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4th Grade TN Science - 2009/10 Implementation
Resources for Older Standards
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Embedded Inquiry
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
Inq.1 | Inq.2 | Inq.3 | Inq.4
Identify specific investigations that could be used to answer a particular question and identify reasons for this choice
0407.Inq.1
  1. Introducing the Process of Investigative Science Using Worms - [designed for 3rd grade]
  2. Student Designed Investigations Part 2 - Testable Questions, Predictions, Materials and Procedures [lesson plan designed for grades 3-5]
  3. Student Designed Investigations Part 3 - Collecting Data and Drawing Conclusions [lesson plan designed for grades 3-5]
Identify tools needed to investigate specific questions
0407.Inq.2
  1. Astro-Venture - [Caution: Long activity!] learn how NASA scientists use tools to find planets in other solar systems
Maintain a science notebook that includes observations, data, diagrams, and explanations
0407.Inq.3
  1. Bird Sleuth: Investigating Evidence - this module consists of five investigations which give students the chance to learn science by doing science on 12/10/08
    1. Teacher's Guide - a 44 page .pdf document This is an Adobe Acrobat document
    2. Resource Pages - a 28 page .pdf document This is an Adobe Acrobat document
    3. Investigator's Journal - a 25 page .pdf document This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  2. Student Designed Investigations Part 1 - Observations [lesson plan designed for grades 3-5]
Analyze and communicate findings from multiple investigations of similar phenomena to reach a conclusion
0407.Inq.4
  1. Conducting Controlled Investigations: Example Using Sound - [designed for grades 3-5] identify when there are multiple variables changing in an investigation and how to modify the investigation so that there is only one variable
  2. Student Designed Investigations Part 4: Poster Presentations/Science Fair - This unit ends with students deciding on a testable question, designing an investigation, doing the investigation, collecting data and drawing conclusions. Students then create poster presentations of  their investigation for a grade level science fair.
State Performance Indicators
SPI Inq.1
Select an investigation that could be used to answer a specific question
SPI 0407.Inq.1
 
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Embedded Technology & Engineering
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
TE.1 | TE.2 | TE.3 | TE.4

Explain how different inventions and technologies impact people and other living organisms
0407.T/E.1

 
Design a tool or a process that addresses an identified problem caused by human activity
0407.T/E.2
  1. Young Engineer's Club - hundreds of exciting games, activities, and science experiments posted by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Determine criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of a solution to a specified problem
0407.T/E.3
 
Evaluate an invention that solves a problem and determine ways to improve the design
0407.T/E.4
 
State Performance Indicators
SPI TE.1 | SPI TE.2

Select a tool, technology, or invention that was used to solve a human problem
SPI 0407.T/E.1

 
Recognize the connection between a scientific advance and the development of a new tool or technology
SPI 0407.T/E.2
 
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Life Science Standards
Cells
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.1.1 | 7.1.2
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Use illustrations or direct observations to compare and contrast the basic structures of plant and animal cells
0407.1.1

