Search the California Content Standards

Title: K-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity

Performance Expectation: Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants or animals (including humans) and the places they live. [Clarification Statement: Examples of relationships could include that deer eat buds and leaves, therefore, they usually live in forested areas; and, grasses need sunlight so they often grow in meadows. Plants, animals, and their surroundings make up a system.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ESS3.A: Natural Resources Living things need water, air, and resources from the land, and they live in places that have the things they need. Humans use natural resources for everything they do.

Science & Engineering Practices: Developing and Using Models Use a model to represent relationships in the natural world.

Crosscutting Concepts: Systems and System Models Systems in the natural and designed world have parts that work together.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle I The continuation and health of individual human lives and of human communities and societies depend on the health of the natural systems that provide essential goods and ecosystem services. Principle II The long-term functioning and health of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems are influenced by their relationships with human societies.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy SL.K.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics. K.CC.1-3: Know number names and the count sequence. K.CC.4-5: Count to tell the number of objects. K.CC.6-7 :Compare numbers.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in kindergarten: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 1.LS1.A; 5.LS2.A; 5.ESS2.A

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

Performance Expectation: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive. [Clarification Statement: Examples of patterns could include that animals need to take in food but plants do not; the different kinds of food needed by different types of animals; the requirement of plants to have light; and, that all living things need water.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms All animals need food in order to live and grow. They obtain their food from plants or from other animals. Plants need water and light to live and grow.

Science & Engineering Practices: Analyzing and Interpreting Data Use observations (firsthand or from media) to describe patterns in the natural world in order to answer scientific questions. Connections to Nature of Science:: Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence Scientists look for patterns and order when making observations about the world.

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed and used as evidence.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle I The continuation and health of individual human lives and of human communities and societies depend on the health of the natural systems that provide essential goods and ecosystem services. Principle II The long-term functioning and health of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems are influenced by their relationships with human societies.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy W.K.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them). Mathematics K.MD.2: Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has “more of”/”less of” the attribute, and describe the difference. For example, directly compare the heights of two children and describe one child as taller/ shorter.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in kindergarten: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 1.LS1.A; 2.LS2.A; 3.LS2.C; 3.LS4.B; 5.LS1.C; 5.LS2.A

Title: 2-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectation: Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the diversity of living things in each of a variety of different habitats.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include specific animal and plant names in specific habitats.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Make observations (firsthand or from media) to collect data that can be used to make comparisons. Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence Scientists look for patterns and order when making observations about the world.

Crosscutting Concepts: N/A

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.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy W.2.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations). W.2.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics. 2.MD.10: Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale) to represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve simple put-together, take-apart, and compare problems using information presented in a bar graph.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in second grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 3.LS4.C; 3.LS4.D; 5.LS2.A

Title: 2-PS1 Matter and Its Interactions

Performance Expectation: Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot. [Clarification Statement: Examples of reversible changes could include materials such as water and butter at different temperatures. Examples of irreversible changes could include cooking an egg, freezing a plant leaf, and heating paper.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS1.B: Chemical Reactions Heating or cooling a substance may cause changes that can be observed. Sometimes these changes are reversible, and sometimes they are not.

Science & Engineering Practices: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Construct an argument with evidence to support a claim. Connections to Nature of Science: Science Models, Laws, Mechanisms, and Theories Explain Natural Phenomena Scientists search for cause and effect relationships to explain natural events.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Events have causes that generate observable patterns.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RI.2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. RI.2.3: Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text. RI.2.8: Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text. W.2.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in second grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 5.PS1.B

Title: 3-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectation: Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago. [Clarification Statement: Examples of data could include type, size, and distributions of fossil organisms. Examples of fossils and environments could include marine fossils found on dry land, tropical plant fossils found in Arctic areas, and fossils of extinct organisms.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include identification of specific fossils or present plants and animals. Assessment is limited to major fossil types and relative ages.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity Some kinds of plants and animals that once lived on Earth are no longer found anywhere. (Note: moved from K-2) Fossils provide evidence about the types of organisms that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments.

Science & Engineering Practices: Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyze and interpret data to make sense of phenomena using logical reasoning.

Crosscutting Concepts: Scale, Proportion, and Quantity Observable phenomena exist from very short to very long time periods. Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems Science assumes consistent patterns in natural systems.

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.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RI.3.1.a–d: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RI.3.2.a–d: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. W.3.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics. MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 3.MD.4: Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. Show the data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate units—whole numbers, halves, or quarters.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in third grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 4.ESS1.C; MS.LS2.A; MS.LS4.A; MS.ESS1.C; MS.ESS2.B

Title: 3-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectation: Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. [Clarification Statement: Examples of cause and effect relationships could be plants that have larger thorns than other plants may be less likely to be eaten by predators; and, animals that have better camouflage coloration than other animals may be more likely to survive and therefore more likely to leave offspring.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS4.B: Natural Selection Sometimes the differences in characteristics between individuals of the same species provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Use evidence (e.g., observations, patterns) to construct an explanation.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change.

