Science Curriculum - paterson.k12.nj.uspaterson.k12.nj.us/11_curriculum/science/GRADE 4/Grade 4 Unit 3.pdf · Objective Essential Questions Content Related to DCI’s Sample Activities

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Science Curriculum

Grade Four Unit Three

FOSS Energy

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Course Description

In unit one, students engage in an engineering challenge to develop habits of mind and classroom practices that will be reinforced throughout the

school year. Unit two provides students with firsthand experiences with soils and rocks and modeling experiences using tools such as topographic

maps and stream tables to study changes to rocks and landforms at Earth’s surface. Students interpret data from diagrams and visual representations

to build explanations from evidence and make predictions of future events. In unit three, students engage in first-hand experiences in physical science

dealing with energy and change. Students investigate electricity and magnetism as related effects and engage in engineering design while learning

useful applications of electromagnetism in everyday life. They explore energy transfer through waves, repeating patterns of motion, that result in

sound and motion. In unit four, students will analyze ecosystems as they investigate food chains and food webs. Gradual ecosystem changes are

compared and contrasted with rapid ecosystem changes. Students are asked to assess human impact on ecosystems from positive and a negative

standpoint. Students will formulate solutions to real world environmental problems. Across all units, students gain experiences that will contribute to

the understanding of crosscutting concepts of patterns; cause and effect; scale, proportion, and quantity; systems and system models; structure and

function; and stability and change.

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Teachers may choose from a variety of instructional approaches that are aligned with 3 dimensional learning to achieve this goal. These approaches include:

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Pacing Chart

This pacing chart is based upon 160 minutes of instruction per cycle.

Unit 1 Engineering & Design 10 days

Unit 2 FOSS Soils, Rocks & Landforms

40 days

Unit 3 FOSS Energy

30 days

Unit 4 FOSS Environments 40 days

Unit Summary

The Energy Module provides first-hand experiences in physical science dealing with energy and change. Students investigate electricity and magnetism as related

effects and engage in engineering design while learning useful applications of electromagnetism in everyday life. They explore energy transfer through waves,

repeating patterns of motion, that result in sound and motion. The five investigations focus on the concepts that energy is present whenever there is motion,

electric current, sound, light, or heat, and that energy can transfer from one place to other. Students conduct controlled experiments by incrementally changing

variables to determine how to make an electromagnet stronger and how the amount of energy transfer changes when balls of different masses hit a stationary

object. Students interpret data from graphs to build explanations from evidence and make predictions of future events. They develop models to represent how

energy moves from place to place in electric circuits and in waves. Students gain experiences that will contribute to the understanding of crosscutting concepts of

patterns; cause and effect; systems and system models; and energy and matter.

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Student Learning Objectives

Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each

other. [Clarification Statement: Examples of an electric force could include the force on hair from an electrically charged balloon and the electrical forces

between a charged rod and pieces of paper; examples of a magnetic force could include the force between two permanent magnets, the force between an

electromagnet and steel paperclips, and the force exerted by one magnet versus the force exerted by two magnets. Examples of cause and effect relationships

could include how the distance between objects affects strength of the force and how the orientation of magnets affects the direction of the magnetic force.]

[Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to forces produced by objects that can be manipulated by students, and electrical interactions are limited to static

electricity.] (3-PS2-3)

Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas about magnets.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of problems could

include constructing a latch to keep a door shut and creating a device to keep two moving objects from touching each other.] (3-PS2-4)

Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include

quantitative measures of changes in the speed of an object or on any precise or quantitative definition of energy.] (4-PS3-1)

Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. [Assessment

Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative measurements of energy.] (4-PS3-2)

Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the change in the

energy due to the change in speed, not on the forces, as objects interact.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative measurements of

energy.] (4-PS3-3)

Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of devices

could include electric circuits that convert electrical energy into motion energy of a vehicle, light, or sound; and, a passive solar heater that converts light into

heat. Examples of constraints could include the materials, cost, or time to design the device.] [Assessment Boundary: Devices should be limited to those that

http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/3-PS2-3%20June%202015.pdf


http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3031/download?token=eGOwUdzA

http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3036/download?token=4vaqoILy

http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3041/download?token=HsFCsh0r

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convert motion energy to electric energy or use stored energy to cause motion or produce light or sound.] (4-PS3-4)

Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength and that waves can cause objects to move. [Clarification Statement:

Examples of models could include diagrams, analogies, and physical models using wire to illustrate wavelength and amplitude of waves.] [Assessment Boundary:

Assessment does not include interference effects, electromagnetic waves, non-periodic waves, or quantitative models of amplitude and wavelength.] (4-PS4-1)

Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not

include knowledge of specific colors reflected and seen, the cellular mechanisms of vision, or how the retina works.] (4-PS4-2)

Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information. [Clarification Statement: Examples of solutions could include drums

sending coded information through sound waves, using a grid of 1’s and 0’s representing black and white to send information about a picture, and using Morse

code to send text.] (4-PS4-3)

Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. (3-5-

ETS1-1)

Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. (3-5-

ETS1-2)

Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be

improved. (3-5-ETS1-3)

http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3046/download?token=GbmwPxtd


http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3056/download?token=GeiymZ8e


http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/evidence_statement/black_white/3-5-ETS1-1%20Evidence%20Statements%20June%202015%20asterisks-4.pdf





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NJDOE Student

Learning

Objective

Essential

Questions

Content Related to DCI’s Sample Activities Resources

Investigation 1 Part 1:

Lighting a Bulb

Students experiment

with materials in order

to complete a circuit

and describe the

function of each

component in the

system.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

What is needed to

light a bulb?

● An electric circuit is a system that

includes a complete pathway

through which electric current

flows from an energy source to its

components.

● Electricity transfers energy that can

produce heat, light, sound, and

motion. Electricity can be produced

from a variety of sources.

Benchmark Assessment:

Survey

Students are introduced to

electricity and energy. They

discover how to make a

complete circuit using a D-

cell, wires, and a light bulb.

Upon successfully lighting

their bulbs, students discuss

the electricity’s pathway in the

circuit and the function of each

of the system’s components.

They also take a close look at

the anatomy of a lightbulb.

