6th to 8th Grade - Gateway 2

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 meet expectations that students understand how the materials connect the dimensions from unit to unit. The materials include nine units per grade with generally three to four chapters per unit. A chapter in this series is equivalent to EdReports' definition of a unit. Amplify Science Grades 6-8 is consistently designed to connect each chapter within a single unit. Student learning builds within a unit with the goal of explaining the overarching Anchor Phenomenon by the end of the unit. The materials provide support for teachers demonstrating how the dimensions connect within a unit in the Unit Overview and Unit Map; the Lesson Overview Compilation sections of the teacher material provide prompts to help students connect and transition learning between lessons within the same chapter. Teachers are also prompted to connect lesson level learning to the Anchor Phenomenon to ensure students see the connection throughout the unit. In student-facing materials, the first lesson of the unit (following the Pre-Unit Assessment) provides teacher prompts giving context and goals for the entire unit. The Warm-Up Activity, located in the first lesson of each subsequent chapter within the unit, connects prior learning between the chapters in the unit.

Examples of student learning experiences that demonstrate connections across chapters and also incorporate teacher prompts to ensure students see connections:

• In Grade 6, Unit: Microbiome, two chapters are designed to build student understanding of microbes in the context of understanding the human microbiome. Within Chapter 1: Microorganisms On and In the Human Body, students develop an understanding of scale, especially as it relates to microorganisms and the size of cells in the human body (DCI-LS1.A-M1, CCC-SPQ-M5). Students also conduct an investigation (SEP-INV-M4) to learn about microorganisms living on and in the human body. In Chapter 2: Arguing for the Benefits of Fecal Transplants, students share observations from the prior investigation. The materials direct the teacher to inform students about the new chapter focus on how the microorganism can affect the overall health of the human body. Students investigate the human biome to learn how microorganisms also live within the human body and some of those are important for maintaining health and others cause disease (DCI-LS1.A-M1, DCI-LS1.A-M3). Students review a case study of a patient being treated first with antibiotics and then with a fecal transplant procedure.  Students then analyze and interpret data (SEP-DATA-M4) while following the changes in health of the patient and the treatment they received (CCC-SC-M1).
• In Grade 7, Unit: Rock Transformations, the first three chapters are designed to build and connect with each other by tracking how the flow of energy and cycling of matter (CCC-EM-M2) drive geological processes and distribute minerals throughout the earth’s surface (DCI-ESS2.A-M1). In Chapter 1: Rock Formations, students use physical and digital models (SEP-MOD-M5) to show how sediment can be transformed into sedimentary rock through compaction and cementation while magma can be transformed into igneous rock through cooling. In Chapter 2: Sediment and Magma, Lesson 2.1, teachers are directed to remind students that they determined the rock from the two different locations did not form as one rock formation and then separate. Students read the Chapter 2 Question and the teacher points out two new claims about the rocks. Students show their understanding of how rocks form by adding the initial rock material and transformation process to their models from the previous chapter (SEP-MOD-M5). In Chapter 3: Movement of Rock Formations, students revisit the prior two claims, with an additional Chapter 3 Question of how rock can move after it has formed. Students complete a simulation helping them explain how the rock in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains most likely formed and moved. In Chapter 4: Rock Transformations on Venus, the Warm-Up Lesson asks students whether they think rocks on other planets also transform. Throughout the chapter, students apply understanding from prior learning about how energy flow drives the geological processes on earth (CCC-EM-M2), and use their understanding to support a claim about the types of rocks that might be found by a future lander on venus.
• In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion, the first three chapters are designed to help students apply principles of Newton’s Laws of Motion to explain why a fictional asteroid-sample-collecting pod moved in the opposite direction as intended. In Chapter 1: Force and Velocity, students investigate the relationship between the force exerted on an object and the object’s changes in velocity (DCI-PS2.A.-M2). Students use a spring launcher to move a lid, observing the motion of the lid (SEP-INV-M1) to develop the understanding how larger forces cause larger change in motion of the object (CCC-CE-M2). In Chapter 2: Mass and Velocity, students focus on the thrusters of the fictional pod to further build their understanding of the relationship between the force exerted on an object, the mass of the object, and the object’s change in velocity. Students use launchers of the same strength on objects of different masses (SEP-INV-M1) to determine differences in the movement of the objects (CCC-CE-M2). In Chapter 3: Collisions, students build on their findings of the pod having more mass than usual and only slowed down. In Lesson 3.1, the teacher is directed to emphasize the pod crashing into the space station (show in video on Lesson 1.2), causing both the pod and the space station to move in opposite directions. Lessons in this chapter help students build their understanding of how forces in collisions are of equal strength but push in opposite directions, and the effects are different for objects of unequal mass (DCI-PS2.A-M2). Students investigate collisions of common objects and apply their findings leading to the conclusion that the difference in mass caused the pod to move more than the space station, and in an opposite direction. (DCI-PS2.A-M1). In Chapter 4: Force, Motion, and Movie Sets, Lesson 4.1, the teacher explains to the students how they will apply what they have “learned about force, mass, and velocity changes to help a film student recreate the collision from a movie she saw.” Throughout this chapter, students apply understanding from prior chapters about how force, mass, and velocity change to a new problem including the new variable of friction.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 meet expectations that the materials have an intentional sequence where student tasks increase in sophistication. Across the series, each unit is designed around an Anchor Phenomenon or engineering problem. Each chapter within the unit is designed to support learning towards explaining the Anchor Phenomenon or solving the engineering problem. The lessons within each chapter also support students in explaining and using Investigative and Everyday Phenomena to build towards an understanding and explanation of the Anchor Phenomenon for the unit. As students progress through the series, the materials connect learning of the three dimensions between modules within a grade level and across the entire grade band. The way students engage with and use the three dimensions also increases in sophistication across the grades. The increase in sophistication was most evident in student tasks focused on understanding and explaining phenomena that require students to analyze and use data, model, and conduct investigations.

The materials provided an integrated sequence and a discipline-specific sequence. The examples below come from the integrated sequence; the discipline-specific sequence was not reviewed.

