District 11 Educational Support Services
Science

 

Building Scientific Knowledge in Students:

Elementary science integrates and organizes student scientific knowledge through a foundation made up of 'Bricks" of Big Ideas put together with the "Mortar" of Unifying Concepts.

Basic Building Materials

 

Bricks (Content Knowledge and Process Skills):

Kindergarten – Beginnings

Grade 1 – Solids and Liquids; Organisms; Pebbles, Sand, and Silt                       

Grade 2 – Insects; Balance and Motion; Air and Weather

Grade 3 – Plant Growth and Development; Earth Materials; Space

Grade 4 – Chemical Tests; Human Body; Electric Circuits

Grade 5 – Landforms; Levers and Pulleys; Ecosystems

 

Elementary science integrates and organizes student scientific knowledge through a foundation made up of 'Bricks" of Big Ideas put together with the "Mortar" of Unifying Concepts.
Constancy and Change, Although most things are in the process of changing, some properties remain constant (ie. the speed of light). Order and Organization of Systems, A system consists of components/parts that interact. Interdependence, Living things interact with one another and their environment for existence and balance.
Change takes place over time. Patterns of interaction and change are useful in explaining landforms.

 5th Grade

 An ecosystem is a community of organisms that interact with each other and the environment. Humans may affect ecosystems in many ways.
Change takes place over time. Patterns of interaction and change are useful in explaining landforms. Levers and Pulleys are simple machine systems that can provide a mechanical advantage. An ecosystem is a community of organisms that interact with each other and the environment. Humans may affect ecosystems in many ways.
Parts of the human body interact and function for growth and survival. Humans have distinct body systems that are for form, movement, and protection.

 4th Grade

 Plants, other organisms, and their surroundings interact affecting the stages of the life cycle and structure of the plant for growth and reproduction.
  Chemistry is the study of the world around us, of chemicals, and how they interact.All forms of energy involve a system that is capable of exerting a force. A system will not work correctly if one of the components is missing, broken, worn-out, mismatched, or misconnected. Parts of the human body interact and function for growth and survival. Humans have distinct body systems that are for form, movement, and protection.
Our knowledge of space changes as new technology enables further discovery.

 3rd Grade

 Rocks have properties that reflect how they were formed and the minerals of which they are made.
Our knowledge of space changes as new technology enables further discovery.Rocks have properties that reflect how they were formed and the minerals of which they are made.   Plants, other organisms, and their surroundings interact affecting the stages of the life cycle and structure of the plant for growth and reproduction.
Weather conditions change over time. Changes can be organized, compared, and predicted.

 2nd Grade

 Insects have physical characteristics and structure, undergo changes within life cycles, and interact with each other and their environments.
Weather conditions change over time. Changes can be organized, compared, and predicted. The stability of a system is dependent upon the position of its components. Insects have physical characteristics and structure, undergo changes within life cycles, and interact with each other and their environments.
Physical properties of earth materials change over time.

 1st Grade

 Plants and animals form closely-knit systems that are independent.
Physical properties of earth materials change over time. Components of a system have specific physical properties. Solids and liquids have specific properties. Plants and animals form closely-knit systems that are independent.
Earth materials vary according to color, shape, texture, size, and quantity.

Kindergarten

 Living things have needs that they obtain from the environment.

Mortar (Bonds the K-12 Science Content Standards):

  •  Constancy and Change

  •  Interdependence

  •  Order and Organization of Systems

Blueprints

  • Attend science kit trainings

  • Teach all lessons in K-5 kits 

  • Emphasize unifying concepts

  • Utilize Embedded Assessment Package

  • Employ science notebooking

  • Integrate other curricular areas with science

  • Implement hands-on/minds-on teaching strategies

  • Take advantage of other professional development opportunities

Solid Foundation in Science

Elementary students with a deeper, more integrated understanding of science concepts and processes experience more success in secondary science. 

 

Materials That Enhance Architectural Design

  • Other unifying concepts:  Order and Chaos, Models and Scale, Form and Function, and others

  • Field experiences

  • Community resources:  guest speakers, interactive presentations, D11 OSCR (Office of School/Community Relations) catalog

  • Optional kits

Sample Units

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:

Parents

 

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