GLEN RIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Curriculum Guide

Course Title: Grade One Science

Subject: Science

Grade Level: Grade 1

Department/School: Science/Forest-Linden

Duration: Full Year

Number of Credits: N/A

Prerequisite: N/A

Elective or Required: N/A

Author: Lisa Petruzzi

Cheryl Snyder

Date Submitted: Summer 2004

Course Description

The first grade science curriculum will introduce and reinforce skills and concepts in the areas of Life Science (Kinds of Living Things), Physical Science (Magnets), and Earth Science (Earth’s Land and Water). Through hands-on, developmentally appropriate activities students will continue to develop the processing, critical thinking, and scientific reasoning skills used in the scientific process. These skills will be applied in practical, everyday situations.

GLEN RIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SCIENCE MISSION STATEMENT

The Glen Ridge Public School’s science curriculum seeks to develop scientifically literate life-long learners through a program that fosters a spirit of wonder, intellectual curiosity and collaborative problem solving that is authentic, hands-on, inquiry based and developmentally appropriate. This is done through the study of Life, Physical, Earth and Environmental science.

Our students will use the scientific method to understand and respond to questions about science, technology, and societal and world problems. Students will be challenged and encouraged to take risks and to develop critical thinking skills as they apply to real-world experiences.

New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards

Science

STANDARD 5.1 (SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES): ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP PROBLEM-SOLVING, DECISION-MAKING AND INQUIRY SKILLS, REFLECTED BY FORMULATING USABLE QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES, PLANNING EXPERIMENTS, CONDUCTING SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATIONS, INTERPRETING AND ANALYZING DATA, DRAWING CONCLUSIONS, AND COMMUNICATING RESULTS.

STANDARD 5.2 (SCIENCE AND SOCIETY): ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PEOPLE OF VARIOUS CULTURES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND HOW MAJOR DISCOVERIES AND EVENTS HAVE ADVANCED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

STANDARD 5.3 (MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS): ALL STUDENTS WILL INTEGRATE MATHEMATICS AS A TOOL FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING IN SCIENCE, AND AS A MEANS OF EXPRESSING AND/OR MODELING SCIENTIFIC THEORIES.

STANDARD 5.4 (NATURE AND PROCESS OF TECHNOLOGY): ALL STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOP A CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURE AND PROCESS OF TECHNOLOGY.

STANDARD 5.5 (CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE): ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE, CHARACTERISTICS, AND BASIC NEEDS OF ORGANISMS AND WILL INVESTIGATE THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE.

STANDARD 5.6 (CHEMISTRY): ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOR OF MATTER.

STANDARD 5.7 (PHYSICS): ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL LAWS AS THEY APPLY TO MOTION, FORCES, AND ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS.

STANDARD 5.8 (EARTH SCIENCE): ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE, DYNAMICS, AND GEOPHYSICAL SYSTEMS OF THE EARTH.

STANDARD 5.9 (ASTRONOMY and SPACE SCIENCE): ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORIGIN, EVOLUTION, AND STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE.

STANDARD 5.10 (ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES): ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENVIRONMENT AS A SYSTEM OF INTERDEPENDENT COMPONENTS AFFECTED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY AND NATURAL PHENOMENA.

Curriculum Description

UNIT 1- KINDS OF LIVING THINGS

Standards 5.3, 5.4, 5.5

Goal: Students will be able to acquire the skills needed to examine and differentiate between plants and animals.

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Investigate the basic needs of humans and other organisms. (CCS 5.5A.1)

2. Compare and contrast characteristics of living and nonliving things. (CCS 5.5A.2)

3. Recognize that different types of plants and animals live, and once lived (extinction), in different parts of the world. (CCS 5.5B.1, 5.5B.2)

4. Recognize similarities among humans and other organisms. (CCS 5.5C.1)

5. Use tables and graphs to represent and interpret data. (CCS 5.3D.1)

6. Use appropriate scientific tools to complete observations and experiments. (CCS 5.4B.1)

7. Make a plan to design a solution to a problem. (CCS 5.4C.1)

8. Describe how plant and animal parts work together. (CCS 5.4C.2)

Activities:

- Observe, examine, classify, and record similarities and differences among plants and animals.

- Identify/record various plants and animals in schoolyard/classroom environment.

- Observe, identify, and record similarities among plants in classroom environment.

- Sort plants according to similar characteristics.

