a scientific study of water, aquatic environments and the plants and animals that live in water. Originally written for grades four through six, it is most commonly adopted as a science curriculum in grades 5 and 6. While the curriculum covers properties and features common to both marine and freshwater habitats, it applies more to lakes, ponds, large rivers, estuaries and oceans and does not include topics associated with waves, tides and fast moving water.
“Living in Water” – Grades 4-6
Students explore the world of water through the substances that dissolve in water, through changes in aquatic habitats, through studies of how aquatic plants and animals maintain position or move, and through a look at aquatic exploration, research and communication.
About the Curriculum Guide
Each of five sections of the guide addresses a question about water related to a physical characteristic of aquatic environments which is then answered by a variety of activities using an experimental, science process approach to enable the students themselves to arrive at answers. Each section is preceded by teachers’ information with science content related to the activities written for the teacher. The emphasis for the student is not on content, but on process. Content is built through the activities and discussions that follow them. Cooperative learning is used in most activities.
