Folder 00: Master Plans and Guides

Document:
4th-Grade Science Curriculum Overview & Pacing GuideDocumentPublic Unlisted
Document:
4th-Grade Science Year-Long Curriculum Overview & Pacing GuideDocumentPublic Unlisted
Document:
4th Grade Year-Long Science Curriculum Overview & Pacing GuideDocumentPublic Unlisted
Document:
4th Grade Pennsylvania Social Studies Teacher Binder ChecklistDocumentPublic Unlisted
Document:
Economic Integration Guide: 4th-Grade Southwestern Pennsylvania Local HistoryDocumentPublic Unlisted
Document:
Civics and Government Integration GuideDocumentPublic Unlisted
Document:
Community and Culture Integration GuideDocumentPublic Unlisted
Document:
Southwestern Pennsylvania Local History: Master Curriculum Guide (Grade 4)DocumentPublic Unlisted
Document:
Map Skills Integration Strategy GuideDocumentPublic Unlisted

Document:4th Grade Year-Long Science Curriculum Overview & Pacing Guide

Foundational Mindset: The Engineering Design Process

This Year-Long Curriculum Overview is designed specifically for Pennsylvania 4th-grade educators. It balances the high-rigor demands of the PA STEELS standards and the inquiry-based resources of HMH Into Science.

This curriculum begins with a dedicated engineering unit. By introducing Unit 1: Engineering Design Process (Save the Tomato!) first, students build a foundational structural mindset. This hands-on kickoff establishes crucial habits of mind—defining criteria, identifying constraints, treating failures as empirical data, and iteratively redesigning. Students will carry this analytical, problem-solving lens forward into subsequent natural, wave, and earth science units.

Year-at-a-Glance Pacing Calendar

To accommodate classrooms that alternate science instructional blocks with Pennsylvania history and social studies, each unit is designed on a highly condensed 4 to 5-week sequence.

Unit	Focus Topic	Core HMH Module	Target PA STEELS Standards	Key Engineering Challenge
Unit 1	Engineering Design Process	Program Immersion / Unit 5	3.5.4.B, 3.5.4.D	Save the Tomato! Card Tower Challenge
Unit 2	Plant & Animal Structures	Module A: Structures & Functions	3.1.4.A, 3.1.4.B	Biomimicry Design: Beaver Tail Tool
Unit 3	Energy & Waves (Combined)	Module C: Energy / Module D: Waves	3.2.4.A, 3.2.4.B, 3.5.4.C	Emergency Sound System: Wave Coding
Unit 4	Earth's Landscapes & Resources	Module B: Landscapes & Change	3.3.4.A, 3.4.4.A	The Soil Shield: Erosion Barrier

Unit 1: Engineering Design Process (Save the Tomato!)

1. Target PA STEELS Standards

3.5.4.B: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3.5.4.D: Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

2. HMH Into Science Module Reference

HMH Into Science: Unit 5 Engineering & Technology, paired with Program Immersion EDP Guides.

3. Core Scientific Phenomena

Phenomenon: A physical structure's geometry and material placement determine its ability to absorb, distribute, and withstand gravitational and impact forces without collapsing.

4. Weekly Lesson Objectives

Week 1: Ask & Research
- Identify a structural failure scenario.
- Define the target criteria (must stand independently, must keep tomato unbruised) and strict constraints (10 index cards, 30 cm tape, 10-minute build, no taping to desks).
Week 2: Design & Build
- Research strong shapes (triangles vs. cylinders).
- Draft initial structural sketches and construct a physical, three-dimensional prototype using limited materials.
Week 3: Test & Analyze
- Conduct a standardized drop-test (falling weight from 30 cm).
- Gather empirical data on structural failure points. Identify the precise location of the collapse as a "design flaw."
Week 4: Iterate & Assess
- Redesign a 2.0 version of the structure incorporating reinforce-points.
- Complete the 5-question conceptual EDP application assessment.
Week 5: (Optional Buffer) Extension & Social Studies Integration
- Research the structural history of PA's historic covered bridges or Pittsburgh's steel bridges. Build a bridge model using the same index card constraints.

