Science Overview Grades K – 5

1. Science OverviewGrades K – 5 Trumbull Public Schools Floria N. Mallozzi K – 5 Science Program Leader Curriculum Department

3. Trumbull Public Schools K-12 Science PhilosophyIncluding Literacy, Numeracy, Inquiry • Science is both a body of knowledge and a way of learning. We recognize and reinforce the tenet that science education is an integral element of life long learning and is necessary for an individual to make a positive, creative and responsible contribution to society. In Trumbull Public Schools we strive to develop science literacy within students. • A scientifically literate person is aware that science, mathematics, and technology are interdependent human enterprises with strengths and limitations. The understanding of the scientific process leads to the ability to think critically about problems and work independently to solve them.

4. SCIENCE STANDARDS The Connecticut State Standards for science education have been updated and revised in 2004 and again in 2005. The new standards are grade-level specific based on a spiraling of concepts developmentally introduced, practiced, and mastered at various grade levels. Focus on the upcoming Science CMT (piloted this March and official in 2008) has provided a catalyst for curriculum to be revised and aligned with the new standards. Along with the Science CMT, the state has provided grade-level ‘Embedded Tasks’ that assure student learning using an inquiry-based approach. The nine embedded tasks were developed for grades 3 to 10 as a common assured lab activity and formative assessment that every child in the State of Connecticut will experience.

5. The structure for inquiry-based tasks follows a LEARNING CYCLE model. One such model, the 5-E Model, engages students in experiences that allow them to observe, question, and make tentative explanations before formal instruction and terminology is introduced. • Engagement: stimulate students’ interest, curiosity and preconceptions; The HOOK

6. The 5 E’s ---- Exploration & Explanation Exploration: first-hand experiences with concepts without direct instruction; Explanation: students’ explanations followed by introduction of formal terms and clarifications;

7. The 5 E’s – Elaboration & Evaluation Elaboration: applying knowledge to solve a problem. Students frequently develop and complete their own well-designed investigations; Evaluation: students and teachers reflect on change in conceptual understanding and identify ideas still “under development”.

8. Kindergarten: Introduction to Science Tools and ideas Physical Science – Magnets (energy) Earth Science – Seasons Life Science – Living Things (animals & plants) First Grade: Life Science: New Plants, Life Science: Insects Physical Science: Properties of Sound (energy) Physical Science: Light and Color (energy) Life Science: Human Body - 5 Senses Second Grade: Life Science: Characteristics and Needs of Living Things (Habitats, survival) Life Science: Animal Adaptations Physical Science: Properties of Matter (energy) Third Grade: Life Sciences: Ecosystems, Food Chains etc (energy) Life Sciences: Human Body – Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous Earth Science: Rocks, Minerals, Earth Materials-(energy) Fourth Grade: Physical Science: Properties of Light (energy) Life Science: The Human Eye Physical Science: Simple Machines Physical Science: Forces and Motion – (energy) Life Science: Plant; energy through photosynthesis Fifth Grade: Scientific Method-Using inquiry Standards Earth Sciences: Moon, Sun, Earth – Astronomy Unit Physical Science: Sound Energy Life Science: The Human Ear Physical Science: Electrical Energy Life Science: Health Trumbull’s K-5 Science Curriculum

9. What are we doing to prepare our children? • Revising our pacing guides to align with the state standards including embedding tasks developed by the State Department of Education, Bureau of Curriculum and Instruction • Providing hands on investigation opportunities using supplements to the curriculum such as DELTA FOSS modules to assure inquiry based experiences • Administering formative assessments to evaluate the district’s science program in grades 4 and 5 – CASAP • Providing science readers for students to enhance content knowledge of individual units of study • Promote non-fiction informational reading and writing in science

10. Curriculum Preparation • Curriculum-embedded performance tasks are examples of teaching and learning activities that engage students in using inquiry process skills (5-E model) to deepen their understanding of concepts described in the science frameworks. (CT Standards) • The tasks provide a context for CMT questions assessing student’s ability to do scientific inquiry.

11. Embedded Tasks – Soggy Paper – 3rd • FRAMEWORK CONTENT STANDARD(S): • 3.1 Materials have properties that can be identified and described through the use of simple tests: • Soggy Paper allows students to investigate some of the properties of paper. Although absorbency, or the ability to hold water, is the property focused on in the investigations. • 3.2 Organisms can survive and reproduce only in environments that meet their basic needs. Plants and animals have structures and behaviors that help them survive in different environments. • A unit on plant adaptations may focus on the study of trees. In the context of learning about the parts of trees (roots, trunks, leaves, bark) and how they help the tree survive, students may learn that people use the parts of trees to make things such as paper, furniture or houses. • 3.4 Earth materials provide resources for all living things, but these resources are limited and should be conserved. • Soil, water and air are all “earth materials” that support the growth of plants. In this learning unit, students will be learning that people use plants for food, shelter, fabrics, medicines and other useful materials such as paper.

12. Embedded Task – CATCH IT – Fourth Grade • FRAMEWORK CONTENT STANDARD(S):Catch It relates conceptually to the following content standard. It should be used as one of several experiences during the learning unit that contribute to student understanding of how the sense organs perceive sights, sounds, smells, tastes and physical characteristics. Catch It provides a good opportunity for students to learn how the sense organs are connected to the brain and the spinal cord to comprise the nervous system. • 5.2 - Perceiving and responding to information about the environment is critical to the survival of organisms. • The sense organs perceive stimuli from the environment and send signals to the brain through the nervous system.

