Science Vocabulary for 4th Grade

Week 1: Plants & Food Chains

Sun-​ the main source of energy for all things

producer​-A living thing, such as a plant, that makes its own food
consumer​-A living thing that eats other living things for energy​
decomposer​-​A living thing that feeds on the wastes of plants and animals or
on their remains after they die
food chain-​ the set of steps showing how organisms get the food and energy
they need to survive
food web-​ a diagram showing the different interconnected food chains in a
habitat
prey​-The animal that is taken for food by another

flower​-makes seeds for the plant

stem- ​supports the plant. It carries the water and nutrients from the roots to
other parts of the plant.
leaf​- takes in air and light that the plant needs to survive and make food.
roots-​ hold the plant into the soil and soak up water and minerals.
Week 2: Variation & Adaptation

inherited characteristics​- a trait that is passed down from parent to

offspring

acquired characteristics-​ a trait that develops from experience after you’re

born

related-​ coming from the same family or group of living things

species-​ a group of living things that are closely related

hibernation​-A period when an animal goes into a long, deep "sleep"

migration-​The movement of a group of one type of animal from one region

to another and back again

body structure​-part of the body

adaptation​-​A body part or behavior that helps an animal meet its needs in
its environment

mimicry-​ when one organism imitates the traits of another

camouflage-​ an adaptation by which an animal can hide by blending in with

its surroundings
Week 3: Electricity & Magnetism

open circuit-​ a circuit which contains gaps or breaks so that it will not allow
electricity to flow (light off)

closed circuit-​ a circuit which is complete and allows electricity to flow

(light on)

conductor-​ a material through which heat or electricity flows easily (metal)

insulator-​ a material through which heat or electricity does not flow easily
(non-metal)

magnetism​-the power to attract iron and steel as a magnet does; same

poles repel and different poles attract; the closer the magnets are the
stronger the force

Week 4: States of Matter and Measurement

texture​-​what things are made of and how they feel

volume-​the amount of space the object takes up (measured in mL or L)

mass-​The amount of matter something contains (measured in g or kg)

friction​-​A force that keeps objects that are touching each other from sliding
past each other easily
matter​-Everything in the universe that has mass and takes up space
Week 5: Water & Weather

weather​-​the daily state of the atmosphere, or air, in any given place

water cycle​-​the complete journey that water makes in its life, from one
place to the other, and from one state to the other

evaporation​-​The process in which a liquid mixes with high temperatures

and changes to a gas
condensation​-​The process by which water vapor mixed with cold air and
changes from a gas to liquid

precipitation​-​Any form of water that falls from the sky to Earth as rain,
snow, sleet, or hail

runoff​-​part of the water cycle that flows over land as surface water instead
of being absorbed into groundwater or evaporating

deposition​-The process by which rock or soil gets carried by water or wind

and lands in a new location.

phase change​-​a change from one state (solid or liquid or gas) to another
due to temperature

solid-​ definite shape and definite volume

liquid-​ no definite shape, but definite volume
gas-​ no definite shape or volume
rotation​-​The motion of a planet or other object as it turns on its axis
revolution​-​The movement of any object in an orbit, such as Earth moving
around the sun
Week 6: Tools & Simple Machines

balance scale​- a bar with two containers on a fulcrum that measures mass
using grams/gram weights

graduated cylinder​- a container that has numbers and tick marks/intervals

measures liquid volume in ml/mL

ruler​- a tool used to measure the length/width/height of something in

inches or centimeters

hand lens​-magnifying glass-makes an object look larger so it can be studied

easier

simple machine-​The basic machines that make up other machines

lever-​ ​A simple machine made up of a bar that turns around a fixed point

pulley​-​A simple machine made up of a rope or chain and a wheel around

which the rope fits

inclined plane​-​A flat surface with one end higher than the other