5. Teacher Answer Key & Design Challenge Guide

What are the criteria? The tower must stand completely on its own (independent load-bearing) and keep a delicate cherry tomato or small red clay ball unbruised when a test block is dropped from 30 cm.
What are the constraints? Exactly 10 index cards, 30 cm of tape, a 10-minute build window, and a budget limit of $1.00 "classroom currency" per extra card if utilizing resource trade systems.
Common Design Flaws to Expect:
- Top-Heavy Structures: Students tape all cards around the tomato at the top of the tower without establishing a wide base. This causes the structure to tip over instantly.
- Column Buckling: Single flat cards rolled into thin tubes will fold or crease along weak points under pressure.
Expected Iteration Pathways: Guide students to fold index cards into triangular prisms or tight cylinders (which distribute downward load evenly) and anchor them securely at the base. Students must use tape sparingly to join structural joints rather than wrapping the cards in heavy layers.

Unit 2: Plant & Animal Structures

1. Target PA STEELS Standards

3.1.4.A: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
3.1.4.B: Use a model to test interactions among variables in a natural system.

2. HMH Into Science Module Reference

HMH Into Science: Module A: Plant and Animal Structures and Functions.

3. Core Scientific Phenomena

Phenomenon: The unique, physical shape of a beaver’s flat tail acts as both a structural rudder in water and a brace to support its weight on land.

4. Weekly Lesson Objectives

Week 1: Ask & Research
- Observe external structures of PA wildlife (beavers, red-tailed hawks, black bears).
- Define how these structural adaptations meet survival needs.
Week 2: Design & Build
- Introduce a human task (e.g., leveling a heavy load on muddy ground).
- Sketch and construct a prototype of a hand tool inspired by beaver tails, duck feet, or eagle talons using cardboard and clay.
Week 3: Test & Analyze
- Investigate the prototype tool's efficiency (e.g., testing if a beaver-tail-inspired spatula can pat down damp soil flatly without sinking).
Week 4: Iterate & Assess
- Analyze structural flaws in the biological models.
- Redesign the tool to maximize surface area and complete the Unit 2 structures test.
Week 5: (Optional Buffer) Extension & Social Studies Integration
- Trace the history of PA’s early fur trade, focusing on how beaver pelts were harvested, processed, and valued (at rates equivalent to $5.00 to $10.00 in historic trade credits).

5. Teacher Answer Key & Design Challenge Guide

What are the criteria? The biomimicry tool must flatten a 500-gram container of damp sand in fewer than three strokes and stand up to downward pressure without bending.
What are the constraints? Cardboard scraps (maximum 15 cm x 15 cm), 1 wooden craft stick, and 20 cm of string.
Common Design Flaws to Expect:
- Weak Joints: The connection point between the flat cardboard "paddle" and the wooden craft stick "handle" fails under pressure because of weak joint reinforcement.
- Saturating Materials: Untreated cardboard absorbs moisture from the damp sand, causing it to lose structural integrity.
Expected Iteration Pathways: Students should fold card edges to create perimeter ribbing (similar to structural veins on leaves) to resist bending, and use thin plastic wrap barriers to protect water-sensitive paper elements.

Unit 3: Energy & Waves (Combined)

1. Target PA STEELS Standards

3.2.4.A: Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.
3.2.4.B: Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength and to show that waves can cause objects to move.
3.5.4.C: Describe how technologies are created, used, and modified to extend human capabilities.

2. HMH Into Science Module Reference

HMH Into Science: Module C: Energy and Motion; Module D: Waves and Information.

3. Core Scientific Phenomena

Phenomenon: Sound waves are mechanical pressure waves traveling through a medium (air, solid, or liquid) that can transfer energy and carry patterns of information over distances.

