What does science look like this year?

Students spend the year noticing how the world works. They push and pull objects to see what moves, watch plants and animals to figure out what they need, and track the weather day by day. Most learning happens through hands-on play and careful looking, not reading or writing.

How can I help with science at home?

Go outside and talk about what you see. Watch the clouds, feel the wind, notice which plants grow in the yard, or roll a ball down a ramp and try changing the angle. Five minutes of wondering out loud builds the habits students need in class.

What should students know about pushes and pulls?

Students should be able to show that a harder push makes something move faster or farther, and that pushing from a different side changes where it goes. Rolling cars, kicking balls, and sliding blocks all count as practice.

How do I sequence the three big topics across the year?

Many teachers start with weather because students can observe it daily from day one. Pushes and pulls fit well in the middle when students are ready for short investigations. Save the plants and animals unit for spring when living things are easier to find outside.

My child says science is just playing. Are they learning?

Yes. At this age, stacking blocks, splashing in puddles, and watching ants are how students gather evidence. The thinking shows up when they explain what they noticed and what they think will happen next.

Which standards usually need the most reteaching?

The argument and modeling standards trip students up because the science is easy but the talking is hard. Plan extra time for students to draw what they saw and explain it out loud before expecting a clear claim with evidence.

How does the weather unit connect to life in Alaska?

Local weather is the best teacher here. Students can track daylight changing through the seasons, watch snow and ice form, and talk about how families prepare for storms or cold snaps. Use what students already know from home.

What should students be able to do by the end of the year?

Students should observe carefully, describe patterns they notice, and offer a reason backed by what they saw. They should also be able to suggest a simple fix, like building a shade to cool a hot spot or a ramp to roll a ball farther.

Do students need to memorize science vocabulary?

Not really. Words like push, pull, sunlight, shade, and pattern should feel familiar from use, but memorizing definitions is not the goal. Spend home time using the words in real situations instead of drilling them.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year science becomes asking questions and watching what happens. Students push and pull objects to see what makes them speed up, slow down, or change direction. They notice what plants and animals need to live, and how weather changes day to day. By spring, students can track the weather for a week and explain what a plant or animal needs to survive in its home.

Pushes and pulls
Weather patterns
Plants and animals
Sunlight and shade
Caring for the environment

Source: Alaska Alaska Standards

Year at a glance

How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.

1
Watching the weather
Students notice what the sky and air do each day. They track sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, and windy days and start to see patterns across a week or a month.
2
Sunlight and warm places
Students test how sunlight warms the ground, a sidewalk, or a patch of sand. They build a simple shade or cover to keep a spot cooler and see if it worked.
3
Storms and staying safe
Students ask questions about big storms and why grown-ups check the forecast. They learn how a weather report helps families get ready for snow, wind, or heavy rain.
4
Pushes and pulls
Students push and pull toys, balls, and blocks to see what makes things speed up, slow down, or change direction. They try a small design, like a ramp or bumper, to steer an object.
5
What living things need
Students watch plants, pets, and people to figure out what each one needs to stay alive, such as water, food, air, and a safe place. They draw or build a model of an animal in its home.
6
Caring for our place
Students notice how people, animals, and plants change the land around them. They share simple ideas for keeping the local land, water, and air cleaner.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.

Forces and Interactions: Pushes and Pulls

Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths…

K-PS2-1

Students push and pull objects to see what happens when they push harder, softer, or from a different direction. They learn that how hard and which way you push or pull changes how an object moves.
Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the…

K-PS2-2

Students test whether a push or pull makes a toy or ball move faster, slower, or in a different direction. They look at what happened and decide if it worked the way they planned.

