Elementary Science Course Description (Grades 3-5)

Elementary Science Course Description (Grades 3-5)

Course Overview:

The Elementary Science course for grades 3-5 aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Earth science, physical science, and life science. The course includes interactive lessons, hands-on lab assignments, and educational field trips to places like Busch Gardens, Sea World, and a bowling alley to enhance their understanding of scientific concepts.

Course Objectives:

  • Understand Earth's place in space and its structures.
  • Learn about heredity, reproduction, and interdependence in living organisms.
  • Practice scientific methods and understand scientific knowledge.
  • Explore properties and changes of matter.
  • Understand forms of energy and energy transfer.
  • Study the motion of objects.
  • Develop critical thinking, observation, and experimental skills.

Florida State Standards for Science and Corresponding Field Trips:

Earth in Space and Time:

  1. SC.3.E.5 / SC.4.E.5 / SC.5.E.5: Earth in Space and Time
    • Standard: Recognize that the Sun appears large and bright because it is the closest star to Earth (Grade 3); Describe the movement of the Earth and the moon and how it affects day/night, seasons, and tides (Grade 4); Recognize that our galaxy is composed of billions of stars, and that the universe contains many billions of galaxies (Grade 5).
    • Field Trip: Visit the local planetarium.

Earth Structures:

  1. SC.3.E.6 / SC.4.E.6: Earth Structures
    • Standard: Recognize that Earth is made up of rocks, minerals, and soil (Grade 3); Identify Earth structures like mountains, valleys, and rivers (Grade 4).
    • Field Trip: Visit a local geological park or nature reserve.

Heredity and Reproduction:

  1. SC.4.L.16 / SC.5.L.14: Heredity and Reproduction
    • Standard: Explain how plants and animals inherit traits and reproduce (Grade 4); Identify the parts of plants and describe their functions (Grade 5).
    • Field Trip: Visit Sea World to learn about animal reproduction and genetics, and plant biology.

Interdependence:

  1. SC.4.L.17 / SC.5.L.15: Interdependence
    • Standard: Describe how living things interact with their environment (Grade 4); Describe how organisms are classified into groups based on characteristics (Grade 5).
    • Field Trip: Visit Busch Gardens to study animal habitats, interdependence, and diversity.

The Practice of Science:

  1. SC.3.N.1 / SC.4.N.1 / SC.5.N.1: The Practice of Science
    • Standard: Raise questions about the natural world, investigate them, and make observations (Grade 3); Use scientific methods for observations, hypotheses, and experiments (Grade 4); Use the scientific method to conduct experiments and record data (Grade 5).
    • Lab Assignment: Conduct simple experiments to practice the scientific method.

The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge:

  1. SC.4.N.2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge
    • Standard: Understand that scientific knowledge is based on evidence and can change with new information.
    • Lab Assignment: Research historical scientific discoveries and how they have changed over time.

The Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models:

  1. SC.4.N.3: The Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models
    • Standard: Explain the difference between theories, laws, hypotheses, and models.
    • Lab Assignment: Create models to demonstrate scientific concepts.

Properties of Matter:

  1. SC.3.P.8 / SC.4.P.8 / SC.5.P.8: Properties of Matter
    • Standard: Compare materials and objects according to properties such as size, shape, color, and texture (Grade 3); Identify properties of solids, liquids, and gases (Grade 4); Compare and contrast properties of solids, liquids, and gases (Grade 5).
    • Lab Assignment: Conduct experiments to observe the properties of different materials and states of matter.

Changes in Matter:

  1. SC.3.P.9 / SC.4.P.9 / SC.5.P.9: Changes in Matter
    • Standard: Describe changes that occur to an object when it is heated or cooled (Grade 3); Describe physical and chemical changes in matter (Grade 4); Explain that physical changes can affect the properties of materials, but not the substances themselves (Grade 5).
    • Lab Assignment: Perform experiments to observe physical and chemical changes in matter.

Forms of Energy:

  1. SC.3.P.10 / SC.4.P.10 / SC.5.P.10: Forms of Energy
    • Standard: Recognize that energy comes from the Sun, and can be transformed into various forms such as light, heat, and sound (Grade 3); Identify different forms of energy such as light, heat, and sound (Grade 4); Identify different forms of energy and describe how energy can change from one form to another (Grade 5).
    • Field Trip: Visit a local science museum with energy exhibits.

Energy Transfer and Transformations:

  1. SC.4.P.11 / SC.5.P.11: Energy Transfer and Transformations
    • Standard: Describe how energy is transferred and transformed (Grade 4); Describe how energy can be transferred from one object to another (Grade 5).
    • Lab Assignment: Conduct experiments to demonstrate energy transfer and transformations.

Motion of Objects:

  1. SC.3.P.12 / SC.4.P.12 / SC.5.P.12: Motion of Objects
    • Standard: Describe how things move, such as in a straight line, zigzag, or circular motion (Grade 3); Explain how force affects the motion of objects (Grade 4); Investigate and describe some basic forms of energy, including light, heat, sound, electrical, chemical, and mechanical (Grade 5).
    • Field Trip: Visit a bowling alley to study force and motion.

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