4. Weekly Lesson Objectives

Week 1: Ask & Research
- Investigate energy transfer during physical collisions (marbles and ramps).
- Research how sound waves travel through mediums via wave amplitude and frequency.
Week 2: Design & Build
- Define a communication breakdown scenario (e.g., sending an SOS emergency message across a room without talking).
- Build a mechanical wave communicator using cups, string, and simple percussion tools.
Week 3: Test & Analyze
- Test wave transmission across a 5-meter gap.
- Code messages using a system of long/short wave pulses (similar to Morse Code or telegraph communication).
Week 4: Iterate & Assess
- Isolate areas where energy was lost in transition (slack string, sound dampening).
- Tighten connections to optimize signal strength and take the Energy & Waves unit test.
Week 5: (Optional Buffer) Extension & Social Studies Integration
- Study the historical expansion of telegraph lines across Pennsylvania's mountain passes. Calculate the economic impact of telegraph offices that charged $0.25 per word in the late 19th century.

5. Teacher Answer Key & Design Challenge Guide

What are the criteria? The sound-transmitting device must successfully send a recognizable three-letter code (e.g., SOS) across a distance of 5 meters.
What are the constraints? 2 plastic cups, 6 meters of cotton string, and 2 metal paperclips. No electrical components allowed.
Common Design Flaws to Expect:
- Slack String: Students allow the string between the cups to hang loose. Sound waves require tension to travel as physical vibrations; a slack string dampens and loses the energy.
- Contact Interference: Students touch the string during transmission, absorbing the physical wave energy with their hands.
Expected Iteration Pathways: Instructors should guide students to pull the cups taut so the line is perfectly rigid. If the volume remains too low, have students wet the string slightly or transition from cotton string to thin metal wire to improve physical wave conduction.

Unit 4: Earth's Landscapes & Resources

1. Target PA STEELS Standards

3.3.4.A: Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features. Construct an explanation of the processes that shape Earth’s landscapes.
3.4.4.A: Identify and describe environmental issues and the impacts of human activities on natural systems, including the extraction of energy resources.

2. HMH Into Science Module Reference

HMH Into Science: Module B: Earth's Landscapes; Environmental Literacy Supplements.

3. Core Scientific Phenomena

Phenomenon: Gravitational water runoff across exposed topsoil causes rapid sediment displacement (erosion), which can be slowed down or prevented by structural root blocks and physical rocky barriers.

4. Weekly Lesson Objectives

Week 1: Ask & Research
- Analyze local topographical maps of Pennsylvania (focusing on the Appalachian Mountains and the Three Rivers basin).
- Research physical weathering, water erosion, and deposition.
Week 2: Design & Build
- Define a real-world local problem: soil erosion on Western PA coal mining hillsides.
- Build a prototype "soil shield" barrier using gravel, twigs, moss, and root structures in a plastic drainage tray.
Week 3: Test & Analyze
- Pour 500 mL of water from a height of 20 cm onto the landscape models.
- Collect the water runoff and measure soil loss in grams to evaluate structural performance.
Week 4: Iterate & Assess
- Pinpoint where the water broke through the soil shields.
- Adjust the physical angle or composition of the natural barriers and complete the Earth systems unit assessment.
Week 5: (Optional Buffer) Extension & Social Studies Integration
- Connect this to the historical extraction of bituminous coal in Western PA (such as the beehive coke ovens of Scottdale, PA).
- Discuss the economic value of coal (priced historically at $1.50 per ton) alongside modern environmental mine reclamation efforts.

5. Teacher Answer Key & Design Challenge Guide

What are the criteria? The soil barrier must prevent more than 90% of the soil in the tray from washing away when subjected to a simulated rainstorm (500 mL water poured over 30 seconds).
What are the constraints? A tray of 500g topsoil, 50g gravel, 5 twigs, 2 sheets of dry moss, and a 10-minute setup window.
Common Design Flaws to Expect:
- Straight-Line Barriers: Students arrange rocks in a single, straight line perpendicular to the water flow. The water pool pressure quickly builds up, breaches a single point, and washes away the soil behind it.
- Lack of Anchoring: Using loose twigs that float away on top of the water instead of wedging them securely into the underlying soil layer.
Expected Iteration Pathways: Students should model natural mountain contours by laying down staggered, curved rock patterns (check dams) and incorporating moss/vegetation layers. These components absorb water and break up the stream velocity, safely dispersing energy.