13. Embedded Task – Go with the Flow – Fifth Grade • FRAMEWORK CONTENT STANDARD(S): Go with the Flow relates conceptually to the following learning unit: • 4.4 - Electrical and magnetic energy can be transferred and transformed. • Electricity in circuits can be transformed into light, heat, sound and magnetic effects. • This learning unit is an informal introduction to ideas related to energy. Students will experiment with bell wire, light bulbs, and batteries to create open and closed circuits demonstrating the flow of electrons.

14. Inquiry, Literacy, Numeracy Skills for Embedded Tasks • KEY INQUIRY SKILLS: • Make scientific observations and recognize the difference between an observation and an opinion, a belief, a fact or a name. • Formulate an investigable question based on observations. • Identify steps to make a scientifically “fair test”. • Use a metric ruler to collect accurate data. • Use a magnifying lens to make close observations. • Use a graduated cylinder to accurately measure the metric volume of a liquid (in milliliters). • Read and interpret a table of statistics. • Record data in an organized way. • Use addition, subtraction, multiplication or division to process data. • Seek relevant information in books, magazines and electronic media. • Use oral and written language to describe observations, ideas, procedures and conclusions.

15. Science Module Kits • Provide materials and lessons for teachers to supplement and enhance their units of study • Trumbull Public Schools presently owns eight levels of the FOSS (Full Option Science System) modules with kits in each of the six elementary schools • Other hands on materials are being inventoried – new modules and material kits are being investigated for future purchase.

16. The written assessment for fifth grade is directly aligned with the 11 content area standards from the CT Science Standards which include Scientific Inquiry, Literacy, and Numeracy content and expected performances. Questions pertain to: states of matter; adaptations; properties of rocks and minerals; forces and motion; food chains; land and water interactions; electricity and magnetism; sound and light; responses to stimuli; earth, moon, and sun. CASAP ASSESSMENTSWRITTEN AND PERFORMANCE

17. Who wants to be a millionaire Science Brain? Simple things to do as a parent to help your child with inquiry: • Play strategic games: cards, checkers/chess, dominoes board games with several directions • Have them create with building blocks, Lego’s, and other construct or robotic type educational toys • List ingredients or materials when cooking or putting something together • Answer their questions with more questions • Have them use their senses to notice what is happening around them – be aware of their surroundings - environmentally, geographically, socially, etc. • Ask their opinion – based on what they know of a situation – how would they react • Have them explain how to do things. How do you actually ride a bike? Explain how they choose their clothes in the morning: weather? Temperature? Gym? Etc. • Make predictions – then later – discuss the outcome – what made the difference in whether they were correct or not? • Outdoor play – physical activity – a must! • And most of all – read with them, to them, and/or set a reading time aside when reading is done quietly on their own AND includes non-fiction materials

18. Thank you for your time! Floria N. Mallozzi K-5 Science Program Leader Trumbull Public Schools Time for a quiz? ……

19. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? • Earth Science (3rd grade) Metamorphic rocks form by: • osmosis • oxidation • heat and pressure • weathering

20. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Earth Science – Energy (3rd grade) Resources that cannot be easily replaced once they are used are called: • nonrenewable • organic • natural • nuclear

21. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Earth Science: (4th Grade) Hydroelectric power plants depend on what energy source? • hot springs • moving air • moving water • natural gas

22. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? • Earth Science (3 rd Grade) Which of these is not a main layer of soil: • unweathered rock • subsoil • topsoil • sand dunes

23. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Earth and Space: (5th Grade) One rotation of a planet is equal to: • an hour • a day • a week • a year

24. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Earth and Space (5th Grade) Which two gases make up most of Earth’s atmosphere? • Hydrogen and helium • Oxygen and helium • Hydrogen and carbon dioxide • Oxygen and nitrogen

25. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Earth and Space: (5th Grade) A meteorite is a meteoroid that has • formed from stone • traveled from another planet • landed on Earth • orbited Earth

26. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Life Science: (3rd Grade) The organs of a skeletal system are the • muscles • ligaments • bones • joints

27. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Life Science: (3rd Grade) What part of the skeleton keeps body organs from moving down when you stand up? • skull • pelvis • rib cage • spine

28. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Physical Science: Force and Motion (4th Grade) The gravitational force between two objects depend on their • colors • masses • shapes • temperature

29. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Physical Science: Simple Machines (4th Grade) Which of these is a simple machine that allows you to lift things by pulling down on a rope? • inclined plane • lever • pulley • wedge

30. Who wants to be a millionaire science brain? Physical Science (2nd Grade) What would be three examples of physical properties of a solid? • rough, rigid, hard • bubbly, viscous, translucent • foamy, flat, smooth

31. Answers: Who wants to be a … 1. C – heat and pressure 2. A – non renewable 3. C – moving water 4. D – sand dunes 5. D – oxygen and nitrogen 6. B – a day 7. C – landed on earth 8. C – bones 9. B – pelvis 10. B – masses 11. C – pulley 12. A – rough, rigid, hard