2008 - 2009
5th Grade Science Pacing Guide
THE GOAL FOR EACH STUDENT IS PROFICIENCY IN ALL REQUIREMENTS AT CURRENT AND PREVIOUS GRADES.
Enduring Understanding: Scientists demonstrate and apply knowledge of science using
appropriate safety procedures, equipment, and technology.
a. Essential Question: What are the appropriate safety procedures?
b. Essential Question: How should lab equipment be used?
c. Essential Question: How is technology used?
d. Essential Question: How has technology advanced science inquiry?
First Nine Weeks
UNDERLYING THEME: Foundations
1. Enduring Understanding: Science is the study of the natural world, in which knowledge
changes as new observations and discoveries are made.
1a. Essential Question: How do scientists explain the natural world?
NS.1.5.7
Summarize the characteristics of science
1b. Essential Question: Why is it necessary for scientists to use the scientific method when
conducting experiments?
NS.1.5.1
NS.1.5.9
Make accurate observations
Define and give examples of hypotheses
1c. Essential Question: How does conducting multiple experiments and selecting an appropriate
variable help scientists prove or disprove hypotheses?
NS.1.5.2
NS.1.5.6
NS.1.5.5
Identify and define components of experimental design used to produce empirical evidence:
hypothesis, replication, sample size, appropriate use of control, use of standardized variables
Develop and implement strategies for long-term, accurate data collection
Communicate results and conclusions from scientific inquiry
2. Enduring Understanding: Scientists use data to support their work.
2a. Essential Question: How can the mean, median, mode, and range be used to help a scientist
prove or disprove a hypothesis?
M.12.5.3
Establish through experience the prefixes of milli-, centi-, and kilo-
NS.1.5.3
Calculate mean, median, mode, and range from scientific data using SI units
2b. Essential Question: What data display is appropriate for a given set of scientific data?
NS.1.5.4
Interpret scientific data using:
data tables/charts, bar graphs, circle graphs, line graphs, stem and leaf plots, Venn diagrams
3. Enduring Understanding: The atom is the fundamental building block of all matter.
3a. Essential Question: How can the structure of an atom be used to predict its properties?
PS.5.5.1
Identify the relationship of atom s to all matter
4. Enduring Understanding: The states of matter can be described and used to explain the
behavior of matter.
4a. Essential Question: How does the position of molecules relate to the structure of matter?
PS.5.5.6
PS.5.5.8
PS.5.5.9
Explain how heat influences the states of matter of a substance:
solid, liquid, gas, plasma
Model the motion and position of molecule s in solids, liquids, and gases in terms of kinetic energy
Conduct investigations demonstrating expansion and contraction
5. Enduring Understanding: Matter can be identified by observable and measurable properties.
5a. Essential Question: What distinguishes one substance from another?
PS.5.5.3
Identify common examples of physical properties:
length, mass, area, perimeter, texture, taste, odor, color, elasticity
5th Grade
Science Pacing Guide
7-09
2008 - 2009
6. Enduring Understanding: Earth’s crust is continually undergoing changes.
6a. Essential Question : How do scientists use physical properties to identify rocks?
ESS.8.5.7
Identify characteristics of sedimentary, igneous , and metamorphic rocks
ESS.8.5.9
Classify the three basic types of rocks
6b. Essential Question: What is the relationship between sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic
rocks?
Compare and contrast by investigation characteristics of the three basic types of rocks:
ESS.8.5.8
ESS.8.5.13
sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic
Describe and illustrate the rock cycle
6c. Essential Question: How do the processes of erosion, weathering, and deposition affect the
formation of soil?
ESS.8.5.11
Investigate the formation of soil
ESS.8.5.12
Conduct investigations on sedimentation
7. Enduring Understanding: Minerals are naturally formed solids with a crystalline structure.
7a. Essential Question: What is the relationship between the Periodic Table of Elements and
minerals?
ESS.8.5.1
Identify some basic elements composing minerals:
silicon, oxygen. Iron, sodium, chlorine, calcium, carbon, hydrogen, aluminum
7b. Essential Questions: How are physical properties used to identify minerals?
ESS.8.5.3
ESS.8.5.4
ESS.8.5.5
Identify characteristics of minerals
Conduct investigations on mineral properties:
luster, hardness, streak, acid test for calcite, fluorescence
Identify the following minerals:
halite (salt), feldspar, sulfur, quartz, diamonds, gypsum, calcite, talc, hematite (iron),
7c. Essential Question: Why are minerals important natural resources for Arkansans?
