Science Mastery Objectives

Grade 4
Mixtures and Solutions
Describe and compare the physical properties of objects by using simple tools (i.e., thermometer, magnifier, centimeter
ruler, balance, magnet).
Classify objects/substances as one kind of material or a miture (e.g., !"!#s $s. trail mi, %ater $s. &ool'(id).
!easure, describe, and compare the masses (the amount of matter in an object) of objects to the nearest gram using
balances and electronic scales.
Describe and compare the $olumes (the amount of space an object occupies) of objects using a graduated cylinder.
)dentify situations %here no t%o objects can occupy the same space at the same time (e.g., %ater le$el rises %hen an
object or substance, such as a rock, is placed in a *uantity of %ater).
Classify types of materials (e.g., %ater, salt, sugar, iron filings, salt %ater) into like substances (materials that ha$e
specific physical properties) or mitures of substances by using their characteristic properties.
)dentify %ater as a sol$ent that dissol$es materials.
+bser$e and describe ho% mitures are made by combining solids or li*uids, or a combination of these.
Distinguish bet%een the components in a miture/solution (e.g., trail mi, conglomerate rock, salad, soil, salt %ater).
Describe %ays to separate the components of a miture/solution by their properties (i.e., sorting, filtration, magnets,
screening).
,ho% that mitures/solutions are composed of different kinds of matter, each %ith distinct properties.
+bser$e and eplain that the total mass of a material remains constant %hether it is together, in parts, or in a different
state.
Geology
Compare and contrast common fossils found in !issouri (i.e., trilobites, ferns, crinoids, gastropods, bi$al$es, fish,
mastodons) to organisms present on -arth today and hypothesi.e %hat %ould account for the differences.
+bser$e and describe the physical properties (e.g., odor, color, appearance, relati$e grain si.e, teture, absorption of
%ater) and different components ( i.e., sand, clay, humus) of soils.
+bser$e and describe the physical properties of rocks (e.g., si.e, shape, color, presence of fossils).
)dentify and describe the components of soil (e.g., plant roots and debris, bacteria, fungi, %orms, types of rock) and its
properties (e.g., odor, color, resistance to erosion, teture, fertility, relati$e grain si.e, absorption rate).
Compare the physical properties (i.e., si.e, shape, color, teture, layering, presence of fossils) of rocks (mitures of
different -arth materials, each %ith obser$able physical properties.
)dentify common rocks and minerals and their uses.
Classify rocks, minerals, and sand according to their physical characteristics.
+bser$e and identify eamples of slo% changes in the -arth#s surface and surface materials (e.g., rock, soil layers) due to
processes such as decay/rotting, free.ing, tha%ing, breaking, or %earing a%ay by running %ater or %ind.
+bser$e and describe the breakdo%n of plant and animal material into soil through decomposition processes (i.e.,
decay/rotting, composting, digestion).
)dentify the major landforms on -arth (i.e., mountains, plains, oceans, ri$er $alleys, coastlines, canyons).
Describe ho% %eathering agents (e.g., %ater, chemicals, temperature, %ind, plants) cause surface changes that create
and/or change -arth#s surface materials and/or landforms/bodies of %ater.
Describe ho% erosional processes (i.e., action of gra$ity, %a$es, %ind, ri$ers, glaciers) cause surface changes that create
and/or change -arth#s surface materials and/or landforms/bodies of %ater.
/elate the type of landform/%ater body to the process by %hich it %as formed.
/esearch and eplain ho% rocks change o$er time by %eathering.
-plain and demonstrate, using models, ho% sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks are formed.
/esearch and discuss %ays in %hich the surface features of the -arth are continually changing.
-plain the natural history of our state based on e$idence of fossils found in !issouri.
+bser$e and describe %ays humans use -arth#s materials (e.g., soil, rocks) in daily life.
)dentify the %ays humans affect the erosion and deposition of -arth#s materials (e.g., clearing of land, planting
$egetation, pa$ing land, construction of ne% buildings).
Honoring Tradition ~ Continuing Excellence
Approved June 9, 2008 - See online curriculum or !tandard! and "#E alignment, $%&, a!!e!!ment!, learning activitie!, in!tructional !trategie!, and re!ource!'
0ropose %ays to sol$e simple en$ironmental problems (e.g., recycling, composting, %ays to decrease soil erosion) that
result from human acti$ity.
