About This Lesson
Focus:
In this unit, students explore Science Literacy topics associated with the other content units of the CKSci Grade 5 curriculum. Science Literacy can be taught as a stand-alone unit or integrated throughout the year using suggestions from the Pacing Guide found in the Teacher Guide.
Grade 5 Topics
In Grades 4–5, science literacy expands students understanding of the uses of background knowledge and new information for decision-making and problem-solving. Topics include a wide range of literacy areas including:
- How do people work together when doing science?
- What makes an explanation scientific?
- How does new evidence affect science knowledge?
- What are analogies?
- Using data wisely.
- How do we compare design solutions?
- What is a constructive critique?
- Correlation verse causality.
- How do we optimize a solution?
- How do we make a good science presentation?
- What is the “information age?”
What is Science Literacy?
Core Knowledge Foundation suggests that science literacy initially involves awareness of how scientists observe, ask questions, obtain and analyze data, experiment, form conclusions, and communicate. But a science-literate citizen also understands the role of science in our society, acknowledging the importance of science in helping private and public groups to make decisions based not on emotion or hearsay but on the foundation of careful research and established scientific facts. Additionally, a wider view of science literacy is that science interfaces with all aspects of human learning, such as art, history, biography, mathematics, music, philosophy, and literature.
Digital Engagements
All K-5 units of CKSci Science Literacy contain web-based Digital Engagements. These are accessed via the Core Knowledge website. Teacher driven, these engagements are game-like activities that, while quite entertaining, serve as a checkpoint of knowledge learned earlier in a lesson.
Number of Lessons: 20
