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Accelerated Science — Year 1

Cover all of Earth & Space Science (§112.18) in the first half, then bridge into Life Science foundations — cells, genetics, classification, and ecology. Positions students for Biology or Integrated Physics & Chemistry by 8th grade.

14 Units

35-50 minutes per unit

What You Will Learn

Two Sciences, One Year

Complete Earth & Space Science plus foundational Life Science — no gaps, no shortcuts.

AP/Dual-Enrollment Pipeline

Year 2 completes Life Science + IPC, freeing 8th grade for high school science credit.

TEKS §112.18 + §112.19

Covers Grade 6 Science fully plus key Grade 7 Life Science foundations.

All Units

Scientific Investigation and Experimental Design

Master the scientific method, experimental design with controlled variables, and learn to distinguish real science from pseudoscience using evidence-based reasoning.

•Design a controlled experiment identifying independent, dependent, and controlled variables
•Write testable hypotheses using if-then-because format
•Evaluate scientific claims by applying criteria for reliability and falsifiability
+1 more objectives

Matter, Energy, and Forces

Explore the states of matter, energy transfer, and Newton's laws of motion — the fundamental rules governing everything from atoms to galaxies.

•Classify matter by its physical and chemical properties and describe state changes
•Explain energy transfer through conduction, convection, and radiation
•Apply Newton's three laws of motion to real-world scenarios
+1 more objectives

Earth's Structure and Plate Tectonics

Journey from Earth's core to its surface to understand how convection drives plate tectonics, builds mountains, triggers earthquakes, and reshapes continents over millions of years.

•Describe Earth's layered structure and the physical properties of each layer
•Explain how convection currents in the mantle drive plate movement
•Compare convergent, divergent, and transform plate boundaries and their geological effects
+1 more objectives

Rocks, Water, and Earth's Cycles

Trace the rock cycle and water cycle as interconnected systems that sculpt Earth's surface, build soil, and sustain all life over geological time.

•Classify rocks as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic and explain how each type forms
•Describe the rock cycle and how rocks transform from one type to another
•Trace water through the water cycle including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff
+1 more objectives

Weather, Climate, and Atmosphere

Investigate how Earth's atmosphere drives weather systems and climate zones, from local thunderstorms over the Gulf of Mexico to global patterns shaped by the greenhouse effect.

•Describe the layers and composition of Earth's atmosphere and their functions
•Explain how unequal heating of Earth's surface creates wind, weather fronts, and storms
•Distinguish between weather and climate and identify factors that determine climate zones
+1 more objectives

The Solar System and Beyond

Survey the solar system's structure, compare the inner and outer planets, and confront the staggering scale of the universe from stars to galaxies.

•Compare and contrast the inner (terrestrial) and outer (gas giant) planets by composition and characteristics
•Explain the role of gravity in orbital motion, tides, and the formation of the solar system
•Describe the life cycle of stars and how elements are formed through stellar nucleosynthesis
+1 more objectives

Earth's Resources and Sustainability

Classify Earth's renewable and nonrenewable resources, analyze how human consumption rates compare to replenishment rates, and evaluate conservation strategies grounded in science.

•Classify natural resources as renewable, nonrenewable, or inexhaustible and explain the basis for each classification
•Describe how fossil fuels form and why they are considered nonrenewable on human timescales
•Analyze the relationship between human resource consumption and Earth's capacity to replenish
+1 more objectives

Cells: Structure and Function

Investigate cell theory, explore the structures inside plant and animal cells, and understand why the cell is the fundamental unit of all life.

•State the three principles of cell theory and explain their significance
•Identify and describe the functions of major cell organelles
•Compare and contrast plant and animal cells
+1 more objectives

Cell Processes: Energy and Growth

Trace how cells capture energy through photosynthesis, release it through cellular respiration, and grow through the carefully orchestrated stages of cell division.

•Describe photosynthesis as the process that converts light energy, water, and CO2 into glucose and oxygen
•Describe cellular respiration as the process that breaks down glucose to release ATP energy
•Explain how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are complementary processes
+1 more objectives

Genetics and Heredity Foundations

Discover how traits pass from parents to offspring through Gregor Mendel's laws, dominant and recessive alleles, and the predictive power of Punnett squares.

•Explain how traits are inherited through genes and alleles
•Distinguish between dominant and recessive alleles and between genotype and phenotype
•Use Punnett squares to predict the probability of offspring genotypes and phenotypes
+1 more objectives

Classification of Living Things

Explore how scientists organize life's diversity into domains, kingdoms, and taxonomic ranks — and why classification reflects evolutionary relationships, not just convenience.

•Explain the purpose of biological classification and the binomial naming system
•Describe the three domains and six kingdoms of life and their defining characteristics
•Use a dichotomous key to identify organisms
+1 more objectives

Ecology: Energy Flow and Ecosystems

Trace how energy flows through food webs and how matter cycles through ecosystems — from sunlight captured by producers to nutrients returned by decomposers.

•Describe the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem
•Diagram food chains and food webs showing energy flow and trophic levels
•Explain the 10% rule of energy transfer between trophic levels
+2 more objectives

Human Impact on Earth and Living Systems

Analyze how human activities — pollution, deforestation, urbanization, and climate change — disrupt Earth's systems, and evaluate evidence-based solutions.

•Describe how human activities affect biodiversity, air quality, water quality, and soil health
•Explain the causes and consequences of climate change using scientific evidence
•Analyze the relationship between population growth, resource consumption, and environmental impact
+1 more objectives

The Scientific Community

Explore how science works as a human enterprise — peer review, replication, ethics, collaboration, and the diverse careers that advance scientific knowledge.

•Explain the role of peer review and replication in validating scientific knowledge
•Describe how scientific knowledge changes over time as new evidence emerges
•Identify ethical principles that guide scientific research
+1 more objectives

Grade 6 Accelerated Science (Year 1 of 2). TEKS §112.18 + §112.19 aligned. Designed for Texas homeschool families.