Grade 04 Science - EC: S4.C.1.1.1

Continuum of Activities

The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.

This continuum of activities offers:

Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
Questions/activities that grow in complexity
Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance

Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content

S4.C.1.1.1 S4.C.1.1.1

Use physical properties [e.g., mass, shape, size, volume, color, texture, magnetism, state (i.e., solid, liquid, and gas), conductivity (i.e., electrical and heat)] to describe matter.

Activities

Define matter.
What are the three states of matter?
Define physical property.
List three physical properties of grass.

Compare and contrast the physical properties of water and ice.
Do you think copper or plastic would be a better material to use in order to make a wire? Write 1 or 2 sentences to explain your thinking.
Using a magnet, find five objects in your classroom that are magnetic. Make a list of physical properties that these objects have in common. What can you infer about magnetic objects based on what you found in your classroom?

Write a short procedure to show how you would test an object to find out if it is a good conductor of heat.

Answer Key/Rubric

Matter is anything that takes up space
Solid, liquid, gas
Physical property is a measurable or observable description of an object
Examples include, but are not limited to: green, soft, thin, solid, etc.
Similarities may include, but are not limited to:
- Both clear
- Both are tasteless
- Both do not have a scent
- Both are slippery

Differences may include, but are not limited to:

Ice is a solid. Water is a liquid.
Water has a higher density.
Ice is cold. Water can be different temperatures.

Acceptable responses may include, but are not limited to:

Copper is a better material to use in order to make a wire.
Copper is a metal.
Copper is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
Heat and electricity flow very easily through copper.
Plastic would be a poor choice to use to make a wire.
Plastic is an insulator.
Heat and electricity do not flow easily through plastic.

Characteristics may include, but are not limited to:
- Metal
- Shiny
- Smooth
- Hard

Sample inferences include, but are not limited to:
Magnets stick to some metal objects, but not all metal objects.
Only certain types of metal are magnetic.

Student responses will vary. Use the rubric below to evaluate student responses.

Needs Improvement of Reinforcement

Basic Understanding

Mastery

Student is unable to write a procedure to test if object is a good conductor of heat.

Student is able to write a general procedure to test if an object is a good conductor of heat.

Student is able to write a detailed, easy to follow procedure to test if an object is a good conductor of heat.