Example sequences: a sample of the new changes, before and after
Your words: "give me a sample of 10-20 of your new proposed changes to see so I can check you've got the right idea." Sixteen lessons from the topics you have not yet reviewed, chosen to show both shapes: where the class is a feature of one thing, the same object carries the flip; where the class is a kind of thing, the thing changes and the scene holds. Red is what the lesson said; green is what it says now. Topics 1, 2, 3 and 11 are left as you signed them off. Tap Apply the change or Keep it as it was under each; your verdict on the sample tells me whether to keep the other hundred or so, and whether the two held video edits (Topics 14 and 23) go. 16 lessons. Built 2026-10-07 against commit a43d2375.
4 · How energy moves from one thing to another
L03 · Energy can move across a gap attribute: the same heater and hand, gap then touching
Frame: Do the energy source and the receiver touch? <verdict>. <Carrier> carries the energy.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Brady at lunchtime, on the sunny school steps with a mug of hot cocoa. | Here's Brady at lunchtime, on the sunny school steps with a mug of hot cocoa. |
| His hands warm up on the mug, and his face warms up in the Sun. Miss Murphy asks: what is touching your face? | His hands warm up on the mug, and his face warms up in the Sun. Miss Murphy asks: what is touching your face? |
| The mug and Brady's hands touch, and heat carries the energy from the mug to his hands. | The mug and Brady's hands touch, and heat carries the energy from the mug to his hands. |
| Now he holds his hands just above the mug. They touch nothing, and they still warm up: heat carries energy across the gap. | But now he holds his hands just above the mug. They touch nothing, and still warm up: heat carries energy across the gap. |
| And nothing touches his face. The Sun is far away, and its light carries energy across the gap. | And nothing touches his face. The Sun is far away, and its light carries energy across the gap. |
| And now a drum booms across a field. It does not touch Bennett's ear, and sound carries energy across the gap. | And now a drum booms across a field. It does not touch Bennett's ear, and sound carries energy across the gap. |
| But electricity is different. It carries energy only along a wire from the energy source to the receiver. | But electricity is different. It carries energy only along a wire from the energy source to the receiver. |
| So, energy can move between two things that are not touching. | So, energy can move between two things that are not touching. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| At lunchtime, Brady sits on the sunny school steps with a mug of hot cocoa. | At lunchtime, Brady sits on the sunny school steps with a mug of hot cocoa. |
| His hands warm up on the mug, and his face warms up in the Sun. | His hands warm up on the mug, and his face warms up in the Sun. |
| Miss Murphy says, 'The mug is touching your hands. But what is touching your face?' | Miss Murphy says, 'The mug is touching your hands. But what is touching your face?' |
| ## The mug and Brady's hands | ## The mug and Brady's hands |
| The mug is the energy source, and Brady's hands are the receiver. They touch. | The mug is the energy source, and Brady's hands are the receiver. They touch. |
| Heat carries the energy from the mug to his hands. | Heat carries the energy from the mug to his hands. |
| ## Hands just above the mug | ## Hands just above the mug |
| Now Brady holds his hands just above the mug. Nothing touches them. | Now Brady holds his hands just above the mug. Nothing touches them. |
| Two things touch when nothing lies between them. Air between them is a gap. | Two things touch when nothing lies between them. Air between them is a gap. |
| His hands still warm up, so heat carries the energy across the gap. | The mug and his hands do not touch, and his hands still warm up. Heat carries the energy across the gap. |
| ## The Sun and Brady's face | ## The Sun and Brady's face |
| Nothing touches Brady's face either. The Sun is far, far away. | Nothing touches Brady's face either. The Sun is far, far away. |
| But the Sun's light carries energy across the gap to his face, and his face warms up. | The Sun's light still carries energy across the gap to his face, and his face warms up. |
| ## More gaps | ## More gaps |
| Far across the school field, a band's drum booms, and Bennett hears it. | Far across the school field, a band's drum booms, and Bennett hears it. |
| The drum and Bennett's ear do not touch. Sound carries the energy across the field. | The drum and Bennett's ear do not touch. Sound carries the energy across the field. |
| Bennett sits an arm's length from the fireplace, and his face warms up. | Back inside, Bennett holds his hand an arm's length from the warm heater, and his hand warms up. |
| The fire and his face do not touch, and heat carries the energy across the gap. | The heater and his hand do not touch, and heat carries the energy across the gap. |
| ## Touching again, and the wire | ## Touching again, and the wire |
| Bennett rests his hand on the warm heater. They touch, and heat carries the energy. | But now Bennett rests his hand on the heater. They touch, and heat carries the energy. |
| Electricity is different: it carries energy only along a wire from the energy source to the receiver. | Electricity is different: it carries energy only along a wire from the energy source to the receiver. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: Energy can move between two things that are not touching. Light, sound and heat can carry energy across a gap, but electricity needs a wire from the energy source to the receiver. | RULE: Energy can move between two things that are not touching. Light, sound and heat can carry energy across a gap, but electricity needs a wire from the energy source to the receiver. |
6 · How heat moves from hot to cold
L01 · Which thing heats the other attribute: the same spoon in the same soup
Frame: <X> is hotter than <Y>. So <X> heats <Y>. / <X> and <Y> are the same temperature. So neither heats the other.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Carla in Miss Hughes's classroom, her hand flat on the cold window. It feels cold. | Here's Carla in Miss Hughes's classroom, her hand flat on the cold window. It feels cold. |
| Cedric says the cold is getting in. No. Nothing moves into her hand. | Cedric says the cold is getting in. But Cedric is wrong. No cold moves into Carla's hand. Carla's hand heats the window. |
| Her hand is hotter than the window, so heat moves from her hand to the window. | The hotter thing always heats the colder thing, and her hand is hotter than the window. |
| Heat leaves her hand, so it feels cold. | Her hand gets colder as it heats the window, so it feels cold. |
| And now, a cold spoon in hot soup. The soup is hotter, so heat moves from the soup to the spoon. | For example, here's an ice cube in cold fridge water. The water is hotter, so the water heats the ice. |
| And now, an ice cube in cold fridge water. The water is hotter, so heat moves from the water to the ice. | And a cold spoon in hot soup. The soup is hotter, so the soup heats the spoon. |
| But now, a cup of water on the table all day. Both are the same temperature, so no heat moves. | But after a long time in the soup, both are the same temperature, so neither heats the other. |
| So, here's the pattern. Heat moves from the hotter thing to the colder thing. If two things are the same temperature, no heat moves between them. | So, here's the pattern. The hotter thing heats the colder thing. If two things are the same temperature, neither heats the other. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| It is a snowy morning in Miss Hughes's classroom. | It is a snowy morning in Miss Hughes's classroom. |
| Carla presses her hand flat on the cold window. | Carla presses her hand flat on the cold window. |
| After a moment, her hand feels cold. | After a moment, her hand feels cold. |
| Cedric says, 'The cold is getting into your hand.' | Cedric says, 'The cold is getting into your hand.' |
| Miss Hughes asks, 'Is anything moving into Carla's hand?' | Miss Hughes asks, 'Is anything moving into Carla's hand?' |
| ## Which way the heat moves | ## Which one heats the other |
| No, nothing moves into Carla's hand. | Cedric is wrong. |
| No cold moves into Carla's hand. | |
| Carla's hand heats the window. | |
| Her hand is hotter than the window. | |
| So her hand heats the window. | |
| Heat carries energy from one thing to another. | Heat carries energy from one thing to another. |
| Carla's hand is hotter than the window. | Her hand gets colder as it heats the window. |
| So heat moves from her hand into the window. | That is why her hand feels cold. |
| Her hand feels cold because heat is leaving it. | |
| Nothing called cold moves in. | |
| ## More examples | ## More examples |
| Now consider a cold metal spoon in a bowl of hot soup. | |
| The soup is hotter than the spoon. So heat moves from the soup to the spoon. | |
| Now consider an ice cube in a glass of cold water from the fridge. | Now consider an ice cube in a glass of cold water from the fridge. |
| The water is colder than your hand, but it is hotter than the ice. | The water is colder than your hand, but it is hotter than the ice. |
| So heat moves from the water to the ice. | So the water heats the ice. |
| Now consider a cold metal spoon in a bowl of hot soup. | |
| The soup is hotter than the spoon. So the soup heats the spoon. | |
| ## The same temperature | ## The same temperature |
| But now consider a cup of water that has stood on a table all day. | But now the spoon has been in the soup for a long time. |
| The water and the table are the same temperature. | The spoon and the soup are the same temperature. |
| So no heat moves between them. | So neither heats the other. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: Heat moves from the hotter thing to the colder thing. If two things are the same temperature, no heat moves between them. | RULE: The hotter thing heats the colder thing. If two things are the same temperature, neither heats the other. |
| Here is Carla's hand on the window again. | Here is Carla's hand on the window again. |
| Her hand is hotter than the window, so heat moves out of her hand into the window. | Her hand is hotter than the window, so her hand heats the window. |
| That is why her hand feels cold. | Her hand gets colder as it heats the window. That is why it feels cold. |
Quiz items (stem | options)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Celeste holds her hands above a hot toaster, and her hands warm up. What carries the energy from the toaster to her hands? | the toaster's heat / the toaster's sound | Celeste holds her hands above a hot toaster, and her hands warm up. What carries the energy from the toaster to her hands? | the toaster's heat / the toaster's sound |
| A hot pan sits on a cold stove top. Which way does heat move? | from the pan to the stove top / from the stove top to the pan / no heat moves | A hot pan sits on a cold stove top. Which one heats the other? | The pan heats the stove top. / The stove top heats the pan. / Neither heats the other. |
| Cedric holds a cold can of juice in his warm hand. Which way does heat move? | from the can to the hand / from the hand to the can / no heat moves | Cedric holds a cold can of juice in his warm hand. Which one heats the other? | The can heats the hand. / The hand heats the can. / Neither heats the other. |
| A frozen pea drops into cold milk from the fridge. Which way does heat move? | from the pea to the milk / from the milk to the pea / no heat moves | A frozen pea drops into cold milk from the fridge. Which one heats the other? | The pea heats the milk. / The milk heats the pea. / Neither heats the other. |
| Cup A and cup B stand touching. Look at the two thermometers. Which way does heat move? | from the cup A to the cup B / from the cup B to the cup A / no heat moves | Cup A and cup B stand touching. Look at the two thermometers. Which one heats the other? | Cup A heats cup B. / Cup B heats cup A. / Neither heats the other. |
| A hot iron presses a cool shirt. Which way does heat move? | from the iron to the shirt / from the shirt to the iron / no heat moves | A hot iron presses a cool shirt. Which one heats the other? | The iron heats the shirt. / The shirt heats the iron. / Neither heats the other. |
| A bag of ice lies on Celeste's warm knee. Which way does heat move? | from the ice to the knee / from the knee to the ice / no heat moves | A bag of ice lies on Celeste's warm knee. Which one heats the other? | The ice heats the knee. / The knee heats the ice. / Neither heats the other. |
