The goal of science program at Gillispie is to develop understanding of the connections between scientific knowledge and its application in everyday life.
The School’s benchmarks (performance goals that represent the students’ understandings) are grouped at all grade levels into the following: Life Science; Physical Science; Earth Science; Investigation and Experimentation. The investigation of a specific continent at each grade level will shape aspects of the curriculum, as will current events, the children’s interests, and an ongoing commitment to Gillispie’s belief in promoting sustainability.
Science Benchmarks 2012-13
Kindergarten
By the end of Kindergarten, students will be able to do the following within the realm of—
Physical Science
- Describe objects by identifying the material they are made of and their physical properties
- Explain that water can be either liquid or solid and change from one to the other
- Define “evaporation”; predict that water in an open container will evaporate
Life Science
- Categorize characteristics of livings things
- Describe similarities and differences between plants and animals
- Identify important structural attributes of common plants and animals and explain their roles
- Observe and draw various stages in life cycle of garden plants over time
- Explain the steps in composting and its importance in the environment
Earth Science
- Identify Earth’s resources used in life; explain how some resources should be conserved
- Define the term sustainability
- Observe and classify natural changes such as the movement of the sun seasonal aspects of the weather, and certain ways these changes affect Earth’s inhabitants
- Describe characteristics of Australia’s and La Jolla’s geography, along with surrounding mountains, rivers, oceans, valleys, deserts
Investigation and Experimentation
- Use the five senses to describe and record observations of objects and their properties
- Compare, contrast, and sort common objects by various attributes
- Communicate observations by drawing, writing, and discussing
Grade 1
Curriculum introduced in Kindergarten will be reviewed and expanded. In addition, by the end of Grade 1, students will be able to do the following within the realm of—
Physical Science
- Describe examples of substances in the form of solid, liquid, and gas
- Describe ways substances can change when mixed, cooled, or heated
Life Science
- Explain that living things have varying requirements, such as water, food, and light for survival
- Draw and label certain habitats and features of various plants and animals that enable their survival
- Describe ways that different living things meet their needs (i.e., animals use of fur, teeth, feet)
- Draw and label parts of plants, seeds, and insects
- Explain theories about dinosaurs and their eventual extinction
Earth Science
- Note changes from one day to another and across the seasons
- Explain that the sun warms the land, air, and water
- Show various ways that Earth’s rotation affects the sun’s relationship to Earth, including in the United States and Antarctica
Investigation and Experimentation
- Record observations and data with pictures, writing, or on a graph
- Note discrepancies between two descriptions of the same object with further observation
- Discuss ways scientists use frogs to evaluate Earth’s health
Grade 2
Curriculum introduced in Grade 1 will be reviewed and expanded. By the end of Grade 2, students will be able to do the following within the realm of—
Physical Science
- Describe the way objects can change position when pushed or pulled; explain that the amount of this change is related to forces applied
- Define the term gravity and what gravity does
- Compare and contrast objects that can be moved by magnets and those that cannot; explain the difference
- Demonstrate the way vibrating objects create sound, and define the terms pitch and volume
Life Science
- Compare and contrast sequential stages of the life cycles of several animals
- Describe some characteristics of animals that may be inherited from their parents, and explain environmental changes and influences
- Record changes in plants due to light, gravity, touch, or environmental stress
- Explain the role of flowers and fruits in association with plant reproduction
Earth Science
- Observe and record physical properties of different rocks
- List different combinations of minerals of which rocks consist
- Explain what soil is made of and its differences in various geographical regions
- List the ways rocks, water, plants, and soil provide many resources for human use
Investigation and Experimentation
- Make predictions based on patterns rather than guesses
- Measure objects and substances with appropriate tools
- Explain how scientists learn about Earth through studying fossils
- Write and draw descriptions of a sequence of steps, events, and observations;
- Draw representations of small things using microscopes
Grade 3
Curriculum introduced in Grade 2 will be reviewed and expanded. By the end of Grade 3, students will be able to do the following within the realm of–
Physical Science
- List certain sources of stored energy and describe the process by which a machine or living thing might convert that energy to motion and heat
- Explain how water and sound waves as well as electric currents carry energy from place to place
- Discuss substances, matter, atoms, and the periodic table
- Explain that light comes from the sun and provides energy to Earth
- Demonstrate ways sunlight can be blocked
- Explain how light reflects in mirrors
- Create a graphic representation of the way the eye sees objects and colors by the travel of light
Life Science
- Explain the functions of structural differences in terms of the growth, survival, and reproduction of certain plants and animals
- List examples of diverse life forms in different environments (oceans, deserts, forests, etc.)
- Compare and contrast regional differences between locations in San Diego County and those of select countries in Asia
- Describe benefits and detriments caused by environmental changes
- List ways individuals’ actions can be beneficial or detrimental to the environment
Earth Science
- Depict the appearance of the sun and moon at various stages
- Discuss the appearance of stars when viewed through a telescope as opposed to through the unaided eye
- List the planets and describe their orbit around the sun as well as the moon’s orbit around Earth
- Compare the changes in the sun’s position during the course of a day and from season to season in North America versus Asia
- Describe certain experiences of astronauts; discuss the pros and cons of space travel
Investigation and Experimentation
- Observe and record results of scientific investigations and note the differences in results due to certain factors
- Explain the difference between evidence and opinion, and the reason why scientists use confirmed observations to make claims or draw conclusions.
