Kindergarten Science Curriculum
Family-facing version of the kindergarten science curriculum
Goals
The goals of science instruction include:
- Use scientific processes to safely investigate the natural world
- Develop the scientific knowledge, skills, and attributes to be successful in college, explore science-related careers and interests, and be work-force ready.
- Develop scientific dispositions and habits of mind (collaboration, curiosity, creativity, demand for verification, open-mindedness, respect for logical and rational thinking, objectivity, learning from mistakes, patience, and persistence).
- Possess significant knowledge of science to be informed consumers with the ability to communicate and use science in their everyday lives and engage in public discussions.
- Make informed decisions regarding contemporary civic, environmental, and economic issues.
- Apply knowledge of mathematics and science in an authentic way using the engineering.
- Design process to solve societal problems.
- Develop an understanding of the interrelationship of science with technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Quarterly Overview of Kindergarten Science
The objectives and outcomes for each unit are common across FCPS and based on the Virginia Standards of Learning. The pacing by quarter and by week provides an example of how the curriculum can be organized throughout the year. Teacher teams may adjust the pacing or order of units to best meet the needs of students.
Units and Details
Students will investigate and understand that:
- physical properties of an object can be described.
- senses allow humans to seek, find, take in, and react or respond to different information.
- light influences temperature on Earth’s surfaces and can cause shadows.
- change occurs over time.
Students will understand:
- Scientists ask questions, observe, classify, and conduct investigations in order to study and communicate their understanding of the natural world.
- There is a relationship between the sun and Earth that can be observed through patterns in nature.
- The sun is the primary source of energy providing light and warmth for Earth.
Students will investigate and understand that:
- water is important in our daily lives and has properties.
- there are differences between living organisms and nonliving objects.
- plants and animals have basic needs and life processes.
- there are patterns in nature.
- that change occurs over time.
Students will understand:
- Water is an important resource for our daily lives and has specific properties.
- Classification relies on careful observation of patterns and similarities and differences.
- Organisms have basic needs, both in terms of energy and matter, which are used to carry out life processes.
- Patterns exist all around us and can be observed in daily weather.
Students will investigate and understand that:
- water is important in our daily lives and has properties.
- physical properties of an object can be described.
- plants and animals have basic needs and life processes.
- change occurs over time.
- humans use resources.
Students will understand:
- Change occurs over time.
- Water is an important resource for our daily lives.
- Pushes and pulls can affect the movement of an object.
- Humans use natural resources that are limited and should be conserved.
Students will investigate and understand that:
- living things need adequate food, water, shelter, air, and space to survive.
- plants and animals have life cycles.
- offspring of plants and animals are similar but not identical to their parents or to one another.
- natural and human-made things change over time.
- living and nonliving things change over time.
Students will understand:
- Plants and animals have basic needs and life processes.
- Plants and animals have life cycles.
- Offspring of plants and animals are similar but not identical to their parents or to one another.
- Change occurs over time.
Assessments
Student assessments are part of the teaching and learning process.
- Teachers give assessments to students on an ongoing basis to
- Check for understanding
- Gather information about students' knowledge or skills.
- Assessments provide information about a child's development of knowledge and skills that can help families and teachers better plan for the next steps in instruction.
For testing questions or additional information about how schools and teachers use test results to support student success, families can contact their children's schools.
In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), kindergarten tests focus on measuring content knowledge and skill development.
