Course Content
A. Materials Science Basics
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A.01. Identify basic properties of common objects (e.g., color, shape, texture).
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A.02. Compare and contrast the properties of two or more objects.
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A.03. Classify objects based on shared properties.
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A.04. Identify the materials used to make everyday objects.
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A.05. Determine multiple materials within a single object and describe their roles.
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A.06. Explain how the properties of materials relate to their uses.
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A.07. Investigate how different materials react to various forces (e.g., stretching, bending).
B. States of Matter
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B.01. Identify matter as solid, liquid, or gas based on observable properties.
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B.02. Distinguish between solids, liquids, and gases using simple experiments.
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B.03. Describe the characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases (shape, volume, compressibility).
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B.04. Give examples of solids, liquids, and gases found in everyday life.
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B.05. Explain the relationship between temperature and the state of matter.
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B.06. Predict how changing temperature affects the state of a substance.
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B.07. Investigate phase changes (melting, freezing, boiling, condensation) through observation and simple experiments.
C. Changes of State
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C.01. Describe the changes that occur when materials are heated or cooled.
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C.02. Interpret simple change-of-state diagrams showing solid and liquid phases.
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C.03. Interpret simple change-of-state diagrams showing liquid and gas phases.
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C.04. Interpret change-of-state diagrams involving solid, liquid, and gas phases.
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C.05. Explain the processes of melting and freezing in terms of energy transfer.
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C.06. Explain the processes of evaporation and condensation in terms of energy transfer.
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C.07. Design a simple experiment to demonstrate a change of state.
D. Heat Transfer
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D.01. Predict the direction of heat flow between objects at different temperatures.
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D.02. Explain heat transfer through conduction, convection, and radiation (basic concepts).
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D.03. Investigate how different materials transfer heat differently (insulators vs. conductors).
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D.04. Relate heat transfer to changes in temperature and state of matter.
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D.05. Apply the concept of heat transfer to explain everyday phenomena.
E. Physical and Chemical Changes
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E.01. Identify physical changes (changes in form, not composition).
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E.02. Identify chemical changes (changes in composition, often irreversible).
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E.03. Distinguish between physical and chemical changes using examples.
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E.04. Describe evidence that indicates a chemical change has occurred (e.g., gas production, color change).
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E.05. Give examples of physical and chemical changes in everyday life.
F. Mixtures
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F.01. Identify mixtures as combinations of two or more substances.
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F.02. Classify mixtures as homogeneous or heterogeneous.
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F.03. Give examples of mixtures found in nature and in everyday life.
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F.04. Explain how mixtures can be separated (e.g., filtration, evaporation).
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F.05. Investigate different methods of separating mixtures through simple experiments.
G. Force and Motion
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G.01. Identify pushes and pulls as forces.
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G.02. Describe how forces affect the motion of objects (starting, stopping, changing direction, speed).
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G.03. Explain the relationship between mass, force, and acceleration (basic concepts).
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G.04. Compare the speeds of different objects using simple measurements (e.g., time, distance).
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G.05. Investigate how different forces affect the motion of an object (e.g., friction, gravity).
H. Magnets
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H.04. Investigate the magnetic field of a magnet using simple experiments.
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H.05. Build simple magnetic devices.
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H.01. Identify objects that are attracted to magnets.
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H.02. Explain how magnets attract and repel each other (like poles repel, unlike poles attract).
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H.03. Describe the properties of magnets (poles, attraction, repulsion).
I. Classification of Living Things
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I.01. Distinguish between living and nonliving things.
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I.02. Classify organisms into major groups (plants and animals).
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I.03. Identify characteristics of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
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I.04. Classify animals based on the presence or absence of a backbone (vertebrates and invertebrates).
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I.05. Explain the importance of classification in understanding biodiversity.
J. Animal Life Cycles
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J.01. Read and interpret simple animal life cycle diagrams.
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J.02. Construct simple animal life cycle diagrams.
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J.03. Compare and contrast the life cycles of different animals.
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J.04. Identify the different stages in an animal’s life cycle.
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J.05. Relate animal life cycles to the environment.
K. Plant Life Cycles
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K.01. Classify fruits and vegetables as plant parts.
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K.02. Identify plant parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds) and their functions.
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K.03. Read and interpret simple flowering plant life cycle diagrams.
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K.04. Explain how flowering plants reproduce.
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K.05. Describe the importance of pollination and seed dispersal.
L. Traits and Adaptations
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L.01. Observe and describe traits of living things.
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L.02. Compare and contrast traits of different organisms.
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L.03. Explain what an adaptation is and how it helps an organism survive.
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L.04. Identify examples of adaptations in plants and animals.
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L.05. Investigate how adaptations help organisms survive in different environments.
M. Ecosystems
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M.01. Describe how living things interact with their environment.
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M.02. Give examples of how living things change their environment to meet their needs.
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M.03. Identify the habitats of various animals (examples provided).
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M.04. Identify the habitats of various plants (examples provided).
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M.05. Explain the concept of interdependence in an ecosystem (basic concepts).
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M.06. Discuss the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers.
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M.07. Investigate the impact of human activities on ecosystems.
N. Rocks and Minerals
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N.01. Classify rocks and minerals based on observable properties (color, shape, texture).
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N.02. Identify common rocks and minerals (examples provided).
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N.03. Describe the formation of different types of rocks.
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N.04. Explain the difference between rocks and minerals.
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N.05. Investigate the properties of different rocks and minerals through experiments.
O. Weather
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O.01. Describe weather conditions (temperature, precipitation, wind, clouds).
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O.02. Identify different types of precipitation (rain, snow, hail, sleet).
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O.03. Describe the characteristics of severe weather events (blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes).
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O.04. Read and interpret information from a thermometer.
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O.05. Compare and contrast different weather events.
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O.06. Investigate the causes of different weather patterns (basic concepts).
P. Earth’s Features
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P.01. Identify bodies of water (oceans, lakes, rivers).
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P.02. Describe the distribution of water on Earth.
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P.03. Identify natural resources (e.g., water, soil, minerals).
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P.04. Identify Earth’s land features (mountains, hills, valleys, plains).
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P.05. Explain the importance of conserving natural resources.
Q. Earth’s Changes
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Q.01. Classify changes to Earth’s surface (natural vs. human-caused).
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Q.02. Find evidence of changes to Earth’s surface (e.g., erosion, deposition).
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Q.03. Describe the effects of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and erosion on Earth’s surface.
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Q.04. Explain how Earth’s surface changes over time (basic concepts).
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Q.05. Investigate the causes and effects of natural disasters.
R. Measurement and Units
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R.01. Choose appropriate units of time (seconds, minutes, hours, days).
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R.02. Choose appropriate customary units of distance (inches, feet, yards, miles).
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R.03. Choose appropriate metric units of distance (centimeters, meters, kilometers).
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R.04. Abbreviate units of time and length.
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R.05. Abbreviate units of mass and volume.
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R.06. Convert between units within the same system (e.g., inches to feet).
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R.07. Use measurement tools accurately (e.g., rulers, timers).
S. Human Impact on the Environment
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S.01. Explain the concept of reduce, reuse, recycle.
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S.02. Describe ways to reduce human impact on the environment.
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S.03. Discuss the importance of environmental conservation.
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S.04. Investigate the effects of pollution on ecosystems.
T. Engineering Design
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T.01. Evaluate multiple design solutions to prevent erosion.
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T.02. Apply the engineering design process to solve a simple problem.
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T.03. Design and build a simple structure.
