Table of Contents:
- Reasons why learning science is important for 5th graders
- Life Science Lesson Unit: Living Systems
- Physical Science Lesson Unit: Chemistry and Matter
- Earth Science Lesson Unit: The Solar System and the Weather on Earth
Reasons why learning science is important for 5th graders
Here are three free grade 5 science lesson modules that will help students understand the natural world around them while also cultivating essential skills that benefit them both academically and personally. Here are some key reasons why learning science is important for 5th graders:
- Encouraging Curiosity and Critical Thinking: Children are drawn to science and are to be encouraged to ask questions about the world around them. Through practical experiments, observations, and investigations, they can cultivate budding critical thinking abilities by formulating hypotheses and drawing conclusions supported by evidence.
- Problem-Solving Ability: Science instruction gives young students the ability to solve problems outside of the classroom. They gain the ability to identify issues, break them down into doable steps, come up with original solutions, and evaluate the success of those solutions.
- Understanding the Physical World: Students learn about the principles of the physical world in science class, including natural laws, the properties of matter, and the interdependence of all living things. With this understanding, they can recognize the intricacies of natural systems and make well-informed decisions regarding the environment.
- Developing STEM Awareness and Preparing for Future Careers: Students can prep for a range of future careers in industries like technology, engineering, medicine, and environmental science when they understand scientific concepts and develop problem-solving abilities.
- Cultivating a Sense of Wonder and Appreciation: Students who study science are better able to comprehend the environment and its delicate balance, which fosters a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world.
- Nurturing Creativity and Innovation: Science encourages students to think creatively and innovatively by allowing them to try out novel concepts and ideas. They acquire the resourcefulness and curiosity needed to tackle problems head-on, developing an innovative and forward-thinking mindset.
Life Science Lesson Unit Living Systems
This unit covers the California Science Standards for 5th grade Life Science by focusing on transport systems in mammals (respiratory, circulatory, digestive, and excretory) and plants (roots, stems-xylem, phloem, and leaves). By the conclusion of the lesson, students will understand how form and function interact in living organisms. Students will understand that: living things are structurally organized from microscopic cells to tissues, organs, and organ systems; living things exhibit a structure-function relationship in which the way something is designed and built contributes to its ability to perform specific functions; The respiratory, circulatory, digestive, and excretory systems are the four systems in animals that function to transport materials; each of these systems is made up of smaller parts called organs, each with their own function; in addition to a specific function (e.g., digest food), these systems are inter-related (e.g., circulatory and respiratory) to provide nutrients to the body and remove wastes; plant structures also provide transport of nutrients and waste removal. Students are introduced to the Grade 5 Life Science Unit via a sequence of investigations, experiments, active learning activities, questions, and assessments. Pre-, post-, and six formative examinations are included.
Download Complete Grade 5 Life Science Lessons (80mb)
| Introduction and Conceptual Flow Narrative | Download PDF | |
| Conceptual Flow Graphic | Download image | |
| Pre-Assessment | A (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 1 Hierarchy | 5.1 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 2 Structure-Function | 5.2 | Download PDF |
| Formative Assessment #1 | B (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 3 Just Breathe | 5.3 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 4 Under Pressure | 5.4 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 5 You Gotta Have Heart | 5.5 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 6 Heart to Heart | 5.6 | Download PDF |
| Formative Assessment #2 (performance assessment) | C (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 7 Body Highways | 5.7 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 8 Let’s Get Connected | 5.8 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 9 Digestion: Chew on That! | 5.9 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 10 Digestive System Simulation | 5.10 | Download PDF |
| Formative Assessment #3 (writing sample) | D (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 11 Excretory System | 5.11 | Download PDF |
| Formative Assessment #4 | E (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 12 Plant Macro Transport | 5.12 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 13 Celery Lab | 5.13 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 14 Leave it to the Leaves | 5.14 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Formative Assessment #5 | F (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 15 Photosynthesis Play | 5.15 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 16 Photosynthesis-Cellular Respiration Cycle | 5.16 | Download PDF |
| Formative Assessment #6 | G (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Post-Assessment | 5.18 | Download PDF |
Physical Science Lesson Unit: Chemistry and Matter
This unit is concerned with matter and its qualities. This lesson addresses all of the Grade 5 California Science Content Standards for Physical Science. Students will understand by the end of the unit that: elements and their combinations account for all the different types of matter in the world; all matter is made of atoms that can combine to form molecules; each element is made of one type of atom; the elements are organized in the periodic table by their chemical properties; differences in chemical and physical properties of substances are used to separate mixtures and identify compounds; and changes in matter are caused by a rise and lowering in temperatures and mixing. Students are introduced to the Grade 5 Physical Science Unit via a sequence of investigations, experiments, active learning activities, questions, and examinations.
