grade 4 science...grade 4 science - 2016, the archdiocese of cincinnati ps – the topic of focus...

Grade 4 Science - 2016, The Archdiocese of Cincinnati

GRADE 4 SCIENCE

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has established the following Science standards based on the most

current teachings which are aligned to Ohio New Learning Science Standards. In addition, these

Standards are infused with Catholic Identity and Catholic values. This curriculum gives parents,

students, and teachers the knowledge, understanding, and skill set students need to acquire and satisfy

the Archdiocesan Science Standards for Grade 4.

SCIENCE APPLICATION

Grade 4 students are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards. Students retain and master skills

learned in the preceding grades, and will further develop their skills to gain exposure to a range of texts and

tasks. Rigor is infused throughout this Graded Course of Study (GCS) along with relevance to further foster

the values of Catholic teaching.

Science for Grade 4 is divided into four standards:

Science Inquiry and Application (SIA)

Earth and Space Science (ESS)

Life Science (LS)

Physical Science (PS)

SIA – Students in Grade 4 learn that they must become more proficient in the use of the following scientific

processes, with appropriate laboratory safety techniques, to construct their knowledge and understanding in

all science content areas:

Observe and ask questions about the natural environment;

Plan and conduct simple investigations;

Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses;

Use appropriate mathematics with data to construct reasonable explanations;

Communicate about observations, investigations and explanations;

Review and ask questions about the observations and explanations of others.

ESS – Grade 4 students know that God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth and all celestial bodies. Grade 4

students will focus on the variety of processes that shape and reshape Earth’s surface. These processes

include erosion, deposition, volcanic activity, earthquakes, glacial movement and weathering.

Grade 4 students begin to recognize common landforms or features through various sources of

research. Connecting the process that must occur to landforms can be demonstrated through experiments,

observations, technology or other classroom investigations.

LS – Students in grade 4 will focus on using fossil evidence and living organisms to observe that suitable

habitats depend upon a combination of biotic and abiotic factors. Students learn that changes in an

organism’s environment are sometimes beneficial to its survival and sometimes harmful. They also study

that fossils can be compared to one another and to present day organisms according to the similarities and

differences.


PS – The topic of focus for Grade 4 in PS is conservation of matter and the processes of energy transfer and

transformation, especially as it relates to heat and electrical energy. At this grade level, the discussion of

conservation of matter should be limited to a macroscopic, observable level. Conservation of matter must be

developed from experimental evidence collected in the classroom.

SUMMARY – SCIENCE GRADE 4

Students in grade 4 have learned that all forms of life were created by the design of God. Fourth grade

students continue to increase their knowledge with their science skills through inquiry and investigations.

In addition 4th

grade Science standards can be connected to The Catechism of the Catholic Church for

reference for topics, issues, and/or questions that may arise in Science class. The following may be used:

Topic Section

Science and Faith 159

The Natural Moral Law 1954-1960

Abortion 2270-2275

Suicide 2280-2283

Respect for the person and scientific research 2292-2296

Research aimed at reducing human sterility 2375-2379

Care for Creation and Ethical Use 2415

Scientific experiments using animals 2417-2418

Evolution 279-289

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati stipulates the following exiting skills in the four standards of fourth

grade Science.

SIA – Science Inquiry and Application

Students in grade 4 must develop the ability in SIA to:

1. Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.

2. Design and conduct a simple scientific investigation.

3. Use appropriate mathematics, tools and techniques to conduct a scientific investigation, analyze and

interpret data, and to gather scientific information.

4. Think critically and logically to connect evidence and explanations.

5. Recognize and analyze explanations and predictions.

6. Communicate about observations and investigations with peers both verbally and in writing.

7. Ask questions about explanations.

8. Keep neat, current and accurate information and data in a science notebook.

ESS – Earth and Space Science

Students in Grade 4 must develop the ability in Earth and Space Science to:

1. Know that God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and all Celestial bodies.

2. Understand the processes that shape and reshape Earth’s surface.

3. Explain the different kinds of weathering.

4. Explain what occurs to the Earth’s surface due to weathering.

5. Describe the different kinds of erosion and deposition.

6. Give examples of the changes of the Earth’s surface due to erosion and deposition.

7. Identify specific landforms.


8. Identify specific characteristics of landforms and give reasonable explanations of reason.

9. Keep neat, current and accurate information regarding ESS in a scientific notebook.

LS – Life Science

Grade 4 students will:

