2.3.1 Observe closely over a period of time and then record in pictures and words the changes in plants and animals throughout their life cycles-including details of their body plan, structure and timing of growth, reproduction and death. Differentiation: Have ELL students keep a picture journal of drawings of their compost 2 times a week.  Observe the changes over time.

5.4.2 Investigate the purpose of prototypes and models when designing a solution to a problem and how limitations in cost and design features might affect their construction. Differentiation: For special needs students to practice their life skills, give them a Wal-Mart or grocery store add and help them look up the price of one roll of aluminum foil.  Then, help them look up the price of a newspaper.  Assist students in deciding which material was more cost effective, and which material worked the best.  Take a vote on which you would use.

6.4.2 Construct a simple device that uses potential or kinetic energy to perform work. Differentiation: Gifted students could go a step further and cover the next standard "6.4.3 Describe the transfer of energy amongst energy interactions" and do a write up on how energy was transferred during this activity

3.3.1 Identify the common structures of a plant including its roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Describe their functions.3.3.2 Investigate plant growth over time, take measurements in SI units, record the data and display the data in graphs. Examine factors that might influence plant growth. Differentiation: Have gifted and special needs students come up with a creative way to display their plant's structures.  This can be oral, artistic, acted out, etc...

4.3.3 Design investigations to explore how organisms meet some of their needs by responding to stimuli from their environments.4.3.4 Describe a way that a given plant or animal might adapt to a change arising from a human or non-human impact on its environment. Differentiation: Have ELL students record their biome's progress and changes using a picture graph.

2.1.3. Predict and experiment with methods (e.g. sieving, evaporation) to separate solids and liquids based on their physical properties.2.1.4 Observe, sketch, demonstrate and compare how objects can move in different ways (e.g., straight, zig-zag, back-and-forth, rolling, fast and slow).2.1.5 Describe the position or motion of an object relative to a point of reference (e.g., background, another object).2.1.6 Observe, demonstrate, sketch and compare how applied force (i.e., push or pull) changes the motion of objects. Differentiation: Instead of writing out a hypothesis, have special education students draw the designs or what they predict will happen to the salt when they swing their pendulum.

1.1.2 Characterize materials as solid or liquid, investigate their properties, record observations and explain the choices to others based on evidence (i.e., physical properties). 1.1.3  Experiment with simple methods for separating solids and liquids based on their physical properties. Differentiation: Gifted students could do extended research on how people used to make butter in the pioneer days.  Have them note what was similar to how they made butter, and what was different.

5.4.1 Investigate technologies that mimic human or animal musculoskeletal systems in order to meet a need.5.4.2 Investigate the purpose of prototypes and models when designing a solution to a problem and how limitations in cost and design features might affect their construction.5.4.3 Design solutions to problems in the context of musculoskeletal body systems. Using suitable tools, techniques and materials, draw or build a prototype or model of a proposed design. Differentiation: For ELL and special education students; Create the model hand with the class as they create it.  Go step by step and do the process with them so they can watch you and hear the directions you are giving.

4.1.1 Describe and investigate the different ways in which heat can be generated.4.1.2 Investigate the variety of ways in which heat can be generated and moved from one place to another. Explain the direction the heat moved. Differentiation: For ELL students, allow them to draw their predictions and also draw which direction they think the heat is moving after testing.

3.1.1 Generate sounds using different materials, objects and techniques. Record the sounds and then discuss and share the results. 3.1.3 Investigate and recognize that sound moves through solids, liquids and gases (e.g., air). Differentiation: Assign a student with poor fine motor skills a partner to do their hole poking for them.  With their partner, have students build their telephones with help from a peer.  Although this project may seem simple to build, students with under-developed motor skills would have great difficulty with this task.  Having a students get help from a peer would allow them to complete the task and practice working collaboratively with others.

2.2.1 Construct and use tools to observe and measure weather phenomena like precipitation, changes in temperature, wind speed and direction.2.2.2 Experience and describe wind as the motion of the air. Differentiation: Allow gifted students to record the direction of wind for a week or even a few weeks.  With this information discuss with the class the effects of wind direction and how it correlates to weather.

1.1.2 Characterize materials as solid or liquid, investigate their properties, record observations and explain the choices to others based on evidence (i.e., physical properties) 1.1.3 Experiment with simple methods for separating solids and liquids based on their physical properties. Differentiation: For gifted students, have them melt a solid in different ways (microwave, oven, stovetop, heat from sun).  Ask them to predict which will melt the fastest and then record their observations

2.2.6 Learn about, report on and practice severe weather safety procedures. Differentiation: Allow ELL students to present orally, in written expression, or artistically (poster, picture...) on a severe weather phenomena that is common in the area where they are from and the safety procedures for this weather.  This will allow students to present on a topic that is familiar and also educate other students on their background.

1.1.1 Use all senses as appropriate to identify the component parts of objects and the materials from which they are made. Differentiation: For students with learning disabilities, coming up with the words to describe what their senses are communicating to them can be very difficult.  Writing down their experience can be even more difficult.  Instead, allow students to draw what they think they are tasting and pictures to represent certain adjectives such as 'sweet'.

Text Types and Purposes6-8.WS.1Write arguments to focus on discipline-specific content. a. Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge anddistinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims,and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant,accurate data and evidence that demonstrate anunderstanding of the topic or text, using credible sources. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion andclarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims,reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows fromand supports the argument presented. Differentiation: For gifted students, have them create a "moon finder" that will show the moon for any given phase and time.  Students can make this in a circle on a paper plate or on black construction paper.  Other students can use these "moon finders" to help them determine if the moon is depicted accurately or not.

2.MD.1  Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes. Differentiation: For gifted students, have them write out the addition sentence for each problem.

4.NF.1  Explain why a fraction a/b is equivalent to a fraction (nxa) (nxb) by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size. Differentiation: For gifted students, the problems on the board can be changed to best suit the child's abilities.