The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that students understand how the materials connect the dimensions from chapter to chapter. The materials include three units comprising four or five chapters per unit. The Science Program Guide provides a recommended scope and sequence. The Unit Overview and Unit Map sections of the teacher materials provide information and support for teachers explaining how the chapters within a unit connect to each other. The Lesson Overview section of the teacher materials provides information and support for teachers that explains how the lessons within a chapter connect to each other. The first lesson of the unit (following the Pre-Unit Assessment) provides prompts that give context and goals for the entire unit. The first lesson of each subsequent chapter in the unit usually connects prior learning between the chapters in the unit. While there are connections among chapters within each unit, there are not connections among each unit and other units in the recommended sequence.

Examples of student learning experiences that demonstrate connections across chapters:

• In Grade 1, Unit 1: Animal and Plant Defenses, all the chapters focus on how animals defend themselves in their environment. The concept (DCI-LS1.A-P1) related to animal defenses is the focus of learning throughout the unit. Chapter 1 introduces students to the structure of sea turtles and how these animals defend themselves from predators. Chapter 2 expands on the sea-turtle defenses; students learn how other defenses, such as camouflage, help sea turtles and other animals stay safe. Chapter 3 connects animal defenses to how offspring protect themselves or are protected by their parents. In Chapter 4, students create a model of a specific animal defense mechanism to demonstrate understanding of how an animal protects itself.

• In Grade 1, Unit 2: Light and Sound, the chapters focus on understanding aspects of light and sound. Across the unit, students have multiple opportunities to plan and conduct investigations (SEP-INV-P2) as they learn about light and sound (DCI-PS4.B-P1) to support their design of a puppet show. In Chapter 1, students investigate a question to figure out how brighter and darker areas can be created. Students are introduced to light and how objects are seen because of light. Students investigate how light can make surfaces appear brighter by shining a light directly on them. In Chapter 2, students investigate how to stop light from getting to a surface. They use flashlights and block the light with objects to create shadows. In Chapter 3, students investigate and design a final puppet show scene. Students investigate how to make the light go through different objects to create bright, medium-bright, and dark areas. In Chapter 4, students create different sounds that would correspond to the puppet-show scene that was developed in Chapter 3. Students investigate sounds by differentiating between objects that make sounds and those that do not. Then students design sound sources for their puppet-show scene.

• In Grade 1, Unit 3: Spinning Earth, the chapters focus on understanding aspects of patterns in the sky. Across the unit, students have multiple opportunities to observe and describe patterns as students learn that patterns in the sky are determined by earth’s spin. Students assume the role of sky-scientists helping a young boy named Sai who lives in a place near them. They help Sai understand why the sky looks different to him than to his grandma. In Chapter 1, students are introduced to the concepts of daytime and nighttime. They gather data from live webcams to learn about what the sky looks like at different times and in different places. In Chapter 2, students organize webcam data on a globe to understand the patterns of daytime and nighttime. Students make connections between the places they observed experiencing daytime or nighttime and the position of the sun. In Chapter 3, students observe and record the sun’s position in the sky throughout the day and organize their data on a sky mural. Students read informational text, participate in a kinesthetic activity, and apply this understanding to explain the pattern of moonrise and moonset and the role played by earth’s spin. In Chapter 4, students conduct additional sky observations to figure out that the sun pattern they observed in Chapter 3 repeats every day because earth is always spinning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they have an intentional sequence where student tasks increase in sophistication. Materials are designed with an intentional or suggested sequence and student tasks related to explaining phenomena and/or solving problems increase in sophistication within each unit and across the grade band.

Within the grade, the recommended sequence of units is Animal and Plant Defenses, Light and Sound, and Spinning Earth, in that order. Within each of these units, there is a single Anchor Phenomenon or topic that is presented to students, and student learning builds across the unit as students gather information to figure it out. Although the units are provided in a recommended order, there is no specific increase of rigor as these units are presented. Approaches to the assessment of the different dimensions are also consistent and similar throughout each unit. However, the learning tasks within the unit increase in sophistication as students work toward explaining phenomena or solving problems.

Examples of student tasks increasing in sophistication within a unit:

• In Grade 1, Unit 1: Animal and Plant Defenses, students utilize functional modeling as a means to understand the ways animals utilize defenses for survival. In Chapter 2, students use reference books and videos to learn about types of animal defenses and then apply what they have learned to create physical models of their initial ideas about animal and plant defenses using a variety of physical materials. Throughout the chapter, students focus on different types of defenses (spikes, spines, shells, and camouflage), build a model, then explore additional ideas about defenses as they apply that information to build a new model. In Chapter 4, students are introduced to conceptual models and learn how to develop an adequate model to explain an idea about a plant or animal’s defense. Students read about students' journeys as they develop models to explain frogs’ defenses and then utilize what they have learned and the model checklist to build conceptual models of animal defenses to showcase to parents. They write explanations to accompany their models and present their models and oral explanations in a fictional aquarium exhibit.

