The young scientists will spend the year learning more about their natural world. Through the scientific process of asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations, the students will explore the three basic strands of science- physical science, life science, and earth science.

Physical Sciences

Properties of materials can be observed, measured, and predicted. As a basis for understanding this concept:

• Students know objects can be described in terms of the materials they are made of (e.g., clay, cloth, paper) and their physical properties (e.g., color, size, shape, weight, texture, flexibility, attraction to magnets, floating, sinking).
• Students know water can be a liquid or a solid and can be made to change back and forth from one form to the other.
• Students know water left in an open container evaporates (goes into the air) but water in a closed container does not.

Life Sciences

Different types of plants and animals inhabit the earth. As a basis for understanding this concept:

• Students can distinguish between living and non-living things. Students use five senses to observe and group objects according to properties.
• Students know how to observe and describe similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals (e.g., seed-bearing plants, birds, fish, insects).
• Students know stories sometimes give plants and animals attributes they do not really have.
• Students know how to identify major structures of common plants and animals (e.g., stems, leaves, roots, arms, wings, legs).

Earth Sciences

Earth is composed of land, air, and water. As a basis for understanding this concept:

• Students know characteristics of mountains, rivers, oceans, valleys, deserts, and local landforms.
• Students know changes in weather occur from day to day and across seasons, affecting Earth and its inhabitants.
• Students know how to identify resources from Earth that are used in everyday life and understand that many resources can be conserved.

Personal Health and Fitness

• Students know how basic body systems work and interrelate in normal patterns of growth and development.
• Students know basic knowledge about positive health choices.