Example of student tasks focused on understanding and explaining phenomena with increasing sophistication across the series:

• In Grade 6, Unit: Metabolism, students investigate the phenomenon of exercise, increasing heart rate, and collect a small sample of heart rate data to analyze changes using simple statistics to look for trends in the data (SEP-DATA-M5). In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate, students analyze maps and large sets of temperate and rainfall data spanning several hundred years (SEP-DATA-M1, SEP-DATA-M2) to explain trends in global climate change and predict future changes. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion, students analyze maps and large sets of earthquake data spanning across the globe (SEP-DATA-M1, SEP-DATA-M2) to explain why certain areas have greater frequency of earthquakes and support a claim for why improved technological tools for measuring seismic waves increases the accuracy (SEP-DATA-M6) of predicting damage of future earthquakes. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection, students create mathematical algorithms (SEP-MATH-M3) to create a model that generates data (SEP-MOD-M4) to provide evidence (SEP-DATA-M4) for changes in the frequency of a gene in a population when environments change. Students collect increasingly larger and more complicated sets of data and use more complex collection techniques as they advance from grade to grade.
• As students conduct investigations across the series to explain phenomena, they use increasingly more sophisticated system models. In Grade 6, Unit: Metabolism, students investigate cells as small systems that make up all living things and are able to perform life functions. Students gather information and use a simulation to show how the body has systems on a larger scale and how they contribute to the health and function of the cell’s system (CCC-SYS-M1). In Grade 6, Unit: Microbiome, students build on the idea about how cells can perform life functions and apply how these functions may affect the entire body as a system as they analyze how bacteria could affect a person’s health. In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resources, students use a simulated model to decrease a population by changing the resources within a system. Students use the model to make sense of how changes to a system (CCC-SYS-M2) can have direct and indirect effects. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection, students determine how changing systems affect populations (CCC-SYS-M2). They use a model to introduce abiotic factors to an environment and show how factors within an environment change resulting in how populations and traits may change over time to survive. Students initially explain how components of a system interact to form a system in Grade 6. Students then show how changes within systems impact other components of the system later in Grades 6 and 7. Finally, students show how systems interact with other systems and are part of larger and complex systems in Grade 8.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 meet expectations that the materials present disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts in a way that is scientifically accurate. Across the series, the teacher materials, student materials, and assessments accurately represent the three dimensions.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 meet expectations that the materials do not inappropriately include scientific content and ideas outside of the grade-band disciplinary core ideas. Across the series, the materials consistently incorporate student learning opportunities to learn and use DCIs appropriate to the 6-8 grade-band.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 meet expectations that materials incorporate all grade-band disciplinary core ideas for physical sciences. Across the series, the materials incorporate all physical science DCI components and associated grade-band elements; PS1.A-M6, PS1.B-M3, and PS2.A-M3 are only partially incorporated. The physical science DCIs are present within each grade level throughout the series, with the majority being included in Grades 7 and 8. In some cases, students read and annotate articles through a process called Active Reading, which is often followed by other opportunities for students to engage in multiple activities related to the DCI in the context of other dimensions. Often students work with the SEPs and CCCs to build and use knowledge of the physical science DCIs.

Examples of grade-band physical science DCI elements present in the materials:

