We believe that Science should actively engage all students in the exploration of the natural world. By observing, communicating, comparing and organizing, and relating, students will learn to make reasoned decisions, and take relevant action.


EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

 Standard 1: Understands atmospheric processes and
the water cycle

Benchmark 1. Knows that water exists in the air in different forms (e.g., in clouds and fog as tiny droplets; in rain, snow, and hail) and changes from one form to another through various processes (e.g., freezing, condensation, precipitation, evaporation)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that water changes from one state to another through   various processes
    2. Knows that water changes from a gas to either a liquid or a solid              through precipitation
    3. Knows that water changes from a liquid to a solid through                  freezing
    4. Knows that water changes from a gas to a liquid through                      condensation
    5. Knows that water changes from a liquid to a gas through                  evaporation
    6. Knows that water exists in the air in different forms
    7. Knows that fog is made up of tiny droplets of water
    8. Knows that clouds are made up of droplets of water
    9. Knows that water can exist in the air as snow, rain or hail

Benchmark 2. Knows that the Sun provides the light and heat necessary to maintain the temperature of the Earth
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that the Sun provides the light necessary to maintain the         Earth’s temperature
    2. Knows that the Sun provides the heat necessary to maintain the         Earth’s temperature

Benchmark 3. Knows that air is a substance that surrounds us, takes up space, and moves around us as wind.

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that air is a substance that surrounds us
    2. Knows that air is a substance that takes up space
    3. Knows that air moves around us as wind



Benchmark 4. Knows that most of Earth’s surface is covered by water, that most of that water is salt water in oceans, and that fresh water is found in rivers, lakes, underground sources, and glaciers.

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that fresh water is found in glaciers
    2. Knows that most of the Earth’s surface is water
    3. Knows that most of the Earth’s water is salt water in oceans
    4. Knows that fresh water is found in rivers, lakes, and underground         sources

Standard 2: Understands Earth's composition and structure

Benchmark 1. Knows how features on the Earth’s surface are constantly changed by a combination of slow and rapid processes (e.g., slow processes, such as weathering, erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment caused by waves, wind, water, and ice; rapid processes, such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that features on the Earth’s surface are constantly changed         by slow processes
    2. Knows that features on the Earth’s surface are constantly changed          by rapid processes
    3. Knows that features on the Earth’s surface are constantly changed         by weathering and erosion
    4. Knows that features on the Earth’s surface are constantly changed         by transport and deposit of sediment
    5. Knows that features on the Earth’s surface are constantly changed         by wind, water, and ice
    6. Knows that landslides cause sudden changes in Earth’s features
    7. Knows that volcanic eruptions cause sudden changes in the                  Earth’s features
    8. Knows that earthquakes cause sudden changes in the Earth’s                  features

Benchmark 2. Knows that smaller rocks come from the breakage and weathering of larger rocks and bedrock
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that smaller rocks come from the breakage of bedrock
    2. Knows that smaller rocks come from the breakage of larger rocks
    3. Knows that smaller rocks come from the weathering of bedrock
    4. Knows that smaller rocks come from the weathering of larger rocks

Benchmark 3. Knows that rock is composed of different combinations of minerals

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic solids
    2. Knows that some rocks are composed of one mineral
    3. Knows that some rocks are composed of multiple minerals

Benchmark 4. Knows the composition and properties of soils (e.g., components of soil such as weathered rock, living organisms, products of plants and animals; properties of soil such as color, texture, capacity to retain water, ability to support plant growth)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the composition of soils
    2. Knows the properties of soils
    3. Knows that weathered rock is a component of soil
    4. Knows that living organisms are a component of soil
    5. Knows that plant products are a component of soil
    6. Knows that animal products are a component of soil
    7. Knows that color is a property of soil
    8. Knows that texture is a property of soil
    9. Knows that the capacity to retain water is a property of soil
    10. Knows that the ability to support plant growth is a property of soil

Benchmark 5. Knows that fossils provide evidence about the plants and animals that lived long ago and the nature of the environment at that time
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that fossils provide evidence about plants that lived long ago
    2. Knows that fossils provide evidence about animals that lived long ago
    3. Knows that fossils provide evidence about the nature of the environment         long ago

Standard 3 : Understands the composition and structure of the universe and the Earth's place in it

Benchmark 1. Knows that night and day are caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis

Knowledge/skill statements
    1.    Knows that night is caused by the Earth’s rotation on its axis
    2.    Knows that day is caused by the Earth’s rotation on its axis

