Elementary Education Commons^™

Physical Science - Speed And Energy: Diving Energy And Speed, Patrick Young

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Energy is the ability to do work. Energy can be thought of as a currency which is universally accepted as the way to make things happen. All moving objects have energy. The amount of energy depends on their speed and mass. The faster an object moves, the more energy it has, and the more work it can do on other objects with which it interacts.

Earth/Space Science - Floods! Erosion By Water, Peg Steffen

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Water was the most important environmental factor in early human settlement and rivers were useful sources of water. They were important sources for fresh drinking water, washing, food, and transportation. Floods are a natural part of river ecosystems and flood control by humans has been practiced since ancient times with methods such as reforestation, and the construction of levees, dams, reservoirs and channels diverting floodwater. Farmers often settled near rivers for steady access to water. The river’s natural flooding could help irrigate their farms and in dry seasons the farmers could dig canals or trenches to direct river water to …

Physical And Life Science - Food And Energy: Animal And Plant Energy, Cassandra Armstrong

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Energy exists in many forms and is constantly being transferred between forms. All energy types can be sorted into two main categories: potential and kinetic. Potential energy is stored energy. Chemical energy, nuclear energy, stored mechanical energy, and gravitational energy are all examples of potential energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. Radiant (light) energy, thermal energy, sound energy, and electrical energy are all examples of kinetic energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred between the types of energy. Most energy we use on Earth stems from the nuclear energy from within the sun.

Life Science - Time To Eat: Patterns In Survival, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

Both plants and animals are dependent upon their environments for survival. However, in order to get the sustenance they need, organisms often must alter their environment to meet their needs. Some animals gather and store food for a season due to times of extreme temperatures, ground conditions, and availability. Many bury food in the ground, while others store food in plants. Usually, the limbs or hollowed out sections of the trunks of trees are used, though some animals do store their food in densely populated areas of low plants.

Physical Science - Can You See It? Light And Its Properties, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

Light is needed for humans to see. Light may also be used to communicate. As with sound, the type of medium used for passing the light through will be determined by the function of the communication. For example materials used in stoplights, stained glass windows, flashlights, and frosted glass all affect the output of light. When light strikes an object, many actions may occur. Two factors involved in this interaction are the type of light and the object itself. The light may bounce or reflect off of an object or pass through it. The quality of light transmission may determine …

Engineering, Technology, And Applications Of Science - Winter Clothing Challenge: Engineering, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

Students in kindergarten develop the understandings of basic needs, weather patterns, the concepts of push and pull, engineering, and the applications of science. Through identification of patterns, determination of cause and effect, investigation of structure and function, as well as systems and system models students begin to make sense of the natural world. Developmentally appropriate use of science and engineering practices prepares students for more complex phenomenon. December through February comprise the winter season in the Northern hemisphere. Changes in temperatures, forms of precipitation, types of storms, and preparedness plans occur during winter. Average daily temperatures in the Chicago area …

Additional Documents, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

No abstract provided.

Physical Science - Patterns And Predictions: Forces And Motion, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

A push or a pull, a force, is needed to set an object in motion. This requires objects to interact with one another. Types of interactions may be grouped into two broad categories. Direct contact between and among objects, such as friction, is one group. Interactions may also occur across a distance. Magnetic and gravitational forces are included in this category. Results of these forces are observable. Careful observations can lead to prediction of future results of interactions. The use of qualitative and quantitative observations assists in the development of predictions.

Earth And Space Science - Protecting From The Weather: Design Solutions, Brian Grublesky, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

The Earth can be divided many different ways, one of which is by climate zones. Climate zones are classified by similar weather traits which have been observed for at least 30 years. Each climate zone has weather hazards. Extreme temperatures, cyclones, tornadoes, drought, and monsoons are just some of the hazards. Humans regularly build structures to reduce the impact of the climate, but extreme weather conditions can tax normal structures and new ones need to be constructed.

Additional Documents, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

No abstract provided.

Additional Documents, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

No abstract provided.

