This is the official list of topics for the Science Genius battle. Students will study all topics from this list, but they will select one topic as the subject of their scientific rap verse. This rap will demonstrate an acute comprehension of the topic and will be judged as part of the rap battle competition at the end of the semester

Living Environment (Biology)
1. Describe and explain the structures and functions of the human body at different organizational levels (e.g., systems, tissues, cells, organelles)
2. Explain how the structure and replication of genetic material result in offspring that resemble their parents
3. Explain how the technology of genetic engineering allows humans to alter genetic makeup of organisms
4. Explain the mechanisms and patterns of evolution
5. Explain the basic biochemical processes in living organisms (digestion, respiration, photosynthesis, etc.) and how they help maintain dynamic equilibrium
6. Explain how a specific disease makes a person sick
7. Explain factors that limit growth of individuals and populations
8. Explain the importance of preserving diversity of species and habitats
9. Explain the impact of technological development and growth in the human population on the living and nonliving environment
10. Explain how individual choices and societal actions can contribute to improving the environment

Chemistry
1. Explain the properties of materials in terms of the arrangement and properties of the atoms that compose them
2. Use atomic and molecular models to explain common chemical reactions
3. Use kinetic molecular theory (KMT) to explain rates of reactions and the relationships among temperature, pressure, and volume of a substance
4. Explain the benefits and risks of radioactivity
5. Explain chemical bonding in terms of the behavior of valence electrons
6. Or write a rap exploring one or more of the following topics:
A. Structure and properties of atoms
B. The Periodic Table, what the periods and groups mean, and periodic trends
C. Moles and Stoiochiometry. (You could rap about how to do mole calculations.)
D. Kinetics and Equilibrium
E. Acids, Bases, and Salts
Physics
1. Observe and describe transmission and conservation of various forms of energy. (Describe and explain the exchange between potential energy, kinetic energy, and internal energy for simple mechanical systems, such as a pendulum, a roller coaster, a spring, a freely falling object.)
2. Explain variations in wavelength and frequency in terms of the source of the vibrations that produce them, e.g., molecules, electrons, and nuclear particles
3. Explain and predict different patterns of motion of objects (e.g., linear and uniform circular motion, velocity and acceleration, momentum and inertia)