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Connections and Relationships in Systems
Connections and Relationships in Systems
In grade 5, students model, provide evidence to support arguments, and obtain and display data about relationships and interactions among observable components of different systems. By studying systems, grade 5 students learn that objects and organisms do not exist in isolation and that animals, plants and their environments are connected to, interact with, and are influenced by each other.
They study the relationships between Earth and other nearby objects in the solar system and the impact of those relationships on patterns of events as seen from Earth.
They learn about the relationship among elements of Earth’s systems through the cycling of water and human practices and processes with Earth’s resources.
They also learn about the connections and relationships among plants and animals, and the ecosystems within which they live, to show how matter and energy are cycled through these (building on the theme of grade 4).
An ability to describe, analyze, and model connections and relationships of observable components of different systems is key to understanding the natural and designed world.
What this looks like in the classroom:
Civic Ecology: Students learned about how urban environmental change happens in cycles. How people in a neighborhood can work together to make the built environment better, such as reducing litter, which inspires others to make things better, making circles of connection between the human community and the natural community. Students learn how an individual as part of a system can work within the system to create change. Students worked with the Mystic River Watershed Association to learn how storm drains connect storm runoff to the larger ecosystem and ocean.
How this artificial system can cause problems of pollution. Students pulled up invasive species(bittersweet) in the Mystic River.
Students also created a field guide to the plant and animal speciies that live in the Aberjona River watershed, to hopefully inspire residents to care and protect them,(Ashley Metz)
ESS1. Earth’s Place in the Universe
ESS1. Earth’s Place in the Universe
5-ESS1-1. Use observations, first-hand and from various media, to argue that the Sun is a star that appears larger and brighter than other stars because it is closer to Earth.
State Assessment Boundary:
Other factors that affect apparent brightness (such as stellar masses, age, or stage) are not expected in state assessment.
5-ESS1-2. Use a model to communicate Earth’s relationship to the Sun, Moon, and other stars that explain (a) why people on Earth experience day and night, (b) patterns in daily changes in length and direction of shadows over a day, and (c) changes in the apparent position of the Sun, Moon, and stars at different times during a day, over a month, and over a year.
Clarification Statement:
Models should illustrate that the Earth, Sun, and Moon are spheres; include orbits of the Earth around the Sun and of the Moon around Earth; and demonstrate Earth’s rotation about its axis.
State Assessment Boundary:
Causes of lunar phases or seasons, or use of Earth’s tilt are not expected in state assessment.
What this looks like in the classroom:
Create a model of the solar system: Students can work in small groups to create a scale model of the solar system using everyday materials like paper, styrofoam balls, and paint. This activity will help students visualize the relative size and distances of the planets and their orbits around the sun.
Design a space mission: Students can work in small groups to design a space mission to explore a planet or moon in the solar system. They can research the planet or moon they choose and create a mission plan that includes the spacecraft design, the instruments and tools needed, and the objectives of the mission. They can then create a video showing their spacecraft models exploring the solar system.
Make a planet fact file: Students can research a planet of their choice and create a fact file that includes information about the planet's size, composition, atmosphere, temperature, and any interesting features or discoveries. They can present their fact file to the class and discuss what they learned.
Create a virtual tour of the solar system: Students can use online tools like Google Earth to create a virtual tour of the solar system. They can create a tour of the planets and their moons, and include information about each planet, such as its distance from the sun, its size, and any interesting features or discoveries.
Role-play a solar system debate: Students can work in small groups to research and debate a topic related to the solar system, such as the possibility of life on other planets, the importance of space exploration, or the effects of space weather on Earth. Or re-enact Galileo's debates about the structure of the solar system.(Chat GPT)
ESS2. Earth’s Systems
5-ESS2-1. Use a model to describe the cycling of water through a watershed through evaporation, precipitation, absorption, surface runoff, and condensation.
State Assessment Boundary:
Transpiration or explanations of mechanisms that drive the cycle are not expected in state assessment.
5-ESS2-2. Describe and graph the relative amounts of salt water in the ocean; fresh water in lakes, rivers, and groundwater; and fresh water frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps to provide evidence about the availability of fresh water in Earth’s biosphere.
State Assessment Boundary:
Inclusion of the atmosphere is not expected in state assessment.
What this looks like in the classroom:
Research why melting of the polar ice caps will cause sea level rise.
Summarize the cycling of water through a watershed, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the different processes. Explain that the cycling of water is a continuous process that is necessary for life on Earth. Encourage students to think about ways they can help conserve water and protect watersheds.
