Science For Parents Newsletter
5th Six Weeks
Dear Parents,
This newsletter is intended to give parents an idea of what is being covered each six weeks in science and what their students should be learning.
Please contact Erika Vasquez, Director of Instruction for Science, if you have questions.
Kindergarten
Unit 08: Exploring Weather: A Final Look- During this unit, students use their senses to identify properties and patterns of objects (such as clouds) and events (including weather and seasons of the year) in the environment. Students continue to collect weather information using tools, including weather instruments such as demonstration thermometers and wind socks, in order to observe and describe weather changes from day to day and over seasons. Furthermore, students communicate their observations using related vocabulary and pictures, numbers, and words as well as simple graphing, including picture graphs and real object graphs. Students observe, describe, and illustrate objects in the sky such as the clouds. Students continue to record in their science notebook and use safe practices throughout this unit.
Kindergarten Vocabulary
- Animals – a living organism that can move on its own and must eat plants or other animals to survive; examples include amphibians, birds, fish, insects,
mammals, reptiles, etc. - Basic needs – required for an organism to survive, such as air, water, nutrients, light or food, shelter, etc.
- Food (nutrients) – something an animal eats or drinks, or a plant makes, that the animal or plant uses for energy
- Living organism – to be alive and having basic needs; having the ability to grow, reproduce, and respond to such stimuli as light, heat, and sound
- Nonliving object – inanimate, not endowed with life; things that are not alive or abiotic substances, such as soil, rocks, or water
- Offspring – a living organism that is made when a plant or animal reproduces
- Plant – a living organism that cannot move location and uses energy from sunlight to make its own food
- Observe – to use the senses and instruments to gather information; to watch attentively, note, or make mention of
- Seasons – one of the four periods of the year - spring, summer, autumn (fall), and winter; depending on the location, each season has different average temperatures, weather conditions, and lengths of daylight; some tropical areas have only two seasons - rainy and dry
- Weather – the condition of the atmosphere in a place for a short period of time, including humidity, cloud cover, temperature, wind, and precipitation
- Year – a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days; also a period of time occupying a regular part of a calendar year that is used for some particular activity
1st Grade
Unit 09: Investigating Plants- During this unit, students identify and compare the parts of plants and measure plants using non-standard units. Students collect data and make observations using simple equipment as they analyze and record examples of interdependence found in various situations (such as terrariums and aquariums). Furthermore, students ask questions about organisms observed in the natural world. Students continue to use safe practices and record and organize data using pictures, words, and numbers (including graphs) within the science notebook. Graphs may include picture graphs, real-object graphs, or bar graphs.
1st Grade Vocabulary
Unit 8
- Basic need – required for an organism to survive; air, water, nutrients, light, food, shelter (for animals), etc.
- Characteristic – a feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe; a distinguishing mark or trait; a physical attribute
- Living organism – a living thing
- Nonliving object – inanimate, not endowed with life; things that are not alive or abiotic substances, such as soil, rocks, or water
- Nutrients – substances that an organism needs to live, survive, and grow
- Offspring – a living organism that is made when a plant or animal reproduces
Unit 9
- Interdependence – the idea that everything in nature is connected to everything else, including the living and nonliving parts of ecosystems; anything that happens to one plant or animal may also affect other plants and animals
- System – a group of independent but interrelated elements, comprising a unified whole
- Terrarium – an enclosure where plants and animals can grow and be displayed, in a naturalistic setting
2nd Grade
2nd Grade Vocabulary
- Basic needs – required for an organism to survive; air, water, nutrients, light, food, shelter (for animals), etc.
- Behavior – the actions or reactions of an object or organism
- External characteristic – a specific, visible feature
- Fruit – an edible part of a flowering plant that contains seeds either inside or on the outside
- Growth – an increase in size, number, value, or strength; the act of growing, getting bigger or higher
- Physical characteristic – a characteristics that is physical in nature, such as mass, shape, size, color, volume, water-proofing, and physical state
3rd Grade
Unit 08: Investigating Structures and Functions of Organisms- During this unit, students explore how structures and functions of plants and animals allow them to survive in a particular environment. Students collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including materials to support observation of habitats of organisms, when they investigate and compare how animals and plants undergo a series of orderly changes in their diverse life cycles such as tomato plants, frogs, and lady bugs. Students continue to construct graphic organizers, simple tables, and charts to organize, examine, and evaluate data. They communicate valid conclusions supported by data in writing, by drawing pictures (within the science notebook), and through verbal discussion.
