Our Curriculum › Science › 4th Grade
Science 4
Fourth-grade science on energy and motion, electricity, waves and sound, how plants and animals are built to survive, and how Earth's surface changes, with engineering challenges throughout and two science fair projects. The second half is largely review.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
9 units
Each opens to its lessons
11 engineering challenges
Plus 2 full science projects
Standards
NGSS Grade 4 science
What's taught, unit by unit
Energy, electricity, waves and how we seeDays 1–15
Speed and energy, how energy moves as sound, light and heat, simple circuits, conductors and insulators, wave height and wavelength, how light lets us see, plant and animal structures for survival, collisions, and a design-and-improve energy device.
- 1 · Welcome to Science 4!
- 2 · Speed and Energy
- 3 · Energy Travels: Sound, Light, Heat
- 4 · Electric Currents and Simple Circuits
- 6 · Conductors and Insulators
- 7 · Waves: Amplitude and Wavelength
- 8 · How We See: Light Reflecting
- 9 · Structures That Help Living Things Survive
- 11 · Energy from Colliding Objects
- 12 · Engineering Challenge: Design an Energy-Converting Device
- 13 · Testing and Improving Your Device
- 14 · How Animals Process Sensory Information
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Earth's changing surface and energy choicesDays 16–30
Rock layers and fossils, weathering and erosion, comparing erosion rates, reading maps of Earth's features, waves that carry information, renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and their environmental effects, and designing a flood barrier.
- 16 · Rock Layers and Fossil Evidence
- 17 · Weathering and Erosion
- 18 · Comparing Erosion Rates
- 19 · Reading Maps for Earth's Features
- 21 · Waves Carrying Information
- 22 · Comparing Solutions for Sending Information
- 23 · Renewable Energy Sources
- 24 · Nonrenewable Energy Sources
- 26 · Environmental Effects of Energy Sources
- 27 · Reducing Impacts of Natural Processes
- 28 · Engineering Challenge: Design a Flood Barrier
- 29 · Energy Choices: Weighing Pros and Cons
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Structures, energy changes and a nature journalDays 31–40
Closer looks at plant and animal structures, everyday energy transformations, a wind-powered device challenge, starting a nature journal, careers that study Earth, and practice questions on energy, living things and Earth.
- 31 · Plant Structures for Survival: A Closer Look
- 32 · Animal Structures for Survival: A Closer Look
- 33 · Energy Transformations Around Your Home
- 34 · Second Engineering Challenge: Design a Wind-Powered Device
- 36 · Nature Journal: Starting Your Observations
- 37 · Science Careers That Study Earth
- 38 · Cumulative Practice: Forces and Energy
- 39 · Cumulative Practice: Living Things and Earth
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
First science fair projectDays 41–50
A full project from question to presentation: a testable question, hypothesis, fair test, running the experiment, graphing results, drawing conclusions and presenting, plus a journal follow-up and a trivia review.
- 41 · Science Fair Project: Choosing a Question
- 42 · Science Fair Project: Hypothesis and Fair Test
- 43 · Science Fair Project: Running the Experiment
- 44 · Science Fair Project: Graphing Your Results
- 46 · Science Fair Project: Drawing Conclusions
- 47 · Science Fair Project: Presenting Your Findings
- 48 · Nature Journal Follow-Up
- 49 · Science Trivia Challenge
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Sound, habitats, maps and engineering solutionsDays 51–70
How sound travels, engineering careers, a catapult and a water filter each designed, tested and improved, habitats around the world, physical maps, how living things respond to seasons, how scientists communicate and how weather affects daily life.
- 51 · How Sound Waves Travel
- 52 · Engineering Careers
- 53 · Third Engineering Challenge: Design a Catapult
- 54 · Testing and Improving Your Catapult
- 56 · Comparing Habitats Around the World
- 57 · Maps of Earth's Physical Features
- 58 · Cumulative Practice: Waves and Light
- 59 · Cumulative Practice: Earth and Energy
- 61 · How Plants and Animals Respond to Seasons
- 62 · Fourth Engineering Challenge: Design a Water Filter
- 63 · Testing Your Water Filter
- 64 · Science Trivia Rematch: Connecting Big Ideas
- 66 · How Scientists Communicate Discoveries
- 67 · Real-World Engineering Solutions
- 68 · How Weather Affects Daily Life
- 69 · Cumulative Practice: A Whole Year of Science
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Friction, landforms and more design challengesDays 71–90
A nature journal entry, friction turning motion into heat, comparing animal structures, a community-problem design, slow landform change, zip line and choose-your-own challenges, then a halfway check-in, a science olympics and trivia. About half is review.
- 71 · Fifth Nature Journal Entry
- 72 · Friction in Everyday Objects: Motion Becomes Heat
- 73 · Comparing Animal Structures Across Species
- 74 · Designing a Solution for a Community Problem
- 76 · How Landforms Change Over Long Time Periods
- 77 · Fifth Engineering Challenge: Design a Zip Line
- 78 · Testing Your Zip Line
- 79 · Halfway Check-In: Looking Back and Looking Ahead
- 81 · Science Olympics: Round 1
- 82 · Science Olympics: Round 2
- 83 · Explaining a Science Concept to a Younger Kid
- 84 · Sixth Engineering Challenge: Your Choice
- 86 · Halfway Nature Journal Reflection
- 87 · What Makes a Good Scientific Question
- 88 · Halfway Science Portfolio
- 89 · Science Trivia Finale: Round 1
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Second project, heat, waves, boats and umbrellasDays 91–120
A second full science project, heat conductors and insulators, fossils and changing habitats, seasonal weather, comparing wave types, plant traits, boat and umbrella design challenges with testing, and science careers. Several topics repeat earlier lessons.
- 91 · Second Science Fair Project: Choosing a Question
- 92 · Second Project: Hypothesis and Fair Test
- 93 · Second Project: Running and Recording
- 94 · Second Project: Results and Conclusion
- 96 · Heat Transfer Investigation: Conductors and Insulators
- 97 · Comparing Fossils to Living Things Today
- 98 · How Weather Patterns Repeat by Season
- 99 · Sixth Nature Journal Entry: A Full-Year Look Back
- 101 · How Electrical Conductors and Insulators Compare
- 102 · Comparing Wave Types
- 103 · How Environment Shapes Plant Growth
- 104 · Seventh Engineering Challenge: Design a Boat
- 106 · How Scientists Share Discoveries
- 107 · Traits That Help Plants Survive
- 108 · Fossils and Changing Habitats
- 109 · Seventh Nature Journal Entry
- 111 · Friction Investigation: Turning Motion into Heat
- 112 · Comparing Habitats: Forest vs. Desert
- 113 · How Fossils Form
- 114 · Eighth Engineering Challenge: Design an Umbrella
- 116 · Water and Living Things
- 117 · Science Careers Deep Dive
- 118 · Testing Your Umbrella Design
- 119 · Eighth Nature Journal Entry
Plus 6 review days, not listed.
Review games, reflection and a final designDays 121–160
A science olympics rematch, explaining ideas to a younger child, a habitat diorama, an adaptations quiz show, a final design challenge, a science fact book, then portfolio, self-assessment, goal-setting, thank-you notes and a trivia finale. Little new content.
- 121 · Science Olympics Rematch: Round 1
- 122 · Science Olympics Rematch: Round 2
- 123 · The “Explain It Simply” Test
- 124 · Design a Habitat Diorama
- 126 · Animal Adaptations Quiz Show
- 127 · Final Engineering Challenge: Your Choice
- 128 · Reflecting on a Year of Science
- 129 · Hypotheses: Educated Guesses You Can Test
- 131 · Final Nature Journal: One Last Look
- 132 · Engineering Retrospective
- 133 · Create a Science Fact Book
- 134 · Science Year Highlights
- 136 · Science Skills Self-Assessment
- 137 · What I Want to Explore Next
- 138 · Teach Your Family Everything You Know
- 139 · Science Goals for Next Year
- 141 · Writing Advice for Next Year's Scientists
- 142 · Science 4 Trivia Finale: Round 1
- 143 · Science 4 Trivia Finale: Round 2
- 144 · Design Your Own Science Trivia
- 146 · Final Nature Observation Project
- 147 · Science 4 Portfolio: Choose Your Best 5
- 148 · Science 4 Year in Review
- 149 · Getting Excited for Science 5
- 150 · Science 4: 150 Days!
- 151 · Choosing Your Favorite Experiment of the Year
- 152 · Science 4 Trivia Finale: Round 3
- 153 · Finishing Your Science Portfolio
- 154 · Thank a Scientist
- 156 · Science 4 Year in Review: Final Reflection
- 157 · One More Family Science Demo
- 158 · Science 4 Trivia Finale: Round 4
- 159 · Getting Excited for Science 5: A Sneak Peek at What’s Next
Plus 7 review days, not listed.
Trivia finale, portfolio and celebrationDays 161–180
A letter to next year's student, several trivia rounds, a favorite experiment, designing a science escape room, a summer project idea, a family demo, sharing the fact book and portfolio, and a closing celebration. Essentially no new science.
- 161 · A Letter to Next Year's Scientist
- 162 · Science 4 Trivia Finale: Round 5
- 163 · Science Skills You're Most Proud Of
- 164 · One Last Experiment: Your Choice
- 166 · Science 4 Trivia Finale: Round 6
- 167 · Celebrating a Year of Science
- 168 · Science Goals Check-In
- 169 · Design a Science Escape Room
- 171 · Choosing a Science Project for Summer
- 172 · Science 4 Trivia Finale: Final Round
- 173 · Science 4 Year in Review: Rating Your Growth by Subject
- 174 · Sharing Your Science Portfolio
- 176 · One Last Family Science Demo
- 177 · What Being a Scientist Means to Me
- 178 · Preparing for Science 5
- 179 · Final Fact Book Share
- 180 · Science 4 Complete! Final Celebration
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
By the end of the year, your child can
- Explain how energy moves and changes form as motion, sound, light, heat and electricity
- Build a simple circuit and sort materials into conductors and insulators
- Describe how waves carry energy and information
- Explain how weathering and erosion change land and how rock layers and fossils show Earth's past
- Tell how plant and animal structures help them survive
- Design, test and improve a solution to an engineering problem
Other 4th Grade subjects: Math 4 · Reading 4 · Writing 4 · History 4