- Use numerical data to describe and compare scientific observations
- Develop logical conclusions by investigating, predicting the outcome, and analyzing data
Grade 4
Curriculum introducedin Grade 3 will be reviewed and enhanced. In addition, by the end of Grade 4, students will be able to do the following within the realm of–
Physical Sciences
- Design and build simple series and parallel circuits by using components such as wires, batteries, and bulbs
- Build a simple compass and use it to detect magnetic effects including Earth’s magnetic field
- Build a simple electromagnet
- Explain how electrically charged objects attract or repel each other and the north and south poles of magnets
- Describe the way electrical energy can be converted to heat, light, and motion
Life Sciences
- Explain food chains: the way plants are their primary source of matter and energy; the relationship between producers and consumers and the competition for resources within ecosystems; the recycling of matter from decomposers such as fungi
- Describe the way living organisms depend on one another and their environment
- Demonstrate that ecosystems are characterized by their living and nonliving components
- Show how the environment affects the survival or collapse of plant and animal populations
- Explain the way certain plants may depend on animals (for pollination and seed dispersal), and animals may depend on plants (for food and shelter)
Earth Sciences
- Differentiate among certain rocks according to their properties and the rock cycle
- Use a table of diagnostic properties to identify common rock-forming minerals
- Explain that some of earth’s changes are due to slow (i.e., erosion) or fast (i.e., volcanic eruption) processes; that natural processes cause rocks to break down into smaller pieces
- Draw or demonstrate the way water erodes landforms
Investigation and Experimentation
- Develop questions and perform investigations of scientific strands
- Differentiate observation and interpretation
- Measure and estimate the weight, length, and/or volume of certain objects
- Predict and offer support based on cause-and-effect relationships
- Conduct multiple trials to test predictions and draw conclusions
Grade 5
Curriculum introduced in Grade 4 will be reviewed and expanded. By the end of Grade 5, students will be able to do the following within the realm of—
Physical Science
- Explain certain ways that combinations of elements account for matter
- Draw and label ways atoms during certain chemical reactions rearrange to form different properties
- Demonstrate formation of molecules from atoms
- List properties metals have in common
- Explain that elements are organized in the periodic table by their chemical properties
- Identify properties of solid, liquid, and gaseous substances; identify common properties of salts
Life Science
- Explain that living things have requirements to stay alive
- Draw and label certain habitats and features of various plants and animals that enable their survival
- Describe ways that different living things meet their needs
Earth Science
- Explain how water moves within Earth by evaporation and condensation
- Demonstrate that Earth’s surface is mostly covered with salt water
- Demonstrate the way water becomes vapor and may reappear as a liquid or solid
- Compare and contrast the formation of fog and clouds as well as rain, hail, sleet, and snow
- Explain that fresh water is a limited resource and the importance of recycling and decreasing use of water
- Explain the influence of the ocean on weather
- Explain causes and effects of severe weather along with certain variables that go into forecasting weather
- Describe the way the atmosphere exerts pressure and what the effects are on Earth
- Identify certain properties of the sun and the gravitational attraction between the sun, moon, and Earth
Investigation and Experimentation
- Classify objects according to various criteria
- Identify dependent and controlled variables in investigations
- Identify and explain how a single independent variable can be used to answer questions about the results of an experiment
- Record data and make inferences based on data
- Draw conclusions from scientific evidence based on support
- Plan an investigation with instructions; write a report that includes tests, data, and conclusions
Grade 6
Curriculum introduced in Grade 5 will be reviewed and expanded. In addition, by the end of Grade 6, students will be able to do the following within the realm of—
Physical Science
- Demonstrate that energy can be carried from one place to another by heat flow, various waves (water; light and sound), or by moving objects
- Explain how heat moves in a predictable flow and that when fuel is consumed, most of the energy is released as heat
- Describe how heat is transferred through conduction, convection, and radiation
- Identify major sources of energy on Earth’s surface
- Explain the electromagnetic energy spectrum, including visible light
- Identify different natural energy and material resources; classify them as renewable or nonrenewable
- Design a useful object powered by solar energy
Earth Science
- Explain plate tectonics as deriving from the fit of the continents
- Create a model that demonstrates the layers of Earth
- Explain lithospheric plates and the rate of continent and ocean movement per year
- Explain earthquakes and how to determine the epicenter; identify certain earthquake faults; identify ways to minimize earthquake damage
- Identify other major geologic events resulting from plate motions
- Explain major features of California, American, and African geology in terms of plate tectonics
- Demonstrate in writing or drawing the way Earth’s topography is shaped
- Describe the way water running downhill largely determines landscapes
- Describe the natural, recurring patterns of rivers and streams
- Explain that beaches are dynamic systems
Life Science
- Explain photosynthesis and food webs
- Categorize organisms by their functions in an ecosystem
- Describe how ecosystems require numerous resources
- Classify resources as renewable or nonrenewable
- List the natural origin of materials used to make certain common objects
Investigation and Experimentation
- Develop a hypothesis; select and use appropriate tools and technology
- Perform tests, collect and display data, construct appropriate graphs; develop qualitative statements about variables
- Communicate the steps and results of an investigation
- Evaluate evidence regarding natural phenomena
- Identify changes in natural phenomena over time
