Maryland State Standards for Science: Grade 4

MD.1.0. Skills and Processes: Students will demonstrate the thinking and acting inherent in the practice of science.

1.A.1. Constructing Knowledge: Gather and question data from many different forms of scientific investigations which include reviewing appropriate print resources, observing what things are like or what is happening somewhere, collecting specimens for analysis, and doing experiments.

1.A.1.a. Support investigative findings with data found in books, articles, and databases, and identify the sources used and expect others to do the same. 10
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.A.1.a.

1.A.1.b. Select and use appropriate tools hand lens or microscope (magnifiers), centimeter ruler (length), spring scale (weight), balance (mass), Celsius thermometer (temperature), graduated cylinder (liquid volume), and stopwatch (elapsed time) to augment observations of objects, events, and processes. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.A.1.b.

1.A.1.c. Explain that comparisons of data might not be fair because some conditions are not kept the same. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.A.1.c.

1.A.1.d. Recognize that the results of scientific investigations are seldom exactly the same, and when the differences are large, it is important to try to figure out why. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.A.1.d.

1.A.1.e. Follow directions carefully and keep accurate records of one's work in order to compare data gathered. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.A.1.e.

1.A.1.f. Identify possible reasons for differences in results from investigations including unexpected differences in the methods used or in the circumstances in which the investigation is carried out, and sometimes just because of uncertainties in observations. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.A.1.f.

1.A.1.g. Judge whether measurements and computations of quantities are reasonable in a familiar context by comparing them to typical values when measured to the nearest: Millimeter - length; Square centimeter - area; Milliliter - volume; Newton - weight; Gram - mass; Second - time; Degree - temperature. 11
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.A.1.g.

1.B.1. Applying Evidence and Reasoning: Seek better reasons for believing something than 'Everybody knows that...' or 'I just know' and discount such reasons when given by others.

1.B.1.a. Develop explanations using knowledge possessed and evidence from observations, reliable print resources, and investigations. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.B.1.a.

1.B.1.b. Offer reasons for their findings and consider reasons suggested by others. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.B.1.b.

1.B.1.c. Review different explanations for the same set of observations and make more observations to resolve the differences. 13
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.B.1.c.

1.B.1.d. Keep a notebook that describes observations made, carefully distinguishes actual observations from ideas and speculations about what was observed, and is understandable weeks or months later. 13
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.B.1.d.

1.C.1. Communicating Scientific Information: Recognize that clear communication is an essential part of doing science because it enables scientists to inform others about their work, expose their ideas to criticism by other scientists, and stay informed about scientific discoveries around the world.

1.C.1.a. Make use of and analyze models, such as tables and graphs to summarize and interpret data. 15
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.C.1.a.

1.C.1.b. Avoid choosing and reporting only the data that show what is expected by the person doing the choosing. 14
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.C.1.b.

1.C.1.c. Submit work to the critique of others which involves discussing findings, posing questions, and challenging statements to clarify ideas. 11
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.C.1.c.

1.C.1.d. Construct and share reasonable explanations for questions asked. 11
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1.C.1.e. Recognize that doing science involves many different kinds of work and engages men and women of all ages and backgrounds. 11
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.C.1.e.

1.D.1. Technology: Develop designs and analyze the products: 'Does it work?' 'Could I make it work better?' 'Could I have used better materials?'

1.D.1.a. Choose appropriate common materials for making simple mechanical constructions and repairing things. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.1.a.

1.D.1.b. Realize that there is no perfect design and that usually some features have to be sacrificed to get others, for example, designs that are best in one respect (safety or ease of use) may be inferior in other ways (cost or appearance). 7
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.1.b.

1.D.1.c. Identify factors that must be considered in any technological design-cost, safety, environmental impact, and what will happen if the solution fails. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.1.c.

1.D.2. Technology: Investigate a variety of mechanical systems and analyze the relationship among the parts.

1.D.2.a. Realize that in something that consists of many parts, the parts usually influence one another. 5
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.2.a.

1.D.2.b. Explain that something may not work as well (or at all) if a part of it is missing, broken, worn out, mismatched, or misconnected. 16
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.2.b.

1.D.3. Technology: Examine and modify models and discuss their limitations.

1.D.3.a. Explain that a model is a simplified imitation of something and that a model's value lies in suggesting how the thing modeled works. 30
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.3.a.

1.D.3.b. Investigate and describe that seeing how a model works after changes are made to it may suggest how the real thing would work if the same were done to it. 30
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.3.b.

1.D.3.c. Explain that models, such as geometric figures, number sequences, graphs, diagrams, sketches, number lines, maps, and stories can be used to represent objects, events, and processes in the real world, although such representations can never be exact in every detail. 27
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.3.c.

1.D.3.d. Realize that one way to make sense of something is to think how it is like something more familiar. 30
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 1.D.3.d.

