Download 6th Grade Science

6th Grade Science – Focus on Earth Science
Knowledge Map
Investigation and Experimentation
1. An observation is an accurate description of a thing or event.
2. When practicing science, it is important to make observations without giving
opinions.
3. A guess, or a possible answer to a scientific question based on observations, is
called a hypothesis.
4. A good hypothesis is one that is testable.
5. Qualitative data are in the form of words.
6. Quantitative data are in the form of numbers.
7. The scientific method is a series of steps that include observation, questioning,
stating a hypothesis, collecting data, and reaching a conclusion.
8. The meter is the basic unit for distance in the SI units measuring system.
9. A centimeter is 100 times smaller than a meter.
10. A millimeter is 1,000 times smaller than a meter.
11. A kilometer is 1,000 times bigger than a meter.
12. The liter is the basic unit for volume in the SI units measuring system.
13. The gram is the basic unit for mass in the SI units measuring system.
14. Everything is made of matter. Mass is the amount of matter something has.
15. On the Fahrenheit scale, water freezes at 32o and boils at 212o. On the Celsius
scale, water freezes at 0o and boils at 100o.
16. A factor that affects an object is called a variable.
17. The variable that is changed in an experiment is the independent variable.
18. The variable that is affected by the change to the independent variable is the
dependent variable.
19. A variable that is kept the same in an experiment is the control variable.
20. A graph shows the relationship between variables.
Introduction to Earth
21. The study of rocks and rock formations is called geology.
22. An element is a substance made of only one kind of atom.
23. A tree grows one tree ring for every year that it is alive.
24. Elevation means the height of an object measured from a reference level, which
on maps is usually sea level.
25. Sea Level is the average level of the ocean; the halfway point between high tide
and low tide.
26. Topographic maps use contour lines to show elevation of land features, like
mountains.
27. The equator is an imaginary line that runs east-west around Earth’s middle and
between the north and south poles.
28. The prime meridian is an imaginary line that runs north-south, goes through
Greenwich, England, and is perpendicular to the equator.
29. Lines on a map that run east-west (same as the equator), but are north or south
of the equator are called latitude lines.
30. Lines on a map that run north-south (same as the prime meridian), but are east or
west of the prime meridian are called longitude lines.
Heat (Thermal Energy)
31. Energy can be carried from one place to another by heat flow or by waves.
32. Heat is a form of energy caused by the motion of atoms and molecules.
33. Temperature is a measure of the average speed of atoms in a sample.
34. Heat moves from warmer objects to cooler objects until all the objects are at the
same temperature.
35. When fuel is consumed, most of the energy released becomes heat energy.
36. Conduction is the transfer of heat by the direct contact of atoms and
molecules.
37. In solids, heat flows by conduction.
38. Conduction involves no flow of matter. Matter stays in the same place.
39. Convection is the transfer of heat through the motion of fluids.
40. In fluids, heat flows by conduction and convection.
41. Fluids are materials that can flow.
42. Fluids are most often gases and liquids, but can also be some solids.
43. Radiation is heat transfer through empty space.
44. Radiation transfers energy through waves.
45. Heat transfer by radiation occurs without direct contact or movement of atoms.
46. Earth’s surface is mainly affected by these two types of heat transfer:
convection and radiation.
47. Heat from Earth’s interior reaches the surface mainly through convection.
Density and Buoyancy
48. Density is the comparison between an object’s mass and its volume.
49. The formula for density is: D = M
V
50. An upward lifting force that acts on an object when it pushes aside a fluid is
called buoyant force.
51. When an object is less dense than the fluid it is in, the object will float.
52. When an object is more dense than the fluid it is in, the object will sink.
53. Warm air is less dense than cool air, therefore, it will float on top of the cool air.
Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Structure
54. Earth is composed of several layers.
55. Earth’s innermost layer is a dense, metallic core.
56. Earth’s middle layer is a convecting mantle.
57. Earth’s top layer is a cold, brittle lithosphere.
58. The lithosphere includes the crust and the top part of the mantle.
59. The lithosphere is broken into plates.
60. Lithospheric plates can be oceanic plates or continental plates.
61. Oceanic plates are thinner and more dense than continental plates.
62. Continental plates are thicker and less dense than oceanic plates.
63. Pangaea was an ancient supercontinent, meaning today’s continents were once
one huge landmass.
64. Plate Tectonics is a theory that explains how the plates move.
65. Lithospheric plates move because heat from the core causes convection currents
in the mantle, and these currents push the plates.
66. Evidence for plate tectonics is the fit of continents.
67. Evidence for plate tectonics is the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and
midocean ridges.
68. Evidence for plate tectonics is the distribution of fossils.
69. The edge of a plate that moves away from things is called a divergent
boundary.
70. The edge of a plate that moves toward things is called a convergent boundary.
71. The edge of a plate that slides by another plate is called a transform fault
boundary.
72. Plates move at rates of centimeters per year.
73. Plate movement can cause mountain building and earthquakes.
74. Breaks in Earth’s crust are called faults.
75. The epicenter is the point on Earth’s surface right above where the
earthquake started.
76. Vibrations that travel through Earth and are caused by events like earthquakes
are called seismic waves.
77. Two types of seismic waves that are important to know for studying Earth are
primary waves (P-waves) and secondary waves (S-waves).
78. The seismic waves that travel the fastest, move with a forward-andbackward motion, and can pass through solids, liquids, and gases are P-waves.
79. The seismic waves that travel the slowest, move with a side-to-side motion,
and do not pass through liquids are S-waves.
80. The Richter scale is a scale that rates earthquakes according to the size of
the seismic waves.
Shaping the Earth’s Surface
81. The process of breaking down rock is called weathering.
82. Physical weathering is when physical forces may break or chip rocks into
smaller pieces.
83. Frost wedging is physical weathering that results from freezing water.
84. Chemical weathering is weathering of rock that involves chemical reactions.
85. Small pieces and grains of weathered rock that may also include small pieces
of material from living things is called sediment.
86. A large body of water that flows into an ocean or lake is a river.
87. A small river is a stream.
88. The path that a river or stream follows is called a channel.
89. Meanders are the S-shaped curves in a river.
Ecology
90. Energy enters an ecosystem as sunlight.
91. Sunlight is captured by organisms called producers.
92. Producers transfer sunlight energy into chemical energy.
93. The process in which sun energy is turned into chemical energy
is photosynthesis.
94. Producers are eaten by consumers.
95. Consumers feed on living things to get energy.
96. Herbivores eat only plants.
97. Carnivores eat other animals.
98. A consumer that eats both plants and animals is called an omnivore.
99. A decomposer is a living thing that consumes waste and dead organisms
to get energy.
100. A food chain shows how each member of an ecosystem gets its food.
101. Most animals are part of more than one food chain.
102. Many food chains connected together form a food web.
6th Grade Science – Focus on Earth Science
Knowledge Map
Investigation and Experimentation
1. An ___________ is an accurate description of a thing or event.
2. When practicing science, it is important to make observations without giving
____________.
3. A guess, or a possible answer to a scientific question based on observations, is
called a ___________.
4. A good hypothesis is one that is ___________.
5. Qualitative data are in the form of __________.
6. Quantitative data are in the form of ___________.
7. The __________ __________ is a series of steps that include observation,
questioning, stating a hypothesis, collecting data, and reaching a conclusion.
8. The ________ is the basic unit for distance in the SI units measuring system.
9. A _______meter is 100 times smaller than a meter.
10. A _______meter is 1,000 times smaller than a meter.
11. A _______meter is 1,000 times bigger than a meter.
12. The ________ is the basic unit for volume in the SI units measuring system.
13. The ________ is the basic unit for mass in the SI units measuring system.
14. Everything is made of matter. _______ is the amount of matter something has.
15. On the Fahrenheit scale, water freezes at 32o and boils at 212o. On the Celsius
scale, water freezes at ____ and boils at ____.
16. A factor that affects an object is called a ___________.
17. The variable that is changed in an experiment is the _____________ variable.
18. The variable that is affected by the change to the independent variable is the
____________ variable.
19. A variable that is kept the same in an experiment is the __________ variable.
20. A graph shows the ______________ between variables.
Introduction to Earth
21. The study of rocks and rock formations is called ___________.
22. An ___________ is a substance made of only one kind of atom.
23. A tree grows _____ tree ring for every year that it is alive.
24. ___________ means the height of an object measured from a reference level,
which on maps is usually sea level.
25. _____ ________ is the average level of the ocean; the halfway point between
high tide and low tide.
26. _____________ ______ use contour lines to show elevation of land features,
like mountains.
27. The ___________ is an imaginary line that runs east-west around Earth’s middle
and between the north and south poles.
28. The _________ ___________ is an imaginary line that runs north-south, goes
through Greenwich, England, and is perpendicular to the equator.
29. Lines on a map that run east-west (same as the equator), but are north or south
of the equator are called ___________ lines.
30. Lines on a map that run north-south (same as the prime meridian), but are east or
west of the prime meridian are called _____________ lines.
Heat (Thermal Energy)
31. _______ can be carried from one place to another by heat flow or by waves.
32. ______ is a form of energy caused by the motion of atoms and molecules.
