GRADES 3-5

Overview

In Grades 3-5, students are introduced to the full range of scientific knowledge in the domains of Physical Science, Life Science, and Earth and Space Science through content, processes, and application skills.  Many content standards build upon prior knowledge while others introduce new concepts and skills.  Concrete experiences remain important as students develop abstract-thinking abilities and extend their scientific knowledge.  Manipulative skills become more refined, making possible more sophisticated measurement techniques and an expanded use of scientific equipment and technology.  Teachers guide students to recognize the important role science plays in society and in the development of technology.

Students in Grades 3-5 are engaged in a learning environment that encourages exploration, inquiry, formulation of models, and application of results based on experiences.  As in Grades K-2, such an environment increases opportunities to provide a solid foundation of scientific knowledge and experiences upon which understanding is built.  Maintaining a scientific journal of investigations helps students organize experimental information, enhances their reading and writing skills, and allows time for reflection on scientific information and processes.

Students in these grades begin simple independent studies involving variables and increase their abilities to conduct group investigations and work as a team.  Effective science instruction inspires their curiosity and encourages independent investigations and discoveries through student-generated questions.  As the teacher plans for instruction, attention is given to identifying clear learning goals and providing developmentally appropriate activities that assist students in achieving these goals.

Cherokee County Schools:  The documents for third, fourth and fifth grades are written to follow the basic order of the Alabama Course of Study: Science.  Life sciences are listed first for two reasons.  One is that the first unit in each grade level science book begins with the life sciences.  The second reason is that the life sciences are sometimes more interesting to elementary students.  This observation is the opinion of several elementary teachers.  Of course, teachers should teach in the order that they wish as long as the state mandated mastery level standards are met.

The timelines listed are just a suggestion and can be manipulated as needed.  Some standards may be harder to meet and need to be covered longer or returned to at a later time.  And of course, some standards may be imprinted more into a group of student’s background knowledge and can be cut short.   

Matching SAT objectives are noted where they fit in with the ACOS objectives.  Many of the objectives are on similar matter, but may be worded differently or cover a slightly different aspect of the common subject.  Several SAT objectives are not related to objectives on this document; therefore teachers must find time to review and cover those objectives that are not related.  

Alabama High School Graduation Exam objectives are also listed where they overlap with ACOS objectives.  Again, sometimes this overlapping is broad but will contain common subjects. 

For most standards from the course of study, there are correlating textbook pages and activities listed.  However, a few were not mentioned in the grade level books so there is nothing listed.  Luckily, the Internet and ALEX are available to find endless information and resources that are needed.  Proteacher.com is a great resource for science.  Of the activities listed, most are found in the textbook and are simple to prepare.