| A book has sat on a shelf all day. The book and the shelf are the same temperature. Which way does heat move? | from the book to the shelf / from the shelf to the book / no heat moves | A book has sat on a shelf all day. The book and the shelf are the same temperature. Which one heats the other? | The book heats the shelf. / The shelf heats the book. / Neither heats the other. |
| Carla's bare feet feel cold on the kitchen floor. Cedric says cold is moving from the floor into her feet. Is Cedric right? | yes / no | Carla's bare feet feel cold on the kitchen floor. Cedric says cold is moving from the floor into her feet. Is Cedric right? | yes / no |
| Celeste says cold water from the fridge has no heat to give to anything. Is Celeste right? | yes / no | Celeste says cold water from the fridge is too cold to heat anything. Is Celeste right? | yes / no |
7 · What reaches your ears and your eyes
L01 · High pitched or low pitched? attribute: one piano's two ends; the same cat's meow and purr
Frame: <X>: its sound is high pitched. / <X>: its sound is low pitched. (verdict yes = high pitched, no = low pitched); Its sound is high pitched. (the loudness boundary: one irrelevant feature varied, the verdict held)
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Miss Novak's music lesson. Colby blows a whistle softly, and Colin taps a big drum softly. | Here are some students in a music lesson. Colby blows a whistle softly, and Colin taps a big drum softly. |
| Both are quiet, but they are not alike. So how are the two sounds different? | Both are quiet, but not alike. How are they different? |
| The whistle's sound is high, like a bird's tweet. | The whistle's sound is high, like a bird's tweet. |
| The drum's sound is low, like a dog's growl. | The drum's sound is low, like a dog's growl. |
| How high or low a sound is, is called its pitch. So the whistle's sound is high in pitch, and the drum's sound is low in pitch. | How high or low a sound is, is called its pitch. So the whistle's sound is high pitched, and the drum's sound is low pitched. |
| And now a bicycle bell rings. Its sound is high in pitch. | Now Colin presses a key at the left end of the piano, and its sound is low pitched. But he presses one at the right end: its sound is high pitched. |
| And now a cow moos. Its sound is low in pitch. | Now Colin presses that same right-end key again, more softly: quieter, but still high pitched. How loud a sound is does not change its pitch. |
| But now Colby blows the same whistle more softly. It is quieter, but still high in pitch: how loud a sound is does not change its pitch. | |
| So, here's what we've seen. How high or low a sound is, is called its pitch. | So, here's what we've seen. How high or low a sound is, is called its pitch. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| In Miss Novak's music lesson, Colby blows a whistle softly, and Colin taps a big drum softly. | In Miss Novak's music lesson, Colby blows a whistle softly, and Colin taps a big drum softly. |
| Both sounds are quiet, but they are not alike. | Both sounds are quiet, but they are not alike. |
| So how are the two sounds different? | So how are the two sounds different? |
| ## High or low | ## High or low |
| The whistle's sound is high, like a bird's tweet. | The whistle's sound is high, like a bird's tweet. |
| The drum's sound is low, like a dog's growl. | The drum's sound is low, like a dog's growl. |
| How high or low a sound is, is called its <b>pitch</b>. | How high or low a sound is, is called its <b>pitch</b>. |
| So the whistle's sound is high in pitch, and the drum's sound is low in pitch. | So the whistle's sound is high pitched, and the drum's sound is low pitched. |
| ## The same piano, two keys | |
| Now Colin presses a key at the left end of the piano: its sound is low pitched. | |
| He presses a key at the right end of the same piano: its sound is high pitched. | |
| ## More sounds | ## More sounds |
| A bicycle bell rings, ting: its sound is high in pitch. | A cat meows: its sound is high pitched. |
| A cow moos: its sound is low in pitch. | The same cat purrs: its sound is low pitched. |
| A mouse squeaks: its sound is high in pitch. | A cow moos: its sound is low pitched. |
| A tuba plays: its sound is low in pitch. | ## Quieter, but still high pitched |
| ## Quieter, but still high in pitch | Now Colin presses the key at the right end of the piano again: its sound is high pitched. |
| Now Colby blows the same whistle even more softly. | He presses the same key again, more softly. |
| The sound is quieter, but it is still high in pitch. | The sound is quieter, but it is still high pitched. |
| How loud a sound is does not change its pitch. | How loud a sound is does not change its pitch. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: How high or low a sound is, is called its pitch. | RULE: How high or low a sound is, is called its pitch. |
| A whistle's sound is high in pitch, and a big drum's sound is low in pitch. | A whistle's sound is high pitched, and a big drum's sound is low pitched. |
Quiz items (stem | options)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| A small bird chirps in a tree. Is the chirp high in pitch or low in pitch? | high in pitch / low in pitch | A small bird chirps in a tree. Is the chirp high pitched or low pitched? | high pitched / low pitched |
| Thunder rumbles far away. Is the rumble high in pitch or low in pitch? | high in pitch / low in pitch | Thunder rumbles far away. Is the rumble high pitched or low pitched? | high pitched / low pitched |
| A big truck's engine rumbles at the traffic light. Is the engine's sound high in pitch or low in pitch? | high in pitch / low in pitch | A big truck's engine rumbles at the traffic light. Is the engine's sound high pitched or low pitched? | high pitched / low pitched |
| A door hinge squeaks as the door opens. Is the squeak high in pitch or low in pitch? | high in pitch / low in pitch | A door hinge squeaks as the door opens. Is the squeak high pitched or low pitched? | high pitched / low pitched |
| A kitten mews for its food. Is the mew high in pitch or low in pitch? | high in pitch / low in pitch | A kitten mews for its food. Is the mew high pitched or low pitched? | high pitched / low pitched |
| A bullfrog croaks by the pond. Is the croak high in pitch or low in pitch? | high in pitch / low in pitch | A bullfrog croaks by the pond. Is the croak high pitched or low pitched? | high pitched / low pitched |
| Cooper hums a deep note as loudly as he can. Is his hum high in pitch or low in pitch? | high in pitch / low in pitch | Cooper hums a deep note as loudly as he can. Is his hum high pitched or low pitched? | high pitched / low pitched |
| A sound can be high or low. What do we call how high or low a sound is? | loudness / pitch / vibration | A sound can be high or low. What do we call how high or low a sound is? | loudness / pitch / vibration |
| A small triangle is tapped so gently that you can barely hear its ting. Is the ting high in pitch or low in pitch? | high in pitch / low in pitch | A small triangle is tapped so gently that you can barely hear its ting. Is the ting high pitched or low pitched? | high pitched / low pitched |
| A sound can be high or low. Type the word for how high or low a sound is. | | A sound can be high or low. Type the word for how high or low a sound is. | |
8 · How waves carry energy and messages
L02 · Spot the taller wave comparison: one reference wave, the other morphs
Frame: The second wave is taller than the first, so it has the bigger amplitude.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Miss Price's class at the pond. Dana drops a small pebble, and little ripples spread out. | Here's Miss Price's class at the pond. Dana drops a pebble, and little ripples spread out. |
| Then Declan drops a big rock, and his ripples are much bigger. The duck bobs higher. | Then Declan drops a big rock, and his ripples are much bigger. |
| Miss Price draws both waves from the side: wave A from the pebble, wave B from the rock. The dashed line is the middle line, the flat water before the wave came. | Miss Price draws both waves from the side: the pebble's wave on top, the rock's wave underneath. The dashed line is the middle line, the flat water before the wave came. |
| Wave B is taller than wave A. Its top is higher above the middle line. | The rock's wave is taller than the pebble's wave: its top is higher above the middle line. |
| And now an even bigger rock makes wave C. Wave C is taller than wave B. | How tall a wave is, from the middle line up to its top, is called its amplitude. |
| But here is wave D, with its tops closer together. It is not taller than wave A: its top is the same height. | So the rock's wave has a bigger amplitude than the pebble's wave. |
| So, how tall a wave is, from the middle line up to its top, is called its amplitude. Wave B has a bigger amplitude than wave A. | Now here's a rope, and Dana shakes her end a little: a small wave runs along it. Dante shakes his end hard: a big wave runs along it. |
| Dante's wave is taller, so it has a bigger amplitude than Dana's wave. | |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| At the pond, Dana drops a small pebble, and little ripples spread out. | At the pond, Dana drops a small pebble, and little ripples spread out. |
| Then Declan drops a big rock, and the ripples from his splash are much bigger. | Then Declan drops a big rock, and the ripples from his splash are much bigger. |
| The duck bobs higher than before. | The duck bobs higher than before. |
| Miss Price draws both sets of ripples on her clipboard, one above the other. | Miss Price draws both waves on her clipboard, one above the other. |
| She asks, 'What is different about the two drawings?' | She asks, 'What is different about the two waves?' |
| ## How to read the drawing | ## The rock's wave is taller |
| Each drawing shows the water from the side. | Each drawing shows the water from the side. |
| The wavy blue line is the water's surface. | The wavy blue line is the water's surface. |
| The dashed line is the middle line: the flat water before the wave came. | The dashed line is the middle line: the flat water before the wave came. |
| ## Wave B is taller | The rock's wave is taller than the pebble's wave: its top is higher above the middle line. |
| Wave B is taller than wave A: its top is higher above the middle line. | The taller wave made the duck bob higher. |
| Now suppose Declan drops an even bigger rock, and its wave is wave C. | |
| Wave C is taller than wave B. | |
| ## Closer together is not taller | |
| Here is wave D, with its tops closer together than wave A's. | |
| But wave D is not taller than wave A: its top is the same height above the middle line. | |
| ## A name for how tall the wave is | ## A name for how tall the wave is |
| How tall a wave is, from the middle line up to its top, is called its <b>amplitude</b>. | How tall a wave is, from the middle line up to its top, is called its <b>amplitude</b>. |
| Wave B has a bigger amplitude than wave A, and wave D has the same amplitude as wave A. | The rock's wave is taller, so the rock's wave has a bigger amplitude than the pebble's wave. |
| The taller wave made the duck bob higher. | ## One more example: a wave on a rope |
| In the gym, Dana and Dante hold the two ends of a long rope. | |
| Dana shakes her end a little, and a small wave runs along the rope. | |
| Then Dante shakes his end hard, and a big wave runs along the rope. | |
| Here the dashed line is the middle line: the rope lying still. | |
| Dante's wave is taller than Dana's wave, so Dante's wave has a bigger amplitude. | |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: The amplitude of a wave is how tall it is, from the middle line up to its top. | RULE: The amplitude of a wave is how tall it is, from the middle line up to its top. |
Quiz items (stem | options)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | wave A / wave B / they have the same amplitude | Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | the top wave / the bottom wave / they have the same amplitude |
| Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | wave A / wave B / they have the same amplitude | Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | the top wave / the bottom wave / they have the same amplitude |
| Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | wave A / wave B / they have the same amplitude | Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | the top wave / the bottom wave / they have the same amplitude |
| Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | wave A / wave B / they have the same amplitude | Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | the top wave / the bottom wave / they have the same amplitude |
| Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | wave A / wave B / they have the same amplitude | Which wave has the bigger amplitude? | the top wave / the bottom wave / they have the same amplitude |