Benchmark 2. Knows that the Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and that the Moon orbits the Earth

Knowledge/skill statements
    1.    Knows that the Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun
    2.    Knows that the Moon orbits around the Earth

Benchmark 3. Knows that the patterns of stars in the sky stay the same, although they appear to slowly move from east to west across the sky nightly and different stars can be seen in different seasons
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1.    Knows that the patterns of the stars stay the same
    2.    Knows that stars appear to move from east to west across the sky         nightly
    3.    Knows that different stars can be seen in different seasons

Benchmark 4. Knows that planets look like stars, but over time they appear to wander among the constellations

Knowledge/skill statements
    1.    Knows that planets look like stars
    2.    Knows that planets appear to wander among constellations over time

Benchmark 5. Knows that astronomical objects in space are massive in size and are separated from one another by vast distances (e.g., many stars are more massive than our Sun but so distant they look like points of light)
                   
Knowledge/skill statements
    1.    Knows that astronomical objects in space are massive in size
    2.    Knows that astronomical objects are separated from one another by         vast distances
    3.    Knows that many stars are more massive than our Sun
    4.    Knows that many stars are so distant they look like points of light

Benchmark 6. Knows that telescopes magnify distant objects in the sky (e.g., the Moon, planets) and dramatically increase the number of stars we can see

Knowledge/skill statements
    1.    Knows that telescopes magnify distant objects in the sky
    2.    Knows that telescopes increase the number of stars we can see
    3.    Knows that telescopes magnify the Moon and the planets

LIFE SCIENCE

Standard 4. Understands the principles of heredity
and related concepts

Benchmark 1. Knows that many characteristics of plants and animals are inherited from its parents (e.g., eye color in human beings, fruit or flower color in plants), and other characteristics result from an individual’s interactions with the environment (e.g., people’s table manners, ability to ride a bicycle)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that some characteristics of plants and animals are inherited         from their parents
    2. Knows that eye color in humans is inherited from parents
    3. Knows that fruit or flower color in plants is inherited from parents
    4. Knows that some characteristics come from an individual’s interactions         with the environment

Standard 5. Understands the structure and function
of cells and organisms

Benchmark 1. Knows that plants and animals progress through life cycles of birth, growth and development, reproduction, and death; the details of these life cycles are different for different organisms

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that plants and animals progress through life cycles
    2. Knows that the life cycle includes birth, growth, development,         reproduction, and death
    3. Knows that the details of life cycles are different for different organisms

Benchmark 2. Knows that living organisms have distinct structures and body systems that serve specific functions in growth, survival, and reproduction (e.g., various body structures for walking, flying, or swimming)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that organisms have distinct structures that serve specific         functions in growth, survival and reproduction
    2. Knows that organisms have distinct body structures for walking, flying         and swimming
    3. Knows that organisms have body systems that serve specific functions         in growth, survival and reproduction

Benchmark 3. Knows that the behavior of individual organisms is influenced by internal cues (e.g., hunger) and external cues (e.g., changes in the environment), and that humans and other organisms have senses that help them to detect these cues

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that the behavior of individuals is influenced by internal cues
    2. Knows that hunger is an example of an internal cue
    3. Knows that the behavior of individuals is influenced by external cues
    4. Knows that changes in the environment are examples of external cues
    5. Knows that humans and other organisms have senses to detect internal         and external cues

Standard 6. Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment

Benchmark 1. Knows the organization of simple food chains and food webs (e.g., green plants make their own food with sunlight, water, and air; some animals eat the plants; some animals eat the animals that eat the plants)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the organization of food chains and food webs
    2. Knows that green plants make their own food with sunlight, water, and         air
    3. Knows that some animals eat plants
    4. Knows that some animals eat the animals that eat the plants

Benchmark 2. Knows that the transfer of energy (e.g., through the consumption of food) is essential to all living organisms

Knowledge/skill statements
    1.    Knows that energy is transferred through the consumption of food

Benchmark 3. Knows that an organism's patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism's environment (e.g., kinds and numbers of other organisms present, availability of food and resources, physical characteristics of the environment)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that an organism’s pattern of behavior is related to the kinds and         number of organisms present in their environment
    2. Knows that an organism’s pattern of behavior is related to the         availability of food and resources in their environment
    3. Knows that an organism’s pattern of behavior is related to the physical         characteristics of their environment

