WELCOME TO AN EXCITING NEW YEAR

Transcription

1 R E P R O D U C I B L E 1 GRADE FOUR SCIENCE UPDATE LET S BEGIN! WELCOME TO AN EXCITING NEW YEAR The science program in fourth grade is packed with all sorts of wonderful and engaging topics. WHAT ARE THE SCIENCE STANDARDS OF LEARNING? Your child s science curriculum is determined by the Virginia Department of Education. Students in fourth grade work on preparing for the state-wide Science Standards of Learning Test. This test is given at the end of fifth grade and covers all the material learned in Grades 4 and 5. A complete list of the science SOLs is available at: standards_ docs/science/review.shtml HOW CAN I HELP AT HOME? As each new topic is introduced, you will receive an SOL Science Update. In this newsletter you will see the Standard of Learning being taught in class, along with the Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes. These come directly from the written documents provided by the State Department of Education. In addition, at the end of each chapter, you will receive a Chapter Review sheet that summarizes the key concepts and vocabulary that were explored. You may wish to keep the newsletters and the review sheets in a binder or folder so that you can use them throughout this year and next year when preparing for the cumulative SOL test at the end of 5th grade. WHAT IS MY CHILD LEARNING THIS YEAR? Here s what we will be studying in fourth grade: 4.1 scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science 4.2 characteristics and interactions of moving objects 4.3 characteristics of electricity 4.4 basic plant anatomy and life processes 4.5 plants, animals, and non-living components interaction within an ecosystem 4.6 weather conditions and phenomena 4.7 organization of the solar system 4.8 relationships among Earth, the moon, and the sun 4.9 important Virginia natural resources LEARNING AT HOME You are a vital link to the success of your child! For this reason, we invite you to become an active part of your child's learning. The textbook your child is using, Exploring Science: All Around Us, was specifically designed to meet the Standards of Learning. Use it to help start discussions, review material covered in class, and to preview future topics. Science really IS all around you, so we hope you will enjoy exploring these new topics with your child.

2 R E P R O D U C I B L E 2 GRADE FOUR SCIENCE UPDATE CHAPTER ONE BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION We begin with basic science skills! HOW CAN I HELP AT HOME? The first chapter focuses on building the sound scientific skills that will be used throughout the school year. At home, it would be most helpful if you start to consider parts of daily life in a scientific manner. Take every-day events such as: grocery shopping cooking dinner checking the weather making decisions watching the news reading the newspaper fixing something around the house Start thinking aloud about these events, while using scientific language. Help your child see that science is indeed, all around us! WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MY CHILD? In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will differentiate among simple observations, conclusions, inferences, and predictions, and correctly apply the terminology in oral and written work. analyze a set of 20 or fewer objects or pictures. Sort them into categories to organize the data (qualitative or quantitative), and construct bar graphs and line graphs depicting the distribution of those data based on characteristics or properties. use millimeters, centimeters, meters, kilometers, grams, kilograms, milliliters, liters, and degrees Celsius in measurement. choose the appropriate instruments, including centimeter rulers, meter sticks, scales, balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, and Celsius thermometers, for making basic metric measures. measure elapsed time using a stopwatch or a clock. make predictions, inferences, and draw conclusions using a variety of sources such as picture graphs, bar graphs, and basic line graphs. analyze the variables in a simple experiment. Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable. Decide which other variable(s) must be held constant (not allowed to change) in order for the investigation to represent a fair test. create a plausible hypothesis, stated in terms of cause (if) and effect (then), from a set of basic observations that can be tested. Hypotheses can be stated in terms such as: If the water temperature is increased, then the amount of sugar that can be dissolved in it will increase. organize and analyze data from a simple experiment. Construct bar graphs and line graphs depicting the data. judge which, if any, data in a simple set of results (generally 10 or fewer in number) appear to be contradictory or unusual. present results of a simple experiment using graphs, pictures, statements, and numbers. construct a physical model to clarify an explanation, demonstrate a relationship, or solve a need.

