3rd-5th Grade - Gateway 2

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials provide opportunities for students to fully learn and develop all grade-level Physical Science Disciplinary Core Ideas.

Across the program, the materials include nearly all associated elements of the grade-level Physical Science DCIs. Grade 4 contains one partially present element from the grade-level Performance Expectations. There are no elements from any of the grade-levels that are not addressed.

Examples of Physical Science DCI elements associated with the grade-level performance expectations that are present in the materials:

•  PS2.A-E2: In Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns to Predict Motion?, Lesson 7: Investigating Swings, students discuss what they have investigated in previous lessons, observing a video of three children on swings and considering how to use patterns in the motion of the children to make predictions of swing motion. Students participate in two investigations to determine the effects of changing swing length and swing weight on swing motion. After discussing the results of the investigations, students each make a prediction about how a change to the middle swing will impact its motion.

• PS3.A-E1: In Grade 4, Physical Science, How Does Energy Move From One Object To Another?, Lesson 4: Faster, Faster, Faster, students investigate the effect changing the height of a ramp has on the speed of a car as it rolls down the ramp. Students run several speed trials changing the ramp height each time while recording data. They use the data and observations in the investigation to connect changes in energy to changes in speed.

• PS1.A-E1: In Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Change In Ecosystems?, Lesson 3: From Thin Air, students complete a bromothymol blue investigation to figure out where radish plants get the matter they use to grow. Students analyze results of the investigation, determining that the radishes take in carbon dioxide. Students draw a model to represent what is happening with the carbon dioxide gas on a scale too small to be seen and write a claim supported by evidence to explain what their models show about matter.

Physical Science DCI elements associated with the grade-level performance expectations that are partially present in the materials:

• PS3.D-E1: In Grade 4, Engineering Design, How Can We Provide Energy To Meet Diverse Needs?, Lesson 9: Energy Resources, students review previous research on the power outage problem from Lessons 7 and 8 and read “Remarkable Resources”. Using the reading, students take notes on different types of energy resources including how they are used to generate electricity, how they move energy to users, why they might be used, what problems they have, and what more students want to learn. Groups share out and additional ideas are added to the research ideas chart. Students do not have an explicit opportunity to consider the expression “produce energy”. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials provide opportunities for students to fully learn and develop all claimed grade-band Life Science Disciplinary Core Ideas.

Across the program, the materials include nearly all associated elements of the grade-level Life Science DCIs. Grades 3, 4, and 5 contain a few partially present elements from the grade-level Performance Expectations. There are no elements from any of the grade-levels that are not addressed.

Examples of Life Science DCI elements associated with the grade-level performance expectations that are present in the materials:

• LS1.B-E1: In Grade 3, Life Science, What Explains Similarities and Differences Between Organisms?, Lesson 9: Animal Stories, students research the life cycles of four different animals and identify the common steps across all four including birth, growth, reproduction, and death.

• LS1.D-E1: In Grade 4, Life Science, How Can Animals Use Their Senses To Communicate?, Lesson 4: Songbird Sustenance, students observe, through a video, that songbirds who live alongside firebugs get sick when they eat the firebugs. The teacher shares an investigation where scientists observed songbirds raised in the wild and in captivity and what they did when encountering a firebug. Students draw connections to their own experience with food they do not want to eat and how they decide. Student groups conduct an investigation using their senses to decide if they want to eat what is inside the bag and then create a model to show how they made their predictions about whether they did or did not want to eat the food in each Mystery Bag. The teacher tells students about the human nervous system and sense receptors. Students then revise their models based on their understanding of the human nervous system. 

• LS2.A-E1: In Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystems?, Lesson 9: A Tangled Web, students research the organisms within a pond ecosystem and develop a model to show how matter and energy flow through the system from air, sunlight, and water, through producers, to consumers. In Lesson 12: Worming Their Way and Lesson 13: The Cleanup Crew, students investigate a worm bin to make observations of the role of decomposers in an ecosystem. In Lesson 15: Surveying Sea Squirts Part 2, students use what they have learned about the interactions among organisms in an ecosystem to predict the changes that would occur when a new species is introduced and how that affects the balance within that ecosystem.

