Elementary Science

Castle Learning Online's Elementary Science, targeted to grades 3-5, provides an introduction to basic concepts in laboratory skills, physical science, earth science, and life science. In particular:

• Process Skills covers safety procedures; laboratory tools; ordering/sequencing, classifying, comparing and contrasting; cause/effect relationships; experimental data, results and predictions
• The Physical Setting covers seasons; weather; the water cycle; properties of matter; energy
• The Living Environment covers living/non-living things; genetic information; change over time; life cycles and life spans; human growth

Elementary Science's questions are beautifully illustrated and complete with hints, reasons, and related vocabulary. In addition, the course contains teacher-scoreable constructed-response questions with model answers.

Units: (click to view Sections)

1. Process Skills
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Following Safety Procedures in the Classroom, Laboratory and Field
   2. Using Laboratory Tools Safely and Accurately
   3. Ordering and Sequencing Objects or Events
   4. Classifying Objects
   5. Cause/Effect Relationships
   6. Recording Data
   7. Interpreting Results
   8. Making Predictions
   9. Comparing and Contrasting Objects or Events
2. Physical Setting
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Natural Patterns and Cycles
   2. Time
   3. Days and Seasons
   4. Weather
   5. Measurements of Weather
3. Water Cycle
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Evaporation
   2. Condensation
   3. Precipitation
   4. Run-off
   5. Groundwater
   6. Erosion
   7. Natural Events
4. Properties of Matter
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Mass
   2. Measurements of Objects
   3. Properties of Objects
   4. States of Matter
   5. Changes in Properties
   6. Classifying Matter Based on Properties
5. Energy
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Transferred Energy
   2. Energy and Matter Interact
   3. Electricity and Closed Circuits
   4. Heat
   5. Interactions with Forms of Energy (helpful, harmful)
   6. Change of Energy
   7. Utilizing the Interactions between Energy and Matter (Machines)
   8. Gravity
   9. Friction
   10. Magnetism
   11. Mechanical Energy
6. The Living Environment (Living and Non-Living Things)
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Animals
   2. Plants
   3. Non-Living Things
   4. The Life Processes
   5. Animal Senses and their Environment
   6. Animal Changes based on Environmental Changes
7. Genetic Information
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Inheritance of Traits
   2. Interactions with the Environment
8. Organisms Change Over Time
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Changing Structures Over Time in Animals
   2. Changing Structures Over Time in Plants
   3. Adapting to the Environment
   4. Differences within Species
9. The Continuity of Life
   
   Sections:
   

   1. Life Cycles of Plants and Animals
   2. Plant Growth
   3. Animal Growth
   4. Life Spans
10. Human Growth
    
    Sections:
    

    1. Healthy Foods, Exercise and Rest
    2. Good Health Habits
    3. Humans Depend on Plants and Animals
    4. Effect of Human Change on the Environment

Themes:

1. Inquiry
2. Classifying
3. Communicating
4. Comparing and Contrasting
5. Creating Models
6. Gathering and Organizing Data
7. Generalizing
8. Identifying Variables
9. Inferring
10. Interpreting Data
11. Making Decisions
12. Manipulating Materials
13. Measuring
14. Observing
15. Predicting
16. Experimentation

Attributes:

1. Graph
2. Chart
3. Diagram
4. Map
5. Calculation
6. Apparatus