MD.2.0. Earth/Space Science: Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the chemical and physical interactions (i.e., natural forces and cycles, transfer of energy) of the environment, Earth, and the universe that occur over time.

2.A.2. Materials and Processes That Shape A Planet: Recognize and explain how physical weathering and erosion cause changes to the earth's surface.

2.A.2.a. Investigate and describe how weathering wears down Earth's surface: Water; Ice; Wind. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.A.2.a.

2.A.2.b. Cite evidence to show that erosion shapes and reshapes the earth's surface as it moves from one location to another: Water; Ice; Wind. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.A.2.b.

2.B.2. Earth History: Recognize and explain that fossils provide evidence about the plants and animals that lived long ago and about the nature of the environment at that time.

2.B.2.a. Recognize and explain that the remains or imprints of plants or animals can become fossils. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.B.2.a.

2.B.2.b. Describe the physical structures of an animal or plant based on its fossil remains. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.B.2.b.

2.B.2.c. Identify what an animal or plant fossil is able to tell about the environment in which it lived: Water; Land. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.B.2.c.

2.D.1. Astronomy: Identify and describe the variety of objects in the universe through first-hand observations using the unaided eye, binoculars or telescopes or videos and/or pictures from reliable sources.

2.D.1.a. Observe and describe the stars and the planets as seen through a telescope, graphically in pictures or in video clips from reliable sources. 22
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.D.1.a.

2.D.1.b. Identify the sun as the Earth's closest star. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.D.1.b.

2.D.1.c. Recognize that stars are like the sun, some are smaller and some larger. 8
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2.D.1.d. Recognize and describe that the stars are not all the same in apparent brightness. 8
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.D.1.d.

2.D.1.e. Recognize that the pattern of stars in the sky stays the same although their locations in the sky appear to change with the seasons. 8
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.D.1.e.

2.E.2. Interactions of Hydrosphere and Atmosphere: Recognize and describe that each season has different weather conditions

2.E.2.a. Describe different seasonal weather conditions using data collected from weather instruments, models or drawings. 7
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.E.2.a.

2.E.2.b. Compare average daily temperatures during different seasons. 4
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2.E.2.c. Compare average daily wind speed and direction during different seasons. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.E.2.c.

2.E.2.d. Compare average daily precipitation during different seasons: Amount; Type. 11
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 2.E.2.d.

MD.3.0. Life Science: The students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the dynamic nature of living things, their interactions, and the results from the interactions that occur over time.

3.A.1. Diversity of Life: Explain how animals and plants can be grouped according to observable features.

3.A.1.a. Observe and compile a list of a variety of animals or plants in both familiar and unfamiliar environments. 32
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.A.1.a.

3.A.1.b. Classify a variety of animals and plants according to their observable features and provide reasons for placing them into different groups. 32
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3.A.1.c. Given a list of additional animals or plants, decide whether or not they could be placed within the established groups or does a new group have to be added. 32
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.A.1.c.

3.A.1.d. Describe what classifying tells us about the relatedness among the animals or plants placed within any group. 32
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.A.1.d.

3.C.1. Genetics: Explain that in order for offspring to resemble their parents, there must be a reliable way to transfer information from one generation to the next.

3.C.1.a. Describe traits found in animals and plants, such as eye color, height, leaf shape, seed type that are passed from one generation to another 9
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.C.1.a.

3.C.1.b. Explain that some likenesses between parents and offspring are inherited (such as eye color in humans, nest building in birds, or flower color in plants) and other likenesses are learned (such as language in humans or songs in birds). 11
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.C.1.b.

3.C.1.c. Raise questions based on observations of a variety of parent and offspring likenesses and differences, such as 'Why don't all the puppies have the same traits, such as eye color and size as their parents?' or 'How do traits get transferred?' 11
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.C.1.c.

3.C.1.d. Develop a reasonable explanation to support the idea that information is passed from parent to offspring. 11
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.C.1.d.

3.D.1. Evolution: Explain that individuals of the same kind differ in their characteristics, and sometimes the differences give individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing.

3.D.1.a. Describe ways in which organisms in one habitat differ from those in another habitat and consider how these differences help them survive and reproduce. 47
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.D.1.a.

3.D.1.b. Explain that the characteristics of an organism affect its ability to survive and reproduce. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.D.1.b.

3.D.1.c. Examine individuals in a group of the same kind of animals or plants to identify differences in characteristics, such as hearing ability in rabbits or keenness of vision in hawks that might give those individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing. 6
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.D.1.c.

3.D.1.d. Examine and compare fossils to one another and to living organisms as evidence that some individuals survive and reproduce. 5
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.D.1.d.

3.E.1. Flow of Matter and Energy: Recognize food as the source of materials that all living things need to grow and survive.

3.E.1.a. Classify the things that people and animals take into their bodies as food or not food. 12
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.E.1.a.

3.E.1.b. Describe what happens to food in plants and animals: Contributes to growth; Supports repair; Provides energy; Is stored for future use; Is eliminated. 10
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.E.1.b.

