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I teach science following the RRISD curriculum and curriculum pacing guides. Science helps students understand their world around them. Students will use hands on exploration, experiment, and present organized argumentation to support their theories. In this section, you will see an overview of the school year (at a glance), RRISD Mission and Philosophy, advice for support, and resources you can use to aid and benefit your student.
Fourth Grade Year at a Glance
Fourth Grade Year at a Glance
4th Grade Unit 1- Classifying Matter and Mixtures In fourth grade, students are introduced to measuring volume and will apply their prior experiences of simply measuring and recording physical properties to the more rigorous skill of comparing and contrasting separate properties. Also, students are introduced to comparing and contrasting a broader group of mixtures involving a variety of solids and liquids, including special liquid mixtures called solutions.
4th Grade Unit 2 - Forms of Energy Students are introduced to electrical energy and will differentiate among the other forms of energy. To differentiate is a higher order reasoning skill in which students will be comparing and contrasting the various forms of energy.
4th Grade Unit 3 - Electricity, Conductors and Insulators Students are introduced to electrical energy. Although students had a general introduction to thermal and electrical energy, this is the first time students will have experience with insulators, conductors, and electrical circuits.. differentiate means to compare and contrast, so students will be finding similarities and differences in how conductors and insulators work.
4th Grade Unit 4 - Investigating Forces The student is expected to design a descriptive investigation to explore the effect of force on an object such as a push or a pull, gravity, friction, or magnetism. In this unit, students design an experiment that tests the effect of force on an object.
4th Grade Unit 5 - Changes to Land Students will focus on how water, wind, and ice affect Earth’s surface to slowly alter landforms. The more complicated study of slow changes below Earth’s surface due to the movement of large pieces of the crust and upper part of the mantle, called plate tectonics, is not studied until sixth grade.
4th Grade Unit 6 - Properties of Soil and Resources Students will be focusing on how the properties of soils impact plant growth. Additionally, students should be able to classify renewable and nonrenewable resources, and make informed decisions in the use and conservation of natural resources.
4th Grade Unit 7 - Weather and the Water Cycle Students will describe and illustrate the continuous movement of water above and on the surface of Earth through the water cycle and explain the role of the Sun as a major source of energy in this process. Fourth grade students will predict weather by analyzing cloud cover and the movement of cold fronts and warm fronts as other key elements in weather forecasting.
4th Grade Unit 8 - Patterns on Earth Students will focus on how changing positions between Earth, the Sun, and the Moon result in daily, weekly, monthly, and annual patterns.
4th Grade Unit 9 - Producers, Consumers, and Food Webs Students extend their understanding of the interdependence of living things, and explore the complexities of multiple food chains within a food web and predict how changes in the ecosystem affect the food web.
4th Grade Unit 10 - Structures and Functions, Inherited Traits and Learned Behaviors Students will distinguish between specific external and internal characteristics that help organisms survive in a variety of environments. Students add to prior understandings that the process of inherited traits goes on generation after generation. Additional distinctions between inherited traits and acquired behaviors are explored.
4th Grade Unit 11 - Life Cycles Students will focus on the radish and lima bean plant life cycle and complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult) of the darkling beetle. Students will also focus on the Incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, and adult stages) of the cricket.
(Note: While many of the topics in 4th grade are similar to 3rd grade, they are built upon with increased rigor, development of vocabulary, and conceptual specificity.)
RRISD Elementary Science Department
RRISD Elementary Science Department
Mission and Philosophy
Mission and Philosophy
The mission of the Round Rock ISD Elementary Science Curriculum Department is to provide a framework for exemplary instruction that promotes a deep and relevant understanding of the nature and principles of science and provides every student the opportunity to develop critical thinking and communication skills necessary for future success.
Round Rock ISD Students will:
Round Rock ISD Students will:
- develop scientific literacy that promotes a deep and relevant understanding of the nature of science.
- develop a rich knowledge of science and the natural world.
- understand the relevance of science to their everyday lives.
- design investigations using various levels of scientific inquiry.
- apply scientific knowledge to make informed decisions about ethical, social and civic issues using critical thinking and scientific problem solving.
Best practices for Science include:
Best practices for Science include:
- Consistent and dedicated instructional time
- Standards aligned curriculum and instruction
- Relevant and meaningful connections to the real world
- Inquiry Based instructional model
- Hands-on, collaborative investigations
- Content vocabulary development and support
- Reflective scientific discussion
- Scientific writing to communicate thinking and understanding
- Instruction guided by formative and summative assessment
Classroom Evidence of Student Centered Learning in Science:
Classroom Evidence of Student Centered Learning in Science:
- Science Tools and Materials
- Science Notebooks
- Focus Questions
- Word Walls/Term Banks
- Graphic Organizers
- Anchor Charts and Diagrams
- Reflective Discussion – Class, Group and Partners
- Evidence Based Writing – Shared and Independent
Supporting Science at Home
Supporting Science at Home
(retrieved from http://www.nsta.org/sciencematters/tips.aspx)
Do you panic when your child comes home from school asking for help with his or her science fair project? Do you ever wonder how you can help your child learn science? You are not alone. Many parents—especially those who didn't pursue careers in science—may be apprehensive, sometimes even fearful, about this endeavor.
We commend you for your desire to help guide and support your children in their education, specifically in the field of science. Science is a way of understanding the world, a perspective, and a pattern of thinking that begins in the very early years. That is why parent involvement is so important in a child's science education.
