Science Vocabulary for 4th Grade
47 terms
JamWise Education Team·Updated March 2026
In 4th grade, students in the upper elementary (3-5) band encounter 47 essential science vocabulary terms. These words form the foundation for classroom discussions, reading comprehension, written assignments, and standardized assessments. Mastering this vocabulary gives students the language they need to express their understanding with clarity and confidence.
Below you will find every science term for 4th grade, organized by topic where applicable. Each term links to a detailed definition page with grade-level explanations, related vocabulary, and connections to JamWise learning resources.
earth-science
View topic hubCompass
A compass is a tool with a magnetic needle that always points north, helping you find direction.
Conservation
Conservation is the careful use and protection of natural resources so they last for the future.
Deposition
Deposition is when wind or water drops off sand, soil, or rocks in a new place.
Earthquake
An earthquake is a sudden shaking of the ground caused by movement of rocks deep inside Earth.
Erosion
Erosion is the process of wind, water, or ice wearing away rock and soil and carrying it to a new place.
Fossil
A fossil is the preserved remains, imprint, or trace of a living thing from long ago, found in rock.
Fossil record
The fossil record is all the fossils scientists have found that tell the story of life on Earth over millions of years.
Igneous rock
Igneous rock forms when hot melted rock cools and hardens. Granite and basalt are igneous rocks.
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock forms when existing rock is changed by extreme heat and pressure deep underground.
Nonrenewable energy
Nonrenewable energy comes from sources that can be used up and take millions of years to form, like coal and oil.
Nonrenewable resource
A nonrenewable resource is a natural resource that takes millions of years to form and can run out, like coal, oil, and natural gas.
Renewable energy
Renewable energy comes from sources that will not run out, like sunlight, wind, and water.
Renewable resource
A renewable resource is a natural resource that can be replaced naturally over time, like trees, wind, and sunlight.
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock forms when layers of small pieces of rock, sand, or mud are pressed together over millions of years.
Solar energy
Solar energy is energy from the sun that can be used as heat or converted into electricity.
Topographic map
A topographic map uses lines to show the shape and height of the land, including mountains, valleys, and hills.
Volcano
A volcano is an opening in Earth's surface where hot melted rock called lava erupts.
Weathering
Weathering is the process of breaking rocks into smaller pieces by wind, water, ice, or living things.
engineering
View topic hubClassify
To classify means to sort things into groups based on their properties or characteristics.
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a testable prediction about what will happen in an experiment, based on what you already know.
Prototype
A prototype is the first version of a design that engineers build and test before making the final product.
Variable
A variable is something that can be changed or controlled in an experiment.
life-science
View topic hubDormancy
Dormancy is when a plant or seed rests and stops growing during unfavorable conditions like winter or drought.
Ecosystem
An ecosystem includes all the living and nonliving things in an area and how they interact with each other.
External structure
An external structure is a body part on the outside of a living thing that helps it survive, like skin, feathers, or thorns.
Food web
A food web shows how many food chains in an ecosystem overlap and connect.
Internal structure
An internal structure is a body part inside a living thing that helps it survive, like a skeleton or heart.
Microscopic
Microscopic means too small to see with just your eyes. Bacteria and cells are microscopic.
Nutrient
A nutrient is a substance that living things need to grow and stay healthy. Plants get nutrients from soil.
Organism
An organism is any individual living thing, from a tiny bacterium to a giant whale.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process plants use to make food from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
Reproduce
To reproduce means to make new living things of the same kind. Animals have babies and plants make seeds.
Resource
A resource is something an organism needs to live, such as food, water, shelter, or space.
Sense receptor
A sense receptor is a part of the body that detects information from the environment, like eyes, ears, or skin.
physical-science
View topic hubAmplitude
Amplitude is the height of a wave. A wave with high amplitude is loud or bright; a wave with low amplitude is quiet or dim.
Circuit
A circuit is a path that electricity follows in a loop from a battery through wires and back again.
Conductor
A conductor is a material that lets heat or electricity flow through it easily. Metal is a good conductor.
Energy transfer
Energy transfer is when energy moves from one object or place to another.
Frequency
Frequency is how many times a wave repeats in one second. High frequency makes a high-pitched sound.
Insulator
An insulator is a material that does not let heat or electricity flow through it easily. Rubber and wood are insulators.
Reflection
Reflection happens when light bounces off a surface, like a mirror or still water.
Refraction
Refraction is the bending of light when it passes from one material to another, like from air into water.
Sound wave
A sound wave is a vibration that travels through air, water, or solid materials and can be heard by our ears.
Speed
Speed is how fast something moves — the distance it travels in a certain amount of time.
Vibration
A vibration is a rapid back-and-forth movement that produces sound waves.
Wave
A wave is a repeating movement that carries energy from one place to another.
Wavelength
Wavelength is the distance between the top of one wave and the top of the next wave.