BPS District Science Standards Book

DCI-[ESS]

Kindergarten

SCI-00.ESS2 DCI: [ESS2] Earth's Systems

• • SCI-00.ESS2.01  Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
  • SCI-00.ESS2.02  Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change their environment to meet their needs.

SCI-00.ESS3 DCI: [ESS3] Earth and Human Activity

• SCI-00.ESS3.01  Represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live using a model.
• SCI-00.ESS3.02  Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for and respond to weather.
• SCI-00.ESS3.03   Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.

First Grade

SCI-01.ESS1 DCI: [ESS1] Earth's Place in the Universe

• SCI-01.ESS1.01  Describe patterns that can be predicted through observations of the sun, moon, and stars.
• SCI-01.ESS1.02  Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.

Second Grade

SCI-02.ESS1 DCI: [ESS1] Earth's Place in the Universe

• • SCI-02.ESS1.01  Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly.

SCI-02.ESS2 DCI: [ESS2] Earth's Systems

• SCI-02.ESS2.01  Compare and contrast multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land.
• SCI-02.ESS2.02  Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.
• SCI-02.ESS2.03  Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.

Third Grade

SCI-03.ESS2 DCI: [ESS2] Earth's Systems

• • SCI-03.ESS2.01  Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe and predict typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
  • SCI-03.ESS2.02  Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

SCI-03.ESS3 DCI: [ESS3] Earth and Human Activity

• SCI-03.ESS3.01  Evaluate the feasibility of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.

Fourth Grade

SCI-04.ESS1 DCI: [ESS1] Earth's Place in the Universe

• • SCI-04.ESS1.01  Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time.

SCI-04.ESS2 DCI: [ESS2] Earth's Systems

• • SCI-04.ESS2.01  Make observations and metric measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering and the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
  • SCI-04.ESS2.02  Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.

SCI-04.ESS3 DCI: [ESS3] Earth and Human Activity

• SCI-04.ESS3.01 Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment.
• SCI-04.ESS3.02  Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans.
  

Fifth Grade

SCI-05.ESS1 DCI: [ESS1] Earth's Place in the Universe

• • SCI-05.ESS1.01  Support an argument that the apparent brightness of the sun and stars is due to their relative distances from the Earth.
  • SCI-05.ESS1.02  Construct a graph to reveal patterns of daily changes in length (metric) and direction of shadows, length of day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
    

SCI-05.ESS2 DCI: [ESS2] Earth's Systems

• • SCI-05.ESS2.01  Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
  • SCI-05.ESS2.02  Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.

SCI-05.ESS3 DCI: [ESS3] Earth and Human Activity

• SCI-05.ESS3.01  Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

8th Grade Earth Science

SCI-MS.ESS1 DCI: [ESS1] Earth's Place in the Universe

• SCI-MS.ESS1.01  Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
  
• SCI-MS.ESS1.02  Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.
• SCI-MS.ESS1.03  Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
• SCI-MS.ESS1.04  Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth's 4.6-billion-year-old history.

SCI-MS.ESS2 DCI: [ESS2] Earth's Systems

• SCI-MS.ESS2.01  Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
  
• SCI-MS.ESS2.02  Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying times and spatial scales.
• SCI-MS.ESS2.03  Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of past plate motions.
• SCI-MS.ESS2.04  Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
• SCI-MS.ESS2.05  Use data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
• SCI-MS.ESS2.06  Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.

SCI-MS.ESS3 DCI: [ESS3] Earth and Human Activity

• • SCI-MS.ESS3.01  Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth's mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.
    
  • SCI-MS.ESS3.02  Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events that necessitate the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.
  • SCI-MS.ESS3.03  Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
  • SCI-MS.ESS3.04  Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
  • SCI-MS.ESS3.05  Investigate factors that have caused changes in global temperatures over time.

High School Earth Science

SCI-HS.ESS1 DCI: [ESS1] Earth's Place in the Universe

• • SCI-HS.ESS1.01  Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy in the form of radiation.
    
  • SCI-HS.ESS1.02  Construct an explanation for the observed expansion of the known universe based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, cosmic background radiation, and composition of matter in the universe.
  • SCI-HS.ESS1.03  Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.
  • SCI-HS.ESS1.04  Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.
  • SCI-HS.ESS1.05  Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
  • SCI-HS.ESS1.06  Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history.

SCI-HS.ESS2 DCI: [ESS2] Earth's Systems

• • SCI-HS.ESS2.01  Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.
    
  • SCI-HS.ESS2.02  Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
  • SCI-HS.ESS2.03  Develop a model based on evidence of Earth's interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.
  • SCI-HS.ESS2.04  Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in climate.
  • SCI-HS.ESS2.05  Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.
  • SCI-HS.ESS2.06  Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.
  • SCI-HS.ESS2.07  Construct an argument based on evidence about the simultaneous coevolution of Earth’s systems and life on Earth.

SCI-HS.ESS3 DCI: [ESS3] Earth and Human Activity

• • SCI-HS.ESS3.01  Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
    
  • SCI-HS.ESS3.02  Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
  • SCI-HS.ESS3.03  Analyze the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity through the use of a computational simulation.
  • SCI-HS.ESS3.04  Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
  • SCI-HS.ESS3.05  Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.
  • SCI-HS.ESS3.06  Use data from computational representations to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.