Life Science DCI elements associated with the grade-level performance expectations that are partially present in the materials:

• LS2.D-E1: In Grade 3, Engineering Design, How Can We Protect Animals When Their Habitat Changes?, Lesson 10: Teamwork, students research animal groups and take notes about types of animal groups - large and small - and how living in groups helps those animals obtain food and protect themselves from predators. Students do not have the opportunity to consider how living in groups helps animals cope with changes.

• LS3.B-E1: In Grade 3, Life Science, What Explains Similarities and Differences Between Organisms?, Lesson 2: Plants Have Parents Too, students observe parent plants and collect data based on their traits to determine what traits the offspring share with each parent. Students use their observations to complete a table of inherited and not inherited traits while providing evidence from their observations to support. Students consider what might have caused the not inherited traits, such as bent stems. While students do explore how plants look, students do not have the opportunity to consider how different organisms vary in how they function due to inherited information. 

• LS4.A-E1: In Grade 3, Engineering Design, How Can We Protect Animals When Their Habitat Changes?, Lesson 8: A Strange Specimen is Found in the Desert, students research animal species, such as brachiopods and trilobites, that once lived on Earth but are no longer found anywhere. Students do not have the opportunity to consider plant species that are extinct.

• LS1.A-E1: In Grade 4, Physical Science, How Does Energy Move From One Object To Another?, Lesson 12: This Design Is Nuts, students read “Parts that Protect” and discuss the big idea that walnuts have internal and external structures to protect it. Students take notes about the structures and consider how they could be mimicked for a space capsule design that would protect humans. In Life Science, How Can Animals Use Their Senses to Communicate?, Lesson 2: The Eyes Have It, students collect data and draw arrows to model how light travels to and from the eye and use this information to help determine if a cat was able to see a mouse or if it had to use other senses to find it. Students observe images of the human eye, discuss internal and external body parts, read about how the eye works, and consider the internal structures of the eye and how a cat's eye is different from a human eye. Students search for patterns in the eye structures of several animals, grouping them and writing about each group's external/internal structures and functions. Students identify the patterns they noticed and explain how those patterns could help figure out if the cat used only sight to find the mouse. In Lesson 3: Strange Senses, students investigate how cats use other senses (whiskers, ears, nose). Students consider how the cat used its senses to find the mouse, describing internal and external structures and using evidence to support their claim as well as explaining why different senses are important for the cat to catch the mouse. In Lesson 15: Firefly Flashes Part 3, students revisit their answers for why fireflies flash in different patterns. Students use a flashlight to play a game where they simulate firefly flash patterns to determine if the fireflies can find a mate. Students make a claim about flash patterns and the ability of fireflies to find a mate, support it with evidence, and complete a drawn model. Students do not have the opportunity to engage with the idea about how plant structures support growth and behavior, or how animal structures support growth.

• LS1.C-E1: In Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystems?, Lesson 6: Panda-monium, students make observations from videos of a panda bear cub moving, growing, and keeping warm in the snow. They make a claim that food provides the materials and energy needed for this activity. Students gain evidence for this claim by watching a different video observation of burning food causing an increase in the temperature of water. Students do not have the opportunity to consider how material is needed or obtained for body repair.

• LS2.B-E1: In Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystems?, Lesson 11: Many Fish Have Died in a Pond, students conduct an investigation to determine how aquatic plants affect the levels of carbon dioxide in water with different light conditions. Using this information, students draw a model showing how matter - in the form of carbon dioxide and oxygen - is transferred from air to water to plants to fish. Then, in Lesson 15, students draw a similar model  using phytoplankton instead of aquatic plants. Students do not have the opportunity to consider how matter might transfer through soil as all food webs investigated are aquatic.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials provide opportunities for students to fully learn and develop all grade-level Earth and Space Science Disciplinary Core Ideas.

Across the program, the materials include nearly all associated elements of the grade-level Earth and Space Science DCIs. Grade 5 contains one partially present element from the grade-level Performance Expectations. There are no elements from any of the grade-levels that are not addressed.

Examples of Earth & Space Science DCI elements associated with the grade-level performance expectations that are present in the materials:

• ESS2.D-E1: In Grade 3, Earth & Space Science, How Do Weather and Climate Affect Our Lives? Lesson 3: Meet a Meteorologist, students question how they can tell when it will be windy enough to fly a kite and identify kite flying weather as a class. Students read about how meteorologists predict weather and learn about various weather tools. They watch videos of a weather station, weather balloon, doppler radar map, and a satellite map. The class makes observations and predictions from local weather data.