1. Discuss evidence from observations of living organisms in a suitable habitat.

2. Compare and contrast biotic and abiotic factors in a habitat.

3. Discuss and give examples of changes in an environment that are beneficial to survival.

4. Discuss and give examples of changes in an environment that are harmful for survival.

5. Discuss the similarities and differences of fossils.

6. Keep neat, current and accurate scientific information and data in a scientific notebook.

PS – Physical Science

Grade 4 students will:

1. Understand the focuses on the conservation of matter.

2. Explain the processes of energy transfer and transformation.

3. Discuss the application of matter to heat and electrical energy.

4. Explain what happens to matter, and why, when it undergoes a change.

5. Discuss and explain how energy can be transformed from one form to another.

6. Discuss and explain how energy can be transferred from one location to another.

7. Keep neat, current and accurate scientific information and data in a scientific notebook.


Inquiry Based Science One of the biggest differences between this Graded Course of Study (GCS) and previous Science Graded

Courses of Study (GCS) is the focus on inquiry based learning. Inquiry based learning is based on the philosophy of

constructivist learning. That is the idea that students must be able to create their own understanding of concepts.

There are several levels to inquiry based learning. These range from no inquiry to open inquiry.

When there is no inquiry, teachers tell the students the facts and expected to repeat these facts to prove their

knowledge. In open inquiry, students are given the materials to learn. The students are expected to create their

own knowledge. This will lead them to a greater understanding and long-term retention of the material.

Think of a time when you learned something new or wanted to understand something in greater depth. It

is rare that the learning process is a linear one. Often, you will be intrigued by something you see. Imagine trying to

figure out why ice melts in the sun. In trying to understand this, you make judgments based on both previous

knowledge and personal experiences. You begin to inquire about why does this happen. You explore and this

becomes less of a mystery. Through this process, you know that the sun and melting ice fit together, but you are

not exactly sure how that happens. Sometimes, it does not fit together nicely and old ideas must be broken down

and reconstructed. (The ice still melted at night; why?) It is through these experiences that understandings are

extended. An idea is tested and if it does not work, we go back and retest it. If we go back to the ice example, you

realize that the ice will melt on a warm night just as it will during a warm day. You realize that it is not the sun by

itself that melts the ice. Instead, it is the heat that causes ice to melt.

Though this entire process, you have gained much more knowledge than heat causes matter to change

form. You have learned how to take your previous knowledge and apply it in a specific situation. You have made

observations, tested your ideas, reflected on what did not work, and gathered additional information. Learning is

not a linear process. Learning is a continuous and individual process. As a student, you facilitated your own

learning. This is exactly what inquiry based learning is. It is taking old skills and knowledge and applying them in

new situations. It is learning by doing.

No Inquiry

•The teacher lectures to the class about electricity and circuits.

Direct Inquiry

•The teacher has the students follow a step- by-step lab to create a circuit and light a bulb.

Guided Inquiry

•The teacher gives the students wire, batteries, and a light bulb. The students are told to create a circuit to light the bulb.

Open Inquiry

•The teacher gives the students wire, batteries, and a light bulb. The students are left to create something on their own.


The teacher still has a very important role in all of this. While students are naturally curious about the world

around them, it is still important for the teacher to lay the groundwork for the class. A question or a problem can

get the students engaged in the instructional task. If we think about marketing, a company needs your attention

before you will buy their product. It does not matter if it is the best product in the world. If you do not know it

exists, you will not purchase it.

When students explore, they are directly involved with the material. This is where they develop the

experiences to build their knowledge. The classroom teacher is necessary at this point to provide the materials

and guided focus.

After the students have completed their explorations, it is time for them to explain what they have

learned. During the explanation process, teachers have a vital role of correcting misconceptions or introducing

formal vocabulary. A student who learned that a ball will continue rolling until friction and gravity act upon it will

have something concrete to think of when Newton’s First Law of Motion is mentioned.

The teacher is also essential in elaboration of the topic. The teacher can raise questions that were not

brought up in the exploration stage. If the students were working with the laws of motion, they can be asked

about which balls will go further on a given surface. It is not possible to explore every situation, but the knowledge

the students gained during the exploration stage will help them in these areas.

Finally, there is the assessment piece. This should be an on-going piece throughout this entire process.

This will allow the teacher to determine whether the student understands the material. Some tools to help you

with this are rubrics, observations, checklists, interviews, and portfolios. Assessment must guide future lesson

planning and may even be cause for modification in the future. For example, if you notice there is a misconception

with many students, you can revisit the concept. If you notice great student interest in a specific area, the class

can be refocused to take advantage of this high level of interest.


Archdiocese of Cincinnati Catholic School’s Office Philosophy of Assessment

Based on educational research, the following is a set of grading practices organized into guidelines. These

guidelines should provide a framework of effective grading practices. The goal is to support student learning

and encourage student success.

