2: Understand relationships of the properties of objects and materials, position and motion of objects, and transfer of energy to explain the physical world.

2.b: Differentiate between elements, compounds, and mixtures and between chemical and physical changes (e.g., gas evolves, color, and/or temperature changes).

Chemical Changes

2.c: Investigate the motion of an object in terms of its position, direction of motion, and speed.

2.c.1: The relative positions and movements of objects using points of reference (distance vs. time of moving objects)

Free Fall Tower

2.d: Categorize examples of potential energy as gravitational (e.g., boulder on a hill, child on a slide), elastic (e.g., compressed spring, slingshot, rubber band), or chemical (e.g., unlit match, food).

Sled Wars

2.e: Differentiate between the properties of light as reflection, refraction, and absorption.

2.e.3: Optical tools such as prisms, lenses, mirrors, and eyeglasses

Basic Prism

2.f: Describe physical properties of matter (e.g., mass, density, boiling point, freezing point) including mixtures and solutions.

2.f.1: Filtration, sifting, magnetism, evaporation, and flotation

Phases of Water

3: Predict characteristics, structures, life cycles, environments, evolution, and diversity of organisms.

3.b: Research and classify the organization of living things.

3.b.2: Function of the major parts of body systems (nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, skeletal, muscular) and the ways they support one another

Circulatory System

3.d: Distinguish between asexual and sexual reproduction.

3.d.3: Sexual reproduction (e.g., eggs, seeds, fruit)

Flower Pollination

3.e: Give examples of how consumers and producers (carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, and decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs.

Forest Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem

4: Develop an understanding of the properties of Earth materials, objects in the sky, and changes in Earth and sky.

4.d: Describe changes caused by humans on the environment and natural resources and cite evidence from research of ways to conserve natural resources in the United States, including (but not limited to) Mississippi. Examples of Mississippi efforts include the following:

4.d.1: Associated Physics of America, a private company located in Greenwood Mississippi, develops ways to convert a variety of agricultural products into efficient, environment-friendly and cost-effective energy sources.

Pond Ecosystem

4.d.2: The Natural Resource Enterprises (NRE) Program of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Cooperative Extension Service at MSU educate landowners in the Southeast about sustainable natural resource enterprises and compatible habitat management practices.

Pond Ecosystem

4.e: Predict the movement patterns of the sun, moon, and Earth over a specified time period.

Comparing Earth and Venus
Phases of the Moon
Solar System

4.f: Compare and contrast the physical characteristics of the planets (e.g., mass, surface gravity, distance from the sun, surface characteristics, moons).

Comparing Earth and Venus
Solar System