5 th Grade Science Course Description and Philosophy The 5 th grade science curriculum is a study of a variety of units in science. Students will gain understandings of many important areas of the Life, Earth and Physical Sciences, and will utilize and understand scientific processes. The units of study are Matter and Its Interactions; Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions; Energy; From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes; Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics; Earth s Place in the Universe; Earth s Systems; Earth and Human Activity; and Engineering Design. Overall objectives of the curriculum are to identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations; design and conduct scientific investigations; use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze and interpret data; understand the scientific method; and integrate technology into the science curriculum. The performance expectations in fifth grade help students formulate answers to questions such as: When matter changes, does its weight change? How much water can be found in different places on Earth? Can new substances be created by combining other substances? How does matter cycle through ecosystems? Where does the energy in food come from and what is it used for? How do lengths and directions of shadows or relative lengths of day and night change from day to day, and how does the appearance of some stars change in different seasons? Fifth grade performance expectations include PS1, PS2, PS3, LS1, LS2, ESS1, ESS2, and ESS3 Disciplinary Core Ideas from the NRC Framework. Students are able to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen through the development of a model. Students develop an understanding of the idea that regardless of the type of change that matter undergoes, the total weight of matter is conserved. Students determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances. Through the development of a model using an example, students are able to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact. They describe and graph data to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth. Students develop an understanding of the idea that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water. Using models, students can describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment and that energy in animals food was once energy from the sun. Students are expected to develop an understanding of patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky. The crosscutting concepts of patterns; cause and effect; scale, proportion, and quantity; energy and matter; and systems and systems models are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. In the fifth grade performance expectations, students are expected to demonstrate grade-appropriate proficiency in developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking, engaging in argument from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information; and to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas. (Next Generation Science Standards) Text References: Harcourt Science, 2005, Harcourt Science Publishers, Orlando, FL, USA Revised 2014 1
Unit I: Matter and Its Interactions Essential Questions: What is the Structure of Matter? What are the properties of Matter? What are mixtures and solutions? What is a chemical reaction? Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen. Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved. Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties. Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit I Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5-PS1-1 Oral Response FOSS Mixtures 5-PS1-2 5-PS1-3 Web-based learning Lab Manual Discussion Group projects 5-PS1-4 Lab Activity Lab supplies Small Group Work Smartboard Smartboard instruction Homework Individual Research Laptops Lab Work Topic 1: Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen. Examples of evidence could include adding air to expand a basketball, compressing air in a syringe, dissolving sugar in water, and evaporating salt water. Topic 2: Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved. Examples of reactions or changes could include phase changes, dissolving, and mixing that form new substances. Topic 3: Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties. Examples of materials to be identified could include baking soda and other powders, metals, minerals, and liquids. Examples of properties could include color, hardness, reflectivity, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, response to magnetic forces, and solubility; density is not intended as an identifiable property. Topic 4: Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances. 2
21 st Century Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will use the FOSS Mixture & Solutions Module which consists of four sequential investigations that promote student critical thinking. These experiments require students to use group problem-solving techniques to plan investigations, use measurement in the context of scientific investigations, apply mathematics in the context of science, and acquire vocabulary associated with chemistry and the periodic table. Moreover, students will employ scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, organizing, and relating. Differentiation: All students will complete the Hot and Cold Colors activity in which they explore the effect of heating and cooling on the dispersal of food coloring in water. The primary purpose of this experiment is to engage students in an activity that will allow them to observe that hotter conditions can speed up changes in materials. Students will predict whether food coloring disperses more quickly in hot, cold, or room temperature water, and then carry out a short activity to explore their predictions. The activity is differentiated by the assessment in which students are presented with a question in which they can apply the idea in the lesson to a real life situation: "Write a paragraph describing something you witnessed in the last week that demonstrates how heating or cooling affected a material (consider what happened in your kitchen, backyard, etc.)." What is most important is that each student demonstrates the understanding that heating and cooling affect materials, and that some changes occur faster under hotter conditions. A secondary evaluation may be how well the paragraph is constructed. http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/hot-and-cold-colors/ 3
Unit 2: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions Essential Questions: What are the types of forces exerted on the surface of Earth? How does gravity affect objects on Earth? Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit II Topic 1: Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down. Down is a local description of the direction that points toward the center of the spherical Earth. Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5-PS2-1 Classwork Lab Manual Discussion Smartboard Homework Lab supplies Video Lab Activity Card games Small Group Work Laptops Lab work FOSS kit Individual Research Oral Response 21 st Century Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will describe what forces are and what they do. They will be able to explain how the forces of friction, magnetism, and gravity act in our everyday lives. The purpose of this Magnetism Lab is to understand that one of the forces that affects our lives is magnetism. A magnet produces a force field, called a magnetic field, around itself. This magnetic field affects certain objects. In this experiment, students will find out what types of objects are affected by magnetic fields. Harcourt lesson, pg. F4 in Forcers Chapter. Differentiation: All students will explore the role of gravity in falling. During the elementary years, force may be treated as the originator of motion. An explanation of force itself can be postponed until middle school, and even high school. It is important, however, to help students broaden their understanding of the fundamental forces of nature, with a particular emphasis on gravitational and electromagnetic forces. This lesson introduces students to gravity as a force, focusing on the concept of falling. Students will use different sized balls and discuss how forces impact them. http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/falling 4