Embedded Assessment:

Science notebook entry

FOSS Science Notebook

Entry:

Lighting Bulbs

FOSS Science Resources

Book:

“Edison Sees the Light”

FOSS Online Activities:

“Lighting a Bulb”

“Flow of Electricity”


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Conductors and

Circuits

Students experiment

with materials in order

to complete a circuit

and determine which

materials are

conductors and which

are insulators.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

What is needed to

make a complete

pathway for

current to flow in a

circuit?

● An electric circuit is a system that

includes a complete pathway

through which electric current

flows from an energy source to its

components.

● Electricity transfers energy that can

produce heat, light, sound, and

motion. Electricity can be produced

from a variety of sources.

● Conductors are materials through

which electric current can flow; all

metals are conductors

Students are introduced to a

switch and a motor and make a

circuit that they can turn on

and off. Students use a circuit

and a collection of objects to

determine which materials can

complete the pathway

(conductors) and which cannot

(insulators). After developing

the rule that metals are

conductors, students consider

foils and use evidence to

confirm that foils are indeed

metal.



Science Notebook Entry:

Conductors and

Insulators

Science Resources Book:

“Energy Sources”

Online Activities:

“Lighting a Bulb”

“Flow of Electricity”

“Tutorial: Simple

Circuits”

“Tutorial: Conductors

and

Insulators”

“Turn on the Switch”

“Conductor Detector”

“D-cell Orientation”


Series and Parallel

Circuits

Students compare the

energy output of

How can you light

two bulbs brightly

with one D-cell?

● In a series circuit, there is a single

pathway from the energy source to

the components.

● In a parallel circuit, each

component has its own direct

Students find ways to operate

more than one light bulb in a

circuit. They devise a series

circuit to operate two bulbs


Series Circuits

Parallel Circuits


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parallel and series

circuits.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

pathway to the energy source.

● Two bulbs can be brightly lit using

parallel circuitry, one in which each

bulb has direct access to the energy

source.

with one D-cell, but the lights

are dim. Students learn that

they can connect two bulbs in

a way that allows both to shine

brightly using two cells or a

single D-cell. They wire two

bulbs in parallel and find that

many bulbs can be made to

shine brightly on a single D-

cell when they are wired in

parallel.

Embedded Assessment

Response sheet

“Series and Parallel

Circuits”


Solving the String of

Lights Problem

Students use their

knowledge of types of

circuits to design a

prototype and analyze

the benefits and

limitations of each

Which design is

better for

manufacturing

long strings of

lights—series or

parallel?

● In a series circuit, all lights share a

single pathway; if one light burns

out, current stops flowing, causing

all the bulbs to go out.

● In a parallel circuit, each light has

its own pathway to the source; if

one light burns out, current

continues flowing, and the

Students investigate which

type of circuit would be the

best design for a string of

lights. They analyze the

designs and make a

recommendation based on

their knowledge of circuitry.

Benchmark Assessment


Recommendation to the

Board

Additional Circuits

(optional)


“Science Practices”

“Engineering Practices”

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design.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4, 3-5-

ETS1-1, 3-5-ETS1-2,

3-5-ETS1-3

remaining bulbs continue to shine. Investigation 1 I-Check “Thinking Like an

Engineer”

“Engineering a Solar

Lighting Solution”


Magnets and Materials

Students create an

argument based on

experimental evidence

about magnetic

interaction between

materials.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

What materials

stick to magnets?

● Magnets interact with each other

and with some materials.

● Magnets stick to (attract) objects

that contain iron. Iron is the only

common metal that sticks to

magnets. (Steel is a material made

mostly of iron.)

Students discover that iron-

containing objects stick to

permanent magnets; other

objects do not. They generate a

rule for magnetic interaction

with materials: If a magnet

sticks to an object, that object

is most likely made of iron or

its alloy, steel. Students go

outdoors and use their magnets

as iron detectors.




Magnetic Observations

Online Activity:

“Virtual Investigation:

What Sticks and What

Conducts?”

Investigation 2 Part 2: Magnetic Fields

Students construct an

explanation of

magnetic fields based

upon experimental

What happens

when two or more

magnets interact?

What happens

when a piece of

iron comes close

to or touches a

● Magnets are surrounded by an

invisible magnetic field, which acts

through space and through most

materials.

● When an object enters a magnetic

field, the field induces magnetism

Students observe that the two

sides (poles) of magnets are

different, attracting or

repelling one another,

depending on orientation.

Students work with magnets

and other objects to discover

that magnetism acts through


How Magnets Work

Magnetic Poles


“When Magnet Meets

Magnet”

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data.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

permanent

magnet?

in the iron object, and the object

becomes a temporary magnet.

● All magnets have two poles, a north

pole at one end (side) and a south

pole at the other end (side). Like

poles of magnets repel each other,

and opposites attract.

air, most metals, and all

nonmetals. They also discover

that bringing a magnet close to

a piece of iron induces

magnetism in the iron.

Students learn that these

effects are manifestations of

the invisible magnetic field

that surrounds every magnet.


Response sheet

Video:

All about Magnets

Online Activities:

“Tutorial: Magnetic

Poles”

“Magnetic Poles”

“Magnetic Poles Quiz”

Investigation 2 Part 3: Magnetic Force

Students use scientific

tools to determine the

effect of a change in

the distance between

magnets on the force of

attraction between

them.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

What happens to

the force of

attraction between

two magnets as the

distance between

them changes?

● The magnetic force acting between

magnets declines as the distance

between them increases.

● Earth has a magnetic field.

Students use a balance to

measure the force of attraction

between magnets. They

increase the distance between

the magnets and re-measure

the force. Students learn that

the force of attraction between

magnets decreases as the

distance between them

increases.


Performance assessment


Magnetic Force—

Procedure

Magnetic Force—Graph


“Magnificent Magnetic

Models”

“Make a Magnetic

Compass”

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Investigation 2 I-Check


Building an

Electromagnet

Students determine

through

experimentation how

the positioning of the

wire can affect the

strength of an

electromagnet.

3-PS2-3, 3-PS2-4, 4-

PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

How can you turn

a steel rivet into a

magnet that turns

on and off?

● A magnetic field surrounds a wire

through which electric current is

flowing.

● The magnetic field produced by a

current-carrying wire can induce

magnetism in a piece of iron or

steel.