• PS1.A-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 1: Properties and Atoms, Lesson 1.4, students read and annotate the article “Atomic Zoom In” learning about the types of atoms and formation of molecules.
• PS1.A-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 1: Properties and Atoms, Lesson 1.3, students investigate properties of unknown substances to collect evidence in support or to refute provided claims about the substances.
• PS1.A-M3. In Grade 7, Unit: Phase Change, Chapter 1: Properties and Atoms, Lesson 1.3, students gather evidence of the liquid to gas phase change when observing a model of a cup of hot water covered by a plastic cup.
• PS1.A-M4. In Grade 7, Unit: Phase Change, Chapter 1: Describing Phase Change at Two Scales, Lesson 1.3, students work with a simulated model to view kinetic energy and molecule-level attraction of different substances, including solids, liquids, and gases.
• PS1.A-M5. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 1: Properties and Atoms, Lesson 1.4, students read and annotate the article “Atomic Zoom In.” This article includes references of crystal structures in the form of gems.
• PS1.B-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 3: Accounting for Atoms, Lesson 3.2, students use a simulation to investigate the rearrangement of reactants to form products in a chemical reaction.
• PS1.B-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 3: Accounting for Atoms, Lesson 3.2, students explore what happens to atoms of a substance when it burns and how atoms cannot be created or destroyed, but the atoms of the original substance are rearranged. The simulation does not show students how the mass stays the same. Students read about conservation of matter during their second read of “What Happens when Fuel Burns”.  
• PS2.A-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion, Chapter 3: Collisions, Lesson 3.2, students investigate the relationship of force, mass, and resulting velocity changes when a moving object collides with a stationary object and when two moving objects collide.
• PS2.A-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion, Chapter 1: Force and Velocity, Lesson 1.5, students use a simulation to model how changing the strength of a force changes the velocity of an object. In Lesson 1.6, students build on their understanding to explore the relationship between mass, velocity, and force.
• PS2.B-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Magnetic Fields, Chapter 3: Exploring the Strength of Magnetic Force, Lesson 3.1, students use pairs of magnets to investigate attraction and repulsion. In Chapter 4: Designing Roller Coasters, Lesson 4.1, students evaluate different roller coaster systems and their use of electromagnetic forces to determine the best roller coaster design, including materials, and number and placement of magnets.
• PS2.B-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Earth, Moon, and Sun, Chapter 2: Moon Phases, Lesson 2.4, students read and annotate the article “Gravity in the Solar System” discussing the characteristics of gravitational forces.
• PS2.B-M3. In Grade 8, Unit: Magnetic Fields, Chapter 1: Modeling Magnetic Force, Lesson 1.2, students explore attractive and repulsive forces of magnets through a hands-on activity, directed by the investigative question “How do magnets move objects?” In Lesson 1.3, students model the force field lines of magnets and deepen their understanding of magnetic force fields using the simulation.
• PS3.A-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Magnetic Fields, Chapter 2: Investigating Potential Energy, Lesson 2.1, students read the article “The Potential for Speed” to learn how the force of gravity pulls on objects with mass to give them speed when skiing, skydiving, and jumping on a trampoline.
• PS3.A-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Magnetic Fields, Chapter 2: Investigating Potential Energy, Lesson 2.2, students create three systems showing conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy (e.g., holding ball above the ground, rubber ball and pom pom, two attracting magnets, etc.)
• PS3.A-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 1: Air Temperature, Lesson 1.2, students use a simulation to see how the change of temperature in air mass is due to input and output of energy. In Grade 7, Unit: Phase Change, Engineering Internship, students analyze data from the Futura BabyWarmer Design Tool to investigate the effects of insulating materials in an incubation system on energy transfer and temperature change.
• PS3.A-M4. In Grade 6, Unit: Thermal Energy, Chapter 1: Understanding Temperature, Lesson 1.3, students use a simulated model to manipulate type of material (e.g., brick, iron, wood) to observe how heat would move through a material and transfer to other materials. The simulation model shows molecular structure and movement of energy through the material. In Grade 7, Unit: Phase Change, Engineering Internship students read the dossier to collect information about how thermal change affects kinetic and potential energy.
• PS3.B-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion, Chapter 3: Collisions, Lesson 3.3, students use a simulation to model collisions between similar and different objects to show changes in energy in each object following the collision.
• PS3.B-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 1.4.3, students use a simulation to model energy transfer, and temperature changes from the sun to the surface, water, and air.
• PS3.B-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 3.3.2, students read and annotate the article “The Gulf Stream” to better understand concepts of ocean currents and prevailing winds, and the driving processes behind them to develop questions about how energy is spontaneously transferred out of hotter regions (i.e., the equator) or objects and into colder regions (i.e., East of Coast of North America and Western Europe).
• PS3.C-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion, Chapter 3: Collisions, Lesson 3.1, students read and annotate the article “Crash” and develop questions regarding how and why objects interacting with each other are affected. In Lesson 3.2 students use objects to model collisions and observe their effects.
• PS3.D-M1. In Grade 7, Unit Matter and Energy in Ecosystems, Chapter 1: Photosynthesis, Lesson 1.3, students read and annotate the article “Sunlight and Life” as they learn about the chemical process of photosynthesis. In Lesson 1.4, students complete a Warm-Up Activity to refresh what they read, apply what they learned to explain a before (including carbon dioxide and water) and after picture (including an energy storage molecule and oxygen) of a chloroplast, and engage in a photosynthesis simulation to understand variables related photosynthesis.  Students also learn how changes to the variables related to photosynthesis affects other organisms in the ecosystem.
• PS3.D-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Matter and Energy in Ecosystems, Chapter 2: Cellular Respiration in Ecosystems, Lesson 2.2, students observe cellular respiration through a simulation to answer the question, “How do organisms give off carbon dioxide?” Students use the information to model how organisms give off carbon dioxide and compare models with other students to determine how well those models answer the questions and demonstrate the chemical reaction of cellular respiration.  
• PS4.A-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 2: Light as a Wave, Lesson 2.3 students use a simulation to customize types of light waves and explore wave patterns. Students also discover how light travels as waves, carries energy, and how light has amplitude and wavelength.
• PS4.A-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 2: Light as a Wave, Lesson 2.3, students read and annotate the article “Why No One Can Hear You Scream in Space” to develop questions about sound waves and what is needed for them to be transmitted.
• PS4.B-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 1: Changes Caused by Light, Lesson 1.3, students use a simulation to investigate the transmission, absorption, and reflection of light on different materials. Students also investigate if the material is changed by the light. 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.
• PS4.B-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 3: More Light Interactions, Lesson 3.1, students investigate the behavior of light when it encounters different materials. Students observe light when it is reflected, transmitted, and absorbed.
• PS4.B-M3. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 3: More Light Interactions, Lesson 3.3, students use a simulation to manipulate variables related to brightness (sun and a light bulb), color (different color lasers), and frequency (custom waves manipulated by wavelength and amplitude) of light waves and how those affect light behavior when interacting with different media (plant, solar panel, glass, aluminum foil, melanin, and genetic material). Students use the information to answer the question, “What happens to energy when light is transmitted through or reflected off a material?”
• PS4.B-M4. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 2: Light as a Wave, Lesson 2.3, students read and annotate the article “Why No One Can Hear You Scream in Space” to develop questions about how light and sound waves are different in space as a result of sound waves needing to move through a medium.
• PS4.C-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 3: More Light Interactions, Lesson 3.1, students read the article “How Fibre Optic Communication Works” to learn how light can be digitized to transmit information over long distances without noise interference.

Examples of grade-band physical science DCI elements partially addressed in the materials:

• PS1.A-M6. In Grade 7, Unit: Phase Change, Engineering Internship, students analyze data from the Futura BabyWarmer Design Tool, and investigate the effects of insulating materials in an incubation system on energy transfer and temperature change.
• PS1.B-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Metabolism, Chapter 3: Cellular Respiration, Lesson 3.2, students investigate how chemical reactions release energy and compare the reactions to cellular respiration. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 3: Accounting for Atoms, Lesson 3.2, students read the article “What Happens When Fuel Burns,” which describes how energy is given off in a reaction. In Grade 7, Unit: Matter and Energy in Ecosystems, Chapter 1: Photosynthesis, Lesson 1.3, students read the article, “Sunlight and Life” to learn about how the process of photosynthesis results in energy being stored.
• PS2.A-M3. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion, Chapter 1: Force and Velocity, Lesson 1.2, the teacher demonstrates and defines frame of reference and discusses arbitrarily chosen units for distance and velocity. Students are then asked to provide other examples of units that describe velocity.
  

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 meet expectations that materials incorporate all grade-band disciplinary core ideas for life sciences. Across the series, the materials incorporate all life science DCI components and associated grade-band elements; LS1.C-M2 and LS1.D-M1 are only partially incorporated. The life science DCIs are incorporated within each grade level throughout the series. In some cases, students read and annotate articles through a process called Active Reading, often followed by other opportunities for students to engage in multiple activities related to the DCI in the context of other dimensions. Students frequently work with the SEPs and CCCs to build and use knowledge of the life science DCIs.

Examples of grade-band life science DCI elements present in the materials:

