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Student Manual Grade 4 Science Curriculum

Concepts for the Grade 5 Science SOL Assessment

Scientific Investigation

Scientific Investigation

What is the difference between an observation, inference, prediction, and conclusion? (SOL 4.1a) Observation What we see, feel, taste, hear,

or smell. Jane smells cheese, bread, and spicy odors.

Inference A statement that explains an observation.

Jane infers, “I think someone is baking pizza!”

Prediction A forecast about what may happen in some future situation.

Jane guesses that she is having pizza for lunch.

Conclusion A judgment based on all the information. Based on details and facts.

Pizza was served at lunch.

Compare—when you think of how Observe—information collected things are the same and different. by using the five senses.

Conclusion—an explanation based on evidence. Evidence: We used thermometers and found that when the air temperature changed by 5 degrees, a chameleon’s skin color changed.

What is your conclusion, based on this evidence?

Infer—a statement that explains an observation.

What are two observations you can make about the picture above?

What are two inferences you can make about the picture above?

How can data be analyzed from a bar graph? (SOL 4.1i, k)

What is the favorite sport? How many chose it?

How many more people prefer soccer to football?

What is the least favorite sport?

How can data be analyzed from a line graph? (SOL 4.1i, k)

In what week did Damien receive the lowest score on a quiz?

In what week did Damien receive the second highest score on a quiz?

In what week did Damien most improve his quiz score? Make a line graph that shows the situation. Then answer the questions. Michelle wants to see how much of a profit her lemonade stand has made between the months of May and September. In May she made $5, in June she made $13, in July she made $12, in August she made $14, and in September she made $7.

How much of a gain did Michelle see between May and July?

In what month did Michelle see the sharpest drop in profit?

What conclusions can be drawn from a picture graph? (SOL 4.1e, k)

Collecting Data About Hair Color The students in this classroom have different hair colors and types as shown in the key.

1. Count the number of students having blonde, curly hair. Write the number on the chart.

2. Count the number of students having blonde, straight hair. Write this number on the chart.

3. To find the total number of blondes, add the number with curly hair to the number with straight hair. Write this number under “Total.”

4. Follow the same three steps above to collect the data for students with brown hair and with black hair.

Which hair color is the most common in this classroom? What is the total number of students who have curly hair? Which hair, curly or straight, is the most common? Were there more or fewer students with black hair than with brown? How many students were in this classroom?

How can we identify dependent and independent variables? (SOL 4.1f, g) Ten pill bugs were placed at one end of a shoebox. The other end of the box was divided into two parts, one wet and the other dry. The air temperature was 22°C. The data below shows where the bugs were after five minutes.

Trials Air Temperature Wet Dry1 22° C 8 2 2 22° C 7 3 3 22° C 9 1

What is the independent variable in this experiment? What is the constant?

Three foods were tested to see if they contained starch. Iodine solution is used to test for starch. Iodine turns from reddish/brown to a blue/black, if starch is present.

What is the dependent variable? What is the independent variable?

Foods Tested Color After Iodine Added Starch Present?Water Reddish/brown No Bread Blue/black Yes

Egg white Reddish/brown No

Independent Variable (IV) = what “I” change in the experiment Dependent Variable (DV) = what gets changed as a result Constant = what is not changed and remains the same during the experiment

What is the appropriate instrument we should select and use to measure different things? (SOL 4.1 c, d) A clock or stopwatch is used to measure elapsed time.

Salt added to the water in this flask disappeared. How long did it take for the salt to dissolve?

We use a thermometer to measure temperature. In science, the units for measuring temperature are degrees Celsius (°C).

At what temperature does water freeze? At what temperature does water boil? What temperature is shown?

A graduated cylinder and a beaker are used to measure volume. Volume is the amount of space an object occupies. Look at the graduated cylinder and beakers. There are numbers and lines on the side. Each line marks a milliliter. If the graduated cylinder (a) was filled to the top with water, how much water would be in the cylinder? How much water would beaker (b) and beaker (c) hold?

Use a metric ruler, a meter stick, or a tape measure to measure length. These tools have lines that show millimeters (mm), centimeters (cm), and meters (m). Use the longer tools to measure longer things.

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How many divisions are numbered on this metric ruler? These divisions are called centimeters.

