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- Science: 5th Grade
Connecticut - Science: 5th Grade
Grade Level Concepts | Adopted: 2010
5.1: : Sound and light are forms of energy.
5.1.b: : Light is a form of energy that travels in a straight line and can be reflected by a mirror, refracted by a lens, or absorbed by objects.
5.1.b.2: : Light interacts with objects in various ways; it can be reflected off the object, absorbed by the object, or refracted through the object.
Basic Prism
Shine white light or a single-color beam through a prism. Explore how a prism refracts light and investigate the factors that affect the amount of refraction. The index of refraction of the prism, width of the prism, prism angle, light angle, and light wavelength can be adjusted. 5 Minute Preview
Color Absorption
Mix the primary colors of light by using red, green, and blue lights. Use pieces of colored glass to filter the light and create a wide variety of colors. Determine how light is absorbed and transmitted by each color of glass. 5 Minute Preview
Heat Absorption
Shine a powerful flashlight on a variety of materials, and measure how quickly each material heats up. See how the light angle, light color, type of material, and material color affect heating. A glass cover can be added to simulate a greenhouse. 5 Minute Preview
5.2: : Perceiving and responding to information about the environment is critical to the survival of organisms.
5.2.a: : The sense organs perceive stimuli from the environment and send signals to the brain through the nervous system.
5.2.a.8: : Sunlight (or “white light”) is a combination of colors. White light passed through prisms, water droplets or diffraction gratings can be refracted to show its component colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Basic Prism
Shine white light or a single-color beam through a prism. Explore how a prism refracts light and investigate the factors that affect the amount of refraction. The index of refraction of the prism, width of the prism, prism angle, light angle, and light wavelength can be adjusted. 5 Minute Preview
5.2.a.10: : Human skin is structured to detect information related to texture, temperature, pressure and vibration. Each sensation has different receptors distributed around the body; some areas of the body have greater concentrations of receptors for certain sensations, making those areas more sensitive than others to texture, temperature, or pressure.
Homeostasis
Control a simulated person running on a treadmill. Your challenge is to use clothing, exercise, and sweat to maintain a constant body temperature as air temperature goes up and down. Sweating (perspiration) can be controlled automatically by the Gizmo or, for a challenge, manually by the user. Don't forget to eat and drink! 5 Minute Preview
5.3: : Most objects in the solar system are in a regular and predictable motion.
5.3.a: : The positions of the earth and moon relative to the sun explain the cycles of day and night, and the monthly moon phases.
5.3.a.1: : The sun, Earth and its moon are spherical objects that move in two ways: they spin (rotate) and they change positions relative to each other (revolve).
Comparing Earth and Venus
Observe the motions of Venus and Earth as the planets move around the Sun. Measure the length of a day and a year on Earth and Venus, and compare the length of a solar day to the length of a sidereal day. 5 Minute Preview
Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun
Observe the motions of the Earth, Moon and Sun in three dimensions to explain Sunrise and Sunset, and to see how we define a day, a month, and a year. Compare times of Sunrise and Sunset for different dates and locations. Relate shadows to the position of the Sun in the sky, and relate shadows to compass directions. 5 Minute Preview
5.3.a.3: : The amount of time it takes for the earth to rotate once on its axis is regular and predictable (24 hours), and is called “a day.” Earth’s rotation makes it appear as if the sun is moving across the sky from east to west.
Comparing Earth and Venus
Observe the motions of Venus and Earth as the planets move around the Sun. Measure the length of a day and a year on Earth and Venus, and compare the length of a solar day to the length of a sidereal day. 5 Minute Preview
Phases of the Moon
Understand the phases of the Moon by observing the positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun. A view of the Moon from Earth is shown on the right as the Moon orbits Earth. Learn the names of Moon phases and in what order they occur. Click Play to watch the Moon go around, or click Pause and drag the Moon yourself. 5 Minute Preview
Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun
Observe the motions of the Earth, Moon and Sun in three dimensions to explain Sunrise and Sunset, and to see how we define a day, a month, and a year. Compare times of Sunrise and Sunset for different dates and locations. Relate shadows to the position of the Sun in the sky, and relate shadows to compass directions. 5 Minute Preview
Summer and Winter
Observe the tilt of Earth's axis and the angle that sunlight strikes Earth on June 21 and December 21. Compare day lengths, temperatures, and the angle of the Sun's rays for any latitude. The tilt of the Earth's axis can be varied to see how this would affect seasons. 5 Minute Preview
5.3.a.5: : Half of the moon is always illuminated by the sun. Phases of the moon occur because a different portion of the lit half of the moon is visible from Earth each day as the moon revolves around the earth.
Phases of the Moon
Understand the phases of the Moon by observing the positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun. A view of the Moon from Earth is shown on the right as the Moon orbits Earth. Learn the names of Moon phases and in what order they occur. Click Play to watch the Moon go around, or click Pause and drag the Moon yourself. 5 Minute Preview
5.3.a.6: : The changes in the moon’s phases occur in a regular and predictable sequence. At predictable periods during the lunar cycle, the moon is visible in either the daytime or the nighttime sky.
Phases of the Moon
Understand the phases of the Moon by observing the positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun. A view of the Moon from Earth is shown on the right as the Moon orbits Earth. Learn the names of Moon phases and in what order they occur. Click Play to watch the Moon go around, or click Pause and drag the Moon yourself. 5 Minute Preview
5.3.a.7: : At the beginning of a lunar month, no lit part of the moon is visible from Earth (new moon). As the moon progresses through the first two quarters of its complete trip around the earth, larger portions of the right side of the moon are illuminated each day. When the moon has completed half its trip around the earth, the full moon is illuminated. During the third and fourth quarters of the moon’s trip around the earth, the illuminated portion gradually decreases so only the left side is illuminated and finally no lit portion of the moon is visible from Earth again.
Phases of the Moon
Understand the phases of the Moon by observing the positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun. A view of the Moon from Earth is shown on the right as the Moon orbits Earth. Learn the names of Moon phases and in what order they occur. Click Play to watch the Moon go around, or click Pause and drag the Moon yourself. 5 Minute Preview
5.3.a.8: : Like the sun, the moon appears to rise at the eastern horizon and set at the western horizon due to the earth’s rotation. From one day to the next, when observed at the same time from the same location, the moon’s position in the sky varies in predictable ways.
Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun
Observe the motions of the Earth, Moon and Sun in three dimensions to explain Sunrise and Sunset, and to see how we define a day, a month, and a year. Compare times of Sunrise and Sunset for different dates and locations. Relate shadows to the position of the Sun in the sky, and relate shadows to compass directions. 5 Minute Preview
Correlation last revised: 9/16/2020
About STEM Cases
Students assume the role of a scientist trying to solve a real world problem. They use scientific practices to collect and analyze data, and form and test a hypothesis as they solve the problems.
Each STEM Case uses realtime reporting to show live student results.
Introduction to the Heatmap
STEM Cases take between 30-90 minutes for students to complete, depending on the case.
Student progress is automatically saved so that STEM Cases can be completed over multiple sessions.
Multiple grade-appropriate versions, or levels, exist for each STEM Case.
Each STEM Case level has an associated Handbook. These are interactive guides that focus on the science concepts underlying the case.
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