Energy in motion
Students start the year exploring how moving things carry energy. A faster ball hits harder than a slow one. They watch collisions, make predictions, and notice how energy shows up as sound, heat, light, or a jolt of electricity.
What does a student learn in
This is the year science gets explained with evidence. Students learn how energy moves through sound, light, heat, and electricity, and how waves carry information from one place to another. They study how plants and animals use their parts to survive, and how rock layers and fossils tell the story of a changing landscape. By spring, students can build a simple device that turns one kind of energy into another and explain how it works.
- Energy
- Waves and light
- Plant and animal parts
- Rocks and fossils
- Weathering and erosion
- Natural 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
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Building energy devices
Students design small contraptions that change one kind of energy into another, like a wind-up toy or a simple circuit. They also look at where everyday fuels come from and how using them changes the land, air, and water.
- 3
Waves, light, and seeing
Students model waves in water and sound, measuring how tall and how long each wave is. They figure out that we see things because light bounces off objects into our eyes, and they compare ways people send messages using patterns.
- 4
Plants, animals, and senses
Students argue from evidence that body parts, inside and out, help living things survive, grow, and raise young. They also map how an animal takes in information through its senses, processes it in the brain, and reacts.
- 5
Earth's changing surface
Students read rock layers and fossils like pages in a story, including clues from Michigan's own ground. They test how water, ice, wind, and roots wear land down, and use maps to spot patterns in mountains, rivers, and coasts.
- 6
Protecting people from nature
Students close the year by tackling real hazards like floods, storms, and earthquakes. They compare designs that could protect homes, roads, and towns, with a close look at risks Michigan communities actually face.
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 construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the…
4-PS3-1Students connect how fast an object moves to how much energy it has. A slow-rolling ball has less energy than a fast one, and they use real examples to explain why.
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Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place…
4-PS3-2Students watch and record what happens when a drum vibrates, a lamp glows, a hot pan warms the air, or a wire carries electricity. The observations build evidence that energy moves from one place to another.
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Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when…
4-PS3-3Students watch two objects crash into each other and predict what will happen to their speed, sound, or heat before it occurs. The focus is on noticing how energy changes hands during a collision.
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Apply scientific ideas to design, test
4-PS3-4Students design and test a simple device that changes one type of energy into another, like turning motion into electricity or light into heat, then adjust the design based on what they observe.
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Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived…
4-ESS3-1Students learn where energy comes from, such as sunlight, wind, and coal, and what happens to the environment when people use those resources.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the… | Students connect how fast an object moves to how much energy it has. A slow-rolling ball has less energy than a fast one, and they use real examples to explain why. | 4-PS3-1 |
| Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place… | Students watch and record what happens when a drum vibrates, a lamp glows, a hot pan warms the air, or a wire carries electricity. The observations build evidence that energy moves from one place to another. | 4-PS3-2 |
| Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when… | Students watch two objects crash into each other and predict what will happen to their speed, sound, or heat before it occurs. The focus is on noticing how energy changes hands during a collision. | 4-PS3-3 |
| Apply scientific ideas to design, test | Students design and test a simple device that changes one type of energy into another, like turning motion into electricity or light into heat, then adjust the design based on what they observe. | 4-PS3-4 |
| Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived… | Students learn where energy comes from, such as sunlight, wind, and coal, and what happens to the environment when people use those resources. | 4-ESS3-1 |
Waves: Waves and Information
Waves: Waves and Information
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Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and…
4-PS4-1Waves carry energy and can push or pull objects. Students build a model showing how waves differ by their height (amplitude) and the distance from one wave peak to the next (wavelength).
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Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer…
4-PS4-3Students design and compare different ways to send information using patterns, like flashing lights or sound signals, then decide which way works best.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and… | Waves carry energy and can push or pull objects. Students build a model showing how waves differ by their height (amplitude) and the distance from one wave peak to the next (wavelength). | 4-PS4-1 |
| Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer… | Students design and compare different ways to send information using patterns, like flashing lights or sound signals, then decide which way works best. | 4-PS4-3 |
Structure, Function, and Information Processing
Structure, Function, and Information Processing
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Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the…
4-PS4-2Students explain why you can only see something when light bounces off it and reaches your eye. They draw or diagram how that works with everyday objects like a book or a wall.
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Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external…
4-LS1-1Students look at real parts of plants and animals, like roots, lungs, or fins, and explain how each part helps the organism survive, grow, or reproduce. The argument has to be backed by evidence, not just a guess.
