Life Science
Students observe, discuss and read about land and water ecosystems. Throughout the unit, students explore concepts of living things, their basic needs, how organisms are classified, the relatedness of living organisms, the features that make organisms well-suited to their environment, the flow of energy and matter, and how organisms interact with one another and the environment. Students construct knowledge through reading, writing and hands-on investigations using a model ecosystem.

Ecosystems
Students continue to observe and work with the model ecosystems they constructed in the Life Science unit. Throughout the unit students explore the characteristics of organisms which help them to survive and reproduce in specific habitats and how organisms interact with their environment. Students investigate the natural or human-made factors that can disrupt a stable environment and consider how human decisions and actions can be both beneficial and harmful to the environment. Students construct and conduct their own investigations to observe, conclude, and infer about the effects of pollution and/or pollution by-products on the environment.

Chemistry
Students participate in a variety of hands-on investigations with matter. They observe liquids, solids, and gases and experiment with the effects of temperature on the states of matter. These investigations will lead students to an understanding of how matter changes states. Students examine the most common example of changes of state by observing the weather and specifically the water cycle. Students construct their own experiments to develop their abilities to question, observe, conclude, and infer critical information from an investigation.

Earth Science
Students explore the materials that make up the Earth's surface. The students begin the unit by building on their knowledge of matter, in particular that matter is made up of smaller parts. This sets the stage for students to learn that rocks are made of minerals. Making detailed observations and recording observations are key skills to be developed throughout the unit. Students explore fossils to see how fossils of organisms provide insight into organisms and environments of the past. Students complete the unit with an exploration of how erosion and weathering impact the surface of the Earth.