  1. Animal and Plant Cells - first select Similarities and then select Differences from the index on the left at this page.
  2. Animal Cell Structure - good drawing, explanation of cell components - scroll down to see component names
  3. Cells at the Science Lab - Select Cells in the list of labs. The illustration shows the parts of a cell. Move your mouse around the drawing to get information. Next, click on Looking Through a Microscope near the top of the Cells window. Click on the word View to see cells in a microscope. Click Back to select a new slide to view. Click on the book in the bottom left corner to read about cells.
  4. Cell Inspector - match cell parts to the right name
  5. Cells are the Starting Point - [this link opens on a new page] learn about cells at this Biology4Kids site and then take a quiz on cells or a quiz on organelles.
  6. Cross Section of a Plant Cell - from Enchanted Learning [nice, clean drawing]
  7. Cross Section of an Animal Cell - from Enchanted Learning [nice, clean drawing]
  8. Cells: The Unit of Life - multiple choice quiz - 20 questions
  9. - Teaching idea! - Have your students prepare a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting plant and animal cells. Teachnology has an online Venn diagram generator. (scroll past the membership information)
    1. Comparing plant and animal cells - Teachnology has a worksheet to print to help your students get ready for the activity above
  10. Comparison of Plant & Animal Cells - illustrations with hyperlinked labels
  11. Mixed Up Cells - [this link opens on a new page] identify and explain the differences and similarities between plant and animal organelles (Author - Julie Thompson)
  12. Parts of an Animal Cell - click and drag the names of structures to match the drawing
  13. Parts of a Plant Cell - click and drag the names of structures to match the drawing
  14. Plant and Animal Cells - examine a cell, one structure at a time - learn about plant and animal cell organelles with this simulation
  15. Plant Cell Structure - good drawing, explanation of cell components - scroll down to see component names
  16. Take a Look Inside a Cell - click on an organelle to zoom in, change the animal cell to a plant cell, or make the cell membrane transparent
  17. Virtual Cell - Zoom in as if you had an electron microscope
Create a basic model of the cell that illustrates different cell structures and describes their functions
0407.1.2
  1. Build a Cell: Model Plant and Animal Cells - this papier-mâché model is not edible - includes instructions and associated worksheets to print - from the Science Museum of Virginia This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  2. Cell Models - information on cell structures and suggestions for making a model - from the Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  3. Jello 3-D Animal Cell Craft - When the gelatin is set, you can examine your 3-D gelatin cell and then eat it. [from Enchanted Learning]
  4. Make a Model Cell - lesson plan from Science NetLinks, designed for middle school but can be adapted to 4th grade classrooms
  5. Making a Model of a Cell - [a think quest page] uses baggies, karo syrup and other messy things
  6. Suggestions for making a Cell Model - from a UK site named SAPS [Science and Plants for Schools]
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.1.1

Compare basic structures of plant and animal cells
SPI 0407.1.1

  1. Animal Cell Anatomy - a good clean drawing from Enchanted Learning
  2. Animal and Plant Cells - first select Similarities and then select Differences from the index on the left at this page.
  3. Animal Cells - from Kimball's Online Biology Pages
  4. Cell Organelles - select Plant or Animal (from Cells Alive)
  5. The Cell Page - Click on the label for any plant or animal cell organelle to find out more about it. (great drawings)
  6. Cell Parts - simple ppt show comparing organelles of plant and animal cells
  7. Comparing plant and animal cells - Teachnology has a worksheet to help your students distinguish between the cells
  8. Comparison Of Plant & Animal Cells
  9. Comparison of Plant and Animal Cells - 26 slides including a Venn diagram for comparing
  10. Focusing on the Cell - a lesson plan from the Children's Museum of Indianapolis
  11. Plant and Animal Cell - a sheet to print with side by side labeled cells
  12. Plant and Animal Cells - This real-time 3D model allows the user to inspect the structures of both plant and animal cells. The student is able to explore the entire cell from any angle as well as drill down to individual organelles of the cell for more information and a better view.
  13. Plant Cell Anatomy - a fill-in-the-blank quiz
  14. Plant Cell Functions - a fill-in-the-blank quiz
  15. The Plant Cell - from Kimball's Online Biology Pages
  16. Plant and Animal Cells Worksheet - lab activity to be used to make drawings of structures seen in a microscope
  17. Plant and Animal Worksheets - links to several printables at Teach-nology
Interdependence
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.2.1 | 7.2.2
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Analyze how an increase or decrease in competition or predation affects an ecosystem
0407.2.1