Each centimeter has how many smaller divisions? What are these smaller units called?

Measure mass with a balance. Mass is the amount of matter in an object. Units of mass include milligrams (mg), grams (g), and kilograms (kg).

What is the mass of the mineral shown below? How are models constructed to clarify explanations, demonstrate relationships, and solve needs? (SOL 4.1 l) Scientists make models to investigate questions and explain conclusions. In science, a model represents something too big, too small, or has too many parts to investigate directly.

Vanessa reads that birds’ bones are hollow, but strong. She wants to build a model of a bird. What would be her best choice to use for bones in her model? (a) toothpicks (b) modeling clay (c) blades of grass (d) drinking straws

What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative data? (SOL 4.1k) Qualitative—deal with descriptions and data that can be observed, but not measured. Quantitative—data that can be counted or measured and the results can be recorded using numbers.

Which of the following is qualitative data? A. The snake is seven feet long. B. The snake is green and yellow. C. The snake has two eyes. D. The snake has no legs.

What is the nature of science? (SOL 4.1 stem) Science is the study of the natural world. Scientists work in teams and share information, or facts. Science is hard work but fun, too. Scientists ask questions and try to answer them by collecting data. Our knowledge about the world changes as new information is gathered. For example, at one time we thought the world was flat, but as more investigations were conducted, we found out that the world is really round. New questions are always being asked in science.

Scientists make observations, conduct experiments, and draw conclusions. Which statement is true of science? A. Science is not understandable. B. Scientists work alone. C. Science changes as new data are collected. D. Science is based on opinion.

Force, Motion, Energy, and Matter

How can the position of an object be described? (SOL 4.2a) The position of an object can be described by locating it relative to another object. For example, an object can be on top of, next to, over, or under another object. What is speed? (4. a) An object’s motion can be described by tracing and measure its position over time.

To describe this car’s motion, a student should use its— A. direction and speed B. mass and volume C. speed and color D. volume and direction

Speed describes how fast an object is moving. Speed is the distance an object moves in a certain amount of time. Speed is a measure of motion. The winner of a race is the person with the fastest speed. The winner ran the distance in a shorter amount of time. What is friction? (SOL 4.2c) Friction is the resistance to motion created by two objects moving against each other. Friction creates heat. Friction is a force that opposes (slows down) motion.

This box would be easier to move if the surface were smoother because there would be less friction.

What is kinetic energy? (SOL 4.2d) Something in motion, such as a man on a pogo stick, has kinetic energy. Something at the top of a hill, such as a roller coaster car, has potential energy. Kinetic energy is energy that is being used or is moving. Potential energy is energy at rest.

Decide whether the following are examples of kinetic or potential energy.

How are changes in motion caused? (SOL 4.2b)

Changes in motion are caused by a force. (A force is a push or pull.) A great force will cause a great change in motion. (The more you push or pull on something, the faster it will move.) The more massive an object is, the less effect a force will have on an object. (The more massive an object, the harder you have to push or pull on it to get it to move.)

A person pushes a box. What is the push most likely to change? A. The size of the box. B. The mass of the box. C. The color of the box. D. The position of the box.

What are conductors and insulators? (SOL 4.3a) Conductors—are objects that electricity can move through; the electrons of current can move through conductors. Insulators—do not conduct electricity; the electrons of a current cannot move through an insulator.

Conductor or Insulator? Tape the wire to the bottom of the cell (battery). Wrap the wire around the metal side of the light bulb. Tape it securely in place. Test each item. Record your findings in the table below.

Insulators Conductors

What is static electricity? (SOL 4.3c) Have you ever had a “bad hair day”? Your hair sticks out in every direction and won’t lie flat. What causes this? Electric charges can build up on objects. This buildup is static electricity. When you brush your hair, electrons move from each strand of hair to the brush. Soon, all the strands are positively charged. All the strands having the same charge causes them to repel one another and stick out. If you rub a balloon on your hair, the balloon (a neutral object with no electrons), picks up the electrons from your hair and gets a negative charge. When you bring the balloon near a wall, electrons in a small part of the wall are repelled and move away, leaving a positive charge at the wall surface. As a result, the balloon sticks to the wall.