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.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RI.3.1.a–d: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RI.3.2.a–d: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. SL.3.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace. a. Plan and deliver an informative/explanatory presentation on a topic that: organizes ideas around major points of information, follows a logical sequence, includes supporting details, uses clear and specific vocabulary, and provides a strong conclusion. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics. 3.MD.3: Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and two-step “how many more” and “how many less” problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs. For example, draw a bar graph in which each square in the bar graph might represent 5 pets.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in third grade: 3.LS4.C Articulation across grade-levels: MS.LS2.A; MS.LS3.B; MS.LS4.B

Title: 3-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectation: Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of environmental changes could include changes in land characteristics, water distribution, temperature, food, and other organisms.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to a single environmental change. Assessment does not include the greenhouse effect or climate change.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans Populations live in a variety of habitats, and change in those habitats affects the organisms living there.

Science & Engineering Practices: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem by citing relevant evidence about how it meets the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Crosscutting Concepts: Systems and System Models A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions. Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology Knowledge of relevant scientific concepts and research findings is important in engineering.

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.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RI.3.1.a–d: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RI.3.2.a–d: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. SL.3.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace. a. Plan and deliver an informative/explanatory presentation on a topic that: organizes ideas around major points of information, follows a logical sequence, includes supporting details, uses clear and specific vocabulary, and provides a strong conclusion. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in third grade: 3.ESS3.B Articulation across grade-levels: K.ESS3.A; K.ETS1.A; 2.LS2.A; 2.LS4.D; 4.ESS3.B; 4.ETS1.A; MS.LS2.A; MS.LS2.C; MS.LS4.C; MS.ESS1.C; MS.ESS3.C

Title: 4-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity

Performance Expectation: Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment. [Clarification Statement: Examples of renewable energy resources could include wind energy, water behind dams, and sunlight; non-renewable energy resources are fossil fuels and fissile materials. Examples of environmental effects could include loss of habitat due to dams, loss of habitat due to surface mining, and air pollution from burning of fossil fuels.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ESS3.A: Natural Resources Energy and fuels that humans use are derived from natural sources, and their use affects the environment in multiple ways. Some resources are renewable over time, and others are not.

Science & Engineering Practices: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information Obtain and combine information from books and other reliable media to explain phenomena.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change. Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology Knowledge of relevant scientific concepts and research findings is important in engineering. Influence of Science, Engineering and Technology on Society and the Natural World Over time, people’s needs and wants change, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle I The continuation and health of individual human lives and of human communities and societies depend on the health of the natural systems that provide essential goods and ecosystem services.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy W.4.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. W.4.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes, paraphrase, and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. W.4.9.a-b: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics. 4.OA.1: Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison, e.g., interpret 35 = 5 × 7 as a statement that 35 is 5 times as many as 7 and 7 times as many as 5. Represent verbal statements of multiplicative comparisons as multiplication equations.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in fourth grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 5.ESS3.C; MS.PS3.D; MS.ESS2.A; MS.ESS3.A; MS.ESS3.C; MS.ESS3.D

Title: 5-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Performance Expectation: Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that plant matter comes mostly from air and water, not from the soil.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms Plants acquire their material for growth chiefly from air and water.

Science & Engineering Practices: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Support an argument with evidence, data, or a model.

Crosscutting Concepts: Energy and Matter Matter is transported into, out of, and within systems.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
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 RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. W.5.1.a–d: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics. MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 5.MD.1: Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in fifth grade: 5.PS1.A Articulation across grade-levels: K.LS1.C; 2.LS2.A; MS.LS1.C

Title: 5-PS1 Matter and Its Interactions

Performance Expectation: Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved. [Clarification Statement: Examples of reactions or changes could include phase changes, dissolving, and mixing that form new substances.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include distinguishing mass and weight.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter The amount (weight) of matter is conserved when it changes form, even in transitions in which it seems to vanish. PS1.B: Chemical Reactions No matter what reaction or change in properties occurs, the total weight of the substances does not change. (Boundary: Mass and weight are not distinguished at this grade level.)

Science & Engineering Practices: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking Measure and graph quantities such as weight to address scientific and engineering questions and problems.

Crosscutting Concepts: Scale, Proportion, and Quantity Standard units are used to measure and describe physical quantities such as weight, time, temperature, and volume. Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems Science assumes consistent patterns in natural systems.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy W.5.7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. W.5.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources. W.5.9.a-b: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics. MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 5.MD.1: Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real-world problems.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in fifth grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 2.PS1.A; MS.PS1.A