  1. Good Buddies - activity for students [horrible background]
  2. Introduction to Symbiosis - includes an overlapping Venn diagram
  3. Predation, Parasitism, Commensalism, and Mutualism in the Garden and in the Community
  4. Symbiosis - most of the interactions between species involve food
  5. Symbiosis, commensalism, mutualism and parasitism
Design a simple experiment to illustrate the effects of competition, predation, and interdependency among living things
0407.2.2
  1. Build a Fish - Build a Fish by choosing a body, mouth, and color/pattern, and then release it into the reef! In the process you will learn about adaptations that help the fish survive in their environment.
  2. Flamingos - Adaptations for Their Environment
  3. How Cactus survive in the desert
  4. Plant Adaptations in Arid Environments - The plants that grow in the arid eastern region near the Columbia River and the Columbia Basin have a number of traits which help them to be successful in the desert.
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.2.1
Recognize the impact of predation and competition on an ecosystem
SPI 0407.2.1
  1. Intertidal Rocky Reefs - from the Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary
Flow of Matter and Energy
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.3.1 | 7.3.2 | 7.3.3
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Create a food web that illustrates the energy relationships between plants and animals and the key issues or assumptions found in the model
0407.3.1

  1. Create a Food Web - choose from four webs, select animals or plants to populate the food web
  2. Energy and Ecosystems - lesson plan from Annenberg
  3. Energy Pyramid - an alternate way to look at food chains
  4. Experiment with a Pond Food Web - change various population sizes to see what affect the change has
  5. Food Chain - National Geographic for Kids has a featured Quick Flick from Brain Pop on the subject.
  6. Food Chains - a slide show with places to stop and ask for responses from your students
  7. Food Chains - an interactive site from the BBC
  8. Food Chains - another site from BBC
    1. Quiz on Populations and Pyramids
  9. Food Chains & Food Webs - information and links
  10. Food Chains and Food Webs - What's for dinner? from Enchanted Learning
  11. Food Chains and Webs - Information regarding population size on food webs is presented here. After learning about food webs, select the link named "create a possible food web" at the bottom of the page. Click and drag to create your own food web.
  12. Forest Food Webs - lesson plan from Discovery Education
  13. Fun with Food Webs - three webs are available; arctic, meadow, and pond - click and drag elements into place
  14. Habitats - investigate food chains with this interactive site from the BBC
  15. Interdependence and Adaptation - Use this BBC interactive site to review living things, then take a quiz about interdependence and the food web
  16. Interesting Facts About Food Chains - a brief description of the food chains and food webs in an ecosystem
  17. Make a Possible Food Web - click and drag elements [works with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Netscape Navigator]
  18. Make Your Own Food Web - an interactive food web from Scholastic
  19. Predator/Prey Relationship - an interactive investigation from McGraw Hill
  20. Welcome to Biology 2002 - This college level PowerPoint show has some great images. Save the show, throw out the college content and modify the show for your classroom.
  21. Working on the Food Chain - interactive site
Classify organisms as carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores
0407.3.2
 
Identify how a variety of organisms meet their energy needs
0407.3.3
 
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.3.1

Determine how different organisms function within an environment in terms of their location on an energy pyramid
SPI 0407.3.1

  1. Intertidal Rocky Reefs - from the Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary
Heredity
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.4.1 | 7.4.2
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Design a simple demonstration that illustrates the relationship between reproduction and survival of a species
0407.4.1

 
Study the life cycles of a variety of organisms and determine whether these processes illustrate complete or incomplete metamorphosis
0407.4.2
  1. Animal Growth and Heredity - a Sunken Millions game for review
  2. Beneficials in the Garden - insect metamorphosis
  3. Classify This! - You are challenged to classify groups of animals, finally arriving at a distinction between complete and incomplete metamorphosis. Following the interactive classification you will take a quiz.
  4. Complete and Incomplete Metamorphosis - a slide show including nine questions
  5. Diagram of Complete Metamorphosis
  6. Diagram of Incomplete Metamorphosis
  7. Dragonfly Lake - a PowerPoint game with slides to print to make a game board
  8. Insect Growth and metamorphosis - this page includes sample life cycle diagrams of each
  9. Insect Metamorphosis - discussion of each type is followed by insect web sites to visit for the purpose of determining which type of metamorphosis that insect undergoes
  10. Insect Metamorphosis Poster - printable lesson activity This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  11. Insects: Inside and Out - the end of this slide show discuses metamorphosis
  12. Life as a Bug - description of complete and incomplete metamorphosis
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.4.1 | SPI 7.4.2
Draw conclusions about the
relationship between reproduction and the
survival of a species
SPI 0407.4.1
 