3 R E P R O D U C I B L E 1 2 GRADE FOUR SCIENCE UPDATE CHAPTER TWO FORCE, MOTION, AND ENERGY How and why we move! HOW CAN I HELP AT HOME? Force, motion, and energy are everywhere in a child s life. Ask your child to select several games, sports, or toys he or she enjoys. As you and your child play or watch a sport, or sit down with a favorite toy or game, have your child identify how the key vocabulary for this chapter applies to his or her favorite pastimes. Help as needed, but ask your child to do it first. Look for: force, speed, mass, friction, gravity, kinetic energy, and potential energy. If you need a refresher on the terms, feel free to use the text book! If your child enjoys soccer, look for examples of force (kicking the ball), speed (running down the field), mass (a larger player bumping a smaller player), gravity (the ball rising in the air on a free throw, then falling to the ground), friction (the movement of a cleat against the ball), kinetic energy (the moment the kicker hits the ball), and potential energy (the ball in the split-second before the kicker strikes it). SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION, REASONING AND LOGIC 4.2 The student will investigate and understand characteristics and interactions of moving objects. Key concepts include: a) motion is described by an object s direction and speed; b) changes in motion are related to force and mass; c) friction is a force that opposes motion; and d) moving objects have kinetic energy. WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MY CHILD? In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will: Describe the position of an object. Collect and display, in a table and line graph, time and position data for a moving object. Explain that speed is a measure of motion Interpret data to determine if the speed of an object is increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same. Identify the forces that cause an object s motion. Describe the direction of an object s motion: up, down, forward, backward. Infer that objects have kinetic energy. Design an investigation to test the following hypothesis: If the mass of an object increases, then the force needed to move it will increase. Design an investigation to determine the effect of friction on moving objects. Write a testable hypothesis and identify the dependent variable, the independent variable, and the constants. Conduct a fair test, collect and record the data, analyze the data, and report the results of the data.

4 FINISH START R E P R O D U C I B L E 22 FORCE, MOTION, AND ENERGY STUDY GUIDE Position can be described by locating an object relative to another object or the background. The hare is east of the tortoise. The tortoise is behind the hare. The tortoise is north of the large plant. Speed is a measure of motion. Interpret the line graph to see who won the 30 meter race. Who made it to 30 meters first? The graph shows that Slow and Steady won the race. The turtle s speed was constant. You can interpret the following about the hare from this graph: 1. He began with a faster speed than the tortoise. 2. The hare decreased his speed after 15 meters. 3. The hare stopped to rest after 50 seconds and started to move again 20 seconds later. DIstance in meters TORTOISE AND HARE RACE Time in seconds A force is a push or a pull. The greater the mass of an object, the less effect a force will have on it. Examples of forces are: Gravity is the attraction between objects. Gravity can only be felt when at least one of the objects is massive, like Earth. Earth pulls you toward its center. Friction is the resistance to motion created by two objects moving against each other. Friction creates heat. Rub your hands together to feel the heat caused by friction. Forces can cause or change motion in the following directions: up, down, forward, and backward. Forces can also increase or decrease speed. Energy exists as potential or kinetic. Potential Energy is stored energy. If an object has potential energy, it has the potential to move. Examples of objects with potential energy are a roller coaster at the top of a hill and a ball about to be dropped. Kinetic Energy is the energy of motion. Moving objects have kinetic energy. Examples of kinetic energy are a roller coaster speeding down a hill and a ball falling to Earth.