Students discover that a steel

core becomes a magnet when

current flows through an

insulated wire wound around

the steel core. They find out

where to wind the wire on the

core to produce the strongest

magnet.


Response sheet


Answer the focus

question


“Electricity Creates

Magnetism”

Investigation 3 Part 2: Changing the Strength

Students use

experimental data to

support an argument

regarding how the

number of winds of

wire affects magnet

strength and use this to

predict future

How does the

number of winds

of wire around a

core affect the

strength of the

magnetism?

● An electromagnet is made by

sending electric current through an

insulated wire wrapped around an

iron core.

● The number of winds of wire in an

electromagnet coil affects the

strength of the magnetism induced

in the core (more winds = more

magnetism).

Students experiment to find

out how the number of winds

of wire affects the strength of

magnetism. After collecting

data for a 20-wind, 30-wind,

and 40-wind electromagnet,

students graph the results.

They predict the strength of

magnetism based on the graph.


Answer the focus

question

Write a lab report

Changing Number of

Winds—Graph


“Using Magnetic Fields”

“Electromagnets

Everywhere”

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outcomes.

3-PS2-3, 3-PS2-4, 4-

PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

● The amount of electric current

flowing in an electromagnet circuit

affects the strength of the

magnetism in the core (more

current = stronger magnetism).



Online Activities:

“Kitchen Magnets”

“Tutorial:

Electromagnets”

“Virtual Electromagnet”


Reinventing the

Telegraph

Students apply their

knowledge of circuitry

and electromagnetism

to build a telegraph and

complete an

engineering design

challenge.

3-PS2-3, 3-PS2-4, 4-

PS3-2, 4-PS3-4, 4-

PS4-3, 3-5-ETS1-3

How can you

reinvent the

telegraph using

your knowledge of

energy and

electromagnetism?

● A telegraph system is an

electromagnet-based technology

used for long-distance

communication.

Students build a telegraph and

invent a code to use their

telegraphs to send messages to

each other. Finally, they take

on the long-distance challenge

by wiring two telegraph units

together using long wires.






Answer the focus

question

S-T-R-E-A-M Code


“Morse Gets Clicking”


Stimulus/Response

Students develop an

explanation of

stimulus/response lag

time using

In dodgeball, how

are you able to

avoid being hit?

● Constructing explanations

● Obtaining, evaluating, and

communicating information

Through video and text,

students learn about the role of

sensory and motor neurons in

brain messages. They use a

falling cup to investigate the

time that elapses between a


Systems and Energy


“Energy”

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experimental and

research data.

4-PS3-1

visual stimulus and a response.

They compare foot-response

time to hand-response time.




Rolling Balls Down

Slopes

Students determine the

effect of altering the

position and/or mass of

an object on its speed.

4-PS3-1

How does the

starting position

affect the speed of

a ball rolling down

a ramp?

● Kinetic energy is energy of motion;

potential energy is energy of

position or condition.

● The faster an object is moving, the

more kinetic energy it has.

● Objects at higher positions have

more potential energy.

Students roll steel balls of

different sizes down ramps and

explore the system’s variables.

They conduct structured

investigations to discover how

the variables of starting

position on the ramp and ball

size (mass) affect the speed of

a rolling ball.




Ramp Setup


“What Causes Change of

Motion?”

Videos:

Soccer (optional)

Ball on Table (optional)

Wagon (optional)

Investigation 4 Part 3: Collisions

Students determine the

effect of altering the

position and/or mass of

an object on the

distance it will travel

when energy is

What happens

when objects

collide?

● When objects collide, energy can

transfer from between objects,

thereby changing their motion.

● The faster an object is moving the

more kinetic energy it has.

● When two objects interact, each

one exerts a force on the other, and

Students place an obstacle

(cork) in the pathway of a steel

ball rolling down a ramp,

forcing them to collide. They

investigate the variables that

determine how far the cork

will move along the runway.

Using controlled experiments,


Energy Transfer

(optional)


“Bowling”

“Force and Energy”

“Potential and Kinetic

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transferred through a

collision.

4-PS3-1, 4-PS3-2, 4-

PS3-3

these forces can transfer energy.

● Objects at higher heights have more

potential energy.

students test the variables of

mass and starting position to

find out how these variables

affect energy transfer.


Response sheet



Energy at

Work”

Video:

All about the Transfer of

Energy

Investigation 5 Part 1: Forms of Waves

Students gather

evidence to develop a

model of how waves

move through matter.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS4-1

How are waves

involved in energy

transfer?

● Waves are a repeating pattern of

motion that transfer energy from

place to place.

● There are sound waves, light

waves, radio waves, microwaves,

and ocean waves.

● Waves have properties—

amplitude, wavelength, and

frequency.

● Some electromagnetic waves can

be detected by humans (light);

others can be detected by designed

technologies (radio waves).

Students experience waves

through firsthand experiences

using ropes, demonstrations

with waves in water, spring

toys, and a sound generator.

They also use videos,

animations, and readings to

gather information. Through

these experiences, students

learn that waves are repeating

patterns of motion that transfer

energy from place to place.

They analyze compression

waves (sound waves) to learn

the general properties of

waves—amplitude,


Answer the focus

question


“Waves”

“More about Sound”

Videos:

Sound Energy

Waves

Real World Science:

Sound

All about Waves

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wavelength, and frequency.



Investigation 5 Part 2: Light Travels

Students gather

evidence to develop a

model of how light

travels.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS4-1

How does light

travel?

● Light travels in a straight line and

can reflect (bounce) off surfaces.

● An object is seen only when light

from that object enters and is

detected by an eye.

● Light can refract (change direction)

when it passes from one transparent

material into another.

Students use mirrors to

experience reflecting light.

They start by using mirrors

outdoors to see objects behind

them and to reflect a bright

image of the Sun onto walls. In

the classroom, they determine

that a mirror can be used to

reflect light. Students then use

flashlights, mirrors, and water

to observe light in numerous

ways, reinforcing the idea that

light can reflect and refract.

Students build a conceptual

model about how light travels.


