Corvallis School district 509J

Hands on Science:
Science Kit Descriptions ~ 5th Grade

>  Fungi and Molds:  By way of introduction to the kingdom of fungi, students will examine the characteristics of seed plants, a mushroom and some bread mold.  In subsequent activities, students will compare and contrast seed plants to fungi and explore the world of fungi.  Students become familiar with characteristics of a single-celled fungus, yeast.  They compare yeast to other types of fungi and to seed plants, and study the reproduction of yeast by budding.  They learn about fermentation, the process by which yeast releases energy from food and gives off carbon dioxide gas and alcohol.

>  Heat:  Identify the parts of various energy systems (source, receiver and evidence of transfer).  Perform heat transfer experiments with warm and cold water.  Participate in ice-melting and ice-preserving contests to determine which variables affect melting.  Use solar trays to explore the effect of color, amount of water and amount of time on the change in temperature.  Experiment with different shaped containers and different materials for insulating effect.

>  Landforms:  Practice the science of cartography by making maps of the schoolyard with a sand mixture and cubes.  Transfer the model to a grid and draw a paper map.  Use stream tables to observe the processes of erosion and deposition and the landforms created.  Study variables that affect erosion and deposition (slope of the land and the rate of flow).  Map the results.  Build a model of a mountain and use it to create a topographic map.  Learn to read USGS topographical maps and compare to aerial photographs. Includes FOSS Science Readers to supplement the lessons.

>  Mixtures and Solutions:  Fundamental ideas of chemistry:  Mixtures, solutions, concentration, saturation, and reactions.  Work with solids, liquids, and gases.  Make mixtures of water and solid materials and separate the mixtures with screens and filters.  Make saturated solutions with salt and citric acid; compare the solubility of the two solutions.  Observe and compare different concentrations of solids in solution.  Observe chemical reactions including gas formation.

>  Models and Designs:  Make multi-sensory observations of a sealed black box and develop a conceptual model to explain what is inside.  When presented with a mysterious device (humdinger), design and build a physical model to explain how it works.  Design and build a self-propelled car and make changes in its structure to improve performance. Includes FOSS Science Readers to supplement the lessons.

>  Variables:  Introduces the controlled experiment with variables.  Identify and control variables in experiments involving a swinging pendulum, a floating paper cup boat, a flying windup airplane, and a mini-catapult.  Results are graphed and analyzed.  Activities show that the relationships between things always involve interactions, dependencies and cause and effect events.  Includes FOSS Science Readers to supplement the lessons.