| Three arrows are drawn on this wave. Which arrow shows the amplitude? | J / K / L | Three colored arrows are drawn on this wave. Which arrow shows the amplitude? | the orange arrow / the purple arrow / the green arrow |
| Dante says a wave with its tops closer together always has a bigger amplitude. Is Dante right? | yes / no | Dante says a wave with its tops closer together always has a bigger amplitude. Is Dante right? | yes / no |
| Dana says the wave with the bigger amplitude is the taller wave. Is Dana right? | yes / no | Dana says the wave with the bigger amplitude is the taller wave. Is Dana right? | yes / no |
| What do we call how tall a wave is, from the middle line up to its top? | amplitude / middle line / wave | What do we call how tall a wave is, from the middle line up to its top? | amplitude / middle line / wave |
| Which sentence says what a wave's amplitude is? | It is how fast the wave travels across the water. / It is how far one top is from the next top. / It is how high the wave's top is above the middle line. | Which sentence says what a wave's amplitude is? | It is how fast the wave travels across the water. / It is how far one top is from the next top. / It is how high the wave's top is above the middle line. |
9 · How a circuit makes a bulb light
L04 · Electrical conductors and electrical insulators kind-of-material: one spoon in metal, wood, plastic
Frame: Electricity passes through the <material>, so the loop is complete and the bulb lights. / Electricity cannot pass through the <material>, so the loop still has a gap and the bulb stays dark.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Dexter with a circuit that has a gap in one wire. The bulb is dark. | Here's Dexter's circuit, with a gap in one wire. The bulb is dark. |
| He puts a paper clip across the gap, and the bulb lights. Dominic puts a plastic straw across it, and the bulb stays dark. Why is that? | A paper clip across the gap lights the bulb. A straw leaves it dark. Why is that? |
| The paper clip is metal. Electricity passes through it, so the loop is complete, and the bulb lights. | Electricity passes through the metal paper clip, so the loop is complete, and the bulb lights. |
| Electricity cannot pass through the plastic, so the loop still has a gap, and the bulb stays dark. | And now a metal spoon goes across. Electricity passes through it, so the bulb lights. |
| A metal spoon goes across the gap, and the bulb lights. A wooden spoon goes across, and it stays dark. | But a wooden spoon goes across. Electricity cannot pass through wood, so the bulb stays dark. |
| One surprise: pencil lead is not a metal, but electricity passes through it. | A plastic spoon and the straw stay dark too. |
| Pencil lead is not a metal, but electricity passes through it, so the bulb lights. | |
| A material that lets electricity pass through it is called an electrical conductor. A material that blocks electricity is called an electrical insulator. | A material that lets electricity pass through it is called an electrical conductor. A material that blocks electricity is called an electrical insulator. |
| Metals are electrical conductors. Plastic, wood and rubber are electrical insulators. | Metals are electrical conductors. Plastic, wood and rubber are electrical insulators. |
| You've already seen heat conductors: they are good electrical conductors too. | |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Miss Walsh gives Dexter a circuit with a gap in one wire. The bulb is dark. | Miss Walsh gives Dexter a circuit with a gap in one wire. The bulb is dark. |
| Dexter puts a paper clip across the gap, and the bulb lights. | Dexter puts a paper clip across the gap, and the bulb lights. |
| Dominic puts a plastic straw across the gap, and the bulb stays dark. | Dominic puts a plastic straw across the gap, and the bulb stays dark. |
| Miss Walsh asks, 'Why is that?' | Miss Walsh asks, 'Why is that?' |
| ## The paper clip and the straw | ## The paper clip |
| The paper clip is metal. Electricity passes through the metal, so the loop is complete and the bulb lights. | The paper clip is metal. Electricity passes through the metal, so the loop is complete and the bulb lights. |
| The straw is plastic. Electricity cannot pass through the plastic, so the loop still has a gap and the bulb stays dark. | |
| ## More things in the gap | ## More things in the gap |
| Now consider a metal spoon across the gap. Electricity passes through the metal, so the bulb lights. | And now a metal spoon goes across the gap. Electricity passes through the metal, so the bulb lights. |
| Now consider a wooden spoon across the gap. Electricity cannot pass through the wood, so the bulb stays dark. | But now a wooden spoon goes across the gap. |
| Now consider a rubber band across the gap. Electricity cannot pass through the rubber, so the bulb stays dark. | Electricity cannot pass through the wood, so the loop still has a gap and the bulb stays dark. |
| And now a plastic spoon goes across the gap. Electricity cannot pass through the plastic, so the bulb stays dark. | |
| And now Dominic's plastic straw goes across the gap. Electricity cannot pass through the plastic, so the bulb stays dark. | |
| ## One surprise | ## One surprise |
| Pencil lead, the dark gray stuff inside a pencil, is not a metal, but electricity passes through it. | But now a short stick of pencil lead goes across the gap. |
| Pencil lead is the one surprise. | Pencil lead is the dark gray stuff inside a pencil. |
| Pencil lead is not a metal, but electricity passes through it, so the bulb lights. | |
| ## Two names | ## Two names |
| A material that lets electricity pass through it is called an <b>electrical conductor</b>. | A material that lets electricity pass through it is called an <b>electrical conductor</b>. |
| A material that blocks electricity is called an <b>electrical insulator</b>. | A material that blocks electricity is called an <b>electrical insulator</b>. |
| Metals are heat conductors: heat moves through them quickly. | Metals are heat conductors: heat moves through them quickly. |
| The same metals are electrical conductors too. | The same metals are electrical conductors too. |
| ## The wire itself | ## The wire itself |
| A wire is metal inside, with a plastic cover. | A wire is metal inside, with a plastic cover. |
| The plastic cover is an electrical insulator, so you can hold the wire safely. | The plastic cover is an electrical insulator, so you can hold the wire safely. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: A material that lets electricity pass through it is called an electrical conductor. A material that blocks electricity is called an electrical insulator. Metals are electrical conductors. Plastic, wood and rubber are electrical insulators. | RULE: A material that lets electricity pass through it is called an electrical conductor. A material that blocks electricity is called an electrical insulator. Metals are electrical conductors. Plastic, wood and rubber are electrical insulators. |
| Here is Dexter's circuit again: the paper clip is an electrical conductor, so it fills the gap, and the bulb lights. | Here is Dexter's circuit again: the paper clip is an electrical conductor, so it fills the gap, and the bulb lights. |
| The straw is an electrical insulator, so the gap stays, and the bulb stays dark. | The straw is an electrical insulator, so the gap stays, and the bulb stays dark. |
12 · How to build and test a pinwheel that lifts a cup
L01 · Moving air and moving water can turn things attribute: the same pinwheel, window shut then the dryer
Frame: The moving <air / water> pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. / Still <air / water> does not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Eden with her pinwheel out of the open window, and it turns fast. What pushes the blades round? | Here's Eden's pinwheel out of the open window, and it turns fast. What pushes the blades round? |
| The moving air pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. | The moving air pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. |
| Now a hair dryer blows at the pinwheel. The moving air pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. | |
| But with the window shut, the air is still. Still air does not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still. | But with the window shut, the air is still. Still air does not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still. |
| But now a hair dryer blows at the same pinwheel. The moving air pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. | |
| Here's a spoon wheel under a pouring jug. The moving water pushes on the spoons, so the wheel turns. | Here's a spoon wheel under a pouring jug. The moving water pushes on the spoons, so the wheel turns. |
| Edgar says the wind is energy. Is he right? No, the wind is moving air, which has kinetic energy. | Edgar says the wind is energy. Is he right? No, the wind is moving air, which has kinetic energy. |
| So, here's what we've seen. Moving air or moving water pushes on the blades of a wheel, so the wheel turns. Still air and still water do not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still. | So, here's what we've seen. Moving air or moving water pushes on the blades of a wheel, so the wheel turns. Still air and still water do not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| It is a windy morning in Miss Torres's class. | It is a windy morning in Miss Torres's class. |
| Eden holds her paper pinwheel out of the open window, and the pinwheel turns fast. | Eden holds her paper pinwheel out of the open window, and the pinwheel turns fast. |
| She brings it back to her desk and shuts the window. The pinwheel stops. | She brings it back to her desk and shuts the window. The pinwheel stops. |
| Edgar says, 'The wind is energy. That is why it spins.' | Edgar says, 'The wind is energy. That is why it spins.' |
| Miss Torres asks, 'What pushes the blades round?' | Miss Torres asks, 'What pushes the blades round?' |
| ## The pinwheel | ## The pinwheel |
| Here is Eden's pinwheel. | Here is Eden's pinwheel. |
| At the open window, the air is moving. | At the open window, the air is moving. |
| The moving air pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. | The moving air pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. |
| Now Miss Torres points a hair dryer at the same pinwheel. It blows moving air. | But Eden shuts the window, and the same pinwheel stays in the same place. Now the air is still. |
| Still air does not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still. | |
| But now Miss Torres points a hair dryer at the same pinwheel. It blows moving air. | |
| The moving air pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. | The moving air pushes on the blades, so the wheel turns. |
| But on the desk, with the window shut, the air is still. | |
| Still air does not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still. | |
| ## The water wheel | ## The water wheel |
| Here is a different wheel: six plastic spoons set round a cork, on a straw. | Here is a different wheel: six plastic spoons set round a cork, on a straw. |
| Miss Torres pours water from a jug onto the spoons. | Miss Torres pours water from a jug onto the spoons. |
| The moving water pushes on the spoons, so the wheel turns. | The moving water pushes on the spoons, so the wheel turns. |
| But in a bowl of still water, the still water does not push the spoons round, so the wheel stays still. | But in a bowl of still water, the still water does not push the spoons round, so the wheel stays still. |
| ## Is the wind energy? | ## Is the wind energy? |
| Edgar said the wind is energy. Is he right? | Edgar said the wind is energy. Is he right? |
| No, the wind is moving air. | No, the wind is moving air. |
| A moving thing has kinetic energy. | A moving thing has kinetic energy. |
| Moving air is a moving thing, so it has kinetic energy. So does moving water. | Moving air is a moving thing, so it has kinetic energy. So does moving water. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: Moving air or moving water pushes on the blades of a wheel, so the wheel turns. Still air and still water do not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still. Moving air is a moving thing, so it has kinetic energy. So does moving water. | RULE: Moving air or moving water pushes on the blades of a wheel, so the wheel turns. Still air and still water do not push the blades round, so the wheel stays still. Moving air is a moving thing, so it has kinetic energy. So does moving water. |
| Here is Eden at the window again. The moving air pushes on the blades of her pinwheel, so it turns. | Here is Eden at the window again. The moving air pushes on the blades of her pinwheel, so it turns. |
14 · What mixtures and solutions are
L01 · Say whether it is a mixture attribute: Enrique's bowl before and after the peanuts (live video: edit held)
Frame: <X> holds <one / two / three> kind(s) of stuff. This is <not> a mixture.
