Fourth Grade Science Yearlong Plan 2011-2012

August

September

October

November

December

Interactions among Organisms and their Environment (4)
1.A.a-
Identify the ways a specific organism may interact with other
organisms or with the environment (e.g., pollination, shelter, seed dispersal, camouflage, migration,
hibernation, defensive mechanism)
1.A.b-Identify and describe different environments (i.e. pond, forest, prairie) support the life of different types of plants and animals
1.D.a-Identify examples in Missouri where human activity has had a beneficial or harmful effect on other organisms (e.g., feeding birds, littering vs. picking up trash,
hunting/conservation of species, paving/restoring green space)
2.A.a-Classify populations of organisms as producers and consumers by the
role they serve in the ecosystem
2.A.b-Differentiate between the types of consumers (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, and detrivore/decomposer)-
2.A.c-Categorize organisms as predator or prey in a given ecosystem

 

Interactions among Organisms and their Environment (4)
3.A.a-Compare and contrast common fossils found in Missouri (i.e., trilobites, ferns, crinoids, gastropods, bivalves, fish, mastodons) to organisms present
on Earth today
3.C.a-Identify specialized structures and describe how they help plants survive in their environment (e.g.,
root, cactus needles, thorns, winged seed, waxy leaves)
3.C.b-Identify specialized structures and senses and describe how they help animals survive in their environment (e.g., antennae, body covering, teeth, beaks, whiskers, appendages)
3.C.c-Identify internal cues (e.g., hunger) and external cues (e.g., changes in the environment) that cause organisms to behave in
certain ways (e.g., hunting,
migration, hibernation)
3.C.d-Predict which plant or animal will be able to survive in a specific environment based on its special
structures or behaviors.

Change’s in the Earth’s
Surface
(5)
2.A.a-Observe and describe the breakdown of plant and animal material into soil through decomposition processes (i.e., decay/rotting, composting, digestion)-\
2.A.b-Identify the major
landforms/bodies of water on Earth (i.e., mountains, plains, river valleys, coastlines, canyons)
2.A.c-Describe how weathering agents (e.g., water, chemicals, temperature, wind, plants) cause
surface changes that create and/or change Earth’s surface materials and/or landforms/
bodies of water
2.A.d-Describe how erosion processes (i.e., action of gravity, waves, wind, rivers, glaciers) cause surface changes that create
and/or change Earth’s surface materials and/or landforms/ bodies of water
2.A.e- Relate the type of landform/water
body to the process by which it was formed
3.A.a-Identify the ways humans affect
the erosion and deposition of Earth’s materials (e.g., clearing of land, planting vegetation, paving
land construction of new
buildings)
3.A.b-Propose ways to solve simple environmental problems (e.g., recycling, composting, ways to decrease soil erosion) that result
from human activity

 

Change’s in the Earth’s Surface (5)
1.A.a-Identify the ways a specific organism may interact with other
organisms or with the environment (e.g., pollination, shelter, seed
dispersal, camouflage, migration, hibernation, defensive mechanism)
1.A.b-Identify and describe different environments (i.e. pond, forest, prairie)
support the life of different types of plants and animals

 

January

February

March

April

May

Commitment Honesty Cooperation Perseverance Self-Discipline

Mixtures and Solutions (1)
1.A.a-
Describe and compare the masses
(the amount of matter in an object) of objects to the nearest gram using balances
1.A.b-Describe and compare the volumes (the amount of space an object occupies) of objects using
a graduated cylinder
1.A.c-Identify situations where no two objects can occupy the same
space at the same time (e.g. water level rises when an object or substance such as a rock is placed in a quantity of water)
1.A.d-Classify types of materials (e.g., water, salt, sugar, iron filings, salt water) into “like” substances (materials that have specific
physical properties) or mixtures of substances by using their characteristic properties
1.B.A-Identify water as a solvent that
dissolves materials (Do NOT assess the term solvent)
1.B.B-Observe and describe how mixtures are made by combining solids or liquids, or combinations of these
1.B.C-Distinguish between the components in a mixture/solution
(e.g., trail mix, conglomerate
rock, salad, soil, salt water)
1.B.D- Describe ways to separate the components of a mixture/solution by their properties (i.e., sorting, filtration, magnets, screening)
1.I.A-Observe that the total mass of a material remains constant
whether it is together, in parts, or in a different state

Electrical Circuits (1)
2.A.a-Construct and diagram a complete electric circuit by using a source (e.g., battery), means of transfer (e.g., wires), and receiver (e.g., resistance bulbs, motors, fans)
2.A.b-Observe and describe the evidence of energy transfer in a closed series circuit (e.g., lit bulb, moving motor, fan)
2.A.c-Classify materials as conductors
or insulators of electricity when
placed within a circuit (e.g., wood, pencil lead, plastic, glass, aluminum foil, lemon juice, air, water)
2.F.a-Identify the evidence of energy
transformations (temperature
change, light, sound, motion, and magnetic effects) that occur in
electrical circuits

Laws of Motion (2)
1.A.a-
Classify different types of motion [straight line, curved, vibrating (back and forth)]-
1.A.b-Describe an object’s motion in terms of distance and time
2.A.a-Identify the forces acting on the motion of objects traveling in a straight line (specify that forces
should be acting in the same line as the motion, provide examples)
2.A.b-Describe and compare forces (measured by a spring scale in Newton’s) applied to objects in a single line.
2.A.c-Observe and identify friction as a force that slows down or stops a moving object that is touching another object or surface
2.B.a-Determine the gravitational pull of the Earth on an object (weight) using a spring scale
2.A.d-Compare the forces (measured by a spring scale in Newton’s) required to overcome friction when an object moves over different surfaces (i.e.,
rough/smooth)

Laws of Motion (2)
2.D.a- Observe that balanced forces do not affect an object’s motion (need to clarify that balanced forces means no change in forces acting on an
object)
2.D.b-Describe how unbalanced forces
acting on an object changes its speed (faster/slower), direction of motion, or both
(need to clarify that unbalanced forces
means any change in forces acting on
an object)
2.D.c-Predict how the change in speed of an object (i.e., faster/slower/remains the same) is affected by the amount of force
applied to an object and the mass of the object
2.D.d-Predict the effects of an electrostatic force (static electricity) on the motion of objects (attract or repel)

Impact of Science & Inventions (8)
1.A.a- Design and construct an electrical device, using materials and/or
existing objects, that can be used to perform a task (Assess Locally)
1.B.a- Describe how new technologies have helped scientists make better observations and measurements for investigations (e.g., telescopes, magnifiers, balances, microscopes,
computers, stethoscopes,
thermometers)
2.A.a-Research biographical information about various scientists and inventors from different gender and ethnic backgrounds, and describe how their work contributed to science and technology (Assess Locally)
1.C.a - Identify how the effects of inventions or technological
advances (e.g., different types of light bulbs,
semiconductors/integrated circuits and electronics, satellite imagery,
robotics, communication,
transportation, generation of energy, renewable materials) may be helpful, harmful, or both
(Assess Locally)

Last Updated April 4, 2011