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5th Grade Science Course Description and Philosophy

The 5th grade science curriculum is a study of a variety of units in science. Students will gain understandings of many important areas of the Life, Earth and Physical Sciences, and will utilize and understand scientific processes. Overall objectives of the curriculum are to identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations; design and conduct scientific investigations; use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze and interpret data; understand the scientific method; and integrate technology into the science curriculum. The focus of the fifth grade science curriculum is for students to gain hands-on experiences in the different areas of science while using the course textbook as a reference. A variety of instruction and differentiated activities/lessons will be integrated into the daily instruction. Areas of instruction will include the use of Smartboard technology, the Internet and web-based lessons and instruction, the Weatherbug Achieve program, hands-on science kits, cooperative learning activities, group projects, and the course textbook. Four of our major units are based on using Delta Educationʼs FOSS (Full Option Science System) kits. Communities and Environments, Landforms, Mixtures and Solutions, and Variables are the titles of the FOSS units. These units are taught for a period of six to eight weeks, and each are the equivalent of two to three smaller science units. The FOSS program proposes that elementary students learn science best by doing science. Students also appreciate and learn scientific concepts, and develop the ability to think well by actively constructing their own ideas through inquiries, investigations, and analyses. These units engage students in these processes as they explore the natural world. The Weatherbug achieve program is not only taught and integrated into the weather unit, but is used as an enrichment and supplemental program throughout the entire year. Students prepare and present weather reports to the Wildwood student body on a daily basis as part of morning announcements. Students also use real-time data and our state-of-the-art weather station to track weather systems and atmospheric conditions as they occur throughout the year. Evaluation of studentsʼ work and performance will include various types of assessment such as class participation, cooperative learning assessments, teacher-generated tests and quizzes, web-based lessons and quizzes, video quizzes, homework, writing samples, and individual and group projects. Text References: •Harcourt Science, 2005, Harcourt Science Publishers, Orlando, FL, USA •Weatherbug Achieve Program, Weatherbug, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA

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Unit I: Weather Essential Questions: What is weather? What causes changes in weather? Objectives: Students will be able to: •Use the Weatherbug Achieve program to observe and measure current weather conditions and patterns. •Understand and analyze real-time weather and data. •Identify the causes of weather. •Gain an understanding of the Earthʼs weather patterns. •Identify the layers of the atmosphere. •Define air pressure and explain how it works. •Describe how barometric pressure changes help predict weather changes. •Define humidity and relative humidity. •Describe and illustrate the water cycle. •Describe how fronts occur, and compare/contrast the different types of fronts. •Describe how clouds form. •Explain the cloud classification system by identifying the 3 basic cloud types. •Explain the role of the jet stream. •Gain an understanding of basic weather instruments. •Understand the seasons and their causes. •Understand and interpret a weather map. •Prepare and predict daily weather forecasts. •Gain an understanding of the Greenhouse Effect. •Identify the different climates around the world. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit I Topic 1: Weatherbug Achieve Program • Weather station components Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5.1 A, B, C • Real-time data Oral Response Weatherbug program • Weather forecasting • Weather instruments Web-based learning Lab Manual Discussion Group internet projects 5.2 B

Lab Activity Lab supplies Small Group Work Smartboard instruction 5.3 A, B, C, D Homework Individual Research Laptops 5.7 B

Lab Work 5.8 A, B, C, D, 5.9 A

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Topic 2: Atmosphere • Layers of the atmosphere • Condition of the air (air pressure) • Measuring air pressure • Air masses and fronts Topic 3: Humidity • Water cycle • Relative humidity • Cloud formation and types of clouds Topic 4: Seasons and Climates • Earthʼs rotation, revolution and tilt • Identify different climates • El Nino/La Nina Topic 5: Weather maps • Interpreting maps • Illustrating weather maps Differentiated Learning Activities Weatherbug Achieve web-based lessons and assessments

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Unit II: Environments and Communities Essential Questions: How are living things classified? Do living things depend on their environments? What are the major environmental factors in terrestrial and aquatic systems? What are the worldʼs biomes? Objectives: Students will be able to: •Classify objects by similar features. •Understand the classification system. •Identify the five kingdoms of life. •Develop an understanding of structure and function in living systems. •Develop an understanding of populations and ecosystems. •Develop and understanding of diversity and adaptations of organisms. •Understand and illustrate life cycles of plants and animals. •Gain experience with the major environmental factors in terrestrial and aquatic systems. •Organize and analyze data from experiments and investigations with plants and animals. •Observe and describe changes in complex systems over time. •Understand and illustrate an energy pyramid. •Identify and illustrate food chains and food webs. •Understand photosynthesis and how plants make food. •Distinguish between individuals, populations, and communities. •Compare and contrast the different world biomes. •Acquire vocabulary associated with environmental biology. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit II Topic 1: Classification • Classify objects Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5.1 A, B, C • Kingdoms of life Classwork Lab Manual Discussion Smartboard 5.3 A, D • Levels of classification Homework Lab supplies Video 5.5 A, B, C, D Lab Activity Card games Small Group Work Laptops 5.8 B Lab work FOSS kit Individual Research www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes// Oral Response Biome Projects (Group)

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Topic 2: Energy pyramid • Producers, consumers, decomposers • Food chains and webs • Food web card game Topic 3: Life Cycles • Plants/photosynthesis • Animals/direct development/metamorphosis Topic 4: Communities • Individuals and populations • Ecosystems • Biomes and biome group project • Communities games Topic 5: Terrestrial/Aquatic Observations • Seeds and germination • Crickets • Chameleons • Environmental factors Differentiated Learning Activities Students will have their choice of energy pyramids and food webs; guidelines will be based on individual student learning styles and abilities. Ethical Decision-Making When studying the worldʼs biomes, students will explore how and why each should be conserved and preserved.

