Science Tasks with Otis & Flask
Purpose
Science Tasks with Otis & Flask are designed to help 5th grade students revisit and build upon critical science concepts. These centers within this program complement your existing curriculum - as lead-ins or follow-ups to science topics. They can also be used by 3rd and 4th grade teachers as whole-class activities or extensions.
Organization of Booklets
Each booklet contains science tasks that are presented in a “student-directed learning center” format addressing a specific science topic. Each booklet contains four parts:
Teacher Information
This provides a summary of the center and directions for the teacher, along with a list of all the materials and step-by-step procedures to set up one or more centers. A review of content identifies the key concepts that the center teaches. Prerequisite skills and key vocabulary are identified. The answer key for the final assessment, which the teacher will score, is also included within this section.
Task Cards
Each center contains one or more Task Cards that list the procedures for the students. Teachers can photocopy the Task Cards and provide them at the center.
Student Packet
The photocopy-ready Student Packet leads the student through all of the Task Cards and assessments. The packets may include observation/data sheets and questions related to hands-on activities, student readings, vocabulary words, and assessments. The “Check Your Understanding” assessments are modeled after the OAT and include multiple choice, short answer and extended response questions.
Answer Key
Student answer keys are provided for most questions and all of the “Check Your Understanding” assessments, the only exception being the final assessment that the teacher will score.
Each booklet set includes:
Correlations and connections to Ohio’s Standards
Below are the correlations between each of the centers to the appropriate Grade Level Indicators (GLIs) for Life Science, Earth & Space Sciences, and Physical Sciences:
Earth & Space Sciences
Processes That Shape the Earth’s Surface
Grade 4: Benchmark B; Grade Level Indicator:
10. Describe evidence of changes on Earth’s surface in terms of slow processes (e.g., erosion, weathering, mountain building and deposition) and rapid processes (e.g. volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides).
Earth Resources-Rocks
Grade 3: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
1. Compare distinct properties of rocks (e.g., color, layering and texture).
Earth's Resources-Soil
Grade 3: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
4. Observe and describe the composition of soil (e.g., small pieces of rock and decomposed pieces of plants and animals, and products of plants and animals).
Connections to GLIs for Grade 5
Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicators:
5. Explain how the supply of many non-renewable resources is limited and can be extended through reducing, reusing and recycling but cannot be extended indefinitely.
6. Investigate ways Earth’s renewable resources (e.g., fresh water, air, wildlife and trees) can be maintained.
Life Sciences
Plant & Animal Structures/Function Relationships
Grade 3:Benchmark B;Grade Level Indicator:
2. Relate animal structures to their specific survival functions (e.g., obtaining food, escaping or hiding from enemies).
Grade 4:Benchmark B:Grade Level Indicator:
2. Relate plant structures to their specific functions (e.g., growth, survival and
reproduction).
Fossils
Grade 3:Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
5. Observe and explore how fossils provide evidence about animals that lived long ago and the nature of the environment at that time.
Grade 4: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
4. Observe and explore that fossils provide evidence about plants that lived long ago and the nature of the environment at that time.
Connections to GLIs for Grade 5
Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
4. Summarize that organisms can survive only in ecosystems in which their needs can be met (e.g., food, water, shelter, air, carrying capacity and waste disposal). The world has different ecosystems and distinct ecosystems support the lives of different types of organisms.
Physical Sciences
Motion of Objects
Grade 3: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicators:
1. Describe an objects position by locating it relative to another object or the background.
2. Describe an objects motion by tracing and measuring its position over time.
Forces Affecting Objects
Grade 3: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator(s):
3. Identify contact/non-contact forces that affect motion of an object (e.g., gravity, magnetism and collision).
4. Predict the changes when an object experiences a force (e.g., a push or pull, weight and friction).
Characteristics of Physical & Chemical Changes
Grade 4: Benchmark A; Grade Level Indicators:
1. Identify characteristics of a simple physical change…
2. Identify characteristics of a simple chemical change. When a new material is made by combining two or more materials…
Thermal Energy Transfer
Grade 5:Benchmark D; Grade Level Indicators:
1. Define temperature as the measure of thermal energy and describe the way it is measured.
2. Trace how thermal energy can transfer from one object to another by conduction.
Science Tasks with Otis & Flask are designed to help 5th grade students revisit and build upon critical science concepts. These centers within this program complement your existing curriculum - as lead-ins or follow-ups to science topics. They can also be used by 3rd and 4th grade teachers as whole-class activities or extensions.
