Science

Elementary - Primary Grades K-2

Science is fun, it is asking questions, and it is a process of discovering the world around us.  Kindergarten science contains hands-on activities that encourage children to ask "why?" or "what if?"  It lets children bring their own knowledge of the content to the classroom discussion and extend their learning from that point. 

The resources used to support science instruction in grades K-2 are contained in Central Valley School District Science Concept Kits.  Use of these kits originated in Federal Way School District, with the kits being evaluated and revised by Central Valley teachers for use in our district. All CVSD science kits are a hands-on resource that enable students to learn by reading, predicting, observing and drawing conclusions. CVSD science kits are topically aligned with Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements and with the Grade Level Expectations for science.

Click here if your child would like to explore online science information, from selecting a topic for a science fair project to help in understanding the scientific method.

Grade Level: Kindergarten

There are three science content units at this grade level.

WEATHER is the study of the earth's atmosphere and how it affects conditions on the earth's surface.Students begin the unit by brainstorming ideas they already know about weather, list what they would like to know about weather and at the end of the unit they re-tell what they've learned. Students graph weather conditions daily throughout the unit. Kindergartners develop an understanding that weather changes, and it affects daily life.  They also experience parts of the water cycle,  use a thermometer to measure hot and cold temperatures, listen to science literature and they complete a written science journal.

SENSES is the study of how people use their senses of smell, taste, sight, hearing and touch to respond to their surroundings. Students learn about the organs of sense: eyes, ears, skin, taste buds, and nose.  They listen to childrens literature, view videos, sing songs, taste different types of foods that affect different taste buds, collect data and complete science journal activities.

CHANGE, in varying degrees, rates, and kinds, is everywhere around us. Students learn that change is the process of becoming different: seasons change, cars change speed, children grow, ice melts, water freezes, etc.  They plant bean seeds, grow a plant from an existing potato, and discover that their heart rate changes through physical activity.  They observe chemical and physical changes during cooking activities. Students learn to make reasonable predictions, collect data through observations and contribute to classroom discussions.

Grade Level: 1

There are three science content units at this grade level.

GEOLOGIC TIME is the study of life on the earth through the study of fossils, volcanic action and continental drift.  Students study real fossil specimens, learn to classify and group dinosaurs,  measure approximate sizes of dinosaurs with a trundle wheel, make timelines and study volcano formation and eruptions.  They view videos, read informational text, make reasonable predictions and record information in workbooks.

POPULATION is the study of "things",  living or non-living, that are similar  in one or more ways.  Students learn to use characteristics or attributes to define a population as a collection of living or non-living things with one or more characteristics in common in a given time and place.  They study real mealworms and learn about the life cycle of egg, larva, pupa and beetle.  Students predict, observe, collect  and record data over a four week period.  They also learn about the effects of overpopulation on people or in animal habitats. This leads to  lessons about endangered animals.

ORDER is a broad concept that encompasses classes, sequences, patterns and consistant predictability. Students begin the unit by identifying examples of order in their environment. They place objects in order according to specifications such as: greatest, heaviest, least, lightest, longest etc  Students learn the difference between natural order (tides, phases of the moon, life cycles) and human imposed order (anything man gives a sequence to, such as numerical order, alphabetical order etc). Students are able to predict what will happen if there is a change or interference in order in specific situations.

Grade Level: 2

There are three science content units at this grade level.

PLANTS is a study of the two main groups of plants: (1) those without  leaves, true roots and stems such as mold, fungi and algae (2) those with true roots, leaves and stems such as mosses, ferns, cone-bearing plants and flowering plants. Students learn about parts of plants, label plant diagrams and complete a plant journal.  They sprout seeds and make observations, grow plants and make their own terrariums. Students understand that seeds contain the genetic make-up for just one type of plant, and they learn about plant habitats around the world.

AIR is the study of a type of matter in its gaseous state. It is an invisible, odorless, colorless, and tasteless mixture that contains various gasses and also moisture (water vapor) and solid particles ( dust and particulates). Students perform experiments to prove that air takes up space and even though it has no definate size or shape, it will fill every space it can.  They discover that air has pressure and heated air causes things to rise.  Students demonstrate that wind is air in motion and it is useful to us for flying kites, cooling ourselves and in the dynamics of airplane flight.

SYSTEM introduces students to a major concept consisting of collections of related "objects" that collectively represent a whole.  Examples of systems are: nervous system, solar system, ecosystem, weather system, etc.  Students learn that the circulatory system (heart and blood vessels) interacts with other systems in the body to keep the entire body system working properly. They also learn about the parts and functions of the solar system. Students learn about the water cycle, our aquifer and the human impact upon the water cycle. Just as families have systems in place to make the household run smoothly, there are other types of systems in place at school such as the recess system, lunch room process, classroom organization and the bussing system.

