Science Curriculum Framework

In science, kindergarten students use their senses to make observations of the characteristics and interactions of objects in their world. Students study the characteristics of water and the basic needs of living things. They also study the relationship between the sun and Earth through shadows and weather. They determine how their actions can change the motion of objects and learn how they can make a difference in their world. Throughout the elementary years, students will develop scientific skills, supported by mathematics and computational thinking, as they learn science content. In kindergarten, students will develop skills in posing simple questions, conducting simple investigations, observing, classifying, and communicating information about the natural world.

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In first-grade science, students become aware of factors that affect their daily lives. Students continue to learn about the basic needs of all living things and that living things respond to factors in their environment, including weather and the change of season. They continue the examination of matter by observing physical properties and how materials interact with light. Throughout the elementary years, students will develop scientific skills, supported by mathematics and computational thinking, as they learn science content. In first grade, students will develop skills in posing simple questions, conducting simple investigations, observing, classifying, and communicating information about the natural world. Students are introduced to the engineering design process.

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Science in second grade builds on previous understandings of forces, water, weather, and plants and animals, as students explore these concepts through the lens of change. They examine how water changes phase, how visible and invisible forces change motion, how plants and animals change through their life cycles, and how weather changes the Earth. Students also examine how change occurs over a short or long period of time. Throughout the elementary years, students will develop scientific skills, supported by mathematics and computational thinking, as they learn science content. In second grade, students will develop skills in posing simple questions, planning and conducting simple investigations, observing, classifying, and communicating information about the natural world. Students engage in more aspects of the engineering design process at this level.

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The focus of science in third grade is interactions in our world. Students continue to study forces and matter by learning about simple machines and by examining the interactions of materials in water. They also look at how plants and animals, including humans, are constantly interacting with living and nonliving aspects of the environment. This includes examining how adaptations satisfy life needs and the importance of water, soil, and the sun in the survival of plants and animals. Throughout the elementary years, students will develop scientific skills, supported by mathematics and computational thinking, as they learn science content. In third grade, students will develop more sophisticated skills in posing questions and predicting outcomes, planning and conducting simple investigations, collecting and analyzing data, constructing explanations, and communicating information about the natural world. Students begin to use the engineering design process to apply their scientific knowledge to solve problems.

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Our solar system is a grand place, and in fourth grade science, students learn where we fit in this solar system. Starting with the solar system, and then moving to the planet Earth, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and finally their specific ecosystems, students examine how features of plants and animals support life. They also explore how living things interact with both living and nonliving components in their ecosystems. Throughout the elementary years, students will develop scientific skills, supported by mathematics and computational thinking, as they learn science content. In fourth grade, students will continue to develop skills in posing questions and predicting outcomes, planning and conducting simple investigations, collecting and analyzing data, constructing explanations, and communicating information about the natural world. Students continue to use the engineering design process to apply their scientific knowledge to solve problems.

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Grade five science delves more deeply into foundational concepts in physical science, and students begin to make connections between energy and matter. Students explore how energy is transformed and learn about electricity, sound, and light. They also learn about the composition of matter and explore how energy can change phases of matter. Students apply an understanding of force, matter, and energy when they explore how the Earth's surface changes. Students continue to develop scientific skills and processes as they pose questions and predict outcomes, plan and conduct investigations, collect and analyze data, construct explanations, and communicate information about the natural world. Mathematics and computational thinking gain importance as students advance in their scientific thinking. Students continue to use the engineering design process to apply their scientific knowledge to solve problems.

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The student will investigate and understand that pushes and pulls affect the motion of objects.

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The student will investigate and understand that objects can move in different ways.

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The student will investigate and understand that different types of forces may cause an object's motion to change.

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The student will investigate and understand that the direction and size of force affects the motion of an object.

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• The student will investigate and understand that energy can take many forms.
• The student will investigate and understand that there is a relationship between force and energy of moving objects.
• The student will investigate and understand that electricity is transmitted and used in daily life.
• The student will investigate and understand that sound can be produced and transmitted.
• The student will investigate and understand that visible light has certain characteristics and behaves in predictable ways.

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• The student will investigate and understand that physical properties of an object can be described.
• The student will investigate and understand that water is important in our daily lives and has properties.

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The student will investigate and understand that objects are made from materials that can be described by their physical properties.

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The student will investigate and understand that matter can exist in different phases.

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The student will investigate and understand how materials interact with water.

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The student will investigate and understand that matter has properties and interactions.

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• The students will investigate and understand that senses allow humans to seek, find, take in, and react or respond to different information.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are differences between living organisms and nonliving objects.
• The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals have basic needs and life processes.

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• The student will investigate and understand that plants have basic life needs and functional parts that allow them to survive.
• The student will investigate and understand that animals, including humans, have basic life needs that allow them to survive.

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• The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes as they grow and develop.
• The student will investigate and understand that t living things are part of a system.

