I: Students will understand that the appearance of the moon changes in a predictable cycle as it orbits Earth and as Earth rotates on its axis.

I.1: Explain patterns of changes in the appearance of the moon as it orbits Earth.

I.1.a: Describe changes in the appearance of the moon during a month.

Phases of the Moon

I.1.b: Identify the pattern of change in the moon’s appearance.

Phases of the Moon

I.1.d: Design an investigation, construct a chart, and collect data depicting the phases of the moon.

Phases of the Moon

I.2: Demonstrate how the relative positions of Earth, the moon, and the sun create the appearance of the moon's phases.

I.2.a: Identify the difference between the motion of an object rotating on its axis and an object revolving in orbit.

Comparing Earth and Venus
Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun

I.2.c: Model the movement and relative positions of Earth, the moon, and the sun.

2D Eclipse
3D Eclipse
Phases of the Moon
Tides

II: Students will understand how Earth's tilt on its axis changes the length of daylight and creates the seasons.

II.1: Describe the relationship between the tilt of Earth's axis and its yearly orbit around the sun.

II.1.a: Describe the yearly revolution (orbit) of Earth around the sun.

Gravity Pitch

II.1.b: Explain that Earth's axis is tilted relative to its yearly orbit around the sun.

Seasons: Why do we have them?
Summer and Winter

II.1.c: Investigate the relationship between the amount of heat absorbed and the angle to the light source.

Conduction and Convection
Heat Absorption
Heat Transfer by Conduction
Radiation
Seasons in 3D
Seasons: Why do we have them?
Summer and Winter

II.2: Explain how the relationship between the tilt of Earth's axis and its yearly orbit around the sun produces the seasons.

II.2.a: Compare Earth’s position in relationship to the sun during each season.

Seasons in 3D
Seasons: Why do we have them?
Summer and Winter

II.2.b: Compare the hours of daylight and illustrate the angle that the sun's rays strikes the surface of Earth during summer, fall, winter, and spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun

II.2.c: Use collected data to compare patterns relating to seasonal daylight changes.

Seasons in 3D

II.2.d: Use a drawing and/or model to explain that changes in the angle at which light from the sun strikes Earth, and the length of daylight, determine seasonal differences in the amount of energy received.

Seasons in 3D
Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun
Seasons: Why do we have them?
Summer and Winter

II.2.e: Use a model to explain why the seasons are reversed in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Seasons Around the World
Seasons in 3D
Seasons: Why do we have them?
Summer and Winter

III: Students will understand the relationship and attributes of objects in the solar system.

III.1: Describe and compare the components of the solar system.

III.1.a: Identify the planets in the solar system by name and relative location from the sun.

Comparing Earth and Venus
Solar System

III.1.b: Using references, compare the physical properties of the planets (e.g., size, solid or gaseous).

Solar System

III.1.c: Use models and graphs that accurately depict scale to compare the size and distance between objects in the solar system.

Solar System

III.3: Describe the forces that keep objects in orbit in the solar system.

III.3.a: Describe the forces holding Earth in orbit around the sun, and the moon in orbit around Earth.

Gravity Pitch

III.3.b: Relate a celestial object’s mass to its gravitational force on other objects.

Weight and Mass

III.3.c: Identify the role gravity plays in the structure of the solar system.

Gravity Pitch

IV: Students will understand the scale of size, distance between objects, movement, and apparent motion (due to Earth's rotation) of objects in the universe and how cultures have understood, related to and used these objects in the night sky.

IV.1: Compare the size and distance of objects within systems in the universe.

IV.1.b: Compare distances between objects in the solar system.

Solar System

V: Students will understand that microorganisms range from simple to complex, are found almost everywhere, and are both helpful and harmful.

V.1: Observe and summarize information about microorganisms.

V.1.c: Research and report on a microorganism's requirements (i.e., food, water, air, waste disposal, temperature of environment, reproduction).

Paramecium Homeostasis

V.2: Demonstrate the skills needed to plan and conduct an experiment to determine a microorganism's requirements in a specific environment.

V.2.d: Display results in an appropriate format (e.g., graphs, tables, diagrams).

Graphing Skills

V.3: Identify positive and negative effects of microorganisms and how science has developed positive uses for some microorganisms and overcome the negative effects of others.

V.3.d: Relate several diseases caused by microorganisms to the organism causing the disease (e.g., athlete’s foot -fungi, streptococcus throat -bacteria, giardia -protozoa).

Disease Spread

VI: Students will understand properties and behavior of heat, light, and sound.

VI.1: Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.

VI.1.a: Compare materials that conduct heat to materials that insulate the transfer of heat energy.

Conduction and Convection
Heat Transfer by Conduction

VI.1.b: Describe the movement of heat from warmer objects to cooler objects by conduction and convection.

Conduction and Convection
Heat Transfer by Conduction

VI.1.c: Describe the movement of heat across space from the sun to Earth by radiation.

Herschel Experiment
Radiation

VI.1.d: Observe and describe, with the use of models, heat energy being transferred through a fluid medium (liquid and/or gas) by convection currents.

Conduction and Convection

VI.1.e: Design and conduct an investigation on the movement of heat energy.

Heat Absorption
Radiation

VI.2: Describe how light can be produced, reflected, refracted, and separated into visible light of various colors.

VI.2.b: Compare the reflection of light from various surfaces (e.g., loss of light, angle of reflection, reflected color).

Laser Reflection

VI.2.c: Investigate and describe the refraction of light passing through various materials (e.g., prisms, water).

Basic Prism

VI.2.e: Predict and test the appearance of various materials when light of different colors is shone on the material.

Radiation

VI.3: Describe the production of sound in terms of vibration of objects that create vibrations in other materials.

VI.3.a: Describe how sound is made from vibration and moves in all directions from the source in waves.

Longitudinal Waves

VI.3.b: Explain the relationship of the size and shape of a vibrating object to the pitch of the sound produced.

Hearing: Frequency and Volume

VI.3.c: Relate the volume of a sound to the amount of energy used to create the vibration of the object producing the sound.

Longitudinal Waves