Science Competency Assurance Documents

Kindergarten: Physical Science

Standard 1: The student understands that objects and materials have observable properties that may be used to describe and classify them. They also observe and investigate phenomena such as heat, electricity, and sound and realize they are produced and transferred in various ways.

• Academic Expectation 2.1: Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use those methods to solve real-life problems. 
• Academic Expectation 2.2: Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future events.
• Academic Expectation 2.3: Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components work together or affect each other.
• Academic Expectation 2.4: Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain the organization and functioning of living and non-living things and predict other characteristics that might be observed. 
• Academic Expectation 2.5: Students understand that under certain conditions nature tends to remain the same or move toward a balance. 
• Academic Expectation 2.6: Students understand how living and non-living things change over time and the factors that influence the changes. 

Core Content

Demonstrators

Observable, Measurable, Properties of Objects

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Objects have many observable properties such as size, mass, shape, color, temperature, magnetism, and the ability to react with other substances. Some properties can be measured using tools such as metric rulers, balances, and thermometers.

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Investigate and describe objects by their properties including shape, size, odor, sound, color, and texture.

Sort objects by properties such as color, shape, size texture, odor, and sound. Include paired opposite terms (light/heavy).

Arrange objects in a logical order explaining the order selected such as hardest to softest, longest to shortest, lightest to darkest and roughest to smoothest.

Separating and Classifying by Properties

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Objects are made of one or more materials such as paper, wood, and metal. Objects can be described by the properties of the materials from which they are made. Those properties can be used to separate or classify objects or materials.

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Distinguish between objects made of one material and objects made of many materials.

Use the word object when referring to a specific piece of matter.

Describe objects by properties from which they are made such as wooden sphere, or rubber ball.

Trace an object from its origin resource to final product such as from tree, wood, pulp, to paper.

States of Matter

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Materials can exist in different states-solid, liquid, and gas. Heating or cooling can change some common materials, such as water, from one state to another.

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Describe the changes in form or state of an object such as an ice cube (solid) to water (liquid).

Relative Position

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The position of an object can be described by locating it relative to another object or the background. The position can be described using phrases such as to the right, to the left, 50 cm from the other object.

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Identify the relative position of objects in the environment using terms such as above, below, in front of etc.

Identify the direction of objects move such as up, down, forward, backward, to the right, to the left, over and under etc.

Use position clues to decide where to place an object.

Science Process Vocabulary: classify, communicate, observe, order

Science Content Vocabulary: Color, cool, gas, heat, liquid, material, object, odor, order, position, senses (feel, hear, see, smell, taste), shape, size, solid, sound, temperature, texture, water, wood

Kindergarten: Earth Science

Standard 2: The student understands that the earth materials are solid rocks, soils, water, and gases in the atmosphere (air) and that these materials have observable properties and characteristics that can be described and measured. Weather conditions on the earth, and particularly in our area, change from day to day and weather patterns change over seasons. The sun and the moon, as well as their basic positions and motions, can be observed and described relative to the earth.

• Academic Expectation 2.1: Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use those methods to solve real-life problems. 
• Academic Expectation 2.2: Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future events.
• Academic Expectation 2.3: Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components work together or affect each other.
• Academic Expectation 2.4: Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain the organization and functioning of living and non-living things and predict other characteristics that might be observed. 
• Academic Expectation 2.5: Students understand that under certain conditions nature tends to remain the same or move toward a balance. 
• Academic Expectation 2.6: Students understand how living and non-living things change over time and the factors that influence the changes. 

Core Content

Demonstrators

Rocks, Water, Air as Materials

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Earth Materials include solid rocks and soils, water, and the gases of the atmosphere. Minerals that make up rocks have properties of color, texture, and hardness. Soils have properties of color, texture, the capacity to retain water, and the ability to support plant growth. Water on the earth and in the atmosphere can be solid, liquid, or gas.