5 R E P R O D U C I B L E O F 3 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM STUDY GUIDE All matter is made of atoms. Atoms are made up of three small particles. Two of these particles have a charge. Electrons have a negative charge (-) and protons have a positive charge (+). Electricity is the movement of these charged particles usually electrons. STATIC ELECTRICITY Static electricity occurs when there is a difference in charge between two objects. Most objects are neutral because they have the same number of protons and electrons. Sometimes objects get charged. Static electricity can cause objects to attract (stick together). A negatively charged object will attract a positively charged object. A charged object can also attract a neutral object. Static electricity can cause objects to repel (move away from each other). Two negatively charged objects will repel each other. Two positively charged objects will also repel each other. Rub a balloon on your hair. Electrons move from your hair to the balloon. The balloon now has a negative charge. Your hair now has a positive charge. Your hair attracts the balloon because opposites attract. Each hair repels other hairs because like charges repel. A positive charge If an object loses an electron, it has more + protons, so it is positively + + charged. + A negative charge If an object gains + an electron, it has more electrons, + so it is negatively + charged. BEN FRANKLIN Franklin discovered that lightning is really static electricity. The electrons near the bottom of a cloud jump to the positive part of a cloud, or to a positively charged object on the ground, to create lightning. Franklin knew that lightning could be dangerous, so he invented the lightning rod. Lightning that is about to strike a building is attracted to the rod and then travels th rough a conductor to the ground safely. CURRENT ELECTRICITY Current electricity is different from static electricity. In current electricity, electrons flow along a pathway in a circuit. Electrons must be able to travel through every part of the circuit for it to be complete. Batteries are also called dry cells. They get electrons moving so they can flow through a circuit. Batteries have a positive end and a negative end. Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

6 R E P R O D U C I B L E O F 3 Electrical energy can be transformed into light, motion, and heat. Lamps and computers transform energy from electricity into light. Blenders, motors, and fans transform energy from electricity into motion. Hair dryers and toasters produce heat from electricity. Conductors Materials that allow electrons to move through easily. Metals such as aluminum, copper, and steel are conductors. Wires made from these materials are good conductors. THOMAS EDISON Edison made hundreds of inventions, including an improved light bulb. He experimented to find the best material to use for the filamen t. The material had to be a conductor that gave off light but did not burn up when electrons passed through. Edison also created a lighting Insulators Materials that do NOT allow electrons to move through easily. Cotton, glass, paper, and plastic are insulators. Conductors like wires, are often coated with an insulator, like plastic, to keep electrons flowing on the circuit path and not to other places. filament system so electricity could be made in one building and sent out to other buildings to use for lighting rooms. OPEN CIRCUIT Electrons do not flow through CLOSED CIRCUIT Electrons do flow through CIRCUITS Switch a device that opens or closes a circuit. A switch must be a conductor. SERIES CIRCUIT Electrons flow on only one path PARALLEL CIRCUIT Electrons flow on more than one path

7 R E P R O D U C I B L E O F 3 MICHAEL FARADAY Faraday experimented with electricity and magnetism. He discovered that a moving magnetic field could create an electric current. His investigations led to the invention of the generator and the electric motor. ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM Electricity and magnetism can work together. Current flowing through a wire can generate a magnetic field. Spinning a magnet near a coiled wire can generate electricity. Iron Nail Battery Coiled Copper Wire SIMPLE ELECTROMAGN Switch Magnetic Field

8 R E P R O D U C I B L E 3 9 GRADE FOUR SCIENCE UPDATE CHAPTER FOUR THE SECRET WORLD OF PLANTS From fruit to flowers, learn more about the way plants survive and thrive. HELP YOUR CHILD TRY THESE ACTIVITIES Keep a food journal with the types of plant parts you eat for a week. Salad may have lettuce (leaves), carrots (roots), cucumber (fruit), etc. Pick a tree in your yard or neighborhood that has leaves that fall in autumn. Make observations and draw sketches of it throughout the year as seasons change. Mark off a patch of grassy area that is 3 x 3 in your backyard or neighborhood. Gather and graph data on the number of different plants you find. Sketch and label the parts of each plant. During warm weather, observe a garden, flower bed, or weed patch for at least 30 minutes to look for pollinators. Record your observations and compare and contrast the different pollinators you see. Not all flowers look the same. Take your child on a nature walk around your yard or neighborhood and, together, sketch the different flowers you see. Try to identify petals, sepals, pistils, and stamens in the flowers you locate. Go on a seed and spore hunt in fall. You will be surprised at how many different types of seeds and nuts you find. Look for spores on the underside of fern fronds. Help your child cover a small area of grass with a bucket or bowl so no light gets through. Prop one side of the bucket or bowl so air can still get to the grass. Ask your child to make a hypothesis about what will happen. Wait a week and then make observations. Keep a seed collection from fruits and vegetables that you eat. You might never look at a green bean in the same way again. Make a leaf collection. Place collected leaves in between wax paper and place books on top of the wax paper. Wait a few days until they dry out. Use the following website to help you research for identification: Search for the publication, "Trees in Your Backyard." WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MY CHILD In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will analyze a common plant: identify the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers, and explain the function of each. create a model/diagram illustrating the parts of a flower and its reproductive processes. Explain the model/diagram using the following terminology: pollination, stamen, stigma, pistil, sepal, embryo, spore, seed. compare and contrast different ways plants are pollinated. explain that ferns and mosses reproduce with spores rather than seeds. explain the process of photosynthesis, using the following terminology: sunlight, chlorophyll, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and sugar. explain the role of adaptations of common plants to include dormancy, response to light, and response to moisture.

9 R E P R O D U C I B L E 5 3 LIFE PROCESSES STUDY GUIDE Leaves make food for plant Stem Allows water and nutrients to get from roots to leaves; provides support for plant Photosynthesis Plants take in water through the roots and absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide using chlorophyll in their leaves. This process makes sugar called glucose. Oxygen is released. Roots absorb water and nutrients and anchor plants in soil REPRODUCTION WITH SEEDS Pollen transferred from the stamen to the stigma by wind, animals, or water. Pollen travels through the pistil to fertilize the ovary so a seed can form. REPRODUCTION WITH SPORES Ferns and Mosses Ferns and mosses produce spores. Spores are released into the wind. An embryo, or baby plant, Pistil pollen travels through the pistil to fertilize the ovary. Stigma the tip of the pistil; pollen lands here Stamen where pollen is made Petal attracts pollinators can grow from each spore. Sepal protects the flower before it blooms Ovary When fertilized, a seed is made. The seed contains the embryo or baby plant. Spores grow in clusters on the underside of a fern frond. From here, they are released into the wind. Adaptations Plants survive using many adaptations, such as thorns or waxy coatings. They can also become dormant in winter when temperatures drop and light is limited. Dormancy allows a plant to slow down its life processes so it can conserve energy. Plants often lose their leaves during dormancy. Plants can also adapt when water is limited. Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

10 R E P R O D U C I B L E 5 4 GRADE FOUR SCIENCE UPDATE CHAPTER FIVE LIVING SYSTEMS Explore the amazing way animals adapt to their environments! HOW CAN I HELP AT HOME? Try these fun projects with your child: Pick a species of animal in your yard or nearby natural area. Together, keep a daily journal on this species for a week. Make observations about behavior. Pay special attention to how the species interacts with the living (plants and animals) and nonliving (water, soil, rocks, air) components of its ecosystem. Pick an animal from a TV show or book. Help your child write at least six adaptations about this animal and how these adaptations help it survive. Try to include at least two behavioral adaptations. Create a habitat with crayons or colored pencils/markers. Add an animal to this habitat that is perfectly camouflaged. Have your child write down everything you eat for dinner. Decide if each food orginated from an animal or plant. Are you a family of omnivores, herbivores, or carnivores? Measure a square in your yard or nearby natural area that is one yard by one yard. Mark it with sticks. Visit this area at least twice a day to make observations about the insects you find there. SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION, REASONING, AND LOGIC 4.5 The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals, including humans, in an ecosystem interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Key concepts include: a) plant and animal adaptations; b) organization of populations, communities, and ecosystems and how they interrelate; c) flow of energy through food webs; d) habitats and niches; e) changes in an organism s niche at various stages in its life cycle; and f) influences of human activity on ecosystems. WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MY CHILD? In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will: distinguish between structural (physical) and behavioral adaptations. investigate and infer the function of basic adaptations. understand that adaptations allow an organism to succeed in a given environment. explain how different organisms use their unique adaptations to meet their needs. describe why certain communities exist in given habitats. illustrate the food webs in a local area. compare and contrast the niches of several different organisms within the community. compare and contrast the differing ways an organism interacts with its surroundings at various stages of its life cycle. Specific examples include a frog and a butterfly. differentiate among positive and negative influences of human activity on ecosystems. Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserve

11 R E P R O D U C I B L E 72 LIVING SYSTEMS STUDY GUIDE An organism is a living thing. One organism is part of a population. A population is the number of one type of organism living in one location. Populations of plants and animals living together make up a community. All the living and nonliving parts of communities in the same area make up an ecosystem. Surviving in an Ecosystem Organisms have structural and behavioral adaptations to help them survive. Energy Transfer in an Ecosystem Energy is transferred through food webs. A food web is a graphic picture of how the living things in an ecosystem are connected through energy. Structural adaptations are physical attributes that help organisms meet their life needs. Examples: fins to swim, teeth to chew, claws to dig, color to camouflage, ears to hear, tails for balance, spikes on seeds to catch a ride with animals Behavioral adaptations are behaviors organisms perform to meet their life needs. Examples: migrating in order to reproduce, finding food and water, or escaping poor weather, digging in the soil to find food, hiding from predators, or regulating body temperature, squirting ink to distract predators, dropping leaves to conserve energy Human Impact Humans can have an impact on ecosystems. Negative Impact: Clearing land without replanting, using harmful chemicals on lawns and trees, overhunting and overfishing, and polluting. A role an organism has in an ecosystem. Niche SEAGRASS NICHE: Makes its own food using the sun s energy Food source for migrating birds, such as the Canada Goose Provides habitat for juvenile shrimp, crabs, and fish Once decayed, becomes a food source for many filter feeders such as oysters and clams Roots keep soil in place Leaves trap sedimen, keep water clear Positive Impact: Managing land responsibly, adhering to fishing & hunting laws, reducing pollution & waste Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

12 R E P R O D U C I B L E 7 5 GRADE FOUR SCIENCE UPDATE CHAPTER SIX WILD WEATHER From sunny skies to snowy days and everything in between. HOW CAN I HELP AT HOME? Be your child s weather-buddy! Weather is all around us. Help your child become more aware of how the weather affects your family life. Have some fun by keeping a journal of cloud observations. Make weather predictions based on those observations. Make a rain gauge and chart the precipitation data for your neighborhood. If the forecast is for stormy weather, help your child make observations of the conditions leading up to the storm. Any or all of these will tie life at home directly into the science classroom. SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION, REASONING AND LOGIC 4.6 The student will investigate and understand how weather conditions and phenomena occur and can be predicted. Key concepts include: a) weather phenomena; b) weather measurements and meteorological tools; and c) use of weather measurements and weather phenomena to make weather predictions. WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MY CHILD? In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will: design an investigation in which a thermometer is used to compare air temperatures over a period of time. analyze the changes in air pressure occurring over time, using a barometer, and predict what the changes mean in terms of changing weather patterns. illustrate and label high and low pressures on a map differentiate between the types of weather associated with high and low pressure air masses. Illustrate and label high and low pressure air masses and warm and cold fronts. differentiate between cloud types (i.e., cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and cumulonimbus clouds) and the associated weather. compare and contrast the formation of different types of precipitation (e.g., rain, snow, sleet, and hail). recognize a variety of storm types, describe the weather conditions associated with each, and explain when they occur (e.g., thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes). analyze and report information about temperature and precipitation on weather maps. measure wind speed using an anemometer. measure precipitation with a rain gauge. design an investigation in which weather data are gathered using meteorological tools and charted to make weather predictions. Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

