Grade 1

Science as Inquiry: Students build an understanding, through observation and experimentation, the foundations of science, the study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world God created using scientific inquiry.

Life and Environmental Science: Students demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics and structure of all God’s creation: living things, the processes of life, and how God designed living things to interact with one another and the environment in which they live. Genesis 1.11 – 2.25 – Central theme: The world and all creation began with God.

Physical Science Students understand and demonstrate that properties of materials and energy change, can be observed, measured, and protected.

Earth and Space Science Students demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics and structures of earth and space. Genesis 1.1 – 2.25 – Central theme: The universe and all creation began with God

Life and Environmental Science (LES) Students demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics and structure of all God’s creation: living things, the processes of life, and how God designed living things to interact with one another and the environment in which they live. Genesis 1.11 – 2.25 – Central theme: The world and all creation began with God.

Plan and conduct simple investigations

Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses

Use appropriate mathematics with data to construct reasonable explanations

Communicate about observations, investigations and explanations

Review and ask questions about the observations and explanations of others

Apply Catholic values to the development and application of science concepts

From molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processe

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Waves and their applications in technologies for information transfer

Earth’s Place in the Universe

Earth and Human Activity

Engineering and Technology Science

Ask questions, make observations, and gathers information about a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.

Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem. 

Analyze data from testing two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare strengths and weaknesses of how each performs

Understand God created all organisms with external parts that help them survive

Observe that different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find and take in food, water and air

Identify parts of a plant (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive

Design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and animal external parts help them survive

Determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive

Observe and record how young plants and animals are similar to but not exactly like their parents

Illustrate that animals and plants have life cycles

Identify the life cycle of an insect

Identify the parts of a plant and its life cycle

Explain that plants and animals, including humans, have adaptations needed for growth and survival

Investigate how sound can make matter vibrate and vibrating matter can make sound

Observe how objects can be seen if light is available to illuminate them or if they give off their own light

Investigate to determine the effect of placement of objects in the path of a beam of light

Identify materials that allow light to pass through them, allow only some light through and block light and create a dark shadow on any surface beyond them

Understand mirrors can be used to redirect light beam

Design or build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance

Observe the predictable patterns of the sun, moon, and stars

Predict, observe and describe seasonal patterns of sunrise and sunset

Understand that Earth is surrounded by air called atmosphere

Demonstrate that air exists and takes up space

Discover that air temperature varies with time and place

Measure air temperature using a thermometer

Know that Earth materials consist of solid rocks, soils, liquid water, and the gasses of the atmosphere and have different properties

Realize that the Earth is a planet that supports life