STREAM Missions Grade 4
Fourth-Grade Titles
In Amazing Body, students explore how the body works in different scenarios and how body systems work together.
Essential Question:
How does my body respond when I get the wind knocked out of me?
In Design and Solutions, students explore and apply the design process to create a card car solution. Students also explore different forms of communication.
Essential Question:
What is the engineering design process?
In Earth Processes, students build and create models of landforms and the rock cycle. They conduct experiments showing mechanical weathering, erosion, watershed runoff, and acid rain.
Essential Question:
How has Earth changed over time?
In Earth Rocks, students explore the rock cycle, fossils, Earth’s layers, minerals, and fossil fuels.
Essential Question:
How do rocks change over time?
In Energy and Work, students explore energy, work, and gravity. They study the different types of energy and the way energy is converted. Students also analyze the formula for calculating work.
Essential Question:
What is work?
In Extreme Earth, students discover natural disasters that can happen all over Earth. They explore natural disasters from water, from severe storms, and from mountains.
Essential Question:
What items would you need in order to survive a natural disaster?
In Light, students investigate the properties of light, energy, and waves through experiments.
Essential Question:
What are the characteristics of light?
In Ocean Life, students discover life in the different layers of the ocean and on the ocean floor. They explore many parts of the ocean from waves at the surface to tectonic plate movement below.
Essential Question:
What are ways in which Earth’s four spheres are connected?
In Plants, students discover the parts of a plant and its life cycle. They learn how plants grow through photosynthesis, adapt to survive, and develop interdependent relationships with animals.
Essential Question:
How do plant structures help plants survive, grow, and reproduce?
In Science Inquiry, students learn about the scientific method. They explore gravity, robotics, hypotheses, variables, observations, and data and perform different experiments.
Essential Question:
How can holding weight affect the height of your jump?
In Simple Machines, students learn about the different types of simple machines. They create a mechanism using the simple machines.
Essential Question:
How do simple machines make our lives easier?
In Space Exploration, students learn about the different ways humans discover the universe.
Essential Question:
Should governments spend money on space exploration?
In Structure and Function, students explore different animal structures and their functions. They classify animals by different characteristics.
Essential Question:
How do animals respond to changes in their environment?
In Transportation and Power, students design, build, and test pipelines, boats, airplanes, and cars. They also investigate how energy is transferred when cars collide.
Essential Question:
What is transportation and what can be transported?
In Waves, students discover that waves are a part of many natural events. They explore waves from water and sound.
Essential Question:
How do you measure amplitude and wavelength in waves?