5th grade science builds deeper understanding of how the natural world works through reasoning and evidence. Students explore matter, ecosystems, Earth's systems and space with real-world applications.

Key Topics Covered:

The particle model of matter, properties of materials, gravity, plants and food webs, Earth's water and spheres, stars, shadows and the seasons.

Parent Tip:

Encourage your child to explain why something happens. It builds strong scientific thinking, and many states test science in 5th grade.

Use the particle model to explain states of matter and changes

Identify materials by their properties and show matter is conserved

Explain that gravity pulls objects toward Earth

Trace how matter and energy move through food webs

Describe how Earth's spheres and water resources interact

Explain day, night, shadows and seasons with models

Student learning 5th grade science online with a live tutor at home in the USA

No.	Topic	What We Cover
01	What Is Matter?	Learn that all matter takes up space and has mass, using solids, liquids and gases.
02	The Particle Model of Matter	Model matter as tiny particles too small to see, and explain how this describes air and other gases.
03	States of Matter and Particles	Compare how particles move and pack in solids, liquids and gases and when they change state.
04	Conservation of Matter	Show with weighing that total weight stays the same when materials are heated, cooled or mixed.
05	Measuring Properties of Materials	Test hardness, color, magnetism, conductivity and solubility using fair tests.
06	Identifying Materials by Properties	Use measured properties as evidence to identify an unknown material.
07	Mixing Substances and Chemical Changes	Decide from evidence whether mixing substances makes a new substance.
08	Investigating Reactions	Observe safe reactions such as baking soda and vinegar and record signs of change.
09	Design Challenge: Choosing Materials	Select materials for a purpose based on their properties and test your choice.
10	Quarter 1 Review	Review matter and its properties. A mock test and parent report follow.

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Student in a tutoring session with their tutor

Warm-up (5 min)

Quick review of the previous session and a what do you notice question

Core Teaching (25 min)

New idea from the lesson eBook, with demonstrations and examples

Guided Practice (15 min)

Student explores a simple investigation with tutor support

Independent Practice (10 min)

Student completes the in-class quiz independently

Wrap-up (5 min)

Summary, 2 take-home quizzes and a preview of the next session

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No.	Topic	What We Cover
11	Gravity Pulls Down	Show that gravity pulls objects toward Earth's center, with drops, ramps and everyday examples.
12	Gravity at Work	Use gravity to explain falling, weight and why objects stay on the ground wherever you live on Earth.
13	How Plants Get Matter	Investigate evidence that plants build most of their material from air and water.
14	Plants, Light and Growth	Test how light and water affect how well plants grow.
15	Energy From the Sun to Food	Trace how the sun's energy moves through plants to animals in a simple food chain.
16	Food Webs and Ecosystems	Build food webs for ecosystems such as forests, ponds and prairies.
17	Producers, Consumers and Decomposers	Describe each role and how decomposers return matter to the soil.
18	Matter Cycling in Ecosystems	Model how matter moves among plants, animals, decomposers and the environment.
19	Modeling an Ecosystem	Create a diagram or terrarium to show how living things depend on one another.
20	Quarter 2 Review	Review gravity, plants and ecosystems. A mock test and parent report follow.

No.	Topic	What We Cover
21	Earth's Four Spheres	Define the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere with examples.
22	How Earth's Spheres Interact	Explain how the spheres affect each other, such as rain shaping rivers and plants holding soil.
23	Water on Earth	Compare salt water in oceans with fresh water in lakes, rivers and glaciers.
24	Graphing Earth's Water	Graph the share of Earth's water in oceans, ice and fresh water to see how little is drinkable.
25	The Water Cycle	Follow water through evaporation, condensation and precipitation.
26	Glaciers, Groundwater and Lakes	Learn where freshwater is stored, including the Great Lakes and the Ogallala Aquifer.
27	Protecting Earth's Resources	Explore ways communities save water, reduce waste and protect land.
28	Community Solutions	Compare real solutions such as recycling programs, rain gardens and conservation rules.
29	Engineering a Water Solution	Design and test a simple water filter or collection model.
30	Quarter 3 Review	Review Earth's spheres and resources. A mock test and parent report follow.

No.	Topic	What We Cover
31	The Sun Is a Star	Learn that the sun is a star and compare it with the stars we see at night.
32	Brightness and Distance	Explain why nearby stars look brighter than far ones, using flashlight models.
33	Stars and Constellations	Find constellations such as the Big Dipper and Orion and describe how they appear to move.
34	Day and Night	Model Earth's spin to explain day and night.
35	Shadows and the Sun's Path	Track shadow length and direction through the day and graph the pattern.
36	The Seasons	Explain how Earth's tilt and orbit lead to changes in day length and temperature.
37	Star Patterns Across Seasons	Compare which stars and constellations are visible in different seasons.
38	The Engineering Design Process	Define a problem, set criteria and constraints, build, test and improve.
39	Mini Science Project	Choose a question, plan a fair test and share the results in a short presentation.
40	Grade 5 Review and Grade 6 Readiness	Review the year's science and preview 6th grade topics. A mock test and parent report follow.

5th Grade Science Tutoring in the USA

By Quarter 4 of 5th Grade Science, Your Child Will...

5th Grade Science Curriculum, Quarter by Quarter

Try a Free Lesson to See the Full Program

Try a Free Lesson to See the Full Program

Try a Free Lesson to See the Full Program

Try a Free Lesson to See the Full Program