Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) Grade 5 study plan

Identify and describe the four major Earth systems (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) and give one example of matter or energy moving between each pair.

Explain how the Sun's energy drives the water cycle, and trace a water molecule through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection.

Distinguish between weather and climate, and list at least three factors that influence climate in a region.

Interpret a simple weather map or data table to describe temperature, precipitation, and wind patterns.

Compare renewable and nonrenewable energy resources and classify at least six examples correctly.

Describe how human activities can affect the four Earth systems, and propose one solution to reduce a negative impact.

Explain the processes of erosion, deposition, and weathering, and identify landforms created by each.

Read and interpret a simple geologic column or rock layer diagram to infer relative ages.

Describe the layers of Earth (crust, mantle, outer core, inner core) and compare their relative thickness and composition.

Explain plate tectonics and relate plate boundaries to earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building.

Define matter, mass, and volume, and use these terms to describe common materials.

Measure and record mass and volume using appropriate tools (balance, graduated cylinder), and calculate density with a simple formula.

Classify matter as solid, liquid, or gas based on particle arrangement and motion, and describe changes of state in terms of energy.

Distinguish between physical and chemical changes, and provide two examples of each with evidence.

Identify the parts of an atom (proton, neutron, electron) and explain how elements are organized on the periodic table.

Use the periodic table to identify properties of common elements and predict whether a material is a metal, nonmetal, or metalloid.

Explain how energy is transferred through conduction, convection, and radiation, and give a real-world example of each.

Describe how light and sound travel in waves, and compare their properties (wavelength, frequency, amplitude).

Trace the flow of energy through a simple food chain and explain the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Describe how plants use sunlight to make food (photosynthesis) and how animals obtain energy from food.

Compare the structures and functions of plant and animal cells, and identify at least four organelles and their jobs.

Explain how body systems (e.g., circulatory, respiratory, digestive) work together to support life processes.

Describe inherited traits versus learned behaviors, and give examples of each in plants and animals.

Model how organisms interact in an ecosystem, including competition, predation, and mutualism.

Explain how adaptations help organisms survive in their environments, and give examples from at least three biomes.

Describe the stages of a life cycle for a plant and an animal, and compare their reproductive strategies.

Analyze how changes in an environment (e.g., drought, fire, human development) can affect populations and ecosystems.

Interpret a graph of population data to predict future trends and identify possible causes.

Integrate concepts from physical, life, and Earth sciences to explain a real-world phenomenon (e.g., how a volcanic eruption affects climate and ecosystems).

Practice answering multiple-choice and short-constructed-response questions under timed conditions, and review errors.

Use evidence to construct a scientific explanation that includes a claim, evidence, and reasoning.

Review and self-assess mastery of all key vocabulary and core ideas from the 8 weeks.