Search the California Content Standards

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

Performance Expectation: Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object. [Clarification Statement: Examples of pushes or pulls could include a string attached to an object being pulled, a person pushing an object, a person stopping a rolling ball, and two objects colliding and pushing on each other.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to different relative strengths or different directions, but not both at the same time. Assessment does not include non-contact pushes or pulls such as those produced by magnets.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS2.A: Forces and Motion Pushes and pulls can have different strengths and directions. Pushing or pulling on an object can change the speed or direction of its motion and can start or stop it. PS2.B: Types of Interactions When objects touch or collide, they push on one another and can change motion. PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces A bigger push or pull makes things speed up or slow down more quickly. (secondary to K-PS2-1)

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations With guidance, plan and conduct an investigation in collaboration with peers. Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific Investigations Use a Variety of Methods Scientists use different ways to study the world.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Simple tests can be designed to gather evidence to support or refute student ideas about causes.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

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 MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. K.MD.1-2: Describe and compare measurable attributes.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in kindergarten: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 3.PS2.A; 3.PS2.B; 4.PS3.A

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

Performance Expectation: Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or a pull.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of problems requiring a solution could include having a marble or other object move a certain distance, follow a particular path, and knock down other objects. Examples of solutions could include tools such as a ramp to increase the speed of the object and a structure that would cause an object such as a marble or ball to turn.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include friction as a mechanism for change in speed.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS2.A: Forces and Motion Pushes and pulls can have different strengths and directions. Pushing or pulling on an object can change the speed or direction of its motion and can start or stop it. PS2.B: Types of Interactions When objects touch or collide, they push on one another and can change motion. ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems A situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a problem to be solved through engineering. Such problems may have many acceptable solutions. (secondary to K-PS2-2)

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.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RI.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. SL.K.3: Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in kindergarten: K.ETS1.A; K.ETS1.B Articulation across grade-levels: 2.ETS1.B; 3.PS2.A; 4.ETS1.A

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

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

Performance Expectation: Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion. [Clarification Statement: Examples of motion with a predictable pattern could include a child swinging in a swing, a ball rolling back and forth in a bowl, and two children on a see-saw.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include technical terms such as period and frequency.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS2.A: Forces and Motion The patterns of an object’s motion in various situations can be observed and measured; when that past motion exhibits a regular pattern, future motion can be predicted from it. (Boundary: Technical terms, such as magnitude, velocity, momentum, and vector quantity, are not introduced at this level, but the concept that some quantities need both size and direction to be described is developed.)

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Make observations and/or measurements to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon or test a design solution. Connections to Nature of Science: Science Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence Science findings are based on recognizing patterns.

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns Patterns of change can be used to make predictions.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy 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.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in third grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: 1.ESS1.A; 4.PS4.A; MS.PS2.A; MS.ESS1.B

Title: MS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectation: Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using mathematical models, probability statements, and proportional reasoning to support explanations of trends in changes to populations over time.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include Hardy Weinberg calculations.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS4.C: Adaptation Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population changes.

Science & Engineering Practices: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking Use mathematical representations to support scientific conclusions and design solutions.

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.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
Mathematics MP.4: Model with mathematics. 6.RP.1: Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities. 6.SP.5.a-d: Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context. 7.RP.2.a-d: Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: MS.LS2.A; MS.LS2.C; MS.LS3.B; MS.ESS1.C Articulation across grade-bands: 3.LS4.C; HS.LS2.A; HS.LS2.C; HS.LS3.B; HS.LS4.B; HS.LS4.C

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

Performance Expectation: Apply Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of practical problems could include the impact of collisions between two cars, between a car and stationary objects, and between a meteor and a space vehicle.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to vertical or horizontal interactions in one dimension.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS2.A: Forces and Motion For any pair of interacting objects, the force exerted by the first object on the second object is equal in strength to the force that the second object exerts on the first, but in the opposite direction (Newton’s third law).

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Apply scientific ideas or principles to design an object, tool, process or system.

Crosscutting Concepts: Systems and System Models Models can be used to represent systems and their interactions—such as inputs, processes and outputs—and energy and matter flows within systems. Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions.

