3

Level

& S p ace
Earth ife
L
hy s i cal
P
 Author
Melissa Iwinski
 Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
How to Use This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Standards Correlations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Daily Practice Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Teacher Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Digital Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Introduction
With today’s science and technology, there are more resources than ever to help students
understand how the world works. Information about science experiments you can do at
home is widely available online. Many students have experience with physics concepts
from games.
While students may be familiar with many of the topics discussed in this book, it is not
uncommon for them to have misconceptions about certain subjects. It is important for
students to learn how to apply scientific practices in a classroom setting and within their lives.
Science is the study of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.
Not only is it important for students to learn scientific facts, but it is important for them
to develop a thirst for knowledge. This leads to students who are anxious to learn and who
understand how to follow practices that will lead them to the answers they seek.

The Need for Practice

To be successful in science, students must understand how people interact with the physical
world. They must not only master scientific practices but also learn how to look at the world
with curiosity. Through repeated practice, students will learn how a variety of factors affect
the world in which they live.

Understanding Assessment
In addition to providing opportunities for frequent practice, teachers must be able to assess
students’ scientific understandings. This allows teachers to adequately address students’
misconceptions, build on their current understandings, and challenge them appropriately.
Assessment is a long-term process that involves careful analysis of student responses from
discussions, projects, or practice sheets. The data gathered from assessments should be used
to inform instruction: slow down, speed up, or reteach. This type of assessment is called
formative assessment.

© Shell Education 51409—180 Days of Science 3

 How to Use This Book
Weekly Structure
All 36 weeks of this book follow a regular weekly structure. The book is divided into three
sections: Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Science. The book is structured
to give students a strong foundation on which to build throughout the year. It is also designed
to adequately prepare them for state standardized tests.
Each week focuses on one topic. Day 1 sets the stage by providing background information
on the topic that students will need throughout the week. In Day 2, students analyze data
related to the topic. Day 3 leads students through developing scientific questions. Day 4
guides students through planning a solution. Finally, Day 5 helps students communicate
results from observations or investigations.
Day 1—Learning Content: Students will read grade-appropriate
content and answer questions about it.

Day 2—Analyzing Data: Students will analyze scientific data and

answer questions about it.

Day 3—Developing Questions: Students will read a scenario

related to the topic, answer questions, and formulate a scientific
question about the information.

Day 4—Planning Solutions: Students will read a scenario related

to the topic, answer questions, and develop a solution or plan an
investigation.

Day 5—Communicating Results: Students accurately

communicate the results of an investigation or demonstrate what
they learned throughout the week.

Three Strands of Science

This book allows students to explore the three strands of science: life science, physical science,
and earth and space science. Life science teaches students about the amazing living things
on our planet and how they interact in ecosystems. Physical science introduces students to
physics and chemistry concepts that will lay the groundwork for deeper understanding later
in their education. Earth and space science familiarizes students with the wonders of the
cosmos and the relationships between the sun, Earth, moon, and stars.

4 51409—180 Days of Science © Shell Education

 How to Use This Book (cont.)
Weekly Topics
The following chart shows the weekly focus topics that are covered during each week of
instruction.

Unit Week Science Topic

1 Why Animals Live in Groups
2 Animal Jobs within Groups
3 Life Cycle of Plants
4 Life Cycle of Animals
5 How Fossils Form
6 Studying Fossils
Life Science
7 Desert Plants and Animals
8 Habitats
9 Parents and Offspring
10 How Living Things Affect Each Other
11 Variations in Animals
12 Changes to Environments
1 Pulling
2 Rolling Balls
3 Pushing
4 Seesaws
5 Swinging
6 Spinning
Physical Science
7 Creating Static Electricity
8 Magnets
9 Effects of Static Electricity
10 Super Magnets
11 Keeping Things Closed with Magnets
12 Using Magnets for Clean-Up
1 Winter
2 Spring
3 Summer
4 Fall
5 Deserts
Earth and Space 6 Rainforests
Science 7 Tundras
8 Temperate Climates
9 Flooding
10 Melting Snow and Ice with Salt
11 Wind
12 Sun Damage
© Shell Education 51409—180 Days of Science 5
 How to Use This Book (cont.)
Best Practices for This Series
■■ Use the practice pages to introduce important science topics to your students.
■■ Use the Weekly Topics chart on page 5 to align the content to what you’re covering in class.
Then, treat the pages in this book as jumping off points for that content.
■■ Use the practice pages as formative assessment of the science strands and key topics.
■■ Use the weekly themes to engage students in content that is new to them.
■■ Encourage students to independently learn more about the topics introduced in this series.
■■ Lead teacher-directed discussions of the vocabulary and concepts presented in some of the
more complex weeks.
■■ Support students in practicing the varied types of questions asked throughout the
practice pages.
■■ When possible, have students participate in hands-on activities to answer the questions
they generate and do the investigations they plan.

