Our science curriculum comes from STEMscopes. Students will study physical, life, and earth science through investigations, reading, and field trips. Our units of study will be: 


An overview of 5th grade science curriculum:


5th Grade Life Science

Plants and animals have structures for respiration, digestion, waste disposal, and transport of materials. 1) Multicellular organisms have specialized structures 2) Blood circulatory system (heart, lungs), lungs and tissues exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide 3) Steps and organs of digestive system 4) Role of kidneys, bladder in cellular waste removal 5) Plant processes and structures moving sugar, water, minerals 6) Plants use carbon dioxide and energy to make molecules of sugar and release oxygen 7) Plant and animal cells break down sugar to obtain energy, releasing carbon dioxide and water

5th Grade Physical Science 

Elements and their combinations account for all the varied types of matter. 1) During chemical reactions atoms rearrange into different products with different properties 2) All matter is made of atoms, which combine to form molecules 3) Common properties of metals (conductivity, pure vs combinations of elemental metals) 4) Each element is one kind of atom, organized in Periodic Table 5) With instruments you can see that atoms and molecules are discrete and in well ordered arrays. 6) Separate mixtures and identify compounds using their chemical and physical properties 7) Properties of common molecules (sugar, water, oxygen, etc.) 8) Just a few elements make all living things and most materials 9) Common properties of salts (sodium chloride)

5th Grade Earth Science 

Water on Earth moves between the oceans and land through the processes of evaporation and condensation. 1) Most of Earth's water is salt water in oceans which cover most of the Earth's surface 2) When liquid water evaporates it turns into water vapor and can reappear as liquid when cooled, or solid if cooled below freezing point 3) Water vapor moves in air, can form clouds or fog (tiny droplets of water or ice) and can fall to Earth as rain, hail, sleet, or snow 4) Fresh water is limited (located in rivers, lakes, underground sources and glaciers), and can be made more available to meet needs through recycling and avoiding waste. 5) Your water comes from particular surface and/or groundwater supplies (local community water sources)

Energy from the sun heats the Earth unevenly, causing air movements resulting in changing weather patterns. 1) Wind, convection currents, are air movements caused by uneven heating of the Earth 2) The oceans influence the weather and the water cycle plays a role in weather patterns 3) There are several causes and effects of severe weather (hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes) 4) You can use weather maps & data to predict weather, forecasts depend on many variables 5) Earth's atmosphere exerts a pressure, decreasing with altitude, that is equal in all directions at any point.

The solar system consists of planets and other bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths. 1) The sun, an average star, central and largest body in solar system, made of hydrogen and helium 2) Solar system contains: Earth, moon, sun, eight other planets & their satellites, smaller objects (comets, asteroids) 3) Path of a planet (orbit) is due to gravitational attraction between Sun and planet.