• In Grade 1, Unit 2: Light and Sound, students are introduced to a design problem about a traveling puppet show needing a portable puppet-show scene. In Chapter 1, students are introduced to the design problem where a traveling puppet show is in need of a scene that they can move around with them. They begin their design through the investigation of light. They learn that light is needed to see and that all light comes from a source. In Chapter 2, students investigate how to make a surface look dark after learning how to make a surface look bright from Chapter 1. Students continue to investigate the shadows of six different objects that may be used in their design for the portable puppet-show scene. Based on these investigations, students create cutouts that will make shadows in the puppet-show scene. In Chapter 3, students design their final puppet-show scene that considers all of the design goals. They investigate how different materials let different amounts of light through. Students are given time to make revisions, as needed, to meet their design goals through the utilization of investigation. Students use their test results to evaluate their design goals.

• In Grade 1, Unit 3: Spinning Earth, students use their investigation skills to discover why Sai and his grandma see different things in the sky when they talk on the phone. The level of investigation increases because students do more active observations, data collection, and looking at patterns to answer that phenomenon. In Chapter 1, students observe the sky during the daytime and read a book about the sky after sunset to gather data and investigate how the sky looks different at different times during the day. Students then investigate the patterns of how it is bright and the sun is out during the daytime, and the stars are out and it is dark during the nighttime. In Chapter 2, students investigate Sai’s problem more in-depth by learning how it’s daytime on part of the earth while it is nighttime on another part of the earth. They use a globe to mark Sai’s position and participate in an activity to simulate it being daytime on part of the earth while it’s nighttime on another part. In Chapter 3, students observe a video of the sunset so that they can gather data to continue investigating why/how the sky turns from daytime to nighttime. They investigate where the sun is at different times during the day in relation to the horizon.

In each K–5 grade level, there is one unit that emphasizes the practice of investigation, one that emphasizes the practice of modeling, and one that emphasizes the engineering practice of design. As students progress through the series, the materials connect learning of the three dimensions across the entire grade band. The way students engage with and use the three dimensions also increases in sophistication across the investigation, modeling, and engineering design units.

• Investigation Units: Each grade contains a unit focused on students developing the science practices related to investigations. The K–2 grade band shows increasing complexity as students begin with simple classroom investigations and add in technology, maps, and thinking about system interactions. In Kindergarten, the Needs of Plants and Animals unit has students investigate what plants and animals need to live as they figure out why monarch caterpillars no longer live in Mariposa Grove. They conduct a series of investigations to determine the effects of light and water on plant growth. In Grade 1, the Spinning Earth unit focuses on students investigating patterns in the sky and why the sky looks different at the same time in different places. Student investigations increase in sophistication as they collect observational data, and also make observations using live webcams to learn about what the sky looks like at different times and in different places across the globe. In Grade 2, the Plant and Animal Relationships unit focuses on understanding why chalta trees aren’t growing in a specific location. Student investigations increase in sophistication as they interpret visual data from the study site and connect information from multiple investigations to explain how different components in the ecosystem impact the growth of the trees.

• Engineering Design Units: Each grade contains a unit focused on students developing the science practices and DCIs related to engineering design. The K–2 grade band shows increasing complexity as students begin with simple, guided designs and increase in sophistication with the type of design and level of testing required. In Kindergarten, the Pushes and Pulls unit focuses on understanding the forces needed to design a pinball machine. Students conduct guided investigations then apply their learning to a design of a pinball machine. Each investigation guides students to designing the next component (launcher, bumper, flipper) of their pinball machine. In Grade 1, the Light and Sound unit focuses on understanding aspects of light and sound to be able to design a puppet-show scene. Student investigations guide students to designing the next component of their puppet show (lighting the stage, making shadow scenery, and adding sound), but students have more choice and flexibility in their designs than they did in the Kindergarten unit. Students also begin to understand the importance of testing and selecting different materials for their designs. In Grade 2, the Properties of Materials unit focuses on designing a new glue. Students understand properties of materials as they develop and test a new sticky glue for their school. As students work on their designs, they test properties of different materials and determine whether those materials combine to form a glue that meets criteria for stickiness and strength. Students have opportunities to make revisions to their recipe following testing.

• Modeling Units: Each grade contains a unit focused on students developing the SEPs related to developing and using models. The K–2 grade band shows increasing complexity as students begin with a simple model that they use to collect data, then develop their own physical models, and then use multiple models to explain a phenomenon. In Kindergarten, the Sunlight and Weather unit focuses on using a lamp model to simulate how sunlight can heat earth’s surfaces throughout the day. Students then use information from their models to figure out what causes the temperature differences between the two playgrounds throughout the day. In Grade 1, the Animal and Plant Defenses unit focuses on how animals defend themselves in their environment. Students learn about physical structures of sea turtles and other animals that are used as protection. Students then create a model of a specific animal defense mechanism to demonstrate understanding of how an animal protects itself. In Grade 2, the Changing Landforms unit focuses on how water and wind shape earth. Students use multiple models to explain various components of why a cliff near a recreation center eroded. Students use models to simulate how rocks hitting each other can break off small pieces and form sand. Students use models with chalk to investigate how water can change a landform by causing pieces of rock to break off. Students use a digital modeling tool to create their own maps of landforms. Students make a model and then erode the model to show how many small changes can add up to a bigger change. Students use this information to explain how the recreation center’s cliff eroded without the director noticing. Students use multiple erosion models to provide evidence that supports the idea that wind and water can quickly erode landforms made of loose materials.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they present disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts in a way that is scientifically accurate. Across the grade, the teacher materials, student materials, and assessments accurately represent the three dimensions and are free from scientific inaccuracies in each of the three units.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they do not inappropriately include scientific content and ideas outside of the grade-level disciplinary core ideas (DCIs). Across the grade, the materials consistently incorporate student learning opportunities to learn and use DCIs appropriate to the grade.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) for physical sciences. Across the grade, the materials include all of the associated elements of the physical science DCIs. These are found in one of the three units for this grade: Light and Sound.