Using the Resources

An answer key for all days can be found on pages 194–205. Rubrics for Day 3 (developing
questions), Day 4 (planning solutions), and Day 5 (communicating results) can be found
on pages 210–212 and in the Digital Resources. Use the answer keys and rubrics to assess
students’ work. Be sure to share these rubrics with students so that they know what is
expected of them.
Date: ______________
____________________
Date: ______________ Student: ___________
Rubric
Communicating Results
____________________
Student: ___________
Rubric
Developing Questions rubric every four weeks
to evaluate students’ Day
5 activity sheets.

to evaluate students’ Day

3 activity sheets. Directions: Complete this over the four weeks can
be evaluated
rubric every four weeks per student. Their work Then, add up
Directions: Complete this over the four weeks can
be evaluated Only one rubric is needed writing a score in each row.
per student. Their work work in each category by in each row and
Only one rubric is needed writing a score in each
row. Then, add up together. Evaluate their may earn up to 5 points
work in each category by
Student: ________ total on the line. Students
together. Evaluate their may earn up to 5 points
in each row and ________________ their scores, and write the
total on the line. Students _______ Date: ________ up to 15 points total.
their scores, and write the
up to 15 points total.
Plann ing Solutions Rubri
______
3 1 Score

5 3 1 Score
Directions: Complete c Skill 5
Skill Only one rubric is
this rubric every four
weeks to evaluate
needed per student. students’ Day 4 activity
together. Evaluate Their work over the
Representing Data

their four weeks can be sheets.

their scores, and write work in each category by writing a evaluated Correctly represents Does not correctly
Correctly represents
Forming Scientific

the total on the line. score in each row.

Does not form up to 15 points total. Students may earn Then, add up data with charts and represents data with
Forms scientific Forms scientific up to 5 points in each data with charts and
graphs most of the charts and graphs.
Inquiries

scientific inquiries row and

inquiries related to inquiries related to Skill graphs all or nearly
related to text. 5 time.
text all or nearly all text most of the time. 3 all the time.
the time. 1
ns

Score
Planning Investigatio

Plans reasonable
investigations to Plans reasonable
investigations to Does not plan
Making Connections

study topics all or reasonable Does not make

study topics most Makes reasonable
nearly all the time. of investigations to Makes reasonable reasonable
connections between
Interpreting Text

the time. connections between

Correctly interprets Does not correctly study topics. connections between
Correctly interprets new information
texts to answer interpret texts to new information and new information and
texts to answer and prior knowledge
questions most of answer questions. prior knowledge all prior knowledge.
questions all or most of the time.
the time. or nearly all the time.
nearly all the time.
Making Predictions

Studies events to
make reasonable Studies events to
predictions all or make reasonable Does not make
Explaining Results
Applying Information

predictions most reasonable Does not use

nearly all the time. of Uses evidence to
Applies new
Applies new Does not apply the time. predictions. Uses evidence to evidence to
information to accurately explain
information to new information accurately explain accurately explain
answer scientific to answer scientific results most of the
answer scientific results all or nearly results.
questions most of questions. all the time.
time.
questions all or
the time.
nearly all the time.
Choosing Next Steps

Chooses reasonable Total Points:

Chooses reasonable
Total Points: next steps for
investigations all next steps for Does not choose
or investigations most reasonable next steps
nearly all the time.
of the time. for investigations.

