathon
- 112 · Deeper Dive: Interviewing a Scientist (Hypothetically)
- 113 · Cumulative Review: Life Science and Engineering
- 114 · Preparing Your Final Science Showcase
- 116 · Practicing Your Final Science Showcase
- 117 · Deeper Dive: Science Skills I've Mastered
- 118 · Setting Specific Science Goals for the Coming Months
- 119 · Connecting Science to Your Other Subjects
- 121 · Deeper Dive: Building a Science Time Capsule
- 122 · Cumulative Review: A Full Year of Life Science
- 123 · Reflecting on Your Science Growth: From Observing to Explaining
- 124 · Revisiting Your Science Goals
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Biomimicry & board game designDays 126–132
A design challenge inspired by nature: build and test a water-collecting prototype modeled on a desert beetle's shell, then redesign it. Then design and play a science board game with a family member.
- 126 · New Investigation: Solving a Problem Like Nature Does
- 127 · Designing Your Biomimicry Solution
- 128 · Building and Testing Your Prototype
- 129 · Analyzing Results and Redesigning
- 131 · Enrichment: Designing a Board Game
- 132 · Playing Your Science Board Game
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
Final review, showcase & celebrationDays 133–180
About nine weeks of cumulative reviews, trivia, final assessment practice, a science certificate, a year-end showcase, a letter to next year's self and completion celebrations. This stretch is almost entirely review and wrap-up.
- 133 · Cumulative Review: Cells, Body Systems, and Cell Processes
- 134 · Cumulative Review: Ecosystems and Change
- 136 · Cumulative Review: Engineering and Investigations
- 137 · Preparing for Grade 7 Science
- 138 · Science Skills Certificate Project
- 139 · Science Year in Review: My Favorite Investigations
- 141 · Science Year in Review: My Favorite Discoveries
- 142 · Science Trivia Marathon
- 143 · Reviewing Your Science Certificate
- 144 · Final Investigation Showcase Prep
- 146 · Science 6 Final Assessment Practice: Part 1
- 147 · Science 6 Final Assessment Practice: Part 2
- 148 · Reflecting on a Full Year of Science 6: Part 1
- 149 · Reflecting on a Full Year of Science 6: Part 2
- 151 · Final Cumulative Review: Part 1
- 152 · Final Cumulative Review: Part 2
- 153 · Science 6 Final Challenge: Trivia Marathon
- 154 · Science 6 Final Assessment Practice: Comprehensive
- 156 · Science Year in Review: A Complete Look Back
- 157 · Finalizing Your Science Certificate
- 158 · Finalizing Your Science Showcase
- 159 · Reflecting on a Full Year of Science 6: Final Thoughts
- 161 · Practicing Your Science Showcase Presentation
- 162 · Reviewing Skills for Grade 7
- 163 · Science Fun Day: Experiments and Exploration
- 164 · Sharing Science with a Younger Student
- 166 · Science Memory Book: My Favorite Moments
- 167 · A Letter to Yourself Next Year
- 168 · Final Science Skills Check-In
- 169 · Preparing to Celebrate Completing Science 6
- 171 · Final Science Showcase Presentation
- 172 · Final Cumulative Quiz: Cells and Body Systems
- 173 · Final Cumulative Quiz: Ecosystems and Change
- 174 · Final Cumulative Quiz: Engineering and Investigations
- 176 · Sharing Your Letter to Future You
- 177 · Science 6 Completion Celebration: Part 1
- 178 · Science 6 Completion Celebration: Part 2
- 179 · Looking Ahead to Grade 7 Science
- 180 · Congratulations! You Completed Science 6!
Plus 9 review days, not listed.
By the end of the year, your child can
- Describe the parts of a cell and how photosynthesis and respiration move energy
- Explain how the major body systems work together to keep the body in balance
- Build and explain a food web showing how matter and energy move through an ecosystem
- Plan and run a fair test, then graph the results and write a conclusion
- Use the engineering design process to build, test and improve a prototype
Other 6th Grade subjects: Math 6 · Reading 6 · Writing 6 · History 6