Science 5

Week at a Glance

Weeks 3 and 4 (March 30 - April 3 and April 6 - 10):

In Weeks 3-4, Fifth Grade students will be moving on to a new unit and area of study- life science- as we explore matter in a different way- plant growth and matter, and the path that matter takes through the ecosystem. In Week 3 we explore survival needs for living things, the basic building blocks of life (cells) and where matter comes from as organisms grow. In Week 4 we will explore plants through various lenses- plant parts, plant survival needs and adaptations, and we'll be running several experiments and labs to find out more about how plants survive and reproduce.

Resources:

Due Dates, Upcoming Assessments and other Notes:

Trimester 3 began March 9
No upcoming assessments

Science 5 Overview

Fifth Grade students explore earth science, physical science, and life science, with each trimester taking a different focus. Their earth science exploration kicks off with a field studies trip to the Mt. St. Helens area in Washington State as they learn about plate tectonics and volcanoes. Later in the fall, they follow up this study with an exploration of earthquakes and geology. In the winter, they will learn about earth's place in the solar system, study the history of the space program and space exploration, and explore stars as they learn about the formation of the earth, as well as an introduction to matter, states of matter, solutions, and interactions. Spring will feature an introduction to matter and energy, and the movement of energy between plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment, and a closer look at plants and plant reproduction.

Grading information can be found on the "5/6 Science Program Overview" page. Please review to understand how students will be evaluated this year.

Click here for a Scope and Sequence (the course plan) outline for the 2025-26 school year, including standards and essential questions for each unit of study.

Archived Resources

Trimester 1 Resources

Plate Tectonics

Test Prep Resources:

Link to the Collection of Evidence sheets: Page 1 and Page 2
Link to the Vocabulary Study Guide
Link to the Plate Tectonics Review Sheet we completed in class on Monday.

Volcanoes

Project Resources:

Link to Slide deck with project overview (this has been shared with students in Google Classroom)
Link to Essay Guide (also shared in Google Classroom)

Study resources for those still finishing the volcano test: