In Pre-AP Chemistry, students develop a deep conceptual understanding of matter and energy at the molecular level as they learn to explain their macroscopic observations using particulate-level reasoning. As students engage in grade-level content, they utilize scientific reasoning skills needed to analyze the natural world—and to succeed in future science and social science courses in high school and college. The Pre-AP science areas of focus are vertically aligned to the science practices embedded in high school and college courses, including AP. This gives students multiple opportunities to think and work like scientists as they develop and strengthen these disciplinary reasoning skills throughout their education in the sciences with attention to modeling, strategic use of mathematics, and emphasis on analytical reading and writing.