In Grade 5, concrete experiences remain important to students as they conduct scientific inquiries and include evidence of abstract ideas in their explorations. Students refine their abilities to identify variables and increase the accuracy of their predictions based on prior experiences and explanations based on information gathered.
Fifth-grade students need a positive learning environment that encourages and challenges their efforts and progress toward learning science. This environment is supported through active learning opportunities and content-related questions that foster science communication.
As fifth-grade students continue to explore the physical world, they develop detailed comparisons through investigations and hands-on experiences. Students form an understanding of the relationship between food chains and food webs, compare plant and animal cells, and become more knowledgeable about the forms and transfer of energy. They also begin to compare Earth to other planets in our solar system.
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.
5th Grade
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Alabama Course of Study: Science
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Timeline
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Stanford 10 |
Alabama High School Graduation Exam |
Textbook:Scott Foresman |
Additional Resources/ Activities |
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The students will: |
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LIFE SCIENCE |
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7. Identify common parts of plant and animal cells, including the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane. |
Week 1 & 2 |
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Ch. 2, lesson 1 Ch. 4, pg. 90 Ch. 4, lesson 1, 2 & 4 Ch. 6, lesson 2 |
Create models of plant and animals cells. Explore, pg 92: What color can come from leaves? |
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· Comparing unicellular and multicellular organisms |
Week 3 |
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Ch. 1, lesson 1 4& Ch. 2, pg 34 |
Explore pg. 4: How can you classify seeds? |
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· Comparing plant and animal cells |
Week 4 |
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Standard V, Objective 1, Bullet 3: Identify and define similarities and differences between plant and animal cells. |
Ch. 2, lesson 1 & 2 Ch. 6, pg 188 |
Investigate, pg 26: What are some characteristics of yeast? |
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8. Identify major body systems and their functions, including the circulatory system, respiratory system, excretory system, and reproductive system. |
Week 5 |
X |
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Ch. 1, lesson 2 & 3 Ch. 2, lesson 2 & 3 Ch. 2, pg 56 Ch. 3, pg 58 Ch. 3, lesson 1, 2 & 3 Ch. 4, lesson 3 |
Investigate, pg 50: How can you make a model arm? Explore, pg 60: how can you observe your pulse? PowerPoint of the human body |
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9. Describe the relationship of populations within a habitat to various communities and ecosystem.
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Week 6 |
X |
Standard VI, Objective 1, Bullet 6: Identify factors and relationships- such as predator/prey- that effect population dynamics and ecosystems. |
Ch. 1, pg 32 Ch. 9, pg 122 Ch. 5, lesson 1, 2, 3 & 6 Ch. 6, pg 162 Ch. 6, lesson 1& 3 |
Explore, pg 124: How can you find out how many animals live in an area? |
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· Describing the relationship between food chains and food webs |
Week 7 |
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Standard II, Objective 1, Bullet 2: Trace the flow of energy through food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids. |
Ch. 5, lesson 1 & 5 |
Use a sequence chart to show an example of the food chain. (textbook pg Emxiii) |
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· Describing symbiotic relationships |
Week 8 |
X |
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Ch. 5, lesson 4
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Read Leveled Readers in small groups. Investigate, pg 178: What happens when a wetland ecosystem changes? |
PHYSICAL SCIENCE |
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1. Identify evidence of chemical changes through color, gas formation, solid formation, and temperature change. Example: combining vinegar and baking soda to produce a gas |
Week 9 & 10 |
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Ch. 10, lesson 4 Ch. 10, pg 328 Ch. 12, pg 370 Ch. 12, lesson 1, 2, 3 & 4 |
Explore, pg 36: What does yeast need to grow? Investigate, pg 154: How can you show that plants use carbon dioxide? |
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2. Define mass, volume, and density.
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Week 11 |
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Ch. 11, pg 338 C |
Explore, pg 340: What is one way you can determine density? |
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· Identifying the atom as the basic building block of matter |
Week 12 |
X |
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Ch. 11, pg 338 Ch. 11, lesson 2 |
Create a word web with atom in the middle to show it as the most basic component of matter. (textbook pg EMvi) |
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· Relating temperature changes to particle motion Example: movement of colored dye in hot and cold water |
Week 13 |
X |
Standard II, Objective 2, Bullet 1: Identify states of matter in terms of molecular (particle) movement, density, and kinetic energy associated with each phase/state of a given type of matter. |
Ch. 11, lesson 3 |
Investigate, pg 394: How does temperature affect how long a reaction takes? |
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· Relating density to the sinking or floating of an object in a liquid |
Week 14 |
X |
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Ch. 11, lesson 1 & 4 |
Investigate, pg 362: What boat design will carry the most cargo? |
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3. Use everyday indicators to identify common acids and bases. Examples: using grape juice to determine that vinegar is an acid, using juice from boiled red cabbage to determine that baking soda is a base |
Week 15 |
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Ch. 12, pg 384 |
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4. Describe forms of energy, including chemical, heat, light, and mechanical.
