Fourth Grade Benchmark Standards	Kindergarten	First	Second	Third	Fourth
3.1.4  Unifying Themes
A.   Know that natural and human-made objects are made up of parts.	B		D	D	S
Identify and describe what parts make up a system.	ü		ü	ü	ü
Identify system parts that are natural and human-made (e.g., ball point pen, simple electrical circuits, plant anatomy).	ü			ü	ü
Describe the purpose of analyzing systems.				ü	ü
Know that technologies include physical technology systems (e.g., construction, manufacturing, transportation), informational systems and biochemical-related systems.
B.    Know models as useful simplifications of objects or processes.			B	D	D/S
Identify different types of models.				ü	ü
Identify and apply models as tools for prediction and insight.			ü	ü	ü
Apply appropriate simple modeling tools and techniques.			ü	ü	ü
Identify theories that serve as models (e.g., molecules).					ü
C.    Illustrate patterns that regularly occur and reoccur in nature.	B	D	D	D	S
Identify observable patterns (e.g., growth patterns in plants, crystal shapes in minerals, climate, structural patterns in bird feathers).		ü	ü	ü	ü
Use knowledge of natural patterns to predict next occurrences (e.g., seasons, leaf patterns, lunar phases).	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
D.    Know that scale is an important attribute of natural and human made objects, events and phenomena.			B	D
Identify the use of scale as it relates to the measurement of distance, volume and mass.			ü	ü
Describe scale as a ratio (e.g.,  map scales).			ü	ü
Explain the importance of scale in producing models and apply it to a model.				ü
E.     Recognize change in natural and physical systems.	B	D	D	D	S
Recognize change as fundamental to science and technology concepts.				ü	ü
Examine and explain change by using time and measurement.		ü		ü	ü
Describe relative motion.	ü	ü
Describe the change to objects caused by heat, cold, light or chemicals.		ü	ü	ü	ü
3.2.4  Inquiry and Design
A.   Identify and use the nature of scientific and technological knowledge.		B	D	D	S
Distinguish between a scientific fact and a belief.				ü	ü
Provide clear explanations that account for observations and results.		ü	ü	ü	ü
Relate how new information can change existing perceptions.				ü
B.    Describe objects in the world using the five senses.	B/D	D	D	D	S
Recognize observational descriptors from each of the five senses (e.g., see-blue, feel-rough).	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Use observations to develop a descriptive vocabulary.	ü	ü		ü	ü
C.    Recognize and use the elements of scientific inquiry to solve problems.	B	D	D	D	S
Generate questions about objects, organisms and/or events that can be answered through scientific investigations.		ü	ü	ü	ü
Design an investigation.		ü		ü	ü
Conduct an experiment.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
State a conclusion that is consistent with the information.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
D.    Recognize and use the technological design process to solve problems.	B	D	D	D	S
Recognize and explain basic problems.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Identify possible solutions and their course of action.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Try a solution.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Describe the solution, identify its impacts and modify if necessary.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Show the steps taken and the results.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
3.3.4  Biological Sciences
A.   Know the similarities and differences of living things.	B	D	D	D	S
Identify life processes of living things (e.g., growth, digestion, react to environment).	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Know that some organisms have similar external characteristics  (e.g., anatomical characteristics; appendages, type of covering, body segments) and that similarities and differences are related to  environmental  habitat.		ü	ü	ü	ü
Describe basic needs of plants and animals.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
B.    Know that living things are made up of parts that have specific functions.	B	D	D	D	S
Identify examples of unicellular and multicellular organisms.
Determine how different parts of a living thing work together to make the organism function.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
C.    Know that characteristics are inherited and, thus, offspring closely resemble their parents.				B/D
Identify characteristics for animal and plant survival in different climates.				ü
Identify physical characteristics that appear in both parents and offspring and differ between families, strains or species.
D.    Identify changes in living things over time.				B
Compare extinct life forms with living organisms.				ü
3.4.4  Physical Science, Chemistry and Physics
A.   Recognize basic concepts about the structure and properties of matter.	B	D	D	D	S
Describe properties of matter (e.g., hardness, reactions to simple chemical tests).	ü	ü	ü		ü
Know that combining two or more substances can make new materials with different properties.		ü		ü	ü
Know different material characteristics (e.g., texture, state of matter, solubility).		ü		ü	ü
B.    Know basic energy types, sources and conversions.	B				D/S
Identify energy forms and examples (e.g., sunlight, heat, stored, motion).	ü
Know the concept of the flow of energy by measuring flow through an object or system.
