In 5th and 6th grade science, students explore the world around them through hands-on activities and engaging lessons. Here’s a big picture look at what they do:
Life Science:
Cells and Organisms: Students learn that cells are the basic building blocks of life, and they study the functions of different parts of cells, organs, and organ systems.
Matter and Energy in Ecosystems: They explore how plants convert matter into food, how energy from the sun supports food webs, and how matter cycles through the environment.
Physical Science:
Properties of Matter: They learn that matter has mass and takes up space, and they explore different forms of energy, such as motion, light, sound, and thermal energy.
Forces and Energy Transfer: They study how forces cause energy transfer and how electric and magnetic forces work.
Earth and Space Science:
Gravity and Earth's Movements: They learn about Earth’s gravity, its rotation, and revolution, and how these movements cause day and night, seasons, and other observable phenomena.
Earth’s Systems: They explore Earth’s major systems (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere) and how these systems interact to affect the planet's surface and processes.
Water Cycle: They study the continuous movement of water on Earth, driven by sunlight and gravity, and learn about watersheds like the Lake Champlain Basin.
Scientific Models: They develop models to explain scientific phenomena, showing how different components interact.
Structure and Function: They understand that the structure of an object is related to its function, and they look at how different parts work together.
Energy and Matter Flow: They model how energy and matter move through living and nonliving systems.
Cause and Effect: They explore how different events have causes, some simple and some complex.
Patterns in Nature: They observe and use patterns in nature to classify and ask questions about the world.
Developing Models: They create models to demonstrate scientific concepts.
Constructing Explanations: They use evidence to build thorough explanations of scientific phenomena.
Reasoning with Evidence: They use logical reasoning and evidence to support their claims.
Analyzing Data: They analyze data to understand relationships between variables and make scientific claims.
Graphing: They learn to construct accurate and complete graphs to represent data.
Design Process: They design solutions to problems, gather and evaluate data, and refine their designs.
Information Synthesis: They combine information from various sources to support their scientific investigations.
Investigation Planning: They plan and conduct investigations to answer scientific questions.
By the end of the 2-year cycle, students will have a solid foundation in these areas, preparing them to think critically and solve problems scientifically.