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Science (CA NGSS) Standards




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Showing 1 - 4 of 4 Standards

Standard Identifier: MS-LS1-4

Grade Range: 6–8
Disciplinary Core Idea: LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
Cross Cutting Concept: CCC-2: Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Explanation
Science & Engineering Practice: SEP-7: Engaging in Argument From Science
Content Area: Life Science

Title: MS-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Performance Expectation: Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively. [Clarification Statement: Examples of behaviors that affect the probability of animal reproduction could include nest building to protect young from cold, herding of animals to protect young from predators, and vocalization of animals and colorful plumage to attract mates for breeding. Examples of animal behaviors that affect the probability of plant reproduction could include transferring pollen or seeds, and creating conditions for seed germination and growth. Examples of plant structures could include bright flowers attracting butterflies that transfer pollen, flower nectar and odors that attract insects that transfer pollen, and hard shells on nuts that squirrels bury.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms Animals engage in characteristic behaviors that increase the odds of reproduction. Plants reproduce in a variety of ways, sometimes depending on animal behavior and specialized features for reproduction.

Science & Engineering Practices: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Use an oral and written argument supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support or refute an explanation or a model for a phenomenon or a solution to a problem.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle II The long-term functioning and health of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems are influenced by their relationships with human societies. Principle IV The exchange of matter between natural systems and human societies affects the long-term functioning of both.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. RI.6.8: Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. WHST.6–8.1.a–e: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: MS.LS2.A Articulation across grade-bands: 3.LS1.B; HS.LS2.A; HS.LS2.D

Standard Identifier: MS-LS1-5

Grade Range: 6–8
Disciplinary Core Idea: LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
Cross Cutting Concept: CCC-2: Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Explanation
Science & Engineering Practice: SEP-6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Content Area: Life Science

Title: MS-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Performance Expectation: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. [Clarification Statement: Examples of local environmental conditions could include availability of food, light, space, and water. Examples of genetic factors could include large breed cattle and species of grass affecting growth of organisms. Examples of evidence could include drought decreasing plant growth, fertilizer increasing plant growth, different varieties of plant seeds growing at different rates in different conditions, and fish growing larger in large ponds than they do in small ponds.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include genetic mechanisms, gene regulation, or biochemical processes.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms Genetic factors as well as local conditions affect the growth of the adult plant.

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from sources (including the students’ own experiments) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle II The long-term functioning and health of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems are influenced by their relationships with human societies. Principle IV The exchange of matter between natural systems and human societies affects the long-term functioning of both.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. RST.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. WHST.6–8.2.a–f: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes. WHST.6–8.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Mathematics 6.SP.2: Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape. 6.SP.4: Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: MS.LS2.A Articulation across grade-bands: 3.LS1.B; 3.LS3.A; HS.LS2.A

Standard Identifier: MS-LS3-2

Grade Range: 6–8
Disciplinary Core Idea: LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms, LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits, LS3.B: Variation of Traits
Cross Cutting Concept: CCC-2: Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Explanation
Science & Engineering Practice: SEP-2: Developing and Using Models
Content Area: Life Science

Title: MS-LS3 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Performance Expectation: Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using models such as Punnett squares, diagrams, and simulations to describe the cause and effect relationship of gene transmission from parent(s) to offspring and resulting genetic variation.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their genetic information to their offspring. (secondary to MS-LS3-2) LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits Variations of inherited traits between parent and offspring arise from genetic differences that result from the subset of chromosomes (and therefore genes) inherited. LS3.B: Variation of Traits In sexually reproducing organisms, each parent contributes half of the genes acquired (at random) by the offspring. Individuals have two of each chromosome and hence two alleles of each gene, one acquired from each parent. These versions may be identical or may differ from each other.

Science & Engineering Practices: Developing and Using Models Develop and use a model to describe phenomena.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural systems.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. RST.6-8.4: Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6-8 texts and topics. RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table). SL.8.5: Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest. Mathematics MP.4: Model with mathematics. 6.SP.5.a-d: Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: N/A Articulation across grade-bands: 3.LS3.A; 3.LS3.B; HS.LS1.B; HS.LS3.A; HS.LS3.B

Standard Identifier: HS-LS3-1

Grade Range: 9–12
Disciplinary Core Idea: LS1.A: Structure and Function, LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits
Cross Cutting Concept: CCC-2: Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Explanation
Science & Engineering Practice: SEP-1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Content Area: Life Science

Title: HS-LS3 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Performance Expectation: Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the phases of meiosis or the biochemical mechanism of specific steps in the process.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS1.A: Structure and Function All cells contain genetic information in the form of DNA molecules. Genes are regions in the DNA that contain the instructions that code for the formation of proteins. (secondary to HS-LS3-1) (Note: This Disciplinary Core Idea is also addressed by HS-LS1-1.) LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits Each chromosome consists of a single very long DNA molecule, and each gene on the chromosome is a particular segment of that DNA. The instructions for forming species’ characteristics are carried in DNA. All cells in an organism have the same genetic content, but the genes used (expressed) by the cell may be regulated in different ways. Not all DNA codes for a protein; some segments of DNA are involved in regulatory or structural functions, and some have no as-yet known function.

Science & Engineering Practices: Asking Questions and Defining Problems Ask questions that arise from examining models or a theory to clarify relationships.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle III Natural systems proceed through cycles that humans depend upon, benefit from, and can alter. Principle IV The exchange of matter between natural systems and human societies affects the long-term functioning of both.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RST.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. RST.11-12.9: Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: N/A Articulation across grade-bands: MS.LS3.A; MS.LS3.B

Questions: Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division | CFIRD@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0881