Energy in motion
Students look at how fast something moves and how much energy it carries. They roll, drop, and crash objects to see what happens on impact, and they start predicting outcomes before they test them.
What does a student learn in
This is the year science gets hands-on, with students running real investigations and using evidence to back up what they claim. Students explore how energy shows up as heat, light, sound, and electricity, and how waves carry signals like the ones inside a phone. They also study how plants and animals use their parts to survive, and how water and weather slowly reshape the land. By spring, students can design a simple device, like a flashlight or a tiny windbreak, and explain why it works.
- Energy
- Light and sound
- Waves
- Plant and animal parts
- Water cycle
- Weathering and erosion
- Renewable 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
Heat, light, and electricity
Students trace how energy moves through sound, light, heat, and simple circuits. They notice which materials soak up heat, which bounce light, and which let electricity pass, then build a small device that turns one kind of energy into another.
- 3
Waves and how we see
Students model waves with ropes, water, and sound to study height and spacing. They explain how waves carry music, video calls, and light, and how light bouncing off objects into the eyes is what lets students see at all.
- 4
Plants, animals, and senses
Students study the parts of plants and animals, inside and out, that keep them alive. They investigate how eyes, ears, skin, and noses pick up information, send it to the brain, and shape what an animal does next.
- 5
Water, rocks, and Earth's shape
Students track water as it evaporates, forms clouds, and falls as rain. They read rock layers and fossils for clues about the past, test how water and wind wear down land, and use maps to spot patterns in mountains, rivers, and oceans.
- 6
Energy use and natural hazards
Students compare energy from sources that run out with energy from sources that refill, and weigh the effects on land, air, and water. They finish by designing something that protects people from earthquakes, floods, or storms.
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 explain the relationship between the speed of an object and its…
4.1Faster-moving objects carry more energy. Students use observations and data to explain why a ball rolling quickly hits harder than one rolling slowly.
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Plan and carry out investigations to answer questions regarding changes in…
4.2Students plan and run simple collision tests (like rolling balls into blocks) to see how energy changes on impact. They use what they notice to predict what will happen next time.
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Plan and carry out investigations to provide evidence that energy is…
4.3Students plan and run experiments to show that energy moves from place to place through sound, light, heat, and electricity. They collect real evidence, not just observations, to back up what they find.
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Construct an explanation using evidence to support the claim that heat can…
4.3.aHeat is created by burning, rubbing, or running electricity through something. Students look at real examples and use what they observe to explain why each one produces heat.
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Construct an explanation with evidence supporting the claim that different…
4.3.bStudents test objects to see how they handle light and heat: whether the object soaks energy in, bounces it back, or passes it through. They use their results to explain why different materials behave differently.
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Design, construct, and test a device that changes energy from one form to…
4.4Students build and test a device that converts one type of energy into another, such as a battery-powered fan that turns electrical energy into movement. The focus is on designing something that works, then explaining why it does.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use evidence to explain the relationship between the speed of an object and its… | Faster-moving objects carry more energy. Students use observations and data to explain why a ball rolling quickly hits harder than one rolling slowly. | 4.1 |
| Plan and carry out investigations to answer questions regarding changes in… | Students plan and run simple collision tests (like rolling balls into blocks) to see how energy changes on impact. They use what they notice to predict what will happen next time. | 4.2 |
| Plan and carry out investigations to provide evidence that energy is… | Students plan and run experiments to show that energy moves from place to place through sound, light, heat, and electricity. They collect real evidence, not just observations, to back up what they find. | 4.3 |
| Construct an explanation using evidence to support the claim that heat can… | Heat is created by burning, rubbing, or running electricity through something. Students look at real examples and use what they observe to explain why each one produces heat. | 4.3.a |
| Construct an explanation with evidence supporting the claim that different… | Students test objects to see how they handle light and heat: whether the object soaks energy in, bounces it back, or passes it through. They use their results to explain why different materials behave differently. | 4.3.b |
| Design, construct, and test a device that changes energy from one form to… | Students build and test a device that converts one type of energy into another, such as a battery-powered fan that turns electrical energy into movement. The focus is on designing something that works, then explaining why it does. | 4.4 |
Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
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Develop and use models to describe amplitude and wavelength patterns and how…
4.5Students learn what makes a wave taller or wider by studying patterns in ripples, sound, and light. They also show how a wave can push or shake an object that sits in its path.
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Construct an explanation of how light, sound
4.6Students learn how waves carry light, sound, and digital information from one place to another. They build explanations for why a phone call travels across a room or why music comes out of a speaker.
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Develop a model to demonstrate that light reflecting from objects and entering…
4.7Students build a model showing how light bounces off an object and travels into the eye. Without that reflected light, the object stays invisible.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop and use models to describe amplitude and wavelength patterns and how… | Students learn what makes a wave taller or wider by studying patterns in ripples, sound, and light. They also show how a wave can push or shake an object that sits in its path. | 4.5 |
| Construct an explanation of how light, sound | Students learn how waves carry light, sound, and digital information from one place to another. They build explanations for why a phone call travels across a room or why music comes out of a speaker. | 4.6 |
| Develop a model to demonstrate that light reflecting from objects and entering… | Students build a model showing how light bounces off an object and travels into the eye. Without that reflected light, the object stays invisible. | 4.7 |
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
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Make a claim, using evidence, that the functions of both internal and external…
4.8Students look at body parts inside and out, like roots, lungs, or skin, and explain in writing what each one does to help a plant or animal grow, stay alive, and respond to the world around it.
