Grade 4 Science: Energy, Waves, Life & Earth

This Grade 4 Science course introduces students to core physical, life, and Earth science ideas using hands-on activities, teacher-led experiments, and interactive simulations. Lessons focus on how energy moves and changes form, how waves carry information, the properties of light and sound, and how plants and animals are built to survive and respond to their environments. Learners investigate interactions within ecosystems and the ways organisms process information. In Earth and space units students study weathering, erosion, patterns of Earth’s surface, and natural hazards to understand how the planet’s surface changes over time. Engineering design is integrated throughout: students define problems, build and test simple models or solutions, and use evidence to improve their designs. Activities include teacher demonstrations and safe experiments that students can try at home with everyday materials when appropriate. All supply lists are shared at least one week before related lessons. Instruction balances direct explanation with inquiry and problem solving. Lessons use age-appropriate language and visuals to make concepts tangible and memorable. By the end of the course, learners will be able to describe basic energy transfer, explain wave properties, identify structures that help living things survive, and recognize processes that shape Earth’s surface. They will also practice designing and testing solutions using evidence.