| January 2008 | ||
| PK–3 | Acrobat 168k | Ms Word 310k |
| 3–8 | Acrobat 206k | Ms Word 445k |
| View Glossary - Highlighted Assessment Limits | ||
Standard 1.0 Skills and Processes
Topic
A. Constructing Knowledge
Indicator
- 1. 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.
Objectives
- Support investigative findings with data found in books, articles, and databases, and identify the sources used and expect others to do the same.
- 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.
- Explain that comparisons of data might not be fair because some conditions are not kept the same.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 C - temperature
Topic
B. Applying Evidence and Reasoning
Indicator
- 1. Seek better reasons for believing something than "Everybody knows that..." or "I just know" and discount such reasons when given by others.
Objectives
- Develop explanations using knowledge possessed and evidence from observations, reliable print resources, and investigations.
- Offer reasons for their findings and consider reasons suggested by others.
- Review different explanations for the same set of observations and make more observations to resolve the differences.
- 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.
Topic
C. Communicating Scientific Information
Indicator
- 1. 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.
Objectives
- Avoid choosing and reporting only the data that show what is expected by the person doing the choosing.
- Submit work to the critique of others which involves discussing findings, posing questions, and challenging statements to clarify ideas.
- Construct and share reasonable explanations for questions asked.
- Recognize that doing science involves many different kinds of work and engages men and women of all ages and backgrounds.
Topic
D. Technology
Indicator
Objectives
- Choose appropriate common materials for making simple mechanical constructions and repairing things.
- 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).
- Identify factors that must be considered in any technological design-cost, safety, environmental impact, and what will happen if the solution fails.
Indicator
- 1. DESIGNED SYSTEMS: Investigate a variety of mechanical systems and analyze the relationship among the parts.
Objectives
- Realize that in something that consists of many parts, the parts usually influence one another.
- Explain that something may not work as well (or at all) if a part of it is missing, broken, worn out, mismatched, or misconnected.
Indicator
- 1. MAKING MODELS: Examine and modify models and discuss their limitations.
Objectives
- 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.
- Realize that one way to make sense of something is to think how it is like something more familiar.
Standard 2.0 Earth/Space Science
Topic
A. Materials and Processes That Shape A Planet
Indicator
- 2. Recognize and explain how physical weathering and erosion cause changes to the earth's surface.
Objectives
- Investigate and describe how weathering wears down Earth's surface.
- Water
- Ice
- Wind
- Cite evidence to show that erosion shapes and reshapes the earth's surface as it moves from one location to another.
- Water
- Ice
- Wind
Topic
B. Earth History
Indicator
- 2. 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.
Objectives
- Describe the physical structures of an animal or plant based on its fossil remains.
- Identify what an animal or plant fossil is able to tell about the environment in which it lived.
- Water
- Land
Topic
D. Astronomy
Indicator
- 1. 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.
Objectives
Topic
E. Interactions of Hydrosphere and Atmosphere
Indicator
- 2. Recognize and describe that each season has different weather conditions
Objectives
- Compare average daily temperatures during different seasons.
- Compare average daily precipitation during different seasons.
- Amount
- Type
Standard 3.0 Life Science
Topic
A. Diversity of Life
Indicator
- 1. Explain how animals and plants can be grouped according to observable features.
Objectives
- Observe and compile a list of a variety of animals or plants in both familiar and unfamiliar environments.
- Classify a variety of animals and plants according to their observable features and provide reasons for placing them into different groups.
- 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.
- Describe what classifying tells us about the relatedness among the animals or plants placed within any group.
Topic
C. Genetics
Indicator
- 1. 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.
Objectives
- Describe traits found in animals and plants, such as eye color, height, leaf shape, seed type that are passed from one generation to another
- Develop a reasonable explanation to support the idea that information is passed from parent to offspring.
Topic
D. Evolution
Indicator
- 1. Explain that individuals of the same kind differ in their characteristics, and sometimes the differences give individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing.
Objectives
- Explain that the characteristics of an organism affect its ability to survive and reproduce.
- 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.
Indicator
- 1. Recognize food as the source of materials that all living things need to grow and survive.
Objectives
- Identify the things that are essential for plants to grow and survive.
Topic
F. Ecology
Indicator
- 1. Explain ways that individuals and groups of organisms interact with each other and their environment.
Objectives
- 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.
Standard 4.0 Chemistry
Topic
A. Structure of Matter
Indicator
- 1. Provide evidence to support the fact that matter has observable and measurable properties
Objectives
- Identify examples of matter.
- 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
- Compare samples of like materials using appropriate tools to measure, estimate, and calculate size, capacities, masses and weights.
- Cite evidence that supports the statement, "All matter takes up space and contains a certain amount of material."
Standard 5.0 Physics
Topic
B. Thermodynamics
Indicator
- 1. Provide evidence that heat can be transferred in different ways.
Objectives
- 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
- Classify materials as conductors or insulators based on how easily heat flows through them.
Topic
C. Electricity and Magnetism
Indicator
- 1. Recognize and describe the effects of static electric charges.
Objectives
Indicator
- 2. Investigate and provide evidence that electricity requires a closed loop in order to produce measurable effects.
Objectives
- Identify the source of electricity needed to produce various effects:
- Observe, describe and compare materials that readily conduct electricity and those that do not conduct electricity.
- Provide evidence from observations and investigations that electrical circuits require a complete loop through which electricity can pass.
Indicator
- 3. Cite evidence supporting that forces can act on objects without touching them.
Objectives
- Investigate and describe the effect that two magnets have on each other.
- Like poles repel
- Opposite poles attract
- 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.
- 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.
- Provide examples to demonstrate the different ways a magnet acts on objects and how the objects respond.
- Investigate and describe how electricity in a wire affects the needle of a compass.
- Describe how to make a simple electromagnet with a battery, a nail, and wire.
- Cite examples showing that magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces can act at a distance.
Standard 6.0 Environmental Science
Topic
B. Environmental Issues
Indicator
- 1. Recognize and describe that people in Maryland depend on, change, and are affected by the environment.
Objectives
- 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
Note: Highlighting identifies assessment limits. All highlighted Indicators will be tested on the Grades 5 and 8 MSA. The highlighted Objectives under each highlighted Indicator identify the limit to which MSA items can be written. Although all content standards are tested on MSA, not all Indicators and Objectives are tested. Objectives that are not highlighted will not be tested on MSA, however are an integral part of Instruction.
January 2008