Response sheet


Mirror Challenges A and

B


“Light Interactions”

“Throw a Little Light on

Sight”

“More Light on the

Subject”

Video:

All about Light

Online Activities:

“Reflecting Light”

“Colored Light “

(extension)

Investigation 5 Part 3: Engineering with

Solar Cells

How can you

make a motor run

faster using solar

● The energy of two energy sources

(D-cells or solar cells) adds when

they are wired in series, delivering

Students design series and

parallel solar cell circuits and

observe the effect on the speed

of a motor. They observe that


Answer the focus

question

17 | Page

Students design a solar

cell circuit meant to

maximize motor speed.

4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4, 4-

PS4-1, 4-PS4-2, 3-5-

ETS1-1, 3-5-ETS1-2,

3-5-ETS1-3

cells? more power than a single source.

● Two cells in parallel have the same

power as a single cell.

cells in series make the motor

run faster, but cells in parallel

do not deliver additional

power to the motor. They read

about alternative energy

sources.




Posttest


“Alternative Sources of

Electricity”

“Ms. Osgood’s Class

Report”

Video:

Wave

Unit Project (Choose 1)

Language extension project: Research safety technologies, page 312 of

Investigations Guide.

Science & Engineering Extensions: make a rheostat, page 265 of

Investigations Guide.

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

Students conduct investigations to observe that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electrical currents. They describe that

energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment. Throughout this unit, students obtain, evaluate, and

communicate information as they examine cause-and-effect relationships between energy and matter.

In order to understand and explain the relationship between an object’s speed and its energy, students need multiple opportunities to observe objects in

18 | Page

motion. Students can roll balls down ramps, build and race rubber band cars, or build roller coasters. As they observe the motion of objects, they should collect

data about the relative speed of objects in relation to the strength of the force applied to them. For example, when a ball is placed at the top of a ramp, it has

stored energy, due to the force of gravity acting on it. When the ball is released, that stored energy is changed (transferred) into motion energy. Increasing the

height of a ramp also increases the amount of stored energy in the ball at the top of the ramp. If the ball is released from a higher starting point, it rolls faster

and farther. Likewise, winding the rubber band in a rubber band car stores energy in the rubber band, which is then changed, or transferred, into motion energy

(kinetic) as the car moves forward. The more times you wind the rubber band, the greater the amount of stored energy in the rubber band, and the farther and

faster the car goes. As students investigate these types of force and motion systems, they should conduct multiple trials, increasing and decreasing the amount

of energy, then collect qualitative data as they observe the impact differing amounts of energy have on the relative speed of the object in motion. Students

should then use their data as evidence to support their explanation of the relationship between the relative speed of an object and its energy.

Students will apply scientific ideas about force, motion, and energy in order to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.

Through this process, students will learn that science affects everyday life and that engineers often work in teams, using scientific ideas, in order to meet

people’s needs for new or improved technologies.

When describing the properties of waves, students should also develop a model using drawings, diagrams, or physical models (such as a slinky or jump rope) to

show the basic properties of waves (amplitude and wavelength). In addition, the class should discuss other real-world examples of waves, including sound and

light waves, using understandings developed in prior units of study.

Modifications

(Note: Teachers identify the modifications that they will use in the unit. See NGSS Appendix D: All Standards, All Students/Case Studies for vignettes

http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Appendix%20D%20Diversity%20and%20Equity%206-14-13.pdf

http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Appendix%20D%20Diversity%20and%20Equity%206-14-13.pdf

http://www.nextgenscience.org/appendix-d-case-studies

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and explanations of the modifications.)

● Structure lessons around questions that are authentic, relate to students’ interests, social/family background and knowledge of their

community.

● Provide students with multiple choices for how they can represent their understandings (e.g. multisensory techniques-auditory/visual aids;

pictures, illustrations, graphs, charts, data tables, multimedia, modeling).

● Provide opportunities for students to connect with people of similar backgrounds (e.g. conversations via digital tool such as SKYPE, experts

from the community helping with a project, journal articles, and biographies).

● Provide multiple grouping opportunities for students to share their ideas and to encourage work among various backgrounds and cultures

(e.g. multiple representation and multimodal experiences).

● Engage students with a variety of Science and Engineering practices to provide students with multiple entry points and multiple ways to

demonstrate their understandings.

● Use project-based science learning to connect science with observable phenomena.

● Structure the learning around explaining or solving a social or community-based issue.

● Provide ELL students with multiple literacy strategies.

● Collaborate with after-school programs or clubs to extend learning opportunities.

● Restructure lesson using UDL principals (http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.VXmoXcfD_UA).

Research on Student Learning

Students do not distinguish well between heat and temperature when they explain thermal phenomena. Their belief that temperature is the measure

of heat is particularly resistant to change. Long-term teaching interventions are required for upper middle-school students to start differentiating

http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.VXmoXcfD_UA

20 | Page

between heat and temperature.

During instruction, upper elementary-school students use ideas that give heat an active drive or intent to explain observations of convection currents.

They also draw parallels between evaporation and the water cycle and convection, sometimes explicitly explaining the upwards motion of convection

currents as evaporation.

Students rarely think energy is measurable and quantifiable. Students' alternative conceptualizations of energy influence their interpretations of

textbook representations of energy.

Students tend to think that energy transformations involve only one form of energy at a time. Although they develop some skill in identifying different

forms of energy, in most cases their descriptions of energy-change focus only on forms which have perceivable effects. Finally, it may not be clear to

students that some forms of energy, such as light and sound can be used to make things happen.

Students tend to think of force as a property of an object ("an object has force," or "force is within an object") rather than as a relation between

objects. In addition, students tend to distinguish between active objects and objects that support or block or otherwise act passively. Students tend to

call the active actions "force" but do not consider passive actions as "forces". Teaching students to integrate the concept of passive support into the

broader concept of force is a challenging task even at the high-school level.

Students tend to think of force as a property of an object ("an object has force," or "force is within an object") rather than as a relation between

objects. In addition, students tend to distinguish between active objects and objects that support or block or otherwise act passively. Students tend to

call the active actions "force" but do not consider passive actions as "forces". Teaching students to integrate the concept of passive support into the

broader concept of force is a challenging task even at the high-school level (NSDL, 2015).

http://strandmaps.dls.ucar.edu/?id=SMS-MAP-1357

21 | Page

Prior Learning

By the end of Kindergarten:

● When objects touch or collide, they push on one another and can change motion.

