California Science — Grade 6
Comprehensive Course Syllabus
Course Overview
California Grade 6 Science introduces students to Earth and Space Science through an integrated, Earth-systems approach. Students explore the universe and solar system, Earth’s history, Earth’s interior and surface processes, weather and climate, natural hazards, and human impacts on Earth’s systems. Students also develop scientific investigation, modeling, data analysis, evidence-based reasoning, and engineering skills.
California’s middle-school CA NGSS standards are organized for Grades 6–8, with California identifying Grade 6 as an Earth and Space Science course in its discipline-specific model. California also provides a preferred integrated model for Grades 6–8. This syllabus uses the Grade 6 Earth and Space Science emphasis while incorporating the scientific and engineering practices appropriate for middle school.
Earth, Sun, Moon & Solar System
Earth–Sun–Moon System
Students develop models to understand the relationships between Earth, the Sun, and the Moon.
Moon Phases
Students investigate the repeating patterns of lunar phases and explain them using the positions and motions of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon.
Solar & Lunar Eclipses
Students use models to understand how the alignment of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon produces solar and lunar eclipses.
Seasons
Students explore how Earth’s tilted axis and its movement around the Sun create seasonal patterns.
Patterns in the Night Sky
Students observe and model the apparent motion and predictable patterns of the Sun, Moon, and stars.
Scale of the Solar System
Students analyze data, diagrams, images, and models to compare the sizes, distances, and other scale properties of objects in the solar system.
California Grade 6 Earth and Space Science includes modeling the Earth–Sun–Moon system and analyzing data to determine scale properties of solar-system objects.
History of Earth & Geologic Time
Earth’s 4.6-Billion-Year History
Students develop an understanding of Earth’s long history and the major changes that have occurred over geological time.
Rock Layers & Relative Age
Students examine rock strata to determine the relative ages of rocks and geological events.
Fossils as Evidence
Students use fossils preserved in rock layers as evidence for understanding Earth’s past environments and life.
Geologic Time Scale
Students learn how scientists organize Earth’s history into a geologic time scale using evidence from rocks and fossils.
Major Changes in Earth’s History
Students investigate evidence of major events such as the formation of mountains and ocean basins, changes in life, extinctions, and major volcanic events.
Evidence of Changing Earth
Students analyze geological evidence to understand how Earth’s surface and living systems have changed over very long periods.
California’s Grade 6 Earth Science standards require students to construct explanations from rock strata and fossils to understand how the geologic time scale organizes Earth’s approximately 4.6-billion-year history.
Earth’s Interior & Plate Tectonics
Earth’s Interior
Students explore the major layers and internal structure of Earth and examine how scientists use evidence to understand what lies beneath the surface.
Earth’s Internal Energy
Students investigate how energy from Earth’s hot interior contributes to geological processes.
Plate Tectonics
Students learn how Earth’s large tectonic plates move and interact over geological time.
Plate Boundaries
Students investigate how interactions between plates can produce mountains, earthquakes, volcanoes, and other geological features.
Evidence for Plate Motion
Students examine patterns in fossils, rocks, landforms, and other evidence that support the theory of plate tectonics.
Large-Scale Earth Changes
Students connect plate movements with long-term changes to continents, ocean basins, and Earth’s surface.
Earth’s Surface Systems
Rock & Mineral Processes
Students investigate how Earth materials change through processes such as melting, crystallization, weathering, deformation, and sedimentation.
Rock Cycle
Students develop models showing how Earth’s materials continuously cycle and transform into different types of rocks.
Weathering & Erosion
Students explore how water, ice, wind, and other processes break down and move Earth materials.
Deposition & Landforms
Students investigate how transported sediments are deposited and how these processes contribute to changing landscapes.
Water’s Role in Shaping Earth
Students examine how rivers, groundwater, glaciers, waves, and other water processes change Earth’s surface.
Geological Processes at Different Scales
Students compare slow processes such as mountain building with faster events such as landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and impacts.
California CA NGSS emphasizes modeling the cycling of Earth materials and explaining how geoscience processes change Earth’s surface across different time and spatial scales.
Weather & Climate
Weather & Atmospheric Conditions
Students explore how temperature, pressure, moisture, wind, and other atmospheric conditions influence weather.
Air Masses & Weather Patterns
Students investigate how movement and interaction of air masses contribute to changing weather conditions.
Weather Data
Students collect, analyze, and interpret weather information using tables, graphs, maps, and other data representations.
Weather Prediction
Students use weather patterns and data to develop explanations and make evidence-based predictions.
Climate Patterns
Students distinguish weather from climate and examine long-term patterns in different regions of Earth.
Factors Affecting Climate
Students explore how latitude, elevation, geographic features, oceans, and atmospheric conditions influence regional climates.
Natural Hazards & Human Impacts
Earthquake & Volcanic Hazards
Students investigate how geological processes create hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Weather-Related Hazards
Students explore hazards such as floods, severe storms, wildfires, and other events influenced by weather and climate.
Identifying Hazard Patterns
Students analyze historical and scientific data to identify patterns that can help communities understand natural hazards.
Reducing Natural-Hazard Risks
Students investigate ways communities can prepare for, reduce, and respond to natural hazards.
Human Effects on Earth Systems
Students examine how human activities can alter land, water, air, ecosystems, and other Earth systems.
Sustainable Use of Earth’s Resources
Students explore how scientific knowledge can help communities use natural resources responsibly and reduce harmful environmental impacts.
California middle-school Earth Science includes natural hazards and human impacts on Earth systems, including applying scientific principles to design solutions that reduce human impacts and risks.
Scientific Investigation & Engineering Design
Scientific Questions & Phenomena
Students develop questions about observable Earth and space phenomena and identify problems that can be investigated scientifically.
Developing & Using Models
Students create, evaluate, and revise models to represent systems such as the solar system, rock cycle, and Earth’s interior.
Data Collection & Analysis
Students collect, organize, analyze, and interpret scientific data to identify patterns and support explanations.
Evidence-Based Explanations
Students construct scientific explanations using observations, measurements, models, and multiple sources of evidence.
Engineering Solutions
Students apply scientific principles to design solutions for problems involving natural hazards, resource use, and environmental impacts.
Testing & Improving Solutions
Students evaluate possible solutions, consider criteria and constraints, test ideas, and improve designs based on evidence.
Teaching Methodology
Our Grade 6 Science classes teach Earth and space systems through models, data, and evidence.
Students learn through:
Learning Outcomes
By the end of Grade 6 Science, students should be able to:
Assessment & Progress Tracking
Student progress is evaluated through: