Science Benchmark

Earth orbits around the sun, and the moon orbits around Earth. Earth is spherical in shape and rotates on its axis to produce the night and day cycle. To people on Earth, this turning of the planet makes it appear as though the sun, moon, planets, and stars are moving across the sky once a day. However, this is only a perception as viewed from Earth.

Standard 1
Students will understand that the shape of Earth and the moon are spherical and that Earth rotates on its axis to produce the appearance of the sun and moon moving through the sky.

Language science students should use: model, orbit, sphere, moon, axis, rotation, revolution, appearance

 

 

Science Benchmark

For any particular environment, some types of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well and some cannot survive at all. Organisms in an environment interact with their environment. Models can be used to investigate these interactions.

Standard 2
Students will understand that organisms depend on living and nonliving things within their environment.

Language science students should use: environment, interaction, living, nonliving, organism, survive, observe, terrarium, aquarium, temperature, moisture, small–scale

 

 

Science Benchmark
Forces cause changes in the speed or direction of the motion of an object. The greater the force placed on an object, the greater the change in motion. The more massive an object is, the less effect a given force will have upon the motion of the object. Earth’s gravity pulls objects toward it without touching them.

Standard 3
Students will understand the relationship between the force applied to an object and resulting motion of the object.

Standard 4
Students will understand that objects near Earth are pulled toward Earth by gravity.

Language science students should use: distance, force, gravity, weight, motion, speed, direction, simple machine

 

 

 

 

Science Benchmark
Light is produced by the sun and observed on Earth. Living organisms use heat and light from the sun. Heat is also produced from motion when one thing rubs against another. Things that give off heat often give off light. While operating, mechanical and electrical machines produce heat and/or light.

Standard 5
Students will understand that the sun is the main source of heat and light for things living on Earth. They will also understand that the motion of rubbing objects together may produce heat.

Language science students should use: mechanical, electrical, temperature, degrees, lubricated, misconception, heat source, machine