• LS1.A-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Microbiome, Chapter 1: Microorganism On and In the Human Body, Lesson 1.2, students watch a video and read the article “Cells” to build baseline knowledge encompassing all living things are made of cells, cells are the smallest living unit, and organisms may be unicellular or multicellular. Students continue to build understanding in Lesson 1.3.
• LS1.A-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Microbiome, Chapter 1: Molecules Needed by the Cells, Lesson 1.2, students read the article “Cells” to read information about a cell’s structures and functions. Then in Unit: Metabolism, Chapter 2: Body Systems, Lesson 2.1, students model how the cell membrane lets nutrients into the cell and lets wastes out of the cell.
• LS1.A-M3. Unit: Metabolism, Chapter 2: Body Systems, Lesson 2.1, students use the Metabolism Sim to model how different body systems work together and how their functions are impacted by various medical conditions (i.e., anemia, asthma, diabetes, pancreas injury).
• LS1.B-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Traits and Reproduction, Chapter 3: Investigating Spider Inheritance, Lesson 3.3, students use a simulation to investigate how genetic information is transferred when spiders are randomly paired and produce offspring. As Homework in Lesson 3.3, students read the article “Sea Anemones: Two Ways to Reproduce” to learn about inheritance differences between sexual and asexual reproduction.
• LS1.B-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Traits and Reproduction, Chapter 3: Investigating Spider Inheritance, Lesson 3.1, students use the simulation to investigate how mating different spiders results in new combinations of traits in their offspring. As Homework, students read the article “Invasion of the Periodical Cicada” to learn about an adaptive trait that increases the cicadas’ chances of reproducing.
• LS1.B-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Traits and Reproduction, Chapter 3: Investigating Spider Inheritance, Lesson 3.2, use the simulation to gather information on how each parent spider passes one gene copy of each feature to its offspring. As Homework, students read the article "Why the Corpse Flower Smells so Bad" to learn how plants sometimes depend on special features or animal behaviors to help them sexually reproduce.
• LS1.B-M4. In Grade 6, Unit: Traits and Reproduction, Lesson 4.1 students use the simulation to investigate mutations and the effects on spider offspring. As Homework, students read the article “Growing Giant Pumpkins” to learn how farmers select pumpkins containing the trait for growing large, and also the need to provide optimum environmental factors for the pumpkins to reach their maximum size.
• LS1.C-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Matter and Energy in Ecosystems, Chapter 1: Photosynthesis, Lesson 1.3, students read the article “Sunlight and Life” which discusses the chemical reaction during photosynthesis. Then in Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 2: Light as a Wave, Lesson 2.2, students read the article “Harvesting Sunlight” and are reminded how plants use energy from the sun to produce food.
• LS2.A-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Matter and Energy in Ecosystems, Chapter 3: Carbon Movement in Ecosystems, Lesson 3.2, students play “The Carbon Game” to determine the effects of carbon on the organisms in the system. In Unit: Populations and Resources, Chapter 1: Stability and Change in Populations, Lesson 1.2, students use a simulation to explore the relationships between organism in an ecosystem by observing organisms being eaten by other organisms and pursuing prey as predators.
• LS2.A-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resources, Chapter 3: Indirect Effects in Ecosystems, Lesson 3.3, students view a graphic of food relationships in an ocean ecosystem and observe the walleye, pollock, and jelly populations compete for the same resource, zooplankton. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection, Chapter 2: Natural Selection and Reproduction, Lesson 2.2, students use the natural selection simulation to show how resource availability can affect the longevity of a population and its reproduction, as well as, contributing to adaptive traits over time.
• LS2.A-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Population and Resources, Chapter 2: Energy and Changes to Populations, Lesson 2.4, students use a simulation model to control resource availability, which determines the rate of growth for the population.
• LS2.A-M4. In Grade 7, Unit: Population and Resources, Chapter 1: Stability and Change in Populations, Lesson 1.2, students read an article titled “Arctic Ecosystems” that describes multiple food relationships, predatory and otherwise, between organisms. In Chapter 3: Indirect Effects in Ecosystems, Lesson 3.3, students use a population simulation to determine the effect of many populations in an area with limited resources.
• LS2.B-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Matter and Energy in Ecosystems, Chapter 2: Cellular Respiration in Ecosystems, Lesson 2.2, students use an ecosystem simulation to watch how matter and energy are transferred between producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem.
• LS2.C-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Matter and Energy in Ecosystems, Chapter 1: Photosynthesis, Lessons 1.3 and 1.6, students read an article on “Biodome Files” and use an ecosystem simulation to determine what happened to the fictional biodome. Students look at needs of biodomes, as well as, claims regarding what affected the organisms in the biodome to where they could not function as a system. Students then use evidence to support a claim about the cause of the biodome issues.
• LS2.C-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resource, Chapter 3: Indirect Effects in Ecosystems, Lesson 3.1, students read the article, “Jelly Population Explosion” comparing two populations in Africa and how changes to an ecosystem can lead to shifts in populations. In later lessons, students apply their learning to explain the changes in the Arctic population.
• LS3.A-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection, Chapter 3: Mutation and Adaptive Traits, Lesson 3.1, students read and annotate the article “Mutations” about protein mutations and the changes to the structures and functions in lobsters, cane toads, and bed bugs.
• LS3.A-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Traits and Reproduction, Chapter 1: Exploring Variation in Spider Silk, Lesson 1.2, students use a simulation to manipulate the gene variation inside spider cells and observe the effect on offspring.
• LS3.B-M1 and LS3.B-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Traits and Reproduction, Chapter 3: Investigating Spider Inheritance, Lesson 3.3, students use a simulation model to show reproduction between two spiders. The simulation shows chromosomes from both parents. Students can pair up egg and sperm cells to create an offspring and analyze the traits and genes acquired. Students can also choose to mutate sperm or egg cells and to analyze the effect of the mutation.
• LS4.A-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Evolutionary History, Chapter 1: Finding Species Similarities, Lesson 1.3, students read the article “How You are Like a Blue Whale” to understand how the fossil record documents the existence and changes of life forms over time, as well as, the many forms organisms take throughout history.
• LS4.A-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Evolutionary History, Chapter 1: Finding Species Similarities, Lesson 1.2, students use information they have learned about fossils to group organism cards into at least two groups based on ways the organisms are similar to each other. Students are applying what they have learned to determine where a new fossil should be classified based on similar structure evidence.
• LS4.A-M3. In Grade 8, Unit: Evolutionary History, Chapter 3: Identifying Related Species, Lesson 3.1, students read the article “Comparing Embryos: Evidence for Common Ancestors" to gather information and view visual evidence of embryos from a chicken, tortoise, salamander and fish for similarities and differences.
• LS4.B-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection, Chapter 1: Environmental Change and Trait Distribution, Lesson 1.4, students analyze histograms to determine how the distribution of traits over time has affected the populations.
• LS4.B-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection, Chapter 3: Mutation and Adaptive Traits, Lesson 3.2, students read the article "How to Make a Venomous Cabbage" to gather information on how scientists can use genetic engineering to change an organism’s genes so the organism has different traits than it normally would.
• LS4.C-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection, Chapter 2: Natural Selection and Reproduction, Lesson 2.2, students create a model to help explain how beak strength traits are passed down, and how the distribution of traits in a bird population can change.
• LS4.D-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resources, Chapter 3: Indirect Effects in Ecosystems, Lesson 3.1, students read the article “Jelly Population Explosion" to gather information about how human change can affect populations, including setting fishing limits to help with biodiversity.

