Science: Fourth Grade2016 - 2017

Science: Fourth Grade

This course offers an in depth study of four main scientific areas. These areas include Land and Water, Animal Studies, Electric Circuits with a special focus on designing a lighting system, and Parachutes. This course also has an additional study, preparing students for the fourth grade PSSA Science test. Throughout the year the students will have opportunities to investigate scientific questions using inquiry-based strategies. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of texts, hands on experiments, and the use of multimedia.

Course Information:

Frequency & Duration: Averaging 40 minutes; 5 days per week; full year

ASSET Modules:

Land and Water

Animal Studies

Electric Circuits

Lighten Up: Designing Lighting System (EIE)

A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes (EIE)

Content: Land and Water / Duration:August- November (8 weeks)
Essential Question: / How does energy change from one form to another as it moves through a system?
What is the evidence that the earth’s systems change?
What predictable patterns of change can be observed on and from earth?
Skill: /
  • Describe how landforms are the result of destructive and constructive forces.
  • Identify basic properties and uses of Earth’s materials
  • Recognize fresh and saltwater
  • Describe the Water Cycle
  • Describe basic landforms, layers of the earth, and recognize that the surface of the earth changes
  • Demonstrate physical changes such as melting or freezing
  • Demonstrate physical changes of water
  • Describe how water changes state
  • Identify, classify, compare and contrast observable and measurable properties of solids, liquids, and gases.
  • Explain basic components of the water cycle.
  • Explain geological processes
  • Describe how water on earth cycles in different forms and in different locations
  • Identify basic landforms using models and simple maps.
  • Identify simple changes in the earth system.
  • Explain how basic weather elements are measured
  • Define and identify Watersheds
  • Describe physical characteristics and components of watersheds
  • Use scientific inquiry to investigate soil.

Assessment: /
  • Students will be able to recognize different fresh and saltwater resources and their phase changes on Earth.
  • The students will be able to explain the basic components of the water cycle.
  • Students will be able toexplain how geological processes observed today such as erosion, movement of lithospheric plates, and changes in the composition of the atmosphere are similar to those in the past.
  • Given a solid, liquid, and gas students will identify, classify, compare and contrast observable and measurable properties.
  • Students will be able to describe how water can be changed from one state to another by adding or taking away heat.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate the physical change as water goes from liquid to ice and from liquid to vapor
  • Students will be able to demonstrate the conservation of mass during physical changes.
  • The students will be able to describe landforms and will be able to recognize that the surface of the earth changes due to slow and rapid processes.
  • Given a landform students will be able to describe how landforms are the result of a combination of destructive forces such as erosion and constructive erosion, deposition of sediment, etc.
  • The students will be able to identify basic properties and uses of Earth’s materials including rocks, soils, water, and gases of the atmosphere.
  • The students will be able to use scientific inquiry to investigate the composition of various soils. Distinguish between scientific fact and opinion.
  • Ask questions about objects, organisms and events.
  • Understand that all scientific investigations involve asking and answering questions and comparing the answer with what is already known.
  • Plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different kinds of investigations.
  • Use simple equipment (tools and other technologies) to gather data and understand that this allows scientists to collect more information than relying only on their senses to gather information.
  • Use data/evidence to construct explanations and understand that scientists develop explanations based on their evidence and compare them with their current scientific knowledge.
  • Communicate procedures and explanations giving priority to evidence and understanding that scientists make their results public, describe their investigations so they can be reproduced and review and ask questions about the work of other scientists.

