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Overview of the 4th/5th Grade Units.
See also, 2nd/3rd Grade Units and 3rd/4th Grade Units.
The four Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading titles for grades 4/5 are Aquatic Ecosystems, Planets and Moons, Chemical Changes, and Models of Matter. Aquatic Ecosystems and Planets and Moons are 40-session units; Chemical Changes and Models of Matter are 20-session units.
Aquatic Ecosystems
In Aquatic Ecosystems students learn about ecosystems by conducting investigations of classroom model ponds. They learn about the flow of energy in and human impact on ecosystems. There are four investigations—each with 10 sessions. Nine student books engage students in doing, talking, reading, and writing about key science concepts. About half the sessions have a literacy focus. Students learn comprehension strategies for reading science text, acquire scientific language, take part in scientific discourse, and write descriptive informational text.
Investigation 1—Exploring Ecosystems. Students are introduced to the term ecosystem and begin to consider the non-living, plant, and animal, factors that make one up. They observe posters of ecosystems and read A Visit to a Pond. They set up non-living parts of model ponds, later introduce algae and pond snails, then tubifex worms and mosquitofish. The class sets up an experiment on algae and light. Students focus on descriptive writing and create a first paragraph, on a pond organism. They read sections of Tabletop Pond Guide. Students measure water clarity and water temperature. They record changes observed in their ponds and begin sorting questions into categories to help them refine questions for upcoming classroom investigations.
Investigation 2—Conducting Ecosystem Investigations. Students add dragonfly nymphs to the model ponds, making predictions about what they will do and eat. They read Investigating Crayfish and make Text-to-Self and Text-to-Classroom Science connections. Groups choose a question to investigate and the class reviews the steps of an investigation, then create hypotheses, plan investigations, modify them based on peer and teacher feedback, and design data tables. Then students conduct their investigations. They analyze the data and plan adjustments of their setup or data collection to obtain more evidence. They read Explaining Dragonflies, and examine the hypotheses and explanation in the book to prepare for writing their own explanations.
Investigation 3—Flow of Energy. Groups conclude investigations by writing scientific explanations. They read Eat and Be Eaten. They return to the algae jars and pose questions about them. The class makes a forest ecosystem food web, then each student makes a model pond food web. They write about pond interactions, with a diagram. They make Text-to-Text connections as they read What Makes Living Things Go? They chart what happens to the food one organism eats, discuss Energy Puzzlers, make energy pyramids, conduct an energy flow simulation and view overheads on energy flow. Students read Ecosystems of the World, then discuss attributes of all ecosystems. They select an ecosystem poster, make an energy pyramid and food chain diagram, then write an explanation about what is happening in terms of energy in the food chain diagram.
Investigation 4—How Humans Impact Ecosystems. Students plan and conduct an investigation on, “Is our schoolyard an ecosystem?” They collect evidence during a schoolyard “field trip” to make an energy pyramid, food chain, and food web. A bar graph is employed to discern any patterns in temperature. Students write explanations for the investigation, with claim, evidence, and reasoning. They read Can You Make a Difference? making Text-to-World connections. Groups research human impact and propose changes so the schoolyard could support more organisms. They read Ecosystem News, hold a discourse circle on whether mosquitofish should be released, and make a final group project and presentation—a labeled ecosystem diagram on key unit ideas.
Planets and Moons
Planets and Moons immerses students in learning about the Solar System with a focus on how technology is used to explore the Solar System. The unit has four investigations—each with 10 sessions. Nine student books engage students in doing, talking, reading, and writing about the science of planets and moons. About half of the sessions in the unit have a literacy focus. As students read the books, they work to master the reading comprehension skills of setting goals and synthesizing, they write scientific explanations, and they learn to use nonfiction text features, such as illustrations and indexes.
Investigation 1—The Earth’s Shape and Motion. Students read about a trip into orbit and gather evidence to write explanations about the Earth’s shape. They use a model to investigate the Earth’s rotation. They write a scientific explanation about day and night.
Investigation 2—The Moon and Beyond. Students analyze observations of the Earth’s Moon as well as the moons of Jupiter. They use a physical model and a computer model to explain why the Moon has phases. They read a book about size and distance in the Solar System and make a scale model of the planets. They are introduced to a reference book.
Investigation 3—Solar System Objects. Students compare and classify objects in the Solar System, including planets, moons, asteroids and comets. They read a book about why Pluto is no longer classified as a planet. They conduct investigations of air resistance and then learn more about gravity and atmosphere on different Solar System objects. They read about a scientist who studies surface features of planets and choose a planet or moon to focus on and begin researching about it using a reference book and Solar System Object cards.