Examples of grade-band life science DCIs partially addressed in the materials:

• LS1.C-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Metabolism, Chapter 3: Cellular Respiration, Lesson 3.1, students use the Metabolism Simulation to investigate the interaction of body systems at an organ and cellular level, and how food is broken down and rearranged to form new molecules in the body to release energy. Within the simulation, students can change the amount and type of food, the amount of energy needed, and various medical conditions to see how each variable changes the speed and efficiency of the processes. Students are able to zoom-in to see the cellular respiration process inside the cells. However, the materials do not help students make the connection of how the chemical reactions support growth.
• LS1.D-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 4: Science Seminar, Lesson 4.2, students support a claim about whether crabs near the ocean floor can see the plankton they eat and the color the plankton appear. This partially addresses this element in terms of light and photoreceptors/eyes, but does not address the other sense receptors or how memories are stored.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that materials incorporate all grade-band disciplinary core ideas for engineering, technology, and applications of science (ETS). Across the series, the materials incorporate all ETS DCIs and associated grade-band elements, primarily during the Engineering Internships units. Students engage with engineering-related DCIs as they simultaneously engage with the science DCIs (life, physical, earth/space).

Examples of grade-band ETS DCI elements present in the materials:

• ETS1.A-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection Engineering Internship, students make a design decision about the combination of drugs to use for a malaria drug treatment meeting the following criteria: minimizing the drug resistance in the malaria parasite population, minimizing patient side effects, and keeping costs low. Students read articles in the dossier and work in the MalariaMed Design Tool to isolate variables to learn more about the criteria and constraints.
• ETS1.B-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Metabolism Engineering Internship, students use a design tool to test their recipe to determine how the ingredients they select impact metabolism, cost, and taste. Students use the data to redesign their recipe and submit their recipe to the project director for feedback on how to improve their design.
• ETS1.B-M2. In Grade 8, Unit Forces and Motion Engineering Internship, students use mathematical thinking to graph and analyze patterns in data from their iterative tests. They look closely at relationships between mass, velocity, impact force, and each of the design criteria to design an emergency pod for delivering supplies.   
• ETS1.B-M3. Grade 7, Unit: Phase Changes Engineering Internship, students begin designing an effective portable incubator to keep a baby warm. They use a digital model to test their solutions, using what they know about phase change, energy transfer, and insulation. Students consider the different models tested in the BabyWarmer Design Tool to decide which parts of their different solutions should be included within the optimal solution.
• ETS1.B-M4. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students use the digital Tsunami Alert Design Tool and a physical model to understand wind-driven tsunami waves and to gather evidence to design a tsunami warning system.
• ETS1.C-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship, students iteratively test their roof designs in the RoofMod Design Tool to create a roof meeting the following criteria: reducing climate impact, maintaining historical character, and keeping costs low. Students communicate their strongest design solutions to the project director for feedback and use the feedback to create their optimal design.
• ETS1.C-M2. In Grade 6: Unit: Metabolism Engineering Internship, students use a design tool to collect data on their recipe for a health bar to see how it compares with the criteria. Students analyze the data obtained from the design tool to prepare a final proposal that justifies their design choices and how they meet the criteria.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the science and engineering practice of Developing and Using Models and all grade-band elements across the series. Elements of this SEP were not included from above or below the grade band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this SEP. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to develop or use models within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Developing and Using Models present in the materials:

• MOD-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 3: Accounting for Atoms, Lesson 3.4, in the On-The-Fly Assessment, students are asked to explain what information they can obtain from the atomic scale models and how the atoms shown are different from actual atoms to identify limitations of models.
• MOD-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 3: Ocean Currents and Prevailing Winds, Lesson 3.3, students use the Modeling Tool to show the effects of wind on land and air temperature. Students then change variables (stop or reverse direction of the wind) in the Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate Sim to create the effect of changing the air temperature at a location. Students develop their initial model based on what happens as they change variables.
• MOD-M3 In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resources, Chapter 2: Energy and Changes to Populations, Lesson 2.1, students use a simulation to study changes in populations of organisms and dependency on food resources. Students determine the factors impacting the system are uncertain and not predictable when trying to predict organism populations.
• MOD-M4. In Grade 6, Unit: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 3: Ocean Currents and Prevailing Winds, Lesson 3.3, students use the Modeling Tool to show the relationship between wind on land and air temperature. Students predict the effect of changing the air temperature at a location and use the Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate Sim to test the effects of changing variables. In Lesson 3.4, students revise their models, incorporating any new evidence from the simulation.
• MOD-M5 In Grade 6, Unit: Weather Patterns, Chapter 1: Understanding Rain Clouds, Lesson 1.6, students use the Modeling Tool to create models for two storms to show whether low or high amounts of surface water can affect the amount of rain in a town.
• MOD-M6 In Grade 6, Unit: Metabolism, Chapter 1: Molecules Needed by the Cells, Lesson 1.3, students read the article “Molecules Cells Need” then use the Metabolism Modeling Tool to represent their ideas about the molecules found in a healthy cell.
• MOD-M7 In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship: Tsunami Warning Systems, students use a virtual simulation as a model to test their design solution as they collect data on earthquake magnitude.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the science and engineering practice of Planning and Carrying Out Investigations and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials partially address SEP-INV-M3. Elements of this SEP were not included from above or below the grade band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this SEP. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to plan and carry out investigations within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Planning and Carrying Out Investigations present in the materials:

• INV-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion, Chapter 2: Mass and Velocity, Lesson 2.1, students individually plan an investigation of the forces on different objects. Students identify variables (independent, dependent), controls, what tools are needed to measure the results, and how many trials they will need to conduct for each object.
• INV-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 1: Air Temperature, Lesson 1.3, students use a simulation to generate data about the investigative question, “How does air get energy?” In Chapter 2: Ocean Currents, Lesson 2.3, students build on what they have learned using the simulation to collaboratively plan an investigation where students identify variables (independent, dependent, and controls), and tools needed to gather data.
• INV-M4. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students collect data to inform their design for a tsunami warning system. Students then use a simulation to test their design and collect new data.
• INV-M5. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection Engineering Internship, Day 5, students optimize the treatment solution for malaria to prevent it leading to drug resistance. Students isolate and test variables in the MalariaMed Simulation to test how different drugs, doses, and number of days can be changed to optimize the design solution.

