4th Grade Science Lesson Plans
Time4Learning is an online student-paced learning system covering preschool through middle school. It is popular as a fourth grade homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment, for remediation, and for summer study.
The lesson plans below provide a detailed list of the fourth grade science curriculum, with brief activity descriptions and learning activity (LA) numbers. Additional resources related to fourth grade science are also provided, below.
Students enrolled in fourth grade science will have access to both third and fifth grade science lessons as part of their membership, so they can move ahead or review at their own pace.
If you are just learning about Time4Learning, we’d suggest first looking at our interactive lesson demos. Members often use this page as a resource for more detailed planning, to choose specific activities using the activity finder or to compare our curriculum with state standards.
Science Lesson Plan – 4th Grade Curriculum
Total Activities: 167
Demonstrate scientific inquiry and problem solving by using questioning and reasoning strategies.
Design and conduct simple experiments by asking a scientific question, stating a hypothesis, listing the procedure, recording the results, and communicating the conclusion.
Communicate results of scientific investigations by using accurate data displayed on graphs, tables, drawings, and other media.
Conduct a long-term investigation. Keep records of investigation and observations, and communicate a conclusion based on these records.
Chapter Test: Scientific Investigation
Measure the dimensions, weight, and volume of objects, and conclude that objects can be classified according to these common properties.
Measure the temperature, conductivity, and solubility of objects, and conclude that objects can be classified according to these common properties.
Illustrate physical changes in matter.
Illustrate chemical changes in matter.
Distinguish between physical and chemical changes in matter.
Recognize and describe heat as a form of energy.
Explain and trace the flow of energy in a system.
Identify sources of energy that organisms need to stay alive and grow.
Use simple machines to experiment with the effects of force and motion.
Apply force to an object, and observe that when a force is applied, the object either speeds up, slows down, or changes direction.
Chapter Test: Changes in Matter & Energy
Identify the basic physical phenomena of sound.
Identify by sight and sound instruments from the brass, woodwind, string, and percussion families.
Identify the physical characteristics and discuss the formation of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.
Understand that rocks are composed of different combinations of minerals.
Describe the composition and properties of soil
Recognize Earth’s natural resources, and explain how they interact with each other.
Recognize ways in which people interact with the Earth’s natural resources.
Identify different systems that are found in our universe.
Understand the arrangement of planets in our solar system.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Mercury.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Venus.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Earth.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Mars.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Jupiter.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Saturn.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Uranus.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Neptune.
Classify the planets according to size, characteristics, and composition. Learn about the planet Pluto.
Investigate the process of how planets are named in our solar system.
Identify other bodies in space. Learn about asteroids.
Identify other bodies in space. Learn about comets.
Identify other bodies in space. Learn about comets.
Identify other bodies in space. Learn about meteoroids.
Investigate how satellites are used to gather information about the Earth.
Recognize that the Sun is a star and that energy from the Sun can be captured and used for work on Earth.
Demonstrate that the Earth’s movement around the Sun and the Moon’s movement around the Earth produce the cyclical phases of the Moon.
Explain how change of seasons, length of day, and amount of available solar energy depend on the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, the Earth’s own rotation, and the tilt of the Earth’s axis.
Chapter Test: Solar System & the Universe
Explain the growth and life cycle of living things. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Recognize that the human body contains systems with structures and functions that are highly interdependent. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Classify vertebrates and invertebrates according to their characteristics. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Illustrate an ecosystem, and discuss interactions of all things within that ecosystem. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Discuss basic requirements for plant and animal survival in different environments, and demonstrate understanding that the size of a population depends on the environmental resources available. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Explain relationships in a food web, and provide illustrative examples. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Illustrate the function of plants in the food web. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Identify the different types of consumers in a food web. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Identify some man-made threats to the environment. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Discuss how changes in an ecosystem may be harmful, beneficial, or both. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Recognize that there is a need to protect the natural systems of Earth. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Explain how recycling used materials and reducing the use of natural resources can improve and protect the quality of life on Earth. (The learner will demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, structures, and functions of living things and of how living things interact with one another and their environment).
Chapter Test: Living Things
Scope & Sequence Copyright © 2018 Edgenuity, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lesson Activity Finder Tool
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The lesson activity finder is one of the many helpful tools that Time4Learning offers its members. The activity finder is a shortcut that makes it easy for parents to preview lessons or find extra practice for their child.
Every lesson in the curriculum has a unique activity number, referred to in the lesson plans as an “LA Number.” These numbers can be found on either the scope and sequence pages or the lesson plans in the Parent Dashboard.
The activity finder can be found in the lower left hand corner of the Student Dashboard. To use it, members simply log in to their child’s account, type the Learning Activity (LA) number of a lesson into the Activity Finder and click “Go” to open it.
For additional information, please visit our hints and help section, which gives more details about the activity finder.
Additional Resources Related to Fourth Grade Science
If you’re interested in the fourth grade science lesson plans, you might also be interested in:
Lesson plans for other grade levels of science:
Other fourth grade subjects and topics:
Wondering how many lessons to have your child do each day? Our lesson planning worksheet can help you estimate.
Online Curriculum for Homeschool, Afterschool and Summer Use
Sign up for Time4Learning and gain access to a variety of educational materials, which will engage and challenge your child to succeed. Make Time4Learning a part of your children’s homeschool resources.
I want to Learn More about Time4Learning’s homeschool curriculum or how to use the program for afterschool enrichment.
The lesson activity finder is one of the many helpful tools that Time4Learning offers its members. The activity finder is a shortcut that makes it easy for parents to preview lessons or find extra practice for their child.