13 R E P R O D U C I B L E 88 1 O F 2 WILD WEATHER STUDY GUIDE Meteorologists use weather data to forecast weather. The instruments below are some of the tools meteorologists use to collect data. Thermometer Baromometer Rain Gauge Anemometer Measures the amount of heat energy in the air. Measures the amount of air pressure Measures the amount of precipitation Measures wind speed AIR PRESSURE Air pressure is the force created by the weight of air molecules. It is constantly changing due to temperature and wind. Air pressure can help forecast weather. FRONTS HIGH PRESSURE Areas of high pressure often indicate fair weather. On a weather map, high pressure areas are shown with a large blue capital H LOW PRESSURE Areas of low pressure often indicate rainy or stormy weather. On a weather map, low pressure areas are shown with a large red capital L Fronts describe the boundaries between different masses of air. COLD FRONT A mass of cooler air is approaching a mass of warmer air. Cold fronts are shown on a map as a line of blue triangles. The blue triangles point in the direction the mass is moving. Cold fronts bring cooler temperatures. WARM FRONT A mass of warmer air is approaching a mass of cooler air. Warm fronts are shown on a map as a line of red semicircles. The side of the line that the semicircles are on is the direction the mass is moving. Warm fronts bring warmer temperatures. Find the following on this weather map: A high pressure area A low pressure area A cold front A warm front Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

14 R E P R O D U C I B L E 89 2 O F 2 CLOUDS Clouds can help forecast the weather. Cumulus Stratus Cumulo-nimbus Cirrus Fluffy white clouds with flat bottoms Usually indicate fair weather Smooth, gray clouds that block sunlight and cover the sky Often indicate light rain or drizzle Cumulus clouds that grow in height and darken on the bottom Usually indicate thunderstorms Feathery, wispy clouds Indicate fair weather now but often mean that rain or snow will fall within several hours PRECIPITATION Rain Rain happens when liquid droplets or ice crystals become larger and fall from the clouds. The air beneath the cloud must be above freezing for rain to fall. Snow Snow happens when ice crystals fall from clouds. The air beneath the clouds must be below freezing for snow to fall. Sleet As ice crystals fall from clouds they pass through a layer of air that is above freezing, which causes them to melt. Then they pass through a layer of air below freezing, which causes them to freeze again and land as sleet. Hail When ice crystal are tossed up and down within a cloud they collect liquid droplets which freeze in layers around the ice crystal. The ice crystals grow bigger until they fall from the cloud as balls of ice. SEVERE WEATHER Weather Conditions When They Happen Most Often in Virginia Thunderstorms Moist air, wind, and warm temperatures cause air to rise spring and summer Hurricanes Low pressure, very moist air from warm ocean water, and winds blowing in one direction summer and fall Tornadoes Rotating thunderstorms that form when warm, moist air meets cold, dry air can produce funnels of air that can turn into vertical tornadoes spring and summer Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

15 R E P R O D U C I B L E 9 1 GRADE FOUR SCIENCE UPDATE CHAPTER SEVEN EARTH PATTERNS, CYCLES, AND CHANGE Blast off into outer space to learn more about our planet and our solar system HELP YOUR CHILD TRY THESE ACTIVITIES With space right outside our doors, families have many opportunities to further explore what we are doing in class. Try some of these ideas: When it comes to space, you can actually see more than you think with good binoculars. Spend some night time outside with your child and a telescope or binoculars. Have your child draw a sketch of what he or she sees and/or compare what is seen over a few days or weeks. Make a family outing of visiting a nearby planetarium. Try the Arlington Planetarium in Arlington, Pittsylvania County Schools Planetarium in Chatham, Chesapeake Planetarium in Chesapeake, Falls Church High School Planetarium in Falls Church, J. Calder Wicker Planetarium in Fork Union, John C. Wells Planetarium in Harrisonburg, Abbitt Planetarium at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, Mary D. Pretlow Planetarium or Norfolk State University Planetarium in Norfolk, Radford University Planetarium in Radford, Science Museum of Western Virginia in Roanoke, and the Virginia Beach City Public Schools Planetarium in Virginia Beach. Discover when the International Space Station will be viewable from Virginia by using NASA s Sightings by City. Build some models. Choose to either make a model of the solar system or make a model of one planet with accurate colors and surface conditions. Use any materials you see fit. WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MY CHILD In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will: name the eight planets and describe whether they are a terrestrial planet or a gas giant. sequence the eight planets in the solar system based on their position from the sun. (Mercury is the first from the sun, Venus is the second, etc.) sequence the eight planets in the solar system based on size (Jupiter is the largest, Saturn is next, etc.) construct a simple model of the sun and the planets in our solar system. differentiate between rotation and revolution describe how Earth s axial tilt causes the seasons. model the formation of the eight moon phases, sequence the phases in order, and describe how the phases occur. describe the major characteristics of the sun, including its approximate size, color, age, and overall composition. create and describe a model of the Earth-moon-sun system with approximate scale distances and sizes. compare and contrast the surface conditions of Earth, the moon, and the sun. compare and contrast an Earth-centered to the suncentered model of the solar system. analyze the differences in what Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, and Galileo observed and what influenced their conclusions. describe a contribution of the NASA Apollo missions to our understanding of the moon.