Examples of grade-level physical science DCI elements present in the materials:

• PS4.A-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 4, Lesson 4.4: Designing Sound Sources, students review the three sounds that the puppet company wants in their show and select one. Students investigate different materials and how to make the material vibrate to make the sound they chose. They explain how they will make the sound and explain why vibrations make sound.

• PS4.B-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.5: Light Makes Surfaces Look Bright, students engage in a learning sequence that introduces the concept that light is needed to see objects. Students use a light source to determine that when light comes from or shines on the surface the surface appears bright, but that surfaces are dark when no light shines on them.

• PS4.B-P2: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.4: Designing a Cutout to Make a Dark Area, students work with blue cardstock, foam, foil, acetate, lighting filter, wax paper, and white cardstock to test shadows. They explore how different materials allow light to pass through them or block light. They identify materials that can block light to create shadows as they determine what materials to use for their puppet show scene.

• PS4.C-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.1: Pre-Unit Assessment, the teacher explains to students that light can be used to send signals. The teacher reads the book, Engineering with Light and Sound, and points out the design of an emergency signal mirror, which uses a mirror and the light from the sun to send a signal long distances to communicate to a search plane flying overhead.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) for life sciences. Across the grade, the materials include all of the components and associated elements of the life science DCIs; however, one element was partially met. These are found in one of the three units for this grade: Animal and Plant Defenses.

Examples of the grade-level life science DCI element present in the materials:

• LS1.A-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Plant and Animal Defenses, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.3: Introducing Modeling, students read about different structures plants and animals use for defense. Students then make a clay model of a structure that a plant or animal would use for defense from being eaten and provide reasoning for why they believe their structure would be useful. Throughout other parts of this unit, students also discuss how different external body parts can be used for survival.

• LS1.B-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Plant and Animal Defenses, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.3: Offspring Defenses, students watch a video of marine iguanas and crabs avoiding being eaten by a hawk. Students then discuss how the iguanas and their offspring were able to avoid being eaten. Students also learn that snails that have a protective shell and some butterflies use camouflage to protect themselves. The offspring of these animals have similar characteristics as their parents and can use the same strategies to avoid being eaten.

• LS3.A-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.1: Introducing Offspring, students learn what offspring are. Students discuss what they already know about offspring and predict what Spruce the Sea Turtle’s offspring might look like. Then, students explore the offspring of different plants and animals by looking at pictures and discussing similarities and differences between the offspring and their parents to learn that young plants and animals look similar, but not identical, to their parents.

• LS3.B-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.1: Introducing Offspring, students observe picture cards of various animals and plants with their offspring. This is to help them understand that animals and plants look similar, but not identical, to their offspring.

Examples of the grade-level life science DCI element partially present in the materials:

• LS1.D-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.1: Whose Lunch Is This?, students observe a video of a monkey eating leaves and then are asked about the structures that monkeys use to know where food is and to get information to survive. Notes to the teacher indicate that student responses should include the monkey’s eyes and nose to sense where food is, and ears to hear predators trying to eat it. This helps students understand that animal body parts capture and convey different kinds of information needed for growth and survival, and the way animals respond to these inputs help them survive. The materials do not address structures plants use to respond to external inputs.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) for earth and space sciences. Across the grade, the materials include all of the associated elements of the earth and space science DCIs. These are found in one of the three units for this grade: Spinning Earth.

Examples of the grade-level earth and space science DCI elements present in the materials:

• ESS1.A-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Spinning Earth, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.3: The Pattern of Daytime and Nighttime, students observe and describe what they see in the sky at different times. Students organize their sky-observation data into two categories: daytime observations and nighttime observations. Students engage in a role play to make sense of what is happening during daytime and nighttime.

• ESS1.B-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Spinning Earth, Chapter 5, Lesson 5.2 Exploring and Explaining Daylight in Different Seasons, students figure out why it is nighttime in the winter when Sai calls his grandma but it is daytime when he calls in other seasons. Students read Patterns of Sunlight on Earth to learn about the pattern of daytime and nighttime in different seasons, and compare how the same time in different seasons can be daytime or nighttime depending on the season.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades K–2 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-band and grade-level disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) for engineering, technology and applications of science (ETS) and all associated elements. In Kindergarten, three performance expectations (PEs) are associated with a physical, life, or earth and space science DCI that also connect to an ETS DCI. The ETS elements within these kindergarten PEs are present in the materials.