• ESS2.E-E1: In Grade 4, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Stay Safe on a Changing Earth?, Lesson 13: Mudslide Solutions, students develop a solution to reduce the risk of mudslides after a wildfire. Using research about different possible solutions, students incorporate plant growth in their solutions to affect the physical characteristics that make the region susceptible to mudslides.

• ESS1.A-E1: In Grade 5, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Use The Sky To Navigate?, Lesson 7: What's Your Perspective?, students observe images of the sky as viewed from Earth and Pluto. Students make observations by comparing the size of the Sun, Sirius, Capella, and Rigel as viewed from Earth and Pluto, and then construct an answer to what they think causes some of the objects to appear the same and some to appear different.

Earth & Space Science DCI elements associated with the grade-level performance expectations that are partially present in the materials:

• ESS1.B-E1: In Grade 5, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Use The Sky To Navigate?, Lesson 2: Sunset, students develop models of the Earth to understand day and night. Students observe patterns of the night sky at different times of night. Students read about shadows, their cause, and the Sun’s pattern. In Lesson 5: Design a Sundial, students design and build a sundial, engaging with the Sun’s pattern and shadows at different times a day. In Lesson 9: Where is Orion?, students observe the night sky and notice Orion is visible in December but not June. They draw the positions of the Earth, the Sun, and Orion at these times. In Lesson 10: Missing Constellations, students observe other constellations and complete an activity to observe and analyze patterns in the night sky at different times of the year. Students continue observing constellations at different times of year, looking for similarities and differences in what is visible in the night sky. In Lesson 12: Modeling the Earth-Sun System, students model the Earth and Sun and explain, by drawing, why Orion is visible in December but not June. In Lesson 15: Sky Navigation Part 3, students observe patterns of the night sky over different years in reference to the ability of Ancient Polynesians to navigate using the stars and use observable patterns of the Sun and the stars over years to create their own Hawaiian Star Compass. Although students engage with the idea that the rotation of the Earth causes day and night, they do not have the opportunity to explore the rotation of Earth on its axis and although students engage with the Sun’s position and positions of stars, they do not have the opportunity to explore these ideas with regard to the Moon.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials provide opportunities for students to fully learn and develop all grade-band Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science Disciplinary Core Ideas.

Across the program, the materials include all associated elements of the grade-band Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science DCIs. There are no elements from across the grade-band that are either partially or not addressed. All five elements from the Performance Expectations are present in each grade-level.

Examples of Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science DCI elements associated with the grade-band performance expectations that are present in the materials:

• ETS1.A-E1: In Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns to Predict Motion? Lesson 12: Putting Trash In Its Place, student pairs write proposed solutions to the trash sorting engineering problem, introduced in a previous lesson, in an attempt to make their classroom sustainable. Student pairs compare their solution with that of another pair to determine how well the solutions meet the criteria of success using a list of criteria and constraints. All solutions must use at least one force that acts at a distance.

• ETS1.B-E2: In Grade 4, Engineering Design, How Can We Provide Energy to Meet Diverse Needs?, Lesson 5: Switch Testing, student groups test their switch design solutions in two situations, while it is still and while it is being carried, in order to identify failure points and make improvements.

• ETS1.C-E1: In Grade 5, Engineering Design, How Can We Protect and Clean Earth’s Water?, Lesson 12: Irrigating Tulare’s Fields, student groups use what they learned from previous tests to design a system that will provide water to the agricultural community of Tulare. Students build and test their design according to the criteria and constraints the groups have identified. Student groups share their results with another group and determine which solution was best according to the criteria and constraints.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials provide opportunities for students to fully learn and develop all grade-level Science and Engineering Practices. Across the program, the materials include all of the SEP elements associated with the performance expectations for the grade level. SEP elements are found across all four modules for each grade, including SEP elements that are beyond the performance expectations for the grade level. Students have multiple opportunities to use grade-level SEPs across various contexts. 

Examples of SEP elements associated with the grade-level performance expectations that are present in the materials:

Grade 3

• AQDP-E5: In Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns to Predict Motion?, Lesson 12: Putting Trash In Its Place, students define a trash problem and analyze information they obtain about materials and non-contact forces. They use this information to refine the success criteria and material constraints in the development of their proposed solution's tool.

