Science 4 Learning Coach Guide

Welcome Letter

Dear Learning Coach, 

Thank you for partnering with CCA and investing in your learner’s education. This Learning Coach Guide is intended to help you support your learner in their Science 4 course. 

Within this guide, you will find the goals, components, and features of the online course. Please take time to read and review this information so you understand how to help your learner interact with all the course’s elements. 

The Learning Coach Guide also includes information about each of the units in this course. On each page of unit information, you will discover the following:  

• The Unit Overview will tell you what the focus, content, and skills of the unit will be.  
• The Unit Assessment section is a place for you and your learner to preview the graded work in the course. At the start of each unit, work with your learner to look at the unit in edio and find out which types of graded work are in this unit. Write them in the box and use it as a checklist. You can check off each one as your learner completes it. 
• The Unit Materials section tells you the materials your learner will need to complete the activities in this unit. You will also find the materials list repeated within each lesson so that your learner has exactly what they need at the right time. 
• The Unit Discussion Questions are optional questions that you may want to ask your learner during the unit to increase home and school connections about what your learner is studying.
• In the Unit Notables section, you may find optional activities, literature connections, career connections, technology tips, ideas to help your learner if they get stuck, or safety tips.

CCA wishes you and your learner a terrific school year! 

Supporting Your Learner

Your role as a Learning Coach is very important. Here are a few ways you can help your learner do their very best in the course.

• Help your learner know when guided or live class instruction is scheduled, and prompt them to attend sessions or watch recordings.
• Look for Learning Coach Notes in the course. These are special messages to provide you with information about an activity or topic.
• Remember, it is okay for your learner to get stuck. Learning new material takes time. Encourage them to take breaks, keep trying, and even ask the teacher for help.
• Help your learner navigate technology. That may mean helping them type information or upload work into edio.
• Always encourage your learner to do their very best.
• Review the course syllabus for your learner’s course.
• Maintain communication with your learner’s teacher.

Part B:
Course Information

Part B: Course Information

Course Goals

In Science 4, your learner will explore different types of energy, discover the relationship between forces and motion by examining the laws of motion, and expand their knowledge of sound and light waves. They will learn that animals and plants have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction. Through the use of models, your learner will develop an understanding that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brains, and respond to information in various ways. Your learner will explore changes in a landscape over time through evidence found in patterns in rock formations and fossils. They will observe the effects of weather and will analyze and interpret data from maps. Your learner will explore natural resources and apply science exploration skills to complete a science experiment.

By the end of the year, your learner will be able to:

• relate the speed of an object with the energy of that object;
• predict the outcome of the changes in energy that occur when objects collide;
• provide evidence that energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects through sounds, light, or electric currents;
• design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another;
• develop a model to describe the patterns in waves in terms of amplitude and wavelength;
• develop a model that explains that an object can be seen when light is reflected from its surface and enters the eye;
• compare devices that use waves to transfer information;
• explain why an animal needs food, water, air, space, and shelter to survive and grow;
• describe how the internal and external structures of animals function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction;
• explain how animals use their senses to learn, to process information, and to react to their environment;
• tell how different animals use their eyes to see;
• identify how humans use their senses to process information;
• identify evidence from patterns in rock formations in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time;
• make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weather or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation;
• analyze and interpret data from maps to describe Earth’s features;
• generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans;
• obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment; and
• apply science exploration skills to complete a science experiment.

Course Format

Lesson Components:

Each day, your learner will spend 45 minutes completing a Science 4 lesson. Some days may take less time, while other days may take a little more time. The lesson does not need to be completed in one sitting. Encourage your learner to take short breaks as they need.

This section will help you to understand how your learner’s course is structured in edio.

Lesson Bundling:

Within the lesson bundles, there are different components your learner will interact with. These components will not be used every day.

• Getting Started Lesson: There is one Getting Started lesson in this course. It can be found on Day 1 of Unit 1. This lesson includes important information about the course and contact information for your teacher.
• Unit Overview: Each unit will include a unit overview. This describes what your learner will learn in the unit and how many assessments the unit will have.
• Prep for Success: At the beginning of each unit, your learner will find a Prep for Success. This component offers your learner tips to be successful in the course, such as study tips, important software information, safety reminders, and more.
• Knowledge Check: There will be one Knowledge Check in each unit. The Knowledge Check is designed to check prior learning and understanding of key skills and concepts that will be taught in the unit. The Knowledge Check is not a graded assessment.

Each lesson has its own components to help guide your learner through the lesson.

• Lesson Overview: At the beginning of every lesson, your learner will see the lesson overview. This section contains lesson objectives, lesson vocabulary, materials your learner will need for the lesson, and the suggested lesson length.
• Engage: The first section of the lesson is Engage. In this section, learners will be introduced to the lesson by making a connection to past and present knowledge and will get ready for the lesson’s instruction.
• Discover: New content and instruction is presented in the Discover section. Your learner will interact with the lesson content through defined vocabulary terms, videos, audio, and Pause and Think activities. Your learner will be able to practice and answer questions as they work through the lesson.
• Show: Learners will demonstrate what they have learned in the lesson through a series of practice questions.
• Wrap Up: This section recaps the day’s objectives.

The course includes assignments and projects. These graded assignments allow your learner to show what they have learned and apply their new skills. All CCA assignments and projects include these components.

