Science Curriculum

 

Helping students develop curiosity and excitement for science while they gain essential knowledge and skills is best achieved by actively engaging learner in multiple experiences that increase their ability to be critical thinkers and problem solvers.  Essential skills such as inquiry and problem solving, scientific reasoning, communication, and the impact of science on our lives should always be imbedded throughout the curriculum rather than taught separately.

 

Augusta School Department

 

 

Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8

 

Kindergarten

 

Schools

 District
 Programs

 Board of Education

 Contact Information

 System
 Calendar

Curricula

 2002-03
 Calendar

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

Life Science

             I.      Students will understand the differences between living and non-living things.

Rookie Readers, center, “Let’s Find Out” from Scholastic, Time Life for Kids, Weakly Reader, Gail Gibbons books

Classifying Life Forms:

A.  Students will understand that there are similarities within the diversity of all living things.

 

II.  Students will understand that there are similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals.

Use of literature, growing seeds, Chewonki, Weekly Reader, Scholastic, time Life for Kids, Eyewitness Readers (DK Publishers), AIMS “Primarily Plants”

 

III. Students will understand that all living organisms depend on their environment to survive.

Rainforest activity, Lorax, LC Bates, Maine Audubon, Chewonki, forest fire prevention (Smokey the Bear), use literature, videos, Scholastic, Weekly Reader, migration activities

Ecology:

B.  Students will understand how living things depend on one another and on non-living aspects of the environment.

IV.  Students will understand that an organism can change over its lifetime.

Tadpoles/frogs, caterpillars/butterflies, changes from infant to K student,

Continuity and Change:

D.  Students will understand the basis for all life and that all living things change over time.

V.    Students will understand that animals use a system of senses to develop an awareness of their environment.

Rookie Readers, AIMS “Slide into Winter”, “Only the Nose Knows”, Maine Audubon Society, use of literature, Lets Read & Find Out Science (Stage 1) – Harper Collins Pub., center 52 Science Centers – Scholastic, Wright Group science materials, Songbox series

 

 

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

Physical Science

I.   Students will understand that matter has physical properties that can undergo changes which can be observed and described (ice cubes melting, water freezing).  These observations should be communicated through spoken, drawn, and teacher-modeled written forms.

AIMS “Polar Bear Pie” activity, water table activities, weather observations, bread making, cooking activities, snow melting and re-freezing, making butter, popcorn, Kids and Science Pre K-2 (Ideal)

Structure of Matter:

E.  Students will understand the structure of matter and the changes it can undergo.

 

         II.      Students will understand that the sun provides light and heat energy.

Use of literature, as part of plant unit, 52 Science Centers activities, weather observations

Energy:

H.  Students will understand concepts of energy.

 

     III.      Students will understand that the motion of an object can be described in various ways (forward, backward, straight, zigzag, up, down, fast, slow, etc.)

Physical Education coordination, Bill Nye videos, motor activities, language development activities, experiments

Energy:

I.  Students will understand the motion of objects and how forces can change that motion.

 

 

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

Earth and Space

I.    Students will understand that changes in weather occur from day to day and across seasons, affecting earth and its inhabitants.

Weather observations, graphing, use of literature, observations of outside (tree), migration

The Earth:

F.  Students will gain knowledge about the earth and the processes that change it.

 

 

 

II.  Students will understand that day/night and seasons occur in predictable cycles.

Use of literature, change from EST to DST and DST to EST, A Year at Maple Farm, The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree

The Earth:

F.  Students will gain knowledge about the earth and the processes that change it.

 

III. Students will understand the sun is one of many stars in the universe and is the closest star to earth.

Northstar Lab Planetarium, The Sun, shadows

The Universe:

G.  Students will gain knowledge about the universe and how humans have learned about it, and about the principles upon which it operates.

 

 

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

I.                Students will be able to make accurate observations using appropriate tools and units of measure.  ●

II.            Students will be able to ask questions and propose strategies and materials to use in seeking answers to questions.  ●

III.        Students will be able to use results in a purposeful way, which includes making predictions based on patterns they have observed.  ●

IV.           Students will be able to identify products, which were invented to solve a problem.  ●

 

Inquiry and Problem Solving

J.   Students will apply inquiry and problem-solving approaches in science.

 

●  This objective should be integrated throughout each unit of study.

 

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

I.                   Students will be able to examine strengths and weaknesses of simple arguments.  ●

II.               Students will be able to distinguish between important and unimportant information in simple arguments.  ●

III.           Students will be able to make observations.  ●

IV.              Students will be able to participate in brainstorming activities.  ●

V.                  Students will be able to use various forms of simple logic.  ●

VI.              Students will be able to discover relationships and patterns.  ●

 

Scientific Reasoning

K.  Students will learn to formulate and justify ideas and to make informed decisions.

 

●  This objective should be integrated throughout each unit of study.

 

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

I.                   Students will be able to describe and compare things in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color, and behavior.  ●

II.               Students will be able to read and write instructions to be followed or instructions, which explain procedures.  ●

III.           Students will be able to ask clarifying questions.  ●

IV.              Students will be able to explain problem-solving processes using verbal, pictorial, and written methods.  ●

V.                  Students will be able to make and read simple graphs.  ●

VI.              Students will be able to use objects and pictures to represent scientific and technological ideas.  ●

 

Communication

L.  Students will communicate effectively in the application of science.

 

●  This objective should be integrated throughout each unit of study.

 

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

I.                   Students will be able to describe how legends, stories, and scientific explanations are different ways in which people attempt to explain the world.  ●●

II.               Students will be able to describe at least two inventions, what they do, how they work, and how they have made life easier.  ●●

III.           Students will be able to identify commonly used resources, their resources, and where waste products go.  ●●

IV.              Students will be able to demonstrate some practices for recycling and care of resources.  ●●

V.                  Students will be able to explain how their lives would be different without specific inventions or scientific knowledge.  ●●

 

Implications of Science and technology

M.  Students will understand the historical, social, economic, environment, and ethical implications of science.

 

●● This objective may also be covered in some Social Studies units.  It is the responsibility of the Science educator to insure that this objective is being taught.

Return

Grade 1

 

 

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

Life Science

        IV.      Students will understand that animals are classified according to their characteristics (mammals, amphibians, insects, birds, fish, reptiles).

National Geographic tapes & books, Wonders of Learning Kits, Weekly Reader, Scholastic News, www.enchanted learning (website), Modern Curriculum Press materials, Ranger Rick, Chewonki “Fur, Feathers, Feet” program, Zoo Books, cheap charts (Frank Schaefer),

Classifying Life Forms:

A.  Students will understand that there are similarities within the diversity of all living things.

 

II.  Students will understand that animals have adaptive characteristics, which allow them to survive in their environment.

www.abcteach (website), www.primaryzone.com, Arboretum programs,, “Animal Habitats”, Reading Rainbow

 

III. Students will understand that all animals need food, water, and gases to survive.

 

Cells:

C.  Students will understand that cells are the basic units of life.

 

Augusta School System

Local Expectation

Suggested Activities

Topics, or Materials

Maine Learning Results

Standards

Life Science (continued)