- Observe, identify, and record similarities and differences among animals.

- Utilize literature and Internet resources to supplement lessons.

Duration to teach: 5 weeks, at 120 minutes per week.

UNIT 2-MAGNETS

Standards 5.3, 5.4, 5.7

Goal: Students will gain knowledge of motion and forces.

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Distinguish among different ways objects move. (CCS 5.7A.1)

2. Show that the position and motion of an object can be changed by pushing or pulling the object. (CCS 5.7A.2)

3. Demonstrate that sound can be produced by vibrating objects. (CCS 5.7B.1)

4. Use tables and graphs to represent and interpret data. (CCS 5.3D.1)

5. Use appropriate scientific tools to complete observations and experiments. (CCS 5.4B.1)

6. Make a plan to design a solution to a problem. (CCS 5.4C.1)

7. Describe how parts work together to form a dynamic whole. (CCS 5.4C.2)

Activities:

- Explore pushing and pulling through use of magnetic force.

- Observe, experiment and classify objects that are attracted and not attracted by magnets.

- Measure the strengths of various parts of a magnet, and graph results.

- Observe, experiment and record the attraction and repelling of magnetic poles.

- Predict, experiment and record pushing and pulling of magnets relative to positions.

- Utilize literature and Internet resources to supplement lessons.

- Use musical instruments to explore the production of sound through vibrations.

- Activities relative to sound and vibration will be covered through music instruction.

Duration to teach: 5 weeks, at 120 minutes per week

UNIT 3-EARTH’S LAND AND WATER

Standards 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.8

Goal: Students will gain an understanding of Earth’s properties and materials (soil, rocks, and water).

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Observe, describe and classify rocks, soil and water. (CCS 5.6A.1, 5.6A.2, 5.8A.1)

2. Identify sources and uses of water. (CCS 5.8B.1)

3. Recognize different properties of water. (CCS 5.8B.2, 5.6A.3)

4. Observe features of the natural world in local environments. (CCS 5.8D.1)

5. Use tables and graphs to represent and interpret data. (CCS 5.3D.1)

6. Use appropriate scientific tools to complete observations and experiments. (CCS 5.4B.1)

7. Make a plan to design a solution to a problem. (CCS 5.4C.1)

8. Describe how parts work together to form a dynamic whole. (CCS 5.4C.2)

Activities:

- Observation and classification of various rocks and soil.

- Observation of interaction between water and soil.

- Exploring the movement of water.

- Record various uses of water at home and school.

- Utilize literature and Internet resources to supplement lessons.

Duration to teach: 5 weeks, at 120 minutes per week

UNIT 4-WEATHER AND SEASONS

Standards 5.3, 5.4, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9

Goal: Students will gain an understanding of the dynamics of the Earth and universe, related to weather.

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Identify sources, reflection, and absorption of light. (CCS 5.7B.2)

2. Describe current weather conditions and recognize how they affect our daily lives. (CCS 5.8B.3)

3. Describe daily and seasonal changes and patterns in the weather. (CCS 5.8B.4)

4. Recognize that the sun supplies heat and light to the Earth. (CCS 5. 9A.1)

5. Observe patterns of day and night and the movement of shadows. (CCS 5.9A.2)

6. Recognize times of day and night when the sun and moon can be seen. (CCS 5.9B.1)

7. Observe that stars are many, scattered, and differ in brightness. (CCS 5.9C.1)

8. Observe that the positions of constellations are unchanging. (CCS 5.9C.2)

9. Use tables and graphs to represent and interpret data. (CCS 5.3D.1)

10. Use appropriate tools to complete observations and experiments. (CCS 5.4B.1)

Activities:

The following activities will take place during routine morning meetings.

- Daily observation, discussion, and recording of weather conditions.

- Monthly graphing of weather conditions.

- Comparing/contrasting seasonal changes.

- Utilize technology and literary resources related to weather.

Duration to teach: 5-10 minutes per day, daily throughout the school year.

UNIT 5-KEEPING FIT AND HEALTHY

Standard 5.10

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Associate organisms basic needs with how they meet those needs within their surroundings. (CCS 5.10A.1)

2. Identify various needs of humans that are supplied by the natural or constructive environment. (CCS 5.10B.1)

These objectives will be covered in the Health curriculum.

List of Texts, Resources, and/or Literature:

· New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards

· Scope and Sequence

· Authentic literature to correspond with themes

· Houghton Mifflin Science Discovery Works