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Miss Diaz's class is getting snacks ready for a hike. | Miss Diaz's class is getting snacks ready for a hike. |
| Enrique pours raisins and peanuts into a bowl, and he stirs them. | Enrique pours raisins and peanuts into a bowl, and he stirs them. |
| Erica's bowl holds raisins only. | Erica's bowl holds raisins only. |
| Miss Diaz asks, 'Both bowls have raisins in them. What is different about Enrique's bowl?' | Miss Diaz asks, 'Both bowls have raisins in them. What is different about Enrique's bowl?' |
| ## One kind of stuff, or two? | ## One kind of stuff, or two? |
| The stuff an object is made of is called its material. | The stuff an object is made of is called its material. |
| Erica's bowl holds one kind of stuff: raisins only. | Before the peanuts went in, Enrique's bowl held one kind of stuff: raisins only, just like Erica's bowl now. |
| One material on its own is not a mixture. | One material on its own is not a mixture. |
| Enrique's bowl holds raisins and peanuts, stirred together. | But now the same bowl holds raisins and peanuts, stirred together. |
| Two kinds of stuff are mixed together, so this is a mixture. | Two kinds of stuff are mixed together, so this is a mixture. |
| ## More kinds, and another way to mix | ## More kinds, and another way to mix |
| Fern adds pretzels to Enrique's bowl, and she stirs again. | Fern adds pretzels to Enrique's bowl, and she stirs again. |
| Three kinds of stuff are mixed together, so this is still a mixture. | Three kinds of stuff are mixed together, so this is still a mixture. |
| Now consider Enrique's jar. | Now Enrique tips the trail mix into a jar and shakes it. |
| He puts sand and water in the jar, and he shakes it. | Three kinds of stuff are still mixed together, so this is still a mixture. |
| Then he empties the jar, puts sand and water in it, and shakes it. | |
| A solid and a liquid are mixed together, so this is a mixture too. | A solid and a liquid are mixed together, so this is a mixture too. |
| Stirring and shaking both mix materials together. | Stirring and shaking both mix materials together. |
| Fern's jar holds water only. | But before the sand went in, the same jar held water only. |
| One kind of stuff on its own is not a mixture. | One kind of stuff on its own is not a mixture. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: When two or more materials are mixed together, what you get is called a mixture. | RULE: When two or more materials are mixed together, what you get is called a mixture. |
| RULE: One material on its own is not a mixture. | RULE: One material on its own is not a mixture. |
Quiz items (stem | options)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| A spoon is made of steel, and a cup is made of plastic. What do we call the stuff a thing is made of? | its material / its property / its shape | A spoon is made of steel, and a cup is made of plastic. What do we call the stuff a thing is made of? | its material / its property / its shape |
| Scrambled eggs and chopped ham are stirred together in a pan. Is this a mixture? | yes / no | Scrambled eggs and chopped ham are stirred together in a pan. Is this a mixture? | yes / no |
| A boy shakes pebbles and water together in a bottle. Is this a mixture? | yes / no | A boy shakes pebbles and water together in a bottle. Is this a mixture? | yes / no |
| A bowl holds cooked rice and nothing else. Is this a mixture? | yes / no | A bowl holds cooked rice and nothing else. Is this a mixture? | yes / no |
| Cereal is poured into a bowl of milk. Is this a mixture? | yes / no | Cereal is poured into a bowl of milk. Is this a mixture? | yes / no |
| Shells and pebbles are shaken together in a bucket. Is this a mixture? | yes / no | Shells and pebbles are shaken together in a bucket. Is this a mixture? | yes / no |
| A bucket holds dry sand and nothing else. Is this a mixture? | yes / no | A bucket holds dry sand and nothing else. Is this a mixture? | yes / no |
| A bag holds flour and nothing else. Is this a mixture? | yes / no | A bag holds flour and nothing else. Is this a mixture? | yes / no |
| Which of these is a mixture? | a glass of water / a bowl of peas and carrots / a bar of soap / a pile of flour | Which of these is a mixture? | a glass of water / a bowl of peas and carrots / a bar of soap / a pile of flour |
| Which of these is one material on its own? | a bowl of oats and nuts / a jar of pebbles and water / a bowl of only cherries / a bag of apple slices and grapes | Which of these is one material on its own? | a bowl of oats and nuts / a jar of pebbles and water / a bowl of only cherries / a bag of apple slices and grapes |
| Erica says a bag of apple slices and grapes is a mixture. Is Erica right? | yes / no | Erica says a bag of apple slices and grapes is a mixture. Is Erica right? | yes / no |
| Enrique says you must stir two materials to make a mixture, and shaking them does not count. Is Enrique right? | yes / no | A jar holds water and nothing else. Enrique shakes the jar hard for a whole minute. Is this a mixture? | yes / no |
| Two or more materials are mixed together. What do we call what you get? | a material / a mixture / a property | Two or more materials are mixed together. What do we call what you get? | a material / a mixture / a property |
| Cucumber slices and olives are mixed together in a bowl. Type the word for what you get. | | Cucumber slices and olives are mixed together in a bowl. Type the word for what you get. | |
16 · When a change makes a new material
L02 · New material or the same material? attribute: the match burnt / the match snapped
Frame: The <before> turns into <after>. <After> is a new material. / <After> is still the same material.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Miss Mendez's class at their campout. She strikes a match and lights the campfire. The match burns down to a black, crumbly stick, and smoke drifts up. | Here's Miss Mendez's class at their campout. She strikes a match to light the fire. It burns to a black, crumbly stick, and smoke rises. |
| Frankie says the wood just disappeared. Is she right? | Frankie says the wood disappeared. Is she right? |
| No, she's not right. The wood turned into ash and smoke. Ash and smoke are not wood: they are new materials. | No, she's not right. The wood turned into ash and smoke. Ash and smoke are new materials. |
| And now the ice in the cooler turned into water. But water is the same material as ice, so nothing new formed. | But a match snapped in two is still wood: the same material. |
| A nail rusts: rust is a new material. Cake batter bakes: the cake is a new material. | And melted ice is still water: the same material. Sugar dissolved in water is still sugar. |
| Paper cut into strips is still paper. Sugar dissolved in water is still sugar, mixed in. | And paper cut into strips is still paper. But in the fire the strips turn to ash: a new material. |
| A nail rusts: rust is a new material. Batter bakes: the cake is a new material. | |
| So, here's what we've seen. Some changes turn a material into a new material. Other changes keep the same material, in a new state, a new shape or mixed into something else. | So, here's what we've seen. Some changes turn a material into a new material. Other changes keep the same material, in a new state, a new shape or mixed into something else. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Miss Mendez's class is camping at a state park. | Miss Mendez's class is camping at a state park. |
| Miss Mendez strikes a match and lights the campfire. | Miss Mendez strikes a match and lights the campfire. |
| The match burns down to a black, crumbly stick, and smoke drifts up. | The match burns down to a black, crumbly stick, and smoke drifts up. |
| Frankie says: 'The wood just disappeared.' | Frankie says: 'The wood just disappeared.' |
| Is Frankie right? | Is Frankie right? |
| ## Where the wood went | ## Where the wood went |
| No, Frankie is not right. | No, Frankie is not right. |
| The wood did not disappear. It turned into ash and smoke. | The wood did not disappear. It turned into ash and smoke. |
| The black, crumbly stick is ash. The gray cloud that drifted up is smoke. | The black, crumbly stick is ash. The gray cloud that drifted up is smoke. |
| Ash is not wood, and smoke is not wood. They are new materials. | Ash is not wood, and smoke is not wood. They are new materials. |
| ## The ice in the cooler | ## The same match, snapped instead |
| But now Gabriel takes a match just like it and snaps it in two instead of burning it. | |
| Each piece is still wood. Nothing new formed, so the match is still the same material. | |
| So a match can change in two different ways: burnt, it turns into new materials; snapped, it stays the same material. | |
| ## More changes that keep the same material | |
| Now consider the ice in the class's cooler. | Now consider the ice in the class's cooler. |
| By evening, the ice turns into water. | By evening, the ice turns into water. |
| But ice is water, frozen. So the water is still the same material. | But ice is water, frozen. So the water is still the same material. |
| The ice did not disappear either. It is still there, as a liquid. | The ice did not disappear either. It is still there, as a liquid. |
| So the match and the ice changed in two different ways. | Now consider a spoon of sugar stirred into a glass of water. |
| The match turned into a new material, and the ice stayed the same material. | The sugar seems to go away. |
| A dissolved material is not gone. It is still there, in the liquid: dissolved sugar is still sugar, mixed into the water. | |
| So the sugar is the same material. | |
| Now consider a sheet of paper cut into strips. | |
| Each strip is still paper. The paper has a new shape, but it is the same material. | |
| ## The same strips, in the fire | |
| But now Gavin drops those paper strips into the campfire. | |
| The strips turn into ash and smoke. Ash and smoke are not paper: they are new materials. | |
| ## More changes that make a new material | ## More changes that make a new material |
| Now consider a shiny iron nail left out in the rain for weeks. | Now consider a shiny iron nail left out in the rain for weeks. |
| Red-brown flakes cover it. The flakes are rust, a new red-brown material. | Red-brown flakes cover it. The flakes are rust, a new red-brown material. |
| Now consider cake batter in a hot oven. | Now consider cake batter in a hot oven. |
| The runny batter bakes into a spongy brown cake. The cake is a new material: it is not batter anymore. | The runny batter bakes into a spongy brown cake. The cake is a new material: it is not batter anymore. |
| ## More changes that keep the same material | |
| Now consider a sheet of paper cut into strips. | |
| Each strip is still paper. The paper has a new shape, but it is the same material. | |
| Now consider a spoon of sugar stirred into a glass of water. | |
| The sugar seems to go away. | |
| A dissolved material is not gone. It is still there, in the liquid: dissolved sugar is still sugar, mixed into the water. | |
| So the sugar is the same material. | |
| ## The sort | ## The sort |
| Melting, cutting and dissolving kept the same material. Burning, rusting and baking made a new material. | Melting, cutting and dissolving kept the same material. Burning, rusting and baking made a new material. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: Some changes turn a material into a new material. Other changes keep the same material, in a new state, a new shape or mixed into something else. | RULE: Some changes turn a material into a new material. Other changes keep the same material, in a new state, a new shape or mixed into something else. |
| Here is the burnt match again. | Here is the burnt match again. |
| The wood turned into ash and smoke, two new materials. Frankie was not right: nothing disappeared. | The wood turned into ash and smoke, two new materials. Frankie was not right: nothing disappeared. |
20 · How rock breaks, moves and settles
L04 · Erosion: the pieces are carried away attribute: the same boulder after the same rain
Frame: The pieces were carried away to somewhere new (erosion). / The pieces lie right beside the rock they broke from: not carried (weathering).
