South Washington County Schools

Elementary Science Curriculum Guide for Parents Pre-K/School Readiness through Grade 5

Contents: General Information: .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Pre-K/School Readiness ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Kindergarten ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 Grade 1 ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 Grade 2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 Grade 3 ............................................................................................................................................................... 8 Grade 4 ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Grade 5 ............................................................................................................................................................. 12

Elementary Science Curriculum Guide for Parents 2011 South Washington County Schools; ISD 833 7362 East Point Douglas Rd S Cottage Grove, MN 55016 www.sowashco.k12.mn.us Teaching and Learning Services Dr. Richard Spicuzza; Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Assessment Wendy Niesl; K-12 Science Specialist 2

General Information: In Minnesota, science content standards are divided into three strands: Physical, Earth and Space and Life Sciences. Generally, students receive instruction in each area, every year. The content builds on itself and becomes more in depth as students progress through school. In addition to science content, The Nature of Science and Engineering standards represent the learning process, necessary skills and real world connections necessary for literacy in science. Unlike the content standards, Nature of Science and Engineering standards are embedded throughout the curriculum and spiral as students progress through school. Our elementary science curriculum is a combination of text resources and inquiry modules. Students use science notebooks for recording and communicating their investigations. Science fairs and field trips are also common in our schools. Text resources include Scott Foresman “Science,” FOSS Science Stories, and grade level reading selections from Harcourt and Scott Foresman. Inquiry modules include SCIS 3+, Science Activity Tubs from Lakeshore Learning, FOSS Modules and Scott Foresman Science laboratory investigations. Benchmark correlations are noted in this guide. Standards documents and MCA Test specifications are available online from the Minnesota Department of Education. In 2011, SciMathMN in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Education created the Minnesota STEM Teacher Center and Frameworks for the Minnesota Mathematics and Science Standards. The Frameworks contain information to assist teachers, administrators and parents in understanding and navigating the math and science standards. The Frameworks can be found at http://www.scimathmn.org/stemtc/.

Online resources: FOSS Inquiry modules are used in many grade levels. FOSSWeb is the companion website with a variety of resources for students, teachers and parents. Pearson/Scott Foresman “Science” is used in grades 3, 4 and 5. The textbooks are available online at www.pearsonsuccessnet.com. Users do need to create an account for access.

Assessment: Students will take the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment for Science (MCA) in grade 5. This exam tests proficiency across grades 3, 4 and 5 in the Minnesota Academic Standards for Science. In the classroom, students should be assessed on their content knowledge, ability to communicate their understanding of concepts, and ability to engage in scientific investigations.

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Pre-K/School Readiness Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress in Scientific Thinking and Problem Solving: Observing 1. Uses senses to explore materials and the environment. 2. Identify and/or describe objects by physical characteristics. Questioning 3. Express wonder about the natural world. 4. Ask questions and seek answers through active investigation. 5. Make predications about objects and natural events. Investigating 6. Use tools (e.g. magnifying glass, binoculars, maps) for investigation of the environment. 7. Make comparisons between objects that have been collected or observed.

Click here for Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota’s early learning standards

Developmental guidelines from The Work Sampling System: Preschool-4, © 2001 Pearson Education Indicators for Scientific Thinking and Mathematical Thinking Science: Asks questions and uses senses to observe and explore materials and natural phenomena. Science: Uses simple tools and equipment for investigation. Science: Make comparisons among objects. Math: Sorts objects into subgroups that very by one or two attributes. Math: Recognizes simple patterns and duplicates them. Math: Orders, compares and describes objects according to a single attribute. Math: Participates in measuring activities. Examples of classroom activities:  Record the daily weather on a classroom calendar;  Weather patterns and changes in the seasons;  Leaf collection and labeling;  Matching and sorting parent animals to their offspring;  Seed planting;  Sorting objects using physical properties;  Identification and naming of common shapes;  Color identification and mixing; or  Measuring using simple tools such as a 1-cup measure.

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Kindergarten Throughout the primary grades, students should become proficient with making observations of the natural world, asking questions that can be answered through the scientific process, and communicating their ideas in speaking, writing and graphing. Students will be introduced to these skills early in the year then apply their skills to investigations throughout the year.

