Skip to content
Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year students start watching the world like scientists and writing down what they notice. Students push and pull objects to see what makes them speed up, slow down, or change direction, and they track how the sun warms the ground outside. They also study what plants and animals need to live and how weather changes from day to day. By spring, students can record a week of weather, spot a pattern, and explain what a living thing needs to survive.

  • Pushes and pulls
  • Sunlight and weather
  • Plant and animal needs
  • Weather patterns
  • Caring for the environment
  • Simple design projects
Source: Washington Washington K-12 Learning Standards
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. 1

    Pushes, pulls, and motion

    Students roll, push, and pull objects to see what makes them speed up, slow down, or change direction. They start noticing that a harder push moves a ball farther than a gentle one.

  2. 2

    What living things need

    Students look closely at plants, animals, and people to figure out what each one needs to live. They draw and talk about where different living things make their homes and why.

  3. 3

    Sunlight and warm surfaces

    Students feel sun-warmed sidewalks and shaded grass to learn how sunlight heats the ground. Then they build a small shade or cover and test whether it keeps a spot cooler.

  4. 4

    Weather patterns near home

    Students track the weather day by day and notice patterns like rainy mornings or windy afternoons. They talk about how families use forecasts to dress warmly or stay safe in a storm.

  5. 5

    Caring for our place

    Students explore the schoolyard and neighborhood to spot ways people affect the land, water, and air. They share simple ideas, often rooted in local and tribal community knowledge, for taking better care of the place they live.

  6. 6

    Designing and testing solutions

    Students act like young engineers. They sketch an idea, build it from simple materials, test it, and compare two designs to see which one worked better and why.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Physical Science

  • Use evidence, data, and investigation to show and compare how pushes and pulls…

    WA.K.PS2

    Pushing and pulling objects makes them move, stop, or change direction. Students test how hard or soft a push changes where something goes, then use that knowledge to build a simple design that controls how an object moves.

  • Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths…

    K-PS2-1

    Students push and pull objects to see how force changes the way things move. A harder push sends something farther; a push from a different direction sends it a different way.

  • Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the…

    K-PS2-2

    Students test whether a pushed or pulled object moves faster, slower, or in a different direction, then look at the results to see if their idea worked.

  • Use evidence and investigation to show how sunlight affects temperature of…

    WA.K.PS3

    Students test how sunlight warms surfaces like sand, soil, and pavement, then use what they learn to build a simple shade structure that keeps a surface cooler.

  • Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface

    K-PS3-1

    Students go outside and notice which surfaces (sand, soil, water, or pavement) feel warmer after sitting in sunlight and which stay cooler in the shade. They learn that sunlight heats things up.

  • Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the…

    K-PS3-2

    Students build a small shelter or shade structure to keep a spot on the ground cooler. The goal is to block sunlight and see how the right materials and shape can change how warm a surface gets.

Life Science

  • Use evidence and modeling to show and explain what living things need to…

    WA K.LS1

    Plants and animals need food, water, and air to stay alive. Students look at where living things actually live to figure out how that place gives them what they need.

  • Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals

    K-LS1-1

    Plants and animals all need a few basic things to stay alive. Students observe and describe the patterns they notice in what living things need, like water, food, light, and air.

  • Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals

    K-LS1-2

    Plants and animals change their surroundings to get what they need. Students look at real examples, like a bird building a nest or a person digging a garden, and explain how the change helps the living thing survive.

  • Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants…

    K-ESS3-1

    Plants and animals live where their needs are met. Students use a simple picture or model to show why a bear lives in a forest or a fish lives in water, connecting each creature to the place that gives it food, water, and shelter.

Earth and Space Sciences

  • Use evidence and data to show and explain patterns in local weather and how…

    WA K.ESS2

    Students look at weather patterns over time, like which months are rainiest or windiest, and explain how people use that information to plan what to wear, build, or do to stay safe.

  • Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns…

    K-ESS2-1

    Students watch the weather outside each day and look for patterns, like noticing it rains more in spring or gets colder in winter. Those patterns help people know what to wear or when to stay inside.

  • Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to…

    K-ESS3-2

    Weather forecasters study storms and other dangerous conditions to warn people ahead of time. Students learn why those forecasts matter and how people use them to stay safe before severe weather arrives.

  • Develop and share ideas about how humans can help and protect the environment…

    WA K.ESS3

    Students think of ways people can help take care of the place where they live, like keeping a park clean or protecting local animals. Then they share those ideas with others.

  • Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…

    K-ESS3-3

    Students think of ways people can take better care of the land, water, air, and living things nearby, then share those ideas with others.

K–2 Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

  • Use modeling, investigation

    WA K.ETS1

    Students identify a simple problem, build or draw a solution, and then test it to see what works and what to change.

  • Ask questions, make observations

    K-2-ETS1-1

    Students notice a real problem, ask questions about it, and gather information so they can figure out what kind of object or tool might fix it.

  • Develop a simple sketch, drawing

    K-2-ETS1-2

    Students draw or build a simple model to show how the shape of something helps it do its job. A ramp is sloped so things slide down; a cup is hollow so it holds water.

  • Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to…

    K-2-ETS1-3

    Students test two different designs meant to solve the same problem, then compare what each one does well and where it falls short.

Environmental and Sustainability Education

  • Through project-based learning, develop an investigation related to the…

    WA.K.ESE.1

    Students investigate a real local problem, like a polluted stream or a disappearing habitat, then work with neighbors and community members to find a solution and share what they learned.

  • Design an investigation to explore phenomena related to the roles of money…

    K.ESE.1-1

    Students look at a local place they care about, ask why a problem there matters to people and to nature, and plan a simple way to find out more.

  • Analyze and evaluate data gathered on school grounds to explain local…

    K.ESE.1-2

    Students look around their school and figure out how nature and buildings affect each other. They gather simple data outside, then explain what they find.

  • Engage in place-based learning to communicate about and act on personal and…

    K.ESE.1-3

    Students explore their local environment and talk about simple ways people can take care of their community and the land. They practice sharing ideas about how to protect nearby places and natural resources.

Common Questions
  • What science will students actually do this year?

    Students push and pull objects to see what makes them move faster or change direction. They watch the weather, notice how the sun warms the ground, and look at what plants and animals need to live. Most of the work happens through hands-on play and simple investigations.

  • How can I help with science at home?

    Go outside and notice things together. Talk about the weather each morning, watch ants or birds, or roll toy cars down ramps at different angles. Ask what they noticed and what they think will happen next. That kind of wondering out loud is exactly what kindergarten science asks for.

  • Does a five-year-old really need to know about engineering?

    Engineering at this age means building something to solve a small problem. A child might build a shade to keep a rock cool in the sun, or a ramp that makes a ball roll farther. It is closer to thoughtful play than to anything technical.

  • How should I sequence the year?

    Pushes and pulls work well in fall because students can investigate outside before the weather turns. Weather patterns fit naturally across the whole year since students can track them daily. Save sunlight and shade investigations for late spring when the sun is stronger and shadows are easier to see.

  • Which parts usually need the most reteaching?

    Students often confuse what an animal needs to survive with what it likes. They also struggle to describe motion with words beyond fast and slow. Plan extra time for vocabulary like direction, stronger, weaker, and shelter, and revisit these terms across units.

  • What does a finished investigation look like at this age?

    A kindergarten investigation is a drawing, a labeled picture, or a few spoken sentences about what happened. Students should be able to say what they tried, what they saw, and what they would change. Writing is not the point. Noticing and explaining are.

  • How do I know they are ready for first grade science?

    By June, students should describe weather patterns over a week, explain what plants and animals need to live, and predict how a push or pull will change an object's motion. They should also be able to build a simple thing, test it, and say what worked.

  • Do students need to memorize science vocabulary?

    No. The goal is using words like push, pull, sunlight, shelter, and weather in real conversation, not reciting definitions. Use the words at home when they fit, and students will pick them up.

  • What is place-based learning and why does it show up in kindergarten?

    Place-based learning means studying the local schoolyard, neighborhood, and tribal community instead of generic examples. Students might map where puddles form on the playground or talk about how the local community cares for the land. It makes the science concrete and connected to where students live.