Science in elementary school has changed. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) shifted the focus from memorizing facts to actually thinking and acting like scientists — observing, asking questions, and figuring things out. If you're homeschooling or supplementing at home, here's what K–5 science actually covers under NGSS and how to teach it without a lab.
What makes NGSS different
NGSS is built on three dimensions working together: science concepts (the content), science practices (asking questions, planning investigations, analyzing data), and crosscutting concepts (patterns, cause and effect, systems). The big shift: kids don't just learn about science — they do science. That's great news for home learning, because hands-on exploration is exactly what works at the kitchen table.
What K-5 science covers
- Kindergarten: Weather and seasons, needs of plants and animals, pushes and pulls (forces).
- 1st grade: Light and sound, plant and animal features, patterns in the sky.
- 2nd grade: Properties of materials, habitats and ecosystems, Earth's surface and water.
- 3rd grade: Forces and motion, life cycles and traits, weather and climate, environmental change.
- 4th grade: Energy, waves, structures of plants and animals, Earth's features and processes.
- 5th grade: Matter and its properties, ecosystems and energy flow, Earth's systems, space and the solar system.
How to teach NGSS science at home (no lab required)
- Start with a question: "Why do you think ice melts faster in the sun?" Let them predict first.
- Do simple investigations: Sink or float, growing seeds, shadows over a day, mixing materials.
- Have them record observations: Drawings, charts, or a simple science journal.
- Ask "why" and "what if": The thinking matters as much as the answer.
Teacher-made, NGSS-aligned science packs
Our K–5 science packs are built by a licensed K–5 teacher and aligned to NGSS — with investigations, observation pages, and explanations written for kids. Instant PDF download, under $10, reprintable. Browse by grade in the full curriculum store.