Static electricity can be produced by friction (when the balloon was rubbed against your hair or when a cloth is rubbed against a balloon). In this picture, a balloon that was rubbed against a cloth was then placed next to a pile of torn paper. The pieces of paper then stick to the balloon.

The balloon is negatively charged (has electrons). What attracts the pieces of paper to the balloon?

A. friction B. static electricity C. potential energy D. magnetism

How can we build basic circuits? (SOL 4.3b) Closed circuit—is established when electrical energy is allowed to follow a complete path from its source through a conductor and back. Open circuit—a broken circuit; will not allow electricity to flow through it. Is this a closed or open circuit? Series Circuit—only one Parallel Circuit—there are 2 or more path for the current to flow. Pathways for the current to flow.

Which of these circuits will light the bulb?

How can electrical energy be transformed? (SOL 4.3d) Electrical energy can be transformed into light or motion, and can produce heat. A hair dryer transforms electricity into heat and motion.

What are the types of energies do each of the following appliances transform? A. toaster B. lamp C. fan

What is the relationship between electricity and magnetism? (SOL 4.3e) Whenever an electric current goes through a wire, a magnetic field is created around the wire. Electricity and magnetism are related; an electric current produces a magnetic field, and a change in a magnetic field can produce an electric current. When current goes through a coiled wire, the magnetic field is strengthened because each coil acts like a separate magnet.

This shows an electromagnet. An iron bar is wrapped in wire and attached to a source of current, such as a battery. When the current is turned off, the magnetism stops.

Who are some famous electricians in history? (SOL 4.3f) Benjamin Franklin—discovered electricity Michael Faraday—created an electromagnet Thomas Edison—invented the electric light bulb

Life Processes and

Living Systems

What are the structures of a typical plant and what do they do? (SOL 4.4a)

Leaves take in air and use light to make food. Stems hold the leaves up to sunlight and move water, nutrients, and food through the plant. Roots hold the plant in the soil. They take in water and minerals from the soil.

Which part of the plant is below the ground?

Which part of the plant connects the roots to the leaves?

Which part of the plant has broad, flat shapes?

Which part takes in water from the soil?

Which part helps keep the plant upright?

Seed-producing plants have flowers:

Pistil—long tube that grows eggs (female cells) in the ovary. Stigma—sticky part of the pistil. Stamen—produce pollen (male cells). Petals—colorful leaves that attract insects. Sepals—small leaves that cover the flower bud.

When an insect visits the flower, it rubs against the top of the stamens. Pollen sticks to the insect. As the insect explores the flower, some of the pollen on the insect’s body rubs off onto the pistil. The transfer of pollen from the stamens to the pistil is called pollination. Male cells in the pollen burrow down into the ovary and join with egg cells there. The joining of egg cells and sperm cells is called fertilization. The fertilized egg develops into a seed. How are seeds made? (SOL 4.4b) This diagram shows the life cycle of a pumpkin, which is a flowering plant.

Seeds vary in size. The seeds of a pumpkin are hard and dry. They are in the resting stage, or are dormant. Seeds that are dormant will not begin to grow. Seeds can be dormant for a few days or a few weeks. Some seeds are dormant for years. Dormancy is a plant adaptation. A dormant seed will germinate, or begin to grow, if it has water, oxygen, and the right temperature.

What are the parts of a seed? (SOL 4.4b)

An empress tree is a flowering plant. This tree’s flowers have blue and violet markings. What is the main role of the colored markings on the flowers? A. to protect the plant from the sun. B. to produce pollen for reproduction. C. to attract insects to carry pollen. D. to disperse seeds to other parts of the environment.

What is the order of events in the life cycle of an orange tree, which is a

flowering plant? A. seed, pollination, seed dispersal, fertilization B. pollination, seed, seed dispersal, fertilization C. fertilization, pollination, seed, seed dispersal D. pollination, fertilization, seed, seed dispersal

Spore-producing plants have cones instead of flowers. Spore-producing plants include mosses and ferns.

Fern Moss

How does photosynthesis occur? (SOL 4.4c) Leaves on plants are like small factories where the process of photosynthesis takes place. Carbon dioxide enters the leaves and combines with water when sunlight shines on the plant. The cells in the plant’s leaves have a green pigment called chlorophyll that helps the carbon dioxide and water combine to produce food (sugar) and oxygen.

