Last modified: November 11, 2022

Science

Science is one of my most favorite subjects. What we learn in second grade is so important because it provides the needed background so students will be even more prepared for science in 3rd through the 6th grades and engineering in 4th through 6th grades. Science is integrated into our Language Arts and Math units throughout the year. Expect some FUN and INTERESTING family science projects done at home, but shared with the class.

Science and Engineering Fair

The Science and Engineering Fair will be November 28th and 29th. The best projects begin early in the year. K-3 projects are strictly voluntary, but by doing one, it prepares your children for their 4th-6th grade years when projects are a graded assignment. I had a couple of 5th grade boys (2003-2004) who worked so hard at their project; they began early in the year with great questions, hypothesis, a great experiment and recorded observations in a science journal. However, they were disappointed because they didn’t win or even well enough to go to the district fair. This did not get them down. They decided they would continue their project into their 6th grade year. They changed their hypothesis based on their 5th grade data, redid their experiment, made and recorded their new observations and results. They ended up as school and district finalists, and even did well at the BYU fair. This is what science is all about, asking questions and finding answers, even if that means asking more questions because your experiment failed. Failure is really a GOOD thing!

• District STEM Page: There is lots of information about STEM, including fair guidelines. The district STEM fair guidelines are primarily for 5th and 6th grade, as their projects are eligible for district and regional fairs, but it’s great information for anyone working on a project.
• Central Utah Science & Engineering Fair, includes links to rules.

Earth and Space Science: Rocks

We will begin the year learning about rocks and minerals. Students will be able to explain how smaller rocks come from larger rocks through weathering and erosion. They will also be able to describe rocks in terms of their parts, namely: crystals, grains, etc. Students will also be able to sort rocks based upon their color, hardness, texture, layering, particle size and type. They will be able to determine if a rock is igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary. Finally, we will be going on a field trip some time in September/October to Rock Canyon where we will learn from scientists from UVU who study rocks every day!

In:

• 4th grade: Students will learn more about rocks and minerals
• 5th grade: Students will learn how Utah’s formations were formed by erosion and weathering.

Earth and Space Science: Weather

We will be learning about weather all year long. Students are going to be observing, describing, and measuring Utah weather during the school year. They will also be comparing, analyzing, and interpreting Utah’s weather data to other places around the country, even the world.

In:

• 4th grade: Students will learn about the water cycle and how it contributes to Utah’s weather. They will also measure precipitation, air temperature, wind speed and direction, and air pressure using tools they make.

Life Science: Plants, Animals, Habitats

This will begin in early October through November, then we will revisit it in May. Students will be able to identify basic needs of plants and animals and their abilities to meet those needs. They will also be able to identify behaviors and reactions of living things in response to environmental or seasonal changes. Students will also learn about the various habitats: wetland, desert, or mountain forest. Students will be writing expository text about their favorite animals, including important and interesting facts. They will also prepare and present a report about an animal in May.

In:

• 3rd grade: Students will learn about living and nonliving things within different environments. They will also learn how temperature affects life on Earth.
• 4th grade: Students will learn more about Utah’s habitats and plant and animal characteristics that allow them to live in their habitats.
• 5th grade: Students will learn about heredity within specific plant and animal species.

Earth and Space Science: What’s in the Night Sky

This unit of study is two-fold. First, students will observe, describe, and record the appearance and motion of the moon in the night sky. Second, students will observe and describe the number, arrangement, and color/brightness of the stars in the night sky. Families will track the moon’s shape and path across the night sky for a whole month. This will be a special homework assignment due the following month. We will also take a field trip to BYU’s Planetarium.

• Moon journal
• Moon phases/illustrations

In:

• 3rd grade: Students will learn about the relationship of Earth and it’s moon.
• 6th grade: Students will learn about space in greater depth.

Physical Science: Falling Objects

Students will make observations of falling objects and identify things that prevent them from reaching the ground. They will also communicate observations of how objects of different masses fall at the same rate. Students will also participate in a special engineering activity, explained below:

Second graders will be using their knowledge of gravity and air resistance to help solve a problem that Santa has: a family living in a jungle is wishing for a canoe for Christmas and Santa has to figure out a way to get it to them. See, he can’t land in the middle of the jungle with his sleigh. He’s thinking he needs to design a parachute. Students will be learning about parachutes and then designing the best parachute. We will be testing their parachute designs the 15th of December beginning at 10 am. We can’t wait!

In:

• 3rd grade: Students will learn more about gravity, including the effect of mass and force on the movement of objects.

Physical Science: Matter and Change

Students will learn what matter is and how it is changed but never destroyed or created.