Living vs. Nonliving Things
Sort objects into living and nonliving categories using criteria: grow, need food/water, breathe
Science activities for kids
Explore the natural world through observation and inquiry
Plants, animals, and living things
Life Science
Explore living things, habitats, and life needs through observation and classification
Parts of a Plant
Label and describe the roots, stem, leaves, and flower and explain their basic functions
What Plants Need to Grow
Identify that plants need sunlight, water, air, and soil to survive and grow
Animal Characteristics & Needs
Describe what animals need to survive and classify by physical traits
Animal Groups (Mammals, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Insects)
Sort animals into groups by shared characteristics (fur, feathers, scales, etc.)
Basic Life Cycles (Butterfly, Frog, Plant)
Sequence and describe the stages of the butterfly and frog life cycles
My Body (Basic Body Parts & Five Senses)
Name major body parts and the five senses; explain how each sense helps us learn about the world
Weather, seasons, and the sky
Earth & Space Science
Investigate weather, seasons, land, water, and sky patterns
Weather Observation & Vocabulary
Describe and record daily weather using terms sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy, snowy
The Four Seasons
Describe characteristics of spring, summer, fall, and winter; connect to weather and clothing
Sun, Moon & Stars
Describe the sun as a star, the moon's changing shape, and observe star patterns
Day & Night Cycle
Explain why we have day and night using a model of Earth rotating toward and away from the sun
Landforms & Bodies of Water
Name and describe basic landforms (mountains, hills, plains) and bodies of water (ocean, lake, river)
Natural Resources & Conservation
Identify air, water, soil, and sunlight as natural resources and explain why we conserve them
Properties of materials and forces
Physical Science
Explore materials, motion, forces, and changes through simple investigations
Properties of Materials
Describe objects by color, shape, size, texture, and weight; sort objects by a property
States of Matter (Solid, Liquid, Gas)
Classify everyday materials as solid, liquid, or gas and describe their properties
Push & Pull (Forces)
Demonstrate that pushing and pulling can change the speed and direction of an object
Sound & Light Basics
Observe that sounds are made by vibrations and that light travels in straight lines; explore shadows
Observation, questioning, and recording
Science Practices
Practice observing, asking questions, testing ideas, and recording findings
Making Observations
Use all five senses to make detailed observations; record findings with drawings and words
Asking Scientific Questions
Pose questions about natural phenomena that can be answered through investigation
Simple Investigations & Experiments
Plan and conduct a basic experiment (sink/float, magnet attraction) and record results in a chart
Grade 3 standards through interactive 3D models and authentic tasks
Grade 3 Science
A sequenced Grade 3 science pathway.
Forces and Motion Ramp Lab
Investigate how force, mass, and surface affect motion.
Magnet Maze
Investigate magnetic attraction, repulsion, and action at a distance.
Life-Cycle Terrarium
Model the ordered stages in plant and animal life cycles.
Inheritance Laboratory
Distinguish inherited traits from traits influenced by environment.
Habitat Adaptation Builder
Explain how traits help organisms survive in particular habitats.
Weather Station
Collect and interpret temperature, wind, precipitation, and cloud data.
Climate Globe
Compare weather patterns and climates across regions.
Bridge Engineering Challenge
Apply a fair-test process to design a structure that solves a problem.
Balanced Forces Tug Arena
Predict how balanced and unbalanced pulls change whether an object starts, stops, or keeps still.
Pendulum Pattern Lab
Use patterns in a swinging object’s motion to predict its future motion.
Static Charge Studio
Investigate electric pushes and pulls between charged objects that are not touching.
Fossil Clue Dig
Use fossils as evidence of organisms and environments from long ago.
Group Survival Safari
Explain how living in groups helps some animals find food, defend themselves, and survive.
Trait Variation Hunt
Explain how differences in traits among members of a species give some a better chance to survive and reproduce.
Changing Habitat Watch
Predict what happens to organisms when their environment changes: some survive, some move, some die.
Storm Hazard Design Lab
Design and compare solutions that reduce the impact of weather-related hazards.
Grade 4 standards through interactive 3D models and authentic tasks
Grade 4 Science
A sequenced Grade 4 science pathway.
Energy Transfer Chain
Trace energy as it moves and changes form in a system.
Collision Laboratory
Investigate how speed and mass affect changes during collisions.
Light and Sound Wave Studio
Model wave properties and how light and sound interact with materials.
Electric Circuit Workshop
Build and troubleshoot simple circuits that transfer electrical energy.
Animal Senses Signal Lab
Model how animals receive, process, and respond to information.
Erosion River Table
Investigate weathering, erosion, and deposition by water.
Rock and Landform Time Machine
Use patterns in rocks and landforms to infer Earth’s changes over time.
Renewable-Energy City
Compare energy resources and design a reliable lower-impact energy system.
Energy Converter Invention Bench
Design and test a device that converts energy from one form to another to meet a need.
Coded Signal Relay
Use patterns of short and long pulses to send information over a distance.
Periscope Sightline Lab
Explain that objects are seen when light reflected from them enters the eye.
Earthquake and Volcano Map Table
Analyze map patterns of earthquakes and volcanoes to describe Earth’s features.
Ripple Tank Wave Lab
Model waves as regular patterns of motion with amplitude and wavelength that can move objects.
Weathering Chamber
Investigate how ice, wind, plant roots, and rain break rocks into smaller pieces.
Shake Table Tower Test
Compare design solutions that reduce the damage earthquakes cause to buildings.
Inside-Out Structure Scanner
Describe how internal and external structures help plants and animals survive, grow, and protect themselves.
Grade 5 standards through interactive 3D models and authentic tasks
Grade 5 Science
A sequenced Grade 5 science pathway.
Particle Matter Chamber
Model matter as particles too small to see and explain state changes.
Properties Testing Laboratory
Measure and use material properties to identify substances.
Mixture Separation Facility
Design a process to separate mixtures using physical properties.
Chemical Reaction Chamber
Use evidence to identify changes that form new substances.
Ecosystem Energy Web
Model movement of matter and energy among organisms and the environment.
Earth Water Systems Simulator
Model how water is distributed and cycles through Earth systems.
Solar System Observatory
Model patterns caused by Earth’s rotation, orbit, and positions in the solar system.
Gravity and Orbit Mission
Explain gravity’s effect on objects near Earth and in the solar system.
Plant Mass Greenhouse
Use mass evidence to argue that plants get the materials for growth chiefly from air and water.
Compost Decomposer Column
Model how decomposers recycle matter from dead organisms back to the soil and air.
Sun-to-Meal Energy Trail
Trace the energy in animal food back to energy that was once sunlight captured by plants.
Star Brightness Distance Range
Explain that a star’s apparent brightness depends on its distance from Earth as well as its true brightness.
Daylight Hours Graph Studio
Graph daylight hours across the year to reveal seasonal patterns for places at different latitudes.
Earth Spheres Event Studio
Describe how the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact during real events.
Community Protection Planner
Evaluate ways communities use science ideas to protect Earth’s land, water, and air from human impacts.
Cooler Design Trial Bench
Plan fair tests and compare design solutions against criteria and constraints.