● Pushes and pulls can have different strengths and directions.

● Pushing or pulling on an object can change the speed or direction of its motion and can start or stop it.

● A situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a problem to be solved through engineering. Such problems may have

many acceptable solutions. (secondary)

By the end of Grade 1, students know that:

● People also use a variety of devices to communicate (send and receive information) over long distances.


● A situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a problem to be solved through engineering.

● Asking questions, making observations, and gathering information are helpful in thinking about problems.

● Before beginning to design a solution it is important to clearly understand the problem.

● Designs can be conveyed through sketches, drawings, or physical models. These representations are useful in communicating ideas for a

problem’s solutions to other people.

● Because there is always more than one possible solution to a problem, it is useful to compare and test designs.


● Each force acts on one particular object and has both strength and a direction. An object at rest typically has multiple forces acting on it, but

they add to give zero net force on the object. Forces that do not sum to zero can cause changes in the object’s speed or direction of motion.

22 | Page

(Boundary: Qualitative and conceptual used at this level.)

● The patterns of an object’s motion in various situations can be observed and measured; when that past motion exhibits a regular pattern,

future motion can be predicted from it. (Boundary: Technical terms, such as magnitude, velocity, momentum, and vector quantity, are not

introduced at this level, but the concept that some quantities need both size and direction to be described is developed.)



(Boundary: Qualitative and conceptual understandings used at this level.)


future motion can be predicted from it.



(Boundary: Qualitative and conceptual, but not quantitative, addition of forces is used at this level).


future motion can be predicted from it. (Boundary: Technical terms, such as magnitude, velocity, momentum, and vector quantity, are not

introduced at this level, but the concept that some quantities need both size and direction to be described is developed.)

Future Learning

By the end of 5th grade students will know that:

● Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer

space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments.

● The energy released [from] food was once energy from the sun that was captured by plants in the chemical process that forms plant matter

23 | Page

(from air and water).

● Plants acquire their material for growth chiefly from air and water.

In middle school, students will know that:

● A simple wave has a repeating pattern with a specific wavelength, frequency, and amplitude.

● A sound wave needs a medium through which it is transmitted.

● Digitized signals (sent as wave impulses) are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information.

● A solution needs to be tested, and then modified on the basis of the test results, in order to improve it.

● There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet the criteria and constraints of a problem.

● Sometimes parts of different solutions can be combined to create a solution that is better than any of its predecessors.

● Models of all kinds are important for testing solutions.

● Although one design may not perform the best across all tests, identifying the characteristics of the design that performed the best in each

test can provide useful information for the redesign process— that is, some of those characteristics may be incorporated into the new design.

● The iterative process of testing the most promising solutions and modifying what is proposed on the basis of the test results leads to greater

refinement and ultimately to an optimal solution.

● The chemical reaction by which plants produce complex food molecules (sugars) requires an energy input (i.e., from sunlight) to occur. In this

reaction, carbon dioxide and water combine to form carbon-based organic molecules and release oxygen.(secondary)

● Cellular respiration in plants and animals involve chemical reactions with oxygen that release stored energy. In these processes, complex

molecules containing carbon react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and other materials. (secondary)

● All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and matter cycling within and among the planet’s systems. This energy is derived from the

sun and Earth’s hot interior. The energy that flows and matter that cycles produce chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and

living organisms.

● The planet’s systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13165&page=128










24 | Page

of years. These interactions have shaped Earth’s history and will determine its future.

● Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources. Minerals, fresh water, and biosphere

resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These resources are distributed unevenly around the

planet as a result of past geologic processes.

● Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of

other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.

● Typically as human populations and per-capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the

activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.

● Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean

surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do

occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of

human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.

● Motion energy is properly called kinetic energy; it is proportional to the mass of the moving object and grows with the square of its speed.

● A system of objects may also contain stored (potential) energy, depending on their relative positions.

● When the motion energy of an object changes, there is inevitably some other change in energy at the same time.

● Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles of matter. The relationship between the temperature and the total energy

of a system depends on the types, states, and amounts of matter present.

● The amount of energy transfer needed to change the temperature of a matter sample by a given amount depends on the nature of the

matter, the size of the sample, and the environment.

● Energy is spontaneously transferred out of hotter regions or objects and into colder ones.

● When light shines on an object, it is reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through the object, depending on the object’s material and the

frequency (color) of the light.

● The path that light travels can be traced as straight lines, except at surfaces between different transparent materials (e.g., air and water, air


25 | Page

and glass) where the light path bends.

● A wave model of light is useful for explaining brightness, color, and the frequency-dependent bending of light at a surface between media.

● However, because light can travel through space, it cannot be a matter wave, like sound or water waves.

● For any pair of interacting objects, the force exerted by the first object on the second object is equal in strength to the force that the second

object exerts on the first, but in the opposite direction (Newton’s third law).

● The motion of an object is determined by the sum of the forces acting on it; if the total force on the object is not zero, its motion will change.

The greater the mass of the object, the greater the force needed to achieve the same change in motion. For any given object, a larger force

causes a larger change in motion.

● All positions of objects and the directions of forces and motions must be described in an arbitrarily chosen reference frame and arbitrarily

chosen units of size. In order to share information with other people, these choices must also be shared.

● When two objects interact, each one exerts a force on the other that can cause energy to be transferred to or from the object.







● Motion energy is properly called kinetic energy; it is proportional to the mass of the moving object and grows with the square of its speed.

● A system of objects may also contain stored (potential) energy, depending on their relative positions.





26 | Page



Interdisciplinary Connections

English Language Arts

Students will conduct research to build their understanding of energy, transfer of energy, and natural sources of energy. Students will recall relevant

information from in-class investigations and experiences and gather relevant information from print and digital sources. They should take notes and

categorize information and provide a list of sources. Students also draw evidence from literary and informational texts in order to analyze and reflect

on their findings. Students can also read, take notes, and construct responses using text and digital resources such as Scholastic News, Nat Geo Kids,

Study Jams (Scholastic), Reading A–Z.com, NREL.com, switchenergyproject.com, and NOVA Labs by PBS. As students create presentations that detail

how their design solutions can be used to communicate, they should use details and examples from both their research and experiences to explain

how patterns are used in their design to communicate over a distance. They can include audio or video recordings and visual displays to enhance their

presentations.

