Science Vocabulary for 6th Grade
49 terms
JamWise Education Team·Updated March 2026
In 6th grade, students in the middle school (6-8) band encounter 49 essential science vocabulary terms. These words form the foundation for classroom discussions, reading comprehension, written assignments, and standardized assessments. Mastering this vocabulary gives students the language they need to express their understanding with clarity and confidence.
Below you will find every science term for 6th grade, organized by topic where applicable. Each term links to a detailed definition page with grade-level explanations, related vocabulary, and connections to JamWise learning resources.
earth-science
View topic hubAsthenosphere
The asthenosphere is the partially melted, flowing layer of Earth's mantle beneath the lithosphere that allows tectonic plates to move.
Gravity
Gravity is the force of attraction between two objects due to their mass — the larger the mass, the greater the force.
Igneous rock
Igneous rock forms when hot melted rock called magma or lava cools and hardens.
Lithosphere
The lithosphere is the rigid outermost layer of Earth, made up of the crust and upper mantle, broken into tectonic plates.
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock forms when existing rock is transformed by intense heat and pressure deep inside Earth.
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and a crystalline structure.
Plate boundary
A plate boundary is the edge where two tectonic plates meet, where earthquakes and volcanoes often occur.
Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's outer layer is made of large moving plates that float on the hot mantle below.
Rock cycle
The rock cycle is the continuous process by which rocks are created, changed, broken down, and reformed into different types.
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock forms when layers of sand, mud, or other materials are pressed and cemented together over time.
Solar system
The solar system is the sun and all the objects that orbit it, including eight planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.
Weathering
Weathering is the process by which rocks are broken down by physical forces or chemical reactions at Earth's surface.
engineering
View topic hubDependent variable
The dependent variable is what a scientist measures to see the result of changing the independent variable.
Independent variable
The independent variable is the one factor a scientist changes on purpose in an experiment.
Model
A model is a representation of something that helps us understand how it works. Models can be physical, digital, or drawings.
Technology
Technology is any tool, system, or device created by humans to solve problems or meet needs.
life-science
View topic hubAbiotic
Abiotic describes the nonliving parts of an ecosystem, such as sunlight, water, temperature, and soil.
Autotroph
An autotroph is an organism that makes its own food, usually through photosynthesis. Plants and some bacteria are autotrophs.
Biotic
Biotic describes the living parts of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria.
Cell
A cell is the basic unit of structure and function in all living things.
Cell theory
Cell theory states that all living things are made of cells, cells are the basic units of life, and all cells come from existing cells.
Community
A community is all the different populations of organisms sharing a specific area.
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is all the living populations in an area interacting with the nonliving parts of that environment.
Eukaryote
A eukaryote is an organism whose cells have a nucleus enclosed in a membrane. Animals, plants, and fungi are eukaryotes.
Food web
A food web is a model showing the complex network of feeding relationships in an ecosystem.
Heterotroph
A heterotroph is an organism that cannot make its own food and must eat other organisms for energy.
Nucleus
The nucleus is the control center of a cell that contains DNA and directs the cell's activities.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy, water, and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen.
Population
A population is all the members of one species living in a particular area at a particular time.
Prokaryote
A prokaryote is a simple single-celled organism that does not have a nucleus. Bacteria are prokaryotes.
Respiration
Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose in the presence of oxygen to release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water.
physical-science
View topic hubCompound
A compound is a substance made of two or more elements chemically bonded together in a fixed ratio.
Convection
Convection is the transfer of heat through the movement of a fluid, where warm fluid rises and cool fluid sinks.
Density
Density is a measure of how much matter is packed into a certain volume of a substance.
Element
An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.
Energy
Energy is the ability to cause change or do work. It exists in many forms including heat, light, sound, and motion.
Energy conservation
Energy conservation is managing energy use wisely to avoid waste, such as turning off lights and using insulation.
Energy resources
Energy resources are sources of energy used to do work, including fossil fuels, solar, wind, and nuclear power.
Heat
Heat is the transfer of thermal energy from a warmer substance to a cooler substance.
Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy is the energy an object has because it is moving.
Metalloids
Metalloids are elements that have some properties of metals and some properties of nonmetals, like silicon.
Metals
Metals are elements that are shiny, conduct heat and electricity well, and can be hammered into shapes.
Nonmetals
Nonmetals are elements that are usually dull, poor conductors, and brittle in solid form.
Potential energy
Potential energy is stored energy an object has because of its position or condition.
Precipitate
A precipitate is a solid that forms and settles out of a liquid during a chemical reaction.
Speed
Speed is the distance an object travels divided by the time it takes.
Temperature
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.
Unbalanced force
An unbalanced force occurs when the net force on an object is not zero, causing it to accelerate.
Velocity
Velocity is a measurement of both speed and direction of a moving object.