Search the California Content Standards

Title: 2-ESS2 Earth’s Systems

Performance Expectation: Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative scaling in models.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions Maps show where things are located. One can map the shapes and kinds of land and water in any area.

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

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns Patterns in the natural world can be observed.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy SL.2.5: Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics. 2.NBT.3: Read and write numbers to 1000 using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in second grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 4.ESS2.B; 5.ESS2.C

Title: 2-PS1 Matter and Its Interactions

Performance Expectation: Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties. [Clarification Statement: Observations could include color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. Patterns could include the similar properties that different materials share.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter Different kinds of matter exist and many of them can be either solid or liquid, depending on temperature. Matter can be described and classified by its observable properties.

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer a question.

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

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

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.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: 5.PS1.A

Title: 2-PS1 Matter and Its Interactions

Performance Expectation: Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of properties could include, strength, flexibility, hardness, texture, and absorbency.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment of quantitative measurements is limited to length.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter Different properties are suited to different purposes.

Science & Engineering Practices: Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyze data from tests of an object or tool to determine if it works as intended.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Simple tests can be designed to gather evidence to support or refute student ideas about causes. Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World Every human-made product is designed by applying some knowledge of the natural world and is built using materials derived from the natural world.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RI.2.8: Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text. 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. MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 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: 5.PS1.A

Title: 2-PS1 Matter and Its Interactions

Performance Expectation: Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made of a small set of pieces can be disassembled and made into a new object. [Clarification Statement: Examples of pieces could include blocks, building bricks, or other assorted small objects.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter Different properties are suited to different purposes. A great variety of objects can be built up from a small set of pieces.

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Make observations (firsthand or from media) to construct an evidence-based account for natural phenomena.

Crosscutting Concepts: Energy and Matter Objects may break into smaller pieces and be put together into larger pieces, or change shapes.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

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.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in second grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 4.ESS2.A; 5.PS1.A; 5.LS2.A

Title: K–2-ETS1 Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Performance Expectation: Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution Because there is always more than one possible solution to a problem, it is useful to compare and test designs.

Science & Engineering Practices: Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyze data from tests of an object or tool to determine if it works as intended.

Crosscutting Concepts: N/A

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle V Decisions affecting resources and natural systems are based on a wide range of considerations and decision-making processes.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy W.2.6: With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers. 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. MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 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 K-2-ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution include: Second Grade: 2-ESS2-1 Articulation across grade-bands: 3-5.ETS1.A; 3-5.ETS1.B; 3-5.ETS1.C

Title: 3–5-ETS1 Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Performance Expectation: Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions Tests are often designed to identify failure points or difficulties, which suggest the elements of the design that need to be improved. ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints.

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, using fair tests in which variables are controlled and the number of trials considered.

Crosscutting Concepts: N/A

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle V Decisions affecting resources and natural systems are based on a wide range of considerations and decision-making processes.

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: 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.

DCI Connections:
Connections to 3-5-ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions Problems include: Fourth Grade: 4-ESS3-2 Connections to K-2-ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution include: Fourth Grade: 4-PS4-3 Articulation across grade-bands: K-2.ETS1.A; K-2.ETS1.C; MS.ETS1.B; MS.ETS1.C

Title: 3-LS3 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Performance Expectation: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms. [Clarification Statement: Patterns are the similarities and differences in traits shared between offspring and their parents, or among siblings. Emphasis is on organisms other than humans.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include genetic mechanisms of inheritance and prediction of traits. Assessment is limited to non-human examples.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits Many characteristics of organisms are inherited from their parents. LS3.B: Variation of Traits Different organisms vary in how they look and function because they have different inherited information.

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

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns Similarities and differences in patterns can be used to sort and classify natural phenomena.

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: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RI.3.2: 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.a–d: 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.4: Model with mathematics. MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 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: 1.LS3.A; 1.LS3.B; MS.LS3.A; MS.LS3.B

Title: 3-LS3 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Performance Expectation: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment. [Clarification Statement: Examples of the environment affecting a trait could include normally tall plants grown with insufficient water are stunted; and, a pet dog that is given too much food and little exercise may become overweight.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits Other characteristics result from individuals’ interactions with the environment, which can range from diet to learning. Many characteristics involve both inheritance and environment. LS3.B: Variation of Traits The environment also affects the traits that an organism develops.

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Use evidence (e.g., observations, patterns) to support 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: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RI.3.2: 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.a–d: 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.4: Model with mathematics. MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 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: MS.LS1.B

Title: 3-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectation: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. [Clarification Statement: Examples of evidence could include needs and characteristics of the organisms and habitats involved. The organisms and their habitat make up a system in which the parts depend on each other.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS4.C: Adaptation For any particular environment, some kinds of organisms survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

Science & Engineering Practices: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Construct an argument with evidence.

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.3.1: 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. 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.ESS2.D Articulation across grade-levels: K.ESS3.A; 2.LS2.A; 2.LS4.D; MS.LS2.A; MS.LS4.B; MS.LS4.C; MS.ESS1.C

Title: 3-PS2 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Performance Expectation: Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object. [Clarification Statement: Examples could include an unbalanced force on one side of a ball can make it start moving; and, balanced forces pushing on a box from both sides will not produce any motion at all.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to one variable at a time: number, size, or direction of forces. Assessment does not include quantitative force size, only qualitative and relative. Assessment is limited to gravity being addressed as a force that pulls objects down.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS2.A: Forces and Motion Each force acts on one particular object and has both strength and a direction. An object at rest typically has multiple forces acting on it, but they add to give zero net force on the object. Forces that do not sum to zero can cause changes in the object’s speed or direction of motion. (Boundary: Qualitative and conceptual, but not quantitative addition of forces are used at this level.) PS2.B: Types of Interactions Objects in contact exert forces on each other.

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, using fair tests in which variables are controlled and the number of trials considered. Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific Investigations Use a Variety of Methods Science investigations use a variety of methods, tools, and techniques.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. 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.5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 3.MD.2: Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l). Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in third grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: K.PS2.A; K.PS2.B; K.PS3.C; 5.PS2.B; MS.PS2.A; MS.ESS1.B; MS.ESS2.C