16 EARTH PATTERNS, CYCLES, AND CHANGE STUDY GUIDE EARTH, MOON, SUN EARTH MOON SUN Position and Movements Earth rotates (spins) on its axis once every 24 hours. This gives us day and night. Earth revolves around the sun once every 365¼ days (one year). The moon revolves around Earth once every 28 days (about one month). The sun is the center of our solar system. Earth and the other planets revolve around it. Surface Conditions Large amount of water Diversity of organisms Oxygen-rich atmosphere Rocky with craters Temperature extremes No atmosphere or life Very little water Extremely hot gaseous plasma 5500 C Mostly made of hydrogen and helium Other Facts About four moons could fit across the diameter of Earth Average-sized yellow star 110 times the diameter of Earth About 4.6 billion years old SEASONS Earth is tilted on an imaginary June Virginia May April March axis as it revolves around the sun. This is called axial tilt. It is the reason for the seasons. July August Northern Spring Southern Autumn Northern Winter Southern Summer Virginia When the sun s rays hit one hemisphere of Earth more directly, that hemisphere has summer and Virginia Northern Summer Southern Winter SUN Northern Autumn January December February the other hemisphere has winter. In spring and autumn, the sun s rays aren t hitting either hemisphere directly, so temperatures are milder for us. September October November Southern Spring axial tilt Virginia Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

17 R E P R O D U C I B L E PHASES OF THE MOON As the moon revolves around Earth, sunlight reflects off of it. The phases of the moon are the parts of the moon we see that reflect sunlight at different positions as the moon orbits Earth. New Waxing Crescent First Quarter Waxing Gibbous Full Waning Gibbous Third Quarter Waning Crescent New MOON EXPLORATION NASA astronauts explored the moon during the Apollo missions and made the following discoveries: No living organisms live on the moon. The moon is made of igneous rocks. No evidence of water has been found on the moon. The moon has layers. The surface of the moon is covered with a powdery substance. Evidence was found to date the moon to be about 4.6 million years old. OUR SOLAR SYSTEM HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS Aristotle and Ptolemy believed that all of the planets and the sun revolved around Earth. Copernicus challenged that idea and argued that all of the planets, including Earth, revolve around the sun. Galileo, the first scientist to use a telescope to study space. He used the telescope to observe that planets revolved around the sun. THE PLANETS: SEQUENCE AND SIZE The first four planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) are called terrestrial planets because they are rocky planets. The last four planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) are called gas giants because they are made of mostly gases. They are also the four largest planets. The planets in order from biggest to smallest are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury.