Resources: / ASSET Module: Land and Water
Standards: / 3.2.4.A1. Identify and classify objects based on their observable and measurable physical properties. Compare and contrast solids, liquids, and gases based on their properties.
3.2.5.A1.Describe how water can be changed from one state to another by adding or taking away heat.
3.2.4.A5. Use models to demonstrate the physical change as water goes from liquid to ice and from liquid to vapor.
3.2.4.A3.Demonstrate the conservation of mass during physical changes such as melting or freezing.
3.3.4.A1. Describe basic landforms. Identify the layers of the earth. Recognize that the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes and rapid processes.
3.3.5.A1. Describe how landforms are the result of a combination of destructive forces such as erosion and constructive erosion, deposition of sediment, etc.
3.3.4.A2. Identify basic properties and uses of Earth’s materials including rocks, soils, water, and gases of the atmosphere.
3.3.4.A4. Recognize Earth’s different water resources, including both fresh and saltwater. Describe phase changes in the forms of water on Earth.
3.3.5.A4. Explain the basic components of the water cycle.
3.3.5.A3.Explain how geological processes observed today such as erosion, movement of tectonic plates, and changes in the composition of the atmosphere are similar to those in the past.
3.3.6.A4. Describe how water on earth cycles in different forms and in different locations, including underground and in the atmosphere.
3.3.4.A6. MODELS/SCALE Identify basic landforms using models and simple maps. CONSTANCY/ CHANGE Identify simple changes in the earth system as air, water, soil and rock interact. SCALE Explain how basic weather elements are measured
4.2.3.A. Define the term watershed. • Identify the watersheds in which you reside
4.2.4.A. Describe the physical characteristics of a watershed. • Identify and explain what determines the boundaries of a watershed. • Identify water systems and their components as either lotic or lentic.
4.4.4 C Use scientific inquiry to investigate the composition of various soils.
Vocabulary: / Erosion- the process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents; Lentic- still water; Lotic- moving water;Mass- how much matter there is in an object; Watershed- land area from which surface runoff drains into a stream, channel, lake reservoir, or other body of water also called a drainage basin

Comments:

Content: Animal Studies / Duration:November/January (8 weeks)
Essential Question: / How does the variation among individuals affect their survival?
How do the structures and functions of living things allow them to meet their needs?
Skill: /
  • Classify plants and animals according to physical characteristics
  • Describe different resources that plants and animals need to live.
  • Describe common functions needed for survival
  • Describe observable features in parents and offspring
  • Identify observable patterns of plants or groups of animals
  • Identify and describe characteristics and environmental changes in plants and animals.
  • Describe Characteristics animals need to Survive
  • Describe how organisms meet their needs
  • Describe plant and animal adaptations for survival
  • Explain animal dependency
  • Explain how changes effect organisms
  • Organism dependency
  • Explain adaptation of organisms
  • Explain differences between threatened, endangered, and extinct organisms.
  • Explain freshwater organisms and their environment
  • Investigate factors influencing plant and animal growth
  • Determine circumstances that identify organisms as a pest.
  • Define the term pest and identify pests
  • Distinguish between scientific fact and opinion.
  • Ask questions about objects, organisms and events.
  • Understand that all scientific investigations involve asking and answering questions and comparing the answer with what is already known.
  • Plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different kinds of investigations.
  • Use simple equipment (tools and other technologies) to gather data and understand that this allows scientists to collect more information than relying only on their senses to gather information.
  • Use data/evidence to construct explanations and understand that scientists develop explanations based on their evidence and compare them with their current scientific knowledge.
  • Communicate procedures and explanations giving priority to evidence and understanding that scientists make their results public, describe their investigations so they can be reproduced and review and ask questions about the work of other scientists.

Assessment: /
  • Given plants and animals students are able to classify them based on shared characteristics.
  • Given a plant or animal students are able to describe different resources they need to live.
  • Students will be able to describe common functions living things share to help them function in a specific environment.
  • Students will be able to describe observable features in parents and offspring.
  • Given a plant or animal group students will be able to identify observable patters through physical characteristics.
  • Given a plant or animal students will be able to identify different characteristics that help them survive and reproduce.
  • Students will be able to describe how environmental changes can cause extinction in plants and animals.
  • Given an organism students will be able to describe its needs and responses to its environment.
  • Given an animal, students will be able to describe the characteristics necessary for survival.
  • Given a plant or animal students will be able to describe adaptations that are important to survival.
  • The students will be able to Explain how living things are dependent upon other living and nonliving things for survival. • Explain what happens to an organism when its food supply, access to water, shelter or space (niche / habitat) is changed. • Identify similarities and differences between living organisms.
  • Students will be able to identify organisms dependent on one another in an ecosystem and define habitat and explain how a change in habitat affects an organism.
  • Given an animal, students will be able to explain how specific adaptations help an organism survive.
  • Students will be able to state differences between threatened, endangered, and extinct organisms.
  • The students will be able to explain the life cycle of organisms and adaptations in a freshwater environment.
  • Students will investigate the factors influencing plant and animal growth.
  • Given a pest students will be able to determine the circumstances that cause humans to identify an organism as a pest.
  • Students will be able to define the term pest and identify various plants and animals that humans may call pests.

