Unit | Timeframe | Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions) | Major Learning Experiences from Unit |
|---|
Sun and Stars | Sept-Nov | How can the sun tell you the season?
Why do the stars change with the season?
Why does the Moon change shape?
Why is gravity different on other planets? | In this unit, students explore the Earth, Sun, Moon, and stars using observations of shadows and changing patterns in the sky. Students also explore the planets of our Solar System and begin to consider what might lie beyond. |
Water | Dec-January | How much water is in the world?
How much salt is in the ocean?
What is the water cycle? | In this unit, students consider the profound importance of water as a natural resource. Students investigate the distribution of water, how it cycles through Earth’s systems, and explore how it affects human societies. |
Mixtures and Solutions | Feb-Mar | What is a mixture?
What is a solution?
What is a chemical reaction? | In this unit, students investigate the properties of matter by dissolving everyday chemicals to make solutions and by exploring simple yet surprising chemical reactions. Through these investigations, students begin to build conceptual models for the particulate nature of matter. |
Living Things | April-June | What do plants eat?
Where do fallen leaves go?
Why do you have to clean a fish tank but not a pond? | In this unit, students explore how organisms depend on one another and form an interconnected ecosystem. Students investigate food chains, food webs, and the importance of producers, consumers, and decomposers. |
