Core Rigor

This is a comprehensive unit on 4th grade NGSS standards for Energy. It begins by classifying and defining types of kinetic and potential energy. Kinetic energy is further explored in "hands on" activities that allow students to experience properties of light energy through bending light, magnifying light, viewing light through a prism, and polarized light. Exploration of potential energy culminates with an energy transformation lab in which students build circuits. Materials needed for entire u

This comprehensive unit begins with definitions, mediums and characteristics of waves. Four groups of waves emerge to explore: transverse, longitudinal, mechanical and electromagnetic. Amplitude and wavelength are modeled with activities requiring simple materials such as rope, tape and slinkies. Students recall that light waves are transmitted into the eye for images to be decoded. From there the unit explores information transmission by sending digital signals through infrared light, microwave

Ease your mind in covering 4th grade NGSS standards for Earth and Human Activity. The broad standard had been unpacked to reveal all sub-categories of instruction and high stakes testing. The unit begins with introducing non-renewable energy sources of fossil fuel and fissile materials. Students are challenged to understand the environmental effects of taking these fuels from the earth. Included is a mining activity using chocolate chip cookies, which demonstrates the destruction left behind whe