What is the source of the light used in photosynthesis?

What chemical enters the leaf from the air?

The chemical in the leaf cells is called?

The leaf makes food in what form?

What substance does the leaf give off into the air?

Seeds that remain inactive until the right conditions of light, soil, and

water are present are called— A. pollen B. dormant C. flowers D. recycled

What are adaptations? (SOL 4.5a) Structural adaptations—or physical attributes; a change in the anatomy or physical part of an organism that allows it to survive in the environment.

beak for tearing meat beak for cracking nuts beak for drinking nectar Behavioral adaptations—certain types of activities or responses an organism performs due to changes in the environment. Examples: a rabbit “freezes” when it has been seen a goose gets angry when a person gets too close to its young a bird migrates to a warmer climate in winter an opossum plays “dead”

Which adaptation allows a mountain lion to catch a deer?

A. thick fur B. a long tail C. strong legs D. small ears

What is the organization of ecosystems? (SOL 4.5b) Ecosystem—the community of organisms along with water and soil Community—populations of animals or plants sharing the same living area and resources Population—the total number of animals or plants in an ecosystem

Organism—Georgia the fish Population—Georgia and the other fish Community—Georgia and the other species (octopus, shark) Ecosystem—all the living things and the water and other nonliving things

Habitat—the specific place an organism lives in the ecosystem (under a rock; in the pond; in the soil).

Which of the following best describes the living and nonliving parts of the diagram shown? A. a niche B. a community C. an ecosystem D. a biome

Which of the following is a

community? A. a rattlesnake B. a desert C. all the rattlesnakes in the area D. rattlesnakes, grass, and mice

How do living things get their food? (SOL 4.5 c) Any living thing that makes its own food is called a producer. Trees and algae are types of producers. Animals can’t make their own food, but they need energy, too. An animal that eats plants or other animals to get its energy is called a consumer. A field of strawberries uses the energy from the sun to make their own food, so they are producers. Consumers such as birds, opossums, mice, squirrels, and people may eat the plants’ fruit (the strawberries). Deer, rabbits, and insects may prefer to eat the plants’ leaves. An overripe strawberry, a falling leaf, or a dying strawberry plant provides energy for another group of organisms called decomposers. A decomposer is a living thing that breaks down wastes and the remains of plants and animals for energy. Fungi and bacteria are two types of decomposers. What are food chains and food webs? (SOL 4.5c) Producers like strawberry plants get their energy directly from the sun, so they store the most energy. As living things eat the strawberry plants, energy is transferred to them. The sun’s energy cycles through ecosystems from producers through consumers and back through decomposers. A food chain shows the transfer of food energy in a sequence of living things. A tomato is a producer. In a diagram of a food chain, arrows show how energy moves. Here is a food chain that shows how energy moves from a tomato plant to a human:

In a forest food chain, deer eat plants, and wolves eat the deer. How does energy move in this food chain?

A. from producers to consumers B. from consumers to producers C. from producers to producers D. from decomposers to consumers

A food web shows the relationships among different food chains.

In this food chain, which two organisms can be harmed if the mouse population were to decline or disappear?

A. deer and caterpillar B. wolf and snake C. oak and grass D. hawk and songbird

A niche is the function that an organism performs in the food web of a community. A niche also includes everything else the organism does and needs in its environment. No two types of organisms occupy the same niche. Some animals, such as frogs, change niches during their life cycle. At first, tadpoles live in water and breathe through gills. As adults, frogs breathe through lungs and live at the water’s edge.

Virginia Natural Resources

What is the difference between natural and human-made resources? (SOL 4.9 Stem) Natural resources are materials that are found in nature that are used by living things. Some natural resources include:

Renewable Resources (can be replaced quickly)

Nonrenewable Resources (form slowly; are in limited amounts)

water / watersheds coal air (wind) oil sunlight natural gas

animals (wild and domesticated animals like sheep, cows, and pigs)

soil

plants (forests and crops on farmland) sand and aggregates (rocks) What are some Virginia natural resources? (SOL 4.9a-d) Forests: Barn owl Striped skunk Porcupine Lakes: Painted turtle Blue Gill fish Cottonmouth snake

Chesapeake Bay: Oyster Great Blue Heron Blue Crab Mountains: Bald Eagle Alpine Spruce Rabbit

Rocks (aggregates) and fossil fuels: Coal Limestone and Granite Water: Groundwater Lakes Reservoirs

Wind is a natural resource that benefits the southeast shore of the Chesapeake Bay. How could these winds best benefit humans? A. The winds could blow oil spills into the bay. B. The winds could be converted to fossil fuels. C. The winds could blow air pollution toward the land. D. The winds could be converted into electrical energy.