Distinguish between complete and incomplete metamorphosis
SPI 0407.4.2
  1. Animal Growth and Heredity - a Sunken Millions game for review
  2. Diagram of Complete Metamorphosis
  3. Diagram of Incomplete Metamorphosis
  4. Dragonfly Lake - a PowerPoint game with slides to print to make a game board
  5. Insect Growth and metamorphosis - this page includes sample life cycle diagrams of each
  6. Insect Metamorphosis - discussion of each type is followed by insect web sites to visit for the purpose of determining which type of metamorphosis that insect undergoes
  7. Insects: Inside and Out - the end of this slide show discuses metamorphosis
Biodiversity and Change
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.5.1 | 7.5.2 | 7.5.3 | 7.5.4 | 7.5.5
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Classify animals according to their physical adaptations for obtaining food, oxygen, and surviving within a particular environment
0407.5.1

 
Describe how animal behaviors such as migration, defense, means of locomotion, and hibernation enable them to survive in an environment
0407.5.2
 
Investigate tropisms that plants exhibit in response to changes in their environment
0407.5.3
 
Gather fossil information to draw conclusions about organisms that exist today
0407.5.4
  1. Age of Fossils
  2. The Clock Of Eras - a graphic aid to help visualize geologic time
  3. Determining Age of Rocks and Fossils - from UCMP Berkeley
  4. Fossils, Rocks, and Time - from USGS
  5. Fossils Through Time - choose a time period to see what life was like
  6. Geology of the Grand Canyon - The ultimate display of rock layers
  7. How Old Can it Be? - lesson plan including picture cards to print
  8. Prehistoric Life - determining the age of rocks and fossils
  9. Principal of Uniformitarianism - states that the processes affecting Earth today are the same ones that affected it in the past.
  10. Principle of Superposition - in a sequence of undisturbed sedimentary layers or lava flows, the oldest layers are at the bottom. (includes an animation)
  11. Relative Age - determining relative age from the rock record
  12. Relative Dating - stratigraphy and the principles of relative dating
  13. Relative Time Scale - from USGS
  14. Who's On First? - a relative dating activity
Analyze the common causes of extinction and explain how human actions sometimes result in the extinction of a species
0407.5.5
 
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.5.1 | SPI 7.5.2
Determine how a physical or
behavioral adaptation can enhance the
chances of survival
SPI 0407.5.1
  1. Draw an Alien in its Natural Habitat - [designed for grades 3-5] Students will be able to apply what they have learned about living things, structures of living things and how living things sense and respond to their environment by creating a habitat and an alien that could live in that habitat.
Infer the possible reasons why a species became endangered or extinct
SPI 0407.5.2
 
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Earth and Space Science Standards
The Universe
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.6.1 | 7.6.2
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Chart the movements of the sun, moon, and earth to develop an explanation for the phases of the moon and solar and lunar eclipses
0407.6.1

