Watching the weather
Students notice what the sky and air are doing each day. They track sunny, rainy, windy, and cold days, and start to see patterns across a week or a season.
What does a student learn in
This is the year science becomes watching the world closely and asking why. Students track the weather day by day and notice what plants, animals, and people need to live. They push and pull objects to see what makes them move faster or change direction, and they feel how sunlight warms the ground. By spring, students can describe a weather pattern they saw and explain why a hat or shady spot keeps them cooler.
- Weather patterns
- Plant and animal needs
- Pushes and pulls
- Sunlight and warmth
- Caring for the environment
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
Sunlight and warmth
Students feel how sunlight warms the ground, a bench, or a sidewalk. They try simple ways to keep a spot cooler, like adding shade with paper or cloth.
- 3
What living things need
Students look closely at plants, animals, and people. They notice what each one needs to live, like water, food, air, and a safe place, and where those needs are met.
- 4
Pushes and pulls
Students play with rolling, sliding, and tossing objects to see how a harder push or a different direction changes the way something moves. They test simple ideas like a ramp or a bumper.
- 5
Caring for our place
Students think about how people change the land, water, and air around them. They share small ways to help, like saving water, picking up trash, or planting seeds.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Earth and Space Sciences
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns… | Students watch the weather outside and notice patterns, like which days are rainy or sunny. Over time, they share what they see to describe how weather changes from day to day or season to season. | CA-K-ESS2-1.k |
| Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals | Plants and animals change the place where they live to get what they need. Students look at real examples and explain, with evidence, how living things reshape their surroundings. | CA-K-ESS2-2.k |
| Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants… | Students match living things to the places that meet their needs, like a fish in water or a bear in a forest. They use pictures or simple models to show why each plant or animal lives where it does. | CA-K-ESS3-1.k |
| 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 a storm is coming helps people stay safe and get ready. | CA-K-ESS3-2.k |
| Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water… | Students think of simple ways people can protect local land, water, air, or animals, then share their ideas with the class. This is an early look at how everyday choices affect the world right outside the school door. | CA-K-ESS3-3.k |
Life Science
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals | Students look at real plants and animals to figure out what living things need to stay alive, like food, water, and light. They find the pattern: every living thing has basic needs. | CA-K-LS1-1.k |
Physical Science
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths… | Students push and pull objects to see how hard or which way they need to push to make something move faster, slower, or in a different direction. | CA-K-PS2-1.k |
| Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the… | Students test a design (like a ramp or a bumper) to see whether pushing or pulling an object made it go faster, slower, or in a different direction. They look at what happened and decide if it worked. | CA-K-PS2-2.k |
| Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface | Students watch what sunlight does to soil, sand, and water, then describe what they notice. The focus is on one simple question: does the sun warm things up? | CA-K-PS3-1.k |
| Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the… | Students design and build something that blocks or shades an area from the sun. They test simple materials to see which ones keep a spot cooler. | CA-K-PS3-2.k |
No state assessments at this grade
Students take their next one in Grade 5.
California Science Test (CAST) — Grade 5
The grade 5 science test in the CAASPP suite, based on the California Next Generation Science Standards. Online test covering Physical, Life, Earth and Space, and Engineering science.
- When given:
- Spring of grade 5
- Frequency:
- Annual
California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science
The state science test for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Replaces the CAST in grades 5, 8, and once during high school for the small group of students whose IEP teams qualify them.
- When given:
- Spring of grade 5, 8, and once during high school
- Frequency:
- Annual at qualifying grades
Common Questions
What does science look like at this grade?
Students spend the year watching, asking, and trying things out. They notice weather day to day, figure out what plants and animals need to live, and test how pushes and pulls move objects. Most learning happens through hands-on play, not reading or writing.
How can families help with science at home?
Step outside together. Talk about the weather, point out where birds are eating, push a swing harder or softer to see what happens, or notice which spots in the yard feel hot in the sun. Five minutes of noticing out loud builds the habits this year is built on.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should describe weather patterns over a week, explain what a plant or animal needs to live, show that a harder push moves something faster, and notice that sunlight warms the ground. They should also ask questions and share what they observed.
How should the year be sequenced?
Many teachers start with weather observations in the fall because patterns build naturally over months. Pushes and pulls fit well in winter with indoor stations. Plants, animals, and sunlight investigations land best in spring when students can go outside and grow seeds.
Does work need to be written down?
Not much. Most evidence comes from talking, drawing, and building. A simple weather chart with pictures, a labeled drawing of a plant, or a photo of a ramp test is plenty at this age.
What if a student is scared of storms or severe weather?
Keep the talk calm and practical. Explain that forecasts help families get ready, and practice what to do at home for the weather where you live. Knowing the plan usually helps more than avoiding the topic.
Which parts usually need the most reteaching?
Two ideas tend to stick slowly: that evidence means something they actually saw or measured, and that a fair test changes only one thing at a time. Plan to revisit both across several investigations rather than teaching them once.
How do families know students are ready for first grade science?
Students should be comfortable making a guess, trying something, and saying what happened in their own words. If they can describe a pattern they noticed outside and ask a follow-up question, they are ready.