• MOD-E4: In Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns to Predict Motion?, Lesson 3: Tug-of-War, students develop a model force diagram to describe their observations of the strength and direction of the forces applied on a wooden block by rubber bands.

• INV-E1: In Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns to Predict Motion?, Lesson 3: Tug-Of-War, students plan and conduct investigations in a small group to test unbalanced forces by only changing the distance a rubber band is placed on either side of a block of wood. A minimum of two trials are recorded for each test and students complete a table with their results.

• DATA-E2: In Grade 3, Life Science, What Explains Similarities and Differences Between Organisms?,  Lesson 15: Guppy Mystery Part 2, students analyze and interpret data from guppy investigation cards, including parentage of guppies, water temperature, the amount of algae in their food, and the color of the guppies. This data is used as evidence for the cause and effect relationship that explains the phenomenon of the different colored guppies.

• CEDS-E2: In Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns to Predict Motion?, Lesson 12: Putting Trash in its Place, students create a design solution for separating trash using the observations and patterns from the several previous lessons about magnetism and static electricity.

• ARG-E6: In Grade 3, Engineering Design, How Can We Protect Animals When Their Habitat Changes?, Lesson 4: Roly-Poly Hotel Reviews, students record the locations of roly-polies in their test habitats and read an informational text titled “Roly-Poly Life History”. Students use their data, along with information from the text, to write a claim, supported by evidence, to explain the results of their habitat test. Then the class engages in a discussion about which habitat designs best meet the previously established criteria and constraints.

• INFO-E4: In Grade 3, Earth & Space Science, How Do Weather and Climate Affect Our Lives?, Lesson 3: Meet a Meteorologist, students read about the different weather tools, watch videos, and visit websites to describe how weather can be predicted. Students combine this information to design a solution to predict when the weather will be best to fly a kite.

Grade 4

• AQDP-E3: In Grade 4, Physical Science, How Does Energy Move From One Object To Another?, Lesson 6: Investigating Collisions, students ask and write questions about the cause and effect relationship between the speed of a moving object and the distance a stationary object moves following the collision of the two objects. Students plan the details of an investigation, using two cars with bumpers and a ramp, to determine if there is a relationship between the speed of a moving object and the distance a stationary object moves following the collision of the two objects. Students determine what variables to change and what data to record.

• MOD-E3: In Grade 4, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Stay Safe on a Changing Earth?, Lesson 14: Slope and Slide Part 1, students develop an abstract model by compiling a list of factors that contribute to landslides based on their research. They use this list to create a rubric that is used to evaluate sites and determine the level of risk as a solution to a design challenge. 

• INV-E3: In Grade 4, Life Science, How Can Animals Use Their Senses to Communicate?, Lesson 8: Crabby Communication, students observe how frequently a male fiddler crab waves when in the presence of a female versus when he is alone. They collect and record data for five minutes and then write a claim and evidence statement about why crabs wave.

• DATA-E4: In Grade 4, Engineering Design, How Can We Provide Energy To Meet Diverse Needs?, Lesson 12: A New Energy Plan, students use data collected during previous research on US electricity generation and energy resources in the design of their solution to a power outage problem.

• CEDS-E2: In Grade 4, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Stay Safe on a Changing Earth?, Lesson 5: Making Waves, students research tsunamis and use the evidence from the text to revise their models and support their explanations of the cause of tsunamis.

• ARG-E4: In Grade 4, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Stay Safe in a Changing Earth? Lesson 15: Slope and Slide Part 2, students use a model rubric to assess landslide risk and evaluate two possible amusement park locations. They construct and support an argument using this rubric to determine which site is more suitable and then present their findings to peer groups.

• INFO-E4: In Grade 4, Physical Science, How Does Energy Move from One Object to Another?, Lesson 11: Dropped from Space, students research the features of historic space capsules using a 3D computer model of the Apollo 11 space capsule and a slideshow titled Historic Space Capsules. These features are used to identify additional criteria and constraints for the solution to the design challenge of protecting an astronaut when their space capsule returns to Earth.

Grade 5

• MOD-E3: In Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystems?, Lesson 9: A Tangled Web, using research from a text, students develop a model showing the flow of matter and energy in an ecosystem from sunlight, air, and water through producers to consumers.

