Prek-2 A1

Science Curriculum Preview Committee Clarification of Learning Results

Revised 08/22/04

3-4

G2. Trace the sources of earth's heat and light energy to the sun.

Curriculum Organizing Questions

What provides the light during the day?

What happens when you leave a jar of water in the sun?

What would happen if we did not have any sun?

Elaboration
The focus of this indicator is the energy the sun produces, not energy in general.

Specific Ideas

The sun provides light and heat necessary to maintain the temperature on earth. NSES D2b.

Things that give of light often also give off heat. Benchmarks 4E1

The sun is the main source of energy for people and they use it in various ways. Benchmarks 8C2.

Developmental & Instructional Implications
Children benefit from talking about energy before they are able to define it. Ideas about energy that students encounter outside of school --for example, getting "quick energy" from a candy bar or turning off the light so as not to "waste energy" --may be imprecise but are reasonably consistent with ideas about energy that we want students to learn.Benchmarks, pg. 81.

Students need not come out of this grade span understanding heat or its difference from temperature. Benchmarks p. 83.

Emphasis in grades K-4 should be on developing observation and description skills and the explanations based on observations. Younger children should be encouraged to talk about and draw what they see and think. Older students can keep journals, use instruments and record their observations and measurements. NSES p. 134.

Examples

Back to Big Ideas Grid G

Back to Standard G

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Curriculum Organizing Questions	What provides the light during the day? What happens when you leave a jar of water in the sun? What would happen if we did not have any sun?
Elaboration	The focus of this indicator is the energy the sun produces, not energy in general.
Specific Ideas	The sun provides light and heat necessary to maintain the temperature on earth. NSES D2b. Things that give of light often also give off heat. Benchmarks 4E1 The sun is the main source of energy for people and they use it in various ways. Benchmarks 8C2.
Developmental & Instructional Implications	Children benefit from talking about energy before they are able to define it. Ideas about energy that students encounter outside of school --for example, getting "quick energy" from a candy bar or turning off the light so as not to "waste energy" --may be imprecise but are reasonably consistent with ideas about energy that we want students to learn.Benchmarks, pg. 81. Students need not come out of this grade span understanding heat or its difference from temperature. Benchmarks p. 83. Emphasis in grades K-4 should be on developing observation and description skills and the explanations based on observations. Younger children should be encouraged to talk about and draw what they see and think. Older students can keep journals, use instruments and record their observations and measurements. NSES p. 134.
Examples