Interactions Among Organisms and their Environment
Compare the major organs/organ systems (e.g., support, reproducti$e, digesti$e, circulatory, ecretory, response) that
perform similar functions for animals belonging to different $ertebrate classes.
)dentify and eplain the %ays a specific organism may interact %ith other organisms or %ith the en$ironment (e.g.,
pollination, shelter, seed dispersal, camouflage, migration, hibernation, defensi$e mechanism).
Compare and contrast ho% terrestrial biomes (i.e., tropical rainforest, taiga, deciduous forest, desert, tundra, grassland,
sa$annah) support the life of different types of plants and animals.
Demonstrate that factors such as light, %ater, temperature, and soil affect the organisms in an ecosystem.
)dentify eamples in !issouri %here human acti$ity has had a beneficial or harmful effect on other organisms (e.g.,
feeding birds, littering $s. picking up trash, hunting/conser$ation of species, pa$ing/restoring greenspace).
Classify populations of organisms as producers, consumers, or decomposers by the role they ser$e in the ecosystem.
Differentiate among the types of consumers (herbi$ore, carni$ore, omni$ore, detri$ore/decomposer).
Categori.e organisms as predator or prey in a gi$en ecosystem.
Describe ho% organisms in an ecosystem ha$e interdependent relationships that can be illustrated by a food %eb.
Describe ho% interactions bet%een organisms and their en$ironment contribute to a continuous cycling of matter and
energy.
)dentify internal cues (e.g., hunger) and eternal cues (e.g., changes in the en$ironment) that cause organisms to beha$e
in certain %ays (e.g., hunting, migration, hibernation).
0redict %hich plant or animal %ill be able to sur$i$e in a specific en$ironment based on its special structures or
beha$iors.
Incorporated into All Units
Scientific Inquiry
1ormulate testable *uestions and eplanations (hypotheses).
/ecogni.e the characteristics of a fair and unbiased test.
Conduct a fair test to ans%er a *uestion.
!ake *ualitati$e obser$ations using the fi$e senses.
!ake obser$ations using simple tools and e*uipment (e.g., hand lenses, magnets, thermometers, metric rulers, balances,
graduated cylinders, spring scale).
!easure length to the nearest centimeter, mass using grams, temperature using degrees Celsius, $olume to the nearest
milliliter, %eight to the nearest 2e%ton.
Compare amounts/measurements.
3udge %hether measurements and computation of *uantities are reasonable.
4se *uantitati$e and *ualitati$e data as support for reasonable eplanations.
4se data as support for obser$ed patterns and relationships, and to make predictions to be tested.
-$aluate the reasonableness of an eplanation.
(naly.e %hether e$idence supports proposed eplanations.
Communicate simple procedures and results of in$estigations and eplanations through5 oral presentations6 dra%ings
and maps6 data tables6 graphs (bar, single line, pictograph)6 and %ritings.
Impact of Science, echnology, and !uman Activity
Describe ho% ne% technologies ha$e helped scientists make better obser$ations and measurements for in$estigations
(e.g., telescopes, magnifiers, balances, microscopes, computers, stethoscopes, thermometers).
)dentify ho% the effects of in$entions or technological ad$ances (e.g., satellite imagery, robotics, communication,
transportation, generation of energy, rene%able materials) may be helpful, harmful, or both.
/esearch biographical information about $arious scientists and in$entors from different gender and ethnic backgrounds,
and describe ho% their %ork contributed to science and technology.
)dentify a *uestion that %as asked, or could be asked, or a problem that needed to be sol$ed %hen gi$en a brief scenario
(fiction or nonfiction of people %orking alone or in groups sol$ing e$eryday problems or learning through disco$ery).
7ork %ith a group to sol$e a problem, gi$ing due credit to the ideas and contributions of each group member.
Honoring Tradition ~ Continuing Excellence
Approved June 9, 2008 - See online curriculum or !tandard! and "#E alignment, $%&, a!!e!!ment!, learning activitie!, in!tructional !trategie!, and re!ource!'
Honoring Tradition ~ Continuing Excellence
Approved June 9, 2008 - See online curriculum or !tandard! and "#E alignment, $%&, a!!e!!ment!, learning activitie!, in!tructional !trategie!, and re!ource!'