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I used to think that we did not need to create assignments using all three dimensions. Now, I think that it is important to include them all.

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I used to think "Cookbook" Lab activities were the best hands-on activities through which students were thinking by themselves. Now I think that was only my perception because we were having so much fun doing the activities; and the excitement of getting the exact results.

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Cruise Ship Data Explanation Model-Raquel Molina

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Cruise Ship Data Explanation Model-Raquel Molina

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Investigation- ANALOGY How are animal and plant cells like YOUR city/neighborhood?

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Investigation- ANALOGY How are animal and plant cells like YOUR city/neighborhood?

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Students imagine cells as their city and/or neighborhood in miniature size. The organelles might represent companies, places or parts of the city because they may have similar jobs.

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I used to think that first students had to learn about a topic and then they applied it. I also though appropriate that the teacher gave driven questions for students to learn about a topic.Now I think that phenomenon can be used to build understanding by using all 3 dimensions, and that students' prior learning is important.

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Breakdown this Performance Expectation into even smaller learning targets for each dimension:
MS-LS1-6 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.

SEP - Constructing Explanations
DCI - Plants, algae (including phytoplankton), and many microorganisms use the energy from light to make sugars (food) from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water through the process of photosynthesis, which also releases oxygen. These sugars can be used immediately or stored for growth or later use. The chemical reaction by which plants produce complex food molecules (sugars) requires an energy input (i.e., from sunlight) to occur. In this reaction, carbon dioxide and water combine to form carbon-based organic molecules and release oxygen.
CCC - Energy and Matter

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I used to think that first students needed to know concepts perfectly to be able to apply them.
Now I think the process of understanding a concepts requires of the practice and applicability. As relations are set, and as they see how applicable the concept and knowledge is, the easier is for them to "absorb", and see the beauty in their learning process, which is transferable and usable from day 1.

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When learning is designed with the students and around their questions and interests they have a more authentic learning experience.

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When learning is designed with the students and around their questions and interests they have a more authentic learning experience.

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Two of my questions were how old were the passengers and if they had any chronic diseases.
So I would try to find answers to these questions in passengers who tested positive and were symptomatic from both ships.
I would analyze the data and try to find any relation between them

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On the Argentine cruise they were not using masks or any of the recommendations of the CDC. There were a good percentage of people following the recommendations on the other ship.

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One of my questions was if passengers were vaccinated. Also if they were following the recommendations from CDC.

1. I would conduct an investigation by checking if there was a larger % of vaccinated passengers in the cruise with less sick people than in the other one.
2. I would conduct an investigation by checking if there was a larger % of passengers following the CDC guidelines in the cruise with less sick people than in the other one.

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I am from North Carolina, and Britta's anecdote completely aligns with what I have experienced in the past 6 years of teaching. A concrete list of standards, some key verbs, and that's all. (fun fact, NC hasn't updated their standards since I was in middle school!!!) Last spring, however, I completed an IB training course where I learned how to plan an IB unit, write standards, and design my lessons. I was overwhelmed at the time because, again, I still had to follow NC curriculum, but I am discovering now that NGSS is very similar to the IB structure! In the video on step 3, reading the standards parallels with the IB format so beautifully. I am finding NGSS less intimidating with the marriage of content from NC + intentionality and process from IB

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1.1 Reflection - I used to think...Now I think..

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1.1 Reflection - I used to think...Now I think..

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I used to think that having students work on various hands-on activities was enough for them to understand and think critically about the perfomed activity...now I think that by applying the Three Dimensions for Instruction and Assessment my students will actually develop critcal thinking in my science class.

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1.1 Reflection - I used to think...Now I think..

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1.1 Reflection - I used to think...Now I think..

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I used to think that teachers needed to "teach Science". Now I think that through NGSS, we become "activators of students' learning."

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In my case, since I am a new science teacher, and my school uses NGSS, I have only used that as a teaching framework, which I consider great because it includes the SP (the what to do) and CCC (the how/perspectives) students need to use in order to learn the concepts in each Science discipline. I can only contrast it to the method my teachers used to teach science to me. I remember having to memorize many concepts from a book and just recalling them during a test. I remember applying the SM for Science fairs.

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Argentine Cruise vs. Diamond Princess Model

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Argentine Cruise vs. Diamond Princess Model

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My first question was the range of population (kids, adults, elderly). My second question was how many passengers actually used a facemask all the time. Therefore,

1. Gather up as much data and organize it according to age range: kids (0-17 years), young adults (18-25), adults (26-60) and elderly (60+).

2. Usage of facemask according to age range.

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As a new Science teacher, I have only used NGSS because my school uses it. I can only compare it to when I was a student in that we used textbooks and reproduced the contents during our tests. We applied the SM for science fairs. With NGSS, my students do not only learn the contents (DCI), but do they also learn what to do to learn (SEP) and how they learn it (CCC). This is a great approach to teach and learn science.

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Just like Thelma Blandon's post, I am a new Science teacher and NGSS is the only framework I've used. So there's not much space for comparison. However, I can compare methods of teaching between NGSS and my experience as Science student back in the 90's! We used to do a lot of "taking notes", worksheets, textbooks and labs which were like cooking recipes. In other words, we were given things "already chewed". With NGSS, students are more "the creators of their learning", being curious, hypothesizing and finding the answers for and by themselves. They are not pretending to be scientists; they get the chance of being scientists and get those A-ha Moments! were learning really permeates their minds and souls.

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I use to think that in order for a student to come up with a solution to a problem the needed to learn before all concepts and then apply them to construct their solution.
Now I think that new concepts can be integrated and learned during the process of getting the solution to a problem.

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Question was related to the age of the passengers on the ships.

1. Gather the ships passenger range of age.
2. Group the numbers in 4 age ranges
- Childs
- Tennegers
- Adults
-Older Adults
3. Correlate the ages with the COVID + cases and groups ( Symptomatic & Asymptotic)
4. Correlate the COVID + cases with the general care protocoles that this 4 age ranges followed accordingly to world wide results found.

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This is a fantastic website, specially for us who are new to NGSS, because it gives us a breakdown of how to write a 3D assessment to engage students with different learning styles. Great ideas to implement in class and have fun!

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NGSS are very different from what our school uses. Science standards that we have been using focus mostly on concepts and does not prepare the students for scientific inquiry as NGSS does. Mostly we have been been teacher centered even though we thought we were not! Last year we started exploring the NGSS and I am sure learning experiences for students will definitely change as we start using NGSS.

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NGSS includes a complete package of needed guide, information, relationships, boundaries. It helps to determine the rigor, skills and set the guide for a teacher to follow. NGSS is totally different from the curriculum the school used in the past, in which the teacher base on only content created the standards. All of the standards were created based on the Book content.

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MS-LS1-6
SEP Construct an explanation
DCI Photosynthesis
CCC Energy & matter

DCI
- Identify Reactants and Products in reactions.
- Determine the chemicals involve in Photosynthesis
-Determine chemicals in Cellular Respiration

CCC
- Analyze similarities and differences between Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration.
- Determine the process that different organism use to obtain energy.

SEP
- Explain what will happen to Photosynthesis reaction in the absence of sun light.
- Explain how animals depend on photosynthesis to occur in a correct way.
- Explain Photosynthesis and  Cellular Respiration in terms of energy for different Organism

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PE - MS-LS1-3 From Molecules to Organism: Structures and  Processes

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Teen dies after drinking 4 gallons of water, Gatorade

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MS-LS1-6
SEP Constructing a scientific explanation based on evidence
DCI the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.

DCI
The role of photosynthesis in matter and energy flow in an ecosystem food web.

SEP
Explain how matter and energy flow from producers that go through photosynthesis to high level consumers.

CCC Energy & Matter.  How matter and energy flows in order to keep ecosystem cycle.

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YAEL FONSECA: I used to think that provide students with some useful background and concepts will help them better understand a phenomenon/topic. Now I think that letting students build their own knowledge helps them create more meaningful connections with their learning.

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YAEL FONSECA: I used to think that provide students with some useful background and concepts will help them better understand a phenomenon/topic. Now I think that letting students build their own knowledge helps them create more meaningful connections with their learning.

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PE-MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

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PE-MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

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Wolves of Yellowstone

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DCI
Carbon flows from the environment to organisms and back again in the carbon cycle
Photosynthesis and cellular respirations are responsible for much of the transformation of carbon during the carbon cycle.
SEP
Construct a scientific explanation of what will happen to a plant that lacks air and light, and what will happen to another one that is exposed to light and air.
CCC Analyze similarities and differences in both events.