Standard	Definition	Code
Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths…	Students push and pull objects to see what happens when they push harder, softer, or from a different direction. They learn that how hard and which way you push or pull changes how an object moves.	K-PS2-1
Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the…	Students test whether a push or pull makes a toy or ball move faster, slower, or in a different direction. They look at what happened and decide if it worked the way they planned.	K-PS2-2

Forces and Interactions: Pushes and Pulls

Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths…

K-PS2-1

Students push and pull objects to see what happens when they push harder, softer, or from a different direction. They learn that how hard and which way you push or pull changes how an object moves.
Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the…

K-PS2-2

Students test whether a push or pull makes a toy or ball move faster, slower, or in a different direction. They look at what happened and decide if it worked the way they planned.

Standard	Definition	Code
Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths…	Students push and pull objects to see what happens when they push harder, softer, or from a different direction. They learn that how hard and which way you push or pull changes how an object moves.	K-PS2-1
Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the…	Students test whether a push or pull makes a toy or ball move faster, slower, or in a different direction. They look at what happened and decide if it worked the way they planned.	K-PS2-2

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: Animals, Plants, and Their Environment

Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals

K-LS1-1

Students observe real plants and animals to find patterns in what all living things need, like water, food, and light. The focus is on noticing what happens when those needs are met or missing.
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals

K-ESS2-2

Plants and animals change their surroundings to get what they need. Students look at examples like beavers building dams or people clearing land, then explain with evidence why those changes happen.
Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants…

K-ESS3-1

Plants and animals live where they can find what they need. Students match creatures to their habitats and explain why a fish needs water or a bear needs a forest.
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…

K-ESS3-3

Students think of ways people can take better care of their neighborhood, like picking up trash, saving water, or planting trees to help animals and plants stay healthy.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals	Students observe real plants and animals to find patterns in what all living things need, like water, food, and light. The focus is on noticing what happens when those needs are met or missing.	K-LS1-1
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals	Plants and animals change their surroundings to get what they need. Students look at examples like beavers building dams or people clearing land, then explain with evidence why those changes happen.	K-ESS2-2
Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants…	Plants and animals live where they can find what they need. Students match creatures to their habitats and explain why a fish needs water or a bear needs a forest.	K-ESS3-1
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…	Students think of ways people can take better care of their neighborhood, like picking up trash, saving water, or planting trees to help animals and plants stay healthy.	K-ESS3-3

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: Animals, Plants, and Their Environment

Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals

K-LS1-1

Students observe real plants and animals to find patterns in what all living things need, like water, food, and light. The focus is on noticing what happens when those needs are met or missing.
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals

K-ESS2-2

Plants and animals change their surroundings to get what they need. Students look at examples like beavers building dams or people clearing land, then explain with evidence why those changes happen.
Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants…

K-ESS3-1

Plants and animals live where they can find what they need. Students match creatures to their habitats and explain why a fish needs water or a bear needs a forest.
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…

K-ESS3-3

Students think of ways people can take better care of their neighborhood, like picking up trash, saving water, or planting trees to help animals and plants stay healthy.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals	Students observe real plants and animals to find patterns in what all living things need, like water, food, and light. The focus is on noticing what happens when those needs are met or missing.	K-LS1-1
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals	Plants and animals change their surroundings to get what they need. Students look at examples like beavers building dams or people clearing land, then explain with evidence why those changes happen.	K-ESS2-2
Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants…	Plants and animals live where they can find what they need. Students match creatures to their habitats and explain why a fish needs water or a bear needs a forest.	K-ESS3-1
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…	Students think of ways people can take better care of their neighborhood, like picking up trash, saving water, or planting trees to help animals and plants stay healthy.	K-ESS3-3

Weather and Climate

Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface

K-PS3-1

Students watch what happens when sunlight hits sand, soil, and water. They learn that sunlight warms the ground around them.
Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the…

K-PS3-2

Students design and build something (like a shade or a roof) that keeps a sunny spot cooler. They test simple materials to see which ones block sunlight best.
Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns…

K-ESS2-1

Students watch the weather outside each day and look for patterns, like noticing that mornings are often cool or that it rains more in some months than others.
Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to…

K-ESS3-2

Students learn why weather forecasts matter by asking questions about storms, floods, and other severe weather. They explore how knowing what's coming helps people stay safe and get ready ahead of time.

