4th Grade Science Lessons
This post is going to be about how to decipher and plan for the 4th grade NGSS. Some of the standards are really straight forward and easy to plan for. Other resources require some clever thinking.
Later I will tell you about some of the resources I have created so that planning work is done for you.
First of all, in keeping with both Utah SEEd and NGSS, science should start with phenomena.
The first standard I want to tell you about I think is especially difficult to figure out and in doing a google search I could not really find a resource that met this standard fully. Because of this, and because I enjoy a challenge, I developed my own lesson to meet the standard.
The standard I am talking about is:
4-LS1-2. Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways
Now it is not that difficult to think about what they want students to understand. Students need to understand that animals received information in different ways and that the information is processed in their brain so that the animals can respond to the information. That part is clear. I had to do a little more thinking to figure out the making a model part.
In NGSS when they talk about models It is one of the science and engineering practices, they are not referring necessarily to the traditional model of a solar system or model of a volcano, they are referring to making a model to explain your understanding. This model can be a 3-D model, a flow chart, a graphic organizer, a diagram, or something else that demonstrates the concept.
So, in this lesson first I would present students with a slideshow showing them different animals and how they receive information.
Take a look at all the resources included in this bundle: 4th Grade NGSS Bundle Save 20%
The first standard I want to tell you about I think is especially difficult to figure out and in doing a google search I could not really find a resource that met this standard fully. Because of this, and because I enjoy a challenge, I developed my own lesson to meet the standard.
The standard I am talking about is:
4-LS1-2. Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways
Now it is not that difficult to think about what they want students to understand. Students need to understand that animals received information in different ways and that the information is processed in their brain so that the animals can respond to the information. That part is clear. I had to do a little more thinking to figure out the making a model part.
In NGSS when they talk about models It is one of the science and engineering practices, they are not referring necessarily to the traditional model of a solar system or model of a volcano, they are referring to making a model to explain your understanding. This model can be a 3-D model, a flow chart, a graphic organizer, a diagram, or something else that demonstrates the concept.
So, in this lesson first I would present students with a slideshow showing them different animals and how they receive information.
Next, we talk specifically about how the brain processes the information.
We also discuss how this processing happens almost instantly giving the opportunity for the animal to react to the information.
Students complete some response pages to the slide show.
And finally, each student chooses an animal and makes a model. Here is one student's idea based on learning about the dog's impressive sense of smell.
This lesson including the slideshow is part of my life science unit for 4th Grade NGSS Structure and Function Life Science Unit
Another tricky standard for NGSS 4th grade is
NGSS 4-PS4-3 Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information.
I had a lot of fun planning this interesting set of lessons. I designed 4 lessons and activities that have students creating different patterns to communicate and then comparing them.
This resource includes secret messages, Mores code, QR codes and more.
In all of my resources, I like to include nonfiction reading passages. I think students are more interested in informational text when they have completed a hands-on activity.
I also like giving students interactive notebook flaps to record their ideas and practice communicating ideas in writing.
And of course, students need hands-on activities and labs. I try to create these using easy to find household materials.
The NGSS for 4th Grade are not difficult, but they do take some thought and planning for the teachers.
If you are a busy 4th grade teacher and want some help with planning some complete units and some ready to teach lessons, you should take a look at my 4th Grade NGSS Bundle at 20% off. I have combined my 4th grade NGSS resources and discounted them by 20%. The bundle as a year's worth of resource for teaching ALL the NGSS standards for 4th Grade.
All of my resources are available in smaller units and lessons. Visit my store and see what else I have for 4th grade as well as other grade levels.
Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope you will share with a 4th Grade teacher that you know.
