Patterns of Change in Seasons Activities for 4th Grade Science

This 4th grade space science unit helps students explore seasonal patterns, including changes in temperature and daylight, through data collection and analysis. Featuring editable presentations, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments, it supports differentiated, student-led learning with minimal prep. Aligned with TEKS 4.9A, the unit follows the 5E Model, guiding students through engagement, exploration, explanation, extension, and evaluation. It includes a hands-on station lab, interactive PowerPoints, and Spanish translations, and is adaptable for both in-class and virtual settings, ensuring an engaging, multimodal learning experience. The resources below will give students a comprehensive understanding of seasonal patterns. All of the following materials are also included in the Kesler Science Membership.

This elementary space science unit focuses on helping 4th grade students collect and analyze data to identify sequences and predict patterns of change in seasons, including changes in temperature and daylight. It includes presentations, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments, all designed for differentiated, student-led learning with minimal prep. The content is fully editable and flexible, with options for both printable and digital formats, and includes Spanish translations.

The lesson follows the 5E Model: students engage with objectives and vocabulary, explore content through a hands-on, differentiated station lab with various input and output activities, and explain concepts through editable PowerPoints and interactive notebooks. They can extend learning with choice projects and are evaluated with assessment questions aligned with the new 2021 TEKS standard 4.9A. It’s designed to keep students interested through multimodal learning and is adaptable for both in-class and virtual settings.

This student-led station lab covers the 2021 TEKS 4.9A standard on seasonal changes, engaging 4th-grade students with activities that allow them to explore, identify, and predict patterns in the seasons. Designed for minimal prep time, the lab includes nine modular, differentiated stations where students take control of their learning, with the teacher facilitating rather than directing.

The stations include multimodal activities such as puzzles, videos, readings, and research tasks that encourage exploration of seasonal patterns. Students work independently or in small groups to complete tasks like organizing information, illustrating seasonal changes, and answering questions. In addition to the core activities, the lab features a bonus station for early finishers, offering extension activities like crosswords and mini-projects.

The lab is adaptable for both in-person and virtual learning, using tools like PowerPoint or Google Slides for digital versions.

The Patterns of Change in Seasons Student Choice Projects align with the 2021 TEKS Earth and Space standard 4.9A and give 4th graders a variety of project options to match their preferred output style. The project page includes six student-led project choices plus a “design your own” option, with an editable grading rubric for assessment by teachers, peers, or students themselves. Teachers can modify the rubric as needed. The projects are flexible, with multimodal choices that allow students to demonstrate their understanding in creative ways.

Differentiated options are available: a modified version of the project page supports students needing remediation, while a challenging version allows advanced learners to complete multiple projects. The projects use standard classroom supplies such as paper, markers, and scissors, with many options available for digital completion.

The Patterns of Change: Seasons and Shadows Science and ELA Integrated Writing Activity engages 4th grade students in creative journal writing to demonstrate their understanding of shadows and seasonal changes. This TEKS-aligned, low-prep activity enhances science reasoning and supports both in-person and virtual learning environments.

The resource includes teacher directions, rubrics, projection and print handouts, and a digital version for Google Slides. It is suitable for cross-curricular use, pre-test assessments, student projects, and as enrichment for early finishers or differentiation. Ideal for extra credit, make-up work, or TELPAS samples, this activity fosters student engagement and creativity. Perfect for displaying on bulletin boards or compiling into student anthologies.

The Earth/Space Science Set of WIKI Tickets formative assessments includes 33 topics aligned with upper elementary NGSS and TEKS standards. Each topic is available in five formats: a full-screen projection version, three handout options (full, split, and quarter-page), and a digital interactive version compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides.

These assessments cover a variety of topics, including air temperature, weather patterns, natural resources, the water cycle, Earth's rotation, and more. They can be used in both in-person and virtual learning environments, offering flexibility for any teaching situation. A bonus table of contents file shows the alignment to standards.

WIKI Tickets are ideal for use as exit tickets, bellringers, or quick checks for understanding, helping you assess students’ grasp of concepts in an engaging way. Whether projected on a screen, printed for handouts, or used digitally, they provide a versatile resource for science classrooms.

Year-Round Resources

These year-round activities will increase your students' understanding of many middle school science topics. All of these activities are also included in the Kesler Science Membership.

Visual Data & Graphing

You're not alone if your students struggle with understanding graphs, charts, and tables. It's a skill that takes an enormous amount of practice. This resource will help students build a strong foundation in analyzing data and creating their own data visualizations.

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Bell Ringers and Warm-Ups

These middle school science bell ringers are an excellent way to engage your students as soon as they walk into your classroom. This comprehensive FULL YEAR resource includes everything you need to start off each science class with an interesting warm-up activity.

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Review Board Games

Each game board has been carefully designed to keep students engaged. There are 10 different action spaces on each board and dozens of question cards. All of the actions are related to science concepts and keep the students motivated throughout the game.

Each game is ready to play. Simply print out the board and the cards and let the students enjoy reviewing nine different units.

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Essential Questions and Standards

Below are the essential questions and standards associated with the lessons and activities included in the atoms unit. This topic is only one of more than 100 middle school science topics included in the Kesler Science Membership.

Essential Questions

What sequences can we identify in seasons?
How can we predict patterns of change in seasons?

Standards

TEKS Science - 4.9A Patterns of Change in Seasons