3rd Grade Vocabulary
- Behavior – the actions of an organism that help it survive in its environment; a behavior is a response to a stimulus; a behavior can be learned or instinctive
- Environment – all of the living and nonliving elements in a particular (geographic) area
- Inherited (trait) – characteristic that is passed from parent to offspring
- Learned behavior – behavior that is learned by animals by observing other animals or by being taught
- Life Cycle – sequential stages of growth and development that an organism goes through in its lifetime
- Offspring – a living organism that is made when a plant or animal reproduces
- Physical characteristic / trait – a characteristic that is physical in nature, such as mass, shape, size, color, volume, and physical state
- Response – something an organism does when it senses a stimulus
Unit 8
- Environment – all of the living and nonliving elements in a particular (geographic) area
- Function – what something is used for; purpose
- Habitat – the place where an organism lives; habitats supply the organism with food, shelter, moisture, and temperature for survival
- Life cycle – sequential stages of growth and development that an organism goes through in its lifetime
- Movement – how an animal gets from one place to another; run, hop, jump, crawl, fly, swim, etc.
- Protection – the instinct in animals for self-preservation; a way to “fight back” and defend itself when threatened
- Structure – a body part that does a certain “job” for an organism
- Survive – continue to live or exist
4th Grade
Unit 08: Energy Flow in Living Systems- During this unit, students investigate that most producers need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food, while consumers are dependent on other organisms for food. They describe the flow of energy through food webs, beginning with the Sun, and predict how changes in the ecosystem affect the food web such as a fire in a forest. Students continue to use models and identify their limitations, including accuracy and size. They collect, record, and analyze information using tools and communicate valid oral and written results supported by data.
4th Grade Vocabulary
Unit 7
- Characteristic – a feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe; a distinguishing mark or trait; a physical attribute
- Generation – all of the offspring born and living at about the same time
- Heredity – the passage of genetic instructions from one generation to the next generation
- Inherited trait – characteristics that are determined by an organism’s genetics and passed from parent to offspring
- Learned behavior – behaviors that are acquired by an organism’s interactions with its environment and / or parents
- Offspring – a living organism that is made when a plant or animal reproduces
Unit 8
- Carnivores – animals that feed only on other animals
- Consumer – an organism that eats other organisms (plants and / or animals) for food
- Decomposer – an organism that gets energy by feeding on dead materials and waste
- Dependent – to rely on someone or something else
- Ecosystem – the living and nonliving components of an area
- Food web – a representation of several overlapping food chains in an ecosystem; includes the flow of energy from the Sun through producers to consumers and decomposers through multiple pathways
- Habitat – the place where an organism lives; habitats supply the organism with food, shelter, moisture, and temperature for survival
- Herbivores – animals that feed only on producers (plants)
- Model – a picture, idea, or object that represents an object, a system, or process and is used to help with understanding; models have advantages and limitations
- Niche – the unique role or job of an organism in an ecosystem
- Omnivores – animals that feed on plants or other animals
- Photosynthesis – process by which producers / plants use the energy in sunlight to create their own food
- Producer – an organism that makes its own food (e.g., plants)
5th Grade
Unit 11: Inherited Traits and Learned Behavior- During this unit, students collect, record, and analyze information using tools in order to compare the structures and functions of different species that help them live and survive such as hooves on prairie animals or webbed feet in aquatic animals. Additionally, students analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct (observable) and indirect (inferred) evidence in order to differentiate between inherited traits of plants and animals, such as spines on a cactus or shape of beak, and learned behaviors, such as an animal learning tricks or a child riding a bicycle. Students analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence and logical reasoning to encourage critical thinking. They also connect grade-level appropriate science concepts with the history of science, science careers, and contributions of scientists.
