Word Wall

Vocabulary
Cards
Feel free(with
to printdefinitions)
these off to place
onto your word wall. When you print
the slides, edit your preferences to the
amount of slides you would like to
print on a page. This will give you the
option on what size the cards will be.

Grade 5 Critical Vocabulary Content Words

Properties of
Matter
Solubility
Density
Displacement
Particles
Conductor
Insulator
Melting/Freezing
Point
Boiling Point
Dissolve
Mixture
Solution
Mass
Volume
Physical
Properties
Matter

Force, Motion
and Energy
Coil
Current
Electrical
Energy
Electromagnet
Light Energy
Sound Energy
Thermal
Energy
Switch
Inertia
Speed
Reflection
Refraction
Circuit
Mechanical
Energy
Force
Friction
Gravity
Motion/
Movement
Position

Sun, Earth
and Moon
Axis
Tilt
Lunar
Cycle
Tides
Orbit
Revolution
Rotation

Foss Landforms
Canyon
Constructive
Force
Destructive
Force
Glacier
Plateau
Sand Dune
Delta
Sedimentary
Rock
Weathering
Deposition
Erosion

Sharing the
Planet
Fossil Fuels
Fossils
Biofuel
Alternative
Energy
Hydroelectri
c
Geothermal

Terrestrial
Environments
Climate
Carbon
DioxideOxygen Cycle
Germination
Photosynthesis
Pollination
Terrarium
Ground Water
Weather
Transpiration
Producer
Run Off

Biomes and
Ecosystems
Decomposer
Complete
Metamorphosis
Biome
Ecosystems
Incomplete
Metamorphosis
Instinct
Niche
Nymph
Scavenger
Consumer
Habitat
Inherited Trait
Learned
Behavior
Abiotic
Biotic

Investigating
Science
Safely
*Teacher Notes: Unit one vocabulary has a large range of
words. Not all words will be introduced within unit one.
The words need to be introduce throughout the year as
needed.

Theory

a general belief
or idea based on a
set of facts or
observations

Claim
a statement that
can be proven or
disproven by an
experiment, test,
or investigation

Inquiry
discovery;
investigating to
find an
explanation
to a scientific
question based
on evidence

Testable
Question
a testable question
can be easily tested
and answered
through evidence of
measurable change in
an investigation

Investigation
Investigate

the process of
searching for the
answer to a question
through observation,
data, and concluding
based on evidence

Experiment

a process used to
make a discovery,
est a hypothesis,
or demonstrate a
known scientific
act

Scientific
Method
the process

scientists use to
study and learn
about the world
around them;
asking questions
and finding
answers

Procedure

a particular way
of doing
something;
a series of steps
in
an experiment or
investigation

Process

a series of
things that
happen which
achieves some
result

Sequence
the order in
which
something
happens
or is done

Model
a small representation
of an object or
occurrence used to
study the real life
object/occurrence

Hypothesis

Hypothesize
an answer to the
question based
on prior
he
t
er,
knowledge;
t
e
a
s
w
a
cr e u p of
at
n
h
i
t
c
r
e
If w e of a f suga too.
will be tested mperatuarmount oincrease
ill
te
he
w
t
e
n
through the tchaen dissolv

Prediction
Predict, Predictable
Statement of
what will
happen before
it actually
happens;
sometimes

Variable
Vary
the factor in an
investigation or
experiment
that can
change or be
changed; the

Water

No Water

Factor

any thing or certain

condition in an
investigation
or situation

Significant
a factor that is
important or
makes a
difference in
the results
Water is a significant factor
in plant growth.

Observe
Observation

to closely look at
the physical
properties of
something by using
the 5 senses;
describe how
something looks,
feels, smells,

Interact
Interaction
to act a certain
way towards
something; a
relationship;
causing some
effect or change
to the other

Measure
Measurement
to find out the
length, mass,
volume, weight
of an object by
using tools such
as a ruler,
balance,

Accurate
Accurately
a statement,
measurement
or result that is
exact, correct
in details, very
close to being

Inaccurate
not correct or
accurate, an
error
may have been
made

Support
giving
evidence that,
or reasons why
something
could be true
or is
the best
choice;

Reasonable
if something, a
statement,
hypothesis, or
conclusion
makes sense or
not

Evidence

facts, observations, or
information that prove
something could be
true

Increase
to become
more, greater;
to grow

Decrease
to become less,
smaller

Change

to become different in
appearance, size,
behavior; found by
observing and
comparing

Analyze
to study data
and results
closely and
think about
what the
results mean;
to understand

Compare

to look for
similarities and
differences between
two
or more
objects,
organisms,

Classify
to arrange in
groups or
categories based
on characteristics
or properties that
objects or
organisms have

Determine
to figure something
out; to make a
decision by looking
at observations,
evidence, results