3.E.1.c. Identify the things that are essential for plants to grow and survive. 9
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.E.1.c.

3.F.1. Ecology: Explain ways that individuals and groups of organisms interact with each other and their environment.

3.F.1.a. Identify and describe the interactions of organisms present in a habitat: Competition for space, food, and water; Beneficial interactions: nesting, pollination, seed dispersal, oysters filtering as in the Chesapeake Bay, etc.; Roles within food chains and webs: scavengers, decomposers, producers, consumers. 15
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.F.1.a.

3.F.1.b. Explain that changes in an organism's habitat are sometimes beneficial to it and sometimes harmful. 15
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 3.F.1.b.

MD.4.0. Chemistry: Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the composition, structure, and interactions of matter in order to support the predictability of structure and energy transformations.

4.A.1. Structure of Matter: Provide evidence to support the fact that matter has observable and measurable properties

4.A.1.a. Identify examples of matter. 8
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 4.A.1.a.

4.A.1.b. Describe and compare the physical properties of samples of matter: Strength; Hardness; Flexibility; Ability to conduct heat; Ability to conduct electricity; Ability to be attracted by magnets. 9
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 4.A.1.b.

4.A.1.c. Compare samples of like materials using appropriate tools to measure, estimate, and calculate size, capacities, masses and weights. 11
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4.A.1.d. Cite evidence that supports the statement, 'All matter takes up space and contains a certain amount of material.' 9
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 4.A.1.d.

MD.5.0. Physics: Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the interactions of matter and energy and the energy transformations that occur

5.B.1. Thermodynamics: Provide evidence that heat can be transferred in different ways.

5.B.1.a. Recognize and explain that heat can be transferred either by direct contact between objects at different temperatures or without direct contact: A spoon in hot water; Heat from a flame. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.B.1.a.

5.B.1.b. Observe, describe, and compare materials that readily conduct heat and those that do not conduct heat very well. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.B.1.b.

5.B.1.c. Classify materials as conductors or insulators based on how easily heat flows through them. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.B.1.c.

5.C.1. Electricity and Magnetism: Recognize and describe the effects of static electric charges.

5.C.1.a. Observe and describe how to produce static charges by friction between two surfaces. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.1.a.

5.C.1.b. Observe the phenomena produced by the static charges: Light; Sound; Feeling a shock; Attracting lightweight materials over a distance without making contact 2
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.1.b.

5.C.2. Electricity and Magnetism: Investigate and provide evidence that electricity requires a closed loop in order to produce measurable effects.

5.C.2.a. Identify the source of electricity needed to produce various effects: Light - flashlight (battery); Heat - hot plate, hairdryer (outlet, battery); Sound - Ipod (battery), doorbell (electrical wiring); Movement - mechanical toys (battery, outlet). 5
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.2.a.

5.C.2.b. Investigate and describe (orally or with diagrams) how to light a light bulb or sound a buzzer given a battery, wires, and light bulb or buzzer. 2
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.2.b.

5.C.2.c. Describe and compare the path of electricity (circuit) within this system that caused the light to light or the buzzer to sound to those that do not affect the light or buzzer. 2
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.2.c.

5.C.2.d. Observe, describe and compare materials that readily conduct electricity and those that do not conduct electricity. 2
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5.C.2.e. Provide evidence from observations and investigations that electrical circuits require a complete loop through which electricity can pass. 7
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.2.e.

5.C.3. Electricity and Magnetism: Cite evidence supporting that forces can act on objects without touching them.

5.C.3.a. Investigate and describe the effect that two magnets have on each other: Like poles repel; Opposite poles attract. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.3.a.

5.C.3.b. Based on observations, describe the effect of a magnet on a variety of objects including those that are metallic or non-metallic; those made with iron or made with other metals; and on other magnets. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.3.b.

5.C.3.c. Compare a compass to a magnet based on observations of the effect a variety of objects (metallic or non-metallic; those made with iron or other metals; and magnets) have on a compass. 4
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.3.c.

5.C.3.d. Provide examples to demonstrate the different ways a magnet acts on objects and how the objects respond. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.3.d.

5.C.3.e. Investigate and describe how electricity in a wire affects the needle of a compass. 3
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.3.e.

5.C.3.f. Describe how to make a simple electromagnet with a battery, a nail, and wire. 2
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5.C.3.g. Cite examples showing that magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces can act at a distance. 5
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 5.C.3.g.

MD.6.0. Environmental Science: Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the interactions of environmental factors (living and non-living) and analyze their impact from a local to a global perspective.

6.B.1. Environmental Issues: Recognize and describe that people in Maryland depend on, change, and are affected by the environment.

6.B.1.a. Identify and describe that human activities in a community or region are affected by environmental factors: Presence and quality of water; Soil type; Temperature; Precipitation. 5
Suggested Titles for Maryland Science State Standard 6.B.1.a.