GEMS Correlations with the Florida Sunshine State Standards

Grade Level Expectations and Benchmarks for Science
Grades 3-5

Strand A: The Nature of Matter


Return to Sunshine State Standards Page


Standard 1: The student understands that all matter has observable, measurable properties.

Benchmark SC.A.1.2.1: The student determines that the properties of materials (e.g., density and volume) can be compared and measured (e.g., using rulers, balances, and thermometers).


Third Grade


1. determines the physical properties of matter using metric measurements that incorporate tools such as rulers, thermometers, balances.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Bubble Festival

Fourth Grade

1. uses a variety of measurements to compare and contrast the physical properties of matter.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Bubble Festival, Crime Lab Chemistry, Hot Water and Warm Homes From Sunlight, Moons of Jupiter, Of Cabbages and Chemistry, Oobleck

Fifth Grade

1. uses metric tools to determine the density and volume of materials.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Bubble Festival, Bubble-ology, Environmental Detectives, Hot Water and Warm Homes From Sunlight, Ocean Currents, Paper Towel Testing

Benchmark SC.A.1.2.2: The student knows that common materials (e.g., water) can be changed from one state to another by heating and cooling.


Third Grade

1. understands that physical changes in the states of matter can be produced by heating and cooling.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Involving Dissolving, On Sandy Shores, Secret Formulas

Benchmark SC.A.1.2.4: The student knows that different materials are made by physically combining substances and that different objects can be made by combining different materials.

Fifth Grade

1. knows that different materials can be physically combined to produce different substances.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Bubble-ology, Microscopic Explorations, Of Cabbages and Chemistry, Oobleck

2. knows the differences and similarities between mixtures and solutions.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Crime Lab Chemistry, Mystery Festival, Ocean Currents

Benchmark SC.A.1.2.5: The student knows that materials made by chemically combining two or more substances may have properties that differ from the original materials.

Fifth Grade

1. knows that materials made by chemically combining two or more substances have properties that differ from the original materials.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Bubble-ology, Of Cabbages and Chemistry

2. knows the difference between physical and chemical changes.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Ocean Currents, Stories in Stone

Benchmark SC.A.2.2.1: The student knows that materials may be made of parts too small to be seen without magnification.

Third Grade

1. uses a tool to observe and study minute details of objects (for example, hand lens).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Involving Dissolving, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores

Fourth Grade

1. uses a variety of tools (hand lens, microscope) to observe and study minute details of objects.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Crime Lab Chemistry, Fingerprinting, Microscopic Explorations, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores, Stories in Stone

Fifth Grade

1. knows that materials may be made of parts too small to be seen without magnification.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Crime Lab Chemistry, Microscopic Explorations, Mystery Festival, Only One Ocean, Stories in Stone

Lawrence Hall of Science    © 2015 UC Regents. All rights reserved.    Contact GEMS    Updated February 06, 2021