Fourth Grade SEEd Standards
Strand 4.1: ORGANISMS FUNCTIONING IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Through the study of organisms, inferences can be made about environments both past and present. Plants and animals have both internal and external structures that serve various functions for growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction. Animals use different sense receptors specialized for particular kinds of information to understand and respond to their environment. Some kinds of plants and animals that once lived on Earth can no longer be found. However, fossils from these organisms provide evidence about the types of organisms that lived long ago and the nature of their environments. Additionally, the presence and location of certain fossil types indicate changes that have occurred in environments over time.
Standard 4.1.1 Construct an explanation from evidence that plants and animals
have internal and external structures that function to support survival,
growth, behavior, and reproduction. Emphasize how structures support
an organism’s survival in its environment and how internal and external
structures of plants and animals vary within the same and across multiple
Utah environments. (LS1.A)
Standard 4.1.2 Develop and use a model of a system to describe how animals receive
different types of information from their environment through their
senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the
information. Emphasize how animals are able to use their perceptions
and memories to guide their actions. (LS1.D)
Standard 4.1.3 Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the
stability and change in organisms and environments from long ago.
Emphasize using the structures of fossils to make inferences about
ancient organisms. (LS4.A)
Standard 4.1.4 Engage in argument from evidence based on patterns in rock layers and
fossils found in those layers to support an explanation that environments
have changed over time. Emphasize the relationship between fossils and
past environments. (ESS1.C)
Strand 4.2: ENERGY TRANSFER
Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat. The faster a given object is moving, the more energy it possesses. When objects collide, energy can be transferred from one object to another causing the objects’ motions to change. Energy can also be transferred from place to place by electrical currents, heat, sound, or light. Devices can be designed to convert energy from one form to another.
Standard 4.2.1 Construct an explanation to describe the cause and effect relationship
between the speed of an object and the energy of that object. Emphasize
using qualitative descriptions of the relationship between speed and
energy like fast, slow, strong, or weak. (PS3.A)
Standard 4.2.2 Ask questions and make observations about the changes in energy
that occur when objects collide. Emphasize that energy is transferred
when objects collide and may be converted to different forms of energy.
(PS3.B, PS3.C)
Standard 4.2.3 Plan and carry out an investigation to gather evidence from
observations that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound,
light, heat, and electrical currents. (PS3.A, PS3.B)
Standard 4.2.4 Design a device that converts energy from one form to another. Define
the problem, identify criteria and constraints, develop possible solutions using
models, analyze data from testing solutions, and propose modifications for
optimizing a solution. Emphasize identifying the initial and final forms of
energy. (PS3.B, PS3.D, ETS1.A, ETS1.B, ETS1.C)
Strand 4.3: WAVE PATTERNS
Waves are regular patterns of motion that transfer energy and have properties such as amplitude (height of the wave) and wavelength (spacing between wave peaks). Waves in water can be directly observed. Light waves cause objects to be seen when light reflected from objects enters the eye. Humans use waves and other patterns to transfer information.
Standard 4.3.1 Develop and use a model to describe the regular patterns of waves.
Emphasize patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength. (PS4.A)
Standard 4.3.2 Develop and use a model to describe how visible light waves reflected
from objects enter the eye causing objects to be seen. Emphasize the
reflection and movement of light. The structure and function of organs
and organ systems and the relationship between color and wavelength
will be taught in Grades 6 through 8. (PS4.B)
Standard 4.3.3 Design a solution to an information transfer problem using wave
patterns. Define the problem, identify criteria and constraints, develop
possible solutions using models, analyze data from testing solutions, and
propose modifications for optimizing a solution. (PS4.C, ETS1.A, ETS1.B, ETS1.C)
Strand 4.4: OBSERVABLE PATTERNS IN THE SKY
The Sun is a star that appears larger and brighter than other stars because it is closer to Earth. The rotation of Earth on its axis and orbit of Earth around the Sun cause observable patterns. These include day and night; daily changes in the length and direction of shadows; and different positions of the Sun and stars at different times of the day, month, and year.
Standard 4.4.1 Construct an explanation that differences in the apparent brightness of
the Sun compared to other stars is due to the relative distance (scale) of
stars from Earth. Emphasize relative distance from Earth. (ESS1.A)
Standard 4.4.2 Analyze and interpret data of observable patterns to show that Earth
rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun. Emphasize patterns that
provide evidence of Earth’s rotation and orbits around the Sun. (ESS1.B)