Energy in motion and collisions
Students start the year exploring energy. They notice that a faster ball hits harder than a slow one, and they predict what happens when objects crash into each other.
What does a student learn in
This is the year science starts asking students to explain why things happen, not just name what they see. Students study energy in motion, watching how speed, sound, light, and collisions change what an object can do. They look at how plants and animals are built to survive, and how water, wind, and ice slowly reshape the land. By spring, students can build a simple device that turns one kind of energy into another and explain how it works.
- Energy and motion
- Light and sound
- Plant and animal parts
- Weathering and erosion
- Rocks and fossils
- Natural resources
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
- 2
Sound, light, heat, and circuits
Students see how energy travels from one place to another through sound, light, heat, and simple electric circuits. They also design and test a small device that changes one kind of energy into another.
- 3
Waves and how we see
Students model waves in water or on a rope and notice patterns in their height and length. They learn that we see objects because light bounces off them and into the eye.
- 4
Plant and animal body parts
Students look at how plants and animals are built to survive. They study parts like roots, eyes, and ears, and trace how an animal senses something, thinks about it, and then reacts.
- 5
Weathering, erosion, and Earth's features
Students investigate how water, ice, wind, and plant roots wear down rock and move soil. They read maps to spot patterns in mountains, rivers, and coastlines.
- 6
Resources, hazards, and Earth's history
Students wrap up the year by comparing renewable and non-renewable fuels and weighing ways to protect people from floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes. They also read fossils and rock layers as clues to how the land has changed.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 4.
Energy
Energy
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Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the…
4-PS3-1Students look at how fast objects move and explain the connection between speed and energy. A faster-moving object carries more energy than a slower one.
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Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place…
4-PS3-2Students watch and record what happens when a bell rings, a lamp glows, a hot pan warms the air, or a circuit lights a bulb. The goal is to show that energy moves from one place to another.
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Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when…
4-PS3-3Students watch objects collide and predict what will happen to their speed and movement. The focus is on noticing how energy changes hands when things bump into each other.
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Apply scientific ideas to design, test
4-PS3-4Students design and test a device that changes one kind of energy into another, like turning motion into electricity or sunlight into heat. They improve the design based on what they observe.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the… | Students look at how fast objects move and explain the connection between speed and energy. A faster-moving object carries more energy than a slower one. | 4-PS3-1 |
| Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place… | Students watch and record what happens when a bell rings, a lamp glows, a hot pan warms the air, or a circuit lights a bulb. The goal is to show that energy moves from one place to another. | 4-PS3-2 |
| Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when… | Students watch objects collide and predict what will happen to their speed and movement. The focus is on noticing how energy changes hands when things bump into each other. | 4-PS3-3 |
| Apply scientific ideas to design, test | Students design and test a device that changes one kind of energy into another, like turning motion into electricity or sunlight into heat. They improve the design based on what they observe. | 4-PS3-4 |
Waves and their Applications In Technologies For Information Transfer
Waves and their Applications In Technologies For Information Transfer
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Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and…
4-PS4-1Waves move up and down in a repeating pattern. Students model how a wave's height and the distance between its peaks describe that pattern, and how waves can push or shake objects in their path.
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Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the…
4-PS4-2Students learn why we can see things: light bounces off objects and travels into our eyes. They show this by drawing or building a simple model of how light moves from a source, hits an object, and reaches the eye.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and… | Waves move up and down in a repeating pattern. Students model how a wave's height and the distance between its peaks describe that pattern, and how waves can push or shake objects in their path. | 4-PS4-1 |
| Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the… | Students learn why we can see things: light bounces off objects and travels into our eyes. They show this by drawing or building a simple model of how light moves from a source, hits an object, and reaches the eye. | 4-PS4-2 |
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
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Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external…
4-LS1-1Students build a case (using diagrams, evidence, or examples) explaining how body parts like roots, lungs, or bones help a living thing survive, grow, and have offspring.
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Construct an explanation to describe how animals receive different types of…
4-LS1-2Animals take in information through their senses, such as sight, sound, or touch, and the brain decides what to do next. Students explain how that process works and give examples of how animals react to what they sense.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external… | Students build a case (using diagrams, evidence, or examples) explaining how body parts like roots, lungs, or bones help a living thing survive, grow, and have offspring. | 4-LS1-1 |
| Construct an explanation to describe how animals receive different types of… | Animals take in information through their senses, such as sight, sound, or touch, and the brain decides what to do next. Students explain how that process works and give examples of how animals react to what they sense. | 4-LS1-2 |
Earth's Systems
Earth's Systems
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Plan and conduct investigations on the effects of water, ice, wind
4-ESS2-1Students plan and run experiments to see how water, ice, wind, and plants speed up or slow down the breakdown and wearing away of rocks and soil.