Earth And Space Science - What's The Weather?: Patterns, Elizabeth Martinez, Patrick Young

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

Students in kindergarten develop the understandings of basic needs, weather patterns and severe weather. Through identification of patterns, determination of cause and effect, investigation of structure and function, as well as systems and system models students begin to make sense of the natural world. Developmentally appropriate use of science and engineering practices prepares students for more complex phenomenon. December through February comprise the winter season in the Northern hemisphere. Changes in temperatures, forms of precipitation, types of storms, and preparedness plans occur during winter. Average daily temperatures in the Chicago area range from a high of 36°F to 18°F as …

Additional Documents, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

No abstract provided.

Physical Science - What's That Sound? How Sounds Are Generated, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

Many organisms have the ability to communicate with sound. Sound allows organisms to learn more about their surroundings. Sirens, ringing of phones, musical instruments, animal sounds, and the human voice are a few examples of using sound to communicate. Sound is produced when an object vibrates. As demonstrated in the diagram below, the vibrations cause the medium’s particles, usually air, to move and allow the sound to travel in a singular direction. This longitudinal movement dictates the volume in which sound is heard; standing in the path of the longitudinal wave increases the probability, thus the volume, of hearing the …

Additional Documents, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

No abstract provided.

Design Of A Shallow-Aero Ebb And Flow Hydroponics System And Associated Educational Module For Tri Cycle Farms, Julie Halveland

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tri Cycle Farms, whose main mission is to reduce food insecurity in their community, is a non- profit urban farm in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The “Tri” in their name refers to the three parts of their foundation: giving a third of their yield to volunteers, giving a third to local food pantries, and selling a third to sustain the farm and demonstrate the economy of local food production. They want to expand on the third part and have a vision of building a hydroponic greenhouse with the intention that it will create more crops to sell and give, as well as …

Transgressing For Access: A Call For Higher Education Reform To Support Black Females In Stem, Beverly A. King Miller

Elementary & Special Education: Faculty Publications

There continues to be the global demand for a qualified workforce in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Yet, for Black females in South Africa this means combating the legacy of Apartheid to overcome challenges due to race and gender. This paper draws data from a qualitative study of four Black South African females in STEM careers. Through their voices they identify ways in which they transgress gender and race to gain access to STEM careers. Further, their families transgress cultural norms in order to offer support for unfamiliar career pathways. Their narratives call for a transformative change in higher …

The Influence Of Publicly Funded Preschool Programs In New Jersey Public School Districts On Student Achievement In Fourth Grade, Stephanie Elizabeth Kuchar

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This correlational, explanatory, cross-sectional study aimed to explain the influence of a school district having a publicly funded preschool program on English language arts and mathematics test results on the New Jersey Partnership for Assessment for Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) for fourth graders. The study aimed to provide research-based evidence on the influence of publicly funded preschool programs on a district. The study used focused on the thirty-five (35) New Jersey school districts that had public preschool programs in 2012. The study concluded that consistent student attendance was a significant factor in districts with preschool programs when it …

Physical Science - Energy Transfer: Heat And Light, Patrick Young, Peg Steffen

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Energy is the ability to do work. Energy can be thought of as a currency which is universally accepted as the way to make things happen. Energy can be stored in many ways and transferred from place to place in many ways.

Some of the most frequently recognized types of energy are heat and light. These, along with others, can be classified as a phenomenon known as electromagnetic radiation (EM). Radiation is energy that travels and spreads out as it goes. The visible light that comes from a lamp in your house and the radio waves that come from a …

Physical Science - Under Pressure: Matter And Its Interactions, David Hernandez, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Air pressure, or atmospheric pressure, is the force exerted on objects by the atmosphere. Barometers are typically used to measure atmospheric pressure. Made of a liquid filled glass tube, the level of liquid will rise when the pressure increases and fall when the pressure drops. Lower barometric pressure tends to be associated with precipitation and cloudiness, while higher readings are related to sunshine and calmer weather. Air is made of invisible particles. The density of these particles is affected by atmospheric pressure. The greater the pressure, the more densely packed the particles are. In comparison, less pressure means a lower …

Physical Science - Gravity On Earth: Gravitational Force, Patrick Young

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Gravity is a curious property of our universe. Gravity causes objects to attract each other with a force. The strength of this force depends on the masses of the objects and their distance apart. The direction of the force is from the center of one object toward the center of the other. Although the force is invisible, we can observe its direction by watching how objects move in response to the force.