Benchmark 4. Knows that changes in the environment can have different effects on different organisms (e.g., some organisms move in, others move out; some organisms survive and reproduce, others die)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that when the environment changes, some organisms survive         and reproduce
    2. Knows that when the environment changes, some organisms move in
    3. Knows that when the environment changes, some organisms move out
    4. Knows that when the environment changes, some organisms die

Benchmark 5. Knows that all organisms (including humans) cause changes in their environments, and these changes can be beneficial or detrimental

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that all organisms, including humans, cause changes in their         environment
    2. Knows that some changes an organism causes in their environment are         beneficial
    3. Knows that some changes an organism causes in their environment are         detrimental

Standard 7. Understands biological evolution and
the diversity of life

Benchmark 1. Knows different ways in which living things can be grouped (e.g., plants/animals, bones/no bones, insects/spiders, live on land/live in water) and purposes of different groupings

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows different ways that living things can be grouped
    2. Knows that living things can be grouped into categories such as         plants/animals
    3. Knows that living things can be grouped into categories such as         bones/no bones
    4. Knows living things can be grouped into categories such as                  insects/spiders
    5. Knows the purpose of different groupings
    6. Knows that living things can be grouped into categories such as live on             land/live on water

PHYSICAL SCIENCE

Standard 8. Understands the structure and properties of matter

Benchmark 1. Knows that matter has different states (i.e., solid, liquid, gas) and that each state has distinct physical properties; some common materials such as water can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that matter has different states
    2. Knows that matter can be a solid, liquid or gas
    3. Knows that each state of matter has distinct properties
    4. Knows that some common materials can be changed from one state to         another
    5. Knows that water can change from one state to another by heating or         cooling

Benchmark 2. Knows that the mass of a material remains constant whether it is together, in parts, or in a different state

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that the mass of a material remains constant when it’s together
    2. Knows that the mass of a material remains constant when it’s in parts
    3. Knows that the mass of a material remains constant when it’s in a         different state

Benchmark 3. Knows that substances can be classified by their physical and chemical properties (e.g., magnetism, conductivity, density, solubility, boiling and melting points)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that substances can be classified by physical properties
    2. Knows that substances can be classified by chemical properties
    3. Knows that substances can be classified by magnetism
    4. Knows that substances can be classified by conductivity
    5. Knows that substances can be classified by density
    6. Knows that substances can be classified by solubility
    7. Knows that substances can be classified by boiling point
    8. Knows that substances can be classified by melting point

Benchmark 4. Knows that materials may be composed of parts that are too small to be seen without magnification
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that magnification tools, such as microscopes, can be used to see         more than the eye allows
    2. Knows that materials are composed of parts that are extremely small
    3. Knows that the eye itself has a natural limit on the size of material that         it can see
 
Standard 9. Understands the sources and properties of energy

Benchmark 1. Knows the organization of a simple electrical circuit (e.g., battery or generator, wire, a complete loop through which the electrical current can pass)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that an electrical current needs a complete loop through which to         pass
    2. Knows that a simple electrical circuit can be formed from a battery,         wire, and a complete loop

Benchmark 2. Knows that light can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that light can be reflected
    2. Knows that light can be refracted
    3. Knows that light can be absorbed

Benchmark 3. Knows that the pitch of a sound depends on the frequency of the vibration producing it

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound
    2. Knows that high frequency vibrations produce high sounds
    3. Knows that low frequency vibrations produce low sounds


Standard 10. Understands forces and motion

Benchmark 1. Knows that magnets attract and repel each other and attract certain kinds of other materials (e.g., iron, steel)

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that magnets can attract or repel other magnets
    2. Knows that magnets attract certain kinds of materials
    3. Knows that magnets attract iron or steel

Benchmark 2. Knows that the Earth's gravity pulls any object toward it without touching it

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that gravity is not a physical object, but affects physical objects
    2. Knows that gravity is a property of the Earth

Benchmark 3. Knows that electrically charged material pulls on all other materials and can attract or repel other charged materials

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that electrically charged material pulls on other materials
    2. Knows that electrically charged material can attract other charged         materials
    3. Knows that electrically charged material can repel other charged         materials

Benchmark 4. Knows that when a force is applied to an object, the object either speeds up, slows down, or goes in a different direction

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that when force is applied to an object, the object might speed         up
    2. Knows that when force is applied to an object, the object might slow         down
    3. Knows that when force is applied to an object, the object might go in a         different direction

Benchmark 6. Knows the relationship between the strength of a force and its effect on an object (e.g., the greater the force, the greater the change in motion; the more massive the object, the smaller the effect of a given force)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows the more massive an object, the smaller the effect of a given         force
    2. Knows the greater the force, the greater the change in motion


