1: Scientific and Engineering Practices

4.1: The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by

4.1.a: asking questions and defining problems

4.1.a.1: identify scientific and non-scientific questions

Pendulum Clock

4.1.a.3: define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system

Programmable Rover

4.1.b: planning and carrying out investigations

4.1.b.1: identify variables when planning an investigation

Effect of Environment on New Life Form
Pendulum Clock

4.1.b.2: collaboratively plan and conduct investigations

Effect of Environment on New Life Form
Pendulum Clock

4.1.b.3: use tools and/or materials to design and/or build a device that solves a specific problem

Programmable Rover

4.1.b.4: take metric measurements using appropriate tools

Measuring Volume
Weight and Mass

4.1.b.5: measure elapsed time

Elapsed Time

4.1.c: interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating data

4.1.c.1: organize and represent data in bar graphs and line graphs

Graphing Skills

4.1.c.2: interpret and analyze data represented in bar graphs and line graphs

Graphing Skills
Prairie Ecosystem

4.1.c.4: analyze data from tests of an object or tool to determine whether it works as intended

Programmable Rover
Trebuchet

4.1.d: constructing and critiquing conclusions and explanations

4.1.d.1: use evidence (i.e., measurements, observations, patterns) to construct or support explanations and to make inferences

Comparing Climates (Customary)

2: Living Systems and Processes

4.2: The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals have structures that distinguish them from one another and play vital roles in their ability to survive. Key ideas include

4.2.a: the survival of plants and animals depends on photosynthesis;

Plants and Snails
Pond Ecosystem

4.2.b: plants and animals have different structures and processes for obtaining energy; and

Honeybee Hive

4.2.c: plants and animals have different structures and processes for creating offspring.

Flower Pollination

4.3: The student will investigate and understand that organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Key ideas include

4.3.a: interrelationships exist in populations, communities, and ecosystems;

Forest Ecosystem
Plants and Snails
Prairie Ecosystem

4.3.b: food webs show the flow of energy within an ecosystem;

Forest Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem

4.3.d: classification can be used to identify organisms.

Dichotomous Keys

3: Earth and Space Systems

4.4: The student will investigate and understand that weather conditions and phenomena affect ecosystems and can be predicted. Key ideas include

4.4.a: weather measurements create a record that can be used to make weather predictions;

Comparing Climates (Customary)
Observing Weather (Metric)

4.4.c: long term seasonal weather trends determine the climate of a region.

Comparing Climates (Customary)
Comparing Climates (Metric)

4.5: The student will investigate and understand that the planets have characteristics and a specific place in the solar system. Key ideas include

4.5.a: planets rotate on their axes and revolve around the sun;

Comparing Earth and Venus
Gravity Pitch
Solar System

4.5.b: planets have characteristics and a specific order in the solar system; and

Solar System

4.5.c: the sizes of the sun and planets can be compared to one another.

Solar System

4.6: The student will investigate and understand that there are relationships among Earth, the moon, and the sun. Key relationships include

4.6.a: the motions of Earth, the moon, and the sun;

Eclipse
Ocean Tides
Phases of the Moon
Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun

4.6.b: the causes for Earth’s seasons;

Summer and Winter

4.6.c: the causes for the four major phases of the moon and the relationship to the tide cycles; and

Ocean Tides
Phases of the Moon

4.6.d: the relative size, position, age and makeup of Earth, the moon, and the sun.

Solar System

4.7: The student will investigate and understand that the ocean environment has characteristics. Key characteristics include

4.7.b: physical properties and movement of ocean water; and

Ocean Tides