Earth/Space Science - But The Crust Is The Best Part: Earth Features, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

The Earth’s crust is broken into pieces that are called tectonic plates. Seven major plates exist. Plates move in three ways; they may slide by one another (transform plate boundaries), run into each other (convergent plate boundaries), or move apart from one another (divergent boundaries). Movement of these plates is responsible for landforms and natural events such as earthquakes and volcanoes. Volcanoes and mountains tend to be the result of convergent plate boundaries. Earthquakes are likely to occur at transform plate boundaries. New crust is made where divergent plate boundaries exist. These actions occur on the ocean floor as well …

Physical Science - Railroad Rescue: Energy Conversion, Patrick Young

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

In January of 1952, the Sierra Nevada mountains of California were stuck by a record-breaking blizzard. Railroad tracks through the mountain passes were being blocked by avalanches and snowdrifts. The tracks were generally kept clear by powerful rotary snowplows, but this blizzard was like nothing the Southern Pacific Railroad had ever seen before.

Earth/Space Science - Water, Water: Water Resources, Cassandra Armstrong, Peg Steffen, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Water is one of the most important substances on earth and all living things depend on water to survive. In humans, water makes up 60% of adult bodies and without water humans cannot survive longer than a few days depending on activity and environmental conditions. Because water is such a vital resource we need to understand where it comes from and how to make sure we will have enough drinkable water in the future.

Earth Science - Oil Spills And Dust Bowls: Earth's Systems, Cassandra Armstrong, Peg Steffen, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Earth is comprised of four interconnected systems: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. All of Earth’s processes are due to energy and matter cycling within and among these four systems. Because these systems are so connected, it is important to understand both individual characteristics of each system independently as well as features of their interactions with each other.

Physical Science - Supervillain Detention! Properties Of Matter, Patrick Young, Peg Steffen, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Scientists and engineers need to understand the properties of the materials they use. They choose the best materials for specific projects based on the properties of the materials. For example, civil engineers must have a thorough understanding of the properties of materials that might be used to build roads, dams, or bridges and plan their designs around the materials that will be used.

Life Science - Structure And Function: Internal And External, Patrick Young, Nicole Ross

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Plants and animals evolve to survive and reproduce in their environments. Both their internal and external structures will be well suited to support survival, growth, behavior and reproduction.

All animals have a mouth. Its function is to take in food, without which it could not survive to reproduce. The type of mouth, however, will vary between animals, depending on what they have evolved to eat. Internal organs of the digestive system will likewise vary depending on an animal’s diet. All parts of the system for eating and digesting food must work together.

Plants also have internal systems for processing food …

Engineering, Technology, And Applications Of Science - Build A Nest: Changing The Environment, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

Both plants and animals are dependent upon their environments for survival. However, in order to get the sustenance, they need, organisms often must alter their environment to meet their needs. Some animals gather and store food for a season due to times of extreme temperatures, ground conditions, and availability. Many bury food in the ground, while others store food in plants. Usually, the limbs or hollowed out sections of the trunks of trees are used, though some animals do store their food in densely populated areas of low plants. http://www.discoverwildlife.com/british-wildlife/how-identify-animal- food-stores provides a detailed list of some animal actions, while …

Physical Science - Classroom Detective Agency: Chemical Changes, Peg Steffen

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Students are introduced to the differences between physical and chemical changes in simple kitchen substances that react to water and indicators in characteristic ways. The observable clues that a physical change has occurred includes changes in state such as gas, liquid, or solid. The material itself is the same before and after the change. An ice cube melting is an example of a physical change.

Life Science - Look At That: Pollinators, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

Pollinators are responsible for moving pollen from one flower to another flower of the same species or from one part of a flower to another part of the same flower. Moving the pollen from the stamen, male part of the flower, to the stigma, the female part of the flower, completes pollination, and results in the fertilization of a plant so that seeds may be produced to ensure reproduction.

Pollination involves animals such as butterflies, bees, wasps, insects, spiders, hummingbirds, and bats. These animals may deliberately visit a flower to gather pollen or accidently collect pollen while seeking …