Unit Overview/Summary - FOCUS: 

Summary

The unit organizes performance expectations around the topic of pushes and pulls. Instruction developed from this bundle should always maintain the three-dimensional nature of the standards but recognize that instruction is not limited to the practices and concepts directly linked with any of the bundle performance expectations.

Connections between unit Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs)  

Pushing or pulling on an object can change the speed or direction of its motion and can start or stop it (PS2.A as in K-PS2-1 and K-PS2-2). This concept of motion connects to the idea that a bigger push or pull makes things speed up or slow down more quickly (PS3.C as in K-PS2-1).

The concept of pushing or pulling on an object (PS2.A as in K-PS2-1 and K-PS2-2) also connects to the idea that when objects touch, or collide, they push on one another and can change motion. (PS2.B as in K-PS2-1)

The idea that a bigger push or pull makes things speed up or slow down more quickly (PS3.C as in K-PS2-1) connects to the concept that pushes and pulls can have different strengths and directions (PS2.A as in K-PS2-1 and K-PS2-2).

The concept that people measure weather conditions to describe and record the weather and to notice patterns over time (ESS2.D as in K-ESS2-1) connects to the idea that it is useful to compare and test designs (ETS1.C as in K-2-ETS1-3) through data analysis.

The ideas that a situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a problem to be solved through engineering (ETS1.A as in K-PS2-2) and that, because there is always more than one possible solution to a problem, it is useful to compare and test designs (ETS1.C as in K-2-ETS1-3) could connect to multiple physical science concepts in this bundle. For example, these concepts could connect to the idea that when objects touch or collide, they push on one another and can change motion (PS2.B as in K-PS2-1) through a task in which students are challenged to work in groups to change the direction or speed of a ball with another object and then test and compare each group’s solution. Alternatively, these engineering concepts could connect to the idea that a bigger push or pull makes things speed up or slow down more quickly (PS3.C as in K-PS2-1) through a different task in which students are asked to pull or push an object in a certain amount of time and then challenged to do it faster. Students could then compare their solutions and reflect on how their pull or push needed to change in order to move the object faster.

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 planning and carrying out investigations (KPS2-1); and analyzing and interpreting data (K-PS2-2, K-ESS2-1, and K-2-ETS1-3). Many other practice elements can be used in instruction.

Unit Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs)

Instruction leading to this unit of PEs will help students build toward proficiency in elements of the crosscutting concepts of Patterns (K-ESS2-1) and Cause and Effect (K-PS2-1 and K-PS2-2). Many other crosscutting concepts elements can be used in instruction.