5th grade Science Pacing Guide
1st Six Weeks
Science
2nd Six Weeks
Science
3rd Six Weeks
Science
4.1/5.1 The student will plan and
and conduct investigations.
4.1/5.1 The student will plan and
conduct investigations.
4.1/5.1 The student will plan and
conduct investigations.
5.5 The student will investigate and
understand that organisms are
made of cells and have
distinguishing characteristics.
5.7 The student will investigate and
understand how the Earth’s
surface is constantly changing.
5.5 The student will investigate and
understand that organisms are
made of cells and have
distinguishing characteristics.
Key concepts include:

Basic cell structures and
functions

Kingdoms of living things

Vascular and nonvascular
plants

Vertebrates and invertebrates
(Benchmark assessment at the end of the
six weeks.)
Key concepts include:

Basic cell structures and
functions

Kingdoms of living things

Vascular & nonvascular plants

Vertebrates and invertebrates
4.4 The student will investigate and
understand basic plant anatomy
and life processes.
Key concepts include:

The structures of typical plants
(leaves, stems, roots, flowers)

Processes and structures
involved with reproduction
(pollination, stamen, pistil,
sepal, embryo, spore, seed)

Photosynthesis

Dormancy
4.5 The student will investigate and
understand how plants and
animals in an ecosystem interact
with one another and the
nonliving environment.
Key concepts include:

Behavioral and structural
adaptations

Organization of communities

Flow of energy through food
webs

Habitats and niches

Life cycles

Influence of human activity on
ecosystems
5.7
The student will investigate and
understand how the Earth’s
surface is constantly changing.
Key concepts include:

The rock cycle including the
identification of rock types

Earth history and fossil
evidence

The basic structure of the
Earth’s interior

Plate tectonics

Weathering and erosion

Human impact
Benchmark assessment at the end of the
six weeks. (SOLs 5.1, 5.5, 5.7, 4.1, 4.4,
4.5)
Key concepts include:

The rock cycle including the
identification of rock types

Earth history and fossil
evidence

The basic structure of the
Earth’s interior

Plate tectonics (earthquakes
and volcanoes)

Weathering and erosion

Human impact
4.7
The student will investigate and
understand the relationships
among the Earth, moon, and sun.
Key concepts include:

The motions of the Earth,
moon, and sun (revolution and
rotation)

The causes for the Earth’s
seasons and phases of the
moon

The relative size, position, age,
and makeup of the Earth,
moon, and sun

Historical contributions in
understanding the Earth-moonsun system
Benchmark assessment at the end of the
six weeks. (SOLs 5.1, 5.5, 5.7, 4.1, 4.4,
4.5, 4.7)
5th grade Science Pacing Guide
4th Six Weeks
Science
5th Six Weeks
Science
6th Six Weeks
Science
4.1/5.1 The student will plan and
conduct investigations.
4.1/5.1 The student will plan and
conduct investigations.
4.1/5.1 The student will plan and
conduct investigations.
5.6 The student will investigate and
understand characteristics of the
ocean environment.
5.4 The student will investigate and
understand that matter is
anything that has mass; takes up
space; and occurs as a solid,
liquid, or gas.
5.2
Key concepts include:

Geological characteristics
(continental shelf, slope, rise)

Physical characteristics (depth,
salinity, major currents)

Biological characteristics
(ecosystems)
4.6 The student will investigate and
understand how weather
conditions and phenomena occur
and can be predicted.
Key concepts include:

Weather measurements and
meteorological tools (air
pressure-barometer, wind
speed – anemometer, rainfallrain gauge, and temperaturethermometer)

Weather phenomena (fronts,
clouds, and storms)
4.8 The student will investigate and
understand important Virginia
natural resources.
Key concepts include:

Watershed and water resources

Animals and plants

Minerals, rocks, ores, and
energy sources

Forests, soil, and land
Benchmark assessment at the end of the
six weeks (SOLs 5.1, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 4.1,4.4,
4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8)
Key concepts include:

Atoms, elements, molecules,
and compounds

Mixtures including solutions

Effect of heat on the states of
matter
5.3 The student will investigate and
understand basic characteristics
of visible light and how it behaves.
Key concepts include:

The visible spectrum and light
waves

Refraction of light through
water and prisms

Reflection of light from
reflective surfaces (mirrors)

Opaque, transparent, and
translucent

Historical contributions in
understanding light
5.2 The student will investigate and
understand how sound is
transmitted and is used as a means
of communication.
Key concepts include:

Frequency, waves, wavelength,
vibration

The ability of different media
(solids, liquids, and gases) to
transmit sound

Uses and applications (voice,
sonar, animal sounds, and
musical instruments).
Benchmark assessment at the end of the
six weeks (SOLs 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5,
5.6, 5.7, 4.1, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8)
The student will investigate and
understand how sound is
transmitted and is used as a
means of communication.
Key concepts include:

Frequency, waves, wavelength,
vibration

The ability of different media
(solids, liquids, and gases) to
transmit sound

Uses and applications (voice,
sonar, animal sounds, and
musical instruments).
4.2 The student will investigate and
understand characteristics and
interaction of moving objects.
Key concepts include:

Motion is described by an
object’s direction and speed

Forces cause changes in
motion

Friction is a force that opposes
motion

Moving objects have kinetic
energy
4.3 The student will investigate and
understand the characteristics of
electricity.
Key concepts include:

Conductors and insulators

Basic circuits (open/closed,
parallel/series)

Static electricity

The ability of electrical energy
to be transformed into heat,
light, and mechanical energy

Simple electromagnets and
magnetism

Historical contributions in
understanding electricity
Review of all fourth and fifth
grade SOLs.
Science SOL test.