4Th and 5th Grade Life, Earth and Physical Science for All!

In this semester long multi-day class students will meet twice a week for 35 minutes to develop general science concepts. Topics cover the next generation science standards. Topics will be taught through teacher demo, lecture, discussions, slide shows, videos, interactive notebooks, and graphic organizers. All organizers will be explained in the classroom before each class session.  Every class will end with a formative assessment for the students to show their knowledge gained during the session.  The formative assessment will be sent through Google Forms with self- grading for immediate feedback to all students.  If lesson consists of a demonstration all students will be given the directions and materials needed so that they can complete outside of class.  Students will receive optional homework between classes that will consist of, but not limited to a WebQuest to continue their learning or conducting research to add to their interactive notebooks of the covered topic.  Please note this class is designed to reach a variety of grade levels therefore the depth of discussion will be based on the students’ knowledge level.  
Topics Covered: 
Session 1 – Layers of the Atmosphere- through videos, class discussion, and slide show we will look at the layers of the atmosphere.  Students will complete a flipbook in their interactive notebook to explain each layer of the atmosphere as we go through activities.  
Session 2- Weather- climates (polar, temperate, tropical) in the different regions of the world.  These lessons will be taught through discussion, lecture, and teacher demonstration.  Students will be completing interactive notebook organizers through out the lecture, and demonstration. 
Session 3 - Water Cycle- students will complete interactive notebook graphic organizers of the water cycle.  This lesson will be taught through using a slide show lecture, videos, and songs.Optional extended practice this week will include writing a narrative story as a drop of water traveling through the water cycle. 
Session 4- Students will use cotton balls and construction paper to demonstrate the different cloud types. They will add written explanations of the different clouds.  This concept will be demonstrated through analyzing photos of different cloud types and looking at data to determine the weather that is associated with the different clouds.  Students will be given an earth science assessment as homework covering sessions 1-4. Assessment will be given through Google Forms. 
Session 5- Layers of the Earth- Teacher will participate in a boiled egg project to see the different layers of the earth.   Students will complete and interactive sheet in their notebook that shows the different layers of the earth and their composition. (students will need a boiled egg for this day) 
Session 6- Plate tectonics- This concept will be taught through video and slide show lecture.  Topics this day will contain the Theory of Pangea and continental drift. Students will complete a page in their interactive notebook to show the Theory of Pangea. 
Session 7- Earthquakes and volcanoes- Through videos, discussion, and lectures students will learn about the Ring of Fire and how earthquakes and volcanoes occur. 
Session 8- Solar System- Students will conduct research about the inner planets to complete a graphic organizer.  We will discuss the similarities and differences of the inner planets themselves.  
Session 9- Solar System- Students will conduct research about the outer planets to complete a graphic organizer.  We will discuss the similarities and differences of the outer planets.  This session will end with a group discussion comparing the inner and outer planets. Students will be given an earth science assessment as homework covering sessions 5-9. Assessment will be given through Google Forms. 
Session 10- Matter- students will observe the teacher explaining the different states of matter. Students will then need to conduct a scavenger hunt around their house to find examples all the different states. Teacher will demonstrate how the states of matter can change by showing evaporation, freezing, and melting.  Students will complete a page in their interactive notebook showing the different states of matter. 
Session 11- Energy- teacher will demonstrate through a slide show and lecture the different forms of energy.  Students will learn about conduction, convection, and radiation. They will complete a sorting activity where they will sort pictures into the correct category.  The sort will be done in their interactive notebook. 
Session 12- Magnets- Through teacher demonstrations students will discuss the different traits of magnets that they notice.  We will complete a KWL (what we know, what we want to know, and what we learned) chart in our interactive journals about magnets. We will discuss the poles of a magnet and look at magnetic fields using iron filings. Students will draw the different fields in their interactive notebook. 
Session 13- Energy- Kinetic and potential energy. Students will use the phet website to complete a kinetic and potential energy WebQuest as homework after this session.  During this session students will the teacher demonstrate the difference between Kinetic and Potential energy using hot wheels cars and ramps. Through a slide show we will discuss highest and lowest points of potential and kinetic energy.  We will also look at the roll gravity plays in the amount of energy being used.  
Session 14- Newtons Laws of Motion- Through slide show, demonstration and videos students will learn the three laws of motion. Students will complete a page in their interactive explaining each of the laws with an example.   Students will be given a physical science assessment as homework covering sessions 10-14. Assessment will be given through Google Forms. 
Session 15- Cells- As students follow along with teacher slide show they will complete a diagram of the parts in an animal and plant cell in their interactive journal. Students will complete an edible Cell model.  We will write a compare and contrast paragraph describing the differences between the two cells (paragraph will be completed for homework if not in class) . 
Session 16- Photosynthesis- Through videos, slide show and drawing students will learn the process of photosynthesis. They will complete a graphic in their interactive notebook as the teacher is describing the process. Students will write a narrative story as a plant going through photosynthesis. (Story will be finished for homework if not in class)  
Session 17-Ecosystem- We will use images and discussion to determine the different ecosystems and what may be found in each system.  This session will also discuss dangers to an ecosystem.  
Session 18- Food Chains- Teacher will use slide show, videos, and discussion to demonstrate a food chain. Students will complete and example of a food chain in their interactive journal. 
Session 19- Food Webs- Through an interactive activity students will help the teacher create a food web for animals in an ecosystem.  Students will be given a life science assessment as homework covering sessions 15-19 Assessment will be given through Google Forms. 
Session 20- Last session- students will complete a Jeopardy game to demonstrate their knowledge of concepts taught through the 20 sessions.  After this class students will be given a final assessment where they can use their interactive notebooks to complete as a final grade for the course. This assessment will be given through Google Forms for immediate grading. 
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