Estimate
to come up with an
approximate result
or
measurement; close
to the exact, real
result
or measurement

Identify
to recognize and
know who or what
someone or
something is

Affect
to cause a
difference or
change in
something

Effect

a change or
difference that is
a result of an
action or
interaction
between factors

Results

the outcome or
information from an
investigation or
experiment, used to
support a hypothesis
or make a
conclusion

Data
facts or
observations
gathered from an
investigation to be
analyzed and used
to draw a
conclusion

Trial

the number of times

an experiment
or investigation is
repeated

Justify

to show or prove to be
right or reasonable; a
conclusion to an
investigation can be
justified by
observations or results

Conclusion
Conclude
an answer to the
question; a
statement made
that can be justified
or proven by data
and results

Inference
Infer
a conclusion
made using
reasoning and
evidence

Explain
Explanation
making something
understandable by
giving details and
reasons behind
a conclusion or
decision

Triple beam
balance
used to
measure the
mass
of solid objects
by moving
gram weights

Double-pan
balance

used to
compare the
mass of two
different
objects

Digital scale
tool used to
measure the
mass
or weight of an
object or
substance in

Graduated
cylinder
tool used to
measure the
volume of
liquids
in milliliters

Hot plate
a tool used to
heat materials
in beakers
and other
containers

Thermometer
used to
measure the
temperature of
various
substances in
degrees
Fahrenheit and

Hand lens
Magnifying glass

a tool used to
magnify a small obje
or material in
order to closely
observe the
physical properties

Spring scale
a tool used to
measure the
weight of
an object in
Newtons (N)
using the force

Unit of
measure
the name given to the

measurement
based on what is being
measured
volume= mL
mass= g
length= cm

Centimeter
(cm)
millimeter,
kilometer
unit usedmeter,
to
measure
distance or
length, height,
width of an
object

Gram (g)
milligram
unit used to measure
the mass or weight of
something

Milliliter (ml)

liter
nit used to measure the
volume of a liquid

5 Grade
Science Vocabulary
th

Properties of Matter

Matter
something
that has
mass and
takes up
space

Conductor
to have the
quality of
transmitting
something (as
light, heat,
sound, or
electricity)

Mixture
a combination of two or more
substances where each keep
their own properties and can
be easily separated

Density
objects that are more dense
sink in
water; less dense objects
float in

Insulator
material that
slows down
or stops
electric
current or
heat from
flowing

Melting point
the temperature at which a
substance changes states
from a solid to a liquid.

O C

Freezing Point
the temperature at which a
substance changes states
from a liquid to a solid
O
C

Boiling Point
the temperature at which a
substance changes states from a
liquid to a gas
100oC

Mass

the amount of matter in an

object

Dissolve
to break down
and spread
evenly in a
liquid

Solution
a mixture of
one substance
dissolved
evenly in
another

Volume
the amount of
space that an
object or
substance
occupies

Physical
Properties
appearances
of
an object
including:
mass,
magnetism,
physical state,
relative
density,
solubility, and

Particles
one of the
extremely
small pieces of
matter that
make up a
solid, liquid,
and gas

Solubility
measurement
of the ability of
a solid to
dissolve in a
liquid

Displacement

the difference between the

initial position of something
and any later position

5 Grade
Science Vocabulary
th

Force, Motion and

Energy

Coil
a wound
spiral of two
or more turns
of insulated
wire

Current
the flow or
passing of
something
such as
electricity

Electrical
Energy

energy
produced by
the movement
of electrons

Electromagne
t
type of magnet in which
the magnetic field is
produced by the flow of
electric current

Light Energy
waves of
radiant energy

Sound Energy
energy
produced by
vibration
transmitted
through a solid,
liquid, or gas

Thermal
Energy
energy that causes a
transfer of heat between
materials

Switch
a device for
turning on or
off electric
current

Refraction

energy waves that bend as they

pass from one type of material to
another (such as from air to liquid)

Reflection

energy waves bouncing off

the surface of an object

Circuit
the pathway
in which
electrical
current flows

Mechanical
Energy
energy produced by motion

Speed
full,
maximum,
or optimum
rate of
motion

Inertia
the tendency of an object to
maintain its state of rest or
motion unless acted upon
by an external force

Motion/Movem
ent
a change of position

Friction
the force that
slows or stops
motion when
objects rub
together

Gravit
y

the force that pulls objects

to the center of the Earth

Position

Where an object is located in spac

FAR
CLOSER

BESIDE

NEAR
BEHIND

Force
PUSH

PULL

a push or pull that

causes an object to
stop, move or change
direction

5 Grade
Science Vocabulary
th

Sun, Earth and

Moon

Axis
the imaginary
line about
which a
rotating body,
such as the
Earth, turns

Tilt
the angle at
which a planet
is positioned as
it is on its axis
usually a slight
slope