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Unit III: Landforms Essential Questions: How has the Earth changed over time? What effect does water have on the surface of the Earth? Objectives: Students will be able to: •Gain experience with models and maps. •Identify the layers of the Earth. •Understand the concept of Continental Drift. •Understand the Theory of Plate Tectonics, and identify different types of plate movement. •Gain experience with the concepts of erosion and deposition. •Observe the effect of water on surface features of the land, using stream tables. •Plan and conduct stream-table investigations. •Relate processes that they observe in the stream-table models to processes that created famous landforms. •Interpret and illustrate topographic maps. •Gain experience with the concepts of contour and elevation. •Identify major landforms throughout the world. •Understand how volcanoes form and identify the three main types of volcanoes. •Understand the causes of earthquakes and how they are measured. •Use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, organizing, and relating. •Apply mathematics in the context of science. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit III Topic 1: Earthʼs Changing Surface • Layers of the Earth Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5.1 A, B • Plate Tectonics Web-based learning Lab Manual Discussion Laptops 5.3 A, D • Continental Drift Lab Activity FOSS kit Small Group Work 5.8 C, D Homework Lab supplies Individual Research

Oral Response Lab Work VCR/Smartboard Topic 2: Schoolyard Models • Models and Maps • Interpreting Maps • Mapmaking

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Topic 3: Stream Tables • Weathering and Erosion • River System • Slope and Flood investigations • Landforms Topic 4: Build a Mountain • Topographic Maps • Drawing a Profile • Comparing models to maps • Interpret aerial photographs Differentiated Learning Activities Students will create models based on their area of interest, guidance will be provided to ensure that students are challenged. Ethical Decision-Making When working with scientific data, students will discuss the importance of evaluating and communicating scientific information accurately.

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Unit 4: Mixtures and Solutions Essential Questions: What is Matter? What are mixtures and solutions? What is concentration and saturation? What is a chemical reaction? Objectives: Students will be able to: •Describe the properties of matter in all of its states. •Understand that matter is made of very small particles called atoms. •Measure solids and liquids to make mixtures and solutions. •Observe the behavior of solid materials in water. •Compare the weight of a mixture to the weight of its parts. •Gain experience with the concepts of concentration and saturation. •Compare the solubility of materials in water. •Relate the concentrations of a solution to the amount of solid material dissolved in a volume of water. •Understand the concept of a chemical reaction. •Distinguish between physical and chemical changes. •Understand how a precipitate is formed. •Compare properties of precipitates to determine their identities. •Acquire vocabulary associated with chemistry and the periodic table. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit IV Topic 1: Separating Mixtures (labs) • Making and separating mixtures. Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5.1 A, C • Filtering and separation Oral Response Lab Manual Discussion 5.2 A • Observing Crystals Lab Activity FOSS kit Small Group Work Laptops 5.3 D • Separating a dry mixture Homework Lab supplies Individual Research 5.6 A, B Lab Work VCR/Smartboard Topic 2: Reaching Saturation (labs) • Salt saturation • Citric Acid saturation • The Saturation Puzzle • Comparing the Crystals Topic 3: Concentration • Soft-Drink Recipes • Salt Concentration • Mystery Solutions Topic 4: Fizz Quiz • Chemical Reactions • Reaction Products; reaction in a zip bag • Choosing your own investigation.

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Unit V: Variables Essential Question: What is a variable? What is a controlled experiment? What is a system? Objectives: Students will be able to: •Gain experience with the concept of variables. •Gain experience with the concept of systems. •Develop an understanding of motion and forces. •Design and conduct controlled experiments. •Observe and compare the behavior of pendulums. •Experiment to find out what variables affect the number of cycles a pendulum makes. •Predict the behavior of new pendulums, using a graph. •Observe and compare the buoyancy of different boats. •Relate the capacity of boats to the mass they can hold before sinking. •Observe and compare the behavior of a standard plane system to modified plane systems. •Relate the effect of variables to the distance the plane travels. •Predict outcomes of plane flights. •Observe and compare the behavior of objects flipped from a catapult. •Relate the effect of variables to the trajectory of objects. •Predict the behavior of different objects flipped from a catapult. Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion NJCCCS: Unit V Topic 1: Swingers (labs) • Exploring swingers Test/Quizzes Text Lecture Internet Research 5.1 A, B • Testing variables Oral Response Lab Manual Discussion 5.2 A, B • Predicting swings Lab Activity Lab supplies Small Group Work 5.3 A, D Homework Individual Research Laptops 5.4 B, C

FOSS kit Lab Work VCR/Smartboard 5.6 A Topic 2: Lifeboats (labs) 5.7 A, B • Exploring boats • Lifeboat inspection • Inspecting other boats

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Topic 3: Plane Sense • Exploring flight • Investigating variables • Flights of fancy • Graphing the results Topic 4: Flippers • Flip Out-catapults • Controlled experiments • Choosing your own investigation Differentiated Learning Activities In this Problem Based Learning Unit, students will have the ability to follow an individual learning plan based on their strengths and interests; guidelines will be offered to students as they design their own controlled experiments so that students are appropriately challenged.