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Vetting Tool: NGSS Vetting Tool
Evaluating the lesson Middle School 5E NGSS Human Body Systems MS-LS1-3 from TpT I found it, complete. It includes phenomena that was driving the lesson, CCC like systems, patters, cause and effect.. SEP, with a variety of levels and types like model or argumentation. DCI Life science and being relevant for kids since it relate the different systems and the way one depends of other.

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This comprehensive Middle School 5E NGSS packet on human body systems is designed to align with the NGSS Middle School MS-LS1-3 standard " Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells".

Students love these engaging activities. Easy to follow and fun to use and teach with.

This resource has 76 pages of student activities, questions and notes. Also included are beautifully illustrated posters of the major body systems (labelled and blank). This engaging resource comes already differentiated for your students. Just print and go.
Here's what's included in this packet:

✅ Engagement activity including I CAN (editable) objective statement

✅ Explore - science station lab (see below)

✅ Explain - editable powerpoint

✅ Elaborate -editable student choice board

✅ Evaluate - differentiated assessment

✅ Notes

✅ Science stations signage

✅ 6 posters of the major body labelled/unlabelled
Science Stations
► Make It - At this station the students must put together the various parts of the digestive system. A completed version is included so that they can check their work.

► Read It - Here the students will read an account of the circulatory system and answer the questions on the cards.

► Match It - The students see a variety of human organs and body systems. The questions on the cards ask them to match the organ to another body system or to other organs closely associated with it. It's designed to get them thinking.

► Describe It - The students will see a variety of tissue types and must closely observe them in order to answer the questions on the cards. This will test their powers of observation.

► Illustrate It - The students will draw a diagram of a nerve cell and muscle tissue (photo included). It's a great way to show how two different systems connect and interact.

* Distance Learning Cells, Tissues, Organs Google Drive Interactive Notebook

* Levels of Organization Cells, Tissues, Organs Interactive Notebook
FB acornscience
NGSS and Next Generation Science Standards are a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards was involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

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Middle School 5E NGSS Human Body Systems MS-LS1-3

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This comprehensive Middle School 5E NGSS packet on human body systems is designed to align with the NGSS Middle School MS-LS1-3 standard "Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells".Students love these engaging activities. Ea...

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My questions was: Is there a correlation between the symptoms of the disease and the sex gender of the passengers?

-Send a survey massively, and asking questions about sex gender, if they were tested positive or not, if they were symptomatic or not.

-Then, make graphs (bar plots) with all the info from people who were covid + only, and specifically comparing the percentages for symptomatic and asymptomatic persons for men and women.

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DCI Photosynthesis
CCC Energy & Matter AND Cause & Effect
SEP Construct an explanation

DCI
Sun and water are necessary for photosynthesis to occur. Certain chemicals are needed for cellular respiration. Students need to identify reactants and products in this process.

CCC
1. Observe and analyze what will happen if sunlight and water is taken about from plants (cause & effect)
2. Analyze similarities and differences between Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration.
3. Determine how different organisms obtain energy.

SEP
1. Explain what will happen to Photosynthesis reaction in the absence of sun light.
2. Explain how animals depend on photosynthesis to gain energy.

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1.1 Reflection "I used to think...now I think..."

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1.1 Reflection "I used to think...now I think..."

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I used to think that students needed to be tested on concepts, but now I think that they can demonstrate understanding as they explain an investigation.  The tested knowledge probably never stuck anyway, but  the experience of learning through investigations likely lasts longer.

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The Argentine cruise ship was traveling in a warm place where passengers spent more time outside, compared to the Princess cruise. Due to the nature of airborne viruses in open spaces, many passengers contracted covid-19 viruses but in lower populations that the body could manage and fight. The Princess passengers were in a colder place and spent more time inside where the virus particles were trapped and people contracted larger numbers, such that the body had to fight more rigorously (symptoms).

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1.3 Plan an Investigation:  Which ship had a better ventilation system?

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1.3 Plan an Investigation:  Which ship had a better ventilation system?

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Investigation:
Create teams of 3-4 students to each design a ventilation system using cardboard boxes, straws, paper fans, etc. Dispense confetti or glitter into each system and measure the distance the confetti travels from the drop off point.

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COVID-19

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From cells to Organism:

MS-LS1-3: Interacting Body Systems

Matter & Energy in Life:
MS-LS1-7: Food and Chemical Reactions
This two standards can be together since the systems require energy to function, and the systems that need to ve covered have relationship in the acquisition of energy as well as transportation of it in the human body. MS-LS1-7 needs to explain how the chemical reactions broken the molecules in order to released. This two can be teach simultaneously with support of formative assessments to reinforce separated each of it.

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The attached link offers a complete unit that can be linked to a phenomena I found also within this course. My next unit will be base on MS-LS1-3 Interacting Body Systems, and will let my students a real case o a middle schooler, just like them. Trigger their curiosity as well as make them feel part of the solution of a real problem applying their knowledge learned in class.

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Unit Summary

This unit on metabolic reactions in the human body starts out with students exploring a real case study of a middle-school girl named M'Kenna, who reported some alarming symptoms to her doctor. Her symptoms included an inability to concentrate, headaches, stomach issues when she eats, and a lack of energy for everyday activities and sports that she used to play regularly. She also reported noticeable weight loss over the past few months, in spite of consuming what appeared to be a healthy diet. Her case sparks questions and ideas for investigations around trying to figure out which pathways and processes in M'Kenna's body might be functioning differently than a healthy system and why.

Students investigate data specific to M'Kenna's case in the form of doctor's notes, endoscopy images and reports, growth charts, and micrographs. They also draw from their results from laboratory experiments on the chemical changes involving the processing of food and from digital interactives to explore how food is transported, transformed, stored, and used across different body systems in all people. Through this work of figuring out what is causing M'Kenna's symptoms, the class discovers what happens to the food we eat after it enters our bodies and how M'Kenna's different symptoms are connected.

Unit Examples

Simulations

Additional Unit Information

Building Toward the Following Standards and Practices

This unit builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs):

MS-LS1-3: Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.

MS-LS1-5: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.

MS-LS1-7: 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.

MS-PS1-1: Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures. *

MS-PS1-2: Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. *

* This unit reinforces these NGSS PEs that students should have previously developed. In the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence, these are first built in Unit 7.1. In this new context of metabolic reactions, students will engage in the analysis and interpretation of various forms of data on how molecules change or do not change as they move through digestion. Chemical reactions starting in our mouths and stomachs and continuing throughout the rest of the digestive system drive this change, breaking down large food molecules into smaller ones. Some molecules, like fiber, stay the same throughout digestion and, therefore, do not undergo chemical reactions.

The current version of the unit expands students' understanding of metabolic reactions, which include these Grade 6-8 DCI elements:
LS1.A Structure and Function LS1.B Growth and Development of Organisms

The growth of an animal is controlled by genetic factors, * food intake, and interactions with other organisms, and each species has a typical adult size range.
LS1.C Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms

Within individual organisms, food moves through a series of chemical reactions in which it is broken down and rearranged to form new molecules, to support growth, or to release energy.
PS3.D Energy in Processes and Everyday Life

Cellular respiration in plants and * animals involves chemical reactions with oxygen that release stored energy. In these processes, complex molecules containing carbon react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and other materials.

*There is a slash through the pieces of the DCIs that are not developed in this unit. In the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence, students will develop an understanding of genetic factors in the OpenSciEd Unit 8.5, how plants do chemical reactions to obtain and store energy in the subsequent OpenSciEd Unit 7.4, and interactions with other organisms in the ecosystem dynamics in OpenSciEd Unit 7.5.

In addition, this unit introduces the concept of food as fuel and lays the groundwork for future units in which students figure out that both food and other sources of fuels are sources of matter and sources of energy, drawing connections between chemical reactions that transfer and convert energy in living and nonliving systems. This connects to the idea identified on page 196 of Framework for K-12 Science Education (National Research Council, 2012): "By middle school, a more precise idea of energy-for example, the understanding that food or fuel undergoes a chemical reaction with oxygen that releases stored energy-can emerge."

You can view the placement of this OpenSciEd Unit 7.3 and associated units within the OpenSciEd Middle School Scope and Sequence.

Focal Science & Engineering Practices

Developing & Using Models

Analyzing & Interpreting Data

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

What are prerequisite math concepts necessary for the unit?

In Lesson 8 students use a NetLogo simulation to discover the relationship between the rate of food absorption and the height of villi that line the small intestine. Prerequisite math concepts that may be helpful include:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.8: Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.2: Understand the concept of a unit rate a/b associated with a ratio a:b with b ≠ 0, and use rate language in the context of a ratio relationship.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.C.6: Approximate the probability of a chance event by collecting data on the chance process that produces it and observing its long-run relative frequency, and predict the approximate relative frequency given the probability.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.C.8.C : Design and use a simulation to generate frequencies for compound events.

