This parent guide supports parents in helping their child at home with the 4th grade Science content.

This resource accompanies our Rethink 4th Grade Science course. It includes ideas for use, ways to support exceptional children, ways to extend learning, digital resources and tools, tips for supporting English Language Learners and students with visual and hearing impairments. There are also ideas for offline learning. 

In this lesson, students will create an animal that is camouflaged for a certain area of the classroom.

This lesson outlines teacher-led discussion on the topic of migration as an adaptive behavior in response to changes in the animal's environment. Journaling questions are also provided to help build each student's individual understanding.

In this lesson students will explore adaptations that animals have that help them survive in their environment. Students will build understanding by identifying adaptations as described in two folk tales and sorting descriptions of adaptations into categories of their choice. They will then compare and contrast the snowshoe hare and the cottontail rabbit. Students will work in groups to research and organize information they gather about the two animals, summarizing their research in their science journals. In an associated activity, "Camouflage: An Adaptation of Survival," students simulate the use of camouflage as a survival adaptation.

In this lesson, students will see how colorings, markings, and physical actions can make an animal better adapted to its environment.

Students will research an animal, use a graphic organizer to record information, create a "Can you guess my animal?" script, and create a green screen video about their animal.

Students create a informational board on Discovery Education Board Builder. Discovery Education is a website that offers a plethora of information on any given topic. With the use of Builder Tools/Board Builder students create a dynamic research presentation on their given animal.

Students learn about bioluminescence and conduct an experiment to learn how animals use bioluminescence for camouflage.

In this activity, students investigate whether there is any evidence that earthworms can respond to vibrations in the ground.

This informational text introduce students to the life cycle and migration of the sanderling, a bird that winters on beaches in the Southern United States and South America but breeds in the Arctic during the summer months. The text is written at a grade four through grade five reading level. This is a PDF containing the informational text and a glossary.

In this activity, students will practice observation and data management skills through monitoring the behaviors of fish in an aquarium habitat.

In this unit, students will explore their neighboring surroundings while learning about the natural resources that are available in their own backyard, as well as positive contributions they can make to minimize negative change in the environment. Furthermore, students will utilize technological resources to broaden their understanding on environmental changes, as well as human and animal adaptation. Additionally, they will gain knowledge through different literature resources during independent and shared reading.

Students will research on the computer. Students will create a poster about their Australian animal. This lesson was developed by Sara Kull as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.            

Students will read through a nonfiction text picking out key ideas and details. Students will create their own note taking sheet using boxes and bullets based on teacher modeling. This lesson was developed by Sara Kull as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.            

Students will create a presentation about their Australian animal based on their research. Students will present their research to peers and adults. This lesson was developed by Sara Kull as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.            

Students will investigate ways to save animals around the world and create a written opinion piece to share their thoughts and ideas to save the animals. Students will be able to choose a structure that best supports their opinion. They will use correct grammar and spelling to write clear sentences and draft an opinion piece. Optional:  Students will take action by adopting an animal through the World Wildlife Foundation. This lesson was developed by Sara Kull as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.            

Student will research an animal they are assigned from Australia using an informational rubric. The students will research their animal using the guide given by teachers. They will investigate the information and take notes regarding their animal. They will use the computer to research and learn about their animal in its habitat and ecosystem. Students will identify environmental changes, adaptations, and behaviors that enable animals (including humans) to survive in changing habitats. They will communicate their ideas in writing using a rubric before they construct a Google Slideshow representing their findings. This lesson was developed by Victoria James as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.