Mathematics

Students reason abstractly and quantitatively as they gather and analyze data during investigations and while conducting research about transfer of

energy and energy sources. Students model with mathematics as they represent and/or solve word problems. As students research the environmental

effects of obtaining fossil fuels, they might be asked to represent a verbal statement of multiplicative comparison as a multiplication equation. For

27 | Page

example, students might find information about a spill that was 5 million gallons of oil and was 40 times larger that a previous oil spill in the same

location. They can be asked to represent this mathematically using an equation to determine the number of gallons of oils that were spilled in the

previous event.

Students can:

● Solve multistep word problems, using the four operations.

● Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity.

● Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimating strategies, including rounding.

For example, “The class has 144 rubber bands with which to make rubber band cars. If each car uses 6 rubber bands, how many cars can be made? If

there are 28 students in the class, how many rubber bands can each car have (if every car has the same number of rubber bands)?”

Students can also analyze constraints on materials, time, or cost to determine what implications the constraints have for design solutions. For

example, if a design calls for 20 screws and screws are sold in boxes of 150, how many copies of the design can be made?

Students should have opportunities to draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles, and perpendicular and parallel lines, and identify these in two-

dimensional drawings as they identify rays and angles in drawings of the ways in which waves move. Students should also have opportunities to use

the four operations to solve problems. Students can analyze constraints on materials, time, or cost to draw implications for design solutions. For

example, if a design calls for 20 screws and screws are sold in boxes of 150, how many copies of the design could be made?

As students represent and solve word problems, such as these, they reason abstractly and quantitatively and model with mathematics. As students

create models of waves and engage in engineering design, they have opportunities to use tools strategically while measuring, drawing, and building.

28 | Page

Unit Vocabulary

29 | Page

Investigation 1: battery

circuit

closed circuit

coil

complete circuit

component

constraint

contact point

criteria

electric current

electricity

energy

energy source

engineer

filament

generator

heat

incomplete circuit

light

light source

lightbulb

motion

motor

open circuit

parallel circuit

prototype

series circuit

solar cell

solution

sound

stored energy technology

tool

wire

work

Investigation 2: attract

compass

force

induced magnetism

interact

iron

magnet

repel

magnetic field

magnetism

north pole

orient

Investigation 3: code

electromagnet

electromagnetism

frequency

key

mirror

pitch

telegraph

vibration

Investigation 4: absorb

accelerate

fossil fuel

gravity

kinetic energy

load

newton (N)

potential energy

speed

Investigation 5: amplitude

crest

oscillation

oscilloscope

peak

property

reflection

refraction

sine wave

sound source

trough

wavelength

30 | Page

Educational Technology Standards

8.1.8.A.1, 8.1.8.B.1, 8.1.8.C.1, 8.1.8.D.1, 8.1.8.E.1, 8.1.8.F.1

➢ Technology Operations and Concepts • Create professional documents (e.g., newsletter, personalized learning plan, business letter or flyer) using advanced features of a word

processing program.

➢ Creativity and Innovation • Synthesize and publish information about a local or global issue or event on a collaborative, web-based service.

➢ Communication and Collaboration • Participate in an online learning community with learners from other countries to understand their perspectives on a global problem or

issue, and propose possible solutions.

➢ Digital Citizenship • Model appropriate online behaviors related to cyber safety, cyber bullying, cyber security, and cyber ethics.

➢ Research and Information Literacy • Gather and analyze findings using data collection technology to produce a possible solution for a content-related or real-world

problem.

➢ Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making • Use an electronic authoring tool in collaboration with learners from other countries to evaluate and summarize the perspectives of

other cultures about a current event or contemporary figure.

http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/def/8/TECH_OnlineLearning.html

http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/def/8/TECH_DataCollect.html

http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/def/8/TECH_ElectAuthor.html

31 | Page

Career Ready Practices

Career Ready Practices describe the career-ready skills that all educators in all content areas should seek to develop in their students. They are

practices that have been linked to increase college, career, and life success. Career Ready Practices should be taught and reinforced in all career

exploration and preparation programs with increasingly higher levels of complexity and expectation as a student advances through a program of

study.

CRP1. Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee

Career-ready individuals understand the obligations and responsibilities of being a member of a community, and they demonstrate this understanding

every day through their interactions with others. They are conscientious of the impacts of their decisions on others and the environment around them.

They think about the near-term and long-term consequences of their actions and seek to act in ways that contribute to the betterment of their teams,

families, community and workplace. They are reliable and consistent in going beyond the minimum expectation and in participating in activities that

serve the greater good.

CRP2. Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. Career-ready individuals readily access and use the knowledge and skills acquired through experience and education to be more productive. They

make connections between abstract concepts with real-world applications, and they make correct insights about when it is appropriate to apply the

use of an academic skill in a workplace situation.

CRP3. Attend to personal health and financial well-being. Career-ready individuals understand the relationship between personal health, workplace performance and personal well-being; they act on that

understanding to regularly practice healthy diet, exercise and mental health activities. Career-ready individuals also take regular action to contribute

to their personal financial well-being, understanding that personal financial security provides the peace of mind required to contribute more fully to

their own career success.

CRP4. Communicate clearly and effectively and with reason.

32 | Page

Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas, and action plans with clarity, whether using written, verbal, and/or visual methods. They

communicate in the workplace with clarity and purpose to make maximum use of their own and others’ time. They are excellent writers; they master

conventions, word choice, and organization, and use effective tone and presentation skills to articulate ideas. They are skilled at interacting with

others; they are active listeners and speak clearly and with purpose. Career-ready individuals think about the audience for their communication and

prepare accordingly to ensure the desired outcome.

CRP5. Consider the environmental, social and economic impacts of decisions. Career-ready individuals understand the interrelated nature of their actions and regularly make decisions that positively impact and/or mitigate

negative impact on other people, organization, and the environment. They are aware of and utilize new technologies, understandings, procedures,

materials, and regulations affecting the nature of their work as it relates to the impact on the social condition, the environment and the profitability of

the organization.

CRP6. Demonstrate creativity and innovation.