Students analyze and interpret M'Kenna's height and weight growth charts in Lesson 10. Prerequisite math concepts that may be helpful include:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.C: Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing any overall pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to the context in which the data were gathered.

In addition, within the domain of Measurement and Data in the Common Core Mathematics Standards, students will be drawing on what they have learned across a number of standards under the category of Represent and Interpret data for Grades 1-5 when they are generating and interpreting the tables and graphs of their data collected from the simulation and during analysis of several food molecule graphs in many lessons across the unit.

What modifications will I need to make if this unit is taught out of sequence?

This is the third unit in 7th grade in the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence. Given this placement, several modifications would need to be made if teaching this unit earlier in the middle school curriculum. These include:

Introducing the students to the concept of a Driving Question Board and a shared set of classroom norms. This would not be necessary if taught after other OpenSciEd units.

Supplemental teaching of the nature of matter, so that students see matter as made of particles.

Supplemental teaching of the foundations for chemical reactions in PEs MS-PS1-1 Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures and MS-PS1-2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred . This unit is designed to come directly after two units involved in the foundations of chemical reactions and explicitly builds on those understandings. It is critical to note that students need the idea of chemical reactions and the idea that matter can be rearranged through these reactions yielding resultant materials with different properties to develop the explanations in this unit.

Supplemental teaching of PE s MS-LS1-1 Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells and MS-LS1-2 Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function. This unit does not introduce cells to students. It uses that prerequisite knowledge to build understanding that the organization of the body goes from cells, to tissues, to organs, to subsystems to multiple subsystems working together in one body system.

Tara McGill, Unit Lead, Northwestern University

Michael Novak, Field Test Unit Lead, Northwestern University

Kate Cook-Whitt, Writer, Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance

Kathryn Fattalah, Writer, The Nora Project

Emily Harris, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Lindsey Mohan, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Jamie Noll, Writer, Northwestern University

Barbara Taylor, Writer, Charles A. Dana Center at University of Texas Austin

Heather Galbreath, Pilot Teacher, Lombard Middle School

Michael Clinchot, Teacher Advisor, John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science

Nicole Vick, Reviewer, Abingdon-Avon High School

Betty Stennett, Reviewer, BSCS Science Learning

Katie Van Horne, Assessment Specialist

Kelsey Edwards, Project Coordinator, Northwestern University

Barbara Hug, Unit Advisory Chair, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

BSCS Science Learning

Natalie Giarratano, Copyeditor, Independent Contractor

Stacey Luce, Editorial Production Lead

Valerie Maltese, Marketing Specialist & Project Coordinator

Alyssa Markle, Project Coordinator

Chris Moraine, Multimedia Graphic Designer

Achieve's Science Peer Review Panel

An integral component of OpenSciEd's development process is external validation of alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards by NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel using the EQuIP Rubric for Science. We are proud that this unit has been identified as a quality example of a science unit. You can find additional information about the EQuIP rubric and the peer review process at the nextgenscience.org website.

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This unit on metabolic reactions in the human body starts out with students exploring a real case study of a middle-school girl named M'Kenna, who reported some alarming symptoms to her doctor. Her symptoms included an inability to concentrate, headaches, stomach issues when she eats, and a lack of energy for everyday activities and sports that she used to play regularly.

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The link that I am attaching has all the resources to develop a whole unit. It includes clear PE, DCI, SEP and CCC for every lesson in the unit. Since my next unit is Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems, I can implement the lessons with my students.

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Unit Summary

This unit on ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity begins with students reading headlines that claim that the future of orangutans is in peril and that the purchasing of chocolate may be the cause. Students then examine the ingredients in popular chocolate candies and learn that one of these ingredients--palm oil--is grown on farms near the rainforest where orangutans live. This prompts students to develop initial models to explain how buying candy could impact orangutans.

Students spend the first lesson set better understanding the complexity of the problem, which cannot be solved with simple solutions. They will figure out that palm oil is derived from the oil palm trees that grow near the equator, and that these trees are both land-efficient and provide stable income for farmers, factors that make finding a solution to the palm oil problem more challenging. Students will establish the need for a better design for oil palm farms, which will support both orangutans and farmers. The final set of lessons engage students in investigations of alternative approaches to growing food compared to large-scale monocrop farms. Students work to design an oil palm farm that simultaneously supports orangutan populations and the income of farmers and community members.

Additional Unit Information

Building Toward the Following Standards and Practices

MS-LS2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

MS-LS2-5: Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.

MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

MS-ETS1-1: 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.

LS2.A: Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with non-living factors. Students investigate how organisms (see Lessons 8) and populations of organisms (Lessons 7, 9-12) depend on interactions with other populations particularly as they search for food resources. Students focus on plant interactions with non-living factors in Lesson 3.

LS2.A: In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction. Students investigate competition between orangutans in a simulation in Lesson 8 and circle back to competition in Lesson 13.

LS2.A: Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources. Students build these ideas through simulations and additional case studies across Lessons 8-11.

LS2.A: Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. Mutually beneficial interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with their environments, both living and non-living, are shared. Students model different interactions in the rainforest and oil palm systems, including predation, competition, and mutualism between orangutans and fruit tree populations (see Lessons 11-13).

LS2.C: Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations. Students model different disruption scenarios and predict how those disruptions would shift populations. Students hear from farmers about the strategies they employ to protect themselves from disruptions (see Lessons 13, 15, 16).

LS2.C: Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth's terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem's biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health. Students compare rainforest systems to oil palm systems in terms of the biodiversity found in each system (see Lesson 13). Students learn that farmers are interested in supporting biodiversity in Lesson 14.

LS4.D: Changes in biodiversity can influence humans' resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on-for example, water purification and recycling. Students figure out that people engage with different ways to grow food compared to monocrop in order to obtain different benefits, or services (see Lessons 15-16).

ESS3.C: Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth's environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things. Students focus on understanding the problem, which involves humans altering the biosphere in ways that negatively impact orangutans (Lessons 2-4) and alterations in their own communities (Lessons 5). Students also encounter ways humans farm for food that positively support biodiversity in Lesson 14.

ETS1.A: 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 are likely to limit possible solutions. Students use criteria and constraints, based on the science and engineering ideas developed in the unit, with a particular attention to what land-use strategies work for different stakeholders and the limits of their application. Students make their first pass at criteria and constraints in Lesson 6 and revisit them to make them more precise in Lesson 17. Students evaluate design based on criteria and constraints in Lesson 18.

Focal Science & Engineering Practices

Asking Questions and Defining Problems: This unit is anchored by a complex socioscientific issue. Students' initial questions on the DQB lead them to investigate simple fixes to a complex problem. The first lesson set serves to complicate the problem for them, culminating in defining it more clearly later in Lesson 6. Students define a design problem that can be solved through the development of a , but a designed system that is limited by both scientific and social factors.

Developing and Using Models: Students develop new understandings about how to use a computer model to generate data to test ideas about population dynamics in the rainforest and farm designs. They evaluate the limitations of the computer model in comparison to the complex real-world systems the model is representing.

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations: Students engage in planning and carrying out investigations with independent and control variables in a computer simulation. They use the simulation in the unit as a way to collect data and produce data about design solutions and proposed systems under a range of conditions.
Mathematics and Computation Thinking: Students calculate ratios of orangutans to land area to understand population density. They characterize and use graphical representations of populations over time to draw conclusions about resource availability and farm designs. The lesson 10 assessment on Monarch butterflies allows for assessment of this practice.

Focal Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect: Cause and effect is a lens students apply throughout the unit, focusing on establishing cause and effect relationships in order to predict phenomena. Students use cause and effect in the context of natural systems and in their designs land-use systems.

System and System Models: Students develop system models to allow them to understand the different components and interactions occurring within the system. They discuss limitations of their system models for representing the complexity of the real-world systems (e.g., simulations representing limited components and interactions).

Stability and Change: Stability and change is a consistent lens students apply throughout the unit as they make sense of small changes in the system that have large impacts, as well as sudden and gradual changes over time. They look to stabilize orangutan populations and farmers income in their final designs.

How will I need to modify the unit if taught out of sequence?

