5.1 Strand
Earth’s major systems are the geosphere (solid and molten rock, soil, and sediments), the hydrosphere (water and ice), the atmosphere (air), and the biosphere (living things, including humans). Within these systems, the location of Earth’s land and water can be described. Also, these systems interact in multiple ways. Weathering and erosion are examples of interactions between Earth’s systems. Some interactions cause landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions that impact humans and other organisms. Humans cannot eliminate natural hazards, but solutions can be designed to reduce their impact.
Standard(s) 5.1.1: Analyze and interpret data to describe patterns of Earth’s features. Emphasize most earthquakes and volcanoes occur in bands that are often along the boundaries between continents and oceans while major mountain chains may be found inside continents or near their edges. Examples of data could include maps showing locations of mountains on continents and the ocean floor or the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes. (ESS2.B)
Practices
Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyzing data in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to introducing quantitative approaches to collecting data and conducting multiple trials of qualitative observations. When possible and feasible, digital tools should be used.
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Analyze and interpret data to make sense of phenomena using logical reasoning.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions
The locations of mountain ranges, deep ocean trenches, ocean floor structures, earthquakes, and volcanoes occur in patterns. Most earthquakes and volcanoes occur in bands that are often along the boundaries between continents and oceans. Major mountain chains form inside continents or near their edges. Maps can help locate the different land and water features areas of Earth.
Cross Cutting Concepts
Patterns
Patterns can be used as evidence to support an explanation.
Storyline Narrative
To begin this storyline students will investigate the phenomenon, a volcano rapidly formed in a field in Paricutin. Students will obtain information about a volcano that grew in a field in Paricutin, Mexico over the course of 9 years, destroying the village.
Then students will obtain information about other North American examples of volcano and earthquake activity and mountain ranges to analyze patterns in the data. They will look at volcanoes in the area of Paricutin to understand and reason that the occurrence of that volcano was part of a pattern rather than a random act. From there, students will look at examples and nonexamples of volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain ranges to further analyze and interpret data to find patterns of Earth’s features. Finally, when given a map with known volcano and/or earthquake occurrences, students identify which location is more likely to have the next occurrence and support their answer using the data from their investigations?
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Utah Science
Curriculum Consortium
Tyson Grover
Annette Nielson
5.3 Strand
Matter cycles within ecosystems and can be traced from organism to organism. Plants use energy from the Sun to change air and water into matter needed for growth. Animals and decomposers consume matter for their life functions, continuing the cycling of matter. Human behavior can affect the cycling of matter. Scientists and engineers design solutions to conserve Earth’s environments and resources.
Standard(s) 5.3.1: Construct an explanation that plants use air, water, and energy from sunlight to produce plant matter needed for growth. Emphasize photosynthesis at a conceptual level and that plant matter comes mostly from air and water, not from the soil. Photosynthesis at the cellular level will be taught in Grades 6 through 8. (LS1.C)
Practices
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems.
∙ Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design solution
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
Plants acquire their material for growth chiefly from air and water.
Cross Cutting Concepts
Energy and Matter: Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.
Storyline Narrative
In this storyline, students investigate how a tiny seed can grow into a giant pumpkin. Students plan and carry out investigations, analyze data, and construct explanations to determine what plants need to grow. Through observations of growing plants, students identify the crosscutting concept of energy and matter as they discover that plants need water, air, and sunlight for growth. Students develop the disciplinary core idea that plants get most of their matter from air and water, not from soil.
Students then observe plant growth and develop models to explain where a plant's energy and matter come from. As they compare evidence from investigations, videos, and readings, students recognize that plants can grow even when soil is not the primary source of their mass. Students revise their models and explanations using evidence from their observations.
By the end of the storyline, students use evidence to construct explanations that plants use sunlight as an energy source and use air and water as matter for growth through photosynthesis. Students understand the disciplinary core idea that plants acquire most of the material needed for growth from air and water and use these resources to produce the plant matter that allows a tiny seed to become a giant plant.
Standard(s) 5.3.2: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information that animals obtain energy and matter from the food they eat for body repair, growth, and motion and to maintain body warmth. Emphasize that the energy used by animals was once energy from the Sun. Cellular respiration will be taught in Grades 6 through 8. (PS3.D, LS1.C)
Practices
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information in K–2 builds on prior experiences and uses observations and texts to communicate new information.