ESS.8.5.6
Identify minerals found in Arkansas:
bauxite, diamonds, quartz, galena
7d. Essential Question: What is the relationship between minerals and crystals?
ESS.8.5.2
Investigate the growth of crystals
8. Enduring Understanding: The periodic change of the structure of the earth’s crust over time
results in fossils, providing evidence of how life and the environment once existed.
8a. Essential Question: What evidence supports the idea that the surface of the earth has
changed over time?
ESS.9.5.1
Explain and give examples of how physical evidence from fossil s supports the theory that Earth has
changed over time
ESS.9.5.2
Analyze fossil record evidence about plants and animals that lived long ago
ESS.9.5.3
Infer the nature of ancient environment s based on fossil record evidence
5th Grade
Science Pacing Guide
7-09
2008 - 2009
Second Nine Weeks
UNDERLYING THEME: Transformers
9. Enduring Understanding: Matter can be physically changed without rearranging the structure
of its molecules.
9a. Essential Question: How can objects be physically changed?
PS.5.5.4
PS.5.5.6
PS.5.5.7
PS.5.5.2
PS.5.5.5
State characteristics of physical changes
Explain how heat influences the states of matter of a substance:
solid, liquid, gas, plasma
Demonstrate the effect of changes in the physical properties of matter
Conduct scientific investigations on physical properties of objects
Identify characteristics and common examples of physical changes
10. Enduring Understanding: Light behaves differently as it interacts with different kinds of
matter.
10a. Essential Question: How does light interact with matter?
PS.7.5.1
Summarize how light can interact with matter through absorption , refraction , and reflection
PS.7.5.2
PS.7.5.3
Investigate how light travels and interacts with an object or material
Conduct investigations demonstrating how an object can be seen
10b. Essential Question: How does light travel through different types of matter?
PS.7.5.4
Design and conduct investigations of transparent, translucent , and opaque as applied to light
10c. Essential Question: As light interacts with matter, how is color perception affected?
PS.7.5.5
Investigate physical interactions of light and matter and the effect on color perception:
refraction, absorption, transmission, scattering
11. Enduring Understanding: A force is needed to change the motion of an object.
11a. Essential Question: What is the relationship between motion and force?
PS.6.5.4
PS.6.5.5
PS.6.5.6
Compare and contrast potential energy and kinetic energy as applied to motion
Classify real world examples as potential energy or kinetic energy as applied to motion
Conduct investigations using potential energy and kinetic energy
12. Enduring Understanding: Humans use simple machines every day.
12a. Essential Question: How do scientists classify simple machines?
PS.6.5.1
Classify simple machines
12b. Essential Question: How do humans use simple machines to make new discoveries?
PS.6.5.2
PS.6.5.3
Conduct investigations using:
levers (e.g., toothbrush), pulleys, inclined planes-ramps, wedges, screws, wheels and axles
Relate simple machines to inventions and discoveries
5th Grade
Science Pacing Guide
7-09
2008 - 2009
Third Nine Weeks
UNDERLYING THEME: Who's Who?
13. Enduring Understanding: All living organisms are made up of cells, which are the building
blocks of life.
13a. Essential Question: How has the cell theory changed over time?
NS.1.5.8
LS.2.5.1
Explain the role of observation in the development of a theory
Compare the cell theory to the characteristics of a scientific theory
13b. Essential Question: Why are microscopes necessary to see cells?
LS.2.5.2
Examine cells on a microscopic level
13c. Essential Question: How do the parts of a cell relate to the function of the whole cell?
LS.2.5.4
LS.2.5.3
Model and identify the parts of animal cells and plant cell s:
cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplast
Describe the similarities of basic cell functions in all organisms
13d. Essential Question: How do plant cell processes differ from animal cell processes?
LS.2.5.5
Compare and contrast plant and animal cell s
14. Enduring Understanding: Plants transform the sun’s energy to make their own food for
energy through the process of photosynthesis.
14a. Essential Question: How are plant pigments related to photosynthesis?
LS.2.5.7
Identify the role of chlorophyll in the process of photosynthesis
LS.2.5.8
LS.2.5.6
Explain and illustrate photosynthesis
Conduct investigations to separate plant pigments from the cell
14b. Essential Question: How is the process of cellular respiration related to photosynthesis?
LS.2.5.9
LS.2.5.10
Explain cellular respiration
Conduct investigations demonstrating the process of cellular respiration
15. Enduring Undrestanding: Interactions among living organisms with their non-living
environment create an ever-changing ecosystem.