This is the fifth unit in 7th grade in the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence. Given this placement, several modifications would need to be made if teaching this unit earlier or later in the middle-school curriculum. These include:

If taught before the OpenSciEd Unit 7.1: How can we make something new that was not there before? (Bath Bombs Unit) or at the start of the school year, supplemental teaching of classroom norms, setting up the Driving Question Board, and asking open-ended and testable questions would need to be added. (These supports are built into the Bath Bombs Unit )

If taught before the Maple Syrup Unit , supplemental teaching of matter cycling between organisms and food webs would be required. In particular, students having experienced the Maple Syrup Unit will want to immediately investigate the ingredients in candy during the anchor lesson because students traced many ingredients back to plants in that unit. This may not be the case for students who have not experienced the Maple Syrup Unit , so the motivation to look at candy ingredients on day 1 of Lesson 1 may need additional support from you. The unit also relies on students having a recent learning experience around producers and consumers and the interconnection between the two in a food chain. This is particularly important for Lessons 11-13. Food webs are taught in 5th grade and students can work from this level of understanding, if needed. Lastly, Lesson 3 expects that students can readily identify the conditions that plants need to grow. The lesson has students briefly articulate these conditions so that students use most of the instructional time to identify growing conditions for oil palm plants. Additional time may need to be spent in this lesson if students have not learned about plant growth (MS-LS1-6).

This unit is highly dependent on 6th-grade math concepts. If this unit is taught in 6th grade, it is suggested to work very closely with a 6th grade math teacher to understand when students will learn the mathematical concepts and process (listed below) so that this unit can reinforce those concepts in a real-world problem context but not come before students have developed these ideas in their math classes (or working in conjunction with math and science simultaneously).

What mathematics is required to fully access the unit's learning experiences?

During Lesson Set 2, students will engage in population thinking, rate and ratio reasoning, and encounter many graphical representations of data (e.g., line graphs, histograms) that they will need to interpret. They will calculate ratios in Lesson 7, create histograms together in Lesson 8, and interpret single data points in a distribution during both Lessons 8 and 9. Students will also work with the concept of "trend" in Lessons 9 and 10. Prerequisite math concepts that may be helpful include:

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.1 Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.2 Understand the concept of a unit rate a/b associated with a ratio a:b with b ≠ 0, and use rate language in the context of a ratio relationship.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3.c Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3.d Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.2 Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.3 Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.5 Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe quantities having opposite directions or values.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.SP.A.1 Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability in the data related to the question and accounts for it in the answers.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.SP.A.2 Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution, which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.SP.B.5.c Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing any overall pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern, with reference to the context in which the data were gathered.

What additional strategies are available to support equitable science learning in this unit?

OpenSciEd units are designed to promote equitable access to high-quality science learning experiences for all students. Each unit includes strategies which are integrated throughout the OpenSciEd routines and are intended to increase relevance and provide access to science learning for all students. OpenSciEd units support these equity goals through several specific strategies such as: 1) integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Principles during the unit design process to reduce potential barriers and provide more accessible ways in which students can engage in learning experiences; 2) developing and supporting classroom norms that provide a safe learning culture, 3) supporting classroom discourse to promote students in developing, sharing, and revising their ideas, and 4) specific strategies to supporting emerging multilingual students in science classrooms.

Many of these strategies are discussed in the teacher guides in sidebar callout boxes titled "Attending to Equity" and subheadings such as "Supporting Emerging Multilingual Learners" or "Supporting Universal Design for Learning." Other callout boxes with strategies are found as "Additional Guidance", "Alternate Activity," and "Key Ideas" and various discussion callouts. Finally, each unit includes the development of a Word Wall as part of students' routines to "earning" or "encountering" scientific language.

For more information about each of these different strategies with example artifacts, please see the OpenSciEd Teacher Handbook.

Lindsey Mohan, Unit Lead, BSCS Science Learning

Renee Affolter, Writer, Reviewer, & PD Design, Boston College

Kate Cook Whitt, Writer, Maine Math and Science Alliance

Candice Guy-Gaytán, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Emily Harris, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Ty Scaletta, Writer, Pilot teacher, Chicago Public Schools

Guy Ollison, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Barbara Taylor, Writer, Charles A. Center at UT-Austin

Michael Novak, Conceptual design, Northwestern University

Heather Young, Sim Developer, Oregon Public Broadcasting

Cathie Stimac, Sim Design, Oregon Public Broadcasting

Charles Hickey, Pilot teacher, Weymouth Public Schools

Jennifer Loud, Pilot teacher, Weymouth Public Schools

Julie Callanan, Pilot teacher, Advisor, Framingham Public Schools

Katie Van Horne, Assessment Specialist

Cindy Passmore, Unit Advisory Chair, UC-Davis

Steve Babcock, Advisor, Louisiana State University

Karla White, Teacher Advisor, Bethany Public Schools

Dr. Cheryl Knott, Natalie Robinson, and Dr. Andrea Blackburn from Boston University and the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program

Dr. Rodolfo Dirzo, Stanford University

BSCS Science Learning

Rachel Paul, Copyeditor, Independent Contractor

Natalie Giarratano, Copyeditor (field test), Independent Contractor

Kate Herman, Copyeditor, Independent Contractor

Stacey Luce, Editorial Production Lead Valerie Maltese, Communications and Advancement Manager

Renee DeVaul, Project Manager

Chris Moraine, Multimedia Graphic Designer

Kate Chambers, Multimedia Graphic Designer

NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel

An integral component of OpenSciEd's development process is external validation of alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards by NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel using the EQuIP Rubric for Science. We are proud that this unit has earned the highest score available and has been awarded the NGSS Design Badge. You can find additional information about the EQuIP rubric and the peer review process at the nextgenscience.org website.

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This unit on ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity begins with students reading headlines that claim that the future of orangutans is in peril and that the purchasing of chocolate may be the cause. Students then examine the ingredients in popular chocolate candies and learn that one of these ingredients--palm oil--is grown on farms near the rainforest where orangutans live.

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The tool I used was 3 dimensional lesson screening tool and the lesson was Matter and Energy from the Wonder of Science. The lesson contains an anchoring phenomena, is student centered,  and the three dimensions are present.
It uses many SEP practices: asking questions and developing a model, analyze and interpret as well as plan an investigation. As of CCC it uses cause and effect, patterns and energy.
The lesson is relevant and age appropriate.
I did not find embedded assessments, though.

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I thought it was just different standards, but now I realize it's a new way of teaching the standards.

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I thought it was just different standards, but now I realize it's a new way of teaching the standards.

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MS-ESS3-3 Earth and human activity and MS -LS2-5 Ecosystems: Interaction, Energy and Dynamics

The LS performance expectation is related to how small changes in one part of a system might cause large changes in another part. The ES performance indicators is related to the human impacts on Earth's systems. Both PE's can be taught together because if you are learning about changes in parts of systems, you must understand the impact of humans on the environment.

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A Medical Mystery https://3dmss.bscs.org/unit-introduction/a-medical-mystery/
This is awesome! Definitely I want to try it in the Human Biology unit that we have now in school. Using this material, students will be engaged in their own learning and I can just see them discussing and arguing over the evidence. The way we teach this unit now is boring and filled with only content.
Great material!

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL1502571. Any opinions, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL1502571. Any opinions, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL1502571. Any opinions, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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NGSS Vetting Tool: The Wonder of Science

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NGSS Vetting Tool: The Wonder of Science

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Evaluating the Unit: Matter & Energy
MS‐PS1‐1, MS‐PS1‐4, MS‐PS3‐3, and MS‐PS3‐4.

It is very complete because it has:
1. Anchoring Phenomena: Collapsing Train Car
2. CCC: Cause & Effect, Energy & Matter, Scale, Quantity & Proportion,
3. SEP: Observation, analysis, plan an investigation, construct argument based on evidence, develops models,
4. DCI: Matter, Energy, Molecules, Transfer of Energy, Temperature

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Cells to Organisms: MS-LS1-6 & Engineering Design Unit

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Cells to Organisms: MS-LS1-6 & Engineering Design Unit

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Cells to Organisms: MS-LS1-6 & Engineering Design Unit are very interconnected. This is how I teach it:

My students initially grow bean seeds using the accelerated farming technique (put them in separate cotton balls, droplets of water and close it in a ZipLock). When they start to germinate, we take then to the garden, put them in soil and start observing their growth and adaptation to climate. They are also observing how plants use solar energy to grow (photosynthesis) and reproduce and we start testing: what happens if we take solar energy? Water? Air? They conduct this investigation in a series of steps that are planned throughout the unit. They also learn about organic fertilizers & pesticides.

So, where's the Engineering Design portion of this? They have to plan, construct and create an irrigation system to keep plants watered even if we do not go everyday to the garden. They have to design their model using tinkercar.com bring, and then bring their own materials to construct their irrigation system. The Engineering Design Process is extra handy here and creativity is a must!