Example of a grade-band element of Planning and Carrying Out Investigations partially addressed in the materials:

• INV-M3. In Grade 7, Unit: Population and Resources, Chapter 1: Stability and Change in Populations, Lesson 1.4, students are introduced to evidence collection by sampling and compare evidence cards to evaluate which sample provides a better representation of the population. While students evaluate different samples, they do not evaluate the accuracy of various methods for collecting data.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the science and engineering practice of Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate all grade-band elements. Elements of this SEP were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this SEP. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to construct explanations and design solutions within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions present in the materials:

• CEDS-M1. In Grade 6, Unit Weather Patterns, Chapter 1: Understanding Rain Clouds Lesson 1.5, students use a simulation to gather data to answer the question, “What causes an air parcel to cool?” Students construct an explanation predicting future storm strength by analyzing temperature, wind, and humidity.
• CEDS-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Weather Patterns, Chapter 1: Understanding Rain Clouds, Lesson 1.6, students construct a visual model to explain the effect of increased surface water on the amount of rainfall.
• CEDS-M3. In Grade 7, Unit: Geology on Mars, Chapter 1: Comparing Earth and Rocky Planets, Lesson 1.2, and Chapter 3: Analyzing New Evidence, Lesson 3.2, students compare igneous and sedimentary rock samples from earth and data collected about rocks on mars to determine if landforms on mars could possibly serve as evidence that there was once water on the surface of mars.
• CEDS-M4. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion, Chapter 3: Investigating the Rate of Plate Movement, Lesson 3.4, students use evidence collected through scientific articles, GPS data, and fossil records to explain how the Mesosaurus fossils spread so far apart.  
• CEDS-M5. In Grade 6, Unit: Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 4: Science Seminar, Lesson 4.1, students compare the location of South China during the late Carboniferous period to a current global map before making a claim about whether the air is warmer today than in the past. Students evaluate provided evidence cards and determine whether each card provides evidence supporting their claim or disproving their claim.
• CEDS-M6. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students apply scientific principles about plate boundaries, earthquakes, and tsunamis to design a tsunami warning system.
• CEDS-M7. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students test a design of a tsunami warning system.  Students compare their design to the criteria and constraints several times throughout the process.
• CEDS-M8. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students receive and discuss design feedback, consider design trade-offs, and use the digital model to revise and test their sensor plans to create optimal designs.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the science and engineering practice of Engaging in Argument from Evidence and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate all grade-band elements. Elements of this SEP were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this SEP. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to engage in argument from evidence within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Engaging in Argument from Evidence present in the materials:

• ARG-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 1: Air Temperature, Lesson 1.3, students collaborate to evaluate two claims related to how air gets energy and whether the evidence supports one of the two claims.
• ARG-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 2: Ocean Currents, Lesson 2.3, students describe evidence supporting the claims they made regarding the air temperature of Buenos Aires and Cape Town in a student to student discussion.
• ARG-M3. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 4: Science Seminar, Lesson 4.1, students use provided evidence cards to determine which evidence best supports or refutes claims when answering the question, “Can the crabs see the plankton they eat near the ocean floor?” Students sort and discuss the evidence cards, then write a claim using appropriate evidence from the cards to support their claim and reasoning.  
• ARG-M4. In Grade 8, Unit: Phase Change, Chapter 4: Science Seminar, Lesson 4.1, students evaluate the Liquid Oxygen Machine to determine why it is producing less liquid oxygen than normal. Students use the Modeling Tool to determine why the tank is not working to its optimum capacity.
• ARG-M5. In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship, Day 10, students apply what they learned from designing the roof modification during a brainstorm session. Groups of students brainstorm possible solutions, constraints, and criteria, then evaluate which proposed design is the best solution to meet all criteria to reduce a city’s climate impact on the environment.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the science and engineering practice of Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate nearly all grade-band elements. Elements of this SEP were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this SEP. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to obtain, evaluate, and communicate information within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information present in the materials:

• INFO-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students gather and analyze evidence while reading the dossier about the patterns of landforms occurring at different plate boundaries and whether earthquakes at the plate boundaries are capable of causing tsunamis.  
• INFO-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Evolutionary History, Chapter 1: Finding Species Similarities, Lesson 1.4, students engage in Active Reading strategies to analyze qualitative information along with a visual display in the article, “The Great Tree of Life” to support the claim about all mammals sharing evolutionary origins.
• INFO-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Weather Patterns, Chapter 3: Exploring Wind and Pressure, Lesson 3.2, students work independently to consider what information is more trustworthy based on the source to help them determine severity of storms. Students use the Evidence Criterion and the Evidence Gradient to sort stronger and weaker sources based on the criterion.
• INFO-M5. In Grade 7, Unit: Phase Change Engineering Internship, students analyze data from the Futura BabyWarmer Design Tool and investigate the effects of insulating materials in an incubation system on energy transfer and temperature change. Students develop a proposal based on their design including their design based criteria, design priorities, and trade-offs in their optimal design.

Example of a grade-band element of Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information partially addressed in the materials:

• INFO-M4. The instructional materials provide scientific text for students to read and analyze information aligned to specific core ideas. Additionally, the materials provide opportunities for students to use evidence to support or refute their own claims or those of others’ in their class. However, students are not afforded opportunity to evaluate data, hypotheses, and/or conclusions in scientific and technical texts with competing information or accounts.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the crosscutting concept of Patterns and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate all grade-band elements. Elements of this CCC were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this CCC. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to engage in understanding patterns within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Patterns present in the materials:

• PAT-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 4: Science Seminar, Lesson 4.1, students solve a crime by identifying an unknown substance. Students compare physical properties (color, odor, and phase at room temperature) of four corrosive substances with observations the officer at the scene recorded. Students investigate possible suspects who recently ordered different chemical substances. Students determine what patterns of atoms (numbers and types) make up the unknown substance and then determine which suspect recently ordered substances with the corresponding atoms that could be rearranged in the same pattern as the unknown substance.
• PAT-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion, Chapter 3: Investigating the Rate of Plate Movement, Lesson 3.1, students use a simulation to calculate the rate and direction of plate movement. In Lesson 3.3, students read “A Continental Puzzle” to learn how patterns in fossils and rock composition of mountain ranges across continents provide evidence further helping students understand rates of past plate motion as they construct a paper model of Gondwanaland.  
• PAT-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 1: Air Temperature, Lesson 1.4, students synthesize visual information from world maps showing global air temperature and incoming energy from the sun, to answer the question, “Why do different locations have different air temperatures?” Students use the Modeling Tool to show how patterns in latitude correlate to incoming energy from the sun, and the explanation of why locations of similar latitude have similar air temperatures.
• PAT-M4. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 1: Changes Caused by Light, Lesson 1.1, students use a map of skin cancer rates to discern patterns in rates of skin cancer in different geographical locations.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the crosscutting concept of Cause and Effect and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate all grade-band elements. Elements of this CCC were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this CCC. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to engage in understanding cause and effect within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Cause and Effect present in the materials:

