Unit Overview/Summary:  

Summary  

The unit organizes performance expectations with a focus on helping students build understanding of traits of organisms. Instruction developed from this unit should always maintain the three-dimensional nature of the standards and recognize that instruction is not limited to the practices and concepts directly linked with any of the unit performance expectations.  

Connections between unit Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs)  

The idea that being part of a group helps animals obtain food, defend themselves, and cope with changes (LS2.D as in 3-LS2-1) connects to the idea that for any particular environment, some kinds of organisms survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all (LS4.C as in 3-LS4-3) in that both ideas are about the survival of kinds of organisms. These ideas can also connect to survival of individuals within a group and that sometimes the differences in characteristics between individuals of the same species provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing (LS4.B as in 3-LS4-2).  

In order to identify the differences in characteristics between individuals that may provide an advantage, it is helpful to look at the patterns of variation of a given characteristic among individuals in a species (e.g., longer or shorter thorns on individual plants, dark or light coloration of animals). And through the concept of patterns, this bundle also gives an opportunity to continue the study of the idea that scientists record patterns of the weather across different times and areas so that they can make predictions about what kind of weather might happen next (ESS2.D as in 3-ESS2-1). The idea of weather patterns can also connect to the idea that a variety of natural hazards result from natural processes (ESS3.B as in 3-ESS3-1) as some natural hazards are weather related such as hurricanes or flash flooding.  

The engineering design idea that research on a problem should be carried out before beginning to design a solution (ETS1.B as in 3-5-ETS1-2) could connect to multiple science concepts, such as that humans cannot eliminate natural hazards but can take steps to reduce their impacts (ESS3.B as in 3-ESS3-1) and that for any particular environment, some kinds of organisms survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all (LS4.C as in 3-LS4-3). For example, the first connection could be made by having students research a given natural hazard before designing a solution to reduce the impact of that natural hazard. The second connection could be made by having students research the needs of a particular organism before designing an environment where that organism will survive well. 

Unit Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs)

Instruction leading to this unit of PEs will help students build toward proficiency in elements of the practices of analyzing and interpreting data (3-ESS2-1), constructing explanations and designing solutions (3-LS4-2 and 3-5-ETS1-2), and engaging in argument from evidence (3-LS2-1, 3-LS4-3, and 3-ESS3-1). Many other practice elements can be used in instruction. 

Unit Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs)

Crosscutting concepts have value because they provide students with connections and intellectual tools that are related across the differing areas of disciplinary content and can enrich their application of practices and their understanding of core ideas. As such, they are a way of linking the different domains of science.

Instruction leading to this unit of PEs will help students build toward proficiency in elements of the crosscutting concepts of Patterns (3-ESS2-1) and Cause and Effect (3-LS2-1, 3-LS4-2, 3-LS4-3, and 3-ESS3-1). Many other crosscutting concepts elements can be used in instruction. All instruction should be three-dimensional.