Activity: Have students draw a diagram of the water cycle or create a model of a watershed using different materials. You could also take students on a field trip to a nearby stream or river to observe the cycling of water in action.
Research how global warming is disrupting the water cycle in the USA, causing droughts and floods in the west and tornadoes in the southeastern US.(Chat GPT)
ESS3. Earth and Human Activity
ESS3. Earth and Human Activity
5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways communities reduce human impact on the Earth’s resources and environment by changing an agricultural, industrial, or community practice or process.
Clarification Statement:
Examples of changed practices or processes include treating sewage, reducing the amounts of materials used, capturing polluting emissions from factories or power plants, and preventing runoff from agricultural activities.
State Assessment Boundary:
Science of climate change or social science aspects of practices such as regulation or policy are not expected in state assessment.
5-ESS3-2(MA). Test a simple system designed to filter particulates out of water and propose one change to the design to improve it.*
What this looks like in the classroom:
LS1. From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
LS1. From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
5-LS1-1. Ask testable questions about the process by which plants use air, water, and energy from sunlight to produce sugars and plant materials needed for growth and reproduction.
State Assessment Boundary:
• The chemical formula or molecular details about the process of photosynthesis are not expected in state assessment.
What this looks like in the classroom:
Experiment with chlorophyll: Give students spinach leaves and a small amount of rubbing alcohol. Have them grind the leaves and mix with rubbing alcohol to extract the green pigment called chlorophyll. Then, let them use a coffee filter to filter out the plant material and observe the green liquid. They can place drops of the chlorophyll on a slide, and observe under a microscope. They will be able to see the chloroplasts which contain the chlorophyll. They can discuss how chlorophyll helps capture light energy needed for photosynthesis.
Sunlight and photosynthesis: Have students place a plant (such as a bean or tomato plant) in a dark closet for a few days. Observe the plant's growth and appearance. Next, move the plant to a sunny location and observe the plant's growth and appearance over the next few days. Discuss how sunlight is essential for photosynthesis.
Water and photosynthesis: Give students a few plants and place them in different locations with varying amounts of water. Observe the plant's growth and appearance over a few days. Discuss how water is important for photosynthesis and plant growth.
Carbon dioxide and photosynthesis: Place a few sprigs of an aquatic plant in a container of water and cover with a plastic bag. Leave it in a sunny area for several days. Have students observe the container over time and discuss what is happening inside the container. They will be able to observe the plant producing bubbles, which is oxygen produced from photosynthesis. They can also discuss how the plant is using carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
Art projects: Have students create a diagram or a visual representation of the process of photosynthesis. They can create posters, diagrams, or even models of the process. This will help them better understand the different components involved in photosynthesis.
LS2. Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
LS2. Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among producers, consumers, decomposers, and the air, water, and soil in the environment to (a) show that plants produce sugars and plant materials, (b) show that animals can eat plants and/or other animals for food, and (c) show that some organisms, including fungi and bacteria, break down dead organisms and recycle some materials back to the air and soil.
Clarification Statement:
Emphasis is on matter moving throughout the ecosystem.
State Assessment Boundary:
Molecular explanations, or distinctions among primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers, are not expected in state assessment.
5-LS2-2(MA). Compare at least two designs for a composter to determine which is most likely to encourage decomposition of materials.*
Clarification Statement:
Measures or evidence of decomposition should be on qualitative descriptions or comparisons.
What this looks like in the classroom:
Photosynthesis experiment: Grow two plants, one in the sun and one in the shade. After a few weeks, cut off a leaf from each plant and place them in separate test tubes with alcohol. Heat the test tubes in a hot water bath, then test for the presence of chlorophyll using iodine solution. The leaf from the plant in the sun should turn blue-black, indicating the presence of chlorophyll and hence, photosynthesis. The leaf from the plant in the shade should not turn blue-black, indicating a lack of photosynthesis.
Growing plants in different light conditions: Grow several plants in different light conditions, such as direct sunlight, indirect sunlight, and artificial light. Observe and record their growth and appearance over several weeks. Plants grown in direct sunlight should grow the fastest and produce the most plant material, indicating the importance of sunlight in photosynthesis.
(b) Activities to show that animals can eat plants and/or other animals for food:
Food chain game: Create a food chain game using cards or pictures of plants and animals. Have the students arrange the cards or pictures in the correct order to show the flow of energy from the sun to plants to herbivores to carnivores. Discuss the importance of each organism in the food chain and how they depend on each other for survival.
