4.2: The student will investigate how living things interact with one another and with non-living elements of their environment.

4.2.1: Investigate the relationships among organisms in a specific ecosystem.

4.2.1.a: Examine and relate how plants and animals interact with each other and their environment.

Forest Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem

4.3: The student will study the basic parts of plants, investigate how plants produce food, and discover that plants and animals use food to sustain life.

4.3.1: Realize that plants and animals use food for energy.

4.3.1.a: Explain that animals must obtain and use food for energy.

Homeostasis
Prairie Ecosystem

4.4: The student will understand the basic principles of inheritance.

4.4.1: Realize that certain characteristics are passed from parents to offspring.

4.4.1.a: Compare the traits of offspring with those of the parent.

Inheritance

4.7: The student will investigate the structure of the universe.

4.7.1: Know that objects in space have identifiable characteristics (e.g., appearance, location, and apparent motion).

4.7.1.a: Identify and order the planets in the solar system by their distance from the sun.

Solar System

4.7.2: Investigate the patterns and movement of objects in space.

4.7.2.c: Simulate the changing shape of the moon.

Phases of the Moon

4.11: The student will investigate the effects of force on the movement of objects.

4.11.1: Recognize that gravity is the force that pulls objects toward the earth.

4.11.1.a: Describe how gravitational forces operate in nature

Free Fall Tower
Gravity Pitch

4.11.2: Recognize the relationship between force and motion.

4.11.2.a: Explain how speed affects the distance traveled.

Force and Fan Carts

4.11.2.b: Recognize simple machines (e.g., inclined plane, pulley, lever).

Ants on a Slant (Inclined Plane)
Levers
Pulleys
Wheel and Axle

4.11.3: Recognize that the motion of objects is affected by friction.

4.11.3.a: Identify factors that affect the amount of friction.

Force and Fan Carts

4.12: The student will investigate the characteristic properties of matter.

4.12.1: Recognize that matter has predictable properties and is composed of basic units, some too small to be seen with the naked eye.

4.12.1.b: Describe matter by its observable physical properties (i.e., color, shape, texture, weight, volume, length).

Mineral Identification
Phases of Water

4.12.2: Recognize conditions that are associated with different states of matter.

4.12.2.a: Describe how various types of matter change their state.

Phases of Water

4.14: The student will investigate energy and its uses.

4.14.1: Know that energy exists in many forms.

4.14.1.a: Identify different forms of energy (e.g., mechanical, heat).

Energy Conversions

4.14.4: Recognize the basic concept of electricity.

4.14.4.a: Construct and explain a simple electrical circuit.

Circuit Builder

4.14.4.b: Categorize materials as conductors or insulators.

Circuit Builder