4th Science
III. Science Goals and Expected Outcomes
The primary focus of science instruction in the fourth grade is a hands-on, inquiry-based approach. The students learn the scientific method as they keep science journals to keep track of their investigations. “Writing is one of the ways that children learn in science. . . When children explain what they have seen and why they think this occurs in writing, they are forced to clarify their thoughts and organize these ideas in a way that others can understand.” (Science and Language Links) Students develop questions, make predictions, observe, test, record data, study data, and make conclusions. Students regularly meet as a class to discuss problems faced and conclusions arrived at. The fourth grade year includes three main science units; each unit is approximately 6-8 weeks long.
Motion and Design: The main concept of this unit is to investigate what a force is. Some of the ideas studied are friction, energy, and air resistance. Students design, build, test, and modify vehicles to meet design requirements. Students build vehicles from technical two and three view drawings. Some of the skills worked on are building, observing, measuring, collecting and recording data, predicting, and communication. Students communicate results of an investigation through writing in their science journals. Class discussion is also an important component.
Animal Studies: The main concept of this unit is to research and design habitats, learning how they meet the needs of the organisms that live there. Students identify how the physical structures/characteristics of organisms allow them to survive and defend themselves. Students learn about animals through close observation over an extended period of time. Students learn that each animal has specific needs, such as type of food, amount of water, and range of temperature. The animals that the students observe and care for are dwarf African frogs, fiddler crabs and millipedes. Students follow the scientific method by recording observations, developing questions, comparing and contrasting, and making conclusions. Students communicate ideas through writing and discussions.
Human Body Systems: Students are introduced to the major body systems such as the skeletal system, the nervous system, the digestive system and the respiratory system. Students read about this, make scientific drawings, conduct experiments, view films and learn new vocabulary. Students also are introduced to human heredity by identifying similarities that are inherited from a biological parent.