  1. Animation of a lunar eclipse from Astronomy Picture of the Day
  2. How Can the Little Moon Hide the Giant Sun - lesson plan designed for lower grades, but can be modified
  3. Animation of a Lunar Eclipse
  4. Animation of a Solar Eclipse - simultaneous animation of total, partial, and annular eclipses
  5. Current Moon Phase Calculator
  6. Earth, Sun and Moon - interactive lesson from BBC followed by a quiz
  7. Eclipse Home Page at the NASA/GSFC Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum. This web site is continually expanding and strives to be the ultimate resource for online information about eclipses.
  8. Eclipse: How Can the Moon Hide the Sun - a two page document from NASA This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  9. Eclipse Interactive - change variables and explore eclipses
  10. Eclipses - This real-time 3D simulation of the Sun, Earth, and moon explains lunar and solar eclipses, as well as the defined moon phases. The student can manipulate the Sun, the Earth, and the moon into all of their phases as well as view the phases from a variety of different perspectives.
  11. Mechanics of Lunar Eclipses - great diagrams | Lunar Eclipses occurring between 1999 and 2020
  12. Mechanics of Solar Eclipses - great diagrams | Solar Eclipses occurring between 1999 and 2020
  13. Moon and Sun - A solar eclipse composite photo
  14. Phases of the Moon - short lesson on phases with several links to follow
  15. Phases of the Moon Interactive - drag the slider left or right to observe different positions and phases
  16. Solar Eclipses - explanation and several great images
  17. Solar Eclipses through Space and Time - this 41 slide show is filled with information, images and movies
Sequence the major phases of the moon during a lunar cycle
0407.6.2
  1. Earth and Moon Matchup - phases and other earth/moon terms are in this Quia Quiz
  2. Earth-Moon-Sun system with Moon phases animation - The Sun is to the right of the Earth and Moon. (The animation is near the bottom of this page)
  3. Lunar Cycle Challenge - drag the missing moon phase into the correct spaces on the calendar; three levels
  4. Lunar Phases Activities - includes a quiz
  5. Moon Phase Calendar - shows the moon phases for each day of the current month.
  6. Moon Phases - Excel workbook to use with interactive whiteboard or projection - let students drag phases to the correct position
  7. Moon Phase Applet - use this page to see the phases of the moon for an entire year (from 1973 to 2107)
  8. Moon Phases Java Applet - Select "both" for the point of view and run the simulation to see the cause of moon phases. Stop the animation and use their chart to see the name of the moon phase.
  9. Moonlight Madness - phases of the moon quiz from Star Child
  10. The Phases of the Moon - from Enchanted Learning
  11. Phases of the Moon - This is one of the best animations for explaining moon phases. (from the Science Alberta Foundation)
  12. Phases of the Moon - a good diagram to print so students could list the phases in order
  13. Phases of the Moon - from Harcourt School (short, simple, well done)
  14. Phases of the Moon Activity (from Newton's Apple)
  15. Phases of the moon from Earth and space - For each phase, examine how the view from Earth is related to the view from space.
  16. Put the Moon's Phases in Correct Order - [this link opens on a new page] a Quia quiz
  17. Virtual Reality Moon Phase Pictures - You can view the phase of the Moon for any date and time [1800-2199 A.D.].
  18. What Our Moon Looks Like During a Complete Lunar Cycle - from the Astronomy Picture of the Day
  19. Worksheet to use with Moon Phases - One sheet gives students places to draw and name the phase, the other worksheet asks students to identify positions of the moon and earth in relation to the sun for each of the eight phases
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.6.1 | SPI 7.6.2

Organize the phases of the moon in the correct sequence
SPI 0407.6.1

 
Infer that the moon’s phases are caused by the revolution of the moon and earth around the sun
SPI 0407.6.2
 
The Earth
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.7.1 | 7.7.2 | 7.7.3 | 7.7.4
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Prepare a demonstration to illustrate how wind and water affect the earth’s surface features
0407.7.1

  1. An animation showing the formation of an unconformity - This animation shows the formation of an angular unconformity. The final result allows you to infer the sequence of the rocks' formation.
  2. Break it Down - Students in Ms. Lee's class are studying the processes of weathering. The steps for their investigation and the data they collected are shown in this sample lab activity This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  3. Factors that contribute to rock weathering
  4. Weathering of Rocks - complete and extensive information about factors related to rocks breaking down
Design an investigation to demonstrate how erosion and deposition change the earth’s surface
0407.7.2
 