• Assessment Overview: At the beginning of each assessment, your learner will see the assessment overview. This section contains the goals of the assessment, materials your learner will need, the length of the assessment, and directions for completion.
• Plan: In the Plan section, learners will be introduced to the assignment or project. Learners may be provided with a review of content from the previous lessons, strategies for completing the activity, graphic organizers, and grading rubrics.
• Do: Learners put their plan into action and work to complete the assignment or project successfully. This section also provides the grading expectations and/or rubric the teacher will use to grade the work.
• Reflect: In Reflect, learners will think back to the work they completed. They will reflect upon the experience and analyze how well they completed the task. These moments of reflection are important and allow learners to think about their learning and their work habits.

In addition to assignments and projects, this course also includes quizzes, tests, and exams.

• Quiz Review: Before a quiz, learners will have the opportunity to review the content they will be assessed on in a quiz.
• Quiz: A quiz may be given at the end of a topic or the end of a unit. A quiz will usually be worth 10–15 points.
• Unit Review: Before a test, learners will have the opportunity to review the content they will be assessed on in the test.
• Unit Test: A test will assess learning across topics or at the end of a unit. A test is usually worth 25–50 points.

Course Features

This course includes and uses unique features such as:

Science Activity Book: Learners will receive a Science ActivityBook in which they can answer questions and complete activities that support the online lessons. 

Science Projects: Learners will complete three Science projects in this course to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts.

Science Exploration: Learners will complete one Science Exploration in this course to demonstrate their understanding of the Science Exploration Skills.

Part C:
Unit Information

Energy and Waves Unit

Unit Overview

In this unit, your learner will discover that energy can be found in sound, heat, electricity, and light and will demonstrate their understanding of electrical currents by building an electric circuit. Your learner will develop an understanding of how light and heat waves transfer energy and will learn how waves can be used to communicate.

Unit Assessments

Quiz _________________________

Test _________________________

Assignment ________________

Project _____________________

Exam _______________________

Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply.

Unit Discussion Questions

What are some examples of how you use energy and how energy may be used in your home?

Why is the ability to transfer information important?

Unit Notables

In this unit, your learner will explore the laws of motion and discover the relationship between forces and motion. If they get stuck, review the examples provided in the lesson and if possible, engage in an investigation of these forces at home.

Kit Materials

two salt packets, one piece of cardstock paper, three chenille stems, three metal spoons, 9-volt battery, clear plastic cups, graphite pencils, LED lightbulb, Newton’s Cradle, paper towel, plastic wrap, rubber band, Science Activity Book, sunscreen tube, tape, tube, UV flashlight, UV pony beads

Household Materials

three small pieces of butter, paper and pencil, water

Unit Overview

In this unit, your learner will discover that energy can be found in sound, heat, electricity, and light and will demonstrate their understanding of electrical currents by building an electric circuit. Your learner will develop an understanding of how light and heat waves transfer energy and will learn how waves can be used to communicate.

Unit Assessments

Quiz _________________________

Test _________________________

Assignment ________________

Project _____________________

Exam _______________________

Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply.

Unit Discussion Questions

What are some examples of how you use energy and how energy may be used in your home?

Why is the ability to transfer information important?

Unit Notables

In this unit, your learner will explore the laws of motion and discover the relationship between forces and motion. If they get stuck, review the examples provided in the lesson and if possible, engage in an investigation of these forces at home.

Kit Materials

two salt packets, one piece of cardstock paper, three chenille stems, three metal spoons, 9-volt battery, clear plastic cups, graphite pencils, LED lightbulb, Newton’s Cradle, paper towel, plastic wrap, rubber band, Science Activity Book, sunscreen tube, tape, tube, UV flashlight, UV pony beads

Household Materials

three small pieces of butter, paper and pencil, water

Animals and Plants Unit

Unit Overview

In this unit, your learner will explore the internal and external structures and functions that help plants and animals survive and communicate. They will also complete a mini-investigation to support their understanding of how animals use their structures to function and survive.

Unit Assessments

Quiz _________________________

Test _________________________

Assignment ________________

Project _____________________

Exam _______________________

Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply.

Unit Discussion Questions

How do the structures of plants and animals help them to survive?

How do your structures help you to survive?

How do animals learn about their environment?

Unit Notables

In this unit, your learner will explore how an animal’s external and internal structure supports its survival. Support them through discussion in comparing and contrasting the structures of the animals with their own structures. Discuss with them the structures of a human and how each structure helps in survival.

Kit Materials

aluminium pan, gummy fish, Morse code card set, pipette, sand, Science Activity Book, soup spoon, tweezers

Household Materials

about three cups of water

Unit Overview

In this unit, your learner will explore the internal and external structures and functions that help plants and animals survive and communicate. They will also complete a mini-investigation to support their understanding of how animals use their structures to function and survive.

Unit Assessments

Quiz _________________________

Test _________________________

Assignment ________________

Project _____________________

Exam _______________________

Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply.

Unit Discussion Questions

How do the structures of plants and animals help them to survive?

How do your structures help you to survive?

How do animals learn about their environment?

Unit Notables

In this unit, your learner will explore how an animal’s external and internal structure supports its survival. Support them through discussion in comparing and contrasting the structures of the animals with their own structures. Discuss with them the structures of a human and how each structure helps in survival.

Kit Materials

aluminium pan, gummy fish, Morse code card set, pipette, sand, Science Activity Book, soup spoon, tweezers

Household Materials

about three cups of water

The Shape of Earth Unit