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HOW DO EGGS BECOME CHICKENS OR OTHER LIVING THINGS? Middle School — Next Generation science storylines (nextgenstorylines.org)

I will immediately use this because I'm just starting "Living vs. Non-Living Things" and "Characteristics of Living Things" lessons and this addresses both ideas in a very "phenomenal" way! As the website indicates, this will certainly "help students uncover the role that food, blood, cells, and tissues play in the in the development of embryos and growth in different animals. (LS1, LS4)" Thank you!

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2.1 NGSS Performance Expectations vs other science standards.

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2.1 NGSS Performance Expectations vs other science standards.

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When I started teaching science, I just followed content and did the little activities and labs that were mentioned in the book. With the NGSS performance expectations, I am much less focused on content and give more attention to the SEPs. I also teach math, which have a similar pattern of practices to emphasize different ways to think. Right now, I am teaching waves to grade 7 students. We have covered the basic content and done several activities and investigations, including a student-designed investigation. Normally, at this point, I would move on to a new topic, but I plan to spend a couple more weeks with waves so that students can continue to dive deeper into understanding. We collected data, so now we'll spend some time making tables and graphs. I plan to introduce Desmos and Google graphing tools. It is fun to think that the understanding will be applicable to other concepts due to developing the performance expectations.

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My question was related to the age of the passengers and possible health conditions being connected to the rates of symptomatic and asymptomatic passengers.
To undergo such investigation I would classify and group passengers by their age, creating a differentiation between symptomatic/ asymptomatic.
Then, survey the presence of comorbidities. Discuss and analyze the results.

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As a biologist teaching science for the past 5 years, getting to know the NGSS is amazing since these shows the reality of making science. Used to work with other standards when I just started my teaching career, and those were really far from what I was experiencing in my every day life as a researcher.
NGSS have been motivating since they brings the real science to the real world. Is extraordinary to feel again the excitement of teaching the process of doing science by doing so! The books are a great guide however, NGSS opens the doors to create knowledge by experiencing nature and our surroundings. I declare myself in love of them!

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MS-LS1-6 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.

SEP: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence
DCI: Photosynthesis. Role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy.
CCC: Energy & Matter. Cycling of matter and flow of energy .

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MS-LS1-2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntk8XsxVDi0

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Used the  NGSS Vetting Tool Google Doc and Wonder of Science Lesson Screener PDF.

Evaluated some lessons but focused on my own lesson too.
As a newy in the use of phenomena, my lessons needs of tons of work!
This lesson is the first unit from this school’s year. I tried creating a phenomena, explained in the performance task, which seeks to design a prototype for a problem in our world through the use of physics. However, I’m noticing that even when I try to use the 3Dimensions, the phenomena is so wide that it will create confusion.
I have brought the phenomena through most of the lessons, playing with it as kids develop parachute prototypes and rockets but, on occasions, feels disconnected.

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Phenomena-NGSS-Middle-School-Life-Science-Digital-and-Distance-Learning-5850648?st=c02c897eaa9e2c8271b3fe446530cca6

This unit starts by introducing the concept of phenomena to students and takes the lessons from there. It can be modified to be relevant to the students in Honduras. It includes SEP, CCC, DCIs.

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This LIFE SCIENCE PHENOMENON download is a collection of short videos and images designed to give teachers quick and easy access to an observable event or phenomena, that is aligned to the Middle School Life Science Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
What is a phenomenon and why is it useful in the science class?

Natural phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe and allow students to use their science knowledge to explain or predict.

In the science classroom a carefully chosen phenomenon can drive student inquiry.

Phenomena add relevance to the science classroom showing students science in their own world.

<< CLICK PREVIEW VIDEO ABOVE TO WATCH PRODUCT OVERVIEW >> This product includes:

A growing collection of videos (1 min or less) or images of a naturally occurring phenomenon. Currently 21 slides.

Teacher Notes on each slide with discussion questions and explanation of natural phenomena

Teacher Guide

Matrix showing alignment of NGSS standard to video/image

Student worksheet to fill in their observations and questions.

Digital link to Google Slide version available in order to distribute to students.

Links to tutorials on how to use different programs or add-ons (PearDeck, JamBoard, FlipGrid, Padlet) which enhance synchronous student discussion during distance learning.

NGSS Report: Using Phenomena in NGSS-aligned lessons and Units

Please note:

The PowerPoint in this product is not editable - VIEW ONLY.

This license for this download is for one teacher in their classroom (digital or in-person). Please do not add the link to a common area or public site.

__________________________________________________________________

Copyright © Nitty Gritty Science, LLC. All rights reserved by author Dr. Erica Colón. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Clipart and elements found in this PDF are copyrighted and cannot be extracted and used outside of this file without permission or license. Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.

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Phenomena - NGSS Middle School Life Science - Digital and Distance Learning

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This LIFE SCIENCE PHENOMENON download is a collection of short videos and images designed to give teachers quick and easy access to an observable event or phenomena, that is aligned to the Middle School Life Science Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). What is a phenomenon and why is it useful ...

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Breakdown:  MS-LS1-6 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.

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Breakdown:  MS-LS1-6 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.

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SEP - Constructing Explanations
Observe a green, happy plant and a plant that is brown, unhappy plant.  Explain why each appears the way they are and compare the two.
DCI - Plants, algae (including phytoplankton), and many microorganisms use the energy from light to make sugars (food) from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water through the process of photosynthesis, which also releases oxygen.
CCC- Draw the movement of Oxygen from/two the plant.  How do humans benefit from this cycle?

SEP - Constructing Explanations
Students explain their thoughts on these questions:  What is a potato?  What happens to a potato if you leave it in the dark?
DCI - These sugars can be used immediately or stored for growth or later use.
CCC- Begin the unit with several potatoes in different location (dark cupboard, countertop, in soil outside, in soil in pot, in water).  Observe and discuss the processes that occur in each scenario.  Which is the most productive cycle?

SEP - Constructing Explanations
Create two bottle gardens.  Leave one in the dark and one in the sunlight.
DCI - The chemical reaction by which plants produce complex food molecules (sugars) requires an energy input (i.e., from sunlight) to occur. In this reaction, carbon dioxide and water combine to form carbon-based organic molecules and release oxygen.
CCC - Energy and Matter
Discuss the source and movement of energy in the two bottle gardes.

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MS-LS-1. & MS-PS-1.
I could use the crosscutting concepts as both are based on structure, giving a look to organization in nature to later on try to go from the tiny details all the way out to the great complete picture building our planet.

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What Controls My Health?

I love creating connections with our own health and this source seems as an extraordinary tool to dig deeper and connect much more kids with their bodies.

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This unit seems a good starter for me as a teacher to use phenomena to develop an entire lesson or unit.
It is 3D and easy to follow for a teacher who is starting to teach with NGSS.

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MS-PS4-3. Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals area more reliable way to encode and transmit information than analog signals.

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MS-PS4-3. Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals area more reliable way to encode and transmit information than analog signals.

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Use an image of a digital thermometer and an analog thermometer to kick off the concept.

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I used to think that because I was using the Engineering process to conduct the class challenges I was getting close to NGSS practices, now I think that the research step can be completely driven by the student, and the teacher does not have to give them all the questions to answer.

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3.1 Vetting Tool:  Quick Checklist in Google Doc

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3.1 Vetting Tool:  Quick Checklist in Google Doc

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Using Quick Checklist:  This matter and energy unit includes all 3 dimensions.  It starts with a phenomenon, it includes CCC of cause/effect/correlation.  It includes SEP of developing models and planning an investigation. Phenomena drive the learning of the DCIs.  Assessment isn't clear to me, but could be evaluated along the way with rubrics for each activity.

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Question: What types of previous diseases did the symptomatic passengers have?
Investigation:
1. Write a list of comorbidities found as risk factors for Covid-19
2. Survey among the symptomatic passengers to collect data
3. Create a graph to cross the gathered info
4. Analyse the data

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ESS2.C addresses the global movements of water and ESS3.A addresses human dependency on fresh water as a resource and its uneven distribution around the planet.  This can create a global water theme and the concepts can criss-cross throughout the unit.

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NGSS similar to or different from other science standards?  Angélica Arteaga

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NGSS similar to or different from other science standards?  Angélica Arteaga

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As a new MS teacher, it has been a huge and incredible challenge to unlearn how to practice/teach or guide real science. NGSS focuses on the student's curiosity and performance, providing  the 3 dimensions where you can swim through, completely different from what we used to learn back at the school (or even college) where the standards were one way focused, and the students were more oriented to memorize rather than incorporate knowledge and skills based on their own investigation process.

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How Can We Sense So Many Sounds from a Distance?

I bumped into this storyline via two different resource links, so it must be good. It seems highly rated and the assessments are only available upon request so students can't Google it. That seems good.

