Section 389.2939 - Third through fifth grades: ScienceBy the beginning of the fifth grade, pupils must know and be able to do everything required in the previous grades for science offered in public schools. Instruction in the fifth grade in science must be designed so that pupils meet the following performance standards by the completion of the fifth grade:
1. For the area of a of physical science, understand: (a) Matter and its interactions, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to: (1) Develop a model to demonstrate that matter is made of particles too small to be seen. (2) Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that, regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved. (3) Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties. (4) Conduct an investigation to deter mine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances. (b) The forces and interactions which affect motion and stability, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by earth objects is directed down. For the purpose of this paragraph, "down" means the direction that points toward the center of the spherical earth.(c) Energy, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to use models to demonstrate that energy in the food consumed by animals, which is used for body repair, growth and motion and to maintain body warmth, was once energy from the sun. 2. For the area of life science, understand: (a) The structures and processes from molecules to organisms, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to support an argument that plants primarily obtain the matter they need for growth from air and water.(b) The interactions, energy and dynamics of ecosystems, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to develop a model to demonstrate the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers and the environment. 3. For the area of earth science, understand: (a) The earth's place in the universe, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to: (1) Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars are because of their relative distances from earth.(2) Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in the length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the sky at night.(b) The earth's systems, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to: (1) Develop a model using an example to demonstrate the ways in which the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere interact. (2) Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on earth. (c) The earth and human activity on earth, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use scientific concepts to protect the earth's resources and environment.4. For the area of engineering technology, understand design, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to: (a) Define a simple design problem which reflects a need or desire and includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time or cost. (b) Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each solution is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. (c) Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that may be improvedNev. Admin. Code § 389.2939
Added to NAC by Bd. of Education by R075-99, eff. 11-4-99; A by R041-05, 10-31-2005-Substituted in revision for NAC 389.2947; A by R084-13, eff. 6/23/2014; A by R141-14, eff. 10/27/2015NRS 385.080, 385.110, 389.0185, 389.520