• INV-E1: In Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Changes in Ecosystems? Lesson 12: Worming Their Way, students collaboratively plan and conduct an investigation to determine how the presence of worms affects the decomposition of leaves. Students determine which variables to control for fair testing and conduct multiple trials to ensure accuracy.

• DATA-E1: In Grade 5, Physical Science, How Can We Identify Materials Based On Their Properties?, Lesson 2: Using Our Senses, students collect data in tables to reveal patterns in the properties of substances. Students then use this data to begin working on a flow chart for identifying mystery substances based on their properties.

• MATH-E3: In Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Changes in an Ecosystem?, Lesson 7: Cubs and Caterpillars, students measure the length of caterpillars and the weight of a cup, with the caterpillar and its food, over a five-day period and record the data in a table. Students then use the data as evidence to explain where animals get the matter they need to grow.

• ARG-E4: In Grade 5, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Use The Sky To Navigate?,  Lesson 6: Distances Can Be Deceiving, students construct an argument, including a claim and supporting evidence from an informational text about objects that can be observed in the sky, including the Sun, and their investigations, about the relationship between distance from an object and its perceived size, to explain why the Sun looks small, like a star, in a provided image.

• INFO-E3: In Grade 5, Engineering Design, How Can We Protect and Clean Earth’s Water?, Lesson 2: An Ocean Full of Plastic, students conduct research using two sources to support their development of a solution to the design challenge of reducing plastic pollution in the ocean. The two sources are a text, Ocean in Trouble, and a graph showing the amount of macroplastics in the ocean over time.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials provide opportunities for students to fully learn and develop all grade-band Science and Engineering Practices.

Across the program, the materials include all of the SEP elements associated with the performance expectations for the grade band. Elements of the SEPs are found across all three grades within the grade band, including SEP elements, from a Framework for K-12 Science Education (NASEM), that are beyond the performance expectations for the grade band. Students have multiple opportunities to use grade-band SEPs across various contexts. See the Indicator 2b.i report for examples of SEP elements addressed within the program.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials provide opportunities for students to fully learn and develop all grade-band Crosscutting Concepts. Across the program, the materials include all of the CCC elements associated with the performance expectations for the grade band. Elements of the CCCs are found across all three grades within the grade band, including CCC elements that are beyond the performance expectations for the grade band. Students have multiple opportunities to use grade-band CCCs across various contexts.

Examples of CCC elements associated with the grade-band performance expectations that are present in the materials:

• CE-E1: In Grade 5, Physical Science: How Can We Identify Materials Based On Their Properties?, Lesson 11: A Weighty Matter, students combine baking soda and vinegar to observe the formation of bubbles. They identify the relationship between weight decreasing and gas being released from the substance.

• EM-E3: In Grade 5, Life Science: How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystems? Lesson 6: Panda-Monium, students identify where the energy a panda needs to grow and move comes from, and investigate how energy transfers from food to other objects, such as water. Then, students observe how two different food items (a peanut and a marshmallow) burn and transfer heat to a beaker with water. Students record the water temperature differences as a measure of energy transfer.

• PAT-E1: In Grade 3, Earth & Space Science: How Do Weather and Climate Affect Our Lives?, Lesson 4: Be a Meteorologist, students observe similarities and differences in patterns across weather maps, looking at wind speed and rain clouds. Students note rates of change, to determine when it is best to fly a kite.

• SPQ-E1: Grade 5, Earth & Space Science: How Can We Use the Sky to Navigate?, Lesson 8: Light-Years Away, students develop a model of the location of several stars to develop an understanding of the very large distances between the stars and the Earth. Students also develop a model to demonstrate the difference in viewing the Sun and stars from the surface of Earth and Pluto.

• SYS-E2: In Grade 4, Physical Science: How Does Energy Move From One Object To Another?, Lesson 3: A Super Model, students draw energy models of the movement of energy and changes in the indicators of energy based on investigation stations that students explored in the last lesson. Students identify all components in each system, explaining how energy is transferred among them.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials present Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) in a way that is scientifically accurate. Across the program, materials and assessments consistently present all three dimensions in a scientifically accurate manner. There are two instances where the presentation of a DCI or science content may lead to a student misconception.