• CE-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate, Chapter 1: Climate and Atmosphere, Lesson 1.5, students examine graphs showing a correlation between increased carbon dioxide or methane and increased temperature. In Chapter 2: Energy Entering and Leaving Earth’s System, Lesson 2.1, students read a message from the head climatologist acknowledging their evidence and how it shows a correlation prompting students to “investigate how an increase in carbon dioxide or methane could cause increased temperature.” The Lesson Guide provides prompts for teachers explaining the difference between correlation and causation. While the two concepts of correlation and causation are addressed and differentiated within this unit, this is not a focus of the materials; the Science Notes in the Lesson Guide acknowledge “distinguishing correlation from causation is not a focus of this unit.”
• CE-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship, students isolate variables in the design tool to gather evidence for how their roof modifications affect the project criteria. Students use the Futura Workspace model to evaluate the cause and effect relationship of these variables to determine their future design.
• CE-M3 In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resources, Chapter 3: Indirect Effects in Ecosystems, Lesson 3.2, students are prompted to think about direct and indirect effects on populations and on one another.  Students manipulate variables in a simulation to see how various causes contribute to understand population change to help student gather evidence to explain how the greenleaf population decreased.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the crosscutting concept of Systems and System Models and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate all grade-band elements. Elements of this CCC were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this CCC. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to engage in understanding systems and system models within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Systems and System Models present in the materials:

• SYS-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Metabolism, Chapter 2: Body Systems, Lesson 2.2, students read “Patient Stories: Problems with Body Systems” and learn how body systems work together as part of a larger system in the human body.
• SYS-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate, Chapter 2: Energy Entering and Leaving Earth’s Systems, Lesson 2.3, students use prior information learned (the link between increasing carbon dioxide and methane to increasing global average temperatures) to create a model explaining why energy enters and leaves the system.
• SYS-M3. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students discuss the limitations of their models for a tsunami wave warning system.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the crosscutting concept of Energy and Matter and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate all grade-band elements. Elements of this CCC were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this CCC. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to engage in understanding energy and matter within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Energy and Matter present in the materials:

• EM-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Chemical Reactions, Chapter 3: Accounting for Atoms, Lesson 3.2, students learn from a simulation how atoms are not destroyed, but rearranged, during the burning of fuel.
• EM-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Weather Patterns, Chapter 1: Understanding Rain Clouds, Lesson 1.3, students investigate energy transfers from the warm air parcel to the cold surrounding air and how the energy transfer impacts rainfall totals.
• EM-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Metabolism, Chapter 3: Cellular Respiration, Lesson 3.2, students read the article, “Cellular Respiration” describing how chemical energy is released from cellular respiration and how it is used for cell growth and repair. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 1: Changes Caused by Light, Lesson 1.2, students watch a video to learn how light carries energy from one place to another. Also, in Grade 8, Unit: Magnetic Fields, Chapter 2: Investigating Potential Energy, Lesson 2.3, students use a simulation to explore potential (stored) and kinetic (motion) energy.
• EM-M4. In Grade 6, Unit: Weather Patterns, Chapter 1: Understanding Rain Clouds, Lesson 1.3, students track the flow of energy between the sun, land/ocean, and air.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the crosscutting concept of Structure and Function and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate all grade-band elements. Elements of this CCC were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this CCC. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to engage in understanding structure and function within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Structure and Function present in the materials:

• SF-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Traits and Reproduction, Chapter 1: Exploring Variation in Spider Silk, Lesson 1.3, students model the structure of proteins and how they connect to form strands of spider silk to see which protein combinations provide the most flexible strands. Students use this model to develop an understanding of the function of a protein molecule and its dependency on the structure and how it interacts with other protein molecules.
• SF-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Forces and Motion Engineering Internship, Day 2, students plan designs for a container with the goal of minimizing damage to an egg in a fall. Students determine the properties of materials and how to assemble the materials into a design to best protect the egg during a fall.  

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that the materials incorporate the crosscutting concept of Stability and Change and all grade-band elements across the series. Across the series, the materials incorporate all grade-band elements. Elements of this CCC were not included from above or below the grade-band without connecting to the grade-band elements of this CCC. The materials include numerous opportunities for students to engage in understanding stability and change within each grade level and across the series.

Examples of grade-band elements of Stability and Change present in the materials:

• SC-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection, Chapter 1: Environmental Change and Trait Distribution, Lesson 1.4, students use a simulation to manipulate the temperature of an environment.  Students then observe how the manipulation of temperature affected the organisms that lived there for at least 50 generations. Students analyze and compare the starting and ending histograms to identify possible changes to the organisms in the system.  
• SC-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resources, Chapter 4: Science Seminar, Lesson 4.4, students use a graphic of a food web to determine how the increase in the shark population would affect the other organism populations in the same ecosystem.
• SC-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate, Chapter 2: Energy Entering and Leaving Earth’s System, Lesson 2.2, students read and annotate the article “Past Climate Changes on Earth” to gather information about the gradual changes in the earth’s climate over time.
• SC-M4. In Grade 6, Unit: Thermal Energy, Chapter 2: Temperature and Energy, Lesson 2.4, students investigate what causes the transfer of energy between two things to stop and reach equilibrium. Students create a physical model to show how the energy between two objects transfers until their temperatures are equal, and they reach a stable state. As a reflection, students use a digital model to examine four different systems and determine whether they will change or remain stable if they come in contact.

​The instructional materials for Grade 6-8 meet expectations that materials the materials incorporate grade-band NGSS connections to nature of science (NOS) and engineering (ENG) within individual lessons or activities within each grade level. Elements from all three of the following categories are included in the materials:

• grade-band nature of science elements associated with SEPs
• grade-band nature of science elements associated with CCCs
• grade-band engineering elements associated with CCCs

The NOS and engineering elements are represented and attended to multiple times throughout the year and at all grade levels. They are used to enrich the content and are not taught as separate lessons. The NOS and Engineering elements are embedded in a variety of learning activities, including videos, readings, investigations, and class discussions.