What is a watershed, and what is my watershed address? (SOL 4.9a) A watershed is an area of land where water flows to a single collection point. Water can flow off the land into an ocean, bay, river, lake, stream, or pond. Virginia’s Watersheds

Your watershed address is made up of all the bodies of water that drain from your school. The closest body of water is the first part of your watershed address. Where that body of water drains is the next part of your watershed address. The last part of the watershed address is where all the water drains to in your area—for you, it’s the Atlantic Ocean! Neabsco Creek Potomac River Chesapeake BayAtlantic Ocean

Which of these is a natural resource of Virginia? A. a dam B. a river C. a power plant D. a glacier

Which of these is an important resource of the Chesapeake Bay?

A student is hiking through the forest taking pictures for a science class. Which picture would most likely be used as an example of human impact on Earth? A. a trail built by cutting down trees B. a river eroding away a stream bank C. a bird nest made of dead branches D. a group of butterflies landing on flowers

Earth and Space Systems

What are factors that help us describe weather? (SOL 4.6a) Temperature is the amount of heat in the atmosphere. Air pressure is due to the weight of the air and determined by mainly the temperature of the air. Wind speed is the movement of the air over Earth’s surface. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Under Pressure Cold air is denser than warm air, which means air pressure is higher in cold areas than in warm areas. Humid air is less dense than an equal volume of dry air; as a result, humid air has lower air pressure than dry air. A front is a boundary between air masses of different temperature and humidity.

A cold front is a mass of cold air that pushes underneath a warm mass.

A warm front is a mass of warm air that pushes over a cold mass. Thunderstorms occur along a cold front: warm air rises and cools

rapidly.

On a cold, cloudy day the local weather forecaster predicts that a high pressure system will be moving into the area within the next 24 hours. Which weather conditions will this system most likely bring to this area? A. stormy B. snowy C. hot D. sunny

What are types of precipitation? (SOL 4.6c) Precipitation is water droplets or ice crystals that fall to Earth. Rain, snow, sleet (ice pellets), and hail (large frozen droplets) are the different forms of precipitation.

Water will fall as _________ Water will fall as __________

Water will fall as _________ Water will fall as _________

What are some instruments meteorologists (scientists who study the weather) use to measure weather? (SOL 4.6c)

Thermometer (measures air temperature)

Liquid fills a glass tube that has a bulb at one end. As the temperature of the air increases, the liquid rises in the tube, measuring the temperature of the air.

Barometer (measures air pressure)

Air presses on parts inside the barometer. The parts move a pointer. The pointer shows air pressure measurement.

Anemometer (measures wind speed)

The wind pushes against the cups and makes them spin around. The faster the wind is blowing, the faster the cups spin.

Rain Gauge (measures precipitation)

As rain falls, water collects in the container. The mark that the water level reaches shows how m much rain fell.

Which instrument do meteorologists use to measure the amount of precipitation that falls during a storm?

The table below lists some weather conditions for one day in Woodbridge, Virginia. Based on the information in the table, which of the following types of precipitation most likely occurred on this day?

Wind Speed 1-2 miles per hour Wind Direction north High Temperature 82° Precipitation 1.0 inch

A. hail B. rain C. sleet D. snow

How are clouds related to weather? (SOL4.6c) Clouds are named for their shapes which form because of conditions in the atmosphere.

Cloud Meaning Description Weather Cirrus “wispy” Thin, feathery clouds Fair weather; rain or

snow will fall within several hours

Cumulus “piled up” Fluffy and white with flat bottoms

Fair

Stratus “layer” Smooth, gray clouds that cover the whole sky

Light rain and drizzle

When cumulus clouds get larger and darker on the bottom, they become cumulo-nimbus clouds. Cumulo-nimbus clouds may produce thunderstorms.