Examples where a DCI or science content is presented in an inaccurate manner:

• In Grade 4, Earth & Space Science: How Can We Stay Safe on a Changing Earth?, Lesson 4: Emergent-Sea, students work with a simulation. The simulation of a tsunami shows the water as level before the tsunami, rising dramatically during, and receding after. This is not completely accurate; a common warning sign of tsunamis is that the water level recedes immediately before the tsunami wave, exposing usually submerged areas of the coast.

• In Grade 5, Life Science: How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystems?, Lesson 14: Surveying Sea Squirts Part 1 and Lesson 15: Surveying Sea Squirts Part 2, students investigate ecosystems. The ecosystems being investigated rely on phytoplankton as the primary producers. The DCI targeted in this lesson references plants. This may lead teachers to communicate to students that phytoplankton are plants in this ecosystem. This is not accurate; phytoplankton are not true plants. They do fill the role of producer in this ecosystem, but are not plants.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that the materials do not inappropriately include scientific content and ideas outside of the grade-band Disciplinary Core Ideas. Across the program, the materials consistently incorporate student learning opportunities to learn and use the DCIs appropriate to the Grades 3-5 grade-band.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials incorporate NGSS Connections to Nature of Science and Engineering. Across the program, grade-band NGSS Connections to Nature of Science and Engineering are included within learning opportunities from all three categories. These connections occur across all three grades and in some cases, students have multiple opportunities to engage with the elements. At least one connection is made within every sub-category with the exception of WOK: Science is a Way of Knowing. Connections to the Nature of Science and Engineering elements exist within the teacher guidance, directing teachers to support students to make connections between what scientists and engineers do and what the students are doing in the learning opportunities.

Examples of grade-band connections to NOS elements associated with SEPs present in the materials:

• BEE-E1: In Grade 3, Life Science, What Explains Similarities and Differences Between Organisms?, Lesson 4: Fair Weather Fronds, students use measurements to record different traits in the Fast Plants. The teacher guide states, “Tell students that science relies on tools to make accurate measurements. Scientists don’t just “eyeball” their measurements.”

• OTR-E1: In Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystem, Lesson 3: From Thin Air, students review a BTB Investigation they did in a previous lesson to help figure out where radish plants get the matter they need to grow. The teacher guide states, “Tell students that it is normal for scientists to change their minds when they have new information. Invite students to share any new thinking they may have about their predictions and where the radish plants get the matter they use to grow.”

Examples of grade-band connections to NOS elements associated with CCCs present in the materials:

• HE-E1: In Grade 4, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Stay Safe On A Changing Earth?, Lesson 1: Sedimental Value, students work to create a model of the Grand Canyon in order to explore fossils. The teacher guide states, “Tell students that they will be reading in pairs, and then working in groups to build their models. Let students know that scientists work in groups to share work and ideas.”

• AQAW-E1: In Grade 3, Life Science, What Explains Similarities and Differences Between Organisms?, Lesson 7: Comparing Climates, students examine a map of climate zones and compare it to data they collected for three different cities in order to write a claim. The teacher guide states, “Once students have completed their writing, invite individuals to read their letters aloud. Encourage students to offer agreements or disagreements. Remind students that as scientists, they should use evidence when agreeing or disagreeing about an explanation.”

Examples of grade-band connections to ENG elements associated with CCCs present in the materials:

• INTER-E4: In Grade 4, Engineering Design, How Can We Provide Energy to Meet Diverse Needs?, Lesson 14: I’m Here, Let Me In Part 2, students discuss different criteria and constraints in the design of a doorbell. The teacher guide states, “Remind the class that engineers apply science knowledge to the designs of their solutions. Tell the class that before they begin brainstorming team doorbell designs, you want them to think about what they know about stored energy in the three energy sources they will be using and how it is converted to usable energy.”

• INFLU-E2: In Grade 5, Engineering Design, How Can We Protect and Clean Earth’s Water?, Lesson 13: Cool Clear Water Part 1, students prepare to work in groups to solve the problem of polluted water in the Central Valley due to flooding. The teacher guide states, “Remind students that engineers also incorporate ideas about existing solutions into their brainstorming. They look for ways to improve technology to improve on older ideas and to meet new needs.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials support understanding of how the dimensions connect across contexts. Across the program, the materials consistently demonstrate how the dimensions connect across contexts, namely through the Series Connections callout boxes. This guidance is found in the teacher guide at the lesson level. While the content of some of the callout boxes is more general, in most cases, the content references a specific module from either a past grade (including K-2) or a previous module within the current grade. Teachers are explicitly supported to guide students to make larger connections across grades, modules, or lesson sets, as related to one or more of the NGSS dimensions. Additionally, the Module Overview, at the beginning of every module, also provides a summary of the connections made, as related to the NGSS dimensions, within the module. The focal DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs are identified along when, in previous grades, students have engaged with those dimensions before. In most cases, connections are focused on DCIs, with some SEP and CCC connections primarily associated with activities where students work with criteria and constraints.