18 R E P R O D U C I B L E GRADE FOUR SCIENCE UPDATE CHAPTER EIGHT OUR GREAT STATE Take a closer look at Virginia s natural resources. They are all around you! LEARNING AT HOME With Virginia all around us, no matter where you live, it is great fun to enhance this standard at home. There are examples to be found in almost every part of our state. While you are driving across town or to the next town, keep your eye out for natural and human-made resources, such as rivers, lakes, bays, coal, limestone, granite, sand, gravel, lumber, and forests. Point them out to your child. Take a walk with your child. Note to each other all the natural and human-made resources you see, hear, or smell. Have your child collect some natural resources (sticks, rocks, leaves, etc.) and make a new human-made resource from them (bowl, spoon, scoop, axe, etc.). Talk to your child about the body of water nearest to your home. Discuss if it is a river, lake, or bay and how it is fed. Go visit it and notice tributaries to it. Then discuss its mouth and where it travels to next. If you live near the Chesapeake Bay, or a major river that feeds into the Chesapeake Bay, there are parks and museums near you that would be fun to visit and will help the whole family learn more about the watershed. As a family, make a list of the things you do to help protect Virginia s natural resources. Then make a second list of some other ideas you d like to try. Point out mineral sources in your neighborhood and home. With 22 Virginia State Forests, hopefully there is one near you. Find out at: and visit or take a day trip to the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. See Search for the nearest mining museum to you and/or point out coal cars passing on train tracks. SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION, REASONING AND LOGIC 4.7 The student will investigate and understand important Virginia natural resources. Key concepts include: a) watersheds and water resources; b) animals and plants; c) minerals, rocks, ores, and energy sources; and d) forests, soil, and land. WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MY CHILD In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will: compare and contrast natural and human-made resources. distinguish among rivers, lakes, and bays; describe characteristics of each; and name an example of each in Virginia. create and interpret a model of a watershed. Evaluate the statement: We all live downstream. identify watershed addresses. recognize the importance of Virginia s mineral resources, including coal, limestone, granite, and sand and gravel. appraise the importance of natural and cultivated forests in Virginia. describe a variety of soil and land uses important in Virginia. Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All

19 R E P R O D U C I B L E 118 RESOURCES Definition Examples NATURAL RESOURCE A material humans use that comes from nature Trees, water, soil, coal, sand, gravel, granite, air, animals, plants HUMAN-MADE RESOURCE A material humans use that is made by humans plastic, concrete, steel, glass Virginia s water sources are important natural resources in Virginia. Water resources provide us with drinking water. Rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater are main sources of water for Virginians. Bodies of water are habitats for a variety of plants and animals. Bodies of water allow us to swim, fish, sail, boat, and enjoy other recreational activities. Water resources help our economy. Virginians sell seafood such as fish, crabs, and oysters to others. River Lake Bay Reservoir WATER SOURCES DESCRIPTION Long, ribbon-like waterways that flow toward the ocean Large, inland bodies of water Bodies of water surrounded by land on three sides and connected to a larger body of water Bodies of water that are made by humans to store water EXAMPLE Potomac River, York River, Rappahannock River, James River Smith Mountain Lake Lake Drummond Chesapeake Bay Kerr Lake Reservoir Groundwater Water stored or carried underground Wells, aquifers A watershed is an area over which surface water flows to a single collection place. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is the largest watershed in Virginia. Parts of Virginia are also located in the Gulf of Mexico and North Carolina Sounds watersheds. We all live downstream means that materials that enter a watershed upstream will eventually make their way downstream. For this reason, it is especially important that we don t pollute. Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

20 R E P R O D U C I B L E 119 FORESTS Forests are an important resource in Virginia. Forests provide a home for diverse animals and plants. They offer a place for humans to hike, bike, hunt, and enjoy other recreational activities. Forests serve as a buffer to prevent erosion along riverbanks and filter pollutants before they enter rivers. A great economic resource timbering (cutting and selling trees) brings in money for the state of Virginia. NATURAL FOREST CULTIVATED FOREST A forest that grows naturally, without humans planting trees A forest that has been planted by humans MINERAL RESOURCES COAL LIMESTONE GRANITE SAND GRAVEL Important fossil fuel used for energy A hard rock made of ancient pressed plant material that burns easily Crushed, it is used to build roads. Ground up, it is used to make cement. Hard, strong, and long-lasting Used for buildings, floors, monuments and counter tops When melted at high heat, it turns into a liquid that can be used to make glass, ceramics. Used in construction An assortment of different rocks that has been broken down to very small pieces Used in driveway and road construction Copyright 2012, Five Ponds Press. All Rights Reserved

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