When present, the Teacher Support section of the Lesson Brief often provides a rationale and pedagogical goals for understanding the elements. However, the materials do not specifically highlight the inclusion of the elements in the Standards section of the Lesson Brief as part of the 3-D Statements for the lesson. 

The materials incorporate connections to NOS elements associated with SEPs and are addressed in a range of units across different disciplines and grades. While present, these elements are not always explicit to students (e.g., NOS-VOM-M1, NOS-VOM-M2).

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

• NOS-VOM-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion Engineering Internship, students use a digital model to create and test pods. Through design feedback, discussions on design trade-offs (cause and effect), and uses, students revise their models to create optimal designs.
• NOS-VOM-M2.  In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate, Chapter 1: Climate and the Atmosphere, Lesson 1.2, students analyze and discuss the quality of the data and discuss why scientists may disagree on the interpretation of the data.
• NOS-VOM-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Weather Patterns, Chapter 3: Exploring Wind and Pressure, Lesson 3.2, students work independently to consider what information is more trustworthy based on the source. Then, students use the Evidence Criterion and the Evidence Gradient to sort stronger and weaker sources.  
• NOS-BEE-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 3: More Light Interactions, Lesson 3.6, students use the Reasoning Tool to help explain how the evidence they gathered supports one of the given claims. This process helps students understand how reasonings are used to make clear and convincing arguments.
• NOS-BEE-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resources, Chapter 1: Stability and Change in Populations, Lesson 1.4, students evaluate evidence of the Moon Jellyfish population through sampling.
• NOS-OTR-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 2: Light as a Wave, Lesson 2.1, students continuously update their claims when new information is discovered.
• NOS-OTR-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate, Chapter 3: Ocean Currents and Prevailing Winds, Lesson 3.4, students review the original, provided claims after having revised them throughout the unit as they gathered information.
• NOS-ENP-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Magnetic Fields, Lesson 1.4, the background support provided to teachers prompts them to make the idea of “theories are explanations for observable phenomena” explicit to students as they do the Active Reading activity of Earth’s Geomagnetism.
• NOS-ENP-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Populations and Resources, Chapter 1: Stability and Change in Populations, Lesson 1.4, students are instructed that evidence for populations is analyzed through sampling, using scientific studies on jellyfish populations as the example. This example shows how scientists are able to get a more accurate understanding of changes in population when evidence is gathered on populations over time.
• NOS-ENP-M3. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion, Chapter 3: Collisions, Lesson 3.4, students investigate Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion using the simulation of docking a pod with the space station. The Teaching Support for this investigation prompts teachers to not name the law as to reduce student confusion.  
• NOS-ENP-M5. In Grade 8, Unit Evolutionary History, the unit background information in the Teacher Guide addresses possible student preconceptions on evolution, and prompts teachers to be explicit in discussing the difference in the use of the the term “theory” as used in science versus the common use outside of science.

The materials incorporate connections to NOS elements associated with CCCs. The materials present these elements and across the disciplines and grades. For example, NOS-HE-M1 and NOS-HE-M4 are introduced in many occasions and throughout many units.

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

• NOS-WOK-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion, Chapter 3: Investigating the Rate of Plate Movement, Lesson 3.2, students read “A Continental Puzzle” regarding Alfred Wegener’s research and his work in determining plate movement, beginning in 1915. This supports student understanding in how science knowledge is cumulative and many people, from many generations and nations, have contributed to science knowledge.
• NOS-WOK-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Weather Patterns, it is inferred throughout the entire unit how important it is for all people to understand weather and what factors contribute to more extreme events.
• NOS-AOC-M1. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students gather evidence from the simulation, calculate the rate of plate movement over millions of years, and compare this to current plate motion.
• NOS-AOC-M2. In Grade 6, Unit: Weather Patterns, Chapter 3: Exploring Wind and Pressure, Lesson 3.3, students evaluate and report on data to understand why weather seems to have become more severe.
• NOS-HE-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 1: Changes Caused by Light, Lesson 1.2, students view a video of a scientist (spectroscopist) who is female, illustrating the idea that both men and women from different backgrounds work as scientists.
• NOS-HE-M3. In Grade 6, Unit: Thermal Energy, Chapter 4: Water Pasteurization, Lesson 4.2, students participate in a Science Seminar to share evidence either supporting or refuting competing claims.
• NOS-HE-M4. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students design a tsunami warning system by looking at improvements in sensor technology used to detect tsunamis. Advances in this technology have allowed scientists to better understand earthquakes.
• NOS-AQAW-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Natural Selection Engineering Internship, students discuss the definition of “constraints” then explore various constraints as they plan to create a treatment for Malaria.
• NOS-AQAW-M3. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students investigate the science of tsunamis, and analyze trade-offs involved in possible tsunami warning system designs. This illustrates the idea of how science can describe consequences of action, but is not responsible for society’s decisions.

The materials incorporate connections to ENG elements associated with CCCs. These elements are incorporated across all disciplines and are especially concentrated in the Engineering Internship units.

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

• ENG-INTER-M1. In Grade 8, Unit: Light Waves, Chapter 3: More Light Interactions, Lesson 3.1, students read an article about fiber optic cables and how they transmit information using light waves, code, and digitized sound waves.
• ENG-INTER-M2. In Grade 8, Unit: Force and Motion Engineering Internship, students discuss design feedback, consider design trade-offs (cause and effect), and use the digital model to revise and test their pods to create optimal designs.
• ENG-INTER-M3. In Grade 8, Unit: Magnetic Fields, Chapter 2: Investigating Potential Energy, Lesson 2.4, students use a simulation to gather energy data from multiple launches, observing changes in both potential and kinetic energy.
• ENG-INFLU-M1. In Grade 6, Unit: Earth’s Changing Climate, Chapter 3: Human Activity and Climate, Lesson 3.1, students analyze data to identify the impact of increased amounts of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels on average temperatures. Students draw conclusions from this evidence to describe long-term consequences of climate change.
• ENG-INFLU-M2. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students choose a natural disaster in which they want to design a solution for mitigating damage from the weather event. Students choose materials, determine constraints, pick possible technologies based on natural resources, climate or other factors related to their chosen natural disaster, and identify economic constraints.
• ENG-INFLU-M3. In Grade 7, Unit: Plate Motion Engineering Internship, students are presented with a challenge to update a tsunami warning system originally put in place in 2004. Students examine how technology has changed over time, and how solutions to updating the system would also vary depending on the areas in which the system was used (i.e., land, shallow water, deep water).