Standard	Definition	Code
Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface	Students watch what happens when sunlight hits sand, soil, and water. They learn that sunlight warms the ground around them.	K-PS3-1
Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the…	Students design and build something (like a shade or a roof) that keeps a sunny spot cooler. They test simple materials to see which ones block sunlight best.	K-PS3-2
Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns…	Students watch the weather outside each day and look for patterns, like noticing that mornings are often cool or that it rains more in some months than others.	K-ESS2-1
Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to…	Students learn why weather forecasts matter by asking questions about storms, floods, and other severe weather. They explore how knowing what's coming helps people stay safe and get ready ahead of time.	K-ESS3-2

Weather and Climate

Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface

K-PS3-1

Students watch what happens when sunlight hits sand, soil, and water. They learn that sunlight warms the ground around them.
Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the…

K-PS3-2

Students design and build something (like a shade or a roof) that keeps a sunny spot cooler. They test simple materials to see which ones block sunlight best.
Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns…

K-ESS2-1

Students watch the weather outside each day and look for patterns, like noticing that mornings are often cool or that it rains more in some months than others.
Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to…

K-ESS3-2

Students learn why weather forecasts matter by asking questions about storms, floods, and other severe weather. They explore how knowing what's coming helps people stay safe and get ready ahead of time.

Standard	Definition	Code
Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface	Students watch what happens when sunlight hits sand, soil, and water. They learn that sunlight warms the ground around them.	K-PS3-1
Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the…	Students design and build something (like a shade or a roof) that keeps a sunny spot cooler. They test simple materials to see which ones block sunlight best.	K-PS3-2
Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns…	Students watch the weather outside each day and look for patterns, like noticing that mornings are often cool or that it rains more in some months than others.	K-ESS2-1
Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to…	Students learn why weather forecasts matter by asking questions about storms, floods, and other severe weather. They explore how knowing what's coming helps people stay safe and get ready ahead of time.	K-ESS3-2

Common Questions

What does science look like this year?
Students spend the year noticing how the world works. They push and pull objects to see what moves, watch plants and animals to figure out what they need, and track the weather day by day. Most learning happens through hands-on play and careful looking, not reading or writing.
How can I help with science at home?
Go outside and talk about what you see. Watch the clouds, feel the wind, notice which plants grow in the yard, or roll a ball down a ramp and try changing the angle. Five minutes of wondering out loud builds the habits students need in class.
What should students know about pushes and pulls?
Students should be able to show that a harder push makes something move faster or farther, and that pushing from a different side changes where it goes. Rolling cars, kicking balls, and sliding blocks all count as practice.
How do I sequence the three big topics across the year?
Many teachers start with weather because students can observe it daily from day one. Pushes and pulls fit well in the middle when students are ready for short investigations. Save the plants and animals unit for spring when living things are easier to find outside.
My child says science is just playing. Are they learning?
Yes. At this age, stacking blocks, splashing in puddles, and watching ants are how students gather evidence. The thinking shows up when they explain what they noticed and what they think will happen next.
Which standards usually need the most reteaching?
The argument and modeling standards trip students up because the science is easy but the talking is hard. Plan extra time for students to draw what they saw and explain it out loud before expecting a clear claim with evidence.
How does the weather unit connect to life in Alaska?
Local weather is the best teacher here. Students can track daylight changing through the seasons, watch snow and ice form, and talk about how families prepare for storms or cold snaps. Use what students already know from home.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should observe carefully, describe patterns they notice, and offer a reason backed by what they saw. They should also be able to suggest a simple fix, like building a shade to cool a hot spot or a ramp to roll a ball farther.
Do students need to memorize science vocabulary?
Not really. Words like push, pull, sunlight, shade, and pattern should feel familiar from use, but memorizing definitions is not the goal. Spend home time using the words in real situations instead of drilling them.