List factors that determine the appropriate use of an earth material
0407.7.3
 
Use data from a variety of informational texts to analyze and evaluate man’s impact on non-renewable resources
0407.7.4
  1. Animation showing how coal forms (nonrenewable resource)
  2. Classify Resources - Click on Resource ID in the yellow Activities box to take a quiz.
  3. Energy Kids - energy facts about various forms of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources
  4. Natural Resources - Can We Use Them Forever?
  5. Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources – a quiz written by Kathy Tucker
  6. Renewable Energy and You - some things that everyone should know about renewable energy
  7. Renewable Energy Fact Sheets - there is a section of fact sheets for kids and one for adults
  8. Renewable Energy vs. Fossil Fuels - Suggestion: create a Pro and Con list for each energy source. That will give you a a way to compare the various energy resources.
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.7.1 | SPI 7.7.2

Design a simple model to illustrate how the wind and movement of water alter the earth’s surface
SPI 0407.7.1

 
Analyze how different earth materials are utilized to solve human problems or improve the quality of life
SPI 0407.7.2
 
The Atmosphere
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.8.1 | 7.8.2 | 7.8.3
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Prepare a model that illustrates the basic features of the water cycle
0407.8.1

  1. Click and Drag Water Cycle Components - place the first step anywhere you wish and then put the other steps in order
  2. Create a model of the water cycle - lesson plan from Oceans Alive
  3. Follow a drop through the water cycle
  4. How You Can Make a Model of the Water Cycle - print this to give to your students This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  5. Ideas for teaching about the water cycle - from Pro Teacher
  6. Introduction to the Water Cycle
  7. Water Cycle
  8. Water Cycle Animation - Observe a raindrop traveling through various paths of the water cycle. In this visualization, the blue raindrop shows where water is. The red arrows show the processes that could move it to another place.
  9. Water Cycle Animation - from BBC
  10. Water Cycle Animation - make changes to the image by selecting buttons on the left - from EarthGuide
  11. The Water Cycle - US Geological Survey's Water Cycle - one of the most complete explanation of the cycle
  12. The Water Cycle Lesson Plan - five activities in one
  13. Water Science - US Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Science for Schools web site! They offer information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you can give opinions and test your water knowledge.
  14. This is a PowerPoint show Water Cycle - a slide show by Soo Park, Alex Reynolds, Kate Schmidt, Connie Woo, and Christine Zackrison
  15. Water Cycle Lesson Plan - from Planet H2O
  16. Water Cycle WebQuest - [designed for 5th grade]
  17. Water Wizard quizzes - Do you have a fountain of knowledge when it comes to water? Well, dive right in and test your knowledge of water with these Water Wizard quizzes.
  18. The Watershed Game - Many things happen in a watershed that affect the quality of the water we rely upon . Examine the issues in each area of the watershed, then see the impacts of your choices.
  19. Weather in the Science Lab - Select Weather in the list of labs. The illustration shows a water cycle. Move your cursor around the image for more information. Click on The Weather Maker near the top of the weather window. Set the temperature of two air masses and the relative humidity, and then see what weather develops. Click on the book in the bottom left corner to read about weather.