NATURE OF SCIENCE

Standard 11. Understands the nature of scientific knowledge

Benchmark 1. Knows that although the same scientific investigation may give slightly different results when it is carried out by different persons, or at different times or places, the general evidence collected from the investigation should be replicable by others

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that the same scientific investigations may give different results         when done by different people
    2. Knows that the same scientific investigations may give different results         when done at different times
    3. Knows that the same scientific investigations may give different results         when done at different places
    4. Knows that the general evidence collected from investigations should be         replicable by others

Benchmark 2. Knows that good scientific explanations are based on evidence (observations) and scientific knowledge
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that good scientific explanations are based on evidence
    2. Knows that good scientific explanations are based on observations
    3. Knows that good scientific explanations are based on scientific         knowledge

Benchmark 3. Knows that scientists make the results of their investigations public; they describe the investigations in ways that enable others to repeat the investigations

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that scientists make the results of their investigations public
    2. Knows that scientists describe investigations in ways that enable others         to repeat the investigations

Benchmark 4. Knows that scientists review and ask questions about the results of other scientists' work

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that scientists review the results of other scientists’ work
    2. Knows that scientists ask questions about the results of other scientists’         work

Standard 12. Understands the nature of scientific inquiry

Benchmark 1. Knows that scientific investigations involve asking and answering a question and comparing the answer to what scientists already know about the world

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that scientific investigations involve asking and answerintg         questions
    2. Knows that scientific investigations involve comparing answers to what         scientists already know

Benchmark 2. Knows that scientists use different kinds of investigations (e.g., naturalistic observation of things or events, data collection, controlled experiments), depending on the questions they are trying to answer

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that scientists may use controlled experiments for investigations         depending on the question
    2. Knows that scientists may use naturalistic observation of things for         investigations depending on the question
    3. Knows that scientists may use naturalistic observation of events for         investigations depending on the question
    4. Knows that scientists may use data collection for investigations         depending on the question

Benchmark 3. Plans and conducts simple investigations (e.g., formulates a testable question, makes systematic observations, develops logical conclusions)
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Plans and conducts simple investigations
    2. Formulates a testable question
    3. Makes systematic observations
    4. Develops logical conclusions

Benchmark 4. Uses appropriate tools and simple equipment (e.g., thermometers, magnifiers, microscopes, calculators, graduated cylinders) to gather scientific data and extend the senses

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Uses tools and simple equipment to gather scientific data
    2. Uses tools and simple equipment to extend the senses
    3. Uses thermometers to gather scientific data
    4. Uses magnifiers to gather scientific data
    5. Uses microscopes to gather scientific data
    6. Uses calculators to gather scientific data
    7. Uses graduated cylinders to gather scientific data
    8. Uses thermometers to extend the senses
    9. Uses magnifiers to extend the senses
    10. Uses microscopes to extend the senses
    11. Uses calculators to extend the senses
    12. Uses graduated cylinders to extend the senses
    13.  Knows when the use of a thermometer for data gathering is         appropriate
    14 Knows when the use of a magnifier for data gathering is appropriate
    15. Knows when the use of a microscope for data gathering is appropriate
    16. Knows when the use of a calculator for data gathering is appropriate
    17. Knows when the use of a graduated cylinder for data gathering is         appropriate

Benchmark 5. Knows that different people may interpret the same set of observations differently

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that observations are always dependent upon individuals
    2. Knows that because individuals are not identical, their observations may         not be identical

Standard 13. Understands the scientific enterprise

Benchmark 1. Knows that people of all ages, backgrounds, and groups have made contributions to science and technology throughout history

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that people of all ages contribute to science and technology
    2. Knows that people of all backgrounds contribute to science and         technology
    3. Knows that people of all groups contribute to science and technology

Benchmark 2. Knows that although people using scientific inquiry have learned much about the objects, events, and phenomena in nature, science is an ongoing process and will never be finished

Knowledge/skill statements
    1. Knows that people using scientific inquiry have learned much about         objects in nature
    2. Knows that people using scientific inquiry have learned much about         events in nature
    3. Knows that people using scientific inquiry have learned much about         phenomena in nature
    4. Knows that science is an ongoing process that will never finish

Benchmark 3. Knows that scientists and engineers often work in teams to accomplish a task
 
Knowledge/skill statements
    1.    Knows that scientists work in teams to accomplish a task
    2.    Knows that engineers work in teams to accomplish a task