Science for Ohio: Academic Content Standards Alignment for Science--FOURTH GRADE
www.environmentaleducationohio.org

Click here to view all Grade 3-5 Benchmarks and Standards.

For a complete listing of Science for Ohio inquiries, click here.

This chart identifies ALL strand areas in the Fourth Grade standards. Areas highlighted in yellow are addressed if all of the inquiries identified below are implemented.
Note: Generally, a Science for Ohio inquiry is not included in in a grade level unless it has one or more of the Earth and Space, Life, or Physical science (content-oriented) strands. Indicator statements for these three strands are listed below under the heading Ohio Academic Standard.

Dig This! Erosion Investigation

Ohio Academic Standard:

• Describe how wind, water and ice shape and reshape Earth's land surface by eroding rock and soil in some areas and depositing them in other areas producing characteristic landforms (e.g., dunes, deltas and glacial moraines).
• Describe evidence of changes on Earth's surface in terms of slow processes (e.g., erosion, weathering, mountain building and deposition) and rapid processes (e.g. volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides).

Ohio Academic Standard: Identify characteristics of a simple chemical change. When a new material is made by combining two or more materials, it has chemical properties that are different from the original materials (e.g., burning paper, vinegar and baking soda).

Ohio Academic Standard: Analyze a series of events and/or simple daily or seasonal cycles, describe the patterns and infer the next likely occurrence.

Note: Generally, a Science for Ohio inquiry is not included in a grade level unless it has one or more of the Earth and Space, Life, or Physical science strands. However, this inquiry directly addresses Scientific Inquiry indicator #2 (see above) which is actually a physical science indicator as well. It is therefore recommended for fourth grade instruction.

Ohio Academic Standard:

• Classify common plants according to their characteristics (e.g., tree leaves, flowers, seeds, roots and stems).
• Describe how organisms interact with one another in various ways (e.g., many plants depend on animals for carrying pollen or dispersing seeds). Note: See Seed Dispersal Puppet Show in the Ready to Print section of this inquiry.

The Water Cycle

Ohio Academic Standard:

• Identify how water exists in the air in different forms (e.g., in clouds, fog, rain, snow and hail).
• Investigate how water changes from one state to another (e.g., freezing, melting, condensation and evaporation).
• Identify characteristics of a simple physical change (e.g., heating or cooling can change water from one state to another and the change is reversible).

Ohio Academic Standard:

• Explain the importance of keeping conditions the same in an experiment.
• Describe how comparisons may not be fair when some conditions are not kept the same between experiments.
• Formulate instructions and communicate data in a manner that allows others to understand and repeat an investigation or experiment.

Note: Generally, a Science for Ohio inquiry is not included in a grade level unless it has one or more of the Earth and Space, Life, or Physical science strands. However, this inquiry strongly addresses the importance of controlling experimental conditions (variables) in a developmentally appropriate way. It is therefore recommended for fourth grade instruction.

Ohio Academic Standard: Describe objects by the properties of the materials from which they are made and that these properties can be used to separate or sort a group of objects (e.g., paper, glass, plastic and metal).

Ohio Academic Standard:

• Identify characteristics of a simple physical change (e.g., heating or cooling can change water from one state to another and the change is reversible).
• Explain that matter has different states (e.g., solid, liquid and gas) and that each state has distinct physical properties.

What's the Matter with My Orange? Center

Ohio Academic Standard: Identify characteristics of a simple chemical change. When a new material is made by combining two or more materials, it has chemical properties that are different from the original materials (e.g., burning paper, vinegar and baking soda).