Examples of the Kindergarten grade-level ETS DCI elements present in the materials:

• ETS1.A-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Pushes and Pulls, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.1: Pre-Unit Assessment, students are introduced to their role as engineers. During a teacher-led discussion, students are shown the What Engineers Do chart to learn that engineers find out about problems and then go through a series of processes to design a solution. Throughout this unit, students then work to solve the problem of designing a pinball machine.

• ETS1.A-P2: In Kindergarten, Unit: Needs of Plants and Animals, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.7: Water for Milkweed, students learn that asking questions and gathering information are important parts of solving problems. Students determine that the milkweed plants don’t grow in the black pot because they don’t get enough water, but they do grow in the white pot because they have water. Students use this to understand that water for the milkweed plants will be important in their garden design.

• ETS1.B-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Needs of Plants and Animals, Chapter 4, Lesson 4.3: Reflecting on Needs of Living Things, students make their garden plan by gluing images of the plants to the location of their garden. This helps students communicate their design solutions to other people without needing to actually construct the garden.

In Grade 1, no PEs associated with a physical, life, or earth and space science DCI connect to an ETS DCI. However, the materials do include opportunities for students to engage with ETS elements in this grade.

Examples of ETS DCI elements present in the Grade 1 materials:

• ETS1.A-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.6: Explaining the Puppet-Show Scene, students learn that people can create new approaches or solve problems through engineering. Students are asked to solve a problem from a fictitious play company that would allow them to carry fewer materials when putting on a puppet show.

• ETS1.C-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.5: Testing and Revising our Solutions, students learn that it is useful to compare and test designs to find the best solution to their problem. They work with partners to test their design solutions that show a bright, medium-bright, and dark area for the designed scene of the puppet show. They test to see if their stencils make the appropriate “brightness” in the scene and revise as needed.

In Grade 2, there are two PEs associated with a physical, life, or earth and space science DCI that also connect to an ETS DCI. The ETS elements within these Grade 2 PEs are present in the materials.

Examples of the Grade 2 grade-level ETS DCI elements present in the materials:

• ETS1.B-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.8: Defending the Food Supply, students learn that models can be an effective way to communicate design solutions to other people. Students then make a physical model of their design to defend a food bag in an aquarium.

• ETS1.C-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Properties of Materials, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.9: Making Our First Glue, students learn that it is useful to compare and test designs to find the best solution to their problem. Students test whether their glue can pass the sticky-glue test to determine whether they need to revise their glue recipe.

The K–2 grade band includes three ETS PEs that are designed to be taught at any point across the grade band. These PEs include five elements. The materials provide opportunities to engage with ETS DCIs and their elements in all three grades within this band.

Examples of the K–2 grade-band ETS DCI elements present in the materials:

• ETS1.A-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Pushes and Pulls, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.1: Pre-Unit Assessment, students are introduced to their role as engineers. During a teacher-led discussion, students are shown the What Engineers Do chart to learn that engineers find out about problems and then go through a series of processes to design a solution. Throughout this unit, students then work to solve the problem of designing a pinball machine.

• ETS1.A-P2: In Kindergarten, Unit: Needs of Plants and Animals, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.7: Water for Milkweed, students learn that asking questions and gathering information are important parts of solving problems. Students determine that the milkweed plants don’t grow in the black pot because they don’t get enough water, but they do grow in the white pot because they have water. Students use this to understand that water for the milkweed plants will be important in their garden design.

• ETS1.A-P3: In Grade 2, Unit: Properties of Materials, Chapter 3: What ingredients can be used to make a glue that is sticky and strong?, students gain a better understanding of the problem to inform their glue designs. Throughout the chapter, students gather information about properties of glue to help inform their design process.

• ETS1.B-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.8: Defending the Food Supply, students learn that models can be an effective way to communicate design solutions to other people. Students then make a physical model of their design to defend a food bag in an aquarium.

• ETS1.C-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.5: Testing and Revising our Solutions, students learn that it is useful to compare and test designs to find the best solution to their problem. They work with partners to test their design solutions that show a bright, medium-bright, and dark area for the designed scene of the puppet show. They test to see if their stencils result in the appropriate “brightness” in the scene and revise as needed.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level science and engineering practices (SEPs) and associated elements. The materials include all of the SEP elements associated with the performance expectations (PEs) for the grade level. These are found across all three units for this grade.

Examples of SEP elements associated with the grade-level performance expectations that are present in the materials:

• INV-P2: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 1: How do we make brighter or darker areas?, students plan and conduct an investigation, collecting data to answer a question about how to make a surface light or dark with different light sources while designing their puppet-show scene.

• INV-P3: In Grade 1, Unit: Spinning Earth, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.2: After Sunset, students look at firsthand and secondhand ways to observe the sky at daytime and at nighttime. They use these observations to discuss how sometimes scientists need to use more than one way to collect information, and relate it to making direct observations of the sky during the school day but using pictures of the night sky to help understand what the sky looks like at night.