33. _____________ is a measure of the average speed of atoms in a sample.
34. Heat moves from __________ objects to __________ objects until all the
objects are at the same temperature.
35. When fuel is consumed, most of the energy released becomes _____energy.
36. ____________ is the transfer of heat by the direct contact of atoms and
molecules.
37. In solids, heat flows by ___________ .
38. ___________ involves no flow of matter. Matter stays in the ______ place.
39. ___________ is the transfer of heat through the motion of fluids.
40. In fluids, heat flows by ___________ and ___________ .
41. Fluids are materials that can ________ .
42. Fluids are most often ________ and _________ , but can also be some solids.
43. ___________ is heat transfer through empty space.
44. Radiation transfers energy through ________ .
45. Heat transfer by radiation occurs ____________ direct contact or movement of
atoms.
46. Earth’s surface is mainly affected by these two types of heat transfer:
___________ and ___________ .
47. Heat from Earth’s interior reaches the surface mainly through ___________ .
Density and Buoyancy
48. ___________ is the comparison between an object’s mass and its volume.
49. The formula for density is:
____________
50. An upward lifting force that acts on an object when it pushes aside a fluid is
called ___________ __________ .
51. When an object is _____ ________ than the fluid it is in, the object will float.
52. When an object is _____ ________ than the fluid it is in, the object will sink.
53. Warm air is less dense than cool air, therefore, it will ______ on top of the cool
air.
Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Structure
54. Earth is composed of several ___________ .
55. Earth’s innermost layer is a dense, __________ core.
56. Earth’s middle layer is a _____________ mantle.
57. Earth’s top layer is a cold, brittle ________________ .
58. The lithosphere includes the __________ and the top part of the mantle.
59. The lithosphere is broken into ___________ .
60. Lithospheric plates can be __________ plates or ______________ plates.
61. Oceanic plates are thinner and ________ dense than continental plates.
62. Continental plates are thicker and _______ dense than oceanic plates.
63. ____________ was an ancient supercontinent, meaning today’s continents were
once one huge landmass.
64. ________ _______________ is a theory that explains how the plates move.
65. Lithospheric plates move because heat from the core causes _______________
currents in the mantle, and these currents push the plates.
66. Evidence for plate tectonics is the fit of ____________ .
67. Evidence for plate tectonics is the ____________ of earthquakes, volcanoes, and
midocean ridges.
68. Evidence for plate tectonics is the distribution of __________ .
69. The edge of a plate that moves away from things is called a ____________
____________ .
70. The edge of a plate that moves toward things is called a __________ ________.
71. The edge of a plate that slides by another plate is called a _________ ________
___________ .
72. Plates move at rates of ____________ per year.
73. Plate ___________ can cause mountain building and earthquakes.
74. Breaks in Earth’s crust are called _________ .
75. The ____________ is the point on Earth’s surface right above where the
earthquake started.
76. Vibrations that travel through Earth and are caused by events like earthquakes
are called ___________ ________ .
77. Two types of seismic waves that are important to know for studying Earth are
___________ _______ (P-waves) and ___________ _______ (S-waves).
78. The seismic waves that travel the fastest, move with a forward-andbackward motion, and can pass through solids, liquids, and gases are ________.
79. The seismic waves that travel the slowest, move with a side-to-side motion,
and do not pass through liquids are ___________.
80. The _________ _______ is a scale that rates earthquakes according to the size
of the seismic waves.
Shaping the Earth’s Surface
81. The process of breaking down rock is called _______________.
82. _____________ weathering is when physical forces may break or chip rocks
into smaller pieces.
83. _________ _________ is physical weathering that results from freezing water.
84. __________weathering is weathering of rock that involves chemical reactions.
85. Small pieces and grains of weathered rock that may also include small pieces
of material from living things is called ____________ .
86. A large body of water that flows into an ocean or lake is a _________ .
87. A small river is a _________ .
88. The path that a river or stream follows is called a ___________ .
89. ____________ are the S-shaped curves in a river.
Ecology
90. Energy enters an ecosystem as ___________ .
91. Sunlight is captured by organisms called ___________ .
92. Producers transfer sunlight energy into ___________ energy.
93. The process in which sun energy is turned into chemical energy
is ________________ .
94. Producers are eaten by ____________ .
95. Consumers feed on living things to get _________ .
96. _____________ eat only plants.
97. _____________ eat other animals.
98. A consumer that eats both plants and animals is called an _____________ .
99. A _____________ is a living thing that consumes waste and dead organisms
to get energy.
100. A _____ ________ shows how each member of an ecosystem gets its food.
101. Most animals are part of more than _____ food chain.
102. Many food chains connected together form a ______ _____ .