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Identify and classify different earth materials (i.e. rocks, soils, and sand) by their physical properties.

Draw a chalk ring around a puddle after a rain.Periodically check the puddle and redraw the ring. Discuss reasons why the size of the ring changes.

Plant the same type of seeds in different mediums such as soil, water, cotton, sand and/or pebbles. Observe and compare the growth and development of the plants.

Weather

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Weather can change from day to day and over the seasons. Weather can be described by observations, and measurable quantities, such as temperature, wind direction and speed, and precipitation.

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Describe and record easily observable weather conditions daily.

Determine the clothing to wear according to the weather forecast.

Record the temperatures over several days. Determine whether or not it is greater than or less that the days before.

Earth, Moon, Sun Movements

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Changes in movement of objects in the sky have patterns that can be observed and described. The sun appears to move across the sky in the same way every day, but the sun’s apparent path changes slowly over the seasons. The moon moves across sky on a daily basis much like the sun. The observable shape of the moon changes from day to day in a cycle that lasts about a month.

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Describe changes in Earth and sky that occur from day to night and vice versa.

Observe and describe shadows and locate the direction and source of the light.

Compare areas where shadows are formed with areas where they are not and tell why.

Have students observe and describe shadow changes over time and hypothesize why shadows change.

Locate the moon in the daytime sky. Discuss changes in position during the day.

Science Process Vocabulary: classify, communicate, observe, order

Science Content Vocabulary: air, clothing, cloud, day, earth, growth, liquid, month, moon, night, object, pebble, property, puddle, rain, rock, sand, seed, shadow, sky, snow, soil, sun, temperature, water, weather

Kindergarten: Life Science

Standard 3: The primary student understands that there are living and once-living organisms and non-living objects on the Earth. Living things, or organisms, have needs, structures, and behaviors and differences that can be observed and described. Organisms grow and develop in a life cycle pattern. They affect and respond to the environment in which they live.

• Academic Expectation 2.1: Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use those methods to solve real-life problems. 
• Academic Expectation 2.2: Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and trends to understand past and present events and predict possible future events.
• Academic Expectation 2.3: Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components work together or affect each other.
• Academic Expectation 2.4: Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain the organization and functioning of living and non-living things and predict other characteristics that might be observed. 
• Academic Expectation 2.5: Students understand that under certain conditions nature tends to remain the same or move toward a balance. 
• Academic Expectation 2.6: Students understand how living and non-living things change over time and the factors that influence the changes. 

Core Content

Demonstrators

Classifying Living Things

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Things in the environment are classified as living, non-living, and once living. Living things differ from non-living things. Organisms are classified into groups by using various characteristics (e.g. body coverings, body structures).

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Identify objects as living, non-living, and once living (e.g. dead).

Describe living objects such as seeds, plants, guppies, snails, etc.

Classify living things as plants or animals.

Group organisms based on observable characteristics (e.g. body covering, locomotion for animals, flower structures, etc.)

Basic Needs

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Organisms have basic needs. For example, animals need air, water, and food; plants need air, water, nutrients, and light. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met.

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Identify, observe, and describe plants and animals in classroom aquaria.

Identify the aquaria as a model of a fresh water system and describe and sequence the changes that occur over time.

Observe entire aquatic systems and compare how animals move and use air, water, and food for survival.

Effect of Environmental Changes on Organisms

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The world has many different environments. Distinct environments support the life of different types of organisms. When the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce, and others die or move to new locations.

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Observe and compare an aquatic and terrestrial habitat.

Identify the living and nonliving things that are necessary to maintain the organisms in the aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

Group animals according to environments where they live (e.g., bear in forest, dolphin in ocean, honeybee in bee hive.)

Science Process Vocabulary: classify, communicate, observe, order

Science Content Vocabulary: air, animal, basic need, change, environment, food, habitat, light, living, nonliving, nutrient, object, once living, organism, plant, seed, water