• INV-P4: In Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.1: Introducing Offspring, students observe pictures of offspring of different plants and animals and discuss their similarities and differences observed between the parent and offspring.

• DATA-P3: In Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.4: Modeling Shells and Armor, students watch a video of an alligator trying to eat a turtle. Then they discuss how the turtle’s shell is a way to protect the turtle and help it survive.

• CEDS-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Spinning Earth, Chapter 1: Why did the sky look different to Sai than to his grandma?, students make and record observations of the daytime sky to collect evidence to support an account for why the sky looks different to Sai than to his grandma.

• CEDS-P2: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 4: How do we design a sound source to go with a puppet show scene?, students use different materials to design a device that can use vibrations to make sound for their puppet-show scene.

• INFO-P3: In Grade 1, Unit: Plant and Animal Defenses, Chapter 2: How can Spruce the Sea Turtle survive where there are sharks?, students obtain information using various texts, text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons), and other media that will be useful in answering a scientific question and/or supporting a scientific claim.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades K–2 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level science and engineering practices (SEPs) and associated elements across the grade band. The materials include all of the SEP elements associated with the performance expectations (PEs) for the grade band. Elements of the SEPs are found across all three grades within this grade band. Materials include few elements of the SEPs from above or below the grade band without connecting to the grade-band appropriate SEP.

Examples of SEP elements associated with the grade-band performance expectations that are present in the materials:

• AQDP-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Pushes and Pulls, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.1: Identifying New Design Goals, students watch the pinball video. After making observations from the video, the teacher is prompted to inform students that engineers ask questions, some of which come from their observations. The teacher models how to ask a question about the pinball video. Students are then prompted to ask their own questions based on their observations of the pinball machine design in the video.

• AQDP-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Sunlight and Weather, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.4: Weather and the Playgrounds, after examining a weather graph and calendar, the teacher models how to ask a question about observations from the data. Students are then prompted to ask their own questions that would provide more information on the weather differences at the two playgrounds.

• MOD-P3: In Kindergarten, Unit: Sunlight and Weather, Chapter 4, Lesson 4.1: Modeling Warming of Different Surfaces, students use a colored-surfaces model to determine the relative temperature (range from very cold to very hot) of the playground surfaces. Students use these models to determine that some surfaces get warmer than others when sunlight shines on them.

• MOD-P4: In Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.4: Modeling Shells and Armor, students observe a video of a turtle and an alligator to gather evidence about shells and armor as a type of defense against being eaten. The class gathers additional information about how shells and armor function to defend living things by revisiting sections of Tortoise Parts and the reference book. Then, students work together to develop a simple physical model that shows how living things use their shells or armor to defend themselves from being eaten.

• INV-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 3: How Do We Make A Pinball Move To A Certain Place?, students conduct an investigation with peers. Students investigate the direction a ball will go when they push on it. Groups of three students sit in a circle and roll the ball to each other, paying attention to where they are targeting to roll the ball.

• INV-P2: In Grade 2, Unit: Properties of Materials, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.9: Making Our First Glue, students plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to determine if their recipe for their glue will pass the sticky-glue test.

• INV-P3: In Grade 1, Unit: Spinning Earth, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.2: After Sunset, students look at firsthand and secondhand ways to observe the sky at daytime and at nighttime. They use these observations to discuss how sometimes scientists need to use more than one way to collect information and relate it to making direct observations of the sky during the school day but using pictures of the night sky to help understand what the sky looks like at night.

• INV-P4: In Kindergarten, Unit: Needs of Plants and Animals, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.6: Explaining Why There Are No Caterpillars, students collect data that can be used to make comparisons. Students read the Handbook of Plants to find out that monarch caterpillars eat milkweed plants. Then students compare pictures of the Mariposa Community Garden to the field that was there previously, comparing the different plants they see. Students determine that there is no milkweed in the garden and the caterpillars cannot live in the garden because they only eat milkweed.

• DATA-P3: In Kindergarten, Unit: Pushes and Pulls, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.3: Force Happens Between Two Objects, students use observations to describe relationships between two objects. Students make observations of what happens to objects when they interact (such as a car pushing a block, or using a string to pull a tube). Students look at the relationship between the two objects to describe how force on one object acts on the other object.

• DATA-P5: In Grade 2, Unit: Properties of Materials, Chapter 4, Lesson 4.1: Evaluating Second Glues and Revising Recipes, students test the strength and stickiness of their glue and analyze their findings to determine if their glue meets the design-goal properties.

• CEDS-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Spinning Earth, Chapter 1: Why did the sky look different to Sai than to his grandma?, students make and record observations of the daytime sky to collect evidence to support an account for why the sky looks different to Sai than to his grandma.

• CEDS-P2: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 4: How do we design a sound source to go with a puppet show scene?, students use different materials to design a device that can use vibrations to make sound for their puppet show scene.

• CEDS-P3: In Grade 2, Unit: Properties of Materials, Chapter 4, Lesson 4.2: Making Final Glues, students share successful design ideas with their classmates and compare and evaluate each-other's glue designs based on the evidence of data collected. Students use that information to revise and create their final glue designs.