© Shell Education
© Shell Education
Total Points: 212 51409—180 Days of Science
210 51409—180 Days of Science

© Shell Education

51409—180 Days
of Science 211

6 51409—180 Days of Science © Shell Education

 WEEK 3
DAY
Life Science

1
Name:  ________________________________ Date:  _______________
Directions: Read the text, and answer the questions.

Life Cycle of Plants

Flowering plants have similar life cycles. They
Learning Content

begin as seeds that germinate, or start to grow.

Then they develop into seedlings. Seedlings
become plants with flowers that produce new
seeds. The seeds fall to the ground and make
more plants. The new plants will be the same
kind as their parent. They will also make their
own new plants.

1. What is the next stage after the seed?

a.  new plant b. seedling
c. flower d.  mature plant

2. A new plant will .

a. make seeds before b. be the same kind as its
it flowers parent plant
c. be a different kind than d.  become a seedling
its parent

3. Why would a young plant live in the same environment as its

parent plant?
_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

24 51409—180 Days of Science © Shell Education

 WEEK 8
DAY
Life Science

2
Name:  ________________________________ Date:  _______________
Directions: Habitats can change with the seasons. These changes
affect the plants and animals. This chart shows some changes to
a forest summer and in winter. Study the chart, and answer the
questions.
Analyzing Data

Summer Winter
river water flows river water freezes
trees are full of leaves most trees lose leaves
rainfall snow
insects die, migrate, or shelter
insects are active
because it is colder

1. What happens in the winter?

a.  Rivers freeze. b.  Insects are active.
c.  Trees have leaves. d.  It rains.

2. What would make it harder for an animal to find water in

the winter?
a.  frozen rivers b.  trees lose leaves
c.  insects die d.  fewer hours of daylight

3. Why do some insects migrate in winter?

a. because the rivers melt b. because the food supply
and flow becomes plentiful
c. because winter brings d. because trees are full
colder temperatures of leaves

50 51409—180 Days of Science © Shell Education

 WEEK 9
DAY
Life Science

3
Name:  ________________________________ Date:  _______________

Directions: Read the text, and answer the questions.

Jesse’s grandpa has a dog that is about to have puppies.

Developing Questions

1. The puppies will most likely .

a.  look exactly like their parents
b.  look similar to their parents
c.  won’t look like their parents
d.  will look exactly like their siblings

2. What question can you ask to decide if the puppies will have
similar traits?
a.  Are they all males?
b.  Are they all females?
c.  Do they eat the same food?
d.  Do they have the same parents?

3. What could you ask about the puppies’ traits?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

56 51409—180 Days of Science © Shell Education

 WEEK 4
DAY
Physical Science

4
Name:  ________________________________ Date:  _______________
Directions: Read the text, and answer the questions.

John and his friends are preparing

packages of cookies for a bake sale.
Planning Solutions

They are using a pan balance to weigh

the cookies. They want to put them in
packages of equal weight.

1. To make sure that the packages are equal weights, John should
.
a.  include a different number of cookies in each package
b.  guess if they’re the same weight
c.  put cookies in the pan balance until it is level
d.  hold the packages in his hand until they feel equal

2. When John uses the pan balance to weigh the packages,

.
a.  it should be level
b.  it should tilt to the left
c.  it should tilt to the right
d.  it will tell John the actual weight

3. How could John use the scale if he wanted to make some

packages lighter?
_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

92 51409—180 Days of Science © Shell Education

 WEEK
WEEK 2
2
Earth and Space Science DAY
DAY

5
Name:  ________________________________ Date:  _______________

Directions: Read the text, and look at the pictures. Use the pictures
to write a weather prediction that makes the most sense on each
blank line.

Weather predictions can be made by trying to follow a pattern

Communicating Results
of the weather. Below are two types of weather to use in the
weather prediction.

partly cloudy rainy

sunny cloudy rainy

1. Explain why you placed the predictions where you did.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. What would be a reasonable prediction for the day after the last
rainy day? Why?
_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

© Shell Education 51409—180 Days of Science 143