Science Standards
Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades,
by the end of Grade 4, students will:
Standard 5.8

(Earth Science) All students will gain an understanding of the structure, dynamics, and geophysical systems of earth.

Standard 5.8.3.A Earth’s Properties and Materials
Standard 5.8.3.A.1
Observe that most rocks and soils are made of several substances or minerals.
Standard 5.8.3.A.2
Observe that the properties of soil vary from place to place and will affect the soil’s ability to support life.
Standard 5.8.3.A.3
Recognize that fossils provide evidence about the plants and animals that lived long ago and the nature of the environment at that time.
Standard 5.8.3.B  Atmosphere and Water
Standard 5.8.3.B.1
Recognize that air is a substance that surrounds us, takes up space, and moves around us as wind.
Standard 5.8.3.B.2
Recognize that most of Earth’s surface is covered by water and be able to identify the characteristics of those sources of water.
· oceans
· rivers
· lakes
· underground sources
· glaciers
Standard 5.8.3.B.3
Observe weather changes and patterns by measurable quantities such as temperature, wind direction and speed, and amounts of precipitation.
Standard 5.8.3.B.4
Observe that when liquid water disappears, it turns into a gas (vapor) in the air and can reappear as a liquid when cooled, or as a solid if cooled below its freezing point.
Standard 5.8.3.B.5
Observe that rain, snow, and other forms of precipitation come from clouds, but that not all clouds produce precipitation.
Standard 5.8.3.B.6
Recognize that clouds and fog are made of tiny droplets of water and possibly tiny particles of ice.
Standard 5.8.3.C  Processes that Shape the Earth
Standard 5.8.3.C.1
Recognize that some changes of the Earth’s surface are due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid changes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
Standard 5.8.3.C.2
Recognize that moving water, wind, and ice continually shape the Earth’s surface by eroding rock and soil in some areas and depositing them in other areas.
Standard 5.8.3.D How We Study the Earth
Standard 5.8.3.D.1
Use maps to locate and identify physical features on the Earth.