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Week 16 |
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Ch. 10, lesson 1 Ch. 13, pg 438 Ch. 14, lesson 1, 2 & 4 Ch. 18, lesson 2
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Explore, pg 444: How can energy change its form? |
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· Identifying types of potential and kinetic energy Examples: potential- water behind a dam, battery; kinetic- water moving across turbine blades |
Week 17 |
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Standard II, Objective 2, Bullet 1: Identify states of matter in terms of molecular (particle) movement, density, and kinetic energy associated with each phase/state of a given type of matter. |
Ch. 10, lesson 1, 2 & 3 Ch. 14, pg 442 Ch. 14, lesson 1 & 2 |
Explore, pg 300: How does oil rise through the earth? |
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· Describing alternatives to the use of fossil fuels Examples: solar energy, geothermal energy, windmill, hydroelectric power, biomass |
Week 18 |
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Ch. 10, pg 298 Ch. 10, lesson 2 |
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· Identifying the transfer of energy by conduction, convection, and radiation Examples: conduction—hot plate heating a pan, |
Week 19 |
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Standard VII, Objective 1, Bullet 1: Describe how energy- mechanical, electrical, chemical, light, sound, and heat- can be transformed from one form to another. |
Ch. 14, lesson 1 |
Use a Three-Column Chart to list examples of each transfer type. (textbook pg Emiii) |
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5. Contrast ways in which light rays are bent by concave and convex lenses. |
Week 20 |
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Ch. 14, lesson 3 |
Use lenses to bend light noting the differences in rays. |
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· Describing how a prism forms a visible spectrum |
Week 21 |
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Ch. 14, lesson 3 |
Investigate, pg 466: How does light move? |
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· Explaining why different objects have different colors |
Week 22 |
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Ch. 14, lesson 3 |
Investigate, pg 466: How does light move? |
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· Describing how mirrors reflect light Example: discussing differences in the reflection of light by convex and concave mirrors
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Week 23 |
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Ch. 14, lesson 3 |
Use a mirror to reflect light and record observations. |
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· Describing the relationship between the structure of the eye and sight |
Week 24 |
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Ch. 14, lesson 3 |
Draw a diagram of the eye and describe how it creates sight. |
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· Identifying types of corrective lenses used to correct different sight problems Examples: convex—farsightedness, |
Week 25 |
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Ch. 14, lesson 3 |
Create a poster listing eye problems and match to lenses that are most appropriate to correct. |
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· Identifying the contribution of van Leeuwenhoek to the development of the microscope |
Week 26 |
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Do an Internet search for a paper on van Leeuwenhoek. |
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6. Compare effects of gravitational force on Earth, on the moon, and within space. |
Week 27 |
X |
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Ch. 13, lesson 1 Ch. 13, lesson 2 Ch. 16, lesson 2 Ch. 17, lesson 4 |
Explore, pg 404: How can you learn about the motion of a pendulum? |
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· Identifying contributions of Newton to the study of gravity |
Week 28 |
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Ch. 11, pg 368 Ch. 13, pg 402 Ch. 13, lesson 1, 3 & 4 Ch. 13, pg 440 |
Investigate, pg 432: How can you describe motion? |
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· Describing how a spring scale is used to measure weight |
Week 29 |
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Draw a diagram of a spring scale and explain how each part works. |
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· Explaining how air resistance affects falling objects |
Week 30 |
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Ch. 13, lesson 2 |
Experiment by flying a paper airplane in windy and calm air. |
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE |
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10. Identify spheres of Earth, including the geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. |
Week 31 |
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Ch. 7, pg 194 Ch. 7, lesson 1, 2, 3 & 4 Ch. 8, lesson 1, 2 & 3 Ch. 9, lesson 1, 2 & 4 |
Explore, pg 196: How can you make layers of water float on each other? Investigate, pg 216: What is a cloud? |
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· Describing technology used to investigate Earth Examples: sonar, radar, seismograph, weather balloons, satellites |
Week 32 & 33 |
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Ch. 8, pg 226 Ch. 8, pg 256 Ch. 10, pg 336 Ch. 18, lesson 1 & 3 |
Explore, pg 228: How does pressure affect an object? Investigate, pg 250: How does a thermometer work? |
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· Describing the rock cycle |
Week 34 |
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Ch. 9, lesson 3, 5 & 6 |
Create posters showing the cycle of some rocks. |
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11. Compare distances from the sun to planets in our solar system. |
Week 35 |
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Ch. 17, pg 538 |
Explore, pg 540: Does distance affect orbiting time? |
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· Relating the size of Earth to the size of other planets in our solar system
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Week 36 |
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Ch. 17, lesson 3 |
Create models of the solar system using relative sizes. |
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· Identifying technology used to study planets Examples: Hubble telescope, space probes, Mars Exploration Rover |
Week 37 |
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Ch. 16, pg 506 Ch. 16, lesson 1 & 3 Ch 18, pg 570 Ch. 18, lesson 4 |
Explore, pg 508: How can you make an astrolabe? Investigate, pg 592: How do space probes send images to Earth? |