Resources: / ASSET Module: Animal Studies
Standards: / 3.1.4.A1. Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics that they share.
3.1.4.A2. Describe the different resources that plants and animals need to live.
3.1.4.A5. Describe common functions living things share to help them function in a specific environment.
3.1.4.B1. Describe features that are observable in both parents and their offspring.
3.1.4 B5. PATTERNS Identify observable patterns in the physical characteristics of plants or groups of animals.
3.1.4.C1. Identify different characteristics of plants and animals that help some populations survive and reproduce in greater numbers. Describe how environmental changes can cause extinction in plants and animals.
3.1.5.C1. Describe how organisms meet some of their needs in an environment by using behaviors (patterns of activities) in response to information (stimuli) received from the environment.
3.1.3.C2. Describe animal characteristics that are necessary for survival.
3.1.4.C2. Describe plant and animal adaptations that are important to survival.
4.1.4.A. Explain how living things are dependent upon other living and nonliving things for survival. • Explain what happens to an organism when its food supply, access to water, shelter or space (niche / habitat) is changed. • Identify similarities and differences between living organisms, ranging from single-celled to multicellular organisms through the use of microscopes, video, and other media
4.5.3.D. Identify organisms that are dependent on one another in a given ecosystem. • Define habitat and explain how a change in habitat affects an organism.
4.5.4.D. Explain how specific adaptations can help organisms survive in their environment
4.5.5.D. Explain the differences between threatened, endangered, and extinct organisms.
4.2.3.A. Define the term watershed. • Identify the watersheds in which you reside
4.2.4.C. Explain how freshwater organisms are adapted to their environment. • Explain the life cycles of organisms in a freshwater environment.
4.4.5.C. Investigate the factors influencing plant and animal growth. (e.g., soil, water, nutrients, and light)
4.5.4.B. Determine the circumstances that cause humans to identify an organism as a pest.
4.5.3.B. Define the term pest and identify various plants and animals that humans may call pests.
Vocabulary: / Environment- the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. Habitat- the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism Organism-a living thing; Pest- a destructive insect or other animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc.

Comments:

Content: Electric Circuits;
Lighten Up: Designing Lighting System (EIE) / Duration:January/April (12 weeks)
Essential Question: / What is the evidence that magnets and electricity produce forces?
Skill: /
  • Students will be able to identify types of energy and their ability to be stored and changed from one form to another.
  • Given an object that produces light students will understand they often emit heat.
  • Students will demonstrate how electrical circuits provide a means of transferring electrical energy when heat, light, sound, and chemical changes are produced.
  • Students demonstrate how electromagnets can be made and used.
  • Students will apply knowledge to construct simple circuits and compare and contrast series and parallel circuits.
  • Students will demonstrate the magnets have poles and repel and attract.
  • The students will give example of how energy can be transformed from one form to another.
  • Distinguish between scientific fact and opinion.
  • Ask questions about objects, organisms and events.
  • Understand that all scientific investigations involve asking and answering questions and comparing the answer with what is already known.
  • Plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different kinds of investigations.
  • Use simple equipment (tools and other technologies) to gather data and understand that this allows scientists to collect more information than relying only on their senses to gather information.
  • Use data/evidence to construct explanations and understand that scientists develop explanations based on their evidence and compare them with their current scientific knowledge.
  • Communicate procedures and explanations giving priority to evidence and understanding that scientists make their results public, describe their investigations so they can be reproduced and review and ask questions about the work of other scientists.