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• The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow organisms to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment.
• The student will investigate and understand that aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms.

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• The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals have structures that distinguish them from one another and play vital roles in their ability to survive.
• The student will investigate and understand that organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem.

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• The student will investigate and understand that light influences temperature on Earth's surfaces and can cause shadows.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are patterns in nature.
• The student will investigate and understand that change occurs over time.

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• The student will investigate and understand that there is a relationship between the sun and Earth.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are weather and seasonal changes.

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• The student will investigate and understand that there are different types of weather on Earth.
• The student will investigate and understand that weather patterns and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings.

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• The student will investigate and understand that soil is important in ecosystems.
• The student will investigate and understand that there is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth.

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• The student will investigate and understand that weather conditions and phenomena affect ecosystems and can be predicted.
• The student will investigate and understand that the planets have characteristics and a specific place in the solar system.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are relationships among Earth, the moon, and the sun.
• The student will investigate and understand that the ocean environment has characteristics.

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The student will investigate and understand that Earth constantly changes.

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The student will investigate and understand that humans use resources.

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The student will investigate and understand that natural resources can be used responsibly.

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The student will investigate and understand that plants are important natural resources.

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The student will investigate and understand that natural events and humans influence ecosystems.

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The student will investigate and understand that Virginia has important natural resources.

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The student will investigate and understand that the conservation of energy resources is important.

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In sixth grade, students are transitioning from elementary to middle school. The science standards support that transition as students examine more abstract concepts, providing a foundation in the disciplines of science. They explore the characteristics of their world, from the Earth's placement in the solar system to the interactions of water, energy, air, and ecosystems on the Earth. As students more closely examine the use of resources, they also consider how their actions and choices affect future habitability of Earth. Students continue to develop scientific skills and processes as they pose questions and predict outcomes, plan and conduct investigations, collect and analyze data, construct explanations, and communicate information about the natural world. Mathematics and computational thinking gain importance as students advance in their scientific thinking. Students continue to use the engineering design process to apply their scientific knowledge to solve problems.

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• The student will investigate and understand that the solar system is organized and the various bodies in the solar system interact.
• The student will investigate and understand that there is a relationship between the sun, Earth, and the moon.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are basic sources of energy and that energy can be transformed.
• The student will investigate and understand that all matter is composed of atoms.
• The student will investigate and understand that water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment.
• The student will investigate and understand that air has properties and that Earth's atmosphere has structure and is dynamic.
• The student will investigate and understand that land and water have roles in watershed systems.
• The student will investigate and understand that humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment.

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The Life Science standards emphasize a more complex understanding of change, cycles, patterns, and relationships in the living world. Students build on basic principles related to these concepts by exploring the cellular organization and the classification of organisms; the dynamic relationships among organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems; and change as a result of the transmission of genetic information from generation to generation. Students build on scientific investigation skills by independently identifying questions and planning investigations. Students evaluate the usefulness and limits of models and support their conclusions using evidence. Mathematics, computational thinking, and experience in the engineering design process gain importance as students advance in their scientific thinking.

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• The student will investigate and understand that all living things are composed of one or more cells that support life processes, as described by the cell theory.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are levels of structural organization in living things.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are chemical processes of energy transfer which are important for life.
• The student will investigate and understand that biotic and abiotic factors affect an ecosystem.
• The student will investigate and understand that populations in a biological community interact and are interdependent.
• The student will investigate and understand that adaptations support an organism's survival in an ecosystem.
• The student will investigate and understand that ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms are dynamic and change over time.
• The student will investigate and understand that relationships exist between ecosystem dynamics and human activity.
• The student will investigate and understand that organisms reproduce and transmit genetic information to new generations.
• The student will investigate and understand that populations of organisms can change over time.

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Physical Science standards stress an in-depth understanding of the nature and structure of matter and the characteristics of energy. Major areas covered by the standards include the particle nature of matter; the organization and use of the periodic table; physical and chemical changes; energy transfer and transformations; properties of longitudinal and transverse waves; electricity and magnetism; and work, force, and motion. The standards build on skills of systematic investigation with a clear focus on variables and repeated trials. Validating conclusions with evidence and data becomes increasingly important at this level. Mathematics, computational thinking, and experiences in the engineering design process gain importance as students advance in their scientific thinking.

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• The student will investigate and understand that matter is composed of atoms.
• The student will investigate and understand that matter has properties and is conserved in chemical and physical processes.
• The student will investigate and understand that the periodic table is a model used to organize elements based on their atomic structure.
• The student will investigate and understand that energy is conserved.
• The student will investigate and understand that waves are important in the movement of energy.
• The student will investigate and understand that electromagnetic radiation has characteristics.
• The student will investigate and understand that work, force, and motion are related.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are basic principles of electricity and magnetism.