15a. Essential Question: How do the living and non-living relationships affect each other within an
ecosystem?
LS.4.5.1
LS.4.5.5
Distinguish among and model
organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere
Examine the role of limiting factor s on the carrying capacity of an ecosystem:
food, space, water, shelter
15b. Essential Question: How does the interdependence of organisms form a food web?
LS.4.5.14
LS.4.5.17
LS.4.5.15
Categorize organisms by the function they serve in ecosystems and food webs:
predator/prey, parasitism, producer/consumer, decomposer, scavenger, herbivore/carnivore/omnivore
Describe and illustrate various symbiotic relationships:
parasitism, mutualism, commensalism
Conduct field studies identifying and categorizing organisms in a given area of an ecosystem
15c. Essential Question: What is the relationship between the environment and ecosystems?
LS.4.5.11
LS.4.5.12
LS.4.5.13
Create ecosystems in which plants can exist without animals
Conduct investigations in which plants are encouraged to thrive
Construct, compare, and contrast environment s in open and closed aquaria
5th Grade
Science Pacing Guide
7-09
2008 - 2009
16. Enduring Understanding: Cycles of energy, matter, and nutrients organize and regulate
ecosystems.
16a. Essential Question: How does energy flow between producers and consumers?
LS.4.5.2
LS.4.5.3
Identify the transfer of energy using energy pyramids:
terrestrial & aquatic
Design food webs in specific habitats to show the flow of energy within communities:
terrestrial & aquatic
16b. Essential Question: How does matter cycle in an ecosystem?
LS.4.5.7
LS.4.5.6
LS.4.5.8
LS.4.5.9
Describe and diagram the carbon cycle in ecosystem s
Describe and diagram the nitrogen cycle in ecosystems
Describe and diagram the carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle in ecosystem s
Conduct investigations demonstrating the role of the carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle in ecosystems
16c. Essential Question: How is mass conserved in the cycles that exist within an ecosystem?
LS.4.5.10
Analyze the concept of conservation of mass as related to the amount of matter in an ecosystem
17. Enduring Understanding: Ecosystems are affected by a variety of changes within the
environment that are caused by both nature and humans.
17a. Essential Question: How do natural and artificial changes in the environment affect the
living organisms in the environment?
Evaluate food webs under conditions of stress:
LS.4.5.4
LS.4.5.16
overgrazing, overpopulation, natural disaster, introduction of non-native species, human impact/urban
development
Evaluate positive and negative human effects on ecosystems
5th Grade
Science Pacing Guide
7-09
2008 - 2009
Fourth Nine Weeks
UNDERLYING THEME: To Infinity and Beyond!
18. Enduring Understanding: Objects in the solar system move in predictable patterns.
18a. Essential Question: How are characteristics of celestial bodies affected by their location in
the solar system?
ESS.10.5.2
ESS.10.5.3
Demonstrate the order of planets and other space objects in our solar system
Compare the properties of planets in our solar system:
size, shape, density, atmosphere, distance from the sun, orbital path, moons, surface, composition
18b. Essential Question: How does the sun compare to other stars in the solar system?
ESS.10.5.1
Compare the physical characteristics of the sun to other stars:
size, color, brightness
19. Enduring Understanding: The weight of an object is dependent upon its place in space, but its
mass never changes.
19a. Essential Question: What is the relationship between mass, weight, and gravity?
ESS 10.5.4
Distinguish between mass and weight
ESS.10.5.5
Compare the human body’s mass to weight on Earth, the moon, and other planets in our solar system
20. Enduring Understanding: People from ancient times to the present have investigated the
world around us, answered scientific questions, and made discoveries.
20a. Essential Question: How have technological advances over time caused changes in science
careers?
20b. Essential Question: How have the contributions of past scientific thinkers affected the
advancements in science?
PS.6.5.7
Investigate careers, scientists, and historical breakthroughs related to simple machines and potential and
kinetic energy
PS.5.5.10
Investigate scientists, careers, and historical breakthroughs related to physical properties , physical
changes, and states of matter
PS.7.5.6
Investigate careers, scientists, and historical breakthroughs related to light energy
LS.4.5.18
Investigate careers, scientists, and historical breakthroughs related to populations and ecosystems
LS.2.5.11
Investigate careers, scientists, and historical breakthroughs related to cell s
ESS.8.5.10
Investigate careers, scientists, and historical breakthroughs related to minerals and rocks
ESS.10.5.6
Investigate careers, scientists, and historical breakthroughs related to planets
5th Grade
Science Pacing Guide
7-09