Science

Our Year in Review

Scientific Method

  • Steps:
  • Form hypothesis
  • Observe
  • Collect and Record data
  • Communicate/Share your findings
  • Hypothesis: If ______, then ______.
  • Hypothesis: is a scientific guess at what may happen in an experiment
  • Safety: wear goggles, gloves, etc. when needed. SAFETY FIRST!

Rocks and Minerals

  • Rocks: naturally formed solid made of one or more MINERALS
  • Minerals: non-living solid object found in nature
  • Properties of a rock: luster, color, hardness, shape
  • Three types of rocks:
  • Igneous: formed from lava/volcanic eruption
  • Metamorphic: formed deep in the earth where it is VERY hot
  • Sedimentary: layers, formed from movement and the crushing of rocks into layers
  • Weathering: when objects, such as rocks, trees, etc. CHANGE SHAPE and are broken down due to rain, snow, wind, or sleet
  • Erosion: when weathered rocks, trees, dirt are MOVED
  • Moh’s Scale of Hardness: determines how hard or soft a rock is
  • Scratch Test: Used to determine hardness (Moh’s scale)
  • Streak Test: determines the color that a rock leaves behind
  • Luster: the amount of shine a rock or mineral has

Fossils

  • Types of fossils:
  • Mold: imprint
  • Cast: raised—looks like an actual body part
  • Trace: bones, teeth, feces
  • Imprint: footprints/tracks
  • Fossilization: process of becoming a fossil
  • Ferns: most common plant fossil because most plants on Earth were ferns
  • Plants: soft and rot away so it is hard to find plant fossils
  • Fossils of teeth: tell us whether an animal was a carnivore or herbivore, age, and health
  • Most fossils are found in SEDIMENTARY rocks!

Soils

  • Soil: loose material in which plants can grow in the upper layer of Earth
  • Soil is made of: humus, air, water, tiny pieces of rock
  • Humus: made up of decayed living things—bones, etc.
  • Weathering: washes away topsoil, making it hard for plants to grow and survive
  • Clay: made of SMALL, powdery grains—sticky and hard for plants to grow in
  • Sand: made of LARGE grains—water drains quickly from it so plants can’t grow in it
  • Loam: topsoil used on farms Rich with humus and holds water and air well! Good for plants!
  • Dark brown or black soil: best for growing plants
  • Layers of soil:
  • Topsoil
  • Subsoil
  • Bedrock

Habitats

  • Habitat: natural environment of an animal
  • Ecosystem: the interaction of an animal with its environment and EVERYTHING in its surroundings
  • 5 Georgia Habitat Regions:
  • Mountain
  • Piedmont
  • Coastal Plains
  • Coast/Barrier Islands
  • Swamps/Marshes

**Know a few animals and plants in each of the habitat regions!

  • Adaptations: something that allows an animal to survive/protect itself in its environment
  • For example: The ears of a deer turning all the way around so it can hear better. The camouflage/coloring of a snake to hide from predators. A duck’s beak to help it grab fish.
  • Balance: the right amount of living and nonliving things in an environment.
  • If there are too many animals and not enough food, there is no balance.
  • Balance can be destroyed by fires, tornadoes, droughts, etc. where animals need to move to new habitats to find food, etc.

Magnets

  • Opposite poles attract
  • Like poles repel
  • Electromagnet: made by using wire, iron, and an electric current
  • Magnet: iron, refrigerator, anything with iron in it
  • Non-Magnetic: copper, silver, any non-metal object
  • The earth is magnetic
  • Compass: points toward the north pole of the earth, tells direction

Heat

  • Heat = ENERGY! (thermal energy)
  • Thermo: means heat
  • Thermometer: measures temperature
  • Black: absorbs heat
  • White: repels heat
  • Heat moves---cold does not
  • Heat sources: body, sun, fire, friction, etc.
  • Insulation: traps heat
  • Insulator: jacket, blanket, walls, etc.
  • Conduction: conducts heat
  • Conductor: metal, electric wire, etc.
  • Radiation: giving off heat
  • Convection: moving heat through liquids and gases

Conservation and Recycling

  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
  • Landfills: areas where trash is dumped
  • Factories and cars: create air pollution