Rick Bernard

Northern Cambria School District

Curriculum Map

Course Name: 5th Grade Science

Course Description:
The goal of 5th grade Science is to guide and inform students as they use scientific
inquiry and the scientific process to explore life, earth, physical and chemical sciences.
Technological design will also be integrated throughout the science kits. This is
accomplished through readings, note taking, worksheets, various online
activities/programs and hands-on activities that require students to work independently
and cooperatively in the science classroom.
Unit Names: Living Systems 1st 9 weeks; Motion & Design 2nd 9 weeks; Mixtures
and Solutions 3rd 9 weeks; Earth, Sun and Planets 4th 9 weeks

Course Resources:
● FOSS and Science & Technology Kits
● Textbooks:

Scott Foresman Science—Cooney, Timothy, et al. Scott Foresman Science.
Pearson Education Inc., 2003, www.sfscience.com.
Foss Science Resources—Foss Science Resources Grade 5. Delta Education, 2016,
www.foxnextgeneration.com.

● IXL Platform
● Notebook, worksheets, investigation materials, numerous online sources, &
Google Classroom

End of Course Outcomes:
At the end of Living Systems a student should be able to
● Compare and contrast the similarities and differences in life cycles of different
organisms
● Explain the concept of a cell and the basic unit of life
● Differentiate between inherited and acquired traits
● Describe how organisms meet their needs (stimulus and response)
● Give examples of how inherited characteristics may change over time with
adaptations
● Understand that a subsystem is a system that operates as part of a larger system
● Analyze, develop and understand theories
● Classify animals according to characteristics
At the end of Motion and Design a student should be able to
● Identify a simple problem

● Propose and implement a solution
● Use scientific investigation to develop models and blueprints
● Understand the importance of observation and problem solving
● Develop descriptions, explanations, and predictions using models as evidence
● Analyze data to improve models and operations
● Understand science a human endeavor
● Explain how mass of an object resists change to motion
● Explain how energy can be transferred from one form to another
● Compare and contrast objects with potential and kinetic energy in everyday
situations
At the end of Mixtures and Solutions a student should be able to
● Describe how water can be changed from one state to another by adding or
taking away heat
● Understand heat energy is a byproduct of an energy transformation
● Understand structure and properties of matter and apply to daily experiences
● Use mathematics and computational thinking
● Analyze and interpret data
● Compare and Contrast physical and chemical properties and changes
● Identify elements on the periodic table
At the end of Earth, Sun and Planets a student should be able to
● Understand the properties of the hydrosphere and lithosphere
● Compare and Contrast human actions and their impact on the environment
● Analyze how human activities affect the environment
● Describe the planetary system and its characteristics
● Identify various constellations
● Explain the water cycle and its importance in maintaining balance in our daily
lives
● Analyze and interpret data
● Understand and explain the concepts of rotation, revolution, and orbit
● Explain the influence of the sun on weather and climate
● Understand the characteristics of the sun and how life on earth depends on its
energy

Major Subject Area Academic Standards Addressed:
Living Systems: (FOSS) PS3.D; LS1.C; LS.D; LS2.B; ESS2.A; ESS3.C
● The Cell 3.1.5A5; 3.1.5.A9
● Systems (Nutrient, Transport, and Sensory) 3.1.5.C1; 3.1.5.C1; 3.4.5.A2
● Living Things 3.1.5.B1; 3.1.5.B6;
● Microscope 3.1.5.A5
● Animal Classification 3.1.5.B1; 3.1.5.B6; 3.1.5.C2; 3.1.5.C4;
● Food Webs 3.1.5A3; 3.1.5.A9; 3.4.5.E2

Motion and Design (Science and Technology) (3.2.5; 3.3.5; 3.4.5)

● Motion 3.2.5.B1; 3.2.5.B2
● Gravity 3.2.5.B1; 3.2.5.B2
● Energy 3.2.5.B2; 3.2.5.B4; 3.2.5.B5; 3.4.5.E6
● Blueprints/Three View Drawing 3.3.5.A7; 3.4.5.C1; 3.4.5.C3; 3.4.5.E3
● Flight 3.4.5.A1; 3.4.5.B3; 3.4.5.C3
● Potential/Kinetic Energy 3.2.5.B2; 3.4.5.D1; 3.4.5.E5
● Central Tendency 3.3.5.A7; 3.4.5.D2
● Space Travel 3.4.5.A1; 3.4.5.B4; 3.4.5.D2
Mixtures and Solutions (FOSS) PS1.A; PS1.B
● Periodic Table 3.2.5.B2; 3.2.5.B3; 3.2.5.B7
● Atoms 3.2.5.B2; 3.2.5.B3; 3.2.5.B7
● Mixtures, Solutions, and Compounds 3.2.5.B2; 3.2.5.B3; 3.2.5.B7
● Physical and Chemical Properties 3.2.5.B2; 3.2.5.B3; 3.2.5.B7
● Water Cycle 3.2.5.A1; 3.2.5.A6; 3.3.5.A4; 3.3.5.A5
Earth and Sun (FOSS) ESS1.A & B; PS2.B; PS1.A; ESS2.A; ESS2.C; ESS3.C;
ETS.1.B & C
● Sun 3.1.5.A2; 3.1.5.A9
● Shadows 3.1.5.A2; 3.3.5.B1; 3.3.5.B3
● Planets 3.1.5.A2; 3.3.5.B1; 3.3.5.B3
● Stars 3.1.5.A2; 3.3.5.B1; 3.3.5.B3
● Apollo 11 Space Mission 3.3.5.A7; 3.3.5.B3; 3.4.5.B1
● Atmospheric Layers/Lithospheric plates 3.3.5.A3
● Heating the Earth 3.2.5.A1; 3.2.5.B2; 3.2.5.B3
Course Concepts by Sequence with Short Description:
****See Major Subject Area and Academic Standards Addressed to view this
information
Student Assessments:
Formative Assessments
Assessment of students is conducted on a day to day basis regarding the
progress of learning in the classroom.
Informal assessments consist of observations conducted during group work, Bell
Ringers, collaborative lab work, and day to day discussions. In this way an instructor
can be flexible in the learning environment, assess the students in their learning, and
make adjustments in the present moment.
Formative assessments: Worksheets, Study guides, Quizzes, Notebook checks,
Lab sheets. This is a higher level of assessment that involves more reflection on both
the instructor and the students. From here the instructor can assess the lessons and
the investigations within the unit and plan accordingly.
Summative Assessments

Summative assessments are much larger assessments. This is a reflection on
the student learning as a whole. Overall the summative assessments involve Unit
Exams and Performance Based Assessments.
Grading:
*Students are graded based on the grading scale provided by the district
*Grades are recorded in Sapphire and based on rubrics by the instructor