FOURTH GRADE SCIENCE

Alaska Content Standards

 

Standard A.  A student should understand scientific facts, concepts, 

                        principles, and theories.

Standard B.  A student should possess and understand the skills of

                        scientific inquiry.

Standard C.  A student should understand the nature and history of

                        science.

Standard D.  A student should be apply scientific knowledge and skills

                        to make reasoned decisions about the use of science and

                        scientific innovations.

 

Fourth Grade students will investigate structures of life, magnetism and electricity, water, and measurement.  Scientific process skills for fourth grade students will include: observing, communicating, classifying, measuring, predicting, experimenting, and formulating problems.

·        Generate questions about generally accepted knowledge

·        Gather information to explore topics

·        Develop ideas/theories about what may be happening when presented with new and unfamiliar situations

·        Develop more than one way to order or group objects or events

·        Test new knowledge for consistency with prior knowledge and experience

·        Formulate and justify predictions based on cause and effect relationships

·        Set up investigations to test their theories

·        Measure and estimate the weight, length, or volume of objects

·        Measure to the smallest unit

·        Record observations in tables using labels

·        Follow a set of written instructions for a scientific investigation

·        Analyze process to confirm results of their own experiments, test or observations

 

Alaska Science Performance Standards

 

A 1.  Students use models to represent matter as solids, liquids or gases and the change from one state to another.

A 2.  Students observe physical and chemical properties of common substances and observe changes to those properties.

A 3.  Students make observations of the daytime and nighttime sky and create a 3-dimensional model to explain the movement of the earth and moon in our solar system.

A 4.  Students observe natural events related to weather, seasons, and phases of the moon, and identify patterns in their observation.

A 5.  Students observe the force and energy manifestations of nature, such as gravity, magnetism, light and electricity and their interactions with a variety of materials.

A 6.  Students predict how an object’s speed, motion and direction change when they apply an outside force.

A 7.  Students observe and describe changes in the local environment caused by weather, waves, wind, water, ice, and living organisms.

A 8a.  Students observe and describe physical and chemical changes to a system.

A 8b.  Students observe and describe heat flow from one object to another.

A 8c.  Students determine heat conductivity of various materials

A 9.  Students describe the cycling of matter and transfer of energy in the local ecosystem.

A 10.  Students recognize the basic requirements for all living things: food, water, waste disposal, and reproduction.

A 11.  Students identify characteristics of plants and animals that inherited as well as characteristics of plants and animals that are influenced by the environment.

A 12.  Students categorize groups of plants and animals according to external features and explain how these features help organisms survive in different environments.

A 13.  Students describe how living organisms have changed over time.

A 14a.  Students classify familiar plants and animals based on their position in a simple food chain.

A 14b.  Students identify groups of plants and animals that live within characteristic biomes.

A 14c.  Students describe migration, hibernation, and  other seasonal patterns of local animals.

B 1.  Students observe, measure, and collect data from experiments and use this information to classify, predict, and communicate about their everyday world and verify those predictions.

B 2.  Students conduct simple experiments to answer a specific question about the natural or designed world.

B 3.  Students discuss multiple explanations for an observed phenomenon.

B 4.  Students use collaboration to investigate a question.

B 5.  Students practice factual reporting of data and identify techniques that ensure the fair collection and comparison of evidence.

B 6.  Students examine laboratory and community safety procedures, identify how an individual affects the safety of the group, and practice safe behavior in the classroom and laboratory.

C 1.  Students will observe and record an event, then explore concepts associated with those observations and facts.

C 2.  Students conduct simple experiments, compare their results with the work of others, and explain any differences.

C 3.  Students identify how various cultures throughout history have developed different units and tools for measurement.

C 4.  Students observe a phenomenon; record a person (non-scientific) belief about that phenomenon; compare their personal non-scientific) belief to the scientific explanation.

C 5.  Students work together to explore and share scientific discoveries about their environment.

C 6.  Students describe a historical scientific discovery that happened as a result of an accident.

C 7.  Students design a timeline to show the historical development of an object or tool that they use.

C 8.  Students observe and describe examples of how scientific ideas that conflicted with beliefs or common sense are resisted.

D 1.  Students use science knowledge and reasoning to explain the science of everyday events.

D 2.  Students describe various effects of an innovation on the safety, health and environment of the local community.

D 3.  Students identify a community problem or issue and describe the information needed to develop a scientific solution.