Organization of Booklets
Each booklet contains science tasks that are presented in a “student-directed learning center” format addressing a specific science topic. Each booklet contains four parts:
Teacher Information
This provides a summary of the center and directions for the teacher, along with a list of all the materials and step-by-step procedures to set up one or more centers. A review of content identifies the key concepts that the center teaches. Prerequisite skills and key vocabulary are identified. The answer key for the final assessment, which the teacher will score, is also included within this section.
Task Cards
Each center contains one or more Task Cards that list the procedures for the students. Teachers can photocopy the Task Cards and provide them at the center.
Student Packet
The photocopy-ready Student Packet leads the student through all of the Task Cards and assessments. The packets may include observation/data sheets and questions related to hands-on activities, student readings, vocabulary words, and assessments. The “Check Your Understanding” assessments are modeled after the OAT and include multiple choice, short answer and extended response questions.
Answer Key
Student answer keys are provided for most questions and all of the “Check Your Understanding” assessments, the only exception being the final assessment that the teacher will score.
Each booklet set includes:
- Nine activity booklets
- Teacher's Guide, which includes the listing of GLIs directly related to each center;
- Sample Ohio rock pack, provided by the US Geological Survey, for use with the Earth's Resources - Rocks center;
- Full-color photo cards to be used as part of student activities with selected centers;
- Sturdy storage case.
Correlations and connections to Ohio’s Standards
Below are the correlations between each of the centers to the appropriate Grade Level Indicators (GLIs) for Life Science, Earth & Space Sciences, and Physical Sciences:
Earth & Space Sciences
Processes That Shape the Earth’s Surface
Grade 4: Benchmark B; Grade Level Indicator:
10. Describe evidence of changes on Earth’s surface in terms of slow processes (e.g., erosion, weathering, mountain building and deposition) and rapid processes (e.g. volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides).
Earth Resources-Rocks
Grade 3: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
1. Compare distinct properties of rocks (e.g., color, layering and texture).
Earth's Resources-Soil
Grade 3: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
4. Observe and describe the composition of soil (e.g., small pieces of rock and decomposed pieces of plants and animals, and products of plants and animals).
Connections to GLIs for Grade 5
Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicators:
5. Explain how the supply of many non-renewable resources is limited and can be extended through reducing, reusing and recycling but cannot be extended indefinitely.
6. Investigate ways Earth’s renewable resources (e.g., fresh water, air, wildlife and trees) can be maintained.
Life Sciences
Plant & Animal Structures/Function Relationships
Grade 3:Benchmark B;Grade Level Indicator:
2. Relate animal structures to their specific survival functions (e.g., obtaining food, escaping or hiding from enemies).
Grade 4:Benchmark B:Grade Level Indicator:
2. Relate plant structures to their specific functions (e.g., growth, survival and
reproduction).
Fossils
Grade 3:Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
5. Observe and explore how fossils provide evidence about animals that lived long ago and the nature of the environment at that time.
Grade 4: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
4. Observe and explore that fossils provide evidence about plants that lived long ago and the nature of the environment at that time.
Connections to GLIs for Grade 5
Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator:
4. Summarize that organisms can survive only in ecosystems in which their needs can be met (e.g., food, water, shelter, air, carrying capacity and waste disposal). The world has different ecosystems and distinct ecosystems support the lives of different types of organisms.
Physical Sciences
Motion of Objects
Grade 3: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicators:
1. Describe an objects position by locating it relative to another object or the background.
2. Describe an objects motion by tracing and measuring its position over time.
Forces Affecting Objects
Grade 3: Benchmark C; Grade Level Indicator(s):
3. Identify contact/non-contact forces that affect motion of an object (e.g., gravity, magnetism and collision).
4. Predict the changes when an object experiences a force (e.g., a push or pull, weight and friction).
Characteristics of Physical & Chemical Changes
Grade 4: Benchmark A; Grade Level Indicators:
1. Identify characteristics of a simple physical change…
2. Identify characteristics of a simple chemical change. When a new material is made by combining two or more materials…
Thermal Energy Transfer
Grade 5:Benchmark D; Grade Level Indicators:
1. Define temperature as the measure of thermal energy and describe the way it is measured.
2. Trace how thermal energy can transfer from one object to another by conduction.