Describe static electricity in terms of attraction, repulsion and sparks.
Apply knowledge of the basic electrical circuits to design and construction simple direct current circuits.					ü
Classify materials as conductors and nonconductors.					ü
Know and demonstrate the basic properties of heat by producing it in a variety of ways.					ü
Know the characteristics of light (e.g., reflection, refraction, absorption) and use them to produce heat, color or a virtual image.
C.    Observe and describe different types of force and motion.	B	D		D/S
Identify characteristics of sound (pitch, loudness and echoes)				ü
Recognize forces that attract or repel other objects and demonstrate them.		ü
Describe various types of motions.	ü	ü		ü
Compare the relative movement of objects and describe types of motion that are evident.		ü		ü
Describe the position of an object by locating it relative to another object or the background (e.g., geographic direction, left, up).		ü		ü
D.      Describe the composition and structure of the universe and the earth’s place in it.	B
Recognize earth’s place in the solar system.
Explain and illustrate the causes of seasonal changes.	ü
Identify planets in our solar system and their general characteristics.
Describe the solar system motions and use them to explain time (e.g., days, seasons), major lunar phases and eclipses.
3.5.4  Earth Sciences
A.   Know basic landforms and earth history.			B	D/S
Describe earth processes (e.g., rusting, weathering, erosion) that have affected selected physical features in students’ neighborhoods.			ü	ü
Identify various earth structures (e.g., mountains, faults, drainage basins) through the use of models.			ü	ü
Identify the composition of soil as weathered rock and decomposed organic remains.				ü
Describe fossils and the type of environment they lived in  (e.g., tropical, aquatic, desert).
B.    Know types and uses of earth materials.		B/D	D	D	S
Identify uses of various earth materials (e.g., buildings, highways, fuels, growing plants).		ü			ü
Identify and sort earth materials according to a classification key (e.g., soil/rock type).		ü	ü	ü	ü
C.    Know basic weather elements.	B	D
Identify cloud types.		ü
Identify weather patterns from data charts (including temperature, wind direction and speed, precipitation) and graphs of the data.		ü
Explain how the different seasons effect plants, animals, food availability and daily human life.	ü	ü
D.    Recognize the earth’s different water resources.		B		D/S
Know that approximately three-fourths of the earth is covered by water.				ü
Identify and describe types of fresh and salt-water bodies.				ü
Identify examples of water in the form of solid, liquid and gas on or near the surface of the earth.		ü		ü
Explain and illustrate evaporation and condensation.		ü		ü
Recognize other resources available from water (e.g., energy, transportation, minerals, food).				ü
3.6.4  Technology EducatIon
A.   Know that biotechnologies relate to propagating, growing, maintaining, adapting, treating and converting.				B
Identify agricultural and industrial production processes that involve plants and animals.
Identify waste management treatment processes.
Describe how knowledge of the human body influences or impacts ergonomic design.				ü
Describe how biotechnology has impacted various aspects of daily life (e.g., health care, agriculture, waste treatment).
B.    Know that information technologies involve encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing, retrieving and decoding.	B	D	D	D	S
Identify electronic communication methods that exist in the community (e.g., digital cameras, telephone, internet, television, fiber optics).		ü
Identify graphic reproduction methods.
Describe appropriate image generating techniques (e.g., photography, video).
Demonstrate the ability to communicate an idea by applying basic sketching and drawing techniques.		ü	ü	ü	ü
C.    Know physical technologies of structural design, analysis and engineering, finance, production, marketing, research and design.					B
Identify and group a variety of construction tasks.
Identify the major construction systems present in a specific local building.
Identify specific construction systems that depend on each other in order to complete a project.
Know skills used in construction.
Identify examples of manufactured goods present in the home and school.
Identify basic resources needed to produce a manufactured item.
Identify basic component operations in a specific manufacturing enterprise (e.g., cutting, shaping, attaching).