Unit 3: Energy Essential Questions: Where is energy released and captured by plants? What is the chemical process that forms plant matter (from air and water). How does food provides animals with the materials they need for body repair and growth and the energy they need to maintain body warmth and for motion. Use models to describe that energy in animals food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit III Topic 1: Use models to describe that energy in animals food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun. Examples of models could include diagrams and flow charts. Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5-PS3-1 Web-based learning Lab Manual Discussion Laptops Lab Activity FOSS kit Small Group Work Homework Lab supplies Individual Research Oral Response Lab Work Smartboard 21 st Century Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will use the FOSS Living Systems Module which consists of four sequential investigations that promote student critical thinking. The Living Systems Module takes a look at life at every level of organization, biosphere to individual organisms to acknowledge that it is complex, involving multiple parts working together in systems to maintain the viability and vigor of the system. Understanding living systems, ecosystems, populations, and individual organisms is a critically important perspective, leading toward an appreciation of the diversity and wonder of life on Earth. Differentiation: All students will complete the Cycle of Life: Food Chain activity. This lesson on food chains focuses on the food chain by helping students understand that almost all kinds of animals food can be traced back to plants and that the sun is the ultimate source of energy needed for all organisms to stay alive and grow. http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/cycle-of-life-1-food-chain 5
Unit 4: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes Essential Questions: How does energy flow in Organisms? How do plants acquire their material for growth? Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water. Understand that matter is transported into, out of, and within systems. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit IV Topic 1: Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water. Emphasis is on the idea that plant matter comes mostly from air and water, not from the soil. Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5-LS1-1 Oral Response Lab Manual Discussion Lab Activity FOSS kit Small Group Work Laptops Homework Lab supplies Individual Research Lab Work Smartboard 21 st Century Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will use the FOSS Living Systems Module which consists of four sequential investigations that promote student critical thinking. The Living Systems Module takes a look at life at every level of organization, biosphere to individual organisms to acknowledge that it is complex, involving multiple parts working together in systems to maintain the viability and vigor of the system. Understanding living systems, ecosystems, populations, and individual organisms is a critically important perspective, leading toward an appreciation of the diversity and wonder of life on Earth. Differentiation: All students will complete the Celery Lab in which they will see observe the function of roots, stems and leaves? Students will place celery stalks in colored water and observe them over a 24-hour period. Students will see how the colored water has moved through the vascular tubes to reach the different parts of the stalk. 6
Unit 5: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Essential Question: What are interdependent relationships in Ecosystems? What are individuals, populations and communities? What are food chains and webs? How does matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and microbes? How does energy transfer in Ecosystems? Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. Understand that organisms obtain gases, and water, from the environment, and release waste matter (gas, liquid, or solid) back into the environment Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit V Topic 1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. Emphasis is on the idea that matter that is not food (air, water, decomposed materials in soil) is changed by plants into matter that is food. Examples of systems could include organisms, ecosystems, and the Earth. Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5-LS2-1 Oral Response Lab Manual Discussion Lab Activity Lab supplies Small Group Work Homework Individual Research Laptops FOSS kit Lab Work Smartboard 21 st Century Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will use the FOSS Living Systems Module which consists of four sequential investigations that promote student critical thinking. The Living Systems Module takes a look at life at every level of organization, biosphere to individual organisms to acknowledge that it is complex, involving multiple parts working together in systems to maintain the viability and vigor of the system. Understanding living systems, ecosystems, populations, and individual organisms is a critically important perspective, leading toward an appreciation of the diversity and wonder of life on Earth. Differentiation: All students will complete the How is a Food Web Organized? Lab, in which they build model food chains from different biomes, and build model food webs by piecing together those food chains. They will understand the roles of producers, consumers, scavengers, and decomposer in a food chain or web. They will also model the energy flow through trophic levels (energy pyramid). Each group member must verify that that each food chain is complete by having one producer, 1 st level consumer, 2 nd level consumer, 3 rd level consumer and either a decomposer or a scavenger to round out the food chain. 7