• ARG-P6: In Grade 2, Unit: Properties of Materials, Lesson 2.2: Exploring Heating and Cooling, students construct an argument about whether heating a cornstarch mixture produces the same substance or a different substance. Students list the properties of the substance before and after it was heated; then, they make a claim about whether or not the substance turns into something new provide evidence to support their claim.

• INFO-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Needs of Plants and Animals, Chapter 3: Why do the milkweed plants that get water grow differently?, students read texts and view images of different plants to obtain information that plants need light to grow.

• INFO-P3: Grade 2, Unit: Plant and Animal Relationships, Chapter 1, Why aren’t new chalta trees growing in the Bengal Tiger Reserve?, students read and learn about habitats and types of seeds from different plants to determine that the trees need adequate sunlight and water, and depend on animals for pollination.

• INFO-P4: In Kindergarten, Unit: Needs of Plants and Animals, Chapter 2: Why do two milkweed seeds become plants, but the others did not?, students write and draw in a mini-book to communicate information about what milkweed plants need to grow.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades K-2 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level crosscutting concepts (CCCs) and associated elements across the grade band. The materials include all of the CCC elements associated with the performance expectations for the grade band. Elements of the CCCs are found across all three grades within this grade band. Materials include few elements of the CCCs from above the grade band without connecting to the grade-band appropriate CCC.

Across the grade band, students have multiple opportunities to engage with the grade-level CCCs that are implicitly connected to SEPs or DCIs as they build toward grade-level performance expectations. For example, students have frequent opportunities to use observations to describe patterns in the natural world to answer scientific questions (SEP-DATA-P3) but have limited opportunities to explicitly discuss the importance of using patterns as evidence to describe phenomena (CCC-PAT-P1). When the materials provide opportunities to make the crosscutting concepts explicit for students, this is generally through sentence frames to help students use targeted CCCs, or through teacher prompts that provide explicit connections and guide student discussions about how scientists and engineers use different CCCs to answer scientific questions or solve engineering problems.

Examples of CCC elements associated with the grade-band performance expectations that are present in the materials:

• PAT-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Spinning Earth, Chapter 1: Why did the sky look different to Sai than to his grandma?, students learn that, “A pattern is something we observe to be similar over and over again. Scientists look for patterns to help them understand and explain what they observe.” Students then read the Patterns of Earth and Space big book. Patterns in the natural and human-designed world can be observed, used to describe phenomena, and used as evidence. Students make observations of the daytime sky and begin to identify patterns from their observations.

• PAT-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Changing Landforms, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.4: Gary’s Sand Journal, students discuss the pattern that Gary recorded by making observations of sand. Students learn that patterns in sand grains (size, color, and shape) can be used as evidence of the types of materials it is made of, the size waves that moved it, and the age of the sand.

• CE-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Sunlight and Weather, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.2: Discussing Warming Over Time, students use data from their Warming Model to support or refute ideas about why one playground was warmer than the other. Students use their data showing about the time of day, the amount of sunlight, and the temperature to conclude that the difference in the amount of sunlight caused one playground to be warmer than the others.

• CE-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.4: Planning and Making Our Stencils, students learn that tests can be designed to gather evidence about causes. Students make diagrams of their proposed solutions for stencils that will project a puppet-show scene that enables all, some, or no light to pass through. Students explain why the difference in material causes some stencils to make the area darker than others.

• CE-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Plant and Animal Relationships, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.6: Investigating Seed Needs, students learn that tests can be used to gather evidence to support a claim about what causes something to happen. Students use a test to determine that limited plant growth is caused by not giving the seeds enough water or by not giving the plants enough sunlight. Simple tests can be designed to gather evidence to support or refute student ideas about causes.

• CE-P2: In Kindergarten, Unit: Pushes and Pulls, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.2: Strong and Gentle Forces, students move a ball on the floor, using both strong and gentle forces and observing the distances that the ball moved relative to the amount of force applied. Students discuss how the amount of force used to push the ball results in the observable patterns that stronger pushes cause the ball to move a longer distance and gentle pushes cause the ball to move a shorter distance.

• CE-P2: In Grade 2, Unit: Changing Landforms, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.2: Investigating Differences in Scale, students use a physical model of a mountain and create maps before and after the mountain erodes. Students use their model to help them understand that certain events create repeatable patterns, such as water causing erosion.

• SYS-P2: In Kindergarten, Unit: Needs of Plants and Animals, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.3: Growing Toward the Light, students learn that systems have parts that work together and a plant is a system because it has different parts (roots, stems, leaves) that help it live and grow.

• EM-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Properties of Materials, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.1: Can You Change It Back?, students review text and images in the book Can You Change it Back? showing popsicle sticks arranged in different configurations. The teacher leads a class discussion to elicit the idea that small objects can be combined into larger objects and rearranged to create different objects. This idea is revisited in Chapter 4, Lesson 4.2 when students take apart four popsicle sticks they glued together to rearrange them into a picture frame.