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Anchoring phenomenon for MS-PS2-3

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Description: Programmable magnets are engineered to have multiple magnetic regions. This allows engineers to build magnets that concentrate force, align spatially, or both attract and repel. Students can design simple solutions to human problems that use this cutting-edge technology.
Web Resource: Programmable Magnets - Wikipedia

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Programmable Magnets - The Wonder of Science

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Description: Programmable magnets are engineered to have multiple magnetic regions. This allows engineers to build magnets that concentrate force, align spatially, or both attract and repel. Students can design simple solutions to human problems that use this cutting-edge technology. Web Resource: Programmable Magnets - Wikipedia

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NGSS vetting tool: Check list Google doc. Angélica Arteaga

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NGSS vetting tool: Check list Google doc. Angélica Arteaga

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In evaluating the unit: Forces at a distance.
MS-PS2-3, MS-PS2-5 and MS-PS3-2

I found:
1. Anchoring Phenomena:

How can a magnet move another object without touching it?

2. DCI: Types of interactions, definitions of energy
3. CCC: Cause and Effect, Systems & System Models
4. SEP: Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Developing and Using Model, Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
5. Magnetic Interactive simulation, which looks truly interesting to engage students.

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I would love to try this resource out because I am about to start a challenge related to this topic in my Inventors workshop class! And, as I answered in the NGSS vetting tool question, this resource is complete and provides complete support through NGSS, which is already fantastic.

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Unit Summary

*REMOTE LEARNING GUIDE FOR THIS UNIT NOW AVAILABLE!*
CLICK DOWNLOAD TO ACCESS

This unit launches with a slow-motion video of a speaker as it plays music. In the previous unit, students developed a model of sound. This unit allows students to investigate the cause of a speaker's vibration in addition to the effect.

Students dissect speakers to explore the inner workings, and engineer homemade cup speakers to manipulate the parts of the speaker. They identify that most speakers have the same parts-a magnet, a coil of wire, and a membrane. Students investigate each of these parts to figure out how they work together in the speaker system. Along the way, students manipulate the components (e.g. changing the strength of the magnet, number of coils, direction of current) to see how this technology can be modified and applied to a variety of contexts, like MagLev trains, junkyard magnets, and electric motors.

Unit Examples

Additional Unit Information

Building Toward the Following Standards and Practices

This 6-week unit builds towards the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs):

MS-PS2-3: Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces.

MS-PS2-5: 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.

MS-PS3-2: 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.

MS-PS2-2*: 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.

MS-PS3-1*: 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.

MS-PS3-5*: 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 (p. 61).

*These performance expectations are developed across multiple units. This unit reinforces or works toward these NGSS PEs that students should have previously developed or will develop more fully in future units. In the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence, PS2-2, PS3-1, and PS3-5 are first built in Unit 8.1. In this new context, students are considering the same relationships, but in the context of forces that are at a distance. Students will continue to explore these relationships in the context of gravity in unit 8.4.

The unit expands students' understanding of forces and energy transfer, which include these grades 6-8 DCI elements:
PS2.B: Types of Interactions

Electrical and magnetic (electromagnetic) forces can be attractive or repulsive, and their sizes depend on the magnitudes of the charges , currents, or magnetic strengths involved and on the distances between the interacting objects. (MS‑PS2‑3)

Forces that act at a distance ( electrical, magnetic, and gravitational ) can be explained by fields that extend through space and can be mapped by their effect on a test object ( a charged object , a magnet, or a ball, respectively ). (MS‑PS2‑5)

PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

A system of objects may also contain stored (potential) energy, depending on their relative positions. (MS-PS3-2)

When two objects interact, each one exerts a force on the other that can cause energy to be transferred to or from the object. (MS-PS3-2)

The parts of the DCI elements that are not developed in this unit are crossed out. In the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence, students will develop an understanding of gravity in OpenSciEd Unit 8.4. Electricity is treated as an extension opportunity within this unit. The placement of this OpenSciEd Unit 8.3 and associated units within the OpenSciEd Middle School Scope and Sequence.

Focal Science & Engineering Practices

Asking Questions and Defining Problems

Developing and Using Models

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Focal Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

Systems & System Models

What are prerequisite math concepts necessary for the unit?

In this unit, students will collect, manipulate, and analyze data from several investigations. In Lesson 7 students will calculate the rate of change from data collected and organized in a table. They will interpret this rate as the speed of a cart moving along a track. Data organization and analysis in Lessons 10 and 11 include graphing tabular data in two quadrants of the coordinate plane and interpreting the meaning of data in graphs.

Prerequisite math concepts from students math classes include the following:

CCSS.Math.Content.7.PR.1. Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas, and other quantities measured in like or different units.
In their 7th grade math classes, students have experience in determining rates of change from quantities where units are different, and they frequently calculate average speed. Students also begin to algebraically manipulate the variables in the equation for speed (s = d/t) and can determine any of the three when given the other two. Helping students focus on units needed for the desired quantity will minimize errors.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.8. Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinates and absolute value to find distances between points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate.
In 6th grade, students are introduced to graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane and frequently use direction as an analogy. For example, if the origin of the graph is a starting point, walking north and west would result in a location in quadrant II. In Lessons 10 and 11 students consider the symmetry of data graphed in quadrants I and IV across the y-axis. The idea of reflection across an axis is not introduced until 8th grade, so be sure to check with math colleagues about the timing of this concept.

What modifications will I need to make if this unit is taught out of sequence?

This is the third unit in 8th grade in the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence. Given this placement, several modifications would need to be made if teaching this unit earlier or later in the middle school curriculum. These include the following adjustments:

If taught before OpenSciEd Unit 8.1, supplemental teaching of the definitions of forces and energy would be required, particularly in the context of physical pushes and pulls (contact forces). These ideas are fundamental to the model of forces and energy in a magnetic field that students need to build.

If taught before OpenSciEd Unit 8.1 (or at the start of the school year), supplemental teaching of classroom norms, setting up the Driving Question Board, and asking open-ended and testable questions would need to be added. (These supports are built into 8.1.)

If taught before OpenSciEd Unit 8.2, supplemental teaching of what a sound is and how sound travels would be required, with an emphasis on how movement back and forth creates the physical pushes necessary to move air so that sound waves can transfer energy. These ideas are fundamental to students' understanding of the anchoring phenomenon in this unit.

Zoë Buck Bracey, Unit Lead, BSCS Science Learning

Lindsey Mohan, Field Test Unit Lead, BSCS Science Learning

Joel Donna, Writer, University of Wisconsin River Falls

Shelly Ledoux, Writer, The Dana Center at University of Texas - Austin

Michael Novak, Writer, and Reviewer, Northwestern University

Will Reed, Writer, Chicago Public Schools

Betty Stennett, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Kris Grymonpre, Teacher Advisor, John W. McCormack Middle School, Boston, MA

Thomas Clayton, Teacher Advisor, Columbia Middle School, Berkeley Heights, NJ

Christina Schwarz, Unit Advisory Chair, Michigan State University

Joseph Krajcik, Unit Advisory Member, Michigan State University

Katie Van Horne, Assessment Specialist

BSCS Science Learning

Stacey Luce, Editorial Production Lead and Copyeditor

Valerie Maltese, Marketing Specialist & Project Coordinator

Alyssa Markle, Project Coordinator

Chris Moraine, Multimedia Graphic Designer

NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel

An integral component of OpenSciEd's development process is external validation of alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards by NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel using the EQuIP Rubric for Science. We are proud that this unit has earned the highest score available and has been awarded the NGSS Design Badge. You can find additional information about the EQuIP rubric and the peer review process at the nextgenscience.org website.

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REMOTE LEARNING GUIDE FOR THIS UNIT NOW AVAILABLE!* CLICK DOWNLOAD TO ACCESS This unit launches with a slow-motion video of a speaker as it plays music. In the previous unit, students developed a model of sound. This unit allows students to investigate the cause of a speaker's vibration in addition to the effect.

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The passengers in the Argentine Cruise Ship were high school students traveling in the Bahamas, they were all vaccinated before going on a trip. Since the weather was warm, they performed outdoor activities so when they got Covid the viral load was weak, that's why they were asymptomatic. On the other hand passengers of the Diamond Cruise were people in their 40s and 50s. Some vaccinated only with the first dose. They were traveling in a cold weather so they spent a lot of time playing board games, at the restaurant and bar. When they got Covid the viral load was heavy and they started developing symptoms.

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Important information that I would plan to investigate would be:
1. Test passengers on both crise ships.
2. Focus on the underlying diseases of each.
3. Where all the passenegers vaccinated? Dis they have both doses? What vaccine did they receive?
4. How were the biosecurity protocols in each cruise? Was it mandatory to wear masks? Did they take the temperature every now and then?