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Miss Ramos's class back at the hilltop boulder, the morning after heavy rain. The grit that lay beside the boulder is gone, and the big pieces are still there. Jenna says the pieces disappeared. Is she right? | Here's Miss Ramos's class back at the hilltop boulder, the morning after heavy rain. The grit that lay beside the boulder is gone, and the big pieces are still there. Jenna says the pieces disappeared. Is she right? |
| No, she's not right. The rain water ran down the slope and carried the grit down into the river. The grit broke off up here, and now it lies somewhere new. | No, she's not right. The big pieces still beside the boulder were not carried: that is weathering. But the rain water carried the grit down into the river. The grit lies somewhere new now. |
| And now consider a dry, dusty field. A strong wind picks up the dust and carries it far away, across the valley. | And now consider a dry, dusty field. A strong wind picks up the dust and carries it far away, across the valley. |
| But pieces lying right beside the rock they broke from have not been carried. That is weathering. | |
| When the broken pieces are carried away to somewhere new, we call it erosion. | When the broken pieces are carried away to somewhere new, we call it erosion. |
| So, here's what we've seen. Erosion carries the broken pieces away to somewhere new. | So, here's what we've seen. Erosion carries the broken pieces away to somewhere new. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| In the night, heavy rain fell on the hill. | In the night, heavy rain fell on the hill. |
| In the morning, Miss Ramos's class walks back to the hilltop boulder. | In the morning, Miss Ramos's class walks back to the hilltop boulder. |
| The grit that lay beside the boulder is gone. The big pieces are still there. | The grit that lay beside the boulder is gone. The big pieces are still there. |
| The ground between the big pieces is bare. | The ground between the big pieces is bare. |
| Jenna says: 'The pieces disappeared.' | Jenna says: 'The pieces disappeared.' |
| Is Jenna right? | Is Jenna right? |
| ## The pieces went somewhere | ## The big pieces stayed, and the grit went somewhere |
| No, Jenna is not right. The pieces did not disappear. | No, Jenna is not right. The pieces did not disappear. |
| The rain water ran down the slope. It picked up the grit and carried it down. | Look first at the big pieces. They lie right beside the boulder they broke from, and the rain did not carry them. |
| Those pieces went nowhere. The rock broke in place, and that is weathering. | |
| But the grit is a different story. The rain water ran down the slope, picked up the grit and carried it down. | |
| Down in the river, the class finds sand and grit on the river bed. | Down in the river, the class finds sand and grit on the river bed. |
| The grit broke off the boulder up on the hill. Now it lies somewhere new, down in the river. | The grit broke off the boulder up on the hill. Now it lies somewhere new, down in the river. |
| The water carried the grit away. | The water carried the grit away. |
| ## Wind carries pieces too | ## Wind carries pieces too |
| Now consider a dry field after a long time with no rain. | Now consider a dry field after a long time with no rain. |
| The soil on top is loose and dusty. A strong wind blows across the field. | The soil on top is loose and dusty. A strong wind blows across the field. |
| The wind picks up the dust and carries it far away, across the valley. | The wind picks up the dust and carries it far away, across the valley. |
| The wind carried the pieces away to somewhere new. | The wind carried the pieces away to somewhere new. |
| ## Pieces that stay | ## Carried, or not carried |
| But now consider a boulder that cracks, with its pieces lying right beside it. | |
| Those pieces went nowhere. The rock broke in place, and that is weathering. | |
| Pieces that lie right beside the rock they broke from have not been carried. | Pieces that lie right beside the rock they broke from have not been carried. |
| Pieces that fall or roll away from it, down to somewhere new, have been carried. That is a different thing. | Pieces that fall or roll away from it, down to somewhere new, have been carried. That is a different thing. |
| ## The word for it | ## The word for it |
| When the broken pieces are carried away to somewhere new, we call it erosion. | When the broken pieces are carried away to somewhere new, we call it erosion. |
| RULE: Erosion carries the broken pieces away to somewhere new. | RULE: Erosion carries the broken pieces away to somewhere new. |
| Here is the ground beside the boulder again, with the grit gone and the big pieces still there. | Here is the ground beside the boulder again, with the grit gone and the big pieces still there. |
| The rain water carried the grit down into the river. That is erosion. | The rain water carried the grit down into the river. That is erosion. |
| The pieces did not disappear, so Jenna was not right. | The pieces did not disappear, so Jenna was not right. |
23 · The water cycle
L01 · Water falls from clouds: rain, snow, sleet and hail kind: the same storm cloud an hour later (live video: edit held)
Frame: <Something> falls from the cloud. That is <rain / snow / sleet / hail>. (Does water fall from the cloud?); The drops on the grass <fell from a cloud / did not fall from a cloud>.
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Miss Hayes's class is at the classroom window on a rainy day. | Miss Hayes's class is at the classroom window on a rainy day. |
| Rain falls from a gray cloud onto the playground. | Rain falls from a gray cloud onto the playground. |
| Landon says that last winter, snow fell from a cloud just like that one. | Landon says that last winter, snow fell from a cloud just like that one. |
| Rain and snow look nothing alike. | Rain and snow look nothing alike. |
| What do rain and snow have in common? | What do rain and snow have in common? |
| ## What a cloud is | ## What a cloud is |
| A cloud looks soft, like cotton balls. | A cloud looks soft, like cotton balls. |
| But a cloud is not cotton balls, and it is not smoke. | But a cloud is not cotton balls, and it is not smoke. |
| A cloud is many tiny drops of water floating together in the air. | A cloud is many tiny drops of water floating together in the air. |
| The drops are so tiny and light that they float in the air. | |
| ## Rain | ## Rain |
| Inside the cloud, the tiny drops bump into each other and join into bigger drops. | Here is the gray cloud over the playground before the rain. Its tiny drops float, and nothing falls from the cloud yet. |
| Earth pulls the big drops down, and they fall. That is rain. | Then the tiny drops bump into each other and join into bigger drops. |
| Earth pulls the big drops down, and they fall from the cloud. That is rain. | |
| ## Snow, sleet and hail | ## Snow, sleet and hail |
| Now consider a cloud in very cold air. | Now consider a cloud in very cold air. |
| The water in the cloud freezes into flakes of ice. | The water in the cloud freezes into flakes of ice. |
| The flakes fall. That is snow. | The flakes fall from the cloud. That is snow. |
| Sleet is small grains of ice. Rain freezes into sleet as it falls through very cold air. | Now the rain freezes into small grains of ice as it falls through very cold air. |
| Hail is balls of ice. Hail forms in tall storm clouds, where the air high up is very cold. | The grains fall from the cloud. That is sleet. |
| Now consider a tall storm cloud, where the air high up is very cold. Balls of ice form in it. | |
| The balls fall from the cloud. That is hail. | |
| ## Water that did not fall from a cloud | ## Water that did not fall from a cloud |
| Now consider a cloud on a dry day. Nothing falls from it. | Now consider the same storm cloud an hour later. Nothing falls from the cloud: no rain, snow, sleet or hail. |
| And now consider dew on the grass on a cool morning. | Now look at the playground grass after the rain. The drops on it fell from a cloud. |
| Dew did not fall from a cloud. Its drops formed right there, on the cold grass. | And here is the same grass on a cool, clear morning. Drops sit on it, but no cloud is in the sky. |
| These drops did not fall from a cloud. They formed right there, on the cold grass, as dew. | |
| ## The name | ## The name |
| Rain, snow, sleet and hail are all water that falls from clouds. | Rain, snow, sleet and hail are all water that falls from clouds. |
| Water falling from clouds like this is called <b>precipitation</b>. | Water falling from clouds like this is called <b>precipitation</b>. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: Water falls from clouds as rain, snow, sleet or hail. Water falling from clouds like this is called precipitation. | RULE: Water falls from clouds as rain, snow, sleet or hail. Water falling from clouds like this is called precipitation. |
| Here is the rainy playground again. | Here is the rainy playground again. |
| Today's rain and last winter's snow both fell from clouds. Both are precipitation. | Today's rain and last winter's snow both fell from clouds. Both are precipitation. |
25 · Weather and climate
L02 · Make a bar graph: the title and the two labels statement sort: one phrase changes per sentence
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Miss Jensen's board with six sentences. Ask each: one day or a few days, or year after year? | Here's Bianca with the Chicago class's table of snowy days in 5 Januaries. She wants all 5 years in one picture, so she will make a bar graph. |
| It rained in Austin yesterday. Yesterday is one day, so it tells the weather. | First, she writes the title at the top: snowy days each January, Chicago, Illinois. |
| Austin has hot summers most years. Most years means year after year, so it tells the climate. | Up the side, she writes the label, snowy days, because that is what the numbers count. The most in any January was 11, so she writes every number from 0 to 12. |
| A storm is coming to Duluth this afternoon. That is one day, so it tells the weather. | Along the bottom go the 5 years. Under them she writes the label, year, because each bar will stand for a year. |
| Duluth's winters are long and snowy. That is every winter, so it tells the climate. | So, a bar graph also needs two labels: one up the side saying what the numbers count, and one along the bottom saying what each bar stands for. |
| Austin has been cold all this week. A week is a few days, so it still tells the weather. | |
| Last January, Duluth had 11 snowy days. One month of one year still tells the weather. | |
| So, a sentence about one day, or a few days, tells the weather. A sentence about what a place is usually like, year after year, tells the climate. | |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| The next morning, Miss Jensen writes six sentences about Austin and Duluth on the board. | Bianca wants to show Chicago's five Januaries in one picture, so the class can see its winter climate. |
| She asks, 'Which sentences tell the weather, and which tell the climate?' | The table is good for finding one number, but a bar graph shows all five years at a glance. |
| Logan says he can tell by asking one question about each sentence. | Miss Jensen asks, 'Can you make a bar graph from the table?' |
| ## One question for every sentence | ## Step 1: the title |
| The question is: does the sentence tell about one day or a few days, or about year after year? | First, Bianca writes what the graph shows at the top: snowy days each January, Chicago, Illinois. |
| ## The six sentences | ## Step 2: the label and the numbers up the side |
| 'It rained in Austin yesterday.' Yesterday is one day, so this sentence tells the weather. | Up the side, she writes the label: Snowy days. |
| 'Austin has hot summers most years.' Most years means year after year, so this sentence tells the climate. | The label up the side says what the numbers count. |
| 'A storm is coming to Duluth this afternoon.' This afternoon is part of one day, so this sentence tells the weather. | The most snowy days in any January was 11, so her numbers go from 0 up to 12. |
| 'Duluth's winters are long and snowy.' The sentence says what every winter is like, so it tells the climate. | She writes every number from 0 to 12 up the side. |
| This sentence has no time word. A sentence with no time word says what usually happens, so it tells the climate. | Then nobody has to guess what a line is worth. |
| ## Two that are easy to get wrong | ## Step 3: the label and the names along the bottom |
| 'Austin has been cold all this week.' A week is a few days, so this sentence tells the weather. | Along the bottom, she writes the five years: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. |
| A week is longer than one day, but it is not year after year. | Under the years she writes the label: Year. |
| 'Last January, Duluth had 11 snowy days.' That is one month of one year, so this sentence tells the weather. | The label along the bottom says what each bar stands for. |