It is important to be aware that the qualities of any grading guidelines are directly dependent on the quality of

diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments used in the classroom. They are not meant to be so specific

when a teacher is not afforded flexibility in the classroom. Instead, these are suggestions and explanations of

grading techniques that have been proven to increase the level of student achievement.

Relate grades to the achievement based on the standards.

The Ohio New Learning Science Standards are aligned to the Archdiocesan Graded Course of Study. Standards are

the basis of determining grades. Specific learning targets should be used to figure grades.

Use performance standards as reference points when determining grades.

Whether symbols, letters, or numbers are used, the students’ scores should reflect whether or not the students

have mastered the standard.

Separate achievement from other non-academic items such as effort, behavior, and

participation.

Grades should only indicate what a student knows, understands, and can do. Effort, behavior, participation should

be reported separately from achievement. Individual achievement, not group achievement should be the basis for

the grade.

Sample student performance. Don’t score everything, and don’t include all scores in grades.

Everything does not need to be scored and include in a grade. Formative assessments are tools to guide future

instruction. You can assess these with rubrics, checklists, scoring guides and a variety of other methods. Scores at

the end of the grading period, after the learning has taken place, should be the determining factor when figuring

grades.

Use quality assessments and accurately record evidence of achievement.

Assessments should match what the student is expected to learn, this is called relevant learning. There are many

tools (e.g. portfolios, rubrics, interviews) other than the standard paper and pencil tests to assess a student’s

understanding of the material.

Discuss and involve students in the assessment and grading processes throughout the

learning cycle.

One method that has continued to increase student achievement is involving them in the assessment process.

Students should be involved in all steps of this process. At the most basic level, students can simply understand


how their grades will be determined. As assessment becomes more student- centered, the students can develop

rubrics, maintain their own assessment records, self- assess, and communicate their achievement to others

(student-led conferences).


Reading Standards for 4th Grade Science Key Ideas and Details: 1. Refer to details and examples in a science text when explaining giving explicit examples and drawing

inferences from text. 2. Explain concepts in a scientific text including what happened and why, based on specific information. Craft and Structure: 3. Determine the meaning of scientific words and phrases as they are used in a text. 4. Compare/contrast same scientific events or topics; describe the differences and information

provided. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 5. Interpret scientific information presented visually, orally or quantitatively (ex. Charts, graphs, time

lines, etc.) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of what appears in the text.

6. Explain how author uses reason and evidence to support scientific information in a text. 7. Integrate information from two scientific sources on the same topic to write or speak about the

subject knowledgeably. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 8. By the end of the 4th grade school year, read and comprehend scientific information from text

proficiently with scaffolding as needed, at the end of the high range of the complexity band.

Writing Standard for 4th Grade Science Text Types and Purposes:

1. Write scientific opinion pieces with supporting reasons and information to support opinion. 2. Write scientific informative/explanatory to convey ideas and information clearly. 3. Write narratives to develop real scientific experiences using effective techniques, descriptive details

and clear event sequences. Production and Distribution of Writing: 4. Produce clear and coherent scientific writing for which organization is key and appropriate to task. 5. With some guidance from adults, use technology, including the Internet to produce and publish

scientific writing with collaboration with other 4th grade students. Research to Build and Present Knowledge: 6. Conduct short scientific research projects that build knowledge through investigations. Range of Writing: 9. Write routinely over extended time in a scientific notebook to produce a report or record science

observations.


SCIENCE GRADE 4

STANDARD – SCIENCE INQUIRY AND APPLICATION

STANDARD STANDARD DESCRIPTION

SIA 4.1

Observe and ask questions about the natural environment.

SIA 4.1.1

Compare and contrast gathering scientific knowledge in the natural environment.

SIA 4.1.2

Explain the importance of accurately reporting observations.


SIA 4.2

Plan and conduct simple investigations.

SIA 4.2.1

Explain the process involved with conducting a scientific investigation.

SIA 4.2.2

List some characteristics in good scientific investigations.

SIA 4.2.3

Describe the different ways to record and report scientific investigations.


SIA 4.3

Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses in a

scientific investigation.

SIA 4.3.1

Describe tools used to collect, record, and analyze a scientific investigation.

SIA 4.3.2

Explain the difference between a scientific observation and a scientific investigation.

SIA 4.3.3

Explain the importance of accuracy when gathering data.


SIA 4.4

Use appropriate mathematics with data to construct reasonable explanations.

SIA 4.4.1

Explain and describe the appropriate form used to report data.

SIA 4.4.2

List different tools of measurements and what they would measure in a scientific

investigation.

