Glossary

Elementary School Level

Science
Glossary

English / Arabic

Translation of Science Terms

Based on the Coursework for
Science Grades 3 to 5.
Word-for-word glossaries are used for
testing accommodations for ELL/LEP
students.

Last Updated: 08/10/09

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
Education - P-16
Office of Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Continuing Education and Office of Higher Education
Office of Bilingual Education and Foreign Language Studies
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/biling/

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Regents of the University
MERRYL H. TISCH, Chancellor, B.A., M.A., Ed.D. .......................................................................
MILTON L. COFIELD, Vice Chancellor, B.S., M.B.A., Ph.D. .........................................................
ROBERT M. BENNETT, Chancellor Emeritus, B.A., M.S. ...............................................................
SAUL B. COHEN, B.A., M.A., Ph.D................................................................................................
JAMES C. DAWSON, A.A., B.A., M.S., Ph.D. ................................................................................
ANTHONY S. BOTTAR, B.A., J.D. ...................................................................................................
GERALDINE D. CHAPEY, B.A., M.A., Ed.D. .................................................................................
HARRY PHILLIPS, 3rd, B.A., M.S.F.S. ...........................................................................................
JOSEPH E. BOWMAN, JR., B.A., M.L.S., M.A., M.Ed., Ed.D.........................................................
JAMES R. TALLON, JR., B.A., M.A. ...............................................................................................
ROGER TILLES, B.A., J.D. ................................................................................................................
KAREN BROOKS HOPKINS, B.A., M.F.A........................................................................................
CHARLES R. BENDIT, B.A. .............................................................................................................
BETTY A. ROSA, B.A., M.S. in Ed., M.S. in Ed., M.Ed., Ed.D.....................................................
LESTER W. YOUNG, JR., B.S., M.S., Ed. D. .....................................................................................
CHRISTINE D. CEA, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. ..........................................................................................
WADE S. NORWOOD, B.A. .............................................................................................................

New York
Rochester
Tonawanda
New Rochelle
Plattsburgh
Syracuse
Belle Harbor
Hartsdale
Albany
Binghamton
Great Neck
Brooklyn
Manhattan
Bronx
Oakland Gardens
Staten Island
Rochester

Interim President of the University and Commissioner of Education

CAROLE F. HUXLEY

Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education, P16

JOHANNA DUNCAN-POITIER
Associate Commissioner for Curriculum and Instructional Support
JEAN STEVENS
Coordinator, Office of Bilingual Education and Foreign language Studies
PEDRO J. RUIZ
Acknowledgements:
The New York State Education Department Glossaries for English Language Learners were reviewed and
updated during the 2008-2009 school year. We would like to thank in these efforts the New York State
Education Department Language BETACs (Spanish, Asian and Haitian Bilingual Education Technical
Assistance Centers), the NYS Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Instructional Technology; the New York
City Department of Education Office of English Language Learners, and the NYC Department of Education
Translation and Interpretation Unit.
The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran
status, national origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs,
services and activities. Portions of this publication can be made available in a variety of formats, including brailed, large print or
audio tape, upon request. Inquiries concerning this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to the Departments Office for
Diversity, Ethics, and Access, Room 530, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234.

