Unit Overview/Summary - FOCUS: 

Summary

The unit organizes performance expectations around observations of patterns and effects of sunlight. Instruction developed from this unit 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)  

Sunlight warms Earth’s surface. (PS3.B as in K-PS3-1 and K-PS3-2). This concept of sunlight warming Earth’s surface connects to the idea that weather is the combination of sunlight, wind, snow or rain, and temperature in a particular region at a particular time (ESS2.D as in K-ESS2-1). The concept that designs can be conveyed through sketches, drawings, or physical models (ETS1.B as in K-2-ETS1-2) could connect to multiple concepts such as sunlight warms Earth’s surface (PS3.B as in K-PS3-1 and K-PS3-2) and weather is the combination of sunlight, wind, snow or rain, and temperature in a particular region at a particular time (ESS2.D as in K-ESS2-1).

These connections could be made through a task in which students must use a representation to convey their design of a structure that will provide a cool place for the students at their school to use when they are outside on a warm day. Students could also engage in a task in which they need to convey the design of an object that would protect them from any negative effects of wind and then reflect on the usefulness of conveying their ideas through representations.

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 developing and using models (K-2-ETS1-2), planning, and carrying out investigations (K-PS3-1), analyzing and interpreting data (K-ESS2-1) and constructing explanations and designing solutions (K-PS3- 2). 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), Cause and Effect (K-PS3-1 and K-PS3-2), and Structure and Function (K-2-ETS1-2). Many other crosscutting concepts elements can be used in instruction. All instruction should be three-dimensional.