SIA 4.4.3

Explain why accuracy is a key factor when recording data.



SIA 4.5

Communicate about observations, investigations and explanations.

SIA 4.5.1

Explain the importance of conducting multiple types of observations, investigations

and explanations before communicating results.

SIA 4.5.2

Explain why Scientists focus on the natural world.


SIA 4.6

Review and ask questions about observations, predictions and explanation of

others.

SIA 4.6.1

Describe the nature of scientific evaluation.

SIA 4.6.2

Identify a scientific theory and assess the evidence that supports it.

SIA 4.6.3

Describe different methods used in scientific investigations.

SIA 4.6.4

Explain the difference between reliable and unreliable scientific data.


SCIENCE GRADE 4

STANDARD – EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

STANDARD

STANDARD DESCRIPTION

ESS 4.1

Earth’s surface has specific characteristics and landforms that can be identified.

ESS 4.1.1

Explain what covers the majority of the Earth’s surface.

ESS 4.1.2

Explain why the Earth’s land changes over time.

ESS 4.1.3

Describe some specific characteristics and landforms of the Earth’s surface.

ESS 4.1.4

How does erosion and weathering change the Earth’s landforms?

ESS 4.1.5

Explain how water changes the Earth’s surface.

STANDARD

STANDARD DESCRIPTION

ESS 4.2

The surface of Earth changes due to weathering.

ESS 4.2.1

Explain some features found in Earth’s surface.

ESS 4.2.2

Explain how does erosion and weathering change the Earth’s landforms?

ESS 4.2.3

Compare/contrast rapid and slow changes of the Earth’s surface.

ESS 4.2.4

Describe different examples of weathering and erosion.


ESS 4.3

The surface of Earth changes due to erosion and deposition.

ESS 4.3.1

Compare/contrast erosion and deposition.


SCIENCE GRADE 4

STANDARD – LIFE SCIENCE


LS 4.1

Changes in an organism’s environment are sometimes beneficial to its survival

and sometimes harmful.

LS 4.1.1

Explain how organisms interact with living and nonliving things.

LS 4.1.2

Describe an ecosystem and what makes up an ecosystem.

LS 4.1.3

Describe factors that are beneficial to an organism’s environment.

LS 4.1.4

Describe factors that could be considered harmful to the survival of an organism.

LS 4.1.5

Describe some physical and behavioral adaptations for an ecosystem.


LS 4.2

Fossils can be compared to one another and to present day organisms according to

their similarities and differences.

LS 4.2.1

Describe a fossil and what it can relate to scientists.

LS 4.2.2

Describe some different types of fossils.

LS 4.2.3

Compare and contrast fossils and their use for helping scientists discover valuable

findings.


SCIENCE GRADE 4

STANDARD – PHYSICAL SCIENCE STANDARD STANDARD DESCRIPTION

PS 4.1

The total amount of matter is conserved when it undergoes a change.

PS 4.1.1

Describe what kind of change occurs when force is applied.

PS 4.1.2

Describe some common forces.

PS 4.1.3

Explain the properties of matter and the different ways matter changes.

PS 4.1.4

Describe the conservation of mass.


PS 4.2

Energy can be transformed from one form to another or can be transferred from

one location to another.

PS 4.2.1

Describe various forms of energy.

PS 4.2.2

List where different forms of energy originate.

PS 4.2.3

Explain how energy can be transformed and transferred.


Science Comparative Analysis

Content that is new to 4th

Grade Content that is still included at 4th Grade, but may be modified at a greater depth

Content that is no longer a focus at 4th Grade

Life Science: Environmental

changes can be positive,

neutral or detrimental

(formerly in 5th grade).

Physical Science: Matter is

conserved (formerly in 7th

grade).

Physical Science: Heat and

electrical energy can be

transferred and

transformed; electricity

and magnetism are related

(formerly in 5th grade).

Earth and Space Sciences: Geologic processes that affect the surface of Earth, including landform formation.

Life Science: Fossils, the environment, and extinction.

Physical Science: The temperature of objects can be changed.

Earth and Space Sciences: Weather changes that occur over a period of time (now in grades K-2)

Life Science: Life cycles

of plants (now in 3rd grade).

Life Science: Plant

structures, classification, and function (now in 3rd grade).

Physical Science:

Changes can be classified as chemical or physical.

Physical Science:

Objects can be described by the properties of materials from which they are made (now in Kindergarten and 1st grade).

Physical Science: Matter

has different states with different properties (now in 3rd grade).

grade 4 science...grade 4 science - 2016, the archdiocese of cincinnati ps – the topic of focus...

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