Science Curriculum

The purpose of the KIBSD Science curriculum map is to outline our inquiry approach to effective science instruction, communicate our standards (NGSS adopted) and provide a unit-by-unit guide to designing instruction with aligned resources. It is important to note that the maps are a guide, but all teachers have flexibility to organize units and utilize KIBSD resources in the way that best meets learner needs and interests. This work will never be complete, but it is a beginning. We recognize that not all teachers were a part of the work, but those who were did due diligence, taking no decision lightly, and recognize that there may be other perspectives not considered.

Kindergarten Science Standards

Physical Sciences: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

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
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

Physical Sciences: Energy

Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface
Use tools and materials provided to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Systems

Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and Human Activity

Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live
Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to, severe weather
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool
Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem
Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs

Grade 1 Science Standards

Physical Sciences: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated
Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light
Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs
Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive

Life Sciences: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Place in the Universe

Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool
Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem
Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs

Grade 2 Science Standards

Physical Sciences: Matter and Its Interactions

Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose
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
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot

Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow
Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants

Life Sciences: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Place in the Universe

Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Systems

Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool
Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem
Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs

Grade 3 Science Standards

Physical Sciences: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object
Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion
Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other
Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas about magnets

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death

Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive

Life Sciences: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

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
Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment

Life Sciences: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago
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
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
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

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Systems

Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season
Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and Human Activity

Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost
Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem
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

Grade 4 Science Standards

Physical Sciences: Energy

Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object
Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents
Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide
Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another

Physical Sciences: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength and that waves can cause objects to move
Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen
Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction
Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Place in the Universe

Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Systems

Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation
Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and Human Activity

Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment
Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost
Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem
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

Grade 5 Science Standards

Physical Sciences: Matter and Its Interactions

Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen
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
Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties
Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances

Physical Sciences: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down

Physical Sciences: Energy

Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water

Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Place in the Universe

Support an argument that the apparent brightness of the sun and stars is due to their relative distances from the Earth
Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Systems

Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact
Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and Human Activity

Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost
Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem
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

Grade 6 Science Standards

Physical Sciences: Matter and Its Interactions

Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures
Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred
Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society
Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed
Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved
Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes

Physical Sciences: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Apply Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects
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
Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces
Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects
Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact

Physical Sciences: Energy

Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object
Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system
Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer
Plan an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by the temperature of the sample
Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object

Physical Sciences: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Use mathematical representations to describe a simple model for waves that includes how the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy in a wave
Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials
Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information than analog signals

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells
Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function
Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells
Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms
Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism
Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories

Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem
Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems
Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem
Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations
Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services

Life Sciences: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism
Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation

Life Sciences: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past
Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships
Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy
Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment
Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms
Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Place in the Universe

Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons
Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system
Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billion-year-old history

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Systems

Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales
Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions
Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity
Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions
Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and Human Activity

Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes
Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects
Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems
Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions
Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem
Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success
Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved

Grade 7 Science Standards

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells
Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function
Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells
Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms
Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism
Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories

Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem
Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems
Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem
Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations
Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services

Life Sciences: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism
Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation

Life Sciences: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past
Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships
Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy
Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment
Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms
Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions
Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem
Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success
Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved

Grade 8 Science Standards

Physical Sciences: Matter and Its Interactions

Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures
Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred
Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society
Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed
Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved
Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processe

Physical Sciences: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Apply Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects
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
Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces
Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects
Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact

Physical Sciences: Energy

Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object
Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system
Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer
Plan an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by the temperature of the sample
Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object

Physical Sciences: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Use mathematical representations to describe a simple model for waves that includes how the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy in a wave
Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials
Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information than analog signals

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells
Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function
Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells
Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms
Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism
Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories

Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem
Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems
Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem
Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations
Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services

Life Sciences: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism
Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation

Life Sciences: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past
Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships
Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy
Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment
Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms
Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Place in the Universe

Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons
Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system
Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billion-year-old history

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth’s Systems

Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales
Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions
Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity
Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions
Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and Human Activity

Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes
Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects
Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems
Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions
Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem
Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success
Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved

High School Biology Standards

Life Sciences: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells
Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis
Use a model to illustrate the role of cellular division (mitosis) and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex organisms
Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy
Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other elements to form amino acids and/or other large carbon-based molecules
Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy

Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales
Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales
Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions
Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem
Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere
Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem
Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity
Evaluate evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species’ chances to survive and reproduce

Life Sciences: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring
Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations may result from (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors
Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population

Life Sciences (LS): Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence
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
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
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations
Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species
Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity

Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science: Engineering Design

Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants
Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering
Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts
Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem