Activity 4

Exploration of Science Standards

A.4.1 When conducting science investigations, ask and answer questions that will help decide the general areas of science being addressed:
I remember being in fourth grade and having the scientific process drilled into my brain. I have since remembered the acronym PHEOC... Problem, Hypothesis, Experiment, Observations, Conclusion. When we had the first assignment regarding this process, I didn't even have to refer to notes or resources because we were taught so well what this process was. Our teacher dressed up as "Dr. Pheoc", kind of like a mad scientist to teach us how to ask and answer questions that adress the areas of science we were looking at. It was very effective and really fun! She came in and gave us a weekly visit. It has truly stuck in my brain ever since.

B.4.1 Use encyclopedias, source books, texts, computers, teachers, parents, other adults, journals, popular press, and various other sources, to help answer science-related questions and plan investigations.
Even at a young age, we still referred to all different types of resources that helped answer science-related questions. We used the overhead projector to view different science-related articles on a regular basis. We also referred back to our textbooks to help us set up various experiments. I remember one time we even went to the computer lab, which was a big deal in 1999! There, we played educational games related to science and setting up experiments. Of course, we also utilized our teacher because she was the one who came up with all of the activities that we would participate in.

C.4.4 Use simple science equipment safely and effectively, including rulers, balances, graduated cylinders, hand lenses, thermometers, and computers, to collect data relevant to questions and investigations
Fourth grade was the first time that I had the opportunity to use a microscope. It wasn't that intense, but it opened my eyes to a more hands-on science experience. I think we looked at leaves underneath the lense and got to see all of the different parts up close. Our teacher then laid out pictures of normal sized leaves and we were able to compare the two. I also remember fourth grade as the first time we got to wear those awesome safety goggles. Everyone thought they were so cool wearing those things around! I really got introduced to many new science-related tools in the fourth grade.

D.4.3. Understand that substances can exist in different states-solid, liquid, gas
In this class so far we have touched on the different states in reference to solids, liquids, and gases. By the professor having us set up an experiment to see what types of water freeze faster, we were dealing with both solids (ice) and liquids (water). When we were to see what types of water boiled faster, we were dealing with both liquids (water) and gases (steam once the water started to boil). We were also to look up different pictures related to what water molecules look like when they are solids, liquids, and gases.

E.4.2 Show that earth materials have different physical and chemical properties, including the properties of soils found in Wisconsin
In fourth grade I remember we had a lot of different science-related field trips. I grew up in a suburb of Milwaukee (Waukesha) where there are a lot of nature spaces and parks dedicated to education. Many of these areas have been made over thousands of years from the glaciers. We took a lot of field trips to a space called Kettle Moraine, where we were to identify different areas that were formed by the glaciers. We also spent time examining soils and comparing them to each other. We took them back to the classrooms to examine them further.

F.4.3 Illustrate* the different ways that organisms grow through life stages and survive to produce new members of their type
We had a class pet in the fourth grade... a caterpiller! At my elementary school we had a butterfly garden that was put in when I was going to school there. Our class was able to catch a caterpiller, make a home for it within our classroom, and watch it transform into a butterfly! This is one of the greatest memories that I have from grade school. It was so hands on and still to this day interests me. We watched the bug go through it's life stages, lay eggs, and turn into a butterfly. Once it was done growing we let him go back into our school butterfly garden.

G.4.4 Identify* the combinations of simple machines in a device used in the home, the workplace, or elsewhere in the community, to make or repair things, or to move goods or people
We studied a lot about simple machienes in the fourth grade! I remember studying for weeks on end about pullies, levers, and wheels. I'm sure there were a lot more, too. We were able to go around the school and identify different simple machienes that we saw through out the classrooms and hallways. We also were assigned to bring in a simple machiene from home. It was a very hands on unit that can still be applied to everyday life.

H.4.4 Develop* a list of issues that citizens must make decisions about and describe* a strategy for becoming informed about the science behind these issues
Since I lived so close to the capitol growing up, it was a tradition for all the fourth graders each year to go to the capitol building for a field trip. Everyone in fourth grade always looked forward to this! Teachers really hyped it up, too. Pretty much every subject we learned about for the few months leading up to the trip dealt with something government related, such as the issues that citizens must make. We incorperated science into this by studying up on conservation issues around Southeastern Wisconsin. Again, we visited different nature spaces and saw how conservation helped the environment.