Animal observation: Observe and record the feeding habits of different animals, such as birds, squirrels, and insects. Note whether they are herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores and what plants or animals they eat. Discuss the role of each animal in the ecosystem and how they help maintain balance.
(c) Activities to show that some organisms, including fungi and bacteria, break down dead organisms and recycle some materials back to the air and soil:
Composting: Create a compost bin or pile using organic waste, such as food scraps and yard waste. Observe and record the decomposition process over several weeks, noting the appearance and smell of the compost as it breaks down. Discuss the role of fungi and bacteria in the decomposition process and how they help recycle nutrients back to the soil.
Microorganism observation: Observe and record the growth of different microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, in a petri dish. Discuss their role in breaking down dead organisms and recycling nutrients back to the soil. Note the different types of microorganisms and how they interact with each other in the ecosystem.
PS1. Matter and Its Interactions
PS1. Matter and Its Interactions
5-PS1-1. Use a particle model of matter to explain common phenomena involving gases, and phase changes between gas and liquid and between liquid and solid.
Clarification Statement:
Examples of common phenomena the model should be able to describe include adding air to expand a balloon, compressing air in a syringe, and evaporating water from a salt water solution.
5-PS1-2. Measure and graph the weights (masses) of substances before and after a reaction or phase change to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or combining substances, the total weight (mass) of matter is conserved.
Clarification Statement:
Assume that reactions with any gas production are conducted in a closed system.
What this looks like in the classroom:
"Melting and Freezing" - Students can explore the phase changes between liquid and solid by melting and freezing various materials. For example, they can melt ice cubes and observe the changes in state from solid to liquid, then freeze the water again to observe the reverse change. They can also try melting and freezing other materials, such as wax or chocolate.
"Condensation" - Students can observe the phase change between gas and liquid by creating a simple condensation experiment. For example, they can heat water in a pot and hold a cold metal spoon over the steam. They should observe droplets forming on the spoon, which is a result of the steam condensing back into liquid water.
"Inflating Balloons" - Students can explore the properties of gases and the effects of pressure by inflating balloons using different materials. For example, they can try blowing up a balloon using their breath, then compare the size and behavior of the balloon to one that is inflated using a pump or by combining baking soda and vinegar.
Create a simple steam engine.
"Dry Ice Fun" - Students can observe the unique properties of dry ice, which is solid carbon dioxide, by experimenting with it. For example, they can observe how it sublimates from a solid to a gas, or they can try placing it in water to observe the formation of bubbles and fog(Chat GPT)
Research and explain how a heat pump or air conditioner works.
5-PS1-3. Make observations and measurements of substances to describe characteristic properties of each, including color, hardness, reflectivity, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, response to magnetic forces, and solubility.
Clarification Statements:
Emphasis is on describing how each substance has a unique set of properties.
Examples of substances could include baking soda and other powders, metals, minerals, and liquids.
State Assessment Boundary:
Density, distinguishing mass and weight, or specific tests or procedures are not expected in state assessment.
5-PS1-4. Conduct an experiment to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances with new properties (a chemical reaction) or not (a mixture).
What this looks like in the classroom:
Students create their own pigments from minerals and use these to make egg-based paints.
Compare mixing plaster with water vs flour with water
Experiment with mixtures of materials in two states- whip cream, styrofoam, wet sand
PS2. Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
PS2. Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
5-PS2-1. Support an argument with evidence that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed toward Earth’s center.
State Assessment Boundary:
Mathematical representations of gravitational force are not expected in state assessment.
PS3. Energy
PS3. Energy
5-PS3-1. Use a model to describe that the food animals digest (a) contains energy that was once energy from the Sun, and (b) provides energy and nutrients for life processes, including body repair, growth, motion, body warmth, and reproduction.
Clarification Statement:
Examples of models could include diagrams and flow charts.
State Assessment Boundary:
Details of cellular respiration, ATP, or molecular details of the process of photosynthesis or respiration are not expected in state assessment.
What this looks like in the classroom:
Students trace the energy flow from the sun to their lunch to their activities.
ETS3. Technological Systems
ETS3. Technological Systems
5.3-5-ETS3-1(MA). Use informational text to provide examples of improvements to existing technologies (innovations) and the development of new technologies (inventions). Recognize that technology is any modification of the natural or designed world done to fulfill human needs or wants.
5.3-5-ETS3-2(MA). Use sketches or drawings to show how each part of a product or device relates to other parts in the product or device.*
What this looks like in the classroom:
Energy and Circuits(2022)
Designing SpaceCraft
Technical Drawing
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