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, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions. RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks. WHST.6-8.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 6.NS.5: Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe quantities having opposite directions or values; use positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real-world contexts, explaining the meaning of 0 in each situation. 6.EE.2.a-c: Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers. 7.EE.3-4: Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: MS.PS3.C Articulation across grade-bands: 3.PS2.A; HS.PS2.A

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

Performance Expectation: Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on balanced (Newton’s First Law) and unbalanced forces in a system, qualitative comparisons of forces, mass and changes in motion (Newton’s Second Law), frame of reference, and specification of units.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to forces and changes in motion in one-dimension in an inertial reference frame and to change in one variable at a time. Assessment does not include the use of trigonometry.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS2.A: Forces and Motion The motion of an object is determined by the sum of the forces acting on it; if the total force on the object is not zero, its motion will change. The greater the mass of the object, the greater the force needed to achieve the same change in motion. For any given object, a larger force causes a larger change in motion. All positions of objects and the directions of forces and motions must be described in an arbitrarily chosen reference frame and arbitrarily chosen units of size. In order to share information with other people, these choices must also be shared.

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Plan an investigation individually and collaboratively, and in the design: identify independent and dependent variables and controls, what tools are needed to do the gathering, how measurements will be recorded, and how many data are needed to support a claim. Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence Science knowledge is based upon logical and conceptual connections between evidence and explanations.

Crosscutting Concepts: Stability and Change Explanations of stability and change in natural or designed systems can be constructed by examining the changes over time and forces at different scales.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks. WHST.6-8.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 6.EE.2.a-c: Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers. 7.EE.3-4: Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: MS.PS3.A; MS.PS3.B; MS.ESS2.C Articulation across grade-bands: 3.PS2.A; HS.PS2.A; HS.PS3.B; HS.ESS1.B

Title: HS-LS4 HS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectation: Construct an explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily results from four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using evidence to explain the influence each of the four factors has on number of organisms, behaviors, morphology, or physiology in terms of ability to compete for limited resources and subsequent survival of individuals and adaptation of species. Examples of evidence could include mathematical models such as simple distribution graphs and proportional reasoning.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include other mechanisms of evolution, such as genetic drift, gene flow through migration, and co-evolution.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS4.B: Natural Selection Natural selection occurs only if there is both (1) variation in the genetic information between organisms in a population and (2) variation in the expression of that genetic information—that is, trait variation—that leads to differences in performance among individuals. LS4.C: Adaptation Evolution is a consequence of the interaction of four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for an environment’s limited supply of the resources that individuals need in order to survive and reproduce, and (4) the ensuing proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in that environment.

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Construct an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) 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 Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

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 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. WHST.9-10.2.a-f: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes. WHST.11-12.2.a-e: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes. WHST.9-12.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. SL.11-12.4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4: Model with mathematics.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: HS.LS2.A; HS.LS2.D; HS.LS3.B; HS.ESS2.E; HS.ESS3.A Articulation across grade-bands: MS.LS2.A; MS.LS3.B; MS.LS4.B; MS.LS4.C

Title: HS-LS4 HS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectation: Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that organisms with an advantageous heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to organisms lacking this trait. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on analyzing shifts in numerical distribution of traits and using these shifts as evidence to support explanations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to basic statistical and graphical analysis. Assessment does not include allele frequency calculations.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
LS4.B: Natural Selection Natural selection occurs only if there is both (1) variation in the genetic information between organisms in a population and (2) variation in the expression of that genetic information—that is, trait variation—that leads to differences in performance among individuals. The traits that positively affect survival are more likely to be reproduced, and thus are more common in the population. LS4.C: Adaptation Natural selection leads to adaptation, that is, to a population dominated by organisms that are anatomically, behaviorally, and physiologically well suited to survive and reproduce in a specific environment. That is, the differential survival and reproduction of organisms in a population that have an advantageous heritable trait leads to an increase in the proportion of individuals in future generations that have the trait and to a decrease in the proportion of individuals that do not. Adaptation also means that the distribution of traits in a population can change when conditions change.

Science & Engineering Practices: Analyzing and Interpreting Data Apply concepts of statistics and probability (including determining function fits to data, slope, intercept, and correlation coefficient for linear fits) to scientific and engineering questions and problems, using digital tools when feasible.

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns Different patterns may be observed at each of the scales at which a system is studied and can provide evidence for causality in explanations of phenomena.

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 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. WHST.9-10.2.a-f: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes. WHST.11-12.2.a-e: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes. WHST.9-12.9: Draw evidence from analysis, reflection, and research. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: HS.LS2.A; HS.LS2.D; HS.LS3.B Articulation across grade-bands: MS.LS2.A; MS.LS3.B; MS.LS4.B; MS.LS4.C