| Bianca says a cold week in Austin must be climate, because it lasted more than one day. | |
| No, Bianca is not right, because a week is still a few days, and climate is year after year. | |
| A day, a week, a month or one whole winter is shorter than year after year. | |
| So each of them tells the weather. | |
| ## The clue words | |
| Words like today, yesterday, this afternoon and this week point to the weather. | |
| Words like usually, most years, every winter and year after year point to the climate. | |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: A sentence about one day, or a few days, tells the weather. A sentence about what a place is usually like, year after year, tells the climate. | RULE: To make a bar graph from records: write the labels, the numbers up the side and the names along the bottom. Then draw one bar for each name, up to its number. A bar graph also needs two labels: one up the side saying what the numbers count, and one along the bottom saying what each bar stands for. |
| Bianca's graph has its title and both labels, and no bars yet. |
Quiz items (stem | options)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Read the card. Which does the sentence tell? | the weather / the climate | Read the graph. How many windy days did October have? | 4 / 6 / 9 |
| Read the card. Which does the sentence tell? | the weather / the climate | A class in Reno made this table and will draw a bar graph from it. Which words go up the side, beside the numbers? | Sunny days / Month / Reno |
| 'Tomorrow will be sunny and warm in Atlanta, Georgia.' Which does the sentence tell? | the weather / the climate | The same class draws the graph from this table. Which words go along the bottom, under the bars? | Sunny days / Month / Winter |
| 'Most years, Seattle, Washington, has many rainy days in winter.' Which does the sentence tell? | the weather / the climate | The same class writes a title for the graph. Which words go at the top? | Sunny days this winter, Reno / Sunny days, beside the numbers / December, January and February |
| 'Summers in Las Vegas, Nevada, are hot and dry, year after year.' Which does the sentence tell? | the weather / the climate | The most sunny days in any month in the Reno table was 14. Which numbers up the side reach 14 and leave the least empty space above the bars? | 0 to 10 / 0 to 14 / 0 to 50 |
| 'A thunderstorm hit Dallas, Texas, last Tuesday.' Which does the sentence tell? | the weather / the climate | Look at this graph of hot days in Tulsa. What is missing? | the label up the side / the numbers up the side / the bars |
| Read the card. Which does the sentence tell? | the weather / the climate | A graph's label up the side says Rainy days. What does that label tell the reader? | what the numbers count / which month was the rainiest / how many bars there are |
| 'Buffalo, New York, gets heavy snow most winters.' Which does the sentence tell? | the weather / the climate | Why does a bar graph need a label along the bottom? | The label makes the bars taller. / The label says how many days there were. / The label says what each bar stands for. |
| Lincoln says 'It is 95 degrees Fahrenheit in Houston, Texas, today' tells the climate, because Houston is a hot place. Is Lincoln right? | yes / no | |
| Which word in a sentence is a clue that the sentence tells the climate? | yesterday / usually / this afternoon / tomorrow |
26 · how Earth's parts act on one another
L02 · Earth's four parts act on one another kind: a cow in the same field, then its hooves on the soil
Frame: The <part> acted on the <part>. / Both belong to <one part>, so it is not one part of Earth acting on another.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Miss Nakamura's class by the river. The path has fallen in, and part of the bank is gone. Luna asks: what took the path away? | Here's Miss Nakamura's class by the river. The path has fallen in where the bank is gone. Luna asks: what took the path away? |
| Everything here belongs to one of Earth's four big parts: the land, the water, the air, and the living things. | Everything here is one of Earth's four big parts: land, water, air, living things. |
| The river's water carried the bank's soil away. The water acted on the land. | The river carried the bank's soil away. The water acted on the land. |
| On the lake, the wind pushed the water into waves: the air acted on the water. On the hill, tree roots held the soil together: the living things acted on the land. In the field, rain made the grass grow: the water acted on the living things. | The wind pushed the lake water into waves: the air acted on the water. Tree roots held the hill's soil: the living things acted on the land. Rain made the grass grow: the water acted on the living things. But a cow eating grass? Both are living things, so that is not one part acting on another. |
| Earth's four big parts are the land, the water, the air and the living things. Each part acts on the others and changes them. When one part acts on another and changes it, we call that an interaction. | Earth's four big parts are the land, the water, the air and the living things. Each part acts on the others and changes them. When one part acts on another and changes it, we call that an interaction. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| The class walks along the river toward the sea. | The class walks along the river toward the sea. |
| The path by the river has fallen in, and part of the bank is gone. | The path by the river has fallen in, and part of the bank is gone. |
| Luna asks: "What took the path away? Nobody dug here." | Luna asks: "What took the path away? Nobody dug here." |
| ## Earth's four big parts | ## Earth's four big parts |
| Everything the class can see on the walk belongs to one of Earth's four big parts. | Everything the class can see on the walk belongs to one of Earth's four big parts. |
| The land is the rock and the soil: the hills, the river bank and the beach. | The land is the rock and the soil: the hills, the river bank and the beach. |
| Ash from a volcano is tiny pieces of rock, so ash is land too. | Ash from a volcano is tiny pieces of rock, so ash is land too. |
| The water is the sea, the lake, the river and the rain. | The water is the sea, the lake, the river and the rain. |
| Snow and hail are frozen water, and a cloud is made of tiny drops of water, so they are the water too. | Snow and hail are frozen water, and a cloud is made of tiny drops of water, so they are the water too. |
| The air is all around, from the ground up to the sky. The wind is air that is moving. | The air is all around, from the ground up to the sky. The wind is air that is moving. |
| The living things are the plants, the animals and the people. | The living things are the plants, the animals and the people. |
| ## The water acts on the land | ## The water acts on the land |
| The river's water pushed on the bank's soil and carried it away. | The river's water pushed on the bank's soil and carried it away. |
| Erosion carries the broken pieces away to somewhere new. So the river did erosion here. | Erosion carries the broken pieces away to somewhere new. So the river did erosion here. |
| One part of Earth, the water, acted on another part, the land, and changed it. | One part of Earth, the water, acted on another part, the land, and changed it. |
| ## More examples | ## More examples |
| On the lake, the wind pushed the water into waves. The air acted on the water. | On the lake, the wind pushed the water into waves. The air acted on the water. |
| A plant's roots hold it in the ground, and they take in water from the soil. | A plant's roots hold it in the ground, and they take in water from the soil. |
| On the hill, the tree roots grew through the loose soil and held it together. | On the hill, the tree roots grew through the loose soil and held it together. |
| So the rain could not wash the soil away. The living things acted on the land. | So the rain could not wash the soil away. The living things acted on the land. |
| In the field, the rain watered the grass, and the grass grew tall. The water acted on the living things. | In the field, the rain watered the grass, and the grass grew tall. The water acted on the living things. |
| ## Not kept apart | But in the same field, a cow is eating the grass. |
| The land, the water, the air and the living things are not kept apart in separate places. | The cow and the grass both belong to the same part of Earth: the living things. |
| They touch, and they change one another, all the time. | So this is not one part of Earth acting on another part. It is two living things, inside the living things part. |
| A hawk catching a mouse is one living thing acting on another living thing. | Then the cow's hooves press the field's wet soil into a muddy path. The living things act on the land. |
| That happens inside one part, so it is not one part of Earth acting on another. | ## Touching everywhere |
| The land, the water, the air and the living things touch one another everywhere on Earth. | |
| Where they touch, they change one another, all the time. | |
| ## The name | ## The name |
| When one part of Earth acts on another and changes it, we call that an <b>interaction</b>. | When one part of Earth acts on another and changes it, we call that an <b>interaction</b>. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: Earth's four big parts are the land, the water, the air and the living things. Each part acts on the others and changes them. When one part acts on another and changes it, we call that an interaction. | RULE: Earth's four big parts are the land, the water, the air and the living things. Each part acts on the others and changes them. When one part acts on another and changes it, we call that an interaction. |
| So the river took the path away. The water acted on the land. | So the river took the path away. The water acted on the land. |
28 · Fuels from under the ground
L01 · Coal: the black rock that burns kind: three fuels in Grandpa's cabin
Frame: Here is <it> in Grandpa's cabin. People burn <it> to get heat. / Nobody burns <it>.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Maria at her grandpa's cabin. He tips black lumps into the stove, and they glow red. Maria asks: how can a rock burn? | Here's Maria at Grandpa's cabin. He tips black lumps into the stove, and they glow red. Maria asks: how can a rock burn? |
| Those black lumps are coal. A log burns, and coal burns. A thing people burn to get heat is called a fuel. | Those black lumps are coal. In the stove, a log burns, and coal burns. Sunlight warms the wall, but nobody burns it. A thing people burn to get heat is called a fuel. |
| Now let's go back a very long time, to a swamp full of plants. The plants die, fall into the water, and mud covers them. | Now let's go back a very long time, to a swamp full of plants. They die, and mud covers them. |
| More layers pile on top and press the dead plants for a very long time, until they turn into coal. | More layers press the dead plants for a very long time, until they turn into coal. |
| People dig the coal up and burn it in a big building called a power plant, to make electricity. | People dig coal up and burn it in a big building called a power plant, to make electricity. |
| So, coal is a black rock that burns, formed from plants of long-ago swamps, buried and pressed for a very long time. People dig coal up and burn it in power plants to make electricity. | So, coal is a black rock that burns, formed from plants of long-ago swamps, buried and pressed for a very long time. People dig coal up and burn it in power plants to make electricity. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Maria is visiting her grandpa in Pennsylvania, in his cabin in the hills. | Maria is visiting her grandpa in Pennsylvania, in his cabin in the hills. |
| He fills a bucket from a black heap in the shed and tips the black lumps into his stove. | He fills a bucket from a black heap in the shed and tips the black lumps into his stove. |
| Soon the lumps glow red, and the cabin warms up. | Soon the lumps glow red, and the cabin warms up. |
| Maria asks: "Grandpa, how can a rock burn?" | Maria asks: "Grandpa, how can a rock burn?" |
| ## A rock called coal | ## A rock called coal |
| Grandpa's black lumps are pieces of a rock called <b>coal</b>. | Grandpa's black lumps are pieces of a rock called <b>coal</b>. |
| Most rocks, like granite, do not burn, but coal does. | Most rocks, like granite, do not burn, but coal does. |
| ## Things people burn | ## Things people burn |
| Here is a log in a campfire. People burn the log to get heat. | Here is a log in Grandpa's stove. People burn the log to get heat. |
| Here is a lump of coal in Grandpa's stove. People burn the coal to get heat. | And here is a lump of coal in the same stove. People burn the coal to get heat. |
| And here is sunlight on a wall. The sunlight warms the wall, but nobody burns sunlight. | But here is sunlight on the cabin wall. The sunlight warms the wall, but nobody burns sunlight. |
