Earth Space Science E-Resource Guide

 

Grade - 4

 

 

ESS1 - The Earth and Earth materials, as we know them today, have developed over long periods of time, through constant change processes. 

 

E-Resources

3-4

1.      Atmosphere, Climate, & Weather

 

 

1.         Explain how water exists in the atmosphere in different forms and describe how it changes from one form to another through various processes, such as freezing, condensation, precipitation and evaporation.

 

2.         Explain that air surrounds the Earth, it takes up space, and it moves around as wind.

 

3.   Based on data collected from daily weather observations, describe weather changes or weather patterns.   [ESS1 (K-4) POC –5]

 

 4.  Explain how the use of scientific tools helps to extend senses and gather data about weather.  (i.e., weather/wind vane: direction; wind sock: wind intensity; anemometer: speed; thermometer: temperature; meter sticks/rulers: snow depth; rain gauges: rain amount in inches)

[ESS (K-4) NOS –3]   

 

2.      COMPOSITION & FEATURES

·        Brain Pop videos on the Earth

 

·        Types of rocks and the rock cycle

 

 

     1.     Describe Earth materials such as gases found in the atmosphere, rocks, soils, and water in its liquid and solid states.

 

2      Describe rock as being composed of different                    combinations of minerals.    

 

3.Given information about Earth materials, explain how their characteristics lend themselves to specific uses.  [ESS1 (K-4) FAF -6]

 

4. Given certain Earth materials (soils, rocks, or minerals) use physical properties to sort, classify, and/or describe them.  [ESS1 (K-4) INQ –1]

 

3.      FOSSILS

 

1.       Recognize and explain that fossils offer evidence of plants, animals and the nature of environments that existed long ago.

 

4.      OBSERVATION OF the EARTH FROM SPACE

 

 

1.      Recognize features of the Earth as viewed by astronauts in orbit and as transmitted by scientific instruments on satellites and spacecraft.

 

5.      PROCESSESS & RATES OF CHANGE

·           Brain Pop videos on weathering and erosion

 

·           Erosion experiment

 

1.       Identify and describe processes that affect the features of the Earth’s surface, including weathering, erosion, deposition of sediment.

 

2.        Explain how wind, water, or ice shape and reshape the Earth’s surface. 

         [ESS1 (K-4) INQ+SAE –4]

 

6.      ROCK CYCLE

 

 

 

1.        Explain that smaller rocks come from the breaking and weathering of larger rocks and bedrock.

 

2.        Distinguish between the three categories of rocks, metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary, and describe the processes that create them.

 

3.        Identify minerals by their physical properties, such as color, texture and cleavage, and describe simple tests used in the identification process.  

 

4.        Use results from an experiment to draw conclusions about how water interacts with earth materials (e.g., percolation, erosion, frost heaves)

           [ESS1 (K-4) INQ –2]

 

 

7.      WATER

·        USGS site on the Earth's water

1.        Recognize and describe the Earth’s surface as mostly covered by water.

 

2.        Explain that most of Earth’s water is salt water, which is found in the oceans, and that fresh water is found in rivers, lakes, underground sources, and glaciers.

 

 

ESS2 - The Earth is part of a solar system, made up of distinct parts, which have temporal and spatial interrelationships.

 

E-Resources

3-4

1.        EARTH, SUN AND MOON

·        Animated site showing the Earth's orbit
  1. Explain that night and day are caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis and that the Earth rotates approximately once, every 24 hours.

 

  1. Describe the Sun as a star.

 

2.        ENERGY

·        Brain Pop video on the Earth
  1. Recognize the Sun provides the light and heat necessary to maintain the temperature of the Earth.

 

3.        SOLAR SYSTEM

·  Brain Pop video on the solar system

 

·   NASA's kids site with videos and activities on the solar system
  1. Recognize the Moon orbits the Earth.

 

  1. Recognize the Earth is one of a number of planets that orbit the Sun.  

 

 

4.        VIEW FROM EARTH

·        NASA's star finder activity

 

 
  1. Recognize that although star patterns seen in the sky appear to move slowly each night from east to west they actually remain the same, and explain why different stars can be seen during different seasons.

 

  1. Explain why the planets look like stars, and why, over a period of time, they appear to wander among the constellations.

 


 

 

ESS3 - The origin and evolution of galaxies and the universe demonstrate fundamental principles of physical science across vast distances and time.

 

E-Resources

3-4

1.        Size and Scale

·        Audio and images on distances in space

 

 

1.       Recognize that astronomical objects in space are massive in size and are separated from one another by vast distances.

 

2.       Explain that telescopes magnify the size of distant objects and significantly increase the number of these objects that can be viewed from Earth.

 

2.        Stars and Galaxies
  1. Recognize and describe the stars, like the Sun, as spherical in nature.

 

  1. Recognize that stars come in different colors, and that the Sun is a yellow star.

 

3.        Universe

 

None at this grade span.

 


 

 

ESS4 - The growth of scientific knowledge in Earth Space Science has been advanced through the development of technology and is used (alone or in combination with other sciences) to identify, understand and solve local and global issues.

 

E-Resources

3-4

1.        Design Technology

 

·        Homemade barometer experiment

 

 

   1.  Recognize that man uses various mechanical devices to record changes in the weather and the Earth.

 

2.  Tools

 

 

1. Demonstrate the use of simple instruments including, thermometers, windsocks, meter sticks, rain gauges to collect weather data.  

 

3.      Social Issues (local and global)

 

Uses of Earth Materials

 

 

 

 

 

Environmental Change

·        Brain Pop video on recycling

1.      Distinguish between and provide examples of materials that can be recycled/reused and those that cannot.  

 

2.      Provide examples of technology that have changed the environment and explain whether the effect had a positive or negative impact.

 

3.      Explain how to dispose of waste so that it does not harm the environment.

 

4.      Recognize there are pros and cons   to using different types of energy, such as solar energy and fossil fuels, and compare the differences.   

 

 

1.      Career Technical Education Connections

 

 

1.      Identify some jobs/careers that require knowledge and use of Earth science content and/or skills.