Lunar Cycle
the
appearance of
the illuminated
portion of the
Moon as seen
by an observer,
usually on

Ocean Tides
the periodic rise
and fall of the
waters of the
ocean produced
by the gravity of
the moon, and
occurring about
every 12 hours

Low Tide

High
Tide

Rotate
to turn or spin
on an axis; for
Earth, one
complete
rotation is 24
hours

Revolve

the orbiting around another

object; for Earth, it takes 1
year to revolve around the

5 Grade
Science Vocabulary
th

FOSS Landforms

Sediments

Small particles of
rock, soil, sand, or
shell deposited by
water, wind, or ice

Canyon

a deep valley with steep

sides, often with a stream or
river flowing through it

Delta
Sediment
deposited at
the mouth of a
river. Usually in
a triangular
shape.

Sand Dune

a ridge of sand created by

the wind; found in deserts or
near lakes and oceans

Plateau
a large, flat
area of land
that is higher
than the
surrounding
land

Sedimentary
Rock
formed from the
deposition of
sediments;
sedimentary rocks
consist of
sediments that
have been
compacted and
cemented together

Destructive
Force
wear or break
apart rock in
landforms;
earthquakes,
water erosion,
wind erosion

Glacier

an extended mass of ice formed

from snow falling and
accumulating over the years
and moving very slowly

Constructive
Force
force that builds something;
when forces create new things
like lava hardening creating
new land

Weathering

the breakdown of rock into

smaller pieces from water,
wind and ice

Erosion

the movement of weathered

material from Earths surface
by water, wind and ice

Deposition
the build up of
land by
depositing
sediments into
a new location

Rapid Change

changes to the Earths

surface that happen
suddenly and may take
seconds, days, or weeks
to see

Slow Change

changes to the Earths surfac

that take thousands or million
of years to notice

5 Grade
Science Vocabulary
th

Sharing the Planet

Fossils
the remains or
imprint of an
organism from
a previous
geologic time

Fossil Fuel
fuel created
from
something that
was previously
living; most
common forms
are coal, oil

Alternative
Energy

energy generated by natural

processes; renewable sources
of energy

Hydroelectric

electricity produced by falling or

moving water

Geothermal

energy created from the

internal heat of the Earth

Biofuel

fuel made from

decomposing plants and
animal waste

Wind Energy

moving air is converted by a

turbine to mechanical and then to
electrical energy

Solar Energy
thermal and light energy
from the sun that is used
for heat and to produce
electricity

5 Grade
Science Vocabulary
th

Terrestrial
Environments

Germination

the process a seed goes through

to become a seedling

Pollination
the transfer of pollen from one
flower to another; results in
fertilization of a flower

Photosynthesi
s
the process in which plants use
sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to
release oxygen into the atmosphere
and to produce sugar (food energy)

Carbon DioxideOxygen Cycle

Plants breathe in carbon dioxide

and breathe out oxygen. Animals
breathe in oxygen and breathe

Transpiration

the process by which moisture is carried

through plants from roots to the leaves,
where it changes to vapor and is
released into the atmosphere from the
leaves

Producer
an organism that uses
sunlight to make its own food
for energy

Runoff
the movement
of land water
to the oceans
by rivers,
lakes, and
streams

Climate
weather conditions of a region
throughout the year or averaged
over many years

Terrarium
a glass
container,
usually
enclosed, for
growing and
displaying

Weather
the state of the
atmosphere on
a given day
such as,
temperature,
precipitation,
and humidity

Groundwater

the water
beneath the
surface of the
ground,
consisting
largely of
surface water
that has seeped
down; the source

5 Grade
Science Vocabulary
th

Biomes and
Ecosystems

Incomplete
Metamorphosis

insect development that

happens in 3 stages: egg,
nymph, adult

Complete
Metamorphosis

insect development that

happens in 4 stages: egg,
larva, pupa, adult

Decomposer
an organism that gets its
energy by eating dead
organisms, non-living material,
or wastes

Scavenger
an organism
that feeds on
dead organic
matter

Instinct
a behavior that
an organism is
born knowing
how to do

Nymph
the stage of
incomplete
metamorphosis
during which an
insect eats and
grows and
resembles a
smaller version

Ecosystem
a community
of living and
nonliving
things within
an
environment

Biome
an area with a
specific climate
that is home to a
major community
of plants and
animals with similar
requirements of
environmental
conditions

Niche
the role an
organism plays
in its
environment

Consumer
an organism
that feeds on
plants or other
animals

Habitat
the natural
environment of
an organism;
where the
organism lives

Inherited
Traits
a characteristic
passed from
the male and
female parents
to the offspring
or child

Biotic
Factors in the
environment
that are living.

Abiotic
Factors in the
environment
that are not
living

Learned
Behavior
behavior that is
acquired as a
result of the
experience of
the individual
organism (e.g.,
learning to play
baseball well)