Grades 3–5 · Semester 5 · 52 readings
Connect people, places and ideas
Begin with moving through water and air. Follow the connected explanations through making and interpreting pictures, keeping each small group together and taking time to understand its illustrations.
Start reading →One possible pace is 3–4 explanations a week over 16 weeks. Keep each small unit together, revisit its pictures and allow more time whenever an idea needs it.
Unit 1Moving through water and air3 readings ⌄
Ballast, control surfaces and propellers change different interactions with the surrounding fluid.
Unit 2Warmth at home2 readings ⌄
A water heater transfers energy into stored water; familiar materials draw warmth from a hand at different rates.
- How does a tank keep hot water ready for a tap?Everyday Life
- Why can metal and wooden spoons feel different at the same temperature?Materials & Matter
Unit 3Air and traces at the surface2 readings ⌄
Uneven warming can move coastal air; hardened sediment can preserve a footprint.
Unit 4Useful household mechanisms5 readings ⌄
A candle, erasable board, dryer, iron and inkjet printer turn material properties and controlled energy into familiar results.
Unit 5Changes inside familiar foods3 readings ⌄
Dissolved gas, cooking rice and whipped cream reveal different changes within everyday food.
- Why do fizzy drinks release bubbles?Everyday Life
- How does rice become softer as it cooks?Everyday Life
- How does whipped cream hold its fluffy shape?Everyday Life
Unit 6Everyday body reflexes2 readings ⌄
Hiccups and sneezes follow different automatic patterns of muscles and nerves.
Unit 7Living communities and seasonal change3 readings ⌄
Honey production, ant trails and hibernation reveal different ways animals manage resources and changing conditions.
Unit 8The world we notice outdoors4 readings ⌄
Sky colors, salty oceans, potholes and sailing connect familiar observations with light, materials, water and forces.
- Why is the sky blue but a sunset red?Earth & Space
- Why is the ocean salty?Earth & Space
- How does a pothole form?Earth & Space
- How can a sailboat travel toward the wind?Machines
Unit 9Keys, strings and drumheads2 readings ⌄
A piano action sets strings vibrating; a struck drumhead interacts with the air and the rest of its instrument.
Unit 10Public services that connect people2 readings ⌄
Warnings travel through several channels, while connecting bus routes depend on places and timing.
Unit 11Holding, moving and noticing4 readings ⌄
Seals, cable grips, light sensors and eggshell pores connect small structures with useful whole processes.
Unit 12Sensing, storing and returning4 readings ⌄
Whiskers sense contact, bulbs store food, elastic parts return energy and tuning connects a sound with a reference.
Unit 13Putting a song together2 readings ⌄
Follow separate sounds as they become music we can share.
- How can one musician record a whole band?Arts & Music
- How does karaoke leave room for your voice?Arts & Music
Unit 14Energy, motion and measurement3 readings ⌄
A crank light stores energy, a chime makes movement audible, and a pump manages one-way air flow.
Unit 15Measures, latches and requests3 readings ⌄
A scale converts force into a reading, a latch holds a door, and a crossing button enters a shared signal sequence.
Unit 17Moonlight and marks in clay2 readings ⌄
Redirected sunlight colors an eclipse; shared sign conventions preserve words.
- Why can the Moon look red during a lunar eclipse?Earth & Space
- How could marks in clay record spoken words?History & Evidence
Unit 18Making and interpreting pictures2 readings ⌄
A boundary can suggest two objects, while a tiny aperture selects paths that form an image.