Grade 6 – Physics

Shoily Science School

Grade 6 Physics Course: “Discovering the Physical World”

BC Curriculum Alignment

Big Ideas (BC Curriculum – Grade 6 Science):

1. Newton’s three laws of motion describe the relationship between force and motion.

2. Energy can be transformed in many ways to affect motion.

3. Scientific knowledge develops as a result of inquiry and evidence.

Curricular Competencies:

• Questioning and predicting (develop curiosity and hypotheses).

• Planning and conducting (design and perform simple experiments).

• Processing and analyzing data (interpret results, identify patterns).

• Evaluating (reflect on methods and conclusions).

• Communicating (explain findings using proper scientific vocabulary).

Course Outline (Physics Stream Focus)

Chapter 1: What Is Physics? – The Science of Nature and Motion

• What physics studies and why it matters

• Branches of physics

• Measurement in physics (SI units)

• The scientific method

• Observation vs. inference

• Simple experiment: “Measuring motion with a stopwatch”

Chapter 2: Understanding Motion

• What is motion?

• Speed, velocity, acceleration

• Graphing motion

• Real-world applications: cars, bicycles, falling objects

• Experiment: “Rolling ball on different surfaces”

Chapter 3: Forces and Newton’s Laws

• What is force?

• Types of forces: contact and non-contact

• Newton’s three laws of motion

• Friction and air resistance

• Experiment: “Balloon rocket and action-reaction pairs”

Chapter 4: Energy and Its Transformations

• What is energy?

• Potential and kinetic energy

• Energy transfer and transformation

• Law of conservation of energy

• Renewable vs. non-renewable energy

• Experiment: “Elastic band energy launcher”

Chapter 5: Simple Machines and Work

• What is work?

• Force, distance, and direction

• Mechanical advantage

• Levers, pulleys, inclined planes

• Experiment: “Build a simple lever”

Chapter 6: Heat and Temperature

• Thermal energy and temperature

• Heat transfer: conduction, convection, radiation

• Expansion and contraction

• Experiment: “Melting race – which material heats faster?”

Chapter 7: Light and Optics

• Nature of light

• Reflection, refraction, and absorption

• Lenses and mirrors

• Shadows and transparency

• Experiment: “Mirror maze and bending light”

Chapter 8: Sound and Vibrations

• How sound is produced

• Frequency, pitch, amplitude

• How sound travels through solids, liquids, gases

• Experiment: “Homemade paper cup telephone”

Chapter 9: Electricity and Magnetism

• Electric charge and current

• Simple circuits: battery, wire, bulb

• Magnets and electromagnets

• Experiment: “Build a small electromagnet”

Chapter 10: Physics in Everyday Life

• Physics in transportation, sports, and nature

• Energy efficiency at home

• Space and planetary motion overview

• Final project: “Design a real-life application of physics”