Science+Resources

We do 4 major Science Units in 4th grade: Water, Measurement, Electricity, and Structures of Life.

__Magnetism and Electricity: September to November __ In this unit students will explore the properties of Magnets and Electrical Circuits individually, as well as how they relate to one another by creating an electromagnet. Our goal for the unit is for students to: 
 * Observe theinteraction of permanent magnets with a variety of common materials.
 * Discover that magnets display forces of attraction and repulsion.
 * Measure the change in force between two magnets as the distance between them changes.
 * Identify materials that are conductors and insulators.
 * Understand and construct simple open, closed, parallel, and series circuits.
 * Learn how to make an electromagnet.
 * Experience the relationship between the number of turns of wire around an electromagnet core and the strength of the magnetism.
 * Use their knowledge of electromagnets to make a telegraph.
 * Acquire vocabulary associated with magnetism and electricity.
 * Exercise language, math, and social studies skills in the context of magnetism and electricity investigations.
 * Develop and refine the manipulative skills required for making investigations in magnetism and electricity.
 * Use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, and organizing.

Web Resources: [|Foss Web Magnetism and Electricity Homepage]  [|Key Vocabulary for the Unit]

__<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 22px; line-height: normal;">Measurement: January to March __

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">Measurement, the process of quantifying observations, is one of the cornerstones of science. Measurement compares nature—the unknown—to a standard unit—the known. Through such comparison, the organization of the world becomes more comprehensive. Throughout this unit, and in multiple Math units, we will investigate length, temperature, volume, and mass.

The goal of the unit is for students to: <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Understand the necessity for standard units of measurement.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Develop an understanding and intuitive feel for the metric system.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Measure length and distance in meters and centimeters with a meter tape.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Measure mass in grams with a balance and mass pieces.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Measure liquid volume and capacity of containers in liters and milliliters with 50-ml syringes and graduated cylinders.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Measure temperature of liquids and air in degrees Celsius with a thermometer.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Acquire the vocabulary associated with metric measurement.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Exercise language and math skills in the context of metric measurement.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Apply appropriate measuring skills in everyday situations.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Develop and refine the manipulative skills required for making and using measuring tools.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, and organizing.

__<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 22px;">Structures of Life: April to June __ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 33px;">This unit is by far the student's favorite unit. What about 4th grade do most 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders look forward to? You guessed it! CRAYFISH!! <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**GOALS** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The **Structures of Life Module** consists of four sequential investigations dealing with observable characteristics of organisms. Students observe, compare, categorize, and care for a selection of organisms, and in so doing they learn to identify properties of plants and animals and to sort and group organisms on the basis of observable properties. Students investigate structures of the organisms and learn how some of the structures function in growth and survival.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**FOSS EXPECTS STUDENTS TO**
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Develop an attitude of respect for life.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gain experience with organisms, both plants and animals.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Observe and compare properties of seeds and fruits.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Investigate the effect of water on seeds.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Observe, describe, and record properties of germinated seeds.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Compare different kinds of germinated seeds.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grow plants hydroponically and observe the life cycle of a bean plant.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Observe and record crayfish and land snail structures and behavior.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use knowledge of crayfish and snail life requirements to maintain the organisms in the classroom.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Organize data about crayfish territorial behavior.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Develop responsibility for the care of organisms.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Exercise language, art, social studies, and math skills in the context of life science.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, and organizing.