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 some kinds of plants and animals that once lived on Earth are no longer found anywhere (LS4.A as in 3-LS4-1) connects to the idea that when the environment changes in ways that affect a place’s physical characteristics, temperature, or availability of resources, some organisms survive and reproduce, others move to new locations, yet others move into the transformed environment, and some die (LS2.C as in 3-LS4-4). And environmental changes can connect to the concept that climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years (ESS2.D as in 3-ESS2-2). 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 engineering design idea that the success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution, or criteria (ETS1.A as in 3-5- ETS1-1), could connect to multiple science concepts, such as that scientists can make predictions about what kind of weather might happen next (ESS2.D as in 3- ESS2-1), and that populations live in a variety of habitats and changes in those habitats affect the organisms living there (LS4.D as in 3-LS4-4). The first connection could be made by having students consider the criteria for a solution to a problem caused by bad weather, and the second connection could be made by having students consider the criteria for a solution that mitigates the effect on organisms when a habitat changes. 

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 asking questions and defining problems (3-5- ETS1-1), analyzing and interpreting data (3-LS4-1 and 3-ESS2-1), engaging in argument from evidence (3-LS4-4), and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information (3-ESS2-2). 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-ESS2-2 and 3-ESS2-1), Scale, Proportion, and Quantity (3-LS4-1), and Systems and System Models (3-LS4-4). Many other crosscutting concepts elements can be used in instruction. All instruction should be three-dimensional.