Grade 5

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.

Engineering and Technology Science 

Observe and ask questions about the natural world God created.

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

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Interdependence and Adaptations

Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

Matter and its Properties

Structure of Matter

Matter and its Interactions

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Energy

Earth’s Place in the Universe

Earth’s Systems

 Earth and Human Activity

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 nothing exists that does not owe its existence to God the Creator. (CCC338)

Understand plants acquire their material for growth chiefly from air and water

Understand that matter that is not food is changed by plants into matter that is food

Recognize how plants capture energy from the sun to produce food through photosynthesis

Describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

Develop a model to show food of almost any kind of animal can be traced back to plants

Organisms are related in food webs in which some animals eat plants for food and others eat animals that eat the plants

Understand organisms such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organisms operating as “decomposers”

Understands decomposition eventually restores (recycles) some materials back to the soil

Understands organisms can survive only in environments in which their particular needs are met

Understand a healthy ecosystem is one in which multiple species of different types are each able to meet their needs in a relatively stable web of life

Understand newly introduced species can damage the balance of an ecosystem 

Understands that all matter cycles between the air, soil, and among plants, animals and microbes as the organisms live and die (life cycle) 

Understands organisms obtain gases and water, from the environment and release waste matter (gas, liquid, or solid) back into the environment

Describes how to care for God’s creation through recycling, composting, reducing pollution (Laudato Si’)

Identify matter in three forms and know it has the ability to change forms

Understands matter is made of particles too small to be seen without special equipment

Gases are made from matter particles that are too small to see and are moving freely around in space 

Understand matter, of any type, can be subdivided into particles that are too small to be seen unaided

Use observations to explain the effects of small particles (molecules) moving around in space and the effects of air on larger particles or objects (shape of a balloon)

Investigate how changing the weight, size, shape, or material of an object will change the way it moves through the air

 Understand no matter what reaction or change (heating, cooling, or mixing substances) in properties occurs, the total weight of the substances does not change

Understand standard units are used to measure and describe physical quantities such as weight, time, temperature, and volume

Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties

Understand when two or more different substances are mixed, a new substance with different properties may be formed.

Support an argument that the gravitational force of Earth acting on an object near Earth’s surface pulls that object toward the planet’s center

Observe that objects that travel through the air are acted upon by the forces of thrust, lift, drag and gravity

Understands energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects 

Explains the energy released from food was once energy from the sun that was captured by plants in the chemical process that forms plant mater (from air and water)

Understand the sun is a star that appears larger and brighter than other stars because it is closer to Earth

Explain the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars due to relative distance from the Earth

Understand objects in the solar system are in constant motion caused by natural forces which impact many changes we see in on Earth

Compare and contrast planets to stars

Explain the orbit of Earth around the sun and of the moon around the Earth

Understand the rotation of the Earth and the axis between North and South poles

Identify and explain observable patterns of change (day/night, length and direction of shadows, positions of the sun, moon, stars) at different times of the day, month, and year

 a. Differentiate Earth’s major systems; geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere

Describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and/or atmosphere interact

Develop a model to describe ways Earth’s major systems interact

Understands the role water plays in the balance of the eco- system and Earth’s processes

Describe and graph the percentages of Earth’s water resources

Understand most fresh water is in glaciers and underground, only a tiny fraction is in streams, lakes, wetlands, and the atmosphere 

Obtain and use information to describe how human activity impacts Earth’s systems

Research and describe how human activities in agriculture, industry and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and outer space.

Understand humans are stewards of the gift of God’s creation (Laudato Si)

Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of human activity on God’s creation