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Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features
4-ESS2-2Students read maps showing mountains, valleys, and ocean floors to find patterns in where Earth's features show up. They practice turning map data into observations about how landforms and bodies of water are arranged across the planet.
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Ask questions that can be investigated and predict reasonable outcomes about…
4-ESS2-3Students ask questions about how living things change the world around them, then predict what will happen. Think beavers reshaping streams or roots cracking pavement.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Plan and conduct investigations on the effects of water, ice, wind | Students plan and run experiments to see how water, ice, wind, and plants speed up or slow down the breakdown and wearing away of rocks and soil. | 4-ESS2-1 |
| Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features | Students read maps showing mountains, valleys, and ocean floors to find patterns in where Earth's features show up. They practice turning map data into observations about how landforms and bodies of water are arranged across the planet. | 4-ESS2-2 |
| Ask questions that can be investigated and predict reasonable outcomes about… | Students ask questions about how living things change the world around them, then predict what will happen. Think beavers reshaping streams or roots cracking pavement. | 4-ESS2-3 |
Earth and Human Activity
Earth and Human Activity
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Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived…
4-ESS3-1Students learn where energy comes from, sorting sources like sunlight and wind from ones that run out, like coal and oil. They also look at how using each type affects the land, air, and water around us.
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Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth…
4-ESS3-2Students come up with more than one way to protect people from earthquakes, floods, or other natural events, then compare those ideas to figure out which works best.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived… | Students learn where energy comes from, sorting sources like sunlight and wind from ones that run out, like coal and oil. They also look at how using each type affects the land, air, and water around us. | 4-ESS3-1 |
| Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth… | Students come up with more than one way to protect people from earthquakes, floods, or other natural events, then compare those ideas to figure out which works best. | 4-ESS3-2 |
Earth's Place in the Universe
Earth's Place in the Universe
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Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers…
4-ESS1-1Students study rock layers and fossils to figure out how mountains, canyons, and other landforms have changed over millions of years. The patterns in the rocks are the evidence.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers… | Students study rock layers and fossils to figure out how mountains, canyons, and other landforms have changed over millions of years. The patterns in the rocks are the evidence. | 4-ESS1-1 |
Common Questions
What does science look like this year?
Students study energy, waves, light, plants and animals, Earth's surface, and natural resources. They spend a lot of time making observations, building simple models, and explaining what they see with evidence. Expect more hands-on investigations and less memorising of vocabulary.
How can I help with science at home?
Pay attention to everyday science together. Talk about why a hill washes out after heavy rain, what happens when a ball rolls faster into another, or how a flashlight lets you see a book. Asking what students notice and why matters more than getting the right word.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should explain that faster objects carry more energy, describe how light reflects off objects so eyes can see them, and use fossils and rock layers as evidence that land changes over time. They should also design a simple device that moves energy from one form to another.
How should I sequence the units across the year?
Energy and waves pair well early because both build the idea that energy moves and transfers. Life science fits in the middle, then Earth systems and human impact in the second half so students can apply patterns of change. Save the design task for after students understand energy transfer.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Energy transfer and waves trip students up because both are invisible. Plan extra time for sound, light, and collisions, and use lots of physical models like slinkies, tuning forks, and ramps. Erosion is easier when students get to pour water over sand or soil and watch it happen.
My child says science is just drawing pictures of waves. Is that right?
Drawing is part of it. Students use simple diagrams to show the height and spacing of waves, how light bounces from an object to the eye, or how a plant's roots and leaves help it survive. The picture is a way to explain thinking, not the whole lesson.
Does science count as reading and writing practice too?
Yes. Students read short articles about renewable and non-renewable resources, gather information from maps, and write explanations backed by evidence. A few minutes reading a nature article or a kids' science site at home supports both subjects at once.
How do I know students are ready for fifth grade science?
They should be able to ask a question that can actually be tested, plan a simple investigation, and use what they observed as evidence in an explanation. If they can argue why a plant has the parts it does, or why one slope erodes faster than another, they are ready.