RS4K Book 3 — Physics (Ch 10-13): Grade 3 atoms-first chapters. Foundation 100%, Gap 0.0%, Map Error 0.0%, Practices 85.7%, no FSEs. Static electricity, conductivity, and ferromagnetism all grounded at electron level. Recommended Deep.
| Program | RS4K - Science Book 3 — Physics |
| Publisher | Gravitas Publications Inc. |
| Author | Rebecca Woodbury, Ph.D., M.Ed. |
| Grade Band | Grades 3-5 |
Verdict: ✓ Recommended — Deep. Foundation_calc 100.0%, deep tier. Practices 85.7% green (book-wide score). Zero map errors. Zero confirmed FSEs.
Strict atomic-foundation scoring. The Physics quarter of Book 3 (Chapters 10-13) uses the universal atomic claims established in Ch 3 and Ch 10 as the explanatory anchor. Adjusted Gap 0.0%, Map Error 0.0%.
Chapters 10-13 reach the rarest atomic anchoring in K-3 physics. Ch 10 establishes the atomic framework (‘everything is made of atoms, and atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons’). Ch 11 explains static electricity via electron transfer (balloon-and-hair triboelectric experiment). Ch 12 explains electrical conductivity at the electron level — copper atoms with loosely-bound ‘electron arms.’ Ch 13 explains ferromagnetism via unbalanced spinning electrons (marble-spin analogy).
"Everything is made of atoms, and atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons." (Ch 10 atomic framework)
"When you rub a balloon on your hair, electrons transfer from the hair to the balloon — that's why the balloon attracts your hair." (Ch 11 triboelectric mechanism)
"Copper atoms have loosely-bound electrons that can move easily — that's why copper conducts electricity." (Ch 12 conductivity)
"Iron is magnetic because its electrons spin in the same direction, creating an unbalanced magnetic field." (Ch 13 ferromagnetism)
FSE_CONFIRMED: 0. No factual science errors found in this quarter.
Map errors: 0. No OAO error (REI-substance, REI-agent, LAE, AEC all zero).
Practices: 85.7% green. Five of seven NGSS scientific practices PRESENT; mathematics and argument-from-evidence are PARTIAL. Every chapter operationalizes the question-hypothesis-experiment-data-conclusion arc through the RATATAZ Experiment series. The practices score is computed book-wide and applies identically to all five subject entries.
Nothing structural. The Physics chapters score clean on every WWG metric.
The five RS4K Book 3 subject entries (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Geology, Astronomy) all share Foundation 100%, Adjusted Gap 0.0%, Map Error 0.0%, Practices 85.7% — the curriculum’s architecture is uniform because Chemistry establishes the universal atomic claim in Ch 3 and Physics extends it to subatomic particles in Ch 10.
| Total Passages Scored | 17 |
| Raw Gap Error | 5.9% (1 of 17 mechanism passages do not name atoms in the passage itself but are SCAFFOLDED by Ch 3/Ch 10 atomic framings) FALSE = atoms/molecules not present before students are asked to explain. The student is navigating without a starting point. |
| Adjusted Gap Error | 0.0% (0 UNSCAFFOLDED — atomic foundation established in Ch 3 and Ch 10, used throughout) UNSCAFFOLDED = no atomic grounding at all. LESSON_ATOMS = atoms mentioned elsewhere in lesson but not connected to this concept. |
| Substance-Model Errors (REI) | 0 Curriculum treats a process or outcome as a substance - "heat flows," "energy is stored," "electricity flows like water." Student builds a substance ontology. |
| Label-as-Explanation (LAE) | 0 Curriculum provides a name and treats it as an explanation - "this happens because of gravity." Student believes knowing the name IS understanding the concept. |
| Vague-Entity Errors (AEC) | 0 Curriculum uses vague entities ("tiny particles," "building blocks") without specifying atoms or molecules. Student invents their own model with macroscopic properties. |
| Factual Science Errors (FSE) | 0 Statements that are scientifically incorrect - not imprecise framing, but wrong. Any confirmed FSE = Not Recommended. |
| Practices | 85.7% - Deep Seven practices scored PRESENT, PARTIAL, or ABSENT and averaged: asking questions, developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics, constructing explanations and designing solutions, and argument from evidence. Higher is better, the opposite direction from gap and map errors. Reported but not part of the Foundation Score or the verdict. |
Static electricity grounded in electron transfer. Conductivity grounded in electron mobility. Ferromagnetism grounded in unbalanced electron spin. Rarest atomic anchoring in K-3 physics reviewed.
Atomic foundation established in Chemistry (Ch 3) and extended to subatomic particles in Physics (Ch 10), then used throughout the Physics quarter. Static electricity grounded in electron transfer. Conductivity grounded in electron mobility. Ferromagnetism grounded in unbalanced electron spin. Rarest atomic anchoring in K-3 physics reviewed. Practices 85.7% green (book-wide).
Recommended (Deep) — Deep by design -
Evidence for every entry is published at three levels. Each level states what it contains and what it leaves out.
Scores, verdict, and the full pattern count for this unit are above: adjusted gap, REI / LAE / AEC counts, FSE status, and the seven-practice score. Passage-level detail for this unit is carried in the downloadable evidence file.
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