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Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information…
4-LS1-2Students learn how animals use their senses to take in information, process it in the brain, and react. They practice explaining this with a diagram or model, such as showing how a dog hears a sound and then runs toward it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the… | Students explain why you can only see something when light bounces off it and reaches your eye. They draw or diagram how that works with everyday objects like a book or a wall. | 4-PS4-2 |
| Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external… | Students look at real parts of plants and animals, like roots, lungs, or fins, and explain how each part helps the organism survive, grow, or reproduce. The argument has to be backed by evidence, not just a guess. | 4-LS1-1 |
| Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information… | Students learn how animals use their senses to take in information, process it in the brain, and react. They practice explaining this with a diagram or model, such as showing how a dog hears a sound and then runs toward it. | 4-LS1-2 |
Earth's Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth
Earth's Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth
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Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers…
4-ESS1-1Rock layers act like pages in a history book. Students read clues in fossils and rock patterns to explain how a landscape changed over millions of years.
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Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers…
4-ESS1-1MIStudents look at rock layers and fossils to figure out how Michigan's land has changed over millions of years. Patterns in the rocks act like clues that explain what the land looked like long ago.
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Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of…
4-ESS2-1Rocks, soil, and land change over time because of water, wind, and ice. Students observe and measure those changes to figure out what's wearing the land down or moving it somewhere else.
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Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features
4-ESS2-2Students read maps to spot patterns in where mountains, valleys, volcanoes, and other landforms show up across Earth. They use that evidence to explain why certain features tend to cluster in the same places.
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Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth…
4-ESS3-2Students think up and compare different ways to protect people from earthquakes, floods, or other natural events. They weigh the options and decide which solution works best.
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Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth…
4-ESS3-2MIStudents think of more than one way to protect people and places from natural events like floods, earthquakes, or erosion, then weigh which solution works best.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers… | Rock layers act like pages in a history book. Students read clues in fossils and rock patterns to explain how a landscape changed over millions of years. | 4-ESS1-1 |
| Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers… | Students look at rock layers and fossils to figure out how Michigan's land has changed over millions of years. Patterns in the rocks act like clues that explain what the land looked like long ago. | 4-ESS1-1MI |
| Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of… | Rocks, soil, and land change over time because of water, wind, and ice. Students observe and measure those changes to figure out what's wearing the land down or moving it somewhere else. | 4-ESS2-1 |
| Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features | Students read maps to spot patterns in where mountains, valleys, volcanoes, and other landforms show up across Earth. They use that evidence to explain why certain features tend to cluster in the same places. | 4-ESS2-2 |
| Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth… | Students think up and compare different ways to protect people from earthquakes, floods, or other natural events. They weigh the options and decide which solution works best. | 4-ESS3-2 |
| Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth… | Students think of more than one way to protect people and places from natural events like floods, earthquakes, or erosion, then weigh which solution works best. | 4-ESS3-2MI |
Common Questions
What science will students learn this year?
Students study four big topics: energy, waves and light, how plants and animals survive, and how Earth changes over time. They run small experiments, build simple models, and explain what they see using evidence.
How can I help my child with science at home?
Talk about what students notice in everyday life. Watch a ball roll faster down a steeper ramp, listen to sounds travel through a wall, or look at rocks on a walk. Ask what they think is happening and why.
My child says science is just memorising facts. Is that right?
No. Most of the year is about asking questions, testing ideas, and explaining results. Memorising helps a little, but students get more out of building something, watching what happens, and talking through why.
What is a good first unit to start the year with?
Energy is a strong opener. Collisions, ramps, and simple circuits give students something to observe and measure right away, and the vocabulary carries into the waves and light unit later.
How do I sequence the four big topics across the year?
A common order is energy first, then waves and light, then plant and animal structures, then Earth's systems in the spring when students can get outside. Each unit builds habits of observation that help with the next.
What hands-on activities work well at home?
Try rolling toy cars off a stack of books at different heights, shining a flashlight at a mirror, or planting seeds in cups by a window. Ten minutes of doing and talking beats an hour of reading about it.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Reading a model and explaining cause and effect in writing are the two sticky spots. Students often draw a good diagram but skip the sentence that says what it shows. Build in short writing prompts after every investigation.
How will students learn about rocks and fossils in Michigan?
Students look at rock layers and fossils as evidence of how the land changed over time, including local examples like the Great Lakes and glacier-shaped hills. A trip to a quarry, beach, or nature center makes it real.
How do I know students are ready for fifth grade science?
By June, students should be able to plan a simple test, record what they observe, and write a short explanation that uses their evidence. If they can do that with energy, light, and erosion, they are ready.