Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

• A common vocabulary is needed to communicate about the scientific procedure.
• A well designed investigation involves the use of a written plan that identifies the materials to be used, the procedure to follow, and the variables. A plan needs to be followed to make sure all steps in an investigation are completed.
• A scientist uses many tools when conducting an investigation.
• Complete data makes it possible to explain the results of an investigation and compare it with the prediction.
• When data is analyzed, the results can be communicated in a variety of ways.
• Our senses help us learn about the world around us. Our senses enable us to classify and compare objects.
• Materials can be mixed and separated given the appropriate tools.
• Rocks can be sorted by size, color, shape. Soil is a mixture of humus, clay, silt, sand, and gravel.
• Fossils are evidence of living organisms from many years ago that have been preserved.
• Many building materials come from the earth.
• Technology makes it easier to do work.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

• What common vocabulary should be used when conducting an investigation?
• Why should we follow a plan when conducting an investigation?
• What tools are available to gather data when conducting an investigation?
• How does data help us explain our investigation? What are some of the ways we can collect data?
• How can we communicate the results of our investigation to others?
• How can we use our senses to learn about the world around us? What are some ways objects can be classified?
• How can different materials be mixed and sorted?
• What are the physical properties of rocks, soils, and minerals? What are some uses for rocks, soils, and minerals?
• How can we learn about living things that we in existence long before us?
• What are some building materials we get from the earth?
• How has technology changed our lives?

Standards
Highest Frequency Standards High Frequency Standards Other Standards & E-skills

Standard 1: Students understand the processes of scientific investigation and design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigations. (1.a., 1.d.)
Standard 2: Students know and understand common properties, forms, and changes in matter and energy. (2.1.a., 2.1.c., 2.2.a., 2.3.c. )
Standard 4: Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth's system, and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space. (4.1.a., 4.3.b.)
Standard 5: Students know and understand interrelationships among science, technology and human activity and how they can effect the world. (5.a., 5.d.)
Standard 6: Students understand that science involves a particular way of knowing and understand common connections among scientific disciplines. (6.a.,6.d.) 

Other Essential Skills: Students are expected to:

• develop a growing curiosity and interest in the physical world around them.
• observe, describe, and sort earth materials based on properties.
• separate earth materials by size using different techniques.
• observe the similarities and differences in the materials in a river rock mixture: silt, sand, gravel, and small and large pebbles.
• explore places where earth materials are found and ways that earth materials are used.
• compare the ingredients in different soils.
• acquire the vocabulary associated with earth materials.
• Gain early experiences that will contribute to their understanding of several pervasive themes that relate one scientific idea to another: Structure, Change, and Interaction

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

• Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Lessons