Why are some fruits sour? What happens when we wash a haldi stain off a school uniform? This year, science answers questions like these.
Key idea
Science Is a Way of Thinking
This year, science asks deeper questions: how things work, why events happen, and what patterns in nature can teach us.
Step outside the book
Learning science means doing activities and experiments, not just reading about them.
To be wise, be a whys person
Being curious and asking good questions matters just as much as finding the correct answers.
Key idea
This Year's Journey
MaterialsWhat things are made of, and how we classify them.
ChangesWhich changes can be undone — and which can't.
Water, heat & lifeHow heat and water keep living things going.
Time, light & shadowsHow we measure time, and how light behaves.
Earth's motionsWhy we have day, night — and eclipses.
Key idea
Materials and Their Properties
Everyday materials have properties we rarely question
like why some fruits taste sour, or how a haldi stain reacts to washing.
A simple test
Connecting a battery, a lamp, and a wire to different materials helps us discover which ones let the lamp glow — leading into the world of metals and non-metals.
Key idea
Changes Around Us
1
Everyday changes
A battery running out, ice melting, fruit ripening, rocks breaking into pebbles — all examples of change.
→
2
Reversible or not?
Some changes can be reversed, others cannot. Heat often makes changes happen, or happen faster.
Key idea
Water, Heat, and Life Processes
1
The Sun keeps water moving
Heat evaporates water from the seas; the vapour later falls as rain and can trickle into the ground.
→
2
Bodies keep changing too
Growing middle-schoolers — and plants too — go through constant, essential life processes like eating, breathing, and circulation.
Key idea
Time, Light, and Shadows
1
Telling time before clocks
Before clocks and watches, early humans told time using the position of shadows cast by sunlight.
→
2
Understanding light
Studying light gives us practical benefits, like light at night, and deep understanding of the universe — including eclipses.
Key idea
Earth's Motions
Day and night happen because of the light we receive from the Sun.
Three motions, one story
Explaining eclipses and day/night means understanding Earth's rotation on its axis, the Moon's revolution around Earth, and Earth's revolution around the Sun.
Key idea
Work Backwards from the Answer
Come up with a curious, creative, and fun question that could lead to each answer below. There's no wrong question — let your imagination run wild!
Answer: "Just add some milk."Your question: ______________________________?
Answer: "Because the cat's teeth were crooked."Your question: ______________________________?
Key idea
Two More to Try
Answer: "Don't panic, I have my towel."
Your question: ______________________________?
Answer: "42."
Your question: ______________________________?
Chapter · Key terms to remember
Key Terms
Observation
noticing and describing what happens, carefully and in detail
Hypothesis
a testable, reasoned guess about why something happens
Experiment
a controlled test designed to check a hypothesis
Chapter · Key terms to remember
More Key Terms
Evidence
data or observations that support or challenge an idea
Scientific method
the step-by-step process of asking, testing, and refining an explanation
Questions for your notebook
Write these down, then discuss
1
Why does asking a good question often matter as much as finding the right answer in science?
2
Which science topics are you most looking forward to this year, and how do you think they connect to each other?
3
Why does doing an experiment yourself teach you more than just reading about it?
Project as-is — students copy the questions, then the class discusses answers together.