SCIENCE
We are currently learning about the Earth's Dynamic Surface.
Unit 1: The Earth's Dynamic Surface
Look around. You'll notice lots of variety in the surface of the earth. And what you observe today is quite different from the landscape thousands of years ago. In this unit, you will learn about forces that shape and reshape the earth's surface. From violent volcanic eruptions to the gradual erosion of shorelines, our planet continues to change.
Unit 2: Magnetism & Electricity
Forces are at work all around us. We can harness the power of these forces in a variety of ways. Every time you close the refrigerator door, a magnet holds it shut. Each time you turn on a lamp, electricity provides the light you need. Learn how that "magic" happens in this unit.
Unit 3: How Matter Changes
You probably know someone who is a great cook. They know how to take just the right ingredients and transform them into a mouth-watering meal. What's going on to make this happen? Learn all about matter and the physical and chemical changes that help chefs create tantalizing dishes.
Unit 4: Traits in Parents & Offspring
Where would you be without your parents? Even though you might not always agree with them, you have to admit they are an important part of your life. They help provide for survival needs of their offspring. But do you realize that your parents are responsible for many of your physical features, too? Find out more in this unit.
Look around. You'll notice lots of variety in the surface of the earth. And what you observe today is quite different from the landscape thousands of years ago. In this unit, you will learn about forces that shape and reshape the earth's surface. From violent volcanic eruptions to the gradual erosion of shorelines, our planet continues to change.
Unit 2: Magnetism & Electricity
Forces are at work all around us. We can harness the power of these forces in a variety of ways. Every time you close the refrigerator door, a magnet holds it shut. Each time you turn on a lamp, electricity provides the light you need. Learn how that "magic" happens in this unit.
Unit 3: How Matter Changes
You probably know someone who is a great cook. They know how to take just the right ingredients and transform them into a mouth-watering meal. What's going on to make this happen? Learn all about matter and the physical and chemical changes that help chefs create tantalizing dishes.
Unit 4: Traits in Parents & Offspring
Where would you be without your parents? Even though you might not always agree with them, you have to admit they are an important part of your life. They help provide for survival needs of their offspring. But do you realize that your parents are responsible for many of your physical features, too? Find out more in this unit.
HISTORY
Unit 1: European Exploration
The 16th century was a time of tremendous change and excitement in much of Europe. A growing thirst for knowledge, power, and wealth led to remarkable voyages of exploration. Those voyages, in turn, led to unimaginable discoveries for Europeans and the greatest exchange of plant and animal life in history. The period begins before the tomato in Italy, the potato in Ireland, or the horse on the Great Plains. It ends with huge population growth in Europe, decimation of populations in the Americas, and the eventual forced migration of 12 million Africans.
Unit 2: Thirteen Colonies, Part 1
English businessmen wanted to make money by sending settlers to Virginia to find gold. There was no gold, and disease and starvation killed most of the early settlers. But in time they did make money--by raising tobacco. A few years later, Pilgrims arrived to the north, looking for a place to practice their religion. Puritans followed, and New England grew.
Unit 3: Thirteen Colonies, Part 2
Geography and values both play a big part in the way people live. In the southern colonies, good soil and warm weather led to the growth of plantations. In New England, towns and industry grew near fast rivers and the coast. The middle colonies had both cities and farms. Different kinds of people lived there, many of them tolerant of other religions.
Unit 5: Road to Revolution
John Adams said that the real American Revolution took place in the "minds and hearts of the people." Those people began as loyal and proud citizens of the most powerful and democratic nation in the world--Great Britain. They ended by taking up arms against the king. Their journey toward independence started years before any shots were fired.
CURRENTLY LEARNING!
Unit 6: The American Revolution
How did a loosely knit group of colonies defeat the most powerful military in the world? Or did they? One biography of Washington gives him the credit for making the cost of a British victory too high. How? And what social and political changes occurred as a result of the war?
Unit 7: The Constitution
The government that came to power in 1789 was an experiment, established by the first enduring written constitution in history. Success and failure under the Articles of Confederation set the stage for a new plan of government. Hard work, compromise, and the genius of men like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton made the Constitution a reality.
Unit 8 & 10: A New Nation & Americans Take New Land
The early years of the Constitution were a time of learning and growth. Washington set an example presidents follow even today. Jefferson doubled the size of the nation with the Louisiana Purchase and sent men to explore it. Most Americans believed it was God's plan that the United States extend from sea to shining sea. Americans spilled westward and immigrants flooded into the country. New territory was added; Native Americans lost their land and way of life. But the people who searched for a better life left a legacy of determination that still inspires today.
Unit 12 & 13: Slavery and Sectionalism & The Road to Civil War
Four million people were held as slaves in a country built on the principle that "all men are created equal." And the number of slaves kept increasing as cotton became more and more important. Many people spoke out against the atrocities of slavery but no one seemed to know a way to make it end. The Civil War did not just happen. Questions left unanswered by the American Revolution and the U.S. Constitution came to a head over a period of years, finally resulting in war.
Unit 14: The Civil War
The Civil War answered questions the Founders couldn't or wouldn't answer. Which has greater power, the states or the central government? Can a state nullify a federal law? Who is a citizen? Can slavery exist in a country born with the Declaration of Independence? These are some of the issues you will explore in this unit.