Families who explore together nurture great young scientists! Studies show that the family experiences that students bring to school are some of the biggest predictors of success (Hazen and Trefil 1991). With this in mind, the National Science Teachers Association has created a set of resources for parents—Help Your Child Explore Science.
Here are some additional tips:
See science everywhere. Parents can take opportunities to ask "What would happen if …?" questions or present brainteasers to encourage children to be inquisitive and seek out answers. Children need to know that science isn't just a subject, but it is a way of understanding the world around us.
Lead family discussions on science-related topics. Dinnertime might be an ideal time for your family to have discussions about news stories that are science based, like space shuttle missions, severe weather conditions, or new medical breakthroughs. Over time, children will develop a better understanding of science and how it affects many facets of our lives. Movies and TV shows with science-related storylines are also great topics for discussion. For example: After watching Jurassic Park, you might want to discuss with your children the significance of the name of the movie or how human involvement in natural processes can cause drastic consequences.
Encourage girls and boys equally. Many fathers might be inclined to fix a problem for a daughter without challenging her to find the solution on her own. Many girls are left out of challenging activities simply because of their gender. Be aware that both girls and boys need to be encouraged and exposed to a variety of subjects at a very early age.
Do science together. Children, especially elementary-age children, learn better by investigating and experimenting. Simple investigations done together in the home can bolster what your child is learning in the classroom. Check with your child's teacher on what your child is currently learning in class and what activities you can explore at home. There are also many books on the market and numerous websites that present ideas for investigations. For example: Using a penny and a water dropper, ask your child to guess how many drops of water will fit on top of it. Ask your child to count the drops as he or she drops them on the penny. Why doesn't the water spill off after a few drops? Water molecules across the surface are attracted to each other. The attraction is strong enough to allow the water to rise above the penny without spilling. At some point, the molecules of water can no longer hold together and spill off the penny.
Obtain science resources. Follow up science discussions, home experiments, or classroom lessons with books, magazines, CDs, and other resources. Science themes will be reinforced through further exploration, and over time your family will have plenty of resources on which to draw.
Explore nonformal education sites. In an informal learning situation—the kind of learning that happens outside the traditional confines of the classroom, at science centers, museums, zoos, and aquariums—children are encouraged to experiment on their own and ask questions about what they are experiencing.
Connect science with a family vacation. Family vacations are a great way to explore science. It could be a hiking trip where you explore nature or a discussion on tides during a beach vacation.
Become active in your children's formal education by getting to know the teacher and the curriculum. Refer to our checklist for a high-quality science education. Participate in your child's school science program by locating scientists and others to be guest speakers, or accompany your child on a field trip to a science-related place.
Show excitement for science.
Science Ideas/Experiments for at Home
Science Ideas/Experiments for at Home
(Please do not allow your students to do these unsupervised. This is my "Parents" resources. Students will have their own links under "Student Links".)
Science Fair Projects
Science Fair Projects
Criteria and Rubric:
Criteria and Rubric:
Check back at a later date. Will be linked and easily accessible.
Discover ways to foster a love of science in your 4th Grader with these fun activities.
Discover ways to foster a love of science in your 4th Grader with these fun activities.
BY SHIRA ACKERMAN, MA Retrieved from: Scholastic
Fourth graders take their science skills further as they conduct experiments and use these experiments to further their learning. In addition, the reading and writing work 4th graders do greatly supports their science learning—they read non-fiction texts, take notes, research, and support their writing with facts. In fact, some 4th grade students might write informative or opinion pieces about a scientific topic they study. As in other grades, the specific topics studied in science vary by state. However, common topics studied in 4th grade include: earth and space; plants; the cycle of life; animals; electricity and magnetism; and motion and sound. Students also often learn about these topics in relation to their location and where they live. Consult your child’s teacher or research your state’s science standards for more details.
In order to build science skills your 4th grader:
- Conducts experiments using the scientific method (there are many different ways people present "the scientific method," but here's a basic example):
- Questions, observes, and researches
- Develops a hypothesis (based on observations and research)
- Makes predictions
- Experiments
- Develops a conclusion
- Develops further questions to research and experiment with based on previously done experiments and previously realized conclusions.
- Writes about and orally presents the findings and conclusion of an experiment.
- Researches and takes notes on information on a variety of topics using both text and digital resources.
- Collects and uses data to support experiments and what he learns.
- Experiments with different types of materials and different states of matter such as solid, liquid, and gas.
- Works independently, in partnerships, in small groups, and as a class to conduct experiments and create projects.
Science Activities: 4th Grade
- Experiment: Find something that interests your child, such as the weather, plants, a garden you may be growing, sound, or motion. Work with your child to use the scientific method as described above to learn about and experiment with this project. Record each step, beginning with research and ending with the conclusion. You can also do more experiments based on questions or observations that come from your experiment.
- Hypothesize: Before doing anything, such as adding one liquid to another or putting something in the water, ask your child to hypothesize what she thinks will happen. Ask her to explain why she thinks this.
- Take a Hike: Visit a local park or hiking site and encourage your child to make observations, describe what she notices, and ask questions. Pay particular attention to the natural objects you find (like rock formations and plants) and use these observations for further research.
- Learn How Something Works: Choose a technology or machine with your child and research—both with books and information online—how that object works. Then create a model, diagram, or video of how that object works.
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