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DISCIPLINARY CORE IDEAS (DCIs): SCIENCE
KINDERGARTEN - 4 DCIs
KINDERGARTEN - 4 DCIs
- Students in Kindergarten are introduced to disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) from the scientific domains of physical, life, and Earth and space sciences.
- In studying the physical sciences core idea, “Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions,” students will plan and carry out developmentally appropriate investigations about changes in motion.
- In the life sciences core idea, “Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics,” students will observe phenomena, gather information, and use models to explore and explain the natural world close to them.
- In the Earth and space sciences DCIs, “Earth’s Systems” and “Earth and Human Activity,” students observe the effects of sunlight and study weather patterns.
GRADE 1 - 4 DCIs
KINDERGARTEN - 4 DCIs
- Students in Grade 1 learn disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) from the scientific domains of physical, life, and Earth and space sciences.
- In the physical sciences, addressed through the core idea “Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer,” students conduct investigations to discover the properties of light and sound waves.
- In the life sciences DCIs, “From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes” and “Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits,” students identify similarities between parents and their offspring and determine how organisms adapt to their environment in order to survive.
- In the Earth and space sciences core idea, “Earth’s Place in the Universe,” students observe and predict seasonal patterns of daylight and observe the patterns of the sun, moon, and stars as they appear in the sky.
GRADE 2 - 3 DCIs
- Students in Grade 2 learn disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) from the scientific domains of physical, life, and Earth and space sciences.
- In the physical sciences core idea, “Matter and Interactions,” students explore the physical properties and structure of matter.
- In the core idea from life sciences, “Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics,” students explore plant needs and interactions among living things within habitats.
- In the Earth and space sciences core idea, “Earth’s Systems,” students identify and simulate Earth’s events and physical features.
GRADE 3 - 6 DCIs
- Students in Grade 3 will learn disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) from the scientific domains of physical, life, and Earth and space sciences.
- The physical sciences domain addresses the core idea “Motion and Stability,” in which students will investigate, measure, and predict the motion of an object and test the cause and effect relationship of electrostatic and magnetic interactions.
- Life sciences encompasses “Structures and Processes,” “Inheritance
and Variation of Traits,” and “Unity and Diversity.” Students use evidence to interpret fossil data and construct explanations of an organism’s ability to survive when environmental changes occur. Students examine organisms’ life cycles and traits and the influence of the environment on these traits.
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Earth and space sciences core ideas are “Earth’s Systems” and “Earth and Human Activity.” Students represent data and communicate solutions to
problems that exist in typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
GRADE 4 - 5 DCIs
GRADE 4 - 5 DCIs
- Students in Grade 4 learn disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) from the scientific domains of physical, life, and Earth and space sciences.
- The core ideas from physical sciences are “Energy” and “Waves and Their Applications for Information Transfer.” In this domain, students construct explanations based on evidence connecting the speed of an object to its energy, including the transference of energy in its various forms, and develop a model to describe wave patterns with observable wavelengths and amplitudes.
- Life sciences addresses the core idea “From Molecules to Organisms,” in which students compare the internal and external structures of plants and animals and investigate ways animals process information.
- In Earth and space sciences, which includes “Earth’s Systems” and “Earth and Human Activity,” students construct explanations for both slow and rapid processes on Earth’s land features, describe patterns of Earth’s land and water based on maps, and gather information on various energy sources to design solutions to protect humans from natural disasters.
GRADE 5 - 6 DCIs
GRADE 4 - 5 DCIs
- Students in Grade 5 learn disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) from the scientific domains of physical, life, and Earth and space sciences.
- The physical sciences
domain includes “Matter and Its Interactions” and “Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions.” Students carry out investigations to provide
evidence of the conservation of matter and find evidence of the gravitational force that pulls all objects toward the center of Earth.
- In life sciences, students explore “Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics,” in which they create models to explain the flow of matter in ecosystems.
- The
Earth and space sciences domain encompasses “Earth’s Place in the Universe,” “Earth’s Systems,” and “Earth and Human Activity.” Students use
models to represent how systems interact and how water is distributed on Earth. Students obtain information about ways individuals and communities
can protect Earth’s resources and construct explanations for the patterns of seasons, day and night, and the seasonal changes of stars’ visibility in the
sky.
GRADE 6 - 4 DCIs
GRADE 6 - 4 DCIs
GRADE 6 - 4 DCIs
- Sixth grade students will develop and use models, analyze and interpret data, and construct explanations to gain a better understanding of Earth’s systems and Earth’s place in the universe.
- They will carry out investigations and utilize their findings as evidence in order to construct their own understanding of Earth.
- As they obtain, analyze, and utilize data, students are encouraged to develop solutions to conserve Earth’s natural resources and limit the negative impact humans may have on the planet.
- Earth and Space Science content focuses on the disciplinary core ideas in the Earth and space sciences domain.
- The first core idea, “Earth’s Place in the Universe,” describes the universe as a whole and addresses its grand scale in both space and time.
- The second and third core ideas, “Earth’s Systems: Materials and Processes” and “Earth’s Systems: Energy and Weather,” encompass the processes that produce Earth’s continuously changing conditions.
- The fourth core idea, “Earth and Human Activity,” addresses society’s interactions with the planet.
SEPs & CCCs (Grade Bands K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)
