Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

• Constancy and Change: Although most things are in the process of changing, some properties remain constant (i.e. the speed of light). (Earth/Space Science)

• Weather conditions change over time.  Changes can be organized, compared, and predicted. (Earth/Space Science)

• Interdependence: Living things interact with one another and their environment for existence and balance. (Life Science)

• Insects have physical characteristics and structure, undergo changes within life cycles, and interact with each other and their environments. (Life Science)

• Order and Organization of Systems: A system consists of components/parts that interact. (Physical Science)

• The stability of a system is dependent upon the position of its components. (Physical Science)

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

Scientific Process

• What common vocabulary should be used when conducting an investigation?

• Why are predictions an important part of the scientific process? How can we make better predictions?

• Why should we follow a plan when conducting an investigation?

• What tools are available to gather data when conducting an investigation?

• How does data help us explain our investigation? What are some of the ways we can collect data?

• How can we communicate the results of our investigation to others? How can we make sure an investigation is done the same way each time? 

Movement

• How do objects move? How are objects able to roll? How do changes in energy input affect the outcome?

• How do objects and counterweights interact in a simple system to achieve balance?

• What happens to the object when it experiences an outside force?

Living Things

• What is the difference between living and nonliving things? What characteristics are specific to the butterflies, mealworms, crickets, and milkweed bugs? What do insects eat?

• What is necessary for all organisms to survive?

• What structures are specific to insects and what differences exist among the insect populations being studied?

• What are some specific characteristics of the organisms that allow them to adapt and survive in their environments? What characteristics are common to each of these species?

• What is the life cycle of a meal worm, butterfly, cricket, and milkweed bug?

Weather

• How does weather affect states of matter: solid, liquid, or gaseous?

• How does the sun affect weather daily? What are some terms that help us describe the weather?

• How are daily activities affected by the weather? How do we measure changes in weather?

Technology

• How can you utilize technology to gain knowledge and, communicate information?

• What careers use science and technology?

• How can data accuracy be determined? How does data help make better predictions?

• How is data gained and how are experiments replicated accurately? How can errors in data be discovered?

• How can data be visually represented? What is the best type of graph for specific data?

• How can models help complete a scientific investigation?

Safety

• What are safe laboratory techniques?

• What tools are needed to gather the data required, and how are they appropriately used?

Standards 
Highest Frequency Standards High Frequency Standards Other Standards & E-skills

 
Standard 1: Students understand the processes of scientific investigations and design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigation.
Standard 2: Physical Science: Students know and understand common properties, forms, and changes in matter and energy.  Students know that matter has characteristic properties which are related to its composition and structure. Students understand that energy appears in different forms and can move (be transferred) and change (be transformed). Students understand that interactions can produce changes in a system, although the total quantities of matter and energy remain unchanged.
Standard 3:  Life Science:  Students know and understand the characteristics and structures of living things, the processes of life and how living things interact with each other and their environment. Students know and understand the characteristics of living things, the diversity of life, and how living things interact with each other and with their environment. Students know and understand interrelationships of matter and energy in living systems. Students know and understand how the human body functions, factors that influence its structures and functions compared with those of other organisms. Students know and understand how organisms change over time in terms of biological evolution and genetics.
Standard 4: Earth and Space Science: Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space.  Students know and understand the composition of the Earth, its history, and the natural processes that shape it. Students know and understand the general characteristics of the atmosphere and fundamental processes of weather. Students know major sources of water, its uses, importance, and cyclic patterns of movement through the environment. Students know the structure of the solar system, composition and interactions of objects in the universe and how space is explored.
Standard 5: Students know and understand interrelationships among science, technology, and human activity and how they affect the world.
Standard 6: Students understand that science involves a particular way of knowing and they understand common connections among scientific disciplines.

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:

• Insects Unit
• Air & Weather Unit
• Balance & Motion Unit
• Changes Unit - Optional Unit