Grade 6: Chemistry

Here is a comprehensive overview of the Grade 6 Chemistry content, aligned with the British Columbia (BC) Curriculum.

In BC, the Grade 6 science curriculum is organized around a single, integrated “Science” course rather than distinct biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science strands. The chemistry-related content is embedded within the broader curriculum, primarily under the “Materials and their Properties” theme.

BC Grade 6 Science: Chemistry-Related Content

This content area explores the fundamental question: “What are things made of, and how do their properties determine how we use them?” It introduces students to the concepts of mixtures and the particle model of matter.

Overarching Big Ideas (Related to Chemistry)

• Everyday materials are often homogeneous or heterogeneous mixtures.

• The properties of a material determine how it is used.

Core Components of Grade 6 Chemistry

Part A: Introduction to the Particle Model of Matter

• Key Concepts: All matter is made of particles, states of matter.

• Learning Goals:

  • Understand that all matter is made up of tiny particles.

  • Use the particle model to describe the three common states of matter:

    • Solid: Particles are tightly packed and vibrate in place.

    • Liquid: Particles are close but can slide past one another.

    • Gas: Particles are far apart and move quickly.

  • Explain changes of state (e.g., melting, freezing, evaporation) in terms of the particle model.

Part B: Mixtures and Solutions

• Key Concepts: Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous mixtures, solubility.

• Learning Goals:

  • Define a mixture as a combination of two or more substances where each substance keeps its own properties.

  • Differentiate between:

    • Heterogeneous Mixtures: The different parts are visible (e.g., salad, trail mix, sand and pebbles).

    • Homogeneous Mixtures (Solutions): The mixture is uniform throughout; the different parts are not visible (e.g., salt water, air, brass).

  • Understand that in a solution, one substance (the solute) dissolves in another (the solvent).

Part C: Separating Mixtures

• Key Concepts: Physical separation methods.

• Learning Goals:

  • Identify different methods to separate mixtures based on the physical properties of their components:

    • Filtration: Separating solids from liquids.

    • Evaporation: Separating a dissolved solid from a liquid (e.g., recovering salt from salt water).

    • Magnetism: Separating magnetic materials from non-magnetic ones.

    • Sifting/Sieving: Separating solids of different sizes.

Part D: Properties of Materials

• Key Concepts: Linking properties to function.

• Learning Goals:

  • Identify and describe the properties of common materials (e.g., hardness, flexibility, conductivity, solubility).

  • Explain how the properties of a material make it suitable for a specific purpose (e.g., why metals are used for pots, why glass is used for windows).

Curricular Competencies in Action (The “Doing” of Science)

• Questioning and Predicting:

  • “Will a paperclip sink or float? Why?”

  • “What will happen to the water level if we dissolve salt in it?”

• Planning and Conducting:

  • Lab: Separating a Mixture. Students are given a mixture (e.g., sand, salt, and iron filings) and must design a procedure to separate them using magnets, filtration, and evaporation.

  • Investigation: Solubility. Test how well different substances (e.g., salt, sugar, sand) dissolve in water.

• Processing and Analyzing Data and Information:

  • Classify various everyday materials as homogeneous or heterogeneous mixtures.

  • Create a chart comparing the properties of different materials.

• Evaluating:

  • Evaluate the effectiveness of different separation methods.

  • Compare the environmental impact of using different materials (e.g., plastic vs. paper).

• Applying and Innovating:

  • Contribute to care for self, others, and community by investigating recycling processes (which involve separating mixtures of materials).

  • Design a water filter using natural materials.

• Communicating:

  • Use scientific language to explain why a solution like saltwater is a homogeneous mixture.

Sample Learning Standards from the BC Curriculum

• Content: “Demonstrate how various mixtures can be separated.”

• Content: “Compare homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures.”

• Curricular Competency: “Experience and interpret the local environment.” (e.g., identifying mixtures and materials in nature and the built environment).

Key Connections to Other Grade 6 Science Topics

• Connection to Physics (Forces): Understanding properties like buoyancy (why things sink or float) connects to the physics of forces.

• Connection to Biology: The composition of air (a homogeneous mixture) is essential for understanding respiration in living things.

• Connection to Earth Science: The water cycle involves changes of state (evaporation, condensation), and many geological processes involve the separation of mixtures.

This foundational chemistry knowledge prepares students for the more abstract concepts of atoms, elements, and chemical changes that they will encounter in Grade 7. It helps them see the science behind the everyday materials they interact with.