Exploring Space: covers the following topics--Earth is part of a solar system in the Milky Way galaxy; stars are huge balls of hot, glowing gases; our sun is a star; groups of stars seen together are called constellations; each planet in our solar system has unique characteristics; Earth has one satellite called the moon; Earth’s movements through space cause day and night and the seasons; scientists study space in many ways.

Energy (Heat, Light, & Sound): covers the following topics--energy can move and change things; energy exists in many forms; light is energy you can see; light moves in a straight line; light can pass through some materials and is stopped by other materials; light can be controlled by blocking a light source; heat is energy you can feel; heat can cause things to move and change; heat travels from warm objects to cold ones; heat can be controlled by containing it; sound is energy you can hear; sound energy is created by vibrating objects; sound travels at different speeds through different materials; sound can be controlled by changing the length of, or directing, sound waves; light, heat, and sound can move and change matter.

Habitats: covers the following topics--a habitat is a place where plants and animals naturally live; a desert habitat has very little rainfall; a forest is a tree-covered habitat; a pond is a fresh-water habitat; an ocean is a salt-water habitat; a savanna is a grassland habitat; a polar habitat is very cold.

Geology: covers the following topics--Earth has layers; Earth’s crust is made of rock and soil; soil is made when rocks break down and mix with decaying plants; rocks have different properties; rocks are formed in different ways; the surface of the Earth is always changing; the resources we use come from the Earth; some rocks contain fossils that tell about life on Earth long ago.

Simple Machines: covers the following topics--work is done when a force is used to move something over a distance; some jobs take more work that other jobs; machines make work easier; machines may have few, many, or no moving parts; the lever is a simple machine; the wheel and axle is a simple machine; the pulley is a simple machine; the inclined plane is a simple machine; the screw is a simple machine; the wedge is a simple machine.

Animals with Backbones: covers the following topics--animals with backbones are called vertebrates; body characteristics and growth of vertebrates; hunting, gathering, and eating habits of vertebrates; vertebrate adaptation and self defense; where vertebrates live.

Animals without Backbones: covers the following topics--animals without backbones are called invertebrates; invertebrates are classified by their body characteristics; most kinds of invertebrates live in the ocean; invertebrates have developed different ways of acquiring food; invertebrates’ movements are adapted to the animals’ needs; invertebrates have developed many forms of self-defense; some invertebrates build homes.

Plants: covers the following topics--a plant is a living thing; plants have many parts; each part of a plant has a special function; the fruit of a flowering plant contains seeds; seeds contain new plants; seeds travel in many ways; plants change as they grow; plants need food, water, and light to grow; people need plants for food and oxygen; not all plants reproduce from seeds made by flowers.

How Your Body Works: covers the following topics--bodies change as they grow older; the body has external and internal parts; the brain controls the body and is the center of thinking; we use five senses to find out about our world; the body has lungs for breathing; the body digests food for energy; the heart pumps blood throughout the body; bones support and help move the body, muscles help the body move.

Water: covers the following topics--water is a liquid with certain properties; water exists in three forms in nature; cold changes water from a liquid to a solid; heat changes water from a liquid to a gas; water can change from a gas to a liquid; the changes water makes are part of a cycle; people need water to live; moving water can do work.