Download Electricity – Grade 4 1.1 Define protons, neutrons, and electrons as

Electricity – Grade 4
1.1 Define protons, neutrons, and electrons as component parts of an atom.
1.2 State that protons have a positive electric charge, electrons have a negative electric charge,
and neutrons have no electric charge.
1.3 Identify and name examples of static electricity.
1.4 Participate in a role-play demonstration of the forces which cause static electricity.
1.5 Explain that static electricity happens after negative charges build up in one place before
jumping to another.
1.6 Make an electroscope from a peanut butter jar, metal coat hanger, and aluminum foil and use
it to observe the effects of static electricity.
2.1 Define a circuit as a continuous path through which electrons flow.
2.2 Define current electricity as the movement of electrons in a circuit.
2.3 Participate in a role-play activity that illustrates the forces which cause electricity to flow in a
circuit.
2.4 Construct a simple circuit. Students will arrange 2 wires, 1 battery, and 1 light bulb in such a
way as to make the light bulb light.
2.5 Construct a circuit with 1 battery, 1 light bulb, and only 1 wire.
2.6 List examples of current electricity.
2.7 Explain the usefulness of current electricity versus static electricity.
3.1 Define conductors as materials through which electricity easily flows.
3.2 Infer from experimentation with various materials that metals are good conductors.
3.3 Define insulators as materials through which electricity does not flow.
3.4 Define a resistor as a material which allows some but not all of the electric potential to flow in
a circuit.
3.5 Classify various materials as either conductors, insulators, or resistors.
3.6 Define a switch as a device which opens and closes a circuit.
3.7 Design and make a switch from simple materials.
3.8 Define an open circuit, a closed (or complete) circuit, and a short circuit.
3.9 Build a circuit then make it “short out” by the addition of a wire.
3.10 Identify the presence of a short circuit.
4.1 Design and build a circuit that includes two batteries and one light bulb.
4.2 Demonstrate an understanding of why two batteries need to be arranged from negative to
positive within the same circuit.
4.3 Observe the increased brightness in a circuit made up of two batteries as opposed to one.
4.4 Recognize volts as the standard measure of the electric potential of a battery.
4.5 Design and build a circuit that includes two light bulbs and one battery.
4.6 Observe the decreased brightness in a circuit made up of one battery and two light bulbs.
4.7 Design and build a circuit that includes one battery and three or more light bulbs.
4.8 Make a “brightness tester” and use it to measure the brightness of light bulbs in a circuit.
5.1 Design and build series circuits that include various numbers of light bulbs and batteries.
5.2 Consider the design problem inherent to the series circuit and attempt to design, build, and
test solutions to the problem.
5.3 Identify the parallel circuit as a solution to the problem posed by the series circuit.
5.4 List the advantages of parallel circuits over series circuits.
5.5 Identify various circuit designs as either series or parallel.
6.1 Design, build, and test combination series-parallel circuits that include various numbers of
light bulbs and batteries.
6.2 Identify various circuit designs as either series, parallel, or combination series-parallel
circuits.
7.1 Use a compass to observe the presence of a magnetic field caused by electric current.
7.2 Conclude that electricity causes magnetism.
7.3 Build a simple electromagnet using a metal core, wire, and a battery.
7.4 Develop one or more hypotheses to answer the question, ‘How can a simple electromagnet
be made stronger?”
7.5 Experiment with various electromagnets designed to increase the strength of the magnetic
field.
7.6 Test these electromagnets by weighing the mass of iron discs which each electromagnet can
pick up.
7.7 Record the test results for each electromagnet.
7.8 Draw a conclusion as to the ways in which the strength of an electromagnet can be
increased.
8.1 Identify the main components of a generator.
8.2 Explain that magnetism can be used to generate electricity.
8.3 Demonstrate an understanding of how generated electricity supplies electric current on a
large scale.
8.4 Build a simple circuit with a small electric motor.
8.5 Examine the inner components of an electric motor.
8.6 Identify the main components of an electric motor.
8.7 Show an appreciaion of the variety of electricial appliances that have been invented because
of the relationship between electricity and magnetism.
9.1 Apply his/her understanding of electricity to build, with the help of a parent, a working
electrical device. The device may be selected and built from instructions supplied by the
teacher, or it may be one of the child’s own creation.
9.2 Explain how this device works in 1-2 paragraphs.
9.3 Present the electrical device in an oral presentation given before an audience of peers. The
student will be able to explain how the device works and answer questions from the
audience.
Junior Geologist – Grade 4
1.1 Use observation skills to explain the differences and similarities among various rock
samples.
1.2 Place rocks into categories based on similar characteristics.
1.3 Discuss observations and explain how rock characteristics can be used to tell rocks
apart.
1.4 Display proper uses of materials (rocks and magnifiers).
1.5 Understand the importance of careful observation.
2.1 Make predictions about what is inside the earth, and compare these predictions to what is
actually inside the earth.
