5th Grade Science Standards
Major Concepts
Matter and Energy Flow in an Ecosystem
Plants get the material needed for growth primarily from air and water.
Food webs consist of plants, animals that eat plants, animals that eat other animals, and decomposers.
Matter moves between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and decomposers that release waste matter back into the environment.
Organisms survive and thrive in environments that meet their needs.
All the energy organisms have was once energy from the sun.
Observing Our Sky
The Sun is a star that appears larger and brighter because it is closer than other stars.
Observable patterns occur because of the orbits of Earth and the Moon and because of Earth’s rotation.
The rotation of Earth causes day and night as well as changes in the length and direction of shadows.
Earth’s gravity pulls objects toward the planet’s center.
Human Impact on Earth’s System
Earth’s major systems (geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere) interact with each other.
Most of Earth’s available water is in the ocean, and most of Earth’s fresh water is frozen in glaciers and ice caps.
People can use information about Earth’s systems and water to protect Earth’s resources and environments.
Interactions in Matter
Matter is made up of particles that are too small to be seen.
Heating, cooling, or mixing substances does not cause the total weight to change.
Materials can be identified by observing and measuring them.
Mixing certain materials can sometimes create a new substance .