Download Complete Grade 5 Physical Science (12.6mb)
| Introduction and Conceptual Flow Narrative | Download PDF | |
| Conceptual Flow Graphic | Download zip | |
| Pre-Assessment | A (Assessment File) | Download zip (4 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 1 Observation Boxes | 5.1 | Download zip (4 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 2 Three States of Matter | 5.2 | Download zip (4 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 3 Measuring Matter | 5.3 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 4 Density | 5.4 | Download zip (6 PDF’s) |
| Formative Assessment #1 | B (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 5 Physical Changes | 5.5 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 6 Ice Cube Demonstration | 5.6 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Formative Assessment #2 | C (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 7 Mixtures and Solutions | 5.7 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 8 Ransom Note | 5.8 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Formative Assessment #3 | D (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 9 Black Boxes | 5.9 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 10 Atoms: the Bohr Model | 5.10 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 11 Making Molecules | 5.11 | Download zip (4 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 12 Salty Ice Cream | 5.12 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 13 Kitchen Chemistry | 5.13 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 14 Chemical Change | 5.14 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Formative Assessment #4 | E (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 15 Mystery Powders | 5.15 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 16 Periodic Table | 5.16 | Download PDF |
| Formative Assessment #5 | F (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 17 Properties of Metals | 5.17 | Download zip (3 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 18 Element Advertisement | 5.18 | Download zip (4 PDF’s) |
| Post-Assessment | G (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
Earth Science Lesson Unit: The Solar System and the Weather on Earth
This grade 5 Earth Science Unit focuses on the uniqueness of Earth via various of its processes (water cycle and weather) and covers the 5th grade Life Science California Science Standards. Students will understand that Earth is unique as the “water planet” at the conclusion of the course. In living creatures, structure and function are linked. Students will understand that the solar system consists of the sun (a star) and eight planets; that each planet has characteristics (such as size and distance from the sun) that may be used to characterize it; and that the Earth is the only one with water. Students will also understand that water on Earth enables life to exist; that water cycles through living and nonliving components of the environment; that water cycles as individual molecules at different rates and from different locations; and that the water cycle is a major basis of weather, which is the state of the air around us. Students will understand the link between density, temperature, relative humidity, and air pressure, as well as how these variables influence local weather and contribute to severe weather patterns. Students gather weather data from their weather station throughout the course. They evaluate the data and forecast future weather trends in their region. Students are introduced to the Grade 5 Earth Science Unit via a sequence of studies, experiments, active learning activities, questions, and assessments. Pre-, post-, and three formative evaluations are included.
Download Complete Grade 5 Earth Science (51.7mb)
| Introduction and Conceptual Flow Narrative | 1 | Download PDF |
| Conceptual Flow Graphic | 5 | Download PDF |
| Pre-Assessment | A (Assessment File) | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 0 Weather Station | 5.0 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 1 Star of the Solar System-The Sun | 5.1 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 2 Planet Relative Size and Distance | 5.2 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 3 Planets Pocket Book | 5.3 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Formative Assessment #1 | B (Assessment File) | Download zip (3 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 4 The Water Planet | 5.4 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 5 Water Cycles | 5.5 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 6 Transpiration | 5.6 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 7 Watersheds | 5.7 | Download zip (3 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 8 Water Cycle Game | 5.8 | Download zip (11 PDF’s) |
| Formative Assessment #2 | C (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 9 What is Weather? | 5.9 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 10 Humidity | 5.10 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 11 Density | 5.11 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 12 Differential Heating | 5.12 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 13 Convection Currents | 5.13 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 14 Winds | 5.14 | Download zip (2 Files) |
| Lesson 15 Air Pressure | 5.15 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 16 Severe Weather | 5.16 | Download zip (2 Files) |
| Lesson 17 Analyzing Weather Data | 5.17 | Download PDF |
| Formative Assessment #3 (performance assessment) | D (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Post-Assessment | E (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
– love learning -your best ed lessons guide, Scott
