Weather and Water Cycle

Students will review the Water Cycle. They will expand their understanding of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
Students will learn about the different types of clouds and how to identify each type.
Students will learn about the ways to measure weather conditions and the types of instruments used.
Terminology taught will include: cumulonimbus, status, cirrus, cumulus, anemometer, climate, ground water, and wind vane.

Home activity: As you drive in the car with your child, ask them to tell you what types of clouds they see. You might also ask them to identify measurement devices such as thermometers or wind vanes.

Life Cycles

Students will review stages in a life cycle and understand how changes happen in each stage.
Students will extend their knowledge on the parts of a plant and understand plants scientific names.
Terminology will include: spores, seedling, embryo, adult, larva, reproduce, pupa, nymph, amphibian, gestation, and flowering plant.

Home activity: Ask your child to explain the abilities humans develop at different stages. For example when they learn to talk, walk, drive, etc.

Matter

Students will understand the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas.
Students will understand the difference between a chemical change and a physical change.
Terminology: particle, mixture, volume, and mass.

Home activity: Try these experiments. Melt chocolate in a pan and discuss that it is a physical change because it is still chocolate it just changed from a solid to a liquid and it can change back. To demonstrate a chemical change try baking muffins with your child and discuss how all the ingredients mixed together make a new chemical makeup and once the muffins are baked you cannot go back and separate the original ingredients.

Forces and Machine

Students will understand how a simple machine works and how it differs from a compound machine.
Terminology: friction, work, inclined plane, gear, lever, pulley, screw, wedge, wheel, axle, and hinge.

Home activity: Point out items around your house such as a door stop which is an inclined plane, a door that has a hinge, the inside of a clock, or gears in a watch.