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Carry out investigations to support a claim that different animals receive…
4.9Students investigate how animals use their senses to take in information, then figure out how the animal processes and reacts to what it detected.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Make a claim, using evidence, that the functions of both internal and external… | Students look at body parts inside and out, like roots, lungs, or skin, and explain in writing what each one does to help a plant or animal grow, stay alive, and respond to the world around it. | 4.8 |
| Carry out investigations to support a claim that different animals receive… | Students investigate how animals use their senses to take in information, then figure out how the animal processes and reacts to what it detected. | 4.9 |
Earth’s Systems
Earth’s Systems
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Develop and use a model to describe how water moves through Earth’s systems by…
4.10Students build or draw a model showing how water travels from oceans and lakes into the air, forms clouds, and falls back to Earth as rain or snow. The model traces the same water cycling through those steps over and over.
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Construct explanations of Earth's changes over time through slow and rapid…
4.11Students study rock layers and fossils to explain how Earth has changed over millions of years. Some changes happen slowly, like mountains forming; others happen fast, like volcanic eruptions.
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Plan and carry out investigations to provide evidence of the effects of…
4.12Students test how water, ice, wind, or plants slowly break down and move rock and soil. Each investigation focuses on one cause at a time so students can see what difference it makes.
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Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features…
4.13Students read maps showing mountains, valleys, and ocean floors to spot where certain landforms appear again and again. Patterns on those maps reveal how Earth's surface is organized across the planet.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop and use a model to describe how water moves through Earth’s systems by… | Students build or draw a model showing how water travels from oceans and lakes into the air, forms clouds, and falls back to Earth as rain or snow. The model traces the same water cycling through those steps over and over. | 4.10 |
| Construct explanations of Earth's changes over time through slow and rapid… | Students study rock layers and fossils to explain how Earth has changed over millions of years. Some changes happen slowly, like mountains forming; others happen fast, like volcanic eruptions. | 4.11 |
| Plan and carry out investigations to provide evidence of the effects of… | Students test how water, ice, wind, or plants slowly break down and move rock and soil. Each investigation focuses on one cause at a time so students can see what difference it makes. | 4.12 |
| Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features… | Students read maps showing mountains, valleys, and ocean floors to spot where certain landforms appear again and again. Patterns on those maps reveal how Earth's surface is organized across the planet. | 4.13 |
Earth and Human Activity
Earth and Human Activity
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Gather information to describe how the use of energy derived from renewable…
4.14Students research where energy comes from, such as sunlight or coal, and describe how each source changes the environment when people use it.
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Design, test, and evaluate a solution that will protect humans from the effects…
4.15Students design and test a solution to protect people from a natural event like a flood, earthquake, or storm. They look at what worked and what didn't, then explain how to make the design better.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Gather information to describe how the use of energy derived from renewable… | Students research where energy comes from, such as sunlight or coal, and describe how each source changes the environment when people use it. | 4.14 |
| Design, test, and evaluate a solution that will protect humans from the effects… | Students design and test a solution to protect people from a natural event like a flood, earthquake, or storm. They look at what worked and what didn't, then explain how to make the design better. | 4.15 |
Common Questions
What does science look like this year?
Students study energy, waves, plants and animals, Earth's water and land, and how people use energy from the planet. They run hands-on investigations, build small devices, and use evidence to explain what they observe. Expect a lot of careful watching, measuring, and writing about results.
How can families help with science at home?
Talk about what students notice outside: how a stream cuts into dirt, how a shadow moves, how a guitar string buzzes. Ask what they think is happening and why. Five minutes of curious questions at dinner does more than a worksheet.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can run a simple investigation, collect results, and use those results to back up a claim. They can model the water cycle, explain how light lets us see things, and describe how energy moves when objects bump or heat up. They use evidence, not just opinions.
My child says they hate writing in science. Is that normal?
Yes. Writing claims with evidence is new and feels harder than the experiment itself. At home, let students explain results out loud first, then write one or two sentences. Talking through the reasoning makes the writing much easier.
How should I sequence the units across the year?
Energy and waves pair well in the fall because both rely on the same investigation habits. Move to plants, animals, and senses midyear, then finish with Earth's systems and human impact in the spring. Saving Earth processes for last lets students apply earlier evidence skills to bigger questions.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Waves and energy transfer trip students up because the ideas are invisible. Plan extra time for models, demonstrations, and drawings of amplitude, wavelength, and how heat moves. Erosion versus weathering also needs a second pass for most classes.
Are experiments at home worth doing?
Yes, and they can be simple. Drop a ball from different heights and watch how far it rolls. Leave a wet towel outside and check it later. Shine a flashlight on a mirror. Short experiments build the same thinking used in class.
How do I know students are ready for fifth grade science?
They should be able to plan a small investigation, record data, and write a claim with evidence to back it up. They should also explain familiar systems like the water cycle or how the eye sees light. Those habits matter more than memorized facts.