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The Earth Science standards focus on the complex nature of the Earth system, including Earth's composition, structure, processes, and history; its atmosphere, fresh water, and oceans; and its environment in space as a set of complex, interacting, and overlapping systems. The standards emphasize the nature of science as students learn about the development of scientific thought about Earth and space. The standards stress the interpretation of maps, charts, tables, and profiles; the use of technology to collect, analyze, and report data; and the utilization of science skills in systematic investigation. Problem solving and decision making are integral parts of the standards, especially as related to the costs and benefits of utilizing Earth's resources. Mathematics and computational thinking are important as students advance in their scientific thinking.

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• The student will demonstrate an understanding that there are scientific concepts related to the origin and evolution of the universe.
• The student will investigate and understand that Earth is unique in our solar system.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are major rock-forming and ore minerals.
• The student will investigate and understand that igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks can transform.
• The student will investigate and understand that resource use is complex.
• The student will investigate and understand that plate tectonic theory explains Earth's internal and external geologic processes.
• The student will investigate and understand that freshwater resources influence and are influenced by geologic processes and activities of humans.
• The student will investigate and understand that many aspects of the history and evolution of Earth and life can be inferred by studying rocks and fossils.
• The student will investigate and understand that oceans are complex, dynamic systems and are subject to long- and short-term variations.
• The student will investigate and understand that the atmosphere is a complex, dynamic system and is subject to longand short-term variations.
• The student will investigate and understand that Earth's weather and climate are the result of the interaction of the sun's energy with the atmosphere, oceans, and the land.

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The Biology standards are designed to provide students with a detailed understanding of living systems. Students investigate biochemical life processes, cellular organization, mechanisms of inheritance, dynamic relationships among organisms, and the changes in organisms through time. Skills necessary to examine scientific explanations, conduct experiments, analyze and communicate information, and gather and use information in scientific literature continues to be important. The importance of scientific research that validates or challenges ideas is emphasized at this level. Tools and technology, including calculators, computers, probes and sensors, and microscopes are used when feasible. Students will use chemicals and equipment safely. Mathematics, computational thinking, and experiences in the engineering design process are important as students advance in their scientific thinking.

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• The student will investigate and understand that chemical and biochemical processes are essential for life.
• The student will investigate and understand that cells have structure and function.
• The student will investigate and understand that bacteria and viruses have an effect on living systems.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are common mechanisms for inheritance.
• The student will investigate and understand that modern classification systems can be used as organizational tools for scientists in the study of organisms.
• The student will investigate and understand that populations change through time.
• The student will investigate and understand that there are dynamic equilibria within populations, communities, and ecosystems.

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The Chemistry standards are designed to provide students with a detailed understanding of the interaction between matter and energy. This interaction is investigated using experimentation, mathematical reasoning, and problem solving. Areas of study include atomic theory, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, molar relationships, kinetic molecular theory, and thermodynamics. Concepts are illustrated with current practical applications that should include examples from environmental, nuclear, organic, and biochemistry content areas. Technology, including graphing calculators, computers, simulations, and probeware are used when feasible. Students will use chemicals and equipment safely. Mathematics, computational thinking, and experience with the engineering design process are essential as students advance in their scientific thinking.

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• The student will investigate and understand that elements have properties based on their atomic structure. The periodic table is an organizational tool for elements based on these properties.
• The student will investigate and understand that atoms are conserved in chemical reactions. Knowledge of chemical properties of the elements can be used to describe and predict chemical interactions.
• The student will investigate and understand that molar relationships compare and predict chemical quantities.
• The student will investigate and understand that solutions behave in predictable and quantifiable ways.
• The student will investigate and understand that the phases of matter are explained by the kinetic molecular theory.
• The student will investigate and understand that thermodynamics explains the relationship between matter and energy.

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The Physics standards emphasize a more complex understanding of experimentation, the analysis of data, and the use of reasoning and logic to evaluate evidence. The use of mathematics, including algebra and trigonometry is important, but conceptual understanding of physical systems remains a primary concern. Students build on basic physical science principles by exploring in-depth the nature and characteristics of energy and its dynamic interaction with matter. Key areas covered by the standards include force and motion, energy transformations, wave phenomena and the electromagnetic spectrum, electricity, fields, and non-Newtonian physics. Technology, including graphing calculators, computers, and probeware are used when feasible. Students will use equipment safely. Mathematics, computational thinking, and experience in the engineering design process are essential as students advance in their scientific thinking.

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• The student will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that there are relationships between position and time.
• The student will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that there are relationships among force, mass, and acceleration.
• The student will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that conservation laws govern all interactions.
• The student will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that waves transmit energy and move in predictable patterns.
• The student will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that optical systems form a variety of images.
• The student will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that fields provide a unifying description of force at a distance.
• The student will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that electrical circuits are a system used to transfer energy.
• The student will investigate and understand that extremely large and extremely small quantities are not necessarily described by the same laws as those studied in Newtonian physics.

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