Investigation 4—Technology for Exploration. Students read a book about how engineers solved problems in designing a mission to Mars. They investigate the surface of a fictional planet called Oobleck. They read about technology for exploring the Solar System and design a mission to the planet or moon that they researched. They write about their design, and they create a model that summarizes what they learned about the Solar System.
Chemical Changes
Through dramatic firsthand investigations, reading, and discussion, students learn about the structure of chemical substances and the changes that occur when two or more substances combine and change to form new chemicals. In Chemical Changes they learn that changes in color, or temperature, or smell, or the creation of a gas, are usually (but not always) signs that a chemical reaction has taken place. The unit is divided into two investigations—each with 10 sessions. Its five student books, including one reference book, provide information and understanding of chemical reactions, and help students to learn and practice the comprehension strategies of previewing, predicting, and posing and answering questions. Students learn to write procedures and scientific explanations and create posters to communicate about their investigations at a culminating “scientific conference.”
Investigation 1—Investigating Chemical Reactions. Students begin by reading Chemical Reactions Everywhere, about 12 chemical reactions most students have experienced, such as an apple turning brown, metal rusting, etc. They use the strategy of posing questions to read with greater attention, and learn that asking and answering questions is basic to all scientific investigation. They start building a class glossary of scientific terms. In the first experiment, students combine four ingredients in a sealed baggie and observe as the mixture changes color, expands, and bubbles. They conduct a guided experiment with a single variable, and discuss how they have been acting like scientists. They read Bursting Bubbles about two fictional student investigators and learn about devising investigable questions and setting up tables to record data. Students then plan their own investigations, using the Handbook of Chemical Investigations as a resource. They originate hypotheses, then draft and revise procedures, with a materials list, measurements, and all the steps they will follow.
Investigation 2—Analyzing Chemical Reactions. Working in groups, students further prepare to conduct their own investigations by dividing up different tasks. The teacher guides students in a pantomime run-through to spot problems and build confidence before they actually conduct the investigations. Students are introduced to the Periodic Table and learn the chemical formulas for substances they’ve been investigating. They make models of atoms and molecules to help them visualize what’s going on chemically in their experiments. Reading What Happens to the Atoms? deepens understanding of chemical reactions at a molecular level. Students write and revise scientific explanations, drawing on reference materials and data from their investigations to compose clear, detailed summaries. In preparation for a class scientific conference, they read Communicating Chemistry, with tips on making effective scientific posters. Students create posters on their group investigations, make presentations to the class, and answer questions just as real scientists do at conferences. Students then read one another’s posters and draw conclusions about all their investigations, based on the data displayed on the posters.
Models of Matter
Models of Matter focuses students on learning about the particulate nature of matter, separating mixtures through chromatography, phase change, and related physical science concepts. The unit includes a major emphasis on science inquiry, making and refining models, and gathering evidence to make scientific explanations. There are two investigations—each with 10 sessions. Four student books engage students in doing, talking, reading, and writing about the science concepts. About half of the sessions have a literacy focus.
Investigation 1—Separating Ink Mixtures. Students consider what they already know about matter, atoms, and molecules. They read Made of Matter to start learning more, then explore the properties of water, especially its “stickiness.” They learn that separating mixtures is an important part of chemistry, and are introduced to do firsthand investigations involving paper chromatography. Throughout, they draw and refine a “nanovision model” of the molecules in the water and ink mixture. They learn the distinction between observations and inferences, practice making inferences, and learn what makes a good scientific explanation. They encounter two “Matter Mysteries.” At several points, students reflect on how they acted like scientists. They work with new vocabulary, and refine their nanovision models. Students read Break It Down: How Scientists Separate Mixtures. They conduct chromatography tests with different combinations of test substances and solvents, and they write scientific explanations about their chromatography models.
Investigation 2—Investigating Changes in Matter. Students brainstorm ways to melt ice or keep it from melting, then try them out. They discover that adding energy results in more melting, and insulating slows melting down. They read Phase Change at Extremes, and use graphs, diagrams, illustrations, and captions to better understand the book. After considering three different molecular models of phase change they write an explanation of the melting investigation. The solve two more “Matter Mysteries.” Students read Science You Can’t See and work on an inference challenge—to see if a mystery liquid found by a space probe is water. They learn that a gas will become liquid when enough energy is lost, and a liquid will become solid when enough energy is lost. Students evaluate the three models of phase change, identify weaknesses in each, and make an improved model. Students review the Our Questions chart, note any questions that have been answered, and add any new ones they have. The unit concludes with each student writing an explanation of one of the four Matter Mysteries, applying what they now know about observations, inferences, and writing scientific explanations, and taking into account what they have learned about molecules, mixtures, phases of matter, and phase change.
Go to: 2nd/3rd Grade Units or 3rd/4th Grade Units
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