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I was so used to come to the classroom and explain concepts, ideas, methods, before students were actually required to apply them. NGSS is more focused on learn-by-doing, which basically requires students to be responsible for their own knowledge, asking their own questions, and solving those questions by themselves, therefore building their own knowledge.

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NGSS prepares students for scientific inquiry, it´s student-based where the teachers are guiding the process. In my school we started working student-centered but now I do believe we have not yet started.
I do look forward to start implementing NGSS with my students.

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MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function.

-Lab practice: observation of animal cells under the microscope: realize that there are different types of cells, with different structure, and therefore, function (2D: SEP and CCC).

-Brainstorm on systems in general to discuss characteristics common to all type of systems. Once defined, investigate what is the equivalent of that characteristic in the cell, and make a model (drawing) to explain the corresponding structures and functions (3D).

-Spot the differences: show a picture of an eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells to compare and contrast, then translate those differences into graphic models to explain graphically the main differences and come up with the concept of organelle (3D).

-Watch video about eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, and functions of the most important organelles, and answer handout (only one dimension, DCI).

-Lab practice: observation of animal and plant cells under the microscope, compare and contrast what we observe. Come up with a model of animal and plant cells to explain the differences between cell wall and cell membrane, infer the function of these structures (3D).

-Make analogies about cellular functions, and practice the using a memory game (3D).

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Learning Target breakdown (Regina Murillo)

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Learning Target breakdown (Regina Murillo)

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(Learning Target breakdown

MS-LS1-6
SEP Construct an explanation
DCI Photosynthesis
CCC Energy of matter and Flow of Energy

DCI
- Identify Products in reactions and what causes them.
- Determine chemical processes in Photosynthesis
-Identify what happens Cellular Respiration

CCC
- Analyze similarities and differences between Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration.
- Determine various processes organisms use to obtain energy.

SEP
- Describe role of sunlight in Photosynthesis
- Explicate Cellular Respiration different organisms.

-Explain how organisms depend on photosynthesis to function properly.

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ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth

How do people reconstruct and date events in Earth's planetary history?

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🌎 How Planet Earth was Formed ♁ | Down to Earth

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MS-LS1-2
Human gut microbiome
https://youtu.be/VzPD009qTN4

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How Bacteria Rule Over Your Body – The Microbiome

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PE´s that could link the thematic unit. (Regina Murillo)

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PE´s that could link the thematic unit. (Regina Murillo)

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MS-ESS Earth and human activity
MS-L31 Interacting Body Systems

This can be linked and make students think critically and research how and why they can be connected.

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Unit Summary

What keeps different cups or containers from warming up or cooling down? Students begin this 6th grade science unit by experimenting whether a new plastic cup sold by a store keeps a drink colder for longer than the regular plastic cup that comes free with the drink. Students find that the drink in the regular cup warms up more than the drink in the special cup. This prompts students to identify features of the cups that are different, such as the lid, walls, and hole for the straw, that might explain why one drink warms up more than the other.

In this 6th grade science unit, students investigate the different cup features they conjecture to explain the phenomenon, starting with the lid. They model how matter can enter or exit the cup via evaporation. However, they find that in a completely closed system, the liquid inside the cup still changes temperature. This motivates the need to trace the transfer of energy into the drink as it warms up. Through a series of lab investigations and simulations, students find two ways to transfer energy into the drink: (1) the absorption of light and (2) thermal energy from the warmer air around the drink. They are then challenged to design their own drink container that can perform as well as the store-bought container, following a set of design criteria and constraints.

Simulations

Unit Examples

Additional Unit Information

Building Toward the Following Standards and Practices

This 6th grade science unit on thermal energy builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs):

MS-PS1-4*: 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.

MS-PS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer

MS-PS3-4: 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

MS-PS3-5: 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.

MS-PS4-2*: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

MS-ETS1-4: 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.

*These performance expectations are developed across multiple units. This unit reinforces or works toward these NGSS PEs that students should have previously developed or will develop more fully in future units. In the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence, PS4-2 is first built in Unit 6.1. In this new context of particle models and energy transfer, students learn more about how absorption of light occurs at the particle level. This unit begins to address changes in state that are part of PS1-4; then changes in state are more fully developed in the next unit, 6.3, on water cycling. In 6.3, students learn that evaporation and condensation occur when energy is added or removed from the substance.

The 6th grade science unit on thermal energy expands students' understanding of particle models and energy transfer, which include these Grade 6-8 DCI elements:
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter

Gases and liquids are made of molecules or inert atoms that are moving about relative to each other. (MS‑PS1‑4)

In a liquid, the molecules are constantly in contact with others; in a gas, they are widely spaced except when they happen to collide. In a solid, atoms are closely spaced and may vibrate in position but do not change relative locations. (MS‑PS1‑4)

The changes of state that occur with variations in temperature or pressure can be described and predicted using these models of matter. (MS‑PS1‑4)

PS3.A: Definitions of Energy PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer PS4.B: Electromagnetic Radiation

When light shines on an object, it is reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through the object, depending on the object's material and the frequency (color) of the light. (MS‑PS4‑2)
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem

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 the criteria and constraints of a problem. (secondary to MS‑PS3‑3)

*There is a strike through part of the DCI elements that are not developed in this unit. In the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence, students will develop an understanding of changes in state, particularly as they relate to pressure, in OpenSciEd Unit 6.3, and frequency (color) of light in OpenSciEd Unit 8.4. The placement of this OpenSciEd Unit 6.2 and associated units are shown in the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence.

Focal Science & Engineering Practices

Developing & Using Models

Planning & Carrying Out Investigations

Analyzing & Interpreting Data

Constructing Explanations & Designing Solutions

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Focal Crosscutting Concepts

What are prerequisite math concepts necessary for the unit?

Beginning in Lesson 4 and throughout the unit, students focus on pooling and then averaging test results and building an understanding of temperature as a measure of average particle movement. They take measurements in the tenth or hundredth in decimal points, and must consider negative and positive numbers as they mass systems. Prerequisite math concepts that may be helpful include:

CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.A.3 Read, write, and compare decimals to thousandths.

CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.A.4 Use place value understanding to round decimals to any place.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.SP.A.3 Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.5 Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe quantities having opposite directions or values (e.g., temperature above/below zero, elevation above/below sea level, debits/credits, positive/negative electric charge); use positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real-world contexts, explaining the meaning of 0 in each situation.

Calculating a mean of a data set is a target idea in 6th-grade CCMS. Prior to Lesson 4 in this unit, talk to your grade's math teacher to find out when students will learn how to calculate the mean of a numerical data set in math class this year. If they have worked on this already, ask the math teacher for an example data set they worked with and any suggested modification to your anchor chart for calculating a mean. If students haven't yet worked through any examples in their math classes, then the pooled temperature data in this lesson will be an example you save to refer to in future lessons in concert with this anchor chart. Also ask the math teacher if students have worked with using negative numbers to represent quantities in the real world. This will inform your decision about how to represent temperature changes in the pooled class data table.

What modifications will I need to make if this unit is taught out of sequence?

This is the second unit in 6th grade in the OpenSciEd Middle School Scope and Sequence and it focuses on thermal energy. Given this placement, several modifications would need to be made if teaching this unit earlier or later in the middle school curriculum. These include:

Lindsey Mohan, Unit Lead, BSCS Science Learning

Zoe Buck Bracey, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Emily Harris, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Ari Jamshidi, Writer, Stanford University

Abe Lo, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Michael Novak, Writer & Reviewer, Northwestern University

Tracey Ramirez, Writer, Charles A. Center at UT-Austin

Dawn Novak, Pilot teacher, Maple School

Tyler Scaletta, Pilot teacher, North Shore Country Day School

Katie Van Horne, Assessment Specialist

David Fortus, Unit Advisory Chair, Weizmann Institute of Science

BSCS Science Learning

Kate Herman, Copyeditor, Independent Contractor

Stacey Luce, Editorial Production Lead

Valerie Maltese, Marketing Specialist & Project Coordinator

Alyssa Markle, Project Coordinator

Chris Moraine, Multimedia Graphic Designer

Additional Acknowledgement

This unit was adapted from Energy: How can we design a device to warm something up?, originally co-developed by San Francisco Unified School District and SCALE at Stanford University 2017-2018. Used with permission. Energy: How can we design a device to warm something up? was developed with funding from Lucas Education Research, part of the George Lucas Education Foundation.

NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel

An integral component of OpenSciEd's development process is external validation of alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards by NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel using the EQuIP Rubric for Science. We are proud that this unit has earned the highest score available and has been awarded the NGSS Design Badge. You can find additional information about the EQuIP rubric and the peer review process at the nextgenscience.org website.