Science Glossary Translation in Arabic

- Elementary school level
Arabic

English
A

acceleration
acid rain

adapt

adaptation

adjust
adult
air

air pressure

air resistance

) (

alto

amount

amphibian

analyze
anemometer
animal

apply

around

arrange

artery

arthropod

absorb

asteroid
atmosphere

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

atom
axis
B

balance

balanced forces

bar graph

barometer

battery
behavior
beneficial

best

bird

blink

block

blood tissue

blood vessel

body heat
bone
bone tissue
brain

breathe

bronchi

buoyant force
C

calculator
camera
camouflage

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

carnivore

) (

caterpillar

cause-and-effect
cell

cell membrane

cell wall

)
)((Co
)
)((cm

)Celsius (Co
)centimeter (cm
central nervous system
change

change of direction

change of motion

change of speed

)(

characteristic
chemical
chemical change
chemical property
chemical weathering

chlorophyll

chloroplast

capillary

choose
cinder cone volcano
circuit
circulatory system
cirro-

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

classification
classify
claws
climate
cloud
collect
color

column

comet

common
community

compare

compass

competition
composite volcano
compost pile
compound
compound microscope

computer

conclusion

cirrus cloud

condensation
condition
conduction
conductivity

conductors

conservation

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

consumer
contain
container
content
convection

crest

crust

)
(

crystal
cubic centimeter
cycle
cytoplasm
D

dam

data

decomposer
decrease

define

definite

density

deposition

derived

describe

design

)(

development

data table

diagram
die

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

difference
digestive system
direction

directly

discuss

disperse

distance

distribute
draw
E

earthquake

earthworm

eat
echo
ecosystem
effect
efficient
egg
electric

electric current

electrical energy

) (

earth

electromagnet
electromagnetism
electron

elements

elevation

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

eliminate
emit
energy
energy resources
environment

equal

erosion

)(

error
eruption
esophagus

establish

estimate

estimation
evaluate
evaporate

evaporation

evidence

example

exercise

exoskeleton

experiment

explain
external
eyes
F

fact

factor

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

 )
32 212
)((oF

)Fahrenheit (oF
fault

feather

feature

features

fins

fish

fixed pulley

float

flood

flowers

food chain

food web

force

form

former

formula

fossil

fossil fuel

)(

frequency

friction
fruit

fulcrum

function

fur
G

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

galaxy
gas
generation

generator

germinate

) )((g

germination
glacier
graduated cylinder
)gram (g
graph

graphic

gravity

greatest
green plant
ground
groundwater

grow

growth
H

hail

hair

hand lens

hardness

habitat

harmful
health
healthy habit

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

heart

heart muscle

) (

heat
heat energy
herbivore
hibernation
host
human

humidity

hurricane

hygrometer
hypothesis
I

identical
igneous rock

illuminate

illustrate

10

identify

inclined plane
increase
independent variable
indicate
inference
information
inherit
inherited adaptation
inherited trait

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

inquiry

insect

insulator

interact

internal

) (

interpret
interval
invertebrate
investigate
J

jaw
jellyfish
joint
journal
K

)
)((kg
) )((kl
)
)((km

)kilogram (kg
)kiloliter (kl
)kilometer (km

kinetic energy

kingdom

kitten
knowledge
L

label

land

landslide

large intestine

11

larva
latitude

lava

leaf

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

learned

learned adaptation

least

leaves
leg
length

levee

lever

life cycle

life span

) )((L

light
lighting
line graph
lines of force
liquid
list
)liter (L
live
living
living thing
location
lunar eclipse

lungs

luster
M

) (

magma

magnet

) (

12

magnetic field
magnetic force
magnetism
magnifier
maintain
major
mammal

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

mass

mates

matter

measure
mechanical

mechanical energy

metamorphic rock

) )((m

metamorphosis
)meter (m
meter stick
method

metric ruler

microscope

)
)((mg
)
)((mL
)
)((mm

) (

migration
)milligram (mg
)milliliter (mL
)millimeter (mm
mineral
mitochondria

mixture

models

moisture

molecule

mollusk

motion

motor

mouth

movable pulley
muscle tissue
muscular system
N

13

nail

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

natural events
negative
nervous system
neuron
niche
nimbus

nonliving thing

nonrenewable

nonrenewable energy resource

nose

nucleus

number

nutrient
O

objective lens
observable
observation

observe

obtained

occur
odor

offspring

omnivore

opinion

orbit

order

organ

organ system

organism

organize

original

ovary

14

object

overabundance

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

 ) (

ozone
P

parasite
path
pattern
percent, percentage
period
permanent magnet
phases

phenomena

photosynthesis

physical

physical change

)(

physical environment
physical property
physical weathering
pie graph

) (

pistil

pitch

planet

plant

polar

pollen

pollinate

pollution

population

position

positive

) (

15

parallel circuit

potential energy
precipitation
predator

predict

prediction

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

presence

previous

prey
primary
probable
procedure

process

produce

producer
properties

protect

proton

provide

pull

pulley
pupa
puppies
push
R

rabbit

radiation

rearrange

reason

receive

record

rectum

) (

recycle

reduce

refer

reflect

)(

refract

16

rain

relationship
relative humidity

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

relevant
remain the same
renewable
renewable energy resource
repair
repel

represent

reproduce

) (

reproduction
reptile
required
respiratory system
respond
response
responsible
result
rest

reuse

revolution

revolve
riding a bicycle
rock
rock cycle

role

root

rotate

rotation

rubbing

)(
)
(

)ruler (metric
runoff
S

17

saliva
salivate
scale

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

scientific inquiry

scientific investigation

scientific thinking

screw
seasonal
seasonally

seasons

secondary

sediment

sedimentary rock
seed
seedling
select
senses
sense organ
sequences
series circuit
sewage
shadows

shape

shells

shelter
shield volcano
shiver
significant
similarity
simple machine
sink
situation
size

skeletal muscle

skeletal system

skin

sky

T&I-8023 (Arabic)

18

small intestine

smooth muscle

snow
soil
soil texture
solar cell
solar system
solid
solidification
solubility

solute

solution

sound
sound recorder

source

space

species

specific

speed

spine

)
(

spinal cord
sponge
spore
spring scale

sprout

stages

) (

19

sleet

stamen
stalks
star
state
static charge
static electricity
stem

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

stigma

stimulus

stomach

) (

""

storms
stopwatch
strategy
strato
stratus cloud
streak

structural adaptation

structure

subsoil

substance

summarize

sun
sunny

support

surface

survive, survival
surviving

sweat

switch

system
T

20

tadpole
tape measure
teeth
temperate
temperature
temporary magnet
theory
thermometer
thrive
thunderstorm

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

tissue

tongue

tool
topsoil

tornado

trachea

trait

transfer

) (

transport
trial
tropical
troposphere

trough

trunks

)
(

turbine
type
U

unbalanced forces
unequal
under
universe
V

vacuole

variable

vegetable
vein

vertebrate

visible

volcano

)(

voltmeter
volume
W

21

waste

)T&I-8023 (Arabic

water

water cycle

water vapor

wavelength

weather
weathering
wedge
week
weight
wheel and axle
width
wind
wind vane
wings

T&I-8023 (Arabic)

( )

22