Unit 6: Earth s Place in the Universe Essential Question: What is the Universe and its Stars? Where is the Earth in our Solar System? What do the orbits of Earth around the sun and of the moon around Earth cause? What causes day and night? Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth. Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit V Topic 1: Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth. Assessment is limited to relative distances, not sizes, of stars. Assessment does not include other factors that affect apparent brightness. Topic 2: Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky. Examples of patterns could include the position and motion of Earth with respect to the sun and selected stars that are visible only in particular months. Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5-ESS1-1 Oral Response Lab Manual Discussion 5-ESS1-2 Lab Activity Lab supplies Small Group Work Homework Individual Research Laptops FOSS kit Lab Work Smartboard 21 st Century Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will use the FOSS Sun, Moon and Planets Module which consists of four sequential investigations that promote student critical thinking. The Sun, Moon, and Planets Module focuses on Earth's place in the solar system. Students collect and analyze shadow data. Students make and interpret a model of the Earth, Moon, and Sun system as well as observe changes in the Moon's appearance over time. These experiments require students to use group problem-solving techniques to plan investigations, apply mathematics in the context of science, and acquire vocabulary. Students will employ scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, organizing, and relating. Differentiation: All students will complete the Exploring the Solar System activity, which introduces students to earth's moon and the eight planets in our solar system. In this lesson, students will build on this knowledge as they research one of the other planets in order to determine whether a manned mission to that planet would be feasible. In the process, students will learn about the geology, composition, and orbit of this planet. Students will determine such factors as: what it is like, whether or not it is habitable, and how its orbit affects planning a trip. The lesson begins with a whole class exercise in which students plan a trip to the moon. http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/exploring-the-solar-system 8
Unit 7: Earth s Systems Essential Question: What are Earth s major systems? How do these systems interact to affect Earth s surface materials and processes? What are the Roles of Water in Earth s Surface Processes? Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact. Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit V Topic 1: Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact. Examples could include the influence of the ocean on ecosystems, landform shape, and climate; the influence of the atmosphere on landforms and ecosystems through weather and climate; and the influence of mountain ranges on winds and clouds in the atmosphere. The geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere are each a system. Topic 2: Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth. Assessment is limited to oceans, lakes, rivers, glaciers, ground water, and polar ice caps, and does not include the atmosphere.] Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5-ESS2-1 Oral Response Lab Manual Discussion 5-ESS2-2 Lab Activity Lab supplies Small Group Work Homework Individual Research Laptops FOSS kit Lab Work Smartboard 21 st Century Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will use the FOSS Sun, Moon and Planets Module which consists of four sequential investigations that promote student critical thinking. The Sun, Moon, and Planets Module focuses on Earth's place in the solar system. Students collect and analyze shadow data. Students make and interpret a model of the Earth, Moon, and Sun system as well as observe changes in the Moon's appearance over time. These experiments require students to use group problem-solving techniques to plan investigations, apply mathematics in the context of science, and acquire vocabulary. Students will employ scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, organizing, and relating. 9
Differentiation: All students will complete the Moisture in the Air activity in the Weatherbug Achieve program. The purpose is to understand how water moves through the atmosphere. The water cycle is defined and explained in detail. They will define humidity and relative humidity, and will examine data tables and graphs using real-time data. Students work on this interactive lesson, participate in experiments, and take an online quiz to review the lesson. 10
Unit 8: Earth and Human Activity Essential Question: What are some Human Impacts on Earth s Systems? What are individuals and communities doing to help protect Earth s resources and environments? Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth s resources and environment. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit V Topic 1: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth s resources and environment. Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5-ESS3-1 Oral Response Lab Manual Discussion Lab Activity Lab supplies Small Group Work Homework Individual Research Laptops FOSS kit Lab Work Smartboard 21 st Century Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will use the FOSS Sun, Moon and Planets Module which consists of four sequential investigations that promote student critical thinking. The Sun, Moon, and Planets Module focuses on Earth's place in the solar system. Students collect and analyze shadow data. Students make and interpret a model of the Earth, Moon, and Sun system as well as observe changes in the Moon's appearance over time. These experiments require students to use group problem-solving techniques to plan investigations, apply mathematics in the context of science, and acquire vocabulary. Students will employ scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, organizing, and relating. Differentiation: All students will complete the Greenhouse Effect in a Jar activity. Students can see for themselves how a greenhouse works, and relate this understanding to the greenhouse effect that occurs in Earth s atmosphere. Students will understand how these greenhouse gases serve as a natural and important function of keeping the surface of the Earth warmer. We will also have a discussion on Global warming and how it is impacting our world. 11
Unit 9: Engineering Design Essential Question: What are some solutions to engineering problems? How do we develop possible solutions to problems? How do we best optimize the Design Solution? Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit V Topic 1: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time or cost. Topic 2: Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. Topic 3: Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 3-5-ETS1-1 Oral Response Lab Manual Discussion 3-5-ETS1-2 3-5-ETS1-3 Lab Activity Lab supplies Small Group Work Homework Individual Research Laptops FOSS kit Lab Work Smartboard 12
Differentiation: All students will complete the Buoyancy Boats activity, which introduces students to engineering design. In this lesson, students will design and construct a boat out of aluminum foil and a few other simple materials. The boats will then be tested by floating them. They will begin to understand the scientific laws required for the design of the boat, i.e. buoyancy and Archimedes Principle. They will also explore the shapes of boats and construction techniques that may work for the boats. http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/buoyant-boats Ethical Decision Making/Character Education: Recognize that natural resources are precious and sustainability and conservation is imperative Recognize that technology is always changing to adapt to the changes in people s needs and desires Understand that engineers are consistently working to improve existing technologies to increase benefits and decrease known risks Recognize that societal demands impact natural resources and technological changes 13