Search the California Content Standards

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: K-PS3 Energy

Performance Expectation: Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of structures could include umbrellas, canopies, and tents that minimize the warming effect of the sun.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer Sunlight warms Earth’s surface.

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Use tools and materials provided to design and build a device that solves a specific problem or a solution to a specific problem.

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 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: K.ETS1.A; K.ETS1.B Articulation across grade-levels: 1.PS4.B; 2.ETS1.B; 4.ETS1.A

Title: 4-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity

Performance Expectation: Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of solutions could include designing an earthquake resistant building and improving monitoring of volcanic activity.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ESS3.B: Natural Hazards A variety of hazards result from natural processes (e.g., earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions). Humans cannot eliminate the hazards but can take steps to reduce their impacts. (Note: This Disciplinary Core Idea can also be found in 3.WC.) ETS1.B: Designing Solutions to Engineering Problems Testing a solution involves investigating how well it performs under a range of likely conditions. (secondary to 4-ESS3-2)

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design solution.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change. Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Influence of Science, Engineering and Technology on Society and the Natural World Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, to decrease known risks, and to meet societal demands.

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 RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. RI.4.9: Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. 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: 4.ETS1.C Articulation across grade-levels: K.ETS1.A; 2.ETS1.B; 2.ETS1.C; MS.ESS2.A; MS.ESS3.B; MS.ETS1.B

Title: 4-PS3 Energy

Performance Expectation: Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of devices could include electric circuits that convert electrical energy into motion energy of a vehicle, light, or sound; and, a passive solar heater that converts light into heat. Examples of constraints could include the materials, cost, or time to design the device.] [Assessment Boundary: Devices should be limited to those that convert motion energy to electric energy or use stored energy to cause motion or produce light or sound.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer Energy can also be transferred from place to place by electric currents, which can then be used locally to produce motion, sound, heat, or light. The currents may have been produced to begin with by transforming the energy of motion into electrical energy. PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes The expression “produce energy” typically refers to the conversion of stored energy into a desired form for practical use. ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account. (secondary to 4-PS3-4)

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Apply scientific ideas to solve design problems.

Crosscutting Concepts: Energy and Matter Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects. Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Influence of Science, Engineering and Technology on Society and the Natural World Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones. Connections to Nature of Science: Science is a Human Endeavor Most scientists and engineers work in teams. Science affects everyday life.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

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. Mathematics 4.OA.3: Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in fourth grade: N/A Articulation across grade-levels: K.ETS1.A; 2.ETS1.B; 5.PS3.D; 5.LS1.C; MS.PS3.A; MS.PS3.B; MS.ETS1.B; MS.ETS1.C

Title: MS-ESS2 Earth’s Systems

Performance Expectation: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how processes change Earth’s surface at time and spatial scales that can be large (such as slow plate motions or the uplift of large mountain ranges) or small (such as rapid landslides or microscopic geochemical reactions), and how many geoscience processes (such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and meteor impacts) usually behave gradually but are punctuated by catastrophic events. Examples of geoscience processes include surface weathering and deposition by the movements of water, ice, and wind. Emphasis is on geoscience processes that shape local geographic features, where appropriate.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems The planet’s systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These interactions have shaped Earth’s history and will determine its future. ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes Water’s movements—both on the land and underground—cause weathering and erosion, which change the land’s surface features and create underground formations.

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 nature operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

Crosscutting Concepts: Scale Proportion and Quantity Time, space, and energy phenomena can be observed at various scales using models to study systems that are too large or too small.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
Principle III Natural systems proceed through cycles that humans depend upon, benefit from, and can alter.

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. WHST.6-8.2.a-f: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. SL.8.5: Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 6.EE.6: Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set. 7.EE.4.a-b: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the quantities.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: MS.PS1.B; MS.LS2.B Articulation across grade-bands: 4.ESS1.C; 4.ESS2.A; 4.ESS2.E; 5.ESS2.A; HS.PS3.D; HS.LS2.B; HS.ESS1.C; HS.ESS2.A; HS.ESS2.B; HS.ESS2.C; HS.ESS2.D; HS.ESS2.E; HS.ESS3.D

Title: MS-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity

Performance Expectation: Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how some natural hazards, such as volcanic eruptions and severe weather, are preceded by phenomena that allow for reliable predictions, but others, such as earthquakes, occur suddenly and with no notice, and thus are not yet predictable. Examples of natural hazards can be taken from interior processes (such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions), surface processes (such as mass wasting and tsunamis), or severe weather events (such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods). Examples of data can include the locations, magnitudes, and frequencies of the natural hazards. Examples of technologies can be global (such as satellite systems to monitor hurricanes or forest fires) or local (such as building basements in tornado-prone regions or reservoirs to mitigate droughts).]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ESS3.B: Natural Hazards Mapping the history of natural hazards in a region, combined with an understanding of related geologic forces can help forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events.