5th Grade Vocabulary
- Complete metamorphosis – the life cycle of an organism (including insects) whose form changes substantially at each stage of its life cycle
- Incomplete metamorphosis – the life cycle of an organism (including insects) whose form does NOT change substantially at each stage of its life cycle
- Metamorphosis – an obvious change in form from one stage to the next in the life cycle of an organism
Unit 11
- Adaptation – a change in structure or habits (behavior), often hereditary, by which an organism improves its condition in relationship to its environment
- Dormancy – a phase of minimal activity (e.g., trees in winter, frogs in winter)
- Environment – all of the living and nonliving elements in a particular (geographic) area
- Function – what something is used for; purpose
- Habitat – the place where an organism lives; habitats supply the organism with food, shelter, moisture, and temperature for survival
- Hibernate – a deep sleep-like state of inactivity in animals in which body processes slow down
- Inherited Traits – characteristics or attributes of an organism that are inherited and / or influenced by the environment
- Learned Behaviors – the actions or reactions of an organism in response to external or internal stimuli
- Migration – to move from one place to another in search of food, water, or different temperature
- Offspring – a living organism that is made when a plant or animal reproduces
- Species – a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
- Structure – a body part that does a certain “job” for an organism
- Survive – continue to live or exist, especially in spite of danger or hardship
6th Grade
Unit 10: Plate Tectonics- During this unit, students build on the prior knowledge of the asthenosphere and lithosphere to gain an understanding of plate movement and how it impacts the structure of the Earth. Students identify major tectonic plates and describe how plate tectonics causes major geological events. They use models to enhance their understanding and identify the advantages and limitations of such models. Finally, they summarize the history of plate tectonics including the contributions of relevant scientists.
6th Grade Vocabulary
- Asthenosphere – the somewhat fluid portion of the mantle upon which the lithosphere is located
- Cementation – process of binding and hardening sediments into hard rock
- Compaction – process by which overlying pressure from rocks and soil reduces the size or volume of sediments
- Igneous – a type of rock formed when crystallized through melting and cooling rock
- Lithosphere –the top most layer of the Earth, which is comprised of the crust and solid portion of the upper mantle, divided into plates, and moves a top the layer known as the asthenosphere
- Mantle – the region inside the Earth between the core and the crust
- Metamorphic – a type of rock formed when igneous or sedimentary rocks are put under intense heat and / or pressure in the Earth’s crust
- Plasticity – the quality of being easily shaped or molded
- Rock cycle – the continual process by which rocks can be changed into different types of rock
- Sedimentary – a type of rock formed through the accumulation, compaction, and cementation of sediment
- Sedimentation – the deposition of solid material from being suspended in a fluid (water)
- Semi-solid – having the qualities of both a solid and a liquid; exceptionally thick substance
Unit 10
- Continental crust – thicker part of Earth’s crust that forms the large land masses
- Convergent boundary – two plates coming together
- Divergent boundary – two plates moving apart
- Geologic event – a change to the structure of the Earth by tectonic activities
- Mid-ocean ridge – undersea mountain range formed where two parts of the Earth’s crust are moving apart
- Ocean basin – large bowl shaped depression that holds ocean water; regions of crust below sea level
- Oceanic crust – thinner part of Earth’s crust that lies underneath the ocean basins
- Plate – distinct sections of the lithosphere which make up the outermost layer of the Earth
- Plate boundary – a region where two lithospheric plates meet
- Sea-floor spreading – formation of new oceanic crust due to the upwelling of magma at mid-ocean ridges
- Subduction – process where one plate slides under another
- Tectonics – study of the movement of large masses of rock, known as plates, on the Earth’s surface; includes folds, faults, and plate movement
- Theory – an explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon proven hypotheses and verified multiple times by groups of detached researchers; can be used to explain and predict natural phenomena
- Theory of Plate tectonics – theory that describes plate movement and how it affects Earth’s geologic features
- Transform boundary – two plates sliding past each other in opposite directions
7th Grade
Unit 09: Physical, Chemical, and Energy Changes in Digestion- During this unit, students identify that organic compounds contain carbon and other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen, or sulfur. They learn to recognize how large molecules are broken down into smaller ones such as carbohydrates breaking down into sugars. Finally, they distinguish between the physical and chemical changes that occur within the digestive system, as well as illustrate the energy transformations that take place during digestion. Students demonstrate safe practices as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards.