By the end of kindergarten, students are expected to: [Benchmarks from the Minnesota State Standards for Science]          

Use observations to develop an accurate description of a natural phenomenon. Compare one’s observations and descriptions with those of others. Sort objects into two groups: those that are found in nature and those that are human made. Sort objects in terms of color, size, shape, and texture; and communicate reasoning for the sorting system. Monitor daily and seasonal changes in weather and summarize the changes. Identify the sun as a source of heat and light. Observe and compare plants and animals. Identify the external parts of a variety of plants and animals, including humans. Differentiate between living and nonliving things. Observe a natural system and identify living and nonliving components in that system.

Examples of classroom activities:  Thinking like a scientist classroom activity;  Introduction to science tools and safety in science;  Record daily weather on a classroom calendar;  Weather patterns related to changes in the seasons; or  Students collect and describe objects that are life and not life.  SCIS Beginnings o Section 1: Life on Land o Section 2: Color o Section 3: Shape o Section 4: Texture o Section 6: Life in Water o Section 8: Size

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Grade 1 Throughout the primary grades, students should become proficient with making observations of the natural world, asking questions that can be answered through the scientific process, and communicating their ideas in speaking, writing and graphing. Students will be introduced to these skills early in the year then apply their skills to investigations throughout the year.

By the end of first grade, students are expected to: [Benchmarks from the Minnesota State Standards for Science]            

When asked "How do you know?” students support their answer with observations. Recognize that describing things as accurately as possible is important in science because it enables people to compare their observations with those of others. Observe that many living and nonliving things are made of parts and that if a part is missing or broken, they may not function properly. Recognize that tools are used by people, including scientists and engineers, to gather information and solve problems. Group or classify rocks in terms of color, shape and size. Describe similarities and differences between soil and rocks. Identify and describe large and small objects made of Earth materials. Describe and sort animals into groups in many ways, according to their physical characteristics and behaviors. Recognize that animals need space, water, food, shelter and air. Describe ways an animal's habitat provides for its basic needs. Demonstrate an understanding that animals pass through life cycles that include a beginning, development into adults, reproduction and eventually death. Recognize that animals pass through the same life cycle stages as their parents.

Examples of classroom activities:  Thinking like a scientist classroom activity;  Introduction to science tools and safety in science;  Record daily weather on a classroom calendar;  Lakeshore Animals kit;  Lakeshore Rocks and Soil kit; or  Investigations into animal life cycles.

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Grade 2 Throughout the primary grades, students should become proficient with making observations of the natural world, asking questions that can be answered through the scientific process, and communicating their ideas in speaking, writing and graphing. Students will be introduced to these skills early in the year then apply their skills to investigations throughout the year.

By the end of second grade, students are expected to: [Benchmarks from the Minnesota State Standards for Science]              

Generate questions about the natural world and seek answers by making careful observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing the answers with others. Identify a need or problem and construct an object that helps to meet the need or solve the problem. Describe why some materials are better than others for making a particular object and how materials that are better in some ways may be worse in other ways. Explain how engineered or designed items from everyday life benefit people. Describe objects in terms of color, size, shape, weight, texture, flexibility, strength and the types of materials in the object. Observe, record and recognize that water can be a solid or a liquid and can change from one state to another. Describe an object's change in position relative to other objects or a background. Demonstrate that objects move in a variety of ways, including a straight line, a curve, a circle, back and forth, and at different speeds. Describe how push and pull forces can make objects move. Describe how things near Earth fall to the ground unless something holds them up. Measure, record and describe weather conditions using common tools. Describe and sort plants into groups in many ways, according to their physical characteristics and behaviors. Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients and air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways. Describe the characteristics of plants at different stages of their life cycles.

Examples of classroom activities:  Thinking like a scientist classroom activity;  Introduction to science tools and safety in science;  Record daily weather measurements on a classroom calendar and in science notebook;  Lakeshore Weather kit;  Label parts of a leaf;  Observing, predicting, testing the physical properties of different materials;  “I Get Wet;”  FOSS Balance and Motion;  “I Fall Down;”  Lakeshore Plants kit; or  Investigations into plant life cycles.

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Grade 3 In the primary grades, students were taught how to make good observations, ask questions that can be answered through the scientific process, and communicate their ideas. By the end of third grade, students should be proficient in scientific methodology – asking questions, making good observations, conducting experiments, and drawing rational conclusions based on data and communication.

