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what is science?
science – knowledge about the natural world that is based on facts learned through experiments and observation
hypothesis – an idea or explanation that you then test through study and experimentation
observation – getting information by using your senses
experiment – the act of conducting a controlled test or investigation
empirical evidence – information collected by observation and testing
the metric system
metric system – the decimal measuring system based on the meter, liter, and gram as units of length, volume and mass
matter – anything that has mass and volume
mass – the amount of matter in an object
gram – the base unit of measurement for mass
length – the distance of an object from one end to the other
meter – bas unit of measurement for length
volume – the amount of space something takes up or its capacity
liter – the base unit of measurement for volume
unit 1: investigating physical properties of matter
conductor – a substance or object that allows energy to flow through it easily
dissolving – the process by which substances break down into small pieces and spread evenly throughout a liquid (water)
electrical energy – energy that is absorbed or delivered by an electric circuit
gas – a state of matter in which the substance expands to take both the shape and the volume of its container
insulator – a substance or object that does not allow energy to flow through it easily
liquid – take the shape of their container, filling the bottom of the container first; has the ability to flow
magnetism – a force of attraction that causes a magnetic material to move
mass – the amount of matter in something
matter – anything that has mass and takes up space
melting / freezing point – the temperature at which a substance changes from a liquid to a solid or a solid to a liquid by the removal or addition of heat; for water this temperature is 0°C
metric system – the decimal measuring system based on the meter, liter, and gram as units of length, volume (capacity), and weight or mass
mixture – a combination of two or more substances that can be easily separated in some physical way
physical properties – properties of matter that can be observed, measured, or changed without changing the matter itself
relative density – floating or sinking when compared to water
solid – definite shape and size
solubility – the ability of a substance to dissolve in another substance, such as sugar dissolving in water
solution – a type of mixture in which the particles of one or more substances are dissolved (uniformly dispersed throughout) in another substance
states of matter – the forms matter can take, such as solid, liquid, and gas; sometimes called phases of matter
thermal energy – energy related to the temperature of an object or a substance
unit 2: investigating forms of energy
circuit – a closed conducting circle or loop through which current can flow
closed (complete or working) circuit – the path through which an electric current can flow
electric current – the flow of electricity through a conductor
electrical energy – energy that is absorbed or delivered by an electric circuit
energy – the ability to do work
light energy – a form of energy which our eyes can detect
mechanical energy – energy of motion
medium – matter that light travels through
open (incomplete or broken) circuit – the path through which an electric current cannot flow
reflection – the bouncing back of light rays from a surface
refraction – the bending of light as it moves through one medium into another
sound energy – energy produced by vibrations
thermal energy – energy related to the temperature of an object or a substance
unit 3: investigating forces
control – the substance, object or group in an experiment that is not changed
controlled experiment – an experiment in which all the variables are kept the same except for the one being tested (fair test)
force – a push or pull that can change the position or motion of an object / material
friction – a force that acts in an opposite direction to movement
gravity – a force that pulls objects toward each other
magnetism – a force that pushes or pulls a magnetic material across a distance
motion – a change in the position of an object
position – the place where something is located; where something has been put
pull – the act of applying force to move something toward or with you
push – the act of applying force in order to move something away
reliability – the extent to which an experiment, test, or investigation provides the same results on repeated trials
testable hypothesis – an idea that can be tested by experiment or observation
valid conclusion – information describing what was learned from an investigation based on observations and collected data
variable – a condition in an experiment that is changed in order to determine the effect of that change
unit 4: investigating Earth’s changes
cementation – process of binding and hardening of sediments into hard rock
compaction – process by which overlying pressure from rocks and soil reduces the size or volume of sediments
decomposition – the process by which dead plants and animals decay or rot
deposition – process by which weathered and eroded material is deposited by wind, water, and ice
erosion – the movement of weathered material by wind, water, or ice (e.g. glaciers)
evidence – facts or other information supporting a claim or proposition