Assessment: /
  • Identify types of energy and ability to be stored and changed
  • Understand objects that emit light often emit heat
  • Demonstrate how electrical circuits provide a means of transferring energy
  • Demonstrate how electromagnets can be made and used.
  • Apply knowledge to construct simple circuits and compare and contrast series and parallel circuits.
  • Demonstrate the magnets have poles and repel and attract.
  • Transformation of Energy

Resources: / ASSET Module: Electric Circuits
Lighten Up: Designing Lighting System (EIE)
Standards: / 3.2.4.B2. Identify types of energy and their ability to be stored and changed from one form to another.
3.2.4.B3. Understand that objects that emit light often emit heat.
3.2.5.B4. Demonstrate how electrical circuits provide a means of transferring electrical energy when heat, light, sound, and chemical changes are produced Demonstrate how electromagnets can be made and used.
3.2.4.B4. Apply knowledge of basic electrical circuits to the design and construction of simple direct current circuits. Compare and contrast series and parallel circuits. Demonstrate that magnets have poles that repel and attract each other.
3.2.4.B6. ENERGY Give examples of how energy can be transformed from one form to another.
Vocabulary: / Energy- the property of matter and radiation that is manifest as a capacity to perform work;Circuit- a complete and closed path around which a circulating electric current can flow; Parallel Circuit- electrical circuit with two or more paths; Series Circuit- electrical circuit with one path

Comments:

Content: A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes (EIE) / Duration:May/June (4 weeks)
Essential Question: / How could you demonstrate that a force can change an object's motion (speed or direction)?
How does energy change from one form to another as it moves through a system?
Skill: /
  • Explain how object’s change in motion can be observed and measured.
  • Identify types of energy and their ability to be stored or changed from one form to another.

Assessment: /
  • Students will be able to explain how an object’s change in motion can be observed and measured.
  • Students will be able to identify types of energy and their ability to be stored or changed from one form to another.

Resources: / ASSET: A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes (EIE)
Standards: / 3.2.4.B1. Explain how an object’s change in motion can be observed and measured.
3.2.4.B2. Identify types of energy and their ability to be stored and changed from one form to another.
Vocabulary: / Motion- the action or process of moving or being moved

Comments:

Content: PSSA Prep / Duration:4 weeks throughout the year
Essential Question: / What is the evidence that the earth’s systems change?
How does energy change from one form to another as it moves through a system?
Skill: /
  • Recognize that combining substances creates new materials
  • Demonstrate how vibrating objects make sound and sound can make things vibrate.
  • Demonstrate how light can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed by an object.
  • Compare characteristics of sound through different materials and relate the rate of vibration to pitch of sound.
  • Determine whether a sentence contains a fact or opinion.
  • Ask questions about objects, organisms and events.
  • Asking and answering questions
  • Plan and conduct a simple investigation
  • Use simple equipment/tools/technology to gather data
  • Use data/evidence to develop explanations

Assessment: /
  • Students will be able to recognize that combining two or more substances may make new materials with different properties.
  • The students will demonstrate how vibrating objects make sound and sound can make things vibrate.
  • The students will demonstrate how light can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed by an object.
  • The students will compare characteristics of sound through different materials and relate the rate of vibration to pitch of sound.
  • Students will be able to distinguish between scientific fact and opinion.
  • Students will be able to develop questions relating to objects, organisms and events.
  • Students will be able to recognize that all scientific investigations involve asking and answering questions and comparing the answer with what is already known.
  • The students will plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different kinds of investigations.
  • The students will use simple equipment (tools and other technologies) to gather data and understand that this allows scientists to collect more information than relying only on their senses to gather information.
  • The students will use data/evidence to construct explanations and understand that scientists develop explanations based on their evidence and compare them with their current scientific knowledge.
  • The students will communicate procedures and explanations giving priority to evidence and understanding that scientists make their results public, describe their investigations so they can be reproduced and review and ask questions about the work of other scientists.

Resources: / Textbook pages and/ or common projects or other resources
Standards: / 3.2.4.A4. Recognize that combining two or more substances may make new materials with different properties.
3.2.4.B5. Demonstrate how vibrating objects make sound and sound can make things vibrate. Demonstrate how light can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed by an object.
3.2.5.B5. Compare the characteristics of sound as it is transmitted through different materials. Relate the rate of vibration to the pitch of the sound.
3.3.4.B1. Identify planets in our solar system and their basic characteristics. Describe the earth’s place in the solar system that includes the sun (a star), planets and many moons. Recognize that the universe contains many billions of galaxies and that each galaxy contains many billions of stars.
4.1.4.C Explain how most life on earth gets its energy from the sun.
Vocabulary: / Orbit- the curved path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star, planet, or moon; Pitch- the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone; Reflection- an amount of light, heat, or sound that is reflected by a body or surface

Comments: