South Carolina Academic Standards Alignment | Big Canyon Balloon Program

Kindergarten First GradeSecond GradeThird GradeFourth Grade Fifth Grade


Please note: Since the 2014 Science Standards are written with specific SEPs written into the Performance Indicators, we decided to only drill down to the Conceptual Understandings. Our programs are hands-on and interactive and tailored to the concepts taught at each level. 


Kindergarten

K.S.1A.1 Ask and answer questions about the natural world using explorations, observations, or structured investigations.
K.S.1A.2 Develop and use models to (1) understand or represent phenomena, processes, and relationships, (2) test devices or solutions, or (3) communicate ideas to others.
K.S.1A.3 With teacher guidance, conduct structured investigations to answer scientific questions, test predictions and develop explanations: (1) predict possible outcomes, (2) identify materials and follow procedures, (3) use appropriate tools or instruments to make qualitative observations and take nonstandard measurements, and (4) record and represent data in an appropriate form. Use appropriate safety procedures.
K.S.1A.4 Analyze and interpret data from observations, measurements, or investigations to understand patterns and meanings.
K.S.1A.5 Use mathematical thinking to (1) recognize and express quantitative observations, (2) collect and analyze data, or (3) understand patterns and relationships.
K.S.1A.6 Construct explanations of phenomena using (1) student-generated observations and measurements, (2) results of investigations, or (3) data communicated in graphs, tables, or diagrams.
K.S.1A.8 Obtain and evaluate informational texts, observations, data collected, or discussions to (1) generate and answer questions about the natural world, (2) understand phenomena, (3) develop models, or (4) support explanations. Communicate observations and explanations using oral and written language.
K.L.2A. Conceptual Understanding: The environment consists of many types of organisms including plants, animals, and fungi. Organisms depend on the land, water, and air to live and grow. Plants need water and light to make their own food. Fungi and animals cannot make their own food and get energy from other sources. Animals (including humans) use different body parts to obtain food and other resources needed to grow and survive. Organisms live in areas where their needs for air, water, nutrients, and shelter are met.

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1st Grade

1.S.1A.1 Ask and answer questions about the natural world using explorations, observations, or structured investigations.
1.S.1A.2 Develop and use models to (1) understand or represent phenomena, processes, and relationships, (2) test devices or solutions, or (3) communicate ideas to others.
1.S.1A.3 With teacher guidance, conduct structured investigations to answer scientific questions, test predictions and develop explanations: (1) predict possible outcomes, (2) identify materials and follow procedures, (3) use appropriate tools or instruments to collect qualitative and quantitative data, and (4) record and represent data in an appropriate form. Use appropriate safety procedures.
1.S.1A.4 Analyze and interpret data from observations, measurements, or investigations to understand patterns and meanings.
1.S.1A.5 Use mathematical and computational thinking to (1) recognize and express quantitative observations, (2) collect and analyze data, or (3) understand patterns and relationships.
1.S.1A.6 Construct explanations of phenomena using (1) student-generated observations and measurements, (2) results of scientific investigations, or (3) data communicated in graphs, tables, or diagrams.
1.S.1A.8 Obtain and evaluate informational texts, observations, data collected, or discussions to (1) generate and answer questions about the natural world, (2) understand phenomena, (3) develop models, or (4) support explanations. Communicate observations and explanations clearly through oral and written language.
1.E.4A. Conceptual Understanding: Earth is made of different materials, including rocks, sand, soil, and water. An Earth material is a resource that comes from Earth. Earth materials can be classified by their observable properties.
1.E.4B. Conceptual Understanding: Natural resources are things that people use that come from Earth (such as land, water, air, and trees). Natural resources can be conserved.

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2nd Grade

2.S.1A.1 Ask and answer questions about the natural world using explorations, observations, or structured investigations.
2.S.1A.2 Develop and use models to (1) understand or represent phenomena, processes, and relationships, (2) test devices or solutions, or (3) communicate ideas to others.
2.S.1A.3 With teacher guidance, conduct structured investigations to answer scientific questions, test predictions and develop explanations: (1) predict possible outcomes, (2) identify materials and follow procedures, (3) use appropriate tools or instruments to collect qualitative and quantitative data, and (4) record and represent data in an appropriate form. Use appropriate safety procedures.
2.S.1A.4 Analyze and interpret data from observations, measurements, or investigations to understand patterns and meanings.
2.S.1A.5 Use mathematical and computational thinking to (1) express quantitative observations using appropriate English or metric units, (2) collect and analyze data, or (3) understand patterns, trends and relationships.
2.S.1A.6 Construct explanations of phenomena using (1) student-generated observations and measurements, (2) results of scientific investigations, or (3) data communicated in graphs, tables, or diagrams.
2.E.2A.3 Develop and use models to describe and compare the effects of wind (moving air) on objects.
2.P.3A.2 Develop and use models to exemplify how matter can be mixed together and separated again based on the properties of the mixture.
2.P.4A. Conceptual Understanding: An object that is not moving will only move if it is pushed or pulled. Pushes and pulls can vary in strength and direction and can affect the motion of an object. Gravity is a pull that makes objects fall to the ground. Friction is produced when two objects come in contact with each other and can be reduced if needed.
2.L.5B. Conceptual Understanding: Animals (including humans) require air, water, food, and shelter to survive in environments where these needs can be met. There are distinct environments in the world that support different types of animals. Environments can change slowly or quickly. Animals respond to these changes in different ways.

