4th Grade Science

Major topics are found along the left.
Students will be guided through the material found in these references.
Curriculum Standards are listed in the right hand column.

4-S Science Stumpers
Human Body Systems
 What are human beings made of?  4th grade students study the systems that make up the human body. Each body system is comprised of organs; student will study  these, their functions, and the way all systems interact with one another. 4th graders will be exposed to the
Nervous, Muscular, Skeletal, Digestive, Endocrine, Integumentary, Immune, Reproductive, Circulatory, and Respiratory.  Play these games!
 5.5A.4
Atomic Structure
  1. What is matter? Try this experiment.
  2. What phases does matter exist in?
  3. Physical properties of matter:  density, color, buoyancy, viscosity, smell, boiling point, and freezing point are examples.
  4. Compare physical and chemical properties.  (explore this site)
  5. Measuring matter and graphing its properties.  Conduct the "Penny Lab."
  6. Solids, liquids, and gases? 
  7. M and M Mysteries can be solved with the properties of matter!
  8. Matter mobile
  9. Conduct this activity to determine the difference between chemical and physical changes.

Image from Seminars in Science Class Earth Inside and Out Week 5 Essay 1



This photo was taken by a student of Seminars in Science, The Earth: Inside and Out (Lorraine Bertan)
Huronian conglomerate from AMNH
 Earth Patterns
Rocks come in three types!  Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic.

Is the picture (left) an igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rock?  Do rocks float? Conduct this experiment and  make applications.

Museum of Natural History Earth Science Videos

Project: Design an App! Protect residents from volcanic eruptions!
 5.8.C.2
Volcanoes and hot spots
 Volcanoes create islands; Hot spots and volcanoes, more hot spots, volcanoes, and "Volcano World."
Plate tectonics power point
Interactive map of seismic activity, make a device to test for earthquake-readiness, build a building that withstands earthquakes, plate tectonics, marshmallow earthquake science, build a model, Redoubt volcano, the rock cycle,  the mid-ocean ridge, everything earth science (references), look to the right and above the lava field. This is an example of a fault - a place where layers of the Earth's crust split apart.     Iris animations. Earthquake in Haiti.  Virtual earthquakes can be experienced here and here. You can "make-a-quake" here!  Here is a play on words "As the World Churns."
 5.3 D,  5.8.C.1,2,  
This photo was shared by Lorraine Bertan as part of a Seminars in Science Class

The Grand Canyon.

Erosion, deposition, volcanic activity, mountain building, compaction, and sedimentation - all work together to shape the earth. (Click on the animation of the Earth through history at left)


Here is a fun resource! Try this one too!
Useful electricity.
Make a DC motor.

 5.1  A3,  5.1 C2, 5.1 C3,5.7 A1, A2, A3, 5.7 B3,






Light and Sound
 Optics and sound are interesting.  4th graders will be guided through these references, and explore light and sound.
1.  Nature and Behavior of Light
2.  Light (Chapter 27)
3.  Color (Chapter 28)
3.  Reflection & Refraction (Chapter 29)
4.  Lenses (Chapter 30)


5.7 (4)B.2, 5.1 (4)A.1,
5.4(4)B.1,
5.7(4)B.3
Our Impact on the environment
 Crash! A Tale of Two Species
Find out how two seemingly unrelated organisms interact with one another.  Is man doing anything that will change the dynamics between these two?
Carbon Cycle game
Nature: Hummingbirds - Magic in the Air
Something fishy
 		5.10 B.1

Waves Interactive.


Science of the Olympics

Science Reference Sites
Volcano references
References for Arbor Science Activities
Earth Learning
Science Reference organized by topic
Can we adjust the sun's heat!
Time Lapse of Shuttle Launch
http://www.tasagraphicarts.com/