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Science 5
Fifth-grade science on the particle model of matter, how matter and energy move through living things, gravity, Earth's systems, the night sky and weather, with many fair-test investigations and engineering builds. Roughly half the year revisits earlier topics.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
10 units
Each opens to its lessons
7 investigations + 4 builds
Fair tests with data and graphs
Standards
NGSS Grade 5 science
What's taught, unit by unit
Matter, gravity, food energy and plantsDays 1–10
Matter as tiny particles, weight staying the same when matter changes state, identifying materials by their properties, mixtures versus new substances, gravity, where food energy comes from, and what plants really need to grow.
- 1 · Welcome to Science 5!
- 2 · Matter Is Made of Tiny Particles
- 3 · Weight Is Conserved
- 4 · Identifying Materials by Their Properties
- 6 · Mixing Substances: New or Same?
- 7 · Gravity Pulls Things Down
- 8 · Where Does Food Energy Come From?
- 9 · What Plants Really Need to Grow
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Ecosystems, stars, Earth's spheres and a water filterDays 11–25
How matter moves through an ecosystem, decomposers, why stars differ in brightness, graphing shadows, seasonal star patterns, Earth's four spheres, where Earth's water is, protecting community resources, and designing and improving a water filter.
- 11 · How Matter Moves Through an Ecosystem
- 12 · Decomposers in Action
- 13 · Why Stars Look Different Brightness
- 14 · Graphing Shadow Patterns
- 16 · Seasonal Patterns in Star Appearance
- 17 · Earth's Four Spheres
- 18 · Modeling Sphere Interactions
- 19 · Where Is Earth's Water?
- 21 · Protecting Community Resources
- 22 · Combining Information to Solve Environmental Problems
- 23 · Engineering Challenge: Design a Water Filter
- 24 · Testing and Improving Your Water Filter
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Using the big ideas: practice and enrichmentDays 26–58
More practice with weight conservation, star distances, food chains, decomposers, the sun's energy, a nature journal, weather versus climate, mixtures, day and night, seasons, water, gravity, a bridge, Earth's layers and an earthquake-safe tower. Much of this revisits earlier lessons.
- 26 · Matter and Weight Conservation: More Practice
- 27 · Comparing Star Distances
- 28 · Nature Journal: Observing Matter Movement
- 29 · How Communities Use Water Wisely
- 31 · Applying the Matter-Movement Model: Food Chains
- 32 · Applying the Matter-Movement Model: Decomposers at Work
- 33 · Applying the Energy Model: Where Does the Sun's Energy Go?
- 34 · Earth's Spheres Working Together: A Case Study
- 36 · Enrichment: Explaining Everyday Events with the Particle Model
- 37 · Reviewing States of Matter and Changes
- 38 · Enrichment: Designing a Mini Ecosystem
- 39 · Enrichment: Weather vs. Climate
- 41 · Enrichment: Comparing Solutions and Mixtures
- 42 · Enrichment: Testing Material Properties
- 44 · Enrichment: Modeling Day and Night
- 45 · Enrichment: Seasonal Star Patterns Revisited
- 46 · Enrichment: Freshwater vs. Saltwater
- 47 · Enrichment: Reviewing Gravity
- 48 · Science and Engineering: Designing a Bridge
- 49 · Enrichment: Reviewing the Matter-Energy Connections
- 51 · Enrichment: Revisiting Ecosystem Comparisons from Grade 3
- 52 · Enrichment: Revisiting Adaptations — Connecting to This Year's Ecosystem Model
- 54 · Enrichment: Fresh Water Investigation
- 55 · Enrichment: Observing Rocks by Appearance
- 56 · Enrichment: Reviewing Earth's Layers
- 57 · Engineering Challenge: Design an Earthquake-Safe Tower
- 58 · Enrichment: Reviewing the Sun's Role in Weather
Plus 6 review days, not listed.
A full science investigationDays 59–70
Running a complete investigation step by step: a testable question, hypothesis, fair test, materials and procedure, doing the experiment, recording data in tables, graphing, drawing conclusions and preparing a presentation.
- 59 · Science Fair Prep: Asking a Testable Question
- 61 · Science Fair Prep: Forming a Hypothesis
- 62 · Science Fair Prep: Planning a Fair Test
- 63 · Science Fair Prep: Materials and Procedure
- 64 · Conducting Your Investigation
- 66 · Recording Data in a Table
- 67 · Graphing Your Data
- 68 · Drawing Conclusions from Data
- 69 · Preparing Your Science Fair Presentation
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Ice melting, insulation and separating mixturesDays 71–90
An investigation of how fast ice melts on different surfaces, how insulation works, a mixture-separation investigation, everyday mixtures, graphing and describing temperature data, and how engineers use data. Includes review days of plants, adaptations and the water cycle.
- 71 · New Investigation: How Fast Does Ice Melt?
- 72 · Conducting the Ice Melting Investigation
- 73 · Analyzing Ice Melting Results
- 74 · Enrichment: How Insulation Works
- 76 · Enrichment: Reviewing Plant Needs
- 77 · Enrichment: A Home Plant Growth Journal
- 78 · Enrichment: Reviewing Animal Adaptations
- 79 · Enrichment: Reviewing the Water Cycle
- 81 · Investigation: Can You Separate a Mixture?
- 82 · Conducting the Mixture Separation Investigation
- 84 · Analyzing Mixture Separation Results
- 85 · Deeper Dive: Mixtures in Everyday Life
- 86 · Enrichment: Reviewing the Sun-Earth-Moon System
- 87 · Data-Based Science: Graphing Temperature
- 88 · Analyzing Temperature Data
- 89 · Enrichment: How Engineers Use Data
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Revisiting ideas and two more investigationsDays 91–110
Second looks at matter movement, weight conservation, the spheres and star brightness, adaptations, insulation and mixtures, plus a paper towel absorbency investigation and a ramp-angle investigation connected to gravity and redesign.
- 91 · Deeper Dive: Revisiting the Matter-Movement Model
- 92 · Deeper Dive: Weight Conservation with New Examples
- 93 · Deeper Dive: Comparing Earth's Spheres in Two Events
- 94 · Deeper Dive: Star Brightness Revisited
- 96 · New Investigation: Which Paper Towel Absorbs Best?
- 97 · Conducting the Paper Towel Investigation
- 98 · Analyzing Paper Towel Results
- 99 · Reflecting on a Year of Scientific Thinking
- 101 · Deeper Dive: Comparing Adaptations Across Ecosystems
- 102 · Deeper Dive: Insulation Revisited
- 103 · Deeper Dive: Mixtures Revisited
- 104 · New Investigation: How Does Angle Affect a Ramp?
- 106 · Conducting the Ramp Investigation
- 107 · Analyzing Ramp Investigation Results
- 108 · Deeper Dive: Gravity and the Ramp Investigation
- 109 · Deeper Dive: Redesigning Your Ramp for a New Goal
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Weather, a wind test and a tower challengeDays 111–130
How weather connects to Earth's spheres, the water cycle and storms, weather safety and engineering, a wind-blocking investigation, comparing the year's investigations and data skills, then designing, testing and redesigning the tallest tower.
- 111 · Deeper Dive: How Weather Connects to Earth's Spheres
- 112 · Deeper Dive: The Water Cycle and Storms
- 113 · Deeper Dive: Weather Safety and Engineering
- 114 · New Investigation: Which Material Blocks Wind Best?
- 116 · Conducting the Wind Block Investigation
- 117 · Analyzing Wind Block Results
- 118 · Deeper Dive: Comparing All This Year's Investigations
- 119 · Enrichment: Reviewing Data Skills in Science
- 121 · Deeper Dive: Engineering Team Design Challenges
- 122 · New Investigation: Building the Tallest Tower
- 123 · Building and Testing Your Tower
- 124 · Redesigning Your Tower
- 126 · Deeper Dive: The History of Inventions
- 127 · Deeper Dive: Evaluating Your Tower Design
- 128 · Deeper Dive: Gravity and Your Tower's Stability
- 129 · Enrichment: Planning a Future Investigation
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Reviews, presentations, migration and seedsDays 131–150
Science tools then and now, a science time capsule, cumulative reviews of matter, Earth, life science and engineering, choosing and practicing a presentation, plant growth, animal migration and navigation, and a seed-sprouting investigation.
- 131 · Deeper Dive: Science Then and Now
- 132 · Deeper Dive: What Would You Put in a Science Time Capsule?
- 133 · Cumulative Review: Matter and Energy
- 134 · Cumulative Review: Earth and Space
- 136 · Cumulative Review: Life Science
- 137 · Cumulative Review: Engineering and Investigations
- 138 · Choosing a Favorite Investigation to Present
- 139 · Practicing Your Science Presentation
- 141 · Deeper Dive: The Science Behind Growing Plants
- 142 · Deeper Dive: Animal Migration and Adaptations
- 143 · Deeper Dive: How Animals Navigate
- 144 · Enrichment: Seasons and Migration Timing
- 146 · New Investigation: Which Seeds Grow Fastest?
- 147 · Conducting the Seed Investigation
- 148 · Tracking Seed Growth Over Time
- 149 · Analyzing Seed Investigation Results
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Cumulative review, goals and showcaseDays 151–170
Reviews of physical, life, Earth and space science and engineering, redoing a favorite investigation, reflecting on growth, setting goals, a science fair-style showcase, careers, famous scientists, science in the news and a museum exhibit design.
- 151 · Cumulative Review: Physical Science
- 152 · Cumulative Review: Life Science and the Movement of Matter
- 153 · Cumulative Review: Earth and Space Science
- 154 · Cumulative Review: Engineering and Investigation Skills
- 156 · Choosing Your Favorite Investigation to Redo
- 157 · Analyzing Your Own Science Growth
- 158 · Setting Science Goals for Next Year
- 159 · Science Fair Style Showcase Prep
- 161 · Enrichment: Science Careers
- 162 · Enrichment: Famous Scientists
- 163 · Enrichment: Science in the News
- 164 · Enrichment: Science Trivia Challenge
- 166 · Enrichment: Designing a Science Museum Exhibit
- 167 · Comparing Grade 5 Science to Earlier Grades
- 168 · Preparing Your Final Science Showcase
- 169 · Practicing Your Final Science Showcase
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Final review and celebrationDays 171–180
Two days of cumulative review, a look ahead to Grade 6, a skills certificate project, favorite investigations, a trivia marathon, final assessment practice, a written reflection and a closing celebration.
- 171 · Final Cumulative Review: Part 1
- 172 · Final Cumulative Review: Part 2
- 173 · Preparing for Grade 6 Science
- 174 · Science Skills Certificate Project
- 176 · Science Year in Review: My Favorite Investigations
- 177 · Final Science Challenge: Trivia Marathon
- 178 · Science 5 Final Assessment Practice
- 179 · Reflecting on a Full Year of Science 5
- 180 · Congratulations! You Completed Science 5!
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
By the end of the year, your child can
- Use the particle model to explain changes in matter, including that weight is conserved
- Trace how matter and energy move from the sun through plants, animals and decomposers
- Describe how Earth's land, water, air and living things interact
- Explain gravity, star brightness and the daily and seasonal patterns of shadows and stars
- Plan and run a fair test, graph the data, and explain what it shows
- Design, test and redesign a solution to an engineering problem
Other 5th Grade subjects: Math 5 · Reading 5 · Writing 5 · History 5