BELLE VERNON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

GENERAL SYLLABUS OUTLINE

**This syllabus is subject to change**

Course Name:

Science

Grade:

5

1.)

Course Description:

Fifth grade science is designed to introduce the students the concepts of the life, physical and earth

sciences to impact a broad understanding of the interdependency of each one.  Students engage in

activities intended to develop process skills such as hypothesizing, classifying, predicting, and

experimenting.  Students will then be expected to share conclusions and knowledge gained through a

variety of assessments.

2.)

Learning Standards:

3.1

Unifying Themes of Science

3.2

Inquiry and Design

3.3

Biological Science

3.4

Physical Science, Chemistry and Physics

3.5

Earth Science

4.1

Watersheds and Wetlands

4.2

Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

4.3

Environmental Health

4.4

Agriculture and Society

4.5

Integrated Pest Management

4.6

Ecosystems and their Interactions

4.7

Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species

4.8

Humans and the Environment

4.9

Environmental Health

3.)

Student Objectives:

3.1.4     Unifying Themes

v

Know that natural and human-made objects are made up of parts.

v

Know models as useful simplifications of objects or processes.

v

Illustrate patterns that regularly occur and reoccur in nature.

v

Know that scale is an important attribute of natural and human make objects, events

and phenomena.

v

Recognize change in natural and physical systems.

3.2.4     Inquiry and Design

v

Identify and use the nature of scientific and technological knowledge.

v

Describe objects in the world using the five senses.

v

Recognize and use the elements of scientific inquiry to solve problems.

v

Recognize and use the technological design process to solve problems.

3.3.4     Biological Sciences

v

Know the similarities and differences of living things.

v

Know that living things are made up of parts that have specific functions.

v

Know that characteristics are inherited and, thus, offspring, closely resemble their parents.

v

Identify changes in living things over time.

3.4.4     Physical Science, Chemistry, and Physics

v

Recognize basic concepts about the structure and properties of matter.

4.1.4     Watersheds and Wetlands

v

Identify various types of water environments.

v

Explain the differences between moving and still water.

v

Identify living things found in water environments.

v

Identify a wetland and the plants and animals found there.

v

Recognize the impact of watersheds and wetlands on animals and plants.

4.2.4     Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

v

Identify needs of people.

v

Identify products derived from natural resources.

v

Know that some natural resources have limited life spans.

v

Identify by-products and their use of natural resources.

4.3.4     Environmental Health

v

Know that plants, animals, and humans are dependent on air and water.

v

Identify how human actions affect environmental health.

v

Understand that the elements of natural systems are interdependent.

4.4.4     Agriculture and Society

v

Know the importance of agriculture to humans.

v

Identify the role of the sciences in Pennsylvania agriculture.

v

Know that food and fiber originate from plants and animals.

v

Identify technology and energy use associated with agriculture.

4.5.4     Integrated Pest Management

v

Know types of pests.

v

Explain pest control.

v

Understand society's need for integrated pest management.

4.6.4     Ecosystems and their Interactions

v

Understand that living things are dependent on nonliving things in the environment for

survival.

v

Understand the concept of cycles.

v

Identify how ecosystems change over time.

4.7.4     Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species

v

Identify differences in living things.

v

Know that adaptation are important for survival.

v

Define and understand extinction.

4.8.4     Humans and the Environment

v

Identify the biological requirements of humans.

v

Know that environmental conditions influence where and how people live.

v

Explain how human activities may change the environment.

v

Know the importance of natural resources in daily life.

4.9.4     Environmental Laws and Regulations

v

Know that there are laws and regulations for the environment.

4.)

Course Text:

v  McGraw-Hill Science, Moyer, Daniel, Hackett, Baptiste, Stryker, Vasquez

5.)

Major Units or Themes:  (Include the following)

v     Unit A:  Structures of Plants and Animals

Chapter 1

Plants and Their Parts

Chapter 2

Plant Diversity

Chapter 3

Animal Diversity

v     Unit B:  Interactions of Living Things

Chapter 4

Ecosystems

Chapter 5

Populations and Ecosystems

v     Unit C:  Earth and Its Resources

Chapter 6

Rock and Minerals

Chapter 7

Air, Water, and Energy

v     Unit D:  Weather and Climate

Chapter 8

Weather

Chapter 9

Weather Patterns and Climate

v     Unit E:  Properties of Matter and Energy

Chapter 10

Properties and Structures of Matter

Chapter 11

Forms of Matter and Energy

6.)

Teaching Methods:

v     Demonstration

v     Lecture/Discussion

v     Investigations/Labs

v     Class Discussion

v     Facilitated Inquiry

7.)

Assessment:

The following assessment styles are basic to the entire curriculum.  The assessment listed are not

intended for each chapter/unit nor are each chapter/unit limited to the assessments listed.

v     Tests/Quizzes

v     Daily Assignments/Homework

v     Notebooks

v     Essay Questions

v     Projects

v     Reports

**Curriculum is designed to meet the needs of students each current year and may be adjusted

accordingly.**