2.2 Label a diagram of the layers of the earth.
2.3 Understand that a model represents something larger.
2.4 Display an understanding of the inside of the earth by creating their own model of the
earth’s layers.
3.1 Discuss the existence of humans in relation to the beginning of Earth.
3.2 Discuss the age of the Earth.
3.3 Display an understanding of the earth’s history by creating a timeline of the four major
eras, including major events of each era.
4.1 Understand the differences between rocks and minerals; and that rocks are made of
minerals.
4.2 Explain the term “igneous rocks.”
4.3 Observe and discuss various samples of igneous rocks.
4.4 Create various models of igneous rocks using clay and paper.
5.1 Define and use the terms “sediment” and “sedimentary rock.”
5.2 Observe sedimentary rocks and discuss similarities and differences.
5.3 Show an understanding of the way in which sedimentary rocks are formed by creating a
model.
5.4 Explain how sedimentary rocks are formed either orally or in writing.
6.1 Explain and understand the term “metamorphic rock.”
6.2 Observe and discuss various samples of metamorphic rocks.
6.3 Create a visual model for the process by which metamorphic rocks are formed.
7.1 Participate in a dramatization of the rock cycle.
7.2 Discuss the various processes that take place in the rock cycle (erosion, sedimentation,
heat, pressure, etc.)
7.3 Discuss the ways that one type of rock can turn into another type.
8.1Perform individual tests on rock samples to determine characteristics about the rocks.
8.2 Record the results of the tests on one chart.
8.3 Discuss and compare results with the class.
8.4 Use these results to explain how performing rock tests can help geologists learn about
rocks and minerals.
9.1 Follow the steps in a procedure to create their own toothpaste.
9.2 Demonstrate safe lab practices.
9.3 Discuss and understand that rocks and minerals are found in many everyday items, and
are an important part of our lives.
9.4 Identify some common minerals and the objects of which they are a part.
Rainforests – Grade 4
1.1 Become familiar with rainforests.
2.1 Create and observe a rainforest environment.
3.1 Name at least 12 common products that come from tropical forest areas.
4.1 Identify the names of plants and animals of the Amazon rainforest and pertinent facts about
their biology and natural history.
5.1 Locate tropical rainforests.
5.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the climate of tropical rainforests.
5.3 Show an appreciation of the importance of the sun to tropical rainforests.
6.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of rainforests and the need to protect them.
7.1 Demonstrate an understanding of why rainforests developed in their geographical locations.
8.1 Identify and regulate conditions to demonstrate how plants use the air around them.
8.2 Observe the condition of the leaves under different controlled circumstances.
8.3 Discover the effects of closing a plant’s stomata.
9.1 Create a model landfill.
9.2 Compare the decomposition of items buried in the model landfill.
10.1 Conduct an experiment to study the effect of carbon dioxide gas on an indicator.
11.1 Construct a model of a recycling process.
11.2 Make predictions about which objects will be affected at different stages of the process.
11.3 Design a recycling plant.
12.1 Nurture and observe tropical plants similar to those found in a tropical rainforest.
Simple Machines – Grade 4
1.1 Measure the force required to move an object.
1.2 Measure the distance the object was moved.
1.3 Calculate how much work was done when the object was moved a measured distance.
2.1 Construct a lever.
2.2 Investigate the mechanical advantage of a lever by experimenting with the position of the
fulcrum, load, and effort.
3.1 Observe the effects of friction.
3.2 Examine variables that increase and decrease friction.
3.3 Discover one method of reducing friction.
4.1 Measure the amount of force needed to move an object a certain distance.
4.2 Predict how using wheels will affect the amount of force needed to move that same object the
same distance.
4.3 Observe how even the most primitive wheels reduce the amount of force needed to move an
object, and thereby the amount of work performed.
5.1 Assemble a tractor.
5.2 Investigate the transfer of force between the axles and the wheels of the tractor.
5.3 Discover the mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle simple machine.
6.1 Discover how traction affects the forward motion of a rotating object.
6.2 Discover how friction affects the distance a rotating object will travel.
7.1 Examine the structure of a gear.
7.2 Observe how gears interact to transfer force.
7.3 Discuss gear ration.
8.1 Construct a simple pulley.
8.2 Measure the force required to lift an object, with and without the use of a pulley.
8.3 Observe that a pulley reverses the direction of applied force.
9.1 Measure the amount of force needed to do a given amount of work, with and without the use
of an inclined plane.
9.2 Discover how an inclined plane enables them to use less force to do about the same amount
of work by distributing the force over a greater distance.
10.1 Observe the use of inclined planes in wedges.
10.2 Use a wedge to perform work.
10.3 Observe how wedges make doing work easier.
11.1 Build a model of a screw by wrapping an inclined plane around a cylinder.
11.2 Compare the force used to drive a screw with that used to drive a nail.
11.3 Discuss how screws make work easier.
12.1 Identify examples of simple machines found in the home.
12.2 Discuss the features of these household devices that make them simple machines.
12.3 Design and construct a mobile.