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3rd Grade

3.S.1A.1 Ask questions that can be (1) answered using scientific investigations or (2) used to refine models, explanations, or designs.
3.S.1A.2 Develop, use, and refine models to (1) understand or represent phenomena, processes, and relationships, (2) test devices or solutions, or (3) communicate ideas to others.
3.E.4A. Conceptual Understanding: Earth is made of materials (including rocks, minerals, soil, and water) that have distinct properties. These materials provide resources for human activities.
3.E.4B. Conceptual Understanding: Earth’s surface has changed over time by natural processes and by human activities. Humans can take steps to reduce the impact of these changes.
3.L.5A. Conceptual Understanding: The characteristics of an environment (including physical characteristics, temperature, availability of resources, or the kinds and numbers of organisms present) influence the diversity of organisms that live there. Organisms can survive only in environments where their basic needs are met. All organisms need energy to live and grow. This energy is obtained from food. The role an organism serves in an ecosystem can be described by the way in which it gets its energy.  
3.L.5B. Conceptual Understanding: When the environment or habitat changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce, some move to new locations, and some die. Fossils can be used to infer characteristics of environments from long ago.

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4th Grade

4.S.1A.1 Ask questions that can be (1) answered using scientific investigations or (2) used to refine models, explanations, or designs.
4.S.1A.2 Develop, use, and refine models to (1) understand or represent phenomena, processes, and relationships, (2) test devices or solutions, or (3) communicate ideas to others.
4.S.1A.3 Plan and conduct scientific investigations to answer questions, test predictions and develop explanations: (1) formulate scientific questions and predict possible outcomes, (2) identify materials, procedures, and variables, (3) select and use appropriate tools or instruments to collect qualitative and quantitative data, and (4) record and represent data in an appropriate form. Use appropriate safety procedures. 
4.S.1A.5 Use mathematical and computational thinking to (1) express quantitative observations using appropriate English or metric units, (2) collect and analyze data, or (3) understand patterns, trends and relationships between variables.
4.E.2A. Conceptual Understanding: Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture of gases, including water vapor and oxygen. The movement of water, which is found almost everywhere on Earth including the atmosphere, changes form and cycles between Earth’s surface and the air and back again. This cycling of water is driven by energy from the Sun. The movement of water in the water cycle is a major pattern that influences weather conditions. Clouds form during this cycle and various types of precipitation result.
4.L.5B. Conceptual Understanding: Plants and animals have physical characteristics that allow them to receive information from the environment. Structural adaptations within groups of plants and animals allow them to better survive and reproduce.

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5th Grade

5.S.1A.1 Ask questions used to (1) generate hypotheses for scientific investigations or (2) refine models, explanations, or designs.
5.S.1A.2 Develop, use, and refine models to (1) understand or represent phenomena, processes, and relationships, (2) test devices or solutions, or (3) communicate ideas to others.
5.S.1A.3 Plan and conduct controlled scientific investigations to answer questions, test hypotheses and predictions, and develop explanations: (1) formulate scientific questions and testable hypotheses, (2) identify materials, procedures, and variables, (3) select and use appropriate tools or instruments to collect qualitative and quantitative data, and (4) record and represent data in an appropriate form. Use appropriate safety procedures.
5.P.2B. Conceptual Understanding: A mixture is formed when two or more kinds of matter are put together
5.E.3A. Conceptual Understanding: Some of the land on Earth is located above water and some is located below the oceans. The downhill movement of water as it flows to the ocean shapes the appearance of the land. There are patterns in the location and structure of landforms found on the continents and those found on the ocean floor.
5.E.3B. Conceptual Understanding: Earth’s oceans and landforms can be affected by natural processes in various ways. Humans cannot eliminate natural hazards caused by these processes but can take steps to reduce their impacts. Human activities can affect the land and oceans in positive and negative ways.
5.L.4B. Conceptual Understanding: All organisms need energy to live and grow. Energy is obtained from food. The role an organism serves in an ecosystem can be described by the way in which it gets its energy. Energy is transferred within an ecosystem as organisms produce, consume, or decompose food. A healthy ecosystem is one in which a diversity of life forms are able to meet their needs in a relatively stable web of life.

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