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6th Grade Science Thermal Energy - MS-PS1-4. MS-PS3-3, MS-PS3-4, MS-PS3-5, MS-PS4-2, MS-ETS1-4

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What keeps different cups or containers from warming up or cooling down? Students begin this 6th grade science unit by experimenting whether a new plastic cup sold by a store keeps a drink colder for longer than the regular plastic cup that comes free with the drink.

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The tool I used for vetting was the option 1 (NGSS vetting tool). In evaluating the lesson from Generation Genius that is titled Symbiosis (intereactions between organisms) I found that even if the web site seems to be really organized and nicely designed, it still needs some additional work to become truly NGSS aligned.

SEP is not present.

The assessment was mainly content-focused, the PE is not met (constructing explanations) because the answers to the questions of the activity and the assessment are rather short (filling the blanks, etc..)

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MS-LS1-7 and MS-PS1-1

Since chemical reactions, and therefore, are at the base of biological change, and understanding matter, atoms and specific properties of matter from a physical/chemical point of view is really important to understand biological processes, such as photosynthesis, digestion, cellular respiration, etc...

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I'd like to try

"Where does food come from and where does it go next?" from OpenSciEd.

Since photosynthesis is among the DCI content I'm teaching the next unit, therefore it will be a great opportunity for me to get my lessons aligned with NGSS

https://www.openscied.org/instructional-materials/7-4-matter-cycling-photosynthesis/

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7.4 Matter Cycling & Photosynthesis

Unit Summary

*REMOTE LEARNING GUIDE FOR THIS UNIT NOW AVAILABLE!*
CLICK DOWNLOAD TO ACCESS
This unit on the cycling of matter and photosynthesis begins with 7th grade students reflecting on what they ate for breakfast. Students are prompted to consider where their food comes from and consider which breakfast items might be from plants. Then students taste a common breakfast food, maple syrup, and see that according to the label, it is 100% from a tree.

Based on the preceding unit, students argue that they know what happens to the sugar in syrup when they consume it. It is absorbed into the circulatory system and transported to cells in their body to be used for fuel. Students explore what else is in food and discover that food from plants, like bananas, peanut butter, beans, avocado, and almonds, not only have sugars but proteins and fats as well. This discovery leads them to wonder how plants are getting these food molecules and where a plant's food comes from.

Students figure out that they can trace all food back to plants, including processed and synthetic food. They obtain and communicate information to explain how matter gets from living things that have died back into the system through processes done by decomposers. Students finally explain that the pieces of their food are constantly recycled between living and nonliving parts of a system.

Simulations

Unit Examples

Additional Unit Information

Building Toward the Following Standards and Practices

This unit builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs):

MS-LS1-6: 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.

MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

MS-PS1-3: Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.

Partial NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs) addressed by this unit:

MS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function. (Specifically, chloroplasts and mitochondria.)

The unit expands students' understanding of matter cycling and photosynthesis, which include these Grade 6-8 DCI elements:
LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms

Plants, algae (including phytoplankton), and many microorganisms use the energy from light to make sugars (food) from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water through the process of photosynthesis, which also releases oxygen. These sugars can be used immediately or stored for growth or later use.
LS2.B: Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

Food webs are models that demonstrate how matter and energy is transferred between producers, consumers, and decomposers as the three groups interact within an ecosystem.

Transfers of matter into and out of the physical environment occur at every level. Decomposers recycle nutrients from dead plant or animal matter back to the soil in terrestrial environments or to the water in aquatic environments.

The atoms that make up the organisms in an ecosystem are cycled repeatedly between the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem.

PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter

Each pure substance has characteristic physical and chemical properties (for any bulk quantity under given conditions) that can be used to identify it.
PS1.B: Chemical Reactions

Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants.
PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life

The chemical reaction by which plants produce complex food molecules (sugars) requires an energy input (i.e., from sunlight) to occur. In this reaction, carbon dioxide and water combine to form carbon-based organic molecules and release oxygen. (secondary)

The placement of this OpenSciEd Unit 7.4 and associated units are shown in the OpenSciEd Middle School Scope and Sequence.

Focal Science & Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

Constructing Explanations and Design Solutions

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communication Information

Focal Crosscutting Concepts

Systems and System Models

Energy and Matter

What are prerequisite math concepts necessary for the unit?

In Lesson 6, to represent the process of photosynthesis in a plant, 7th grade students use a NetLogo simulation to discover the relationship of how the inputs within the plant interact and affect the amounts of outputs and represent the process of photosynthesis in a plant.

Prerequisite math concepts that may be helpful include:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.8: Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.B Describing the nature of the attribute under investigation, including how it was measured and its units of measurement.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.C: Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing any overall pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to the context in which the data were gathered.

In addition, within the domain of Measurement and Data in the Common Core Mathematics Standards, students will be drawing on what they have learned across a number of standards under the category of Represent and Interpret data for grades 1-5 when they are generating and interpreting the tables and graphs of their data collected from the simulation and during analysis of several input/output graphs in many lessons across the unit.

What modifications will I need to make if this unit is taught out of sequence?

This is the fourth unit in 7th grade in the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence. Given this placement, several modifications would need to be made if teaching this unit earlier in the middle school curriculum. These include:

If taught before OpenSciEd Unit 7.1 or at the start of the school year, supplemental teaching of classroom norms, setting up the Driving Question Board, and asking open-ended and testable questions would need to be added. (These supports are built into 7.1.)

This unit is designed to come after two units involved in the foundations of chemical reactions and explicitly builds on those understandings. It is critical to note that students need the idea of chemical reactions and the idea that matter can be rearranged through these reactions yielding resultant materials with different properties to develop the explanations in this unit. Without these ideas, the questions raised make no sense to students, and they don't have what they need to develop the disciplinary core ideas. If not being done in the standard OpenSciEd sequence, teachers would need to make sure there are other ways students have developed these foundational ideas, reflected in the PEs MS-PS1-1: Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures and MS-PS1-2: Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. Students will also need an understanding that all matter is made of particles, which is foundational ideas for these PEs. MS-PS1-5: 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.

The unit is also designed to come after the extension of chemical reactions to living things that occurs in OpenSciEd Unit 7.3. If students have not done that unit before taking this unit on, there will need to develop the idea that there are chemical reactions in living things, reflected in the PE MS-LS1-7: 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.

Supplemental teaching of PEs MS-LS1-1: Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells and MS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function. This unit does not introduce cells to students. It uses that prerequisite knowledge to build understanding that living things are made of cells and those cells have structures for specific jobs. This unit will add to that knowledge by looking at the role of chloroplasts and mitochondria.

Jamie Noll, Unit Lead, Northwestern University

Tara McGill, Field Test Unit Lead and Reviewer, Northwestern University

Dawn Novak, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Meghan McCleary, Writer, University of Illinois Extension

Sue Gasper, Writer, University of Illinois Extension

Katy Fattaleh, Writer, The Nora Project

Michael Novak, Writer, Northwestern University

Kate Cook-Whitt, Writer, Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance

Emily Harris, Writer, BSCS Science Learning

Tyler Scaletta, Writer, Chicago Public Schools

Katie Van Horne, Assessment Specialist

Kelsey Edwards, Project Coordinator, Northwestern University

Christina Murzynski, Project Coordinator, Northwestern University

Misty Richmond, Pilot Teacher, James Ward School

Mary Colannino, Teacher Advisor, Hugh B. Bain Middle School

Elizabeth Xeng de los Santos, Advisory Team, University of Nevada - Reno

Chris Griesemer, Advisory Team, University of California - Davis

Cindy Passmore, Unit Advisory Chair, University of California - Davis

BSCS Science Learning

Christine Osborne, Copyeditor, Independent Contractor

Valerie Maltese, Marketing Specialist & Project Coordinator

Alyssa Markle, Project Coordinator

Chris Moraine, Multimedia Graphic Designer

NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel

An integral component of OpenSciEd's development process is external validation of alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards by NextGenScience's Science Peer Review Panel using the EQuIP Rubric for Science. We are proud that this photosynthesis unit for 7th grade students has earned the highest score available and has been awarded the NGSS Design Badge. You can find additional information about the EQuIP rubric and the peer review process at the nextgenscience.org website.

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Photosynthesis 7th Grade - MS-LS1-6, MS-LS2-3, MS-PS1-3, MS-LS1-2

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7.4 Matter Cycling & Photosynthesis *REMOTE LEARNING GUIDE FOR THIS UNIT NOW AVAILABLE!* CLICK DOWNLOAD TO ACCESS This unit on the cycling of matter and photosynthesis begins with 7th grade students reflecting on what they ate for breakfast. Students are prompted to consider where their food comes from and consider which breakfast items might be from plants.