5th Grade
5th Grade
Embedded Files
Unit 1
(coming soon)
Unit 2
(coming soon)
Unit 3
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Unit 4
(coming soon)
Science Pacing Rationale
Science Pacing Rationale
120 total days, 45-minute days
120 total days, 45-minute days
The USBE recommends “daily science instruction” in grades K–6, though the exact structure looks different at each grade level. According to the Elementary and Secondary School General Core Rule (R277-700): “The Superintendent shall place a greater emphasis on a student’s mastery of course material rather than completion of predetermined time allotments for courses.”
To ensure students achieve mastery of the SEEd Standards at their described proficiency levels (outlined in the SEEd Core Guides), we have allotted the following time for 3rd-grade science:
Fifth Grade 120 Total Days - 45-minute days
Curriculum Days ( days): Core OpenSciEd lessons.
Other Days/Flexible ( days): Reserved for assessment, reteach, enrichment, digital tools, and other district-supported resources.
We intentionally paced for 120 instructional days instead of the full 180 to reflect the realities of elementary classrooms. This structure:
Provides time at the beginning of the year for building classroom routines.
Accommodates end-of-year testing.
Preserves space for holidays, school breaks, and traditional school events that are central to the elementary experience.
5th Grade Unit Order Rationale
5th Grade Unit Order Rationale
The Utah SEEd 5th grade standards are organized into three strands: 5.1 Characteristics and Interactions of Earth’s Systems, 5.2 Properties and Changes of Matter, and 5.3 Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems. These “strands” describe major areas of learning and outline the key ideas, practices, and ways of thinking students develop across the year. They are not intended to be taught in the order they appear or used as instructional units, but instead represent connected learning goals that build over time.
The OpenSciEd 5th grade curriculum has been intentionally adapted for SEEd to include four connected units. This structure ensures that all SEEd standards are addressed in a logical, meaningful sequence that reflects how students make sense of the world through observing phenomena, asking questions, analyzing evidence, and designing solutions. Each unit builds on prior experiences and integrates the Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts outlined in the SEEd standards.
The order of units in 5th grade is intentional and reflects how ideas about matter, ecosystems, and Earth’s systems develop and connect across the year. Unit 1 introduces how matter cycles within ecosystems, helping students understand how plants, animals, and decomposers interact and how matter and energy move through systems. Unit 2 builds a deeper understanding of matter by focusing on the properties of substances, how they can be identified, and how they change when combined or heated, supporting students in explaining the behavior of materials in real-world contexts. Unit 3 shifts to Earth’s systems, where students investigate how the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere interact and how human actions impact those systems. Unit 4 extends this thinking by focusing on Earth processes such as weathering, erosion, and natural hazards, and how patterns in Earth’s features can be used to explain and predict where these events occur. Together, the four units ensure that all SEEd strands are fully addressed while maintaining a coherent progression of ideas across the year.
Unit 1 – Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
Students begin the year by exploring how matter and energy move through ecosystems. They investigate how plants use air, water, and energy from the Sun to grow, and how animals obtain matter and energy from the food they eat. Students develop models to explain how matter cycles between plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. They also consider how changes in ecosystems can impact this flow and begin to explore how humans can help maintain balance within these systems. Addresses SEEd standards 5.2.1, 5.3.1, 5.3.2 & 5.3.3
Unit 2 – Properties & Changes of Matter
Students investigate real-world problems involving materials, such as understanding and improving water quality. Through this context, they identify substances based on observable properties, explore how materials change when combined, and determine whether those changes result in new substances. Students also use evidence and mathematical thinking to show that matter is conserved, even when it changes form. These experiences help students connect the properties and behavior of matter to meaningful applications in their everyday world. Addresses SEEd standards 5.2.2, 5.2.3 & 5.2.4
Unit 3 – Earth Systems
Students explore how Earth’s systems interact through real-world situations involving water and human impact. They analyze patterns in the distribution of water on Earth and develop models to explain how the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere influence one another. Using examples of how human decisions affect these systems, students evaluate and design solutions that help conserve resources and reduce environmental impact. Addresses SEEd standards 5.1.2, 5.1.4 & 5.3.4
Unit 4 – Earth Processes
Placed last in the sequence, this unit focuses on how Earth’s surface changes over time through processes such as weathering and erosion. Students investigate real-world examples of land change and natural hazards, analyzing patterns in where these events occur and what causes them. They apply their understanding of Earth processes to design and evaluate solutions that reduce the impact of natural hazards on people and environments. Addresses SEEd standard 5.1.1, 5.1.3 & 5.1.5
SEEd standard alignment
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