PreK-2 Science

Skills of Inquiry
These are not taught as stand alone objectives, but rather should be interwoven throughout
each unit.
Grades PreK–2
• Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events in the environment.
• Tell about why and what would happen if?
• Make predictions based on observed patterns.
• Name and use simple equipment and tools (e.g., rulers, meter sticks, thermometers,
hand lenses, and balances) to gather data and extend the senses.
• Record observations and data with pictures, numbers, or written statements.
• Discuss observations with others.
Page 2
Kindergarten
Seasons and Change
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
I 1. Recognize that water, rocks, soil, and living organisms are found on the earth’s surface.
I 3. Describe the weather changes from day to day and over the seasons.
I 5. Identify some events around us that have repeating patterns, including the seasons of
the year, day and night.
LIFE SCIENCE
I 7. Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons
change.
TECHNOLOGY
I 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue, scissors,
tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
Unit 1: All Together Now
Observations, motion, and sorting objects
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
I 1. Recognize that water, rocks, soil, and living organisms are found on the earth’s surface.
LIFE SCIENCE
I 6. Recognize that people and other animals interact with the environment through their
senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
M 3. Describe the various ways that objects can move, such as in a straight line, zigzag,
back-and-forth, round- and-round, fast, and slow.
I 4. Demonstrate the way to change the motion of an object is to apply a force (give it a push
or pull). The greater the force, the greater the change in motion of the object.
TECHNOLOGY
I 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue, scissors,
tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
Unit 2: Animals Live Here
Habitats
LIFE SCIENCE
I 7. Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons
change.
I 8. Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs (plants
require air, water, nutrients, and light; animals require food, water, air, and shelter).
Page 3
Unit 3: Watch Me Change
Growth and Life Cycles
LIFE SCIENCE
I 1. Recognize that animals (including humans) and plants are living things that grow,
reproduce, and need food, air, and water.
I 3. Recognize that plants and animals have life cycles, and that life cycles vary for different
living things.
I 4. Describe ways in which many plants and animals closely resemble their parents in
observed appearance.
Unit 4: Let's Explore
Periodic phenomena and Living and non-living things
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
I 5. Identify some events around us that have repeating patterns, including the seasons of
the year, day and night.
LIFE SCIENCE
I 2. Differentiate between living and nonliving things. Group both living and nonliving
things according to the characteristics that they share.
Unit 5: Going Places
Motion
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
M 3. Describe the various ways that objects can move, such as in a straight line, zigzag,
back-and-forth, round- and-round, fast, and slow.
I 4. Demonstrate the way to change the motion of an object is to apply a force (give it a push
or pull). The greater the force, the greater the change in motion of the object.
Unit 6: Building Our Homes
TECHNOLOGY
I 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue, scissors,
tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
I 2.2 Describe how human beings use parts of the body as tools (e.g., teeth for cutting, hands
for grasping and catching), and compare their use with the ways in which animals use those
parts of their bodies.
Page 4
FIRST GRADE
Growth and Changes - pumpkins, apples, and students
LIFE SCIENCE
M 1. Recognize that animals (including humans) and plants are living things that grow,
reproduce, and need food, air, and water.
M 3. Recognize that plants and animals have life cycles, and that life cycles vary for
different living things.
M 4. Describe ways in which many plants or animals closely resemble their parents in
observed appearance.
M 7. Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons
change.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
M 1. Sort objects by observable properties such as size, shape, color, weight, and texture.
TECHNOLOGY
M 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue,
scissors, tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
Weather Changes
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
I 2. Understand that air is a mixture of gases that is all around us and that wind is moving
air.
M 3. Describe the weather changes from day to day and over the seasons.
I 4. Recognize that the sun supplies heat and light to the earth and is necessary for life.
TECHNOLOGY
M 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue,
scissors, tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
States of Matter
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
I 2. Identify objects and materials as solid, liquid, or gas. Recognize that solids have a
definite shape and that liquids and gases take the shape of their container.
Fossils
LIFE SCIENCE
M 5. Recognize that fossils provide us with information about living things that inhabited
the earth years ago.
Page 5
Repeating Patterns
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
M 5. Identify some events around us that have repeating patterns, including the seasons of
the year, day and night.
TECHNOLOGY
M 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue,
scissors,
tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
Living Vs. Nonliving
LIFE SCIENCE
M 2. Differentiate between living and nonliving things. Group both living and nonliving
things according to the characteristics that they share.
M 6. Recognize that people and other animals interact with the environment through their
senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
TECHNOLOGY
M 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue,
scissors,
tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
Habitats - Rainforest
LIFE SCIENCE
M 1. Recognize that animals (including humans) and plants are living things that grow,
reproduce, and need food, air, and water.
M 8. Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs (plants
require air, water, nutrients, and light; animals require food, water, air, and shelter).
TECHNOLOGY
M 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue,
scissors, tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
Using Tools
TECHNOLOGY
M 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue,
scissors, tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
M 2.2 Describe how human beings use parts of the body as tools (e.g., teeth for cutting,
hands for grasping and catching), and compare their use with the ways in which animals
use those parts of their bodies.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
M 5. Recognize that under some conditions, objects can be balanced.
Page 6
Second Grade
Life Cycles
LIFE SCIENCE
R 1. Recognize that animals (including humans) and plants are living things that grow,
reproduce, and need food, air, and water.
R 3. Recognize that plants and animals have life cycles, and that life cycles vary for
different living things.
R 8. Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs (plants
require air, water, nutrients, and light; animals require food, water, air, and shelter).
River
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
M 1. Recognize that water, rocks, soil, and living organisms are found on the earth’s
surface.
R 3. Describe the weather changes from day to day and over the seasons.
M 4. Recognize that the sun supplies heat and light to the earth and is necessary for life.
M 5. Identify some events around us that have repeating patterns, including the seasons of
the year, day and night.
LIFE SCIENCE
R 2. Differentiate between living and nonliving things. Group both living and nonliving
things according to the characteristics that they share.
R 6. Recognize that people and other animals interact with the environment through their
senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
R 7. Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons
change.
R 8. Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs (plants
require air, water, nutrients, and light; animals require food, water, air, and shelter).
TECHNOLOGY
R 2.2 Describe how human beings use parts of the body as tools (e.g., teeth for cutting,
hands for grasping and catching), and compare their use with the ways in which animals
use those
parts of their bodies.
Page 7
Introduction to Motion & Simple Machines
TECHNOLOGY
R 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue,
scissors, tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.
I 2.1 Identify tools and simple machines used for a specific purpose, e.g., ramp, wheel, pulley,
lever.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
M 4. Demonstrate the way to change the motion of an object is to apply a force (give it a
push or pull). The greater the force, the greater the change in motion of the object.
Natural and Human-made Materials
TECHNOLOGY
M 1.1 Identify and describe characteristics of natural materials (e.g., wood, cotton, fur,
wool) and human-made materials (e.g., plastic, Styrofoam).
M 1.2 Identify and explain some possible uses for natural materials (e.g., wood, cotton, fur,
wool) and human-made materials (e.g., plastic, Styrofoam).
R 1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials (e.g., glue,
scissors,
tape, ruler, paper, toothpicks, straws, spools) to construct simple structures.