Elementary - Intermediate Grades 3-5

The resources used to support science instruction in grades 3-5 are contained in Central Valley School District Science Concept Kits.  Use of these kits originated in Federal Way School District, with the kits being evaluated and revised by Central Valley teachers for use in our district.

All CVSD science kits are a hands-on resource that enable students to learn by reading, predicting, observing and drawing conclusions. In addition, students have several informational reading passages within each kit that support the content area and allow them to glean key ideas from the text. All  kits incorporate the use of thinking maps, running vocabulary lists and study guides.  CVSD science kits are topically aligned with  Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements and with the Grade Level Expectations for science.

Click here if your child would like to explore online science information, from selecting a topic for a science fair project to help in understanding the scientific method.

Grade Level: 3

There are three science content kits at this grade level.    

GEOLOGY is the study of the earth.  Students learn that the earth is made up of layers: crust, mantle, inner core and outer core. Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are part of the rock cyle and are always changing through forces within the earth and through the agents of erosion. Students learn about volcanoes, fossils, gemstones, techtonic plates, caves, stalactites and stalagmites. They also learn that minerals play an important part in everyday life. Students use a Jeopardy-style powepoint presentation for review at the end of the unit.

ELECTRICITY at the third grade level is a study of static and current electricity.  Students are introduced to the concept  of the atom as the smallest unit of an element, and they learn that electrons have positive and  negative charges.  Moving electrons make electricity.  This is a hands-on unit in which students build many types of series and parallel circuits, an electro-magnet and a telegraph key circuit using batteries, wires and light bulbs.

ENERGY/MATTER is a concept unit in which students learn that matter is anything that takes up space and has mass, and that energy is the ability to do work and/ or bring about change The three states of matter are solids, liquids and gasses. Students also learn that the application of heat energy can cause either a temporary or permanent change in matter.

Grade Level: 4

There are three science content kits at this grade level. There are several opportunities for students to complete scientific investigations that are similar to fifth grade WASL items.

BODY SYSTEMS is the study of the human body and its interdependent systems.  Students learn about the skeletal, nervous, circulatory, muscular, respiratory, skin and digestive systems. They develop an understanding of how cells, tissue, and organs form the basic building blocks of the body. In addition, students recognize the interactive role the various systems play in the growth, maintenance and protection of the body.  This is a high interest unit of study.

ORGANISMS is the study of living things. All organisms are made of cells, and cells are the basic unit of life. The features of organisms are called life processes: growth and development, interaction with the world, reproduction and the need for food and use of energy.  Students study plant and animal cells and learn the differences between the two. They perform investigations that involve the growth of molds, grass seed growth in light, semi-dark and dark conditions and bean seed sprouting. They also learn about the many kinds of single-celled organisms.

FORCES AND MOTION is the study of the nature of force (power or strength/a push or a pull) and motion (movement).  Students learn about Sir Issac Newton's three laws of motion in simplified versions, and they perform investigations to demonstrate their understanding of the laws. Students build and use simple machines to work with the concepts of momentum, energy transfer, acceleration, resistance, friction, and speed. 

Grade Level: 5

The Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) is given in the spring of the fifth grade year.  All science concepts learned in preceding years as well as in the fifth grade provide cummulative knowledge for students.  There are three science content kits at this grade level. 

CHEMISTRY is the study of the structure, composition and properties of substances. Students learn the very basic structure of the atom and how matter is classified as a pure substance or a mixture.  A pure substance can be an element (as listed on the periodic table of elements) or a compound (water). They re-examine the three states of matter, discuss physical and chemical changes in matter, learn about molecules and compounds and discover that chemistry can affect the environment in positive and negative ways.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE is the study of the earth's natural environment and man's affect upon it.  Students perform hands-on experiments to learn about the watercycle in depth, study various food chains and food webs, dissect owl pellets and sort the bones they find, understand plant growth cycles and discuss the importance of conservation of natural resources.  They also extend their knowledge of the factors that affect population equilibrium.  They play habitat rummy and perform a simulation  to help them understand how humans impact habitats.

EARTH, WAVES AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM is the study of wave behavior and the earth's atmosphere, physical features and its position in the solar system.  Students learn that the atmosphere is comprised of several layers; troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.  They set up a weather station early in the unit to record and present data about weather.  They learn about weather instruments and forecasting.  Students make models of the earth and discuss earthquakes, waves and volcanoes. Students also discuss the movement patterns of the earth and the moon in relation to each other and the sun.  The behavior of light waves in terms of bouncing off, passing through and changies in direction are studied and demonstrated with prisms.

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