• SF-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.3: Introducing Modeling, students read Spikes, Spines, and Shells: A Handbook of Defenses, then create physical models of structures that animals and plants use to defend themselves from being eaten. Students explain how the shape of the structures are related to their function of protecting the organism.

• SF-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Plant and Animal Relationships, Chapter 4, Lesson 4.3: Conducting the Seed Investigations, students model different ways that seeds move with and without propellers to determine which type of seed moves with the wind. They use this test to identify how the shape of seed structures are related to their function.

• SC-P2: In Grade 2, Unit: Changing Landforms, Chapter 3, Lesson 3.2: Investigating Differences in Scale, students use a physical model of a mountain and create maps before and after the mountain erodes. Students use their model to show how a lot of very small changes can result in a big change or may change slowly or rapidly.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades K–2 meet expectations that they incorporate NGSS connections to the nature of science (NOS) and engineering. The NOS and engineering elements are represented and attended multiple times throughout the grade-band units. They are used in correlation with the content and not used as isolated lessons. The NOS and Engineering elements are used in a variety of fashions throughout the units including videos, readings, and class discussions. Although most of the elements are present in the lessons, they are not explicitly called out in the instructional material.

Examples of grade-band connections to NOS elements associated with SEPs present in the materials:

• VOM-P2: In Kindergarten, Unit: Sunlight and Weather, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.2: Learning More About Models, students read about how scientists use different models as ways to study the world in the Handbook of Models big book. Students discuss how scientists use models before starting an investigation of their own that uses a model.

• BEE-P1: In Kindergarten, Unit: Needs of Plants and Animals, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.2: Comparing Living and Nonliving Things, students determine whether the object shown on a card is living or nonliving and sort into categories. As they do so, a teacher prompt informs students that scientists look for patterns and look for how things are the same and different too, and this is one way that scientists figure things out about the world.

• ENP-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Changing Landforms, Chapter 2, Lesson 2.1: Diagramming Landform Changes, students learn how scientists communicate ideas by using diagrams and models as a way to communicate ideas and information. Students learn what makes a diagram different from regular pictures. Students then create a diagram to show what they think happened to the cliff below the recreation center.

Examples of grade-band connections to NOS elements associated with CCCs present in the materials:

• AOC-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Spinning Earth, Chapter 4, Lesson 4.2: Adding Sunset Data to the Sky Mural, students make a Sky Mural to document their observations of the sun’s position in the sky. A class discussion focuses on understanding that the patterns are observations that can be made over and over again, and that the Sky Mural helps students see the pattern that the sun repeats because the sun is in about the same position at the same time of each day.

• AQAW-P1: In Grade 1, Unit: Properties of Materials, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.7, Activity 3: Reading: Jelly Bean Engineer, students read about jelly-bean engineers who make different recipes for jelly beans and then test the jelly beans for texture and flavor. During a class discussion, the teacher is prompted to point out that scientists study the natural world, including plants and animals, and that engineers study the material world, including solving problems that involve substances like jelly beans.

Examples of grade-band connections to ENG elements associated with CCCs present in the materials:

• INFLU-P1: In Grade 2, Unit: Properties of Materials, Chapter 1, Lesson 1.2: What If Rain Boots Were Made of Paper?, students read the book What If Rain Boots Were Made of Paper? to introduce the idea that different materials have different properties, and it is important for engineers to use their knowledge of the properties of the materials (natural or engineered) they choose when they design things.

The materials reviewed for Amplify Science Grade 1 meet expectations for providing teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for how to enact the student materials and ancillary materials, with specific attention to engaging students in figuring out phenomena and solving problems. Materials provide comprehensive guidance that will assist the teachers in presenting the student and ancillary materials. Examples from all units include:

• The Teacher Guide, Unit Overview introduces a real-world problem, which serves as the anchor phenomenon, and its relevance to our lives. It also gives an overview of how students will build knowledge in order to solve a new problem.

• The Teacher Guide, The Progress Build explains how knowledge about the phenomenon deepens as the students progress through the unit, specifically noting bolded statements.

• The Teacher Guide, Getting Ready to Teach specifically details what the teacher needs to do to prepare Before You Present the Lesson, While You Present the Lesson, and After You Present the Lessons.

• All Chapters, Lessons, Digital Resources, Classroom Slide|Powerpoint and the Google Slides suggest teacher talk and teacher actions.

• All Chapters, Lessons, Lesson Brief, Activity, Instructional Guide, Step-by-Step provides the instructional strategy and precise teacher talk and teacher action. 

• All Chapters, Lessons, Lesson Brief, Activity, Instructional Guide, Teacher Support provides background information about the three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards featured in the activity as well as the Rationale behind the teacher action and instructional suggestions. 

• The Teacher Guide, Unit Overview, Printable Resources, Coherence Flowcharts provide teachers with a graphic organizer for each chapter in the unit “that helps students see the connections between the phenomena and questions that drive students’ experiences, the evidence they gather, the ideas they figure out, and the new questions that those ideas generate.”

• All lessons, Overview, Lesson at a Glance briefly describe student activities and suggested time allocation for each activity. 

