Hands-On Science 4/5! Ongoing Elementary Full Curriculum | 36 Weeks | STEM

⭐️General⭐️
This is an ongoing homeroom science class covering the curriculum for 4th and 5th grade learners in 36 lessons from September to May, then continuing into summer unit studies. Stay for the year or jump in at any time. We will be learning through experiments, scientific observation, games, art, nature, videos, writing, listening, speaking and group work. The teacher will provide optional weekly extension activities and extra practice resources including outdoor activities, art activities, online activities, worksheets and games.


⭐️Topics⭐️

📚2024/2025 Academic Year📚

🌿Biology: Habitats and Ecosystems🦁
October 21-27: Temperate Deciduous and Coniferous Forest
October 28-November 3: Temperate and Tropical Grasslands      
November 4-10: Desert and Tropical Rainforest
November 11-17: Human Impact 
November 18-24: Climate Change
🙏November 25-December 1: *Thanksgiving (USA) NO CLASS*
December 2-8: Sustainability

🧪️Chemistry: Substances, Mixtures, Solutions⚛️
December 9-15: Matter, Atoms and Elements   
❄️December 16-22: Physical Properties of Matter
❄️December 24-30: *Winter Break NO CLASS*
December 31- January 6: *Winter Break NO CLASS* 
January 6-12: Lab Techniques and Safety                     
January 13-19: Phases of Matter and Change of State
January 20-26: Substances, Mixtures and Solutions   
January 27-February 2: Separating Solutions                    

💡Physics: Energy🛠                                
February 3-9: Forms of Energy: Potential and Kinetic                       
February 10-16: Thermal Energy
February 17-23: Light and Sound Waves 
February 24-March 2: Electricity and Magnetism
March 3-9: Transforming Energy   

🌛Space: The Sun, Earth and Moon System🚀
March 10-16: Earth's Rotation: Day and Night
March 17-23: Earth's Orbit: The Seasons
🌸March 24-30: *Spring Break NO CLASS* 
🌸March 31-April 6: *Spring Break NO CLASS* 
April 7-13: Phases of the Moon
April 14-20: Tides
April 21-27: Eclipses

🌎 Earth: Earth's Structure and Plate Tectonics🌋
April 28-May 4: Earth's Internal Structure
May 5-11: Plate Tectonics
May 12-18: The Rock Cycle
May 19-25: Volcanoes
May 26-June 1: Earthquakes and Tsunamis 
June 2-8: Erosion and Mountains 
June 9-15: The Atmosphere
🌞3 weeks off!  


😎Summer 2025😎 (Sections with July Start Dates)

🦜️July: Biodiversity Month🐳
Week 1: July 7-13: The Tree of Life
Week 2: July 14-20: Microbiology
Week 3: July 21-27: Plants
Week 4: July 28-Aug 3: Animals

⚛️August: Month of the Atom!⚛️
Week 1: Aug 4-Aug 10: Atoms and Elements
Week 2: Aug 11-17: The Periodic Table
Week 3: Aug 18-24: Building Atoms
Week 4: Aug 25-Aug 31: Molecules and Compounds



📚2025/2026 Academic Year📚

🌿Biology: Habitats and Ecosystems🦁
September 2-8: Ecological Cycles
September 9-15: Five Human Senses
September 16-22: Animal Sensing and Responding
September 23-29: Plant Sensing and Responding
September 30- Oct 6: Freshwater Aquatic Biomes
October 7-13: Saltwater Aquatic Biomes
October 14-20: Tundra and Taiga

                       

⭐️Class Structure⭐️

✔️Preview: 10 vocabulary words and a short video will be posted to the classroom before our meeting. The preview is optional and recommended. It will provide a good foundation and prerequisite knowledge prior to our class.

✔️New: A new science topic will be taught using a variety of hands-on activities, experiments, and online technologies. Lessons follow a presentation in Nearpod and students are invited to read the slides along with the teacher. The Nearpod presentation is screen-shared and the teacher includes interactive slides and alternative ways to participate through chat and video. Each lesson includes a set of guided notes with fill-in-the-blank spaces highlighting keywords which match the presentation slides.

✔️Practice: Each week, learners will complete an in-class activity. This is often an experiment, scientific observation or guided drawing.

✔️Extension: Optional extension materials will be suggested to parents for ongoing practice at the parent's discretion. These can be a powerful part of your child’s learning. Please take a look at the sample materials for examples.


⭐️Teaching Methods⭐️
Our educators bring passion for the natural world, the human world, the technological world and the bridges between them. We lead children on their quest for knowledge, inspire them to create and imagine anew, and to guide them as they carve out their purpose in life. We foster human beliefs and systems that support a peaceful and sustainable future for people and the planet. Our approach to education is hands-on, literacy-based and interdisciplinary. We help students develop the skills, confidence and curiosity to be lifelong learners. You can expect experiments, scientific observation, games, art, nature, videos, writing, listening, speaking and group work.


⭐️Interaction⭐️
Learners will interact with each other and the teacher through discussion, games and sharing of creative projects.


⭐️Prior Knowledge⭐️
Learning science occasionally requires scaffolding, or building on previously learned skills. While this is an ongoing class, learners will be expected to have a strong understanding of 3rd Grade science concepts. Learners are encouraged to watch a related short video and review vocabulary posted to the classroom each week prior to the class.


⭐️Sample Materials⭐️
I have included the materials for Week 1 at the link below for parents to reference when deciding about enrolment. 

Please note: These materials will be used during week 1, so please do not complete this lesson independently prior to class. All materials are copyrighted and are not free for public distribution.

https://bit.ly/3k898Db

⭐️About the Teacher⭐️
Jacquie is a certified teacher with degrees in Biology, International Relations and Education who LOVES teaching all ages, all subjects. She is an experienced educator in the public education system and in alternative learning environments. She is also a former Waldorf and Charlotte Mason inspired homeschool parent. Check out her teacher profile for more info.

⭐️Policies⭐️
Late: Late learners will be welcomed with open arms. The teacher will not spend class time to catch them up, however the recording is posted after the lesson so the learner can review the missed time.

Absent: The class recording and learner-paced Nearpod will post in the classroom following the lesson. There are no refunds for missed classes. Please note: if you are new to a section and miss class, the recording is not available until the learner is verified by the teacher or by Outschool.

Transfer Request: Transfer requests must be made with 24hours notice. Every section will offer the same material each week, so transferring is a great way to still catch the lesson if your schedule changes and you prefer the live lesson to the recording.