7th Grade Vocabulary
- Adaptation – a change in structure or habits, often hereditary, by which an organism improves its condition in relationship to its environment
- Circulatory system – transports nutrients and oxygen to the body
- Digestive system – breaks down food to provide nutrients and energy
- Endocrine system – regulates the body with hormones
- Excretory system – removes waste from the body
- Integumentary system – provides protection of the body
- Muscular system – provides movement of the body
- Nervous system – controls and coordinates the body
- Reproductive system – produces offspring
- Respiratory system – exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide
- Skeletal system – provides structure and protection for the body
- System – interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a more complex whole
Unit 9
- Carbohydrates – molecule made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; chemical break down results in sugars
- Chemical change – the formation of a new substance with different properties; cannot be undone by physical means
- Chemical digestion – breaking chemical bonds and rearranging atoms in molecules, (e.g., breakdown of carbohydrates into sugars)
- Chemical energy – energy stored in the chemical bonds of substances
- Energy transformation – process of energy changing from one form to another
- Mechanical digestion – physical breakdown of food; grinding and chewing
- Molecule – smallest unit of a substance that has all of the properties of that substance (two or more atoms joined together)
- Organic compound – class of chemical compounds that are formed from carbon, but may contain other elements (SPONCH)
- Physical change – change which alters matter without changing its chemical composition or the identity of the substance
- Thermal energy – energy in the form of heat
8th Grade
Unit 12: Interdependence Among Living Systems- During this unit, students describe producer / consumer, predator / prey, and parasite / host relationships as they occur in food webs within marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. They investigate how organisms and populations in an ecosystem depend on, and may compete, for biotic and abiotic factors such as quantity of light, water, range of temperatures, or soil composition. Students understand that competition for resources may result in adaptations necessary for an organism’s survival. Additionally, students explore how short– and long– term environmental changes affect organisms and traits in subsequent populations. Finally, students recognize human dependence on ocean systems and explain how human activities, such as runoff, artificial reefs, or use of resources, have modified these systems. Students realize that all modifications to systems may not have negative impacts.
8th Grade Vocabulary
- Absolute magnitude – a measure of how bright a star really is, if all stars were the same distance from Earth
- Apparent magnitude – a measure of how bright a star appears as seen from Earth
- Electromagnetic spectrum – a classification of all forms of radiation by wavelength and frequency; used to study components of the universe
- Frequency – the number of times a wave passes a certain point in a given amount of time
- Galaxy – a system of stars and associated matter, held together by gravitational attraction
- Hertzsprung-Russell diagram – a diagram that shows the relationship between the brightness, surface temperature, and color of stars
- Luminosity – total amount of light (energy) emitted by a star or other celestial body
- Magnitude – the measure of the observed visible brightness of a star
- Nebulae – clouds of dust and gas; site of star formation; remains of dead or dying stars
- Spectra – different colors of light emitted based on the chemical composition of the light source
- Spectroscope – a tool for observing spectral lines
- Star – luminous globe of gas which produces its own heat and light by nuclear reaction
- Universe – all of space and its contents
- Wavelength – distance from any one point on a wave to a corresponding point on the next wave; crest to crest or trough to trough
Unit 12
- Ecosystem – the living and nonliving components of an environment
- Host – an organism that supports a parasite
- Parasite – an organism that feeds off of another organism (e.g., tick, flea, tapeworm)
Biology
Unit 10: Classification- During this unit, students learn how taxonomy categorizes all of Earth’s life forms. They learn how to use the standardized taxonomic system that scientists use to categorize organisms based on similarities and differences shared among groups. In addition, the importance of common classification systems is explored in this unit. Students determine and compare characteristics that define the six currently recognized kingdoms. Students analyze data and information regarding characteristics of organisms in order to make predictions and inferences about the classification of living organisms. Students evaluate the impact of taxonomy on society and evaluate cladogram models. Students will implement investigations and continue to demonstrate safe practices as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards.
Unit 11: Viruses, Bacteria, and Protists- During this unit, students focus on two of the six kingdoms of living organisms as well as viruses - a group of nonliving infectious agents. Students learn about bacterial structure, reproduction, and their role in an ecosystem. Viral structure in the form of models is explored as well as the various stages of viral replication. Students research the role of viruses and bacteria in causing various diseases and the impact they play in human health. Students learn how bacteria and viruses contribute to homeostasis and homeostatic imbalances in other organisms and in the balance of nature. Students implement a comparative investigation in which they determine a bacterium’s resistance to various antibiotics, continuing to demonstrate safe practices as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards. Students also examine the various types of protists and their role in the environment.
Unit 12: Plant Systems- During this unit, students examine cells of specialized structures in plants, parts that make up plant systems, and how different systems in plants interact to perform the functions of response, transport, development, and reproduction. In addition, the relationship of natural selection to adaptation and to the development of diversity among plant species is analyzed and evaluated. Students also compare characteristics of the plant kingdom with other taxonomic groups. Students describe the role of internal feedback mechanisms in plants and summarize the role of microscopic plants like algae in the health of ecosystems. During this unit, students continue to use safe practices to plan a comparative investigation examining the importance of starch in certain plant structures, such as fruits and vegetables. During investigations, students ask questions, formulate testable hypotheses, collect and analyze data, and make measurements with precision and accuracy.
Biology Vocabulary
Unit 9
- Adaptation – an inherited trait that increases an organism’s rate of survival in its current environment
- Allele frequency – a measurement that determines how often the allele (gene variant) expression of a particular gene arises in a population and is an indication of genetic diversity within a species population; should be in close correlation with the laws of natural selection, where more favorable alleles should become more numerous in a population over time, or are present due to a niche environment where a particular allele would prove advantageous
- Evolution – genetic change in a species over time
- Evolutionary mechanisms – fundamental processes or natural phenomenon that are capable of altering gene frequency in populations and as a result are responsible for evolutionary change; these mechanisms include natural selection, mutations, gene flow, genetic drift, and recombination, etc.
- Gene flow – movement of genes from one population to another
- Genetic drift – random fluctuations of allele frequencies (numbers of gene variants) in a small population; takes place when the occurrence of alleles increases and / or decreases by random chance over time or from the chance disappearance of particular genes as individuals die or do not reproduce
- Natural selection – the process by which organisms better suited to their environment survive and reproduce
Unit 10
- Cladogram or phylogenetic tree – a branching diagram used to show evolutionary relationships among organisms
- Dichotomous key – tool used to identify species of organisms using observable characteristics
- Hierarchical classification system – a system of scientific taxonomy used to categorize organisms into subgroups (taxons) within larger groups
- Taxonomy – the process or system of describing the ways in which organisms are grouped or classified according to similarities and differences
Unit 11
- Bacteria – unicellular, prokaryotic microorganism
- Lysogenic cycle – period in reproductive cycle of some viruses when viral DNA is integrated into the host's DNA and stays dominant until stimulated to enter the lytic cycle
- Lytic cycle – period in the reproductive cycle of all viruses when rapid synthesis of viral nucleic acid and protein structures by the host cell occur
- Protist – unicellular or multicellular; eukaryotic organism from the Kingdom Protista
- Virus – a nonliving, infective agent composed of nucleic acids surrounded by a protein coat
Unit 12
- Shoot system – above-ground part of a plant that includes the organs such as leaves, buds, stems, flowers (if the plant has any), and fruits (if the plant has any)
- Root system – below-ground part of a plant that includes the organs such as roots, tubers, and rhizomes
- Tropism – turning of all or part of an organism in a particular direction in response to an external stimulus
- Stomata – minute pores in the epidermis of a leaf or stem through which gases and water vapor pass
- Transpiration – process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as from the stoma on leaves but also from stems and flowers
- Xylem – conducting tissue in plants that transports fluid through the plant
- Phloem – conducting tissue in plants that transports nutrients through the plant
- Carpel – female reproductive structure in plants that includes the stigma, style, and ovary
- Stamen – male reproductive structure in plants that includes the anther and filament