| A thing people burn to get heat is called a <b>fuel</b>. | A thing people burn to get heat is called a <b>fuel</b>. |
| A log is a fuel, and coal is a fuel. Sunlight is not a fuel. | A log is a fuel, and coal is a fuel. Sunlight is not a fuel. |
| ## Where coal came from | ## Where coal came from |
| A log is part of a plant, and it burns. | A log is part of a plant, and it burns. |
| Coal burns too, because coal was once plants. | Coal burns too, because coal was once plants. |
| A very long time ago, swamps covered big parts of the land, full of tall plants. | A very long time ago, swamps covered big parts of the land, full of tall plants. |
| When the plants died, they fell into the swamp water, and mud covered them before they could rot away. | When the plants died, they fell into the swamp water, and mud covered them before they could rot away. |
| More mud and sand piled on top, layer after layer, for a very long time. | More mud and sand piled on top, layer after layer, for a very long time. |
| The weight of the layers pressed the dead plants flat and hard, and they slowly turned black. | The weight of the layers pressed the dead plants flat and hard, and they slowly turned black. |
| The pressed plants became coal. | The pressed plants became coal. |
| ## Digging it up and burning it | ## Digging it up and burning it |
| People dig coal out of the ground in a mine, and trains carry it away. | People dig coal out of the ground in a mine, and trains carry it away. |
| Most coal goes to a big building where electricity is made, called a <b>power plant</b>. | Most coal goes to a big building where electricity is made, called a <b>power plant</b>. |
| Inside the power plant, the coal burns, and the burning coal gives out heat. | Inside the power plant, the coal burns, and the burning coal gives out heat. |
| The heat carries energy to water in big pipes, and the water boils into steam. | The burning coal heats water in big pipes, and the water boils into steam. |
| The steam pushes a big wheel round, and the turning wheel turns a machine that makes electricity. | The steam pushes a big wheel round, and the turning wheel turns a machine that makes electricity. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: Coal is a black rock that burns, formed from plants of long-ago swamps, buried and pressed for a very long time. People dig coal up and burn it in power plants to make electricity. | RULE: Coal is a black rock that burns, formed from plants of long-ago swamps, buried and pressed for a very long time. People dig coal up and burn it in power plants to make electricity. |
| So Grandpa's black lumps are coal, a rock made of long-ago swamp plants. | So Grandpa's black lumps are coal, a rock made of long-ago swamp plants. |
| Plants burn, so coal burns. | Plants burn, so coal burns. |
33 · Parts and their jobs, inside animals and plants
L02 · Plant parts with shapes that fit a dry place attribute: the same mesquite imagined with short roots
Frame: The roots are <depth>, so they <reach / do not reach> the wet soil far down.; The leaves are <shape>, so <little / much> water dries out of them.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Victor and his dad in the Arizona desert. No rain has fallen for three months. But this cactus and mesquite tree are alive. How are they alive? | Here's Victor and his dad in the desert. No rain for three months, but this cactus and mesquite tree are alive. How are they alive? |
| A plant's roots take in water from the soil. The top soil here is dry, but far down it is wet, and the mesquite's roots reach it. | A plant's roots take in water from the soil. The top soil is dry. Imagine the mesquite with short roots, like Victor's tomato: they reach only dry soil, so it dies. |
| Victor's tomato had short roots. They reached only dry soil, so it died. | But the mesquite's roots are very deep. They reach wet soil far down, so it lives. |
| Next comes the cactus and its thick, fat stem. When rain comes, the stem fills with water and stores it. | Next comes the cactus's thick, fat stem. When rain comes, it fills with water and stores it. |
| And these sharp points, its spines, are its leaves: thin, so little water dries out, and sharp, so animals keep away. | Its sharp points, its spines, are its leaves: thin, so little water dries out, and sharp, so animals keep away. |
| So, here's the pattern. In a tough place, a plant part with the right shape helps the plant survive there: deep roots reach water far down, a thick stem stores water, and thin spines keep water in. | So, here's the pattern. In a tough place, a plant part with the right shape helps the plant survive there: deep roots reach water far down, a thick stem stores water, and thin spines keep water in. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Victor and his dad walk in the desert in Arizona. It has not rained for three months. | Victor and his dad walk in the desert in Arizona. It has not rained for three months. |
| The ground is dry dust, and nobody has watered these plants. | The ground is dry dust, and nobody has watered these plants. |
| Yet a tall cactus stands green and fat, and a mesquite tree is in full leaf. | Yet a tall cactus stands green and fat, and a mesquite tree is in full leaf. |
| Victor's tomato plant at home died after one week with no water. | Victor's tomato plant at home died after one week with no water. |
| Why are these desert plants alive? | Why are these desert plants alive? |
| ## Every plant needs water | ## Every plant needs water |
| Every living thing needs water to stay alive. | Every living thing needs water to stay alive. |
| A plant's roots hold it in the ground, and they take in water from the soil. | A plant's roots hold it in the ground, and they take in water from the soil. |
| So the desert plants must be getting water from somewhere, and keeping it. | So the desert plants must be getting water from somewhere, and keeping it. |
| ## Deep roots | ## Short roots, or deep roots |
| Here are the tomato plant and the mesquite tree, side by side in the desert ground. | Here are the tomato plant and the mesquite tree, side by side in the desert ground. |
| The top soil is dry. But far down, deeper than a house is tall, the ground is still wet. | The top soil is dry. But far down, deeper than a house is tall, the ground is still wet. |
| The mesquite's roots are very deep, so they reach that wet soil. | Imagine the mesquite with short roots, like the tomato's. They would stop in the dry soil, and the tree would die. |
| The tomato's roots are short, so they reached only the dry soil, and the plant died. | But the mesquite's roots are very deep, so they reach that wet soil, and the tree lives. |
| Victor's tomato really does have short roots, so they reached only the dry soil, and the plant died. | |
| ## A thick stem that stores water | ## A thick stem that stores water |
| The tall cactus is a saguaro. Its stem is thick and fat, and its inside is wet. | The tall cactus is a saguaro. Its stem is thick and fat, and its inside is wet. |
| When rain comes, the stem fills with water and gets fatter. | When rain comes, the stem fills with water and gets fatter. |
| The stem stores that water, so the saguaro uses it through the dry months. | The stem stores that water, so the saguaro uses it through the dry months. |
| ## Spines instead of flat leaves | ## Spines instead of flat leaves |
| In the desert heat, water dries out of a wide, flat leaf fast: the water evaporates into the hot air. | |
| The cactus has no wide, flat leaves. The thin, sharp points all over it are called spines. | The cactus has no wide, flat leaves. The thin, sharp points all over it are called spines. |
| Its spines are its leaves. | Its spines are its leaves. |
| The saguaro makes its food in its green stem instead. | The saguaro makes its food in its green stem instead. |
| A spine is thin, so very little water dries out of it. | A spine is thin, so very little water dries out of it. |
| A spine is sharp too, so animals keep away from the wet stem. | A spine is sharp too, so animals keep away from the wet stem. |
| Storing water and keeping water in are two different jobs. | But imagine this cactus with wide, flat leaves instead of spines. |
| In the desert heat, water dries out of a wide, flat leaf fast: the water evaporates into the hot air. | |
| The cactus would lose its stored water, so it would dry out. | |
| Storing water and preventing water loss are two different jobs. | |
| The thick stem stores water: it holds a supply for the dry months. | The thick stem stores water: it holds a supply for the dry months. |
| The thin spines keep that water in: they stop it drying out. | The thin spines prevent water loss: very little water dries out of them. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: In a tough place, a plant part with the right shape helps the plant survive there: deep roots reach water far down, a thick stem stores water, and thin spines keep water in. | RULE: In a tough place, a plant part with the right shape helps the plant survive there: deep roots reach water far down, a thick stem stores water, and thin spines keep water in. |
| So the mesquite reaches water far down with its deep roots. | So the mesquite reaches water far down with its deep roots. |
| The saguaro stores water in its thick stem and keeps it in with its spines. Both are alive. | The saguaro stores water in its thick stem and keeps it in with its spines. Both are alive. |
Quiz items (stem | options)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| A sunflower's roots spread through the soil. Which job do the roots do? | take in water from the soil / make the plant's food / carry the seeds away | A sunflower's roots spread through the soil. Which job do the roots do? | take in water from the soil / make the plant's food / carry the seeds away |
| Where does a maple tree make its food? | in its roots / in its leaves / in its bark | Where does a maple tree make its food? | in its roots / in its leaves / in its bark |
| Prairie grass in Kansas has roots that go down six feet. In a dry summer the top soil is dry, but the grass keeps growing. Why does it keep growing? | Its leaves store water. / The grass does not need water. / Its deep roots reach water far down. | Prairie grass in Kansas has roots that go down six feet. In a dry summer the top soil is dry, but the grass keeps growing. Why does it keep growing? | Its leaves store water. / The grass does not need water. / Its deep roots reach water far down. |
| An aloe plant has thick, fat leaves. In a long dry spell it keeps growing. What do its thick leaves do? | They reach water far down. / They store water. / They keep the plant warm. | An aloe plant has thick, fat leaves. In a long dry spell it keeps growing. What do its thick leaves do? | They reach water far down. / They store water. / They keep the plant warm. |
| A creosote bush on dry Nevada ground has tiny leaves. How do tiny leaves help in the dry heat? | Tiny leaves lose little water. / Tiny leaves make more food. / Tiny leaves reach more water. | A creosote bush on dry Nevada ground has tiny leaves. How do tiny leaves help in the dry heat? | Tiny leaves lose little water. / Tiny leaves make more food. / Tiny leaves reach more water. |
| Dean says that in a dry place, a plant with deep roots can reach water that a plant with short roots cannot. Is Dean right? | yes / no | Dean says that in a dry place, a plant with deep roots can reach water that a plant with short roots cannot. Is Dean right? | yes / no |
| Dean says a cactus has no leaves at all. Is Dean right? | yes / no | Dean says a cactus's spines are its leaves. Is Dean right? | yes / no |
| Roman says desert plants do not need any water. Is Roman right? | yes / no | Roman says desert plants do not need any water. Is Roman right? | yes / no |
| A water lily lives in a pond. Its leaves are wide and flat, and they float on top of the water. How does this shape help it? | They store water. / They reach the sunlight. / They reach water far down. | A water lily lives in a pond. Its leaves are wide and flat, and they float on top of the water. How does this shape help it? | They store water. / They reach the sunlight. / They reach water far down. |
| Three plants stand in dry ground with no rain for a month: a tree with very deep roots, a lettuce plant with short roots, and a plant with a thick stem full of stored water. Which plant is most likely to die first? | the tree / the lettuce / the thick-stem plant | Three plants stand in dry ground with no rain for a month: a tree with very deep roots, a lettuce plant with short roots, and a plant with a thick stem full of stored water. Which plant is most likely to die first? | the tree / the lettuce / the thick-stem plant |
| In a dry place, one plant part grows down very far to reach wet soil. Type the name of that plant part. | | In a dry place, one plant part grows down very far to reach wet soil. Type the name of that plant part. | |
35 · Producers, consumers and decomposers
L01 · Living things that make their own food: producers kind: a caterpillar on one of the oak's leaves
Frame: Does it make its own food?
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Miss Whitaker's class at the edge of a field in Texas. A rabbit nibbles the grass. Seth asks: what does the grass eat? | Here's Miss Whitaker's class at a field in Texas. A rabbit nibbles the grass. Seth asks: what does the grass eat? |
| The rabbit can't make its own food, so it eats the grass. Does the rabbit make its own food? No. | The rabbit can't make its own food, so it eats the grass. Does it make its own food? No. |
| But the grass eats nothing. Its leaves make its food, using sunlight. Does the grass make its own food? Yes. | But the grass eats nothing. Its leaves make its food, using sunlight. Does the grass make its own food? Yes. |
| And now here's the oak tree. Its leaves make its food, using sunlight. Yes. | And now here are pond algae, tiny green specks on the pond. Do they make their own food? Yes, using sunlight. |
| And here are the pond algae, tiny green things floating on the pond. They make their own food, using sunlight. Yes. | And here's the oak tree. Does it make its own food? Yes, using sunlight. |
| But now look at a green caterpillar on a green leaf. It's green, but it eats the leaf. No. | But look at a green caterpillar on one of the oak's leaves. Does it make its own food? No. It's green, but it eats the leaf. |
| So, here's what we've seen. A producer is a living thing that makes its own food, using sunlight. Grass, trees and pond algae are producers. | So, here's what we've seen. A producer is a living thing that makes its own food, using sunlight. Grass, trees and pond algae are producers. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Miss Whitaker's class walks along the edge of a field in Texas. | Miss Whitaker's class walks along the edge of a field in Texas. |
| A rabbit sits in the grass, nibbling. | A rabbit sits in the grass, nibbling. |
| Seth says: "The rabbit eats the grass. But nobody feeds the grass." | Seth says: "The rabbit eats the grass. But nobody feeds the grass." |
| Then he asks: "So what does the grass eat?" | Then he asks: "So what does the grass eat?" |
| ## The rabbit and the grass | ## The rabbit and the grass |
| An animal cannot make its own food, so it eats. The rabbit eats the grass. | An animal cannot make its own food, so it eats. The rabbit eats the grass. |
| Now consider the grass itself. The grass eats nothing. | Now consider the grass itself. The grass eats nothing. |
| A plant does not eat: it makes its own food. | A plant does not eat: it makes its own food. |
| The grass makes its food in its leaves, using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide from the air. | The grass makes its food in its leaves, using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide from the air. |
| ## An oak tree and pond algae | ## Pond algae and an oak tree |
| Now consider the green stuff floating on the pond by the fence. Those tiny green specks are pond algae. | |
| Pond algae have no leaves. But they are green, and they make their own food, using sunlight. | |
| Now consider the big oak tree at the edge of the field. | Now consider the big oak tree at the edge of the field. |
| Nobody feeds the oak tree either. Its leaves make its food, using sunlight. | Nobody feeds the oak tree either. Its leaves make its food, using sunlight. |
| Now consider the green stuff floating on the pond by the fence. Those tiny green specks are pond algae. | ## A green caterpillar on the oak |
| Pond algae have no leaves. But they are green, and they make their own food, using sunlight. | Now consider a green caterpillar on one of the oak tree's leaves. |
| ## A green caterpillar | |
| Now consider a green caterpillar on a green leaf. | |
| The caterpillar is green, like the leaf. But the caterpillar does not make its own food: it eats the leaf. | The caterpillar is green, like the leaf. But the caterpillar does not make its own food: it eats the leaf. |
| Being green is not the test. The question is: does it make its own food? | Being green is not the test. The question is: does it make its own food? |
| ## The name | ## The name |
| The grass, the oak tree and the pond algae all make their own food, using sunlight. | The grass, the pond algae and the oak tree all make their own food, using sunlight. |
| A living thing that makes its own food, using sunlight, is called a <b>producer</b>. | A living thing that makes its own food, using sunlight, is called a <b>producer</b>. |
| The rabbit and the caterpillar eat. They are not producers. | The rabbit and the caterpillar eat. They are not producers. |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: A producer is a living thing that makes its own food, using sunlight. Grass, trees and pond algae are producers. | RULE: A producer is a living thing that makes its own food, using sunlight. Grass, trees and pond algae are producers. |
| So Seth has his answer. The grass eats nothing: it is a producer, and it makes its own food, using sunlight. | So Seth has his answer. The grass eats nothing: it is a producer, and it makes its own food, using sunlight. |
Quiz items (stem | options)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| A bean plant grows on a windowsill. Where does the bean plant make its food? | in its leaves, using sunlight / in its roots, from the soil / it does not need food | A bean plant grows on a windowsill. Where does the bean plant make its food? | in its leaves, using sunlight / in its roots, from the soil / it does not need food |
| A corn plant grows in a field in Iowa. Does the corn plant make its own food? | yes / no | A corn plant grows in a field in Iowa. Does the corn plant make its own food? | yes / no |
| A squirrel eats acorns under a tree. Does the squirrel make its own food? | yes / no | A squirrel eats acorns under a tree. Does the squirrel make its own food? | yes / no |
| A living thing makes its own food, using sunlight. What is it called? | a plant eater / a meat eater / a producer | A living thing makes its own food, using sunlight. What is it called? | a plant eater / a meat eater / a producer |
| Seaweed grows in the sea, and its green parts make its food, using sunlight. Is seaweed a producer? | yes / no | Seaweed grows in the sea, and its green parts make its food, using sunlight. Is seaweed a producer? | yes / no |
| A cactus in Arizona has no leaves, but its green stem makes its food, using sunlight. Is the cactus a producer? | yes / no | A cactus in Arizona makes its food in its thick green stem, using sunlight. Is the cactus a producer? | yes / no |
| A green frog sits on a lily pad and eats flies. Is the frog a producer? | yes / no | A green frog sits on a lily pad and eats flies. Is the frog a producer? | yes / no |
| A deer eats leaves from a bush. Is the deer a producer? | yes / no | A deer eats leaves from a bush. Is the deer a producer? | yes / no |
| Troy says a tomato plant gets its food from the soil, through its roots. Is Troy right? | yes / no | Troy says a tomato plant gets its food from the soil, through its roots. Is Troy right? | yes / no |
| Which of these is a producer? | a spider / a pine tree / a goldfish | Which of these is a producer? | a spider / a pine tree / a goldfish |
36 · Traits from parents, and traits from life
L05 · A behavior it was born knowing, or one it learned kind: Paula's dog, instinct and learned, both ways
Frame: <Animal> did <behavior> the first time, with nobody to show it: born knowing. / <Animal> did not do <behavior> on its own; someone taught it or it copied others: learned.
Video script (what the child hears)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Here's Tina in her shed with Paula's dog. A spider spins a perfect web the first time, with nobody to show it. Tina asks how it knows. | Here's Tina in her shed with Paula's dog. A spider spins a web the first time, with nobody to show it. How does it know? |
| Something an animal does, like spinning a web, is a behavior. The spider was born knowing it. | Something an animal does, like spinning a web, is called a behavior. The spider was born knowing it. |
| Now Paula says sit, and her dog sits. Paula taught it with treats, so the dog learned it. | As a newborn puppy, Paula's dog drank its mother's milk with nobody to show it. It was born knowing that. |
| A robin chick opens its beak wide the first time a parent lands, so it was born knowing that. | But now Paula says sit, and the same dog sits. Paula taught it with treats, so it learned that. |
| Born knowing a behavior is the same idea as an inherited trait. Picking one up during life is the same idea as an acquired trait. | Born knowing a behavior is the same idea as an inherited trait. Picking one up during life is the same idea as an acquired trait. |
| Sitting on command stays with this dog: its puppies are not born knowing it. | Sitting on command stays with this dog: its puppies are not born knowing it. |
| So, a behavior an animal is born knowing is called an instinct. A behavior an animal picks up during its life is called a learned behavior. | A behavior an animal is born knowing is called an instinct. A behavior an animal picks up during its life is called a learned behavior. |
| Okay, now your turn. | Okay, now your turn. |
Article run
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Tina and Paula are in Tina's garden shed, with Paula's dog. | Tina and Paula are in Tina's garden shed, with Paula's dog. |
| In a top corner, a small spider spins a web. | In a top corner, a small spider spins a web. |
| Nobody showed the spider how, and the web is perfect the first time. | Nobody showed the spider how, and the web is perfect the first time. |
| Paula says "sit", and her dog sits. | Paula says "sit", and her dog sits. |
| Paula taught it that, with treats, over many days. | Paula taught it that, with treats, over many days. |
| Tina asks: "How does the spider know how, when nobody showed it?" | Tina asks: "How does the spider know how, when nobody showed it?" |
| ## Born knowing, or learned | ## Born knowing, or learned |
| Something an animal does, like spinning a web or sitting on command, is a behavior. | Something an animal does, like spinning a web or sitting on command, is called a behavior. |
| The spider spun a perfect web the first time, with nobody to show it. | The spider spun a perfect web the first time, with nobody to show it. |
| It was born knowing how. | It was born knowing how. |
| The dog did not sit on command on its own. | |
| Paula taught it, so it learned it. | |
| ## More pairs | |
| A robin chick opens its beak wide the first time a parent lands on the nest, just out of the egg. | A robin chick opens its beak wide the first time a parent lands on the nest, just out of the egg. |
| It was born knowing how. | It was born knowing how. |
| Sea turtle hatchlings crawl straight to the sea minutes after hatching, with no parent to show them. | |
| They were born knowing how. | |
| ## The same dog, two behaviors | |
| Now consider Paula's dog. As a newborn puppy, it found its mother's milk and drank, with nobody to show it. | |
| It was born knowing how. | |
| But the same dog did not sit on command on its own. | |
| Paula taught it, with treats, so it learned it. | |
| A parrot says "hello". | A parrot says "hello". |
| It heard people say hello every day and copied them, so it learned it. | It heard people say hello every day and copied them, so it learned it. |
| Sea turtle hatchlings crawl straight to the sea minutes after hatching, with no parent to show them. | |
| They were born knowing how. | |
| Paula's dog begs at the table. | Paula's dog begs at the table. |
| It got a bit of food there once, and it kept trying, so it learned it. | It got a bit of food there once, and it kept trying, so it learned it. |
| But after a bath, the same dog shakes the water off its coat, with nobody to show it. | |
| Every dog does that the first time. It was born knowing how. | |
| ## The same two boxes | ## The same two boxes |
| Born knowing a behavior is the same idea as an inherited trait: the behavior came from the parents. | Born knowing a behavior is the same idea as an inherited trait: the behavior came from the parents. |
| A behavior picked up during life is the same idea as an acquired trait: it came from how the animal lived. | A behavior picked up during life is the same idea as an acquired trait: it came from how the animal lived. |
| A behavior picked up during life stays with the animal that picked it up. Its young are not born knowing it. | A behavior picked up during life stays with the animal that picked it up. Its young are not born knowing it. |
| ## The names | ## The names |
| A behavior an animal is born knowing is called an instinct. | A behavior an animal is born knowing is called an instinct. |
| A behavior an animal picks up during its life is called a learned behavior. | A behavior an animal picks up during its life is called a learned behavior. |
| Spinning a web is an instinct, and sitting on command is a learned behavior. | |
| ## The rule | ## The rule |
| RULE: A behavior an animal is born knowing is called an instinct. A behavior an animal picks up during its life is called a learned behavior. | RULE: A behavior an animal is born knowing is called an instinct. A behavior an animal picks up during its life is called a learned behavior. |
| So the spider knows how to spin its web because spinning a web is an instinct: it was born knowing how. | So the spider knows how to spin its web because spinning a web is an instinct: it was born knowing how. |
Quiz items (stem | options)
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| A newborn calf stands up and drinks milk from its mother within an hour, with nobody to show it. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior | A newborn calf stands up and drinks milk from its mother within an hour, with nobody to show it. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior |
| A horse walks to the gate when it hears the feed bucket rattle, because food has come that way every day for years. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior | A horse walks to the gate when it hears the feed bucket rattle, because food has come that way every day for years. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior |
| A dolphin at an aquarium jumps through a hoop after its trainer rewards it with fish each time. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior | A dolphin at an aquarium jumps through a hoop after its trainer rewards it with fish each time. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior |
| A young beaver builds its first dam across a stream, and it has never seen a dam being built. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior | A young beaver builds its first dam across a stream, and it has never seen a dam being built. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior |
| A moth flies toward a porch light on its very first night out. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior | A moth flies toward a porch light on its very first night out. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior |
| A crow in a city drops nuts onto the road and waits for cars to crack them, after watching other crows do it. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior | A crow in a city drops nuts onto the road and waits for cars to crack them, after watching other crows do it. Which kind of behavior is this? | an instinct / a learned behavior |
| Here is a behavior card for a foal. Which kind of behavior is Behavior M? | an instinct / a learned behavior | Here is a behavior card for a foal that stands and walks. Which kind of behavior is standing and walking? | an instinct / a learned behavior |
| Paula's dog learned to sit on command. Paula says its puppies will be born knowing how to sit on command. Is Paula right? | yes / no | Paula's dog learned to sit on command. Paula says each of its puppies will have to learn to sit on command for itself. Is Paula right? | yes / no |
| Sylvia says an animal has to learn every behavior, and no animal is born knowing anything. Is Sylvia right? | yes / no | A dog opens the back door by pulling down the handle with its paw. Which sentence would tell you that opening the door is a learned behavior? | The dog pulled the handle the first time it saw it, with nobody to show it. / The dog pulled the handle after watching its owner do it for weeks. |
| A firefly flashes its light on its very first night out, with no firefly to show it. Tina says the flashing is an instinct. Is Tina right? | yes / no | |
| A chick pecks at seeds within hours of hatching, with nobody to show it. Being born knowing this is the same idea as which kind of trait? | an acquired trait / an inherited trait | A chick pecks at seeds within hours of hatching, with nobody to show it. Being born knowing this is the same idea as which kind of trait? | an acquired trait / an inherited trait |
| A behavior an animal is born knowing is called what? | a learned behavior / an acquired trait / an instinct | A behavior an animal is born knowing is called what? | a learned behavior / an acquired trait / an instinct |
| A behavior an animal picks up during its life is called what? | a learned behavior / an instinct / an inherited trait | A behavior an animal picks up during its life is called what? | a learned behavior / an instinct / an inherited trait |