New Mexico State Standards for Science: Grade 5

NM.I. Scientific Thinking and Practice: Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, experimenting, predicting, and validating to think critically.

I-A. Use scientific methods to develop questions, design and conduct experiments using appropriate technologies, analyze and evaluate results, make predictions, and communicate findings.

I-A.1a. Plan and conduct investigations, including formulating testable questions, making systematic observations, developing logical conclusions, and communicating findings. 21
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.1a.

I-A.2a. Use appropriate technologies (e.g., calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes) to perform scientific tests and to collect and display data. 21
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.2a.

I-A.3a. Use graphic representations (e.g., charts, graphs, tables, labeled diagrams) to present data and produce explanations for investigations. 21
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.3a.

I-A.4a. Describe how credible scientific investigations use reproducible elements including single variables, controls, and appropriate sample sizes to produce valid scientific results. 21
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.4a.

I-A.5a. Communicate the steps and results of a scientific investigation. 21
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.5a.

I-B. Understand the processes of scientific investigation and how scientific inquiry results in scientific knowledge.

I-B.1a. Understand that different kinds of investigations are used to answer different kinds of questions (e.g., observations, data collection, controlled experiments). 21
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-B.1a.

I-B.2a. Understand that scientific conclusions are subject to peer and public review. 21
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-B.2a.

I-C. Use mathematical ideas, tools, and techniques to understand scientific knowledge.

I-C.1a. Use appropriate units to make precise and varied measurements. 16
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-C.1a.

I-C.2a. Use mathematical skills to analyze data. 23
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I-C.3a. Make predictions based on analyses of data, observations, and explanations. 4
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-C.3a.

I-C.4a. Understand the attributes to be measured in a scientific investigation and describe the units, systems, and processes for making the measurement. 21
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-C.4a.

NM.II. Content of Science: Earth and Space Science: Understand the structure of Earth, the solar system, and the universe, the interconnections among them, and the processes and interactions of Earth's systems.

II-A. Describe how the concepts of energy, matter, and force can be used to explain the observed behavior of the solar system, the universe, and their structures.

II-A.1a. Know that many objects in the universe are huge and are separated from one another by vast distances (e.g., many stars are larger than the sun but so distant that they look like points of light). 22
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.1a.

II-A.2a. Understand that Earth is part of a larger solar system, which is part of an even larger galaxy (Milky Way), which is one of many galaxies. 24
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II-A.3a. Know that there have been manned and unmanned journeys to space and to the moon. 25
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II-A.4a. Describe how human activity impacts the environment. 31
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II-A.5a. Describe the relative location and motion of the particles (atoms and molecules) in each state of matter. 4
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.5a.

II-A.6a. Explain the relationship between temperature and the motion of particles in each state of matter. 4
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.6a.

II-B. Describe the structure of Earth and its atmosphere and explain how energy, matter, and forces shape Earth's systems.

II-B.1a. Understand that water and air relate to Earth's processes, including: how the water cycle relates to weather; how clouds are made of tiny droplets of water, like fog or steam. 4
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.1a.

II-B.2a. Know that air is a substance that surrounds Earth (atmosphere), takes up space, and moves, and that temperature fluctuations and other factors produce wind currents. 3
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II-B.3a. Know that most of Earth's surface is covered by water, that most of that water is salt water in oceans, and that fresh water is found in rivers, lakes, underground sources, and glaciers. 6
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II-B.4a. Recognize that the seasons are caused by Earth's motion around the sun and the tilt of Earth's axis of rotation. 4
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.4a.

II-C. Understand the structure of organisms and the function of cells in living systems.

II-C.1a. Understand that all living organisms are composed of cells from one to many trillions, and that cells are usually only visible through a microscope. 7
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-C.1a.

II-C.2a. Know that some organisms are made of a collection of similar cells that cooperate (e.g., algae) while other organisms are made of cells that are different in appearance and function (e.g., corn, birds). 7
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II-C.3a. Describe the relationships among cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, whole organisms, and ecosystems. 13
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II-C.4a. Understand that when a force (e.g., gravity, friction) acts on an object, the object speeds up, slows down, or goes in a different direction. 6
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II-C.5a. Identify simple machines and describe how they give advantage to users (e.g., levers, pulleys, wheels and axles, inclined planes, screws, wedges). 19
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-C.5a.

NM.II. Content of Science: Life Science: Understand the properties, structures, and processes of living things and the interdependence of living things and their environments.

II-A. Explain the diverse structures and functions of living things and the complex relationships between living things and their environments.

II-A.1a. Identify the components of habitats and ecosystems (producers, consumers, decomposers, predators).

II-A.2a. Understand how food webs depict relationships between different organisms. 10
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.2a.

II-A.3a. Know that changes in the environment can have different effects on different organisms (e.g., some organisms move, some survive, some reproduce, some die). 13
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.3a.

II-A.4a. Describe how human activity impacts the environment. 31
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.4a.

II-B. Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how species evolve.

II-B.1a. Know that plants and animals have life cycles that include birth, growth and development, reproduction, and death and that these cycles differ for different organisms. 18
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.1a.

II-B.2a. Identify characteristics of an organism that are inherited from its parents (e.g., eye color in humans, flower color in plants) and other characteristics that are learned or result from interactions with the environment. 4
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.2a.

II-B.3a. Understand that heredity is the process by which traits are passed from one generation to another. 4
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.3a.

NM.III. Science and Society: Understand how scientific discoveries, inventions, practices, and knowledge influence, and are influenced by, individuals and societies.

III-A. Explain how scientific discoveries and inventions have changed individuals and societies.

III-A.1a. Describe the contributions of science to understanding local or current issues (e.g., watershed and community decisions regarding water use). 12
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard III-A.1a.

III-A.2a. Describe how various technologies have affected the lives of individuals (e.g., transportation, entertainment, health). 6
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