Use long term weather data to distinguish between weather and climate
0407.8.2
  1. Difference Between Weather and Climate - from the About network
  2. Difference Between Weather and Climate - after reading the difference read ten statements and decide if the statement described weather or climate
  3. Interactive map of the various types of climate features on the Earth's surface
  4. Introduction to Climate - Listing the general distinctions between weather and climate
  5. Weather vs Climate
  6. What is Climate Change - this begins with a discussion of the difference between weather and climate
  7. What is the Difference Between Weather and Climate - posted by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
  8. What is the Difference Between Weather and Climate - A laboratory experiment from the
    Little Shop of Physics at Colorado State University This is an Adobe Acrobat document
Use an illustration to predict and draw conclusions about how weather and climate affect the water cycle
0407.8.3
  1. Climate - an index of several pages about weather and climate
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.8.1 | SPI 7.8.2
Identify the basic features of the water cycle and describe their importance to life on earth
SPI 0407.8.1
  1. Click and Drag Water Cycle Components - place the first step anywhere you wish and then put the other steps in order
  2. Create a model of the water cycle - lesson plan from Oceans Alive
  3. Follow a drop through the water cycle
  4. How You Can Make a Model of the Water Cycle - print this to give to your students This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  5. Ideas for teaching about the water cycle - from Pro Teacher
  6. Introduction to the Water Cycle
  7. Water Cycle
  8. Water Cycle Animation - Observe a raindrop traveling through various paths of the water cycle. In this visualization, the blue raindrop shows where water is. The red arrows show the processes that could move it to another place.
  9. Water Cycle Animation - from BBC
  10. Water Cycle Animation - make changes to the image by selecting buttons on the left - from EarthGuide
  11. The Water Cycle - US Geological Survey's Water Cycle - one of the most complete explanation of the cycle
  12. The Water Cycle Lesson Plan - five activities in one
  13. Water Science - US Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Science for Schools web site! They offer information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you can give opinions and test your water knowledge.
  14. This is a PowerPoint show Water Cycle - a slide show by Soo Park, Alex Reynolds, Kate Schmidt, Connie Woo, and Christine Zackrison
  15. Water Cycle Lesson Plan - from Planet H2O
  16. Water Cycle WebQuest - [designed for 5th grade]
  17. Water Wizard quizzes - Do you have a fountain of knowledge when it comes to water? Well, dive right in and test your knowledge of water with these Water Wizard quizzes.
  18. The Watershed Game - Many things happen in a watershed that affect the quality of the water we rely upon . Examine the issues in each area of the watershed, then see the impacts of your choices.
  19. Weather in the Science Lab - Select Weather in the list of labs. The illustration shows a water cycle. Move your cursor around the image for more information. Click on The Weather Maker near the top of the weather window. Set the temperature of two air masses and the relative humidity, and then see what weather develops. Click on the book in the bottom left corner to read about weather.
Distinguish between weather and climate
SPI 0407.8.2
 