Identify waste and pollution resulting from a manufacturing enterprise.
Explain and demonstrate the concept of manufacturing (e.g., assemble a set of papers or ball point pens sequentially, mass produce an object).
Identify transportation technologies of propelling, structuring, suspending, guiding, controlling and supporting.
Identify and experiment with simple machines used in transportation systems.					ü
Explain how improved transportation systems have changed society.
3.7.4  Technological Devices
A.   Explore the use of basic tools, simple materials and techniques to safely solve problems.	B	D	D		S
Describe the scientific principles on which various tools are based.		ü
Group tools and machines by their function.					ü
Select and safely apply appropriate tools and materials to solve simple problems.	ü	ü	ü		ü
B.    Select appropriate instruments to study materials.	B		D	D	S
Develop simple skills to measure, record, cut and fasten.		ü	ü	ü	ü
Explain appropriate instrument selection for specific tasks.	ü				ü
3.8.4  Science, Technology and Human Endeavors
A.   Know that people select, create and use science and technology and that they are  limited by social and physical restraints.	B				D/S
Identify and describe positive and negative impacts that influence or result from new tools and techniques.	ü				ü
Identify how physical technology (e.g., construction, manufacturing, transportation), informational technology and biotechnology are used to meet human needs.					ü
Describe how scientific discoveries and technological advancements are related.					ü
Identify interrelationships among technology, people and their world.					ü
Apply the technological design process to solve a simple problem.	ü
B.    Know how human ingenuity and technological resources satisfy specific human needs and improve the quality of life.		B		D	D/S
Identify and distinguish between human needs and improving the quality of life.		ü			ü
Identify and distinguish between natural and human-made resources.		ü		ü	ü
Describe a technological invention and the resources that were used to develop it.					ü
C.    Know the pros and cons of possible solutions to scientific and technological problems in society.					B
Compare the positive and negative expected and unexpected impacts of technological change.					ü
Identify and discuss examples of technological change in the community that have both positive and negative impacts.					ü
4.1.4  Watersheds and Wetlands
A.   Identify various types of water environments.			B	D/S
Identify the lotic system (e.g., creeks, rivers, streams).			ü	ü
Identify the lentic system (e.g., ponds, lakes, swamps).				ü
B.    Explain the differences between moving and still water.		B	D	D/S
Explain why water moves or does not move.		ü	ü	ü
Identify types of precipitation.		ü		ü
C.    Identify living things found in water environments.	B			D
Identify fish, insects and amphibians that are found in fresh water.	ü			ü
Identify plants found in fresh water.				ü
D.    Identify a wetland and the plants and animals found there.				B	D
Identify different kinds of wetlands.				ü
Identify plants and animals found in wetlands.				ü
Explain wetlands as habitats for plants and animals.				ü	ü
E.     Recognize the impact of watersheds and wetlands on animals and plants.				B	D
Explain the role of watersheds in everyday life.				ü
Identify the role of watersheds and wetlands for plants and animals.				ü	ü
4.2.4  Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources
A.   Identify needs of people.		B	D	D	S
Identify plants, animals, water, air, minerals and fossil fuels as natural resources.		ü	ü	ü	ü
Explain air, water and nutrient cycles.		ü		ü
Identify how the environment provides for the needs of people.		ü	ü	ü	ü
B.    Identify products derived from natural resources.		B
Identify products made from trees.		ü
Identify by-products of plants and animals.		ü
Identify the sources of manmade products (e.g., plastics, metal, aluminum, fabrics, paper, cardboard).		ü
C.    Know that some natural resources have limited life spans.		B		D
Identify renewable and nonrenewable resources used in the local community.
Identify various means of conserving natural resources.		ü		ü
Know that natural resources have varying life spans.
D.    Identify by-products and their use of natural resources.		B	D	D
Understand the waste stream.
Identify those items that can be recycled and those that can not.		ü		ü
Identify use of reusable products.		ü		ü
Identify the use of compost, landfills and incinerators.			ü
4.3.4  Environmental Health
A.   Know that plants, animals and humans are dependent on air and water.	B	D	D	D	S
Know that all living things need air and water to survive.	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Describe potentially dangerous pest controls used in the home.