Tornado Thunderstorm Hurricane

“Twisters”; twisting Heavy rain and lightning; Heavy rain and high air begins when air unstable air that is warm winds; form in warm bases with different and rises rapidly. air masses above warm temperatures meet. ocean waters.

Which type of storm causes the most flooding in areas near the ocean coastline? A. tornado B. hurricane C. blizzard D. freezing rain

What are the planets in our solar system? (SOL 4.7a-c) Our solar system is ancient. Aristotle and Ptolemy believed that Earth was the center of the universe and all other heavenly bodies orbited around Earth. We now know that our sun is the center of our solar system (Copernicus and Galileo found this out) and eight planets, a handful of dwarf planets, 170 named moons, dust, gas, and thousands of asteroids and comets orbit around the sun.

Our solar system is made up of eight planets and the sun. The order of the planets based on their distance from the sun: Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles Terrestrial planets—planets made of rock (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars). Gas Planets—planets are larger and are giant balls of gas (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune).

Mercury

Smallest planet; heavily cratered; looks like our moon.

Venus

Similar to Earth in size and mass; permanent blanket of clouds trap heat.

Earth

Earth’s atmosphere, the liquid water on Earth, and its distance from the sun make it a haven for life.

Mars

Atmosphere is thin and there is a vast network of canyons and riverbeds on the “red planet.” Once supported a climate like Earth’s.

Jupiter

The largest planet in the solar system and has no solid surface.

Saturn

Ancient scientists though Saturn was the only planet with rings, but we now know that Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have rings.

Uranus

A giant gas planet.

Neptune

Appears blue through telescopes and is a gas giant.

In many ways Earth is like the other planets in the solar system. In which

way is Earth different? A. Earth has a moon. B. Earth orbits the sun. C. Earth has mountains. D. Earth has lots of water.

How do the Earth, moon, and sun move? (SOL 4.8a) Revolution—movement of Earth in an orbit around the sun. Rotation—turning of Earth on its axis, which causes day and night. What causes Earth’s seasons? (SOL 4.8b) The tilt of Earth on its axis causes seasons. Look at the globe of Earth and notice its leaning position. It doesn’t sit straight up and down with the North Pole at the very top and the South Pole at the very bottom. This is because the Earth’s axis is tilted. As Earth makes its yearly journey around the sun, the tilt causes the direct rays of the sun to fall on different areas. When the North Pole is leaning towards the sun, more light and heat fall on the northern hemisphere (the top half of Earth) than on the southern hemisphere. They days are longer and the sun’s heat is more intense. Summer Winter

What are the causes of the phases of the moon? (SOL 4.8c) The phases of the moon are caused by its position relative to the Earth and sun. What are the general characteristics of the moon, Earth, and the sun? (SOL 4.8d) Sun—average-sized yellow star made of hydrogen gas. It is 4.6 billion years old, and is 100 times the diameter of Earth. Moon—small, rocky satellite, about ¼ the diameter of Earth and 1/80 of its mass. Has extremes of temperature, virtually any atmosphere or life, and very little water. Earth—has life-supporting water and an oxygen rich-atmosphere. The surface of Earth constantly changes, and it has an atmosphere that blocks out harmful rays from the sun.

Which is the correct order of four of the phases of the moon? A. first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous

B. waning crescent, new moon, waxing crescent, waxing gibbous C. waxing crescent, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous

D. full moon, waning gibbous, waning crescent, new moon

Which of these would best fit in area 3 of this Venn diagram? A. rocky surface B. active volcanoes C. liquid water present D. oxygen in atmosphere

What are some historical contributions that have added to our understanding of our solar system? (SOL 4.8e) The Apollo program was the third human spaceflight program of NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration). The aim was to put the first human on the moon. Challenge was to create a rocket powerful enough to reach the moon and

a spacecraft that could travel to the moon and back. Apollo 11 was the first lunar landing mission. Experiments were performed on the moon’s surface. Pictures were taken and lunar material was brought home.

Which of these objects in the solar system has been visited by people from Earth? A. Moon B. Sun C. Mars D. Asteroid

What was significant about the Apollo 11 mission?