Science concepts assessed in 4th grade include

(note: not all areas are assessed in a single semester)

 

Life Science Core Ideas

The senses; light and vision; the brain as information processor; animal communication; digital information transfer

 

Earth and Space Science Core Ideas

Plate tectonics; stratigraphy

 

Physical Science Core Ideas

Energy; energy transfer and transformation; conservation of energy; different types of collisions

 

Engineering Design Core Ideas

Energy; natural resources and the environment

 

Science and Engineering Practices

Asking questions (science) and defining problems (engineering); Developing and using models; Planning and carrying out investigations; Analyzing and interpreting data; Using mathematics and computational thinking; Constructing explanations (science) and designing solutions (engineering); Engaging in argument from evidence; Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. 

 

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns; Cause and effect; Scale, proportion, and quantity; Systems and systems models; Energy and matter; Structure and function; Stability and change.