Energy in motion and collisions
Students start the year studying how fast-moving objects carry more energy than slow ones. They roll balls, watch collisions, and explain what happens to the energy when things crash.
What does a student learn in
This is the year science starts asking students to explain why things happen, not just what they see. Students study energy in motion, watching how a faster ball hits harder and how light, sound, and heat move from one spot to another. They look at how plants and animals are built to survive, and how rocks 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 and motion
- Light and sound
- 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.
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Energy that travels
Students explore how energy moves through sound, light, heat, and electricity. They also build and tweak a small device that turns one kind of energy into another, like a simple circuit or a rubber-band car.
- 3
Waves, light, and sending signals
Students model waves using ropes or water and notice how taller or longer waves behave differently. They learn that we see objects because light bounces off them into our eyes, and they compare ways people use patterns to send messages.
- 4
Living things and their senses
Students look at how plant and animal body parts help them survive, grow, and raise young. They also trace how animals take in information through their senses, process it in the brain, and react.
- 5
Earth's changing surface
Students read clues in rock layers and fossils to picture how a place looked long ago. They investigate how water, ice, wind, and plants wear down the land, and use maps to spot patterns like mountain ranges and coastlines.
- 6
Resources and natural hazards
Students close the year looking at where energy and fuels come from, which ones run out, and how each choice affects the environment. They also compare ways people can reduce damage from floods, earthquakes, and storms.
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.PS3.1Faster-moving objects have more energy. Students look at real examples, like a rolling ball or a moving car, and explain how picking up speed changes the amount of energy an object carries.
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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 flashlight shines, a hot pan warms the air, or a battery powers a bulb. Each observation shows 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 collide and predict what will happen to each one. The focus is on how energy moves or changes the moment they hit.
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Apply scientific ideas to design, test
4.PS3.4Students design and test a simple device that changes energy from one form to another, like turning motion into electricity or light into heat. Then they use what they learn to improve it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the… | Faster-moving objects have more energy. Students look at real examples, like a rolling ball or a moving car, and explain how picking up speed changes the amount of energy an object carries. | 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 flashlight shines, a hot pan warms the air, or a battery powers a bulb. Each observation shows 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 collide and predict what will happen to each one. The focus is on how energy moves or changes the moment they hit. | 4.PS3.3 |
| Apply scientific ideas to design, test | Students design and test a simple device that changes energy from one form to another, like turning motion into electricity or light into heat. Then they use what they learn to improve it. | 4.PS3.4 |
Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
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Develop and use a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and…
4.PS4.1Waves carry energy that can push or pull objects. Students learn to describe waves by their height (amplitude) and length (wavelength), using diagrams or models to show how a wave's shape connects to how much it moves things.
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Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the…
4.PS4.2Students model how light bounces off objects and travels into the eye, explaining why we can see things. Without reflected light reaching the eye, objects stay invisible.
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Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer…
4.PS4.3Students compare different ways to send information using patterns, like light signals or sound patterns, then decide which way works best for a given situation.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop and use a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and… | Waves carry energy that can push or pull objects. Students learn to describe waves by their height (amplitude) and length (wavelength), using diagrams or models to show how a wave's shape connects to how much it moves things. | 4.PS4.1 |
| Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the… | Students model how light bounces off objects and travels into the eye, explaining why we can see things. Without reflected light reaching the eye, objects stay invisible. | 4.PS4.2 |
| Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer… | Students compare different ways to send information using patterns, like light signals or sound patterns, then decide which way works best for a given situation. | 4.PS4.3 |
From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
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Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external…
4.LS1.1Plants and animals have body parts inside and outside that help them survive and grow. Students study those structures and explain how each one does a specific job.