D 4.  Students evaluate multiple solutions to the same problem.

D 5.  Students debate the usefulness of various science tools and technological innovations in their community.

D 6.  Students work scientifically to improve a situation that exists in their local school or community.

 

 

CORE CONTENT

 

Life Science

·        Develop an attitude of respect for life

·        Gain experience with organisms, both plants and animals

·        Classify a variety of organisms according to selected characteristics e.g., backbone vs. no backbone

·        Observe and compare properties of seeds and fruits

·        Investigate the effect of water on seeds

·        Observe, describe, and record properties of germinated seeds

·        Compare different kinds of germinated seeds

·        Grow plants hydroponically and observe the life cycle of a bean plant

·        Observe and record crayfish and land snail structures and behavior

·        Organize data about crayfish territorial behavior

·        Develop responsibility for the care of organisms

·        Analyze the ability of soil to support the growth of many plants, including those in our food supply

·        Determine the qualities of nutrients, light, and water in the environment affect plant growth

·        Analyze plant structures for specific functions e.g., growth, survival and reproduction

·        Determine that new plants can be generated from seeds, tubers, bulbs, and cuttings

·        Relate structural characteristics and behavior of a variety of animals to the environment in which they are typically found

·        Determine animal behaviors and body structures that have specific growth and survival functions in a particular habitat

·        Evaluate living and nonliving things that affect animal life i.e., other animals, plants, climate, water, air, and location

Physical Science

·        Observe the interaction of permanent magnets with a variety of common materials

·        Discover that magnets display forces of attraction and repulsion

·        Measure the change in force between two magnets as the distance between them changes

·        Identify materials that are conductors and insulators

·        Analyze conduction (the movement of heat from one object to another)

·        Evaluate the ability of different materials to conduct heat

·        Understand and construct simple open, closed, parallel, and series circuits

·        Analyze the parts of a light bulb

·        Learn how to make an electromagnet

·        Experience the relationship between the number of turns of wire around an electromagnet core and the strength of the magnetism

·        Use knowledge of electromagnets to make  a telegraph

·        Acquire vocabulary associated with magnetism and electricity

·        Determine the ability of electric circuits to produce light, heat, sound, and magnetic effects

·        Measure magnetic effects over distance or through substances such as glass and paper

Earth/Space Science

·        Observe and explore properties of water in liquid, solid, and gaseous states

·        Observe the expansion and contraction of water as it warms and cools

·        Investigate factors that influence evaporation and condensation of water

·        Consider components of the water cycle

·        Observe and compare how water moves through different types of earth materials, including soil and gravel

·        Identify various types of soil e.g., sand, clay and humus

·        Differentiate the properties of soil such as color, texture, and capacity to retain water

·        Consider the water quality of local water sources

·        Investigate how water can be used to do work

·        Observe and describe changes in the local environment caused by weather, waves, wind, water, ice and living organisms

·        Describe how living organisms have changed over time

Scientific Reasoning and Technology

·        Understand the necessity for standard units of measurement

·        Develop an understanding and intuitive feel for the metric system

·        Measure length and distance in meters and centimeters with a meter tape

·        Measure mass in grams with a balance and mass pieces

·        Measure liquid volume and capacity of containers in liters and milliliters with 50-ml syringes and graduated cylinders

·        Measure temperature of liquids and air in degrees Celsius with a thermometer

·        Use science knowledge and reasoning to explain the science of everyday events

World to Work

·        Invite scientists as guest speakers  B.1,7;  C.4;  D.7;

·        Keep a journal of science related occupations in our community and state  B.6,7; C.1;  D.1;

·        Develop questions about how science might be used in an occupation  B.1,7;  C.1,4;  D.1,2;

·        Research an occupation that uses science.  Find out how science is used, preparation or education required for employment, safety issues and rules related to the occupation, etc.  B.1,7;  C.1,4; D.1;

·        Investigate the occupations that provide a public service to people in our community and state, with an emphasis on how science and employee commitment helps others  B.7;  C.8;  D.1,4;

·        Discuss and explore the ethics and attitudes that are important to science and the work place B.7;  C.1,8;  D. 1,4;

Textbook:
ISBN#:
Publisher:
Structures of Life 4A-742-7221 Foss
Magnetism & Electricity 4A-742-7122 Foss
Water 4A-742-7254 Foss
Measurement 4A-742-7133 Foss