Massachusetts Learning Standards for Physical Science -- Grades 9-10

From the Massachusetts Department of Education Science & Technology Curriculum Framework

Structure of Matter

• Explore and describe how matter is made up of elements, compounds, and numerous mixtures of these two kinds of substances. Students might design and conduct investigations that explore ways to demonstrate this.
  • Fool's Gold: From Alchemy to Chemistry AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/1.asp
    

• Demonstrate through the use of manipulatives that atoms interact with one another by transferring or sharing electrons that are furthest from the nucleus.
  • Types of Chemical Bonding AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/3.asp
    
  • Models and Shapes of Molecules AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/4.asp
    
  • Electron Basics
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/2c.asp
    
  • More Electron Basics
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/2d.asp
    

• Represent an understanding that compounds form when atoms of two or more elements bond. Give examples that chemical bonds form when atoms share or transfer electrons.
  • Types of Chemical Bonding AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/3.asp
    
  • The Octet Rule: Eight Is Great!
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/4a.asp
    
  • Bond Energy
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/4b.asp
    

• Group elements and compounds into classes, based on similarities in their structures and resulting properties.
  • Patterns in Chemistry AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/2.asp
    

• Describe an understanding that nuclear changes often result in the emission of high-energy electromagnetic radiation and particles, and present evidence on ways that this has physical repercussions on other materials.

• Illustrate an understanding that energy is released in certain nuclear reactions and chemical reactions can be controlled and put to use, or released suddenly and destructively in explosions, fire, or high-energy chemical events. Provide examples of situations in which this has occurred in recent history.

Interaction of Substances (Chemical/Physical Changes)

• Present evidence that solubility of substances may vary with temperature and with the natures of the solute and the solvent. Plan and conduct investigations in which the temperature, solute or solvent is varied while the other variables are kept constant.

• Suggest how balanced electrical forces between the charges of the protons and electrons are responsible for the stability of substances. Students might design an investigation to show how chemical interactions or physical changes occur when these forces are altered.
  • Electron Basics
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/2c.asp
    
  • More Electron Basics
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/2d.asp
    

• Explain chemical changes in terms of rearrangements of atoms or molecules, which are made possible by the breaking and forming of chemical bonds.
  • Types of Chemical Bonding AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/3.asp
    
  • Models and Shapes of Molecules AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/4.asp
    
  • Reaction Types AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/8.asp
    

• Summarize chemical reactions by symbolic or word equations that specify the reactants and products involved.
  • Chemical Equations and Reactions AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/7.asp
    

• Illustrate ways in which the periodic table is useful in predicting the chemical and physical properties of known elements and those yet to be discovered.
  • Patterns in Chemistry AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/2.asp
    

Forces and Motion

• Demonstrate that all forces are vector quantities, having both magnitude and direction. Explore ways in which forces acting in the same direction reinforce each other. Also explore ways in which forces acting in different directions may detract from or cancel each other.
  • How Far? Distance and Displacement
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/3a.asp
    
  • Newton's Laws of Motion: Movin' On AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/4.asp
    
  • Vectors
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/5a.asp
    
  • Two-Dimensional Forces
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/5f.asp
    
  • Equilibrium
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/5g.asp
    
  • Characteristics of Circular Motion
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/8a.asp
    
  • Centripetal Force
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/8c.asp
    

• Represent an understanding that if an object exerts a force on a second object, then the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first object.
  • The Third Law: Forces in Pairs
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/4f.asp
    
  • Action-Reaction
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/6d.asp
    

• Describe and represent changes in motion or momentum in terms of being caused by forces. Students might set up demonstrations that show the result of forces on motion, e.g. gravity, friction or electrical.
  • Newton's Laws of Motion: Movin' On AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/4.asp
    
  • Two-Dimensional Forces
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/5f.asp
    
  • Equilibrium
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/5g.asp
    
  • Momentum AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/6.asp
    
  • Characteristics of Circular Motion
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/8a.asp
    
  • Centripetal Force
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/8c.asp
    
  • Mathematics of Circular Motion
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/8d.asp
    
  • We're Going in Circles
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/8e.asp
    
  • Planetary Motion AND ALL FOCUS TOPICS
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/9.asp
    

Conservation and Transmission of Energy

• Explore and explain how the total amount of mass and energy remains constant in any closed system. Present evidence to show that Earth is a nearly closed system with respect to matter, but not to energy. Describe the implications of this idea for life and earth sciences. Be aware of inputs of matter.
  • Work, Energy, and Power
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/7.asp
    
  • Working Hard?
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/7a.asp
    
  • Conservative and Nonconservative Forces
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/7c.asp
    
  • Conservation of Energy
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/7e.asp
    

• Describe the nature of waves, such as electromagnetic waves or sound waves, in terms of wave length, amplitude, frequency, and characteristic speed. Present evidence that waves can be used to transmit signals or energy without the transport of matter.
  • Pickin' Up Good Vibrations
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/10.asp
    
  • Types of Waves
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/10a.asp
    
  • Measuring Waves
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/10b.asp
    
  • Case Study: Radio, Radio
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/10f.asp
    
  • Measuring Sound Waves
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/11a.asp
    

• Design and conduct an investigation that explores how electromagnetic waves, unlike sound waves, can be transmitted through a vacuum.

• Demonstrate that the same concepts of energy, matter and their interaction apply both to biological and physical systems on Earth and in the observable Universe.
  • Introduction to Physics Concepts PROGRAM
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc91/index.asp
    
  • Introduction to Chemistry Concepts PROGRAM
    http://www.beyondbooks.com/psc92/index.asp
    Students can use the content and links from the above listed programs to help achieve this standard.