By the end of third grade, students are expected to: [Benchmarks from the Minnesota State Standards for Science]                   

Provide evidence to support claims other than saying “Everyone knows that,” or “I just know,” and question such reasons when given by others. Generate questions that can be answered when scientific knowledge is combined with knowledge gained from one's own observations or investigations. Recognize that when a science investigation is done the way it was done before, even in a different place, a similar result is expected. Maintain a record of observations, procedures and explanations, being careful to distinguish between actual observations and ideas about what was observed. Construct reasonable explanations based on evidence collected from observations or experiments. Understand that everybody can use evidence to learn about the natural world, identify patterns in nature and develop tools. Recognize that the practice of science and/or engineering involves many different kinds of work and engages men and women of all ages and backgrounds. Use tools, including rulers, thermometers, magnifiers and simple balances, to improve observations and keep a record of the observations made. Explain the relationship between the pitch of a sound, the rate of vibration of the source and factors that affect pitch. Explain how shadows can form in various ways. Describe how light travels in a straight line until it is absorbed, redirected, reflected or allowed to pass through an object. Observe and describe the daily and seasonal changes in the position of the sun and compare observations. Recognize the pattern of apparent changes in the moon's shape and position. Demonstrate how a large light source at a great distance looks like a small light that is much closer. Recognize that the Earth is one of several planets that orbit the sun, and that the moon orbits the Earth. Compare how the different structures of plants and animals serve various functions of growth, survival and reproduction. Identify common groups of plants and animals using observable physical characteristics, structures and behaviors. Give examples of likenesses between adults and offspring in plants and animals that can be inherited or acquired. Give examples of differences among individuals that can sometimes give an individual an advantage in survival and reproduction.

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Grade 3…continued Examples of classroom activities:  Scientific methodology, lab safety, reading in science, communication (notebooking), and science tools;  FOSS Sun, Moon and Stars;  Solar System Project;  STARLAB;  Investigation into the characteristics and behaviors of light;  FOSS Physics of Sound;  Structure and function of common plant parts;  Structure and function of common animal parts;  Identification of traits that are inherited vs. acquired;  Ecosystem investigations that focus on the interactions of plants, animals and nonliving components;  Investigations exploring resource needs and adaptations of plants and animals; or  Creating food chain and food webs for specific ecosystems. Textbook: Grade 3, 4 and 5 science curriculum is supported by Scott Foresman “Science.” The text and supporting materials are available online through http://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com. Contact your child’s teacher for login information. Grade 3 chapter correlations: Skills pages XX – XXXii Chapter 1: Plants and How They Grow Chapter 2: How Animals Live Chapter 3: Where Plants and Animals Live Chapter 4: Plants and Animals Living Together Chapter 13: Energy Chapter 14: Sound Chapter 15: Patterns in the Sky Chapter 16: The Solar System Math-Science Connection: Third grade students are expected to use tools such as rulers, thermometers and simple balances to improve the accuracy of their observations. Students will also practice placing units on measurements.

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Grade 4 During fourth grade, investigations will focus on the practice of engineering. Students will engage in a full inquiry and design investigation toward the end of their fourth grade year.

By the end of fourth grade, students are expected to: [Benchmarks from the Minnesota State Standards for Science]                    

Describe the positive and negative impacts that the designed world has on the natural world as more and more engineered products and services are created and used. Identify and investigate a design solution and describe how it was used to solve an everyday problem. Generate ideas and possible constraints for solving a problem through engineering design. Test and evaluate solutions, including advantages and disadvantages of the engineering solution, and communicate the results effectively. Describe a situation in which one invention led to other inventions. Measure temperature, volume, weight and length using appropriate tools and units. Distinguish between solids, liquids and gases in terms of shape and volume. Describe how the states of matter change as a result of heating and cooling. Describe the transfer of heat energy when a warm and a cool object are touching or placed near each other. Describe how magnets can repel or attract each other and how they attract certain metal objects. Compare materials that are conductors and insulators of heat and/or electricity. Identify several ways to generate heat energy. Construct a simple electrical circuit using wires, batteries and light bulbs. Demonstrate how an electric current can produce a magnetic force. Recognize that rocks may be uniform or made of mixtures of different minerals. Describe and classify minerals based on their physical properties. Identify where water collects on Earth, including atmosphere, ground and surface water, and describe how water moves through the Earth system using the processes of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. Describe how the methods people utilize to obtain and use water in their homes and communities can affect water supply and quality. Recognize that the body has defense systems against germs, including tears, saliva, skin and blood. Give examples of diseases that can be prevented by vaccination.