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Physical Science Standards
Matter
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.9.1 | 7.9.2
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Use appropriate tools to measure and compare the physical properties of various solids and liquids
0407.9.1

 
Compare the causes and effects of various physical changes in matter
0407.9.2
 
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.9.1 | SPI 7.9.2 | SPI 7.9.3

Choose an appropriate tool for measuring a specific physical property of matter
SPI 0407.9.1

 
Determine the mass, volume, and temperature of a substance or object using proper units of measurement
SPI 0407.9.2
 
Interpret the causes and effects of a physical change in matter
SPI 0407.9.3
 
Energy
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.10.1 | 7.10.2 | 7.10.3
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Design an investigation to demonstrate how different forms of energy release heat or light
0407.10.1

 
Design an experiment to investigate how different surfaces determine if light is reflected, refracted, or absorbed
0407.10.2
 
Gather and organize information about a variety of materials to categorize them as translucent, transparent, or opaque
0407.10.3
 
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.10.1 | SPI 7.10.2 | SPI 7.10.3

Identify different forms of energy, such as heat, light, and chemical
SPI 0407.10.1

 
Determine which surfaces reflect, refract, or absorb light
SPI 0407.10.2
  1. The anatomy of a lens
    1. Refraction by Lenses
    2. Image Formation Revisited
    3. Ray Diagrams (converging lenses)
    4. Object-Image Relations
    5. Ray Diagrams (diverging lenses)
    6. Object-Image Relations
    7. The Mathematics of Lenses
  2. An index of ray optics animations from the Physics Classroom
  3. Dark Wet Spot - video explanation of the effect of water on reflection or transmission of light
  4. Experiment with mirrors - study reflection at an interactive BBC site
  5. Image Formation in Plane Mirrors - a set of pages with great illustrations, animations, and several quizzes
  6. Image Formation by Lenses - a set of pages with great illustrations, and several quizzes
  7. Light Absorption, Reflection, and Transmission - from a chapter on Color and Vision
  8. Lens Experiment - Java Applet allows students to change lens position
  9. Properties of Light - reflection, refraction, dispersion, and refractive indices
  10. Thick Lens java applet which allows your students to manipulate the variables
  11. Thick Lens Java applet - from another source
  12. Wavelike Behaviors of Light - from the Physics Classroom
  13. What Makes Things the Color They Are? - good illustrations of each of the elements of this SPI
Determine whether a material is transparent, translucent, or opaque
SPI 0407.10.3
 
Motion
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.11.1 | 7.11.2 | 7.11.3 | 7.11.4 | 7.11.5
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Identify the position of objects relative to fixed reference points
0407.11.1

 
Design an investigation to identify factors that affect the speed and distance traveled by an object in motion
0407.11.2
 
Complete a coordinate graph to describe the relative positions of objects
0407.11.3
 
Plan and execute an investigation that demonstrates how friction affects the movement of an object
0407.11.4
  1. Friction - [designed for 3-4 UK standards] Investigate friction on a variety of surfaces, then take a quiz.
  2. Forces in Action - [designed for 5-6 UK standards] from the BBC
Design and implement an investigation to determine that the speed of an object is equal to the distance traveled over time
0407.11.5
 
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.11.1 | SPI 7.11.2 | SPI 7.11.3
Describe the position of an
object relative to fixed reference points
SPI 0407.11.1
 
Identify factors that influence the motion of an object
SPI 0407.11.2
 
Determine the relationship between speed and distance traveled over time
SPI 0407.11.3
 
Forces in Nature
Checks for Understanding (Formative/Summative Assessment)
7.12.1 | 7.12.2 | 7.12.3
Tennessee Science Standards
2009-2010 Implementation
Internet Resources

Explore the interactions between an electrically charged object and other materials
0407.12.1

 
Design an experiment to investigate how a simple electromagnet affects common objects
0407.12.2
  1. Experiments with magnets and our surroundings - lots of activities provided by "Magnet Man"
  2. Magnetic Field - a good description from Wikipedia
  3. Magnetic Field of a Bar Magnet - The magnetic field of a bar magnet can be investigated with this compass needle applet.
Describe how electricity passes through a simple circuit that includes a battery, wire, switch, and bulb
0407.12.3
  1. Circuits and Conductors - [designed for 3-4 UK standards] an interactive site from the BBC
  2. Electricity and Magnetism - the basics of circuits
  3. Investigate a complete circuit at BBC
State Performance Indicators
SPI 7.12.1 | SPI 7.12.2 | SPI 7.12.3

Identify how magnets attract or repel one another
SPI 0407.12.1

  1. Experiments with magnets and our surroundings - lots of activities provided by "Magnet Man"
  2. Magnetic Field - a good description from Wikipedia
  3. Magnetic Field of a Bar Magnet - The magnetic field of a bar magnet can be investigated with this compass needle applet.
  4. Magnets and Electromagnets - a good description accompanied by several drawings
  5. Magnets in My Kitchen - click on objects to see how magnets are used in common household devices
Determine how an electrically charged material interacts with other objects
SPI 0407.12.2
 
Determine the path of an electrical current in a simple circuit
SPI 0407.12.3
  1. Circuits and Conductors - [designed for 3-4 UK standards] an interactive site from the BBC
  2. Electricity and Magnetism - the basics of circuits
  3. Investigate a complete circuit at BBC
Review Help
Practice Tests!
  1. Council on Competiveness presents a truly rigorous exam - select 4th Grade and then Science [timed exam]
  2. Released Test from Texas - Read the question and choose the best answer. Then mark the circle next to the letter for the answer you have chosen.

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