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Read grade-appropriate texts and/or use media to obtain scientific information to describe patterns in the natural world.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life
The energy released [from] food was once energy from the sun that was captured by plants in the chemical process that forms plant matter (from air and water).
LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
Food provides animals with the materials they need for body repair and growth and the energy they need to maintain body warmth and for motion. (secondary)
Cross Cutting Concepts
Energy and Matter: Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.
Storyline Narrative
In this storyline, students obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to investigate how animals get and use energy and matter. Students examine the growth of a caterpillar, the hibernation of bears, and the feeding behaviors of hummingbirds to explore the crosscutting concept of Energy and Matter. Through videos, data, models, and text, students develop the understanding that animals obtain matter and energy from the food they eat. Students learn that food provides the materials needed for growth and body repair, as well as the energy needed for movement and maintaining body warmth.
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As students compare different animals, they discover that animals use food in different ways depending on their needs. Students use evidence to evaluate and explain how food supports growth, repair, motion, and warmth across a variety of organisms. Finally, students investigate food chains to trace the source of an animal's energy. Students develop the disciplinary core ideas that the energy animals get from food was once energy from the Sun captured by plants and that food provides both matter and energy needed for life processes. By the end of the storyline, students can construct explanations to communicate how energy and matter move from the Sun to plants and then to animals through feeding relationships.
Standard(s) 5.3.3: Develop and use a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. Emphasize that matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and microbes as these organisms live and die. Examples could include simple food chains from ecosystems such as deserts or oceans or diagrams of decomposers returning matter to the environment. Complex interactions in a food web will be taught in Grades 6 through 8. (LS2.A, LS2.B)
Practices
Developing and Using Models: Modeling in K–2 builds on prior experiences and progresses to include using and developing models (i.e., diagram, drawing, physical replica, diorama, dramatization, storyboard) that represent concrete events or design solutions.
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Use a model to represent relationships in the natural world.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
The 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 other animals eat the animals that eat plants. Some organisms, such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organisms (both plants or plants parts and animals) and therefore operate as “decomposers.” Decomposition eventually restores (recycles) some materials back to the soil. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their particular needs are met. 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. Newly introduced species can damage the balance of an ecosystem.
LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
Matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and microbes as these organisms live and die. Organisms obtain gases, and water, from the environment, and release waste matter (gas, liquid, or solid) back into the environment.
Cross Cutting Concepts
Energy and Matter: Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.
Storyline Narrative
Engage/Explore/Explain: Students are engaged by a question and experience from the teacher. They then observe time-lapse video clips of fruits and vegetables growing mold and “disappearing” over time. Students plan and carry out an investigation to see what happens to a food item over time (where does the matter go?). Following this, students develop a model to communicate their reasoning.
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Elaborate: Students elaborate on this idea by constructing an explanation of how matter moves to the spider (in the Beets video).
Standard(s) 5.3.4: Evaluate design solutions whose primary function is to conserve Earth’s environments and resources. Define the problem, identify criteria and constraints, analyze available data on proposed solutions, and determine an optimal solution. Emphasize how humans can balance everyday needs (agriculture, industry, and energy) while conserving Earth’s environments and resources. (ESS3.A, ESS3.C, ETS1.A, ETS1.B, ETS1.C)
Practices
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems.
∙ Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design solution.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
ESS3.A: Natural Resources
Energy and fuels that humans use are derived from natural sources, and their use affects the environment in multiple ways. Some resources are renewable over time, and others are not.
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ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments.
Cross Cutting Concepts
Structure and Function: The shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related to their function(s).
Storyline Narrative
In this storyline, students plan and carry out an investigation of how matter moves through ecosystems. Students develop and use models to investigate this movement. Students observe decomposition and gather evidence that dead plants and animals do not simply disappear. Through investigations, videos, and readings, students explore the crosscutting concept of energy and matter and develop the understanding that decomposers break down dead organisms and return matter to the environment.
Students revise and use models to trace matter as it moves among plants, animals, decomposers, soil, and air. Students learn the disciplinary core idea that the food of almost all animals can be traced back to plants and that decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, recycle matter back into ecosystems. Students also discover that matter from decomposing organisms becomes part of both the soil and the air.
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By the end of the storyline, students use models and evidence to explain that matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and decomposers as organisms live and die. Students connect this cycling of matter to photosynthesis, explaining how plants use matter from the air and environment to grow, continuing the cycle through ecosystems.
Site Feedback
Utah Science
Curriculum Consortium
Tyson Grover
Annette Nielson