Examples of classroom activities:  What is an engineer and what do engineers do;  Scientific methodology, lab safety, reading in science, communication (notebooking), and science tools;  FOSS Water;  FOSS Earth Materials;  Metric measurement;  Phases of matter and phase change;  Physical vs. chemical properties of matter;  Exploring heat and light; or  FOSS Magnetism and Electricity. 10

Grade 4…continued Textbook: Grade 3, 4 and 5 science curriculum is supported by Scott Foresman “Science.” The text and supporting materials are available online through http://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com. Contact your child’s teacher for login information. Grade 4 chapter correlations: Skills pages XX – XXXii Chapter 5: Systems of the Human Body Chapter 6: Water Cycle and Weather Chapter 7: Hurricanes and Tornadoes (optional) Chapter 8: Minerals and Rocks Chapter 10: Using Natural Resources Chapter 11: Properties of Matter Chapter 12: Heat Chapter 13: Electricity and Magnetism Chapter 19: Effects of Technology Math-Science Connection: Measuring temperature, volume, weight and length using appropriate tools and units is expected of grade 4 students. A good rule of thumb for fourth graders and above is “NO NAKED NUMBERS.”

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Grade 5 The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) in science is given to students in grade 5 during the month of May. The exam tests content knowledge from grades 3, 4 and 5.

By the end of fifth grade, students are expected to: [Benchmarks from the Minnesota State Standards for Science]                    

Explain why evidence, clear communication, accurate record keeping, replication by others, and openness to scrutiny are an essential part of doing science. Recognize that when scientific investigations are replicated they generally produce the same results, and when results differ significantly, it is important to investigate what may have caused such differences. Understand that different explanations for the same observations usually lead to making more observations and trying to resolve the differences. Understand that different models can be used to represent natural phenomena and these models have limitations about what they can explain. Identify and collect relevant evidence, make systematic observations and accurate measurements, and identify variables in a scientific investigation. Conduct or critique an experiment, noting when the experiment might not be fair because some of the things that might change the outcome are not kept the same, or that the experiment is not repeated enough times to provide valid results. Use appropriate tools and techniques in gathering, analyzing and interpreting data. Create and analyze different kinds of maps of the student's community and of Minnesota. Give examples of simple machines and demonstrate how they change the input and output of forces and motion. Identify the force that starts something moving or changes its speed or direction of motion. Demonstrate that a greater force on an object can produce a greater change in motion. Explain how, over time, rocks weather and combine with organic matter to form soil. Explain how slow processes (such as water erosion), and rapid processes (such as landslides and volcanic eruptions), form features of the Earth's surface. Identify renewable and non-renewable energy and material resources that are found in Minnesota and describe how they are used. Give examples of how mineral and energy resources are obtained and processed and how that processing modifies their properties to make them more useful. Compare the impact of individual decisions on natural systems. Describe how plant and animal structures and their functions provide an advantage for survival in a given natural system. Describe a natural system in Minnesota, such as a wetland, prairie or garden, in terms of the relationships among its living and nonliving parts, as well as inputs and outputs. Explain what would happen to a system such as a wetland, prairie or garden if one of its parts were changed. Give examples of beneficial and harmful human interaction with natural systems.

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Grade 5…continued Examples of classroom activities:  Scientific methodology, lab safety, reading in science, communication (notebooking), and science tools;  Organism classification activities;  Investigations to explore how environmental conditions affect organism growth;  Minnesota biomes;  Energy flow in ecosystems – food chains and food webs;  Change in ecosystems;  FOSS Landforms;  Mapping the water cycle;  Investigations into renewable energy – Renewable Energy Kit;  Newton’s laws of motion; or  FOSS Levers and Pulleys. Textbook: Grade 3, 4 and 5 science curriculum is supported by Scott Foresman “Science.” The text and supporting materials are available online through http://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com. Contact your child’s teacher for login information. Grade 5 chapter correlations: Skills pages XX – XXXii Chapter 1: Classifying Organisms Chapter 4: Plants Chapter 5: Interactions in Ecosystems Chapter 6: Changes in Ecosystems Chapter 7: Water on Earth Chapter 9: Earth’s Changing Surface Chapter 10: Protecting Earth’s Resources Chapter 11: Matter and It’s Properties Chapter 13: Forces in Motion

Math-Science Connection: Measuring with accuracy is a skill expected of 5th graders. All measurements should be made using appropriate tools and have a unit [“No Naked Numbers”]. Units should be metric with the exception of temperature where students are expected to be able read both scales. Students will practice creating and analyzing graphic representation of information (graphs, charts, maps).

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