GROWING AND FLOWING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS How do plants

GROWING AND FLOWING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS • How do plants reproduce? • What is the anatomy and physiology of a plant? • How do photosynthesis and cellular respiration complement each other? • How does matter and energy flow through an ecosystem? • How do plants respond to changes in their environment? • What are limiting factors? • What is carrying capacity?

LAND BENEATH OUR FEET ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS • Why are the Earth's layers in the order that they are? • How does the inside of Earth affect the outer layer of Earth (crust)? • What is the relationship between rocks, soil, and the environment? • What can humans do to preserve and protect our soil and lithosphere?

CATCH A WAVE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS • How is energy like a wave? • What are the similarities and differences between the waves that produce earthquakes, light and sound? • What is the nature of sound? • How do we hear sound? • How can you see different colors? • What is the relationship between light and sound? • How do electromagnetic waves interact with/affect different types of matter? • How are materials chosen for different technological design projects?

WHAT’S THE MATTER ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS • How are atoms of one element similar to and different from atoms of other elements? • What is the relationship between atoms and elements? • What are physical properties of matter? • What happens to the molecules of a substance when heat is added or removed? • How are physical properties used to compare pure substances?

SPACE INVADERS ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS • How does the relative motion and position of the sun, Earth, and moon affect the seasons, tides, moon phases, and eclipses? • Why is Earth able to sustain life when other planets do not? • Why is space exploration important? • What are we able to gain from the exploration of space?