Science & Engineering Practices: Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns Graphs, charts, and images can be used to identify patterns in data. 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. Thus technology use varies from region to region and over time.

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.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. 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). Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 6.EE.6: Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set. 7.EE.4.a-b: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the quantities.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: MS.PS3.C Articulation across grade-bands: 3.ESS3.B; 4.ESS3.B; HS.ESS2.B; HS.ESS2.D; HS.ESS3.B; HS.ESS3.D

Title: MS-PS3 Energy

Performance Expectation: Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of devices could include an insulated box, a solar cooker, and a Styrofoam cup.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include calculating the total amount of thermal energy transferred.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles of matter. The relationship between the temperature and the total energy of a system depends on the types, states, and amounts of matter present. PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer Energy is spontaneously transferred out of hotter regions or objects and into colder ones. ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems The more precisely a design task’s criteria and constraints can be defined, the more likely it is that the designed solution will be successful. Specification of constraints includes consideration of scientific principles and other relevant knowledge that is likely to limit possible solutions. (secondary to MS-PS3-3) ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions A solution needs to be tested, and then modified on the basis of the test results in order to improve it. There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet criteria and constraints of a problem. (secondary to MS-PS3-3)

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

Crosscutting Concepts: Energy and Matter The transfer of energy can be tracked as energy flows through a designed or natural system.

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 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.

DCI Connections:
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: MS.PS1.B; MS.ESS2.A; MS.ESS2.C; MS.ESS2.D Articulation across grade-bands: 4.PS3.B; HS.PS3.B

Title: HS-ESS1 Earth’s Place in the Universe

Performance Expectation: Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using available evidence within the solar system to reconstruct the early history of Earth, which formed along with the rest of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Examples of evidence include the absolute ages of ancient materials (obtained by radiometric dating of meteorites, moon rocks, and Earth’s oldest minerals), the sizes and compositions of solar system objects, and the impact cratering record of planetary surfaces.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth Although active geologic processes, such as plate tectonics and erosion, have destroyed or altered most of the very early rock record on Earth, other objects in the solar system, such as lunar rocks, asteroids, and meteorites, have changed little over billions of years. Studying these objects can provide information about Earth’s formation and early history. PS1.C: Nuclear Processes Spontaneous radioactive decays follow a characteristic exponential decay law. Nuclear lifetimes allow radiometric dating to be used to determine the ages of rocks and other materials. (secondary to HS-ESS1-6)

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Apply scientific reasoning to link evidence to the claims to assess the extent to which the reasoning and data support the explanation or conclusion. Connections to Nature of Science: Science Models, Laws, Mechanisms, and Theories Explain Natural Phenomena A scientific theory is a substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment and the science community validates each theory before it is accepted. If new evidence is discovered that the theory does not accommodate, the theory is generally modified in light of this new evidence. Models, mechanisms, and explanations collectively serve as tools in the development of a scientific theory.

Crosscutting Concepts: Stability and Change Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

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.11-12.8: Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. WHST.9-12.1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. N-Q.1-3: Reason quantitatively and use units to solve problems. F-IF.5: Relate the domain of a function to its graph and, where applicable, to the quantitative relationship it describes. S-ID.6.a-c: Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how those variables are related.

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

Title: HS-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity

Performance Expectation: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts). Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and livestock that can be raised.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
ESS3.A: Natural Resources Resource availability has guided the development of human society. ESS3.B: Natural Hazards Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; [they] have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations.

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. Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World Modern civilization depends on major technological systems.

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. 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. 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 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. Mathematics MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. N-Q.1-3: Reason quantitatively and use units to solve problems.

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

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

Performance Expectation: Apply science and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of evaluation and refinement could include determining the success of the device at protecting an object from damage and modifying the design to improve it. Examples of a device could include a football helmet or a parachute.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to qualitative evaluations and/or algebraic manipulations.]

Disciplinary Core Idea(s):
PS2.A: Forces and Motion If a system interacts with objects outside itself, the total momentum of the system can change; however, any such change is balanced by changes in the momentum of objects outside the system. ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems Criteria and constraints also include satisfying any requirements set by society, such as taking issues of risk mitigation into account, and they should be quantified to the extent possible and stated in such a way that one can tell if a given design meets them. (secondary to HS-PS2-3) ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed. (secondary to HS-PS2-3)

Science & Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Apply scientific ideas to solve a design problem, taking into account possible unanticipated effects.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect Systems can be designed to cause a desired effect.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts:
N/A

California Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy WHST.9-12.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

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