Unit 1: Electricity, Light, and Heat

In this unit, students investigate the different forms of energy! Students obtain information about how heat energy, solar energy, wind energy, and water energy can be transformed into electrical energy. They also construct devices that convert energy from one form into another, such as heat into motion and electricity into light.

Unit 2: Earth's Features and Processes

In this unit, students investigate features and processes of the Earth’s surface. Students explore the rapid process of volcanic eruptions! In contrast, students also explore the gradual Earth processes of weathering and erosion. Students apply their knowledge and design solutions to mitigate the impacts of these processes on humans.

Unit 3: Energy and Energy Transfer

In this unit, students explore energy! Students investigate how energy is stored, how it can make objects move, and how collisions transfer energy between objects. Students also construct chain reaction machines to explore the many different ways that energy can be transferred.

Unit 4: Sound, Waves, and Communication  

In this unit, students investigate the science of sound. Students construct physical devices to feel the vibrations that allow us to communicate across distances. Students also use digital devices to visualize the characteristics of different sound waves that cause us to hear different things.

Unit 5: Human Body, Vision, and the Brain

In this unit, students investigate structures and functions of the human body. Students explore how our bones and muscles are interconnected, how our eyes interact with light and impact our vision, and how our brain responds to stimuli in our environment.

Unit 6: Animal and Plant Adaptations

In this unit, students explore the adaptations of animals and plants. Students investigate how the external and internal structures of an organism work together as an interconnected system that aid in their growth and survival. They also use models to explore how a combination of instincts and memories influence animal behavior.