An adaptable 36-week route
Pacing the Year
A suggested route through four wings, with room for local calendars, review, projects, and student thinking.
| Wing | Weeks | Chapters | Instructional segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weeks 1–10 | 1–9 | Organisms and Nonliving Things Are Made of Atoms |
| 2 | Weeks 11–18 | 10–15 | Matter Cycles and Energy Flows through Organisms and Rocks |
| 3 | Weeks 19–29 | 16–24 | Natural Processes and Human Activities Shape Earth’s Resources and Ecosystems |
| 4 | Weeks 30–36 | 25–29 | Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing World |
01
Plan for evidence, not coverage
Use the week ranges as a planning frame rather than a mandate. Protect time for students to revise models, interpret data, discuss competing explanations, and improve performance-task products.
- Budget opening, investigation, explanation, and transfer time.
- Use formative evidence to decide what to compress or revisit.
- Preserve safety setup, accessibility preparation, and feedback time.
02
Adapt without breaking the storyline
When changing order, check prerequisites, primary performance expectations, and the model students carry into the next room. The course map shows the designed sequence; each chapter lists related rooms and prerequisites.
Professional review remains essential
Adapt this guidance to district policy, adopted materials, actual learners, available facilities, and current authoritative sources.