Career-ready individuals regularly think of ideas that solve problems in new and different ways, and they contribute those ideas in a useful and

productive manner to improve their organization. They can consider unconventional ideas and suggestions as solutions to issues, tasks or problems,

and they discern which ideas and suggestions will add greatest value. They seek new methods, practices, and ideas from a variety of sources and seek

to apply those ideas to their own workplace. They take action on their ideas and understand how to bring innovation to an organization.

CRP7. Employ valid and reliable research strategies. Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and using new information to make decisions, change practices or inform strategies. They use

reliable research process to search for new information. They evaluate the validity of sources when considering the use and adoption of external

information or practices in their workplace situation.

CRP8. Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Career-ready individuals readily recognize problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the

problem. They are aware of problems when they occur and take action quickly to address the problem; they thoughtfully investigate the root cause of

33 | Page

the problem prior to introducing solutions. They carefully consider the options to solve the problem. Once a solution is agreed upon, they follow

through to ensure the problem is solved, whether through their own actions or the actions of others.

CRP9. Model integrity, ethical leadership and effective management. Career-ready individuals consistently act in ways that align personal and community-held ideals and principles while employing strategies to

positively influence others in the workplace. They have a clear understanding of integrity and act on this understanding in every decision. They use a

variety of means to positively impact the directions and actions of a team or organization, and they apply insights into human behavior to change

others’ action, attitudes and/or beliefs. They recognize the near-term and long-term effects that management’s actions and attitudes can have on

productivity, morals and organizational culture.

CRP10. Plan education and career paths aligned to personal goals. Career-ready individuals take personal ownership of their own education and career goals, and they regularly act on a plan to attain these goals. They

understand their own career interests, preferences, goals, and requirements. They have perspective regarding the pathways available to them and the

time, effort, experience and other requirements to pursue each, including a path of entrepreneurship. They recognize the value of each step in the

education and experiential process, and they recognize that nearly all career paths require ongoing education and experience. They seek counselors,

mentors, and other experts to assist in the planning and execution of career and personal goals.

CRP11. Use technology to enhance productivity. Career-ready individuals find and maximize the productive value of existing and new technology to accomplish workplace tasks and solve workplace

problems. They are flexible and adaptive in acquiring new technology. They are proficient with ubiquitous technology applications. They understand

the inherent risks-personal and organizational-of technology applications, and they take actions to prevent or mitigate these risks.

CRP12. Work productively in teams while using cultural global competence. Career-ready individuals positively contribute to every team, whether formal or informal. They apply an awareness of cultural difference to avoid

barriers to productive and positive interaction. They find ways to increase the engagement and contribution of all team members. They plan and

facilitate effective team meetings.

34 | Page

Appendix A: NGSS and Foundations for the Unit

Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each

other. [Clarification Statement: Examples of an electric force could include the force on hair from an electrically charged balloon and the electrical forces

between a charged rod and pieces of paper; examples of a magnetic force could include the force between two permanent magnets, the force between an

electromagnet and steel paperclips, and the force exerted by one magnet versus the force exerted by two magnets. Examples of cause and effect relationships

could include how the distance between objects affects strength of the force and how the orientation of magnets affects the direction of the magnetic force.]

[Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to forces produced by objects that can be manipulated by students, and electrical interactions are limited to static

electricity.] (3-PS2-3)

Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas about magnets.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of problems could

include constructing a latch to keep a door shut and creating a device to keep two moving objects from touching each other.] (3-PS2-4)

Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include

quantitative measures of changes in the speed of an object or on any precise or quantitative definition of energy.] (4-PS3-1)

Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. [Assessment

Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative measurements of energy.] (4-PS3-2)

Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the change in the

energy due to the change in speed, not on the forces, as objects interact.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative measurements of

energy.] (4-PS3-3)

Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of devices



http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3031/download?token=eGOwUdzA

http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3036/download?token=4vaqoILy

http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3041/download?token=HsFCsh0r

35 | Page

could include electric circuits that convert electrical energy into motion energy of a vehicle, light, or sound; and, a passive solar heater that converts light into

heat. Examples of constraints could include the materials, cost, or time to design the device.] [Assessment Boundary: Devices should be limited to those that

convert motion energy to electric energy or use stored energy to cause motion or produce light or sound.] (4-PS3-4)

Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength and that waves can cause objects to move. [Clarification Statement:

Examples of models could include diagrams, analogies, and physical models using wire to illustrate wavelength and amplitude of waves.] [Assessment Boundary:

Assessment does not include interference effects, electromagnetic waves, non-periodic waves, or quantitative models of amplitude and wavelength.] (4-PS4-1)

Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not

include knowledge of specific colors reflected and seen, the cellular mechanisms of vision, or how the retina works.] (4-PS4-2)

Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information. [Clarification Statement: Examples of solutions could include drums

sending coded information through sound waves, using a grid of 1’s and 0’s representing black and white to send information about a picture, and using Morse

code to send text.] (4-PS4-3)

Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. (3-5-

ETS1-1)

Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. (3-5-

ETS1-2)

Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be

improved. (3-5-ETS1-3)

The performance expectations above were developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:



http://www.nextgenscience.org/file/3056/download?token=GeiymZ8e







http://sites.nationalacademies.org/dbasse/bose/framework_k12_science/index.htm

36 | Page

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

● Analyze and interpret data to make sense of phenomena

using logical reasoning. (3-LS3-1)

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

● Make observations to produce data to serve as the

basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon

or test a design solution. (4-PS3-2)

Asking Questions and Defining Problems

● Ask questions that can be investigated and predict

reasonable outcomes based on patterns such as cause

and effect relationships. (3-PS2-3), (4-PS3-3)

● Define a simple problem that can be solved through

the development of a new or improved object or tool.

