Science
Units of Study
Science Skills of Inquiry:
Ask questions and make predictions that can be tested.
Select and use appropriate tools and technology (e.g., calculators, computers, balances, scales, meter sticks, graduated cylinders) in order to extend observations.
Keep accurate records while conducting simple investigations or experiments.
Conduct multiple trials to test a prediction. Compare the result of an investigation or experiment with the prediction.
Recognize simple patterns in data and use data to create a reasonable explanation for the results of an investigation or experiment.
Record data and communicate findings to others using graphs, charts, maps, models, and oral and written reports.
Science Notebooks:
A science notebook is a chronological record of an investigation that is immediate, ongoing, organized, and structured. Students will learn:
- how to use the notebook for observations, to collect data, for thinking and reviewing ideas, to reflect, to use data to craft formal writing
- to make scientific drawings
- how to self assess entries (What did I need to include and did I include it?)
- how to organize their science notebook chronologically (date notebook entries)
- how to use the notebook for observations, to collect data, for thinking and reviewing ideas, to reflect, to use data to craft formal writing
- to make scientific drawings
- how to self assess entries (What did I need to include and did I include it?)
Exploring Earth's Materials
During this unit, students will use evidence from a given landscape that includes simple landforms and rock layers to support a claim about the role of erosion or deposition in the formation of the landscape over long periods of time. They will make observations and collect data to provide evidence that rocks, soils, and sediments are broken into smaller pieces through mechanical weathering and moved around through erosion by water, ice, wind, and vegetation. Analysis and interpretation of maps of Earth’s mountain ranges, deep ocean trenches, volcanoes, and earthquake epicenters will be used to describe patterns of these features and their locations relative to boundaries between continents and oceans.
Additionally, students will obtain information to describe that energy and fuels humans use are derived from natural resources and that some energy and fuel sources are renewable and some are not. They will also evaluate different solutions to reduce the impacts of a natural event such as an earthquake, blizzard, or flood on humans.
TERC’s Focus on Energy Unit
This unit includes the investigation of three forms of energy: Motion Energy, Thermal Energy, and Electrical Energy. Students engage in first-hand, guided explorations where students learn to describe energy in everyday phenomena. We begin with easily observable phenomena, such as ball collisions on a track, looking for signs or indicators of energy, creating and using representations/models, and discussing students' questions and findings. Our focus question throughout all three units is “Where does the energy come from?” and “Where does the energy go?” Students will learn to track the flow of energy in increasingly complex scenarios and investigations. They will be introduced to the Energy Tracking Lens, a framework which is a set of questions that guides students through the process of "telling the energy story," something they will be asked to do throughout their entire energy study.
Robotics: EV3 Lego Mindstorm
At its core, engineering is all about problem-solving in the most efficient way possible. Robotics is a subset of engineering which deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots to complete a variety of tasks. Whether it be to clean up a room or to save a life, robots and engineering are constantly affecting the way we live.
The LexRobotics Program offers a unique opportunity for all grade four students to work with the LEGO, Mindstorms EV3 Kits to “design & debug” both the hardware and software of robotics. The curriculum seeks to provide and foster a dynamic, hands-on environment where students can learn to harness their own creativity, intuition, and potential towards engineering. We hope to emphasize independent thinking, and have students solve challenges and troubleshoot problems rather than complete instructions. Our goal is to engage all students in the engineering/design process through a basic orientation to robotics with the potential to spark future interest and passion in science and engineering.
The engineering/design process should not be new to students as they have been presented technology/engineering problems within their life, physical and earth science investigations, K-3. Robotics and programing might be familiar to some but new too many. LexRobotics allows questions to be raised around how robots can be used to accomplish tasks and solve problems. This series of 5 lessons can be done within the earth or physical science unit with connections being drawn between science and technology whenever possible. The curriculum is designed to have hands-on activities, but with hands-off guidance. This style is meant to promote the critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork necessary to the engineering process. The lessons are presented in a sequence which provides students with background information, a challenge, and time for students to work in small groups to follow the engineering/design iterative process to design, build, test and redesign their robot. Students will largely be building and programming on their own for the majority of each session. Teachers will act as guides without deliberately telling the students what to do.
Time is reserved at the end of each class for students to share their work and reflect on the engineering design process. The final session (Lesson 5) encourages students to design a robot of their choice that uses the hardware, sensors, and programing that they have explored throughout the lessons.