Examples of student learning experiences that demonstrate how the dimensions connect across contexts and are made explicit:

• In Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns to Predict Motion?, Lesson 1: What’s Happening?, students are introduced to the phenomenon of children pulling on a rope but the rope not moving. During a discussion about the meaning of the term “pull”, the Series connection callout box directs teachers, “If your students used the Kindergarten Module How Can We Change an Object’s Motion?, ask them to share ideas about pulls and pushes they remember from their investigations.” (DCI-PS2). Teachers support students in using their prior experiences, from the Kindergarten module, with pushes and pulls as a foundation to new learning around balanced and unbalanced forces that occur over the next three lesson sequences.

• In Grade 4, Earth & Space Science, How Can We Stay Safe On a Changing Earth?, Lesson 6: Patterns on the Surface, students work in groups to analyze maps that show the locations of various Earth features and identify patterns. While students are sharing about when they have used maps before and how they have identified patterns on maps, the Series connection callout box directs teachers, “If your students have completed How Can We Map Land and Water on Earth? They may already have an understanding of maps and how they are used. Invite students to reflect on the investigations they conducted, identifying map features.” (DCI-ESS2). Students work in groups to investigate data on maps that show different Earth processes to help figure out what causes tsunamis on Earth by using maps as models. Students look for patterns as evidence to explain why tsunami waves occurred on the same day in Hawaii and Japan.

• In Grade 5, Engineering Design, How Can We Protect And Clean Earth's Water?, Lesson 2: An Ocean Full of Plastic, students work on a design challenge to create a system to remove macroplastics from the ocean. During a discussion about living and nonliving things that interact in the ocean ecosystem, the Series connection callout box directs teachers, “If your class has used the module How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystems?, ask students to share examples of the ecosystems they studied." (DCI-ESS2). Teachers support students in recalling prior studies of ecosystems so students can apply their previous work and understanding of ecosystems and their connectedness.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 3-5 meet expectations that materials are designed for student tasks related to explaining phenomena and/or solving problems to increase in sophistication. Across the program, tasks increase in sophistication in a number of ways. Students build and test increasingly complex prototypes as well as draw and label models with an increasing number of components and interactions. Students research using an increasing number and variety of sources and their communication of information becomes more detailed and complex as well. Students' investigation skills and use of data increase in sophistication as they plan, collect, and analyze data taking into account fair testing, controlled variables, and number of trials. While tasks do increase in sophistication in several areas, students have limited opportunities to develop their use of mathematics and computational thinking. Across the program, an increase in sophistication of tasks is seen across the grade band and within individual grades.

Examples of student tasks related to explaining phenomena and/or solving problems that increase in sophistication across the program:

• Across the grade band, as students engage with the practice of developing and using models, students draw and label diagrams with an increasing number of components and interactions. Students also build and test increasingly complex prototypes. For example, in Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns to Predict Motion?, Lesson 2: Pull vs Pull, the phenomenon is that children are pulling on a rope but it isn’t moving in the direction they are pulling it. Students draw a simple force diagram with one component and two arrows showing the direction of the applied forces (SEP-MOD-E4). The model of balanced forces helps students develop an explanation of the phenomenon showing children pulling on a rope without the rope moving. Then, in Grade 4, Physical Science, How Does Energy Move From One Object to Another?, Lesson 6: Investigating Collisions, the phenomenon is that toy cars behave differently when they collide depending on their motion. Students complete two more complex energy models involving two colliding toy cars. Students show one slow-moving toy car colliding with a stationary car, including the transfer of energy between the two objects and the resulting movement. They do the same with a fast-moving toy car colliding with a stationary car (SEP-MOD-E4). Students use the two models as evidence to support their explanation of the phenomenon. Finally, in Grade 5, Life Science, How Can We Predict Change in Ecosystems?, Lesson 9: A Tangled Web, the phenomenon is that many fish have died in a pond. Students model the transfer of energy and matter within a pond ecosystem (SEP-MOD-E3, SEP-MOD-E4). This model is more complex including ten components and twenty-four interactions. It supports students in identifying the cause of the fish dying in the pond due to a lack of needed resources.