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Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information…
4.LS1.2Animals take in information through their senses, send it to the brain, and react. Students use a model to show how this chain works, like how a dog hears a sound, processes it, and turns to look.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external… | Plants and animals have body parts inside and outside that help them survive and grow. Students study those structures and explain how each one does a specific job. | 4.LS1.1 |
| Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information… | Animals take in information through their senses, send it to the brain, and react. Students use a model to show how this chain works, like how a dog hears a sound, processes it, and turns to look. | 4.LS1.2 |
Earth's Place in the Universe
Earth's Place in the Universe
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Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers…
4.ESS1.1Students look at rock layers and the fossils inside them to figure out how a landscape changed over millions of years. Older layers sit at the bottom; newer ones stack on top, and each layer holds clues about what the land or ocean looked like then.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers… | Students look at rock layers and the fossils inside them to figure out how a landscape changed over millions of years. Older layers sit at the bottom; newer ones stack on top, and each layer holds clues about what the land or ocean looked like then. | 4.ESS1.1 |
Earth's Systems
Earth's Systems
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Plan and conduct investigations on the effects of water, ice, wind
4.ESS2.1Students test how water, ice, wind, and plants speed up or slow down the wearing away of rocks and soil. They plan the experiment, run it, and record what changes.
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Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features
4.ESS2.2Students read maps showing mountains, valleys, and ocean trenches to find patterns in where Earth's features appear. They use that evidence to explain why certain landforms show up where they do.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Plan and conduct investigations on the effects of water, ice, wind | Students test how water, ice, wind, and plants speed up or slow down the wearing away of rocks and soil. They plan the experiment, run it, and record what changes. | 4.ESS2.1 |
| Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features | Students read maps showing mountains, valleys, and ocean trenches to find patterns in where Earth's features appear. They use that evidence to explain why certain landforms show up where they do. | 4.ESS2.2 |
Earth and Human Activity
Earth and Human Activity
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Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived…
4.ESS3.1Students learn where energy comes from, sorting sources like sunlight and wind from ones like coal and oil that can run out. They also look at how using each source affects the land, water, and air around us.
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Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth…
4.ESS3.2Students think of more than one way to protect people from earthquakes, floods, or other natural events, then compare which solution works best.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived… | Students learn where energy comes from, sorting sources like sunlight and wind from ones like coal and oil that can run out. They also look at how using each source affects the land, water, and air around us. | 4.ESS3.1 |
| Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth… | Students think of more than one way to protect people from earthquakes, floods, or other natural events, then compare which solution works best. | 4.ESS3.2 |
Common Questions
What does science look like this year?
Students study energy, waves and light, plants and animals, fossils and landscapes, and how people use Earth's resources. Most lessons ask students to test something, draw a model, or use what they saw to explain why something happened.
How can I help my child with science at home?
Talk through everyday things that show energy and motion. Roll balls down ramps and ask which one hit harder, listen for echoes, or shine a flashlight on a mirror. Asking why something happened matters more than knowing the right vocabulary word.
Does my child need to memorize a lot of science facts?
Less than parents often expect. Students are graded more on explaining what they observed and backing it up with evidence than on reciting definitions. Helping students say what they noticed in a full sentence goes a long way.
How should I sequence the units across the year?
Energy and waves pair well in the fall because both rely on motion and observation. Plant and animal structures fit the middle of the year. Save Earth systems and human impact for spring so students can do outdoor weathering and erosion investigations.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Energy transfer trips students up because they confuse energy with the object itself. The light and vision model is also tricky, since students often think eyes send out light rather than receive it. Plan extra time and a second round of hands-on work for both.
What counts as evidence at this grade?
Evidence means something students actually saw, measured, or read in a source. A faster marble knocking a cup farther is evidence. So is a fossil of a sea creature found on a hill. Push students to point at the observation before they give the explanation.
What can my child do outside that supports this year's science?
Walks and yard time are useful. Look at how rain cuts small channels in dirt, how roots hold soil, or how rocks at a creek are smoother than rocks on a path. These are the exact patterns students study in the weathering and erosion unit.
How do I know if students are ready for next year?
By spring, students should be able to plan a simple test, record what happened, and explain the result using evidence. They should also be able to build or sketch a model, like a food web or a light-and-eye diagram, and use it to answer a question.