fossil fuels – fuels formed over millions of years from the remains of ancient plants and animals; examples include coal, petroleum (oil) and natural gas
landform – a physical structure on Earth that occurs naturally
model – a picture, idea, or object that represents an object, a system, or process and is used to help with understanding; models
have advantages and
limitations
organism – a living thing that grows, reproduces, responds to its environment, and can function on its own
process of formation – the method by which a substance or object is formed
weathering – process by which exposed rock is broken down by rain, frost, wind, or other elements of weather
unit 5: investigating water and weather patterns
atmosphere – the air that surrounds the Earth; it is made of a mixture of gases
climate – general pattern of weather in an area over a long period of time [30 years or more (many decades)]
condensation – the process of water changing from water vapor to a liquid by loss of heat (e.g., weather - water vapor forming clouds)
evaporation – the process of water changing from a liquid to water vapor by adding heat (e.g., weather - water in oceans evaporating into the air)
interact – acting in such a way so to have an effect on something else
precipitation – water that falls to the Earth’s surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail
sun – a huge ball of gases around which the Earth and other planets of the solar system revolve; the Sun is a star that provides Earth with most of its light and thermal energy
water cycle – the change of water from one state to another as it moves between Earth’s surfaces to the atmosphere
weather – day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere in an area; weather has short-term variations (e.g., weather can change from minute-to-minute, day-to-day, or week-to-week)
unit 6: investigating sun, Earth, and moon systems
atmosphere – the air that surrounds the Earth; it is made of a mixture of gases
axis – imaginary line about which an object rotates
composition – the combination of substances that make up a whole object
orbit – the path that one object in space follows as it revolves around another object in space
revolution – one orbit of an object, such as a planet or satellite, in space around another object in space
rotation – the spinning of a planet, Moon, or other object on its axis
unit 7: investigating ecosystems and interactions
consumer – an organism that eats other organisms (plants and or animals) for food
decomposer – an organism that gets energy by feeding on dead materials and waste
dependent – to rely on someone or something else
ecosystem – a unit consisting of living organisms and the environment that they live in
food chain – a representation of the flow of energy from the Sun through producers to consumers and decomposers in an ecosystem
food web – representation of overlapping food chains in an ecosystem; includes the flow of energy from the Sun through producers to consumers and decomposers through multiple pathways
habitat – the place where an organism lives; habitats supply the organism with food, shelter, moisture, and temperature for survival
overpopulation – having too many people or organisms in a particular area, straining available resources and impacting the environment
photosynthesis – process by which producers / plants use the energy in sunlight to create their own food
producer – an organism that makes its own food (e.g., plants)
unit 8: investigating structures and behaviors of organisms
adaptation - a change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment
dormancy – a phase of minimal activity (e.g., trees in winter, frogs in winter)
environment – all of the living and nonliving elements in a particular (geographic) area
function – what something is used for; purpose
habitat – the place where an organism lives; habitats supply the organism with food, shelter, moisture, and temperature for survival
inherited traits – characteristics or attributes of an organism that are passed from parents to offspring
learned behaviors – something an organism learns as they interact in their world
migration – to move from one place to another in search of food, water, or different temperature
offspring – a living organism that is made when a plant or animal reproduces
species – a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of producing offspring
structure – a body part that does a certain “job” for an organism
survive – to continue to live or exist, especially in spite of danger or hardship
unit 9: investigating fossils and environments
environment – all of the living and nonliving elements in a particular (geographic) area
evidence – facts or other information supporting a claim or proposition
extinction – death of an entire species
fossil – impression, track, remains, or other evidence of an ancient organism formed in sedimentary rocks
unit 10: student designed investigations
control – the substance, object, or group in an experiment that is not changed
dependent variable – the condition of an experiment that responds to the change of the independent variable; effect
hypothesis – an idea that can be tested by experiment or observation
independent variable – the condition of an experiment that is changed in order to find out the effect of that change; cause
5th graders will take their STAAR test for science in May 2020.