• Across the grade band, materials consistently ask students to obtain, evaluate, and communicate information. Students research using an increasing number and variety of sources and their communication of information becomes more detailed and complex as well. For example, in Grade 3, Life Science, What Explains Similarities and Differences Between Organisms?, Lesson 11: Snapdragon Science, the phenomenon is that snapdragons have begun to take over a mountain meadow. Students read from a single text source to gain information that will help them explain how one color of snapdragon flower is becoming more numerous than another color (SEP-INFO-E4). In Lesson 13: Ah SNAP!, students orally communicate their explanation of the phenomenon with their peers (SEP-INFO-E5). Then, in Grade 4, Engineering Design, How Can We Provide Energy to Meet Diverse Needs?, Lesson 10: Environmental Impacts, the problem is that a local area will experience planned weekly power outages. Students obtain and combine information from a text and a variety of media sources to identify the positive and negative impacts of their power generation system (SEP-INFO-E2, SEP-INFO-E4). Students communicate their information with their peers by writing on a class chart that is visible to all (SEP-INFO-E5). Finally, in Grade 5, Engineering Design, How Can We Protect and Clean Earth’s Water?, Lesson 13: Cool Clear Water Part 1, the problem is that water in the Central Valley has become polluted due to excessive rainfall. Students obtain information from a text and a graph and combine that with information they have learned from previous learning sequences to develop possible design solutions that would remove pollution from drinking water (SEP-INFO-E3). In Lesson 15: Cool Clear Water Part 3, students communicate information about their design solution through written descriptions, solution models, and two bar graphs (SEP-INFO-E5).

• Across the grade band, students' investigation skills increase in sophistication as they plan, collect, and analyze data taking into account fair testing, controlled variables, and number of trials. For example, in Grade 3, Physical Science, How Can We Use Patterns To Predict Motion?, Lesson 2: Pull versus Push, the phenomenon is that children are pulling on a rope and it isn’t moving in the direction they are pulling it. Students conduct an investigation where they ask a question about the effect of two forces of equal strength on a block using rubber bands (SEP-INV-E1). The investigation is very structured, including a prescribed table with multiple trials. In Lesson 6: Swing Questions, students are introduced to the concepts of variables and fair testing when they begin to develop a testable question and plan their investigation, testing the variables of weight and length of a string (SEP-INV-E1). Finally, in Lesson 14: Swing Time Fun Part 2, students design a nontraditional swing, requiring them to examine the available materials, apply the concept of fair testing and controlled variables, determine the necessary data, and conduct multiple trials after developing their testable questions (SEP-INV-E2). In Grade 4, students use aspects connected to investigations sooner. In Physical Science, How Does Energy Move From One Object to Another?, Lesson 4: Faster, Faster, Faster, the phenomenon is that toy cars behave differently when they collide depending on their motion. Students plan two investigations to determine if changing the height of a ramp affects the speed of a toy car. Students collaboratively plan and conduct the investigation, including discussing how to make the test fair by controlling variables and incorporating at least three trials for each ramp height (SEP-INV-E1). Students then plan a second investigation to determine if a faster car has more energy. Students predict the results of their second investigation into whether a faster car has more energy (SEP-INV-E4). In Grade 5, students investigate multiple variables and develop a tool based on the results. In Physical Science, How Can We Identify Materials Based on Their Properties?, Lesson 1-5, the problem is that labels have fallen off jars in Chef Ana’s diner kitchen. Students work to identify the mystery solids by conducting a series of investigations exploring the different properties of the mystery solids (SEP-INV-E1). Initially, the investigations are more teacher-led, but students gradually take more ownership of the investigation design as the learning sequence progresses. Students use the results from each investigation to design and refine a tool (flow chart) for determining the properties of the mystery solids, which they use at the end of the learning sequence to design a final investigation. This final investigation is more sophisticated, incorporating and applying the ideas from the beginning of the module, and using the results to develop and design a tool that students use to identify the six mystery solids (SEP-INV-E2, SEP-INV-E3).