About
Understanding Earth’s Systems and Protecting Our Planet: A Fifth Grade Science Unit
by Kate Bentivoglio
M.S.Ed in Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum; STEM and Arts Innovation Track
Biography: Kate Bentivoglio is an elementary school teacher in central Indiana. She holds a teaching license in both elementary and special education. Her passion lies in science education. Kate is a National Geographic Certified Educator.
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Understanding Earth’s Systems and Protecting Our Planet: A Fifth Grade Science UnitElementary science education faces many obstacles, such as disproportionate funding, decreased time for science teaching, lack of quality materials, and ineffective teacher preparation programs. This paper responds to these challenges by designing a fifth grade Earth’s Systems science unit that allows quality education within the restrictions educators face. The unit includes resources for growing teachers’ background knowledge, strategies for teaching at-risk students, and inquiry-based learning. The author plans for this to be implemented as a reliable and equitable science unit for all fifth grade classrooms.
Keywords: elementary science, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), inquiry, fifth grade, unit plan