(3-PS2-4)

Developing and Using Models

● Develop a model using an analogy, example, or

abstract representation to describe a scientific

principle. (4-PS4-1)

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

● Apply scientific ideas to solve design problems. (4-

PS2.B: Types of Interactions

● Electric and magnetic forces between a pair

of objects do not require that the objects be in

contact. The sizes of the forces in each

situation depend on the properties of the

objects and their distances apart and, for

forces between two magnets, on their

orientation relative to each other. (3-PS2-3),

(3-PS2-4)

PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

● The faster a given object is moving, the

more energy it possesses. (4-PS3-1)

● Energy can be moved from place to place by

moving objects or through sound, light, or

electric currents. (4-PS3-2), (4-PS3-3)

PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy

Transfer

● Energy is present whenever there are

moving objects, sound, light, or heat. When

objects collide, energy can be transferred

from one object to another, thereby changing

their motion. In such collisions, some energy

is typically also transferred to the

surrounding air; as a result, the air gets

Energy and Matter

● Energy can be transferred in various ways

and between objects. (4-PS3-1), (4-PS3-2),

(4-PS3-3), (4-PS3-4)

Patterns

● Similarities and differences in patterns can

be used to sort, classify, and analyze simple

rates of change for natural phenomena. (4-

PS4-1)

● Similarities and differences in patterns can

be used to sort and classify designed

products. (4-PS4-3)

Cause and Effect

● Cause and effect relationships are routinely

identified, tested, and used to explain change.

(3-PS2-3)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Connections to Engineering, Technology, and

Applications of Science

Interdependence of Science, Engineering,































































37 | Page

PS3-4)

● Use evidence (e.g., measurements, observations,

patterns) to construct an explanation. (4-PS3-1) ● Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem

based on how well they meet the criteria and

constraints of the design solution. (4-PS4-3) ● Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem

based on how well they meet the criteria and

constraints of the design problem. (3-5-ETS1-2) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Connections to Nature of Science

Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence

● Science findings are based on recognizing patterns. (4-

PS4-1)

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to

produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, using fair

tests in which variables are controlled and the number of

trials considered. (3-5-ETS1-3)

heated and sound is produced. (4-PS3-2), (4-

PS3-3)

● Light also transfers energy from place to

place. (4-PS3-2)

● Energy can also be transferred from place to

place by electric currents, which can then be

used locally to produce motion, sound, heat,

or light. The currents may have been

produced to begin with by transforming the

energy of motion into electrical energy. (4-

PS3-2), (4-PS3-4)

PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and

Forces

● When objects collide, the contact forces

transfer energy so as to change the objects’

motions. (4-PS3-3)

PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and

Everyday Life

● The expression “produce energy” typically

refers to the conversion of stored energy into

a desired form for practical use. (4-PS3-4)

PS4.A: Wave Properties

● Waves, which are regular patterns of

and Technology

● Knowledge of relevant scientific concepts

and research findings is important in

engineering. (4-PS4-3)

● Scientific discoveries about the natural

world can often lead to new and improved

technologies, which are developed through

the engineering design process. (3-PS2-4)

Influence of Science, Engineering, and

Technology on Society and the Natural World

● Engineers improve existing technologies or

develop new ones to increase their benefits,

decrease known risks, and meet societal

demands. (4-PS3-4, 3-5-ETS1-2) ● People’s needs and wants change over time,

as do their demands for new and improved

technologies. (3-5-ETS1.1)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Connections to Nature of Science

Science is a Human Endeavor

● Most scientists and engineers work in teams.

(4-PS3-4)

● Science affects everyday life. (4-PS3-4)













































38 | Page

motion, can be made in water by disturbing

the surface. When waves move across the

surface of deep water, the water goes up and

down in place; there is no net motion in the

direction of the wave except when the water

meets a beach. (Note: This grade band

endpoint was moved from K–2.) (4-PS4-1)

● Waves of the same type can differ in

amplitude (height of the wave) and

wavelength (spacing between wave peaks).

(4-PS4-1)

PS4.C: Information Technologies and

Instrumentation

● Digitized information can be transmitted

over long distances without significant

degradation. High-tech devices, such as

computers or cell phones, can receive and

decode information—convert it from

digitized form to voice—and vice versa. (4-

PS4-3)

ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting

Engineering Problems

● Possible solutions to a problem are limited

by available materials and resources





















39 | Page

(constraints). The success of a designed

solution is determined by considering the

desired features of a solution (criteria).

Different proposals for solutions can be

compared on the basis of how well each one

meets the specified criteria for success or

how well each takes the constraints into

account.

ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions

● Research on a problem should be carried out

before beginning to design a solution.

Testing a solution involves investigating

how well it performs under a range of likely

conditions.

● At whatever stage, communicating with

peers about proposed solutions is an

important part of the design process, and

shared ideas can lead to improved designs.

● Tests are often designed to identify failure

points or difficulties, which suggest the

elements of the design that need to be

improved.

ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution

● Different solutions need to be tested in order

40 | Page

to determine which of them best solves the

problem, given the criteria and the

constraints.

English Language Arts Mathematics

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring

explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. (3-PS2-3) RI.3.1

Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or

concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to

time, sequence, and cause/effect. (3-PS2-3) RI.3.3

Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a

text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence). (3-PS2-3)

RI.3.8

Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate

elaboration and detail. (3-PS2-3) SL.3.3

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly

and when drawing inferences from the text. (4-PS3-1) RI.4.1

Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical

text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. (4-

PS3-1) RI.4.3

Model with mathematics. (4-PS4-2) MP.4

Draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles (right, acute, obtuse), and

perpendicular and parallel lines. Identify these in two-dimensional figures.

(4-PS4-2) 4.G.A.1

Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having

whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in

which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using

equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the

reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation

strategies including rounding. (4-PS3-4) 4.OA.A.3

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP4

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP4

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Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and

information clearly. (4-PS3-1) W.4.2

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection,

and research. (4-PS3-1) W.4.9

Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of

different aspects of a topic. (4-PS3-2), (4-PS3-3), (4-PS3-4) W.4.7

Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from

print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of

sources. (4-PS3-2), (4-PS3-4) W.4.8

Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak

about the subject knowledgeably. (4-PS3-1), (4-PS4-3) RI.4.9

Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to

enhance the development of main ideas or themes. (4-PS4-1) SL.4.59

Rubric(s):

See assessment session of the Investigations Guide, pages 377-460.

Field Trip Ideas:

42 | Page

Liberty Science Center, Franklin Institute, Thomas Edison National Historic Park

Documents

Science Curriculum - paterson.k12.nj.uspaterson.k12.nj.us/11_curriculum/science/GRADE 4/Grade 4 Unit 3.pdf · Objective Essential Questions Content Related to DCI’s Sample Activities