The instructional guides for each lesson from Grade 2 include suggestions about instructional strategies and guidance for presenting the content, which often includes identifying, with limited room for more targeted approaches to addressing student naive conceptions. Examples from all units include:

• The Teacher Guide, Progress Build Section(s) provide prior knowledge (preconceptions) that students may bring to the lesson, foundational knowledge needed for student understanding and growth throughout the lesson, and progress build levels describing conceptual growth that students are expected to experience throughout the unit.

• The Teacher Guide, Eliciting and Leveraging Student’s Prior Knowledge, Personal Experiences, and Cultural Backgrounds, supports teachers by introducing the phenomenon and consistently eliciting students' initial ideas related to the phenomenon. Also, this resource provides support for teachers to document ideas throughout the units on a class chart for ongoing reference and to help students add, revise, and reflect on their ideas. 

With regard to addressing how to support students in figuring out phenomena and/or solving problems, the materials support the teacher in seeing connections between the phenomena and questioning, but miss the opportunity to clearly articulate/illustrate how the students’ understanding of the phenomenon deepens throughout. Evidence of connections between phenomena and questioning includes:

• The Teacher Guide, Unit Overview, Printable Resources, Coherence Flowcharts provide teachers with a graphic organizer for each chapter in the unit “that helps students see the connections between the phenomena and questions that drive students’ experiences, the evidence they gather, the ideas they figure out, and the new questions that those ideas generate.” 

• Within each Activity, there is also an Instructional Guide with step-by-step guidance that is present for teachers to support their understanding of which Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) are the focus and how to support students in using them as students figure out the phenomena or solve the problems. 

All units conclude by asking students to apply the knowledge acquired throughout the unit to a new problem. Teachers are provided support via the PowerPoint slides and include suggested teacher talk to frame how engineers solve problems, in context with the ideas students learned and also teacher action to help students consider and discuss solutions.

The materials reviewed for Amplify Science Grade 1 meet expectations for containing adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level concepts and concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. The materials include support for teachers to develop their own understanding of grade-level concepts and content knowledge beyond the scope of the current course.

Support for teacher understanding is present across all units. The Teacher Guide section, Science Background provides adult-level science background related to the unit. This section contains expository explanations of scientific background for the three dimensions of NGSS pertaining to the unit, with grade-level appropriate student background as well as common preconceptions by both students and adults. The Teacher Guide explicitly states that the information is meant to guide the teacher in teaching the correct content, but is not meant as student-facing material.

Also in the Teacher Guide, Planning For the Unit, Digital Resource Tab, Unit Map, there is an outline of the expected student practices for each Chapter. It presents a Chapter guiding question with an explanation for the teacher regarding how the students will develop understanding through lesson activities. 

The Teacher Guide, Science Background provides detailed adult-level science background regarding each unit’s science content along with a description of the extent to which this content is to be shared with students. The Science Background section includes cited references to inform teachers of the pedagogical research-based approaches to support grade-level content delivery as it is presented in the materials. In the Connections to Future Learning section of the Science Background, there is support for teacher content knowledge beyond scope of the current course. For example, in Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Planning for the Unit, Science Background, Connections to Future Learning, there are detailed paragraphs on how this content connects to learning to come in 3rd grade as well as middle school. It provides adult level explanations about climate such as "In middle school, students build toward a more complex understanding of evolution, including exploring concepts such as inheritance of genes. Traits are determined by an organism’s genes. A gene is an instruction for a type of protein molecule produced in the organism’s cells. "

The materials reviewed for Amplify Grade 1 meet expectations for including standards correlation information, including connections to college- and career-ready ELA and mathematics standards and that explain the role of the standards in the context of the overall series. The materials contain NGSS correlation information in multiple locations. All grades contain examples in the Teacher Guide:

• Planning for the Unit and Standards at a Glance include a listing of the NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs), Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), DIsciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) addressed in the Unit. 

• Teacher References, 3-D Statements outline three-dimensional statements for the unit level, the chapter level, and the lesson level of each unit for all grades.  

• Lesson Guide, Overview, and Standards sections provide a listing of the NGSS PEs, SEPs, and CCCs that are addressed in the lesson. The Lesson Progression at the beginning of each unit shows how each NGSS standard connects to and builds upon the previous grade level.  

The materials also include an explanation for the role of the NGSS standards in the context of the overall series. The Teacher Guide, Teacher Reference, Standards and Goals lists the PEs, SEPs, DCIs and CCCs that are covered in the unit. This section also provides an explanation of the core ideas across the K-8 grade span of the materials in a subsection titled “Trajectory of Core Ideas.”

The materials also provide lists of corollary Common Core ELA and mathematics standards. The Teacher’s Guide, Planning for the Unit, Standards at a Glance  and Standards and Goals (under Teacher References) all list the corollary Common Core ELA (CCSS-ELA) and Common Core Math (CCSS-Math) standards addressed in each unit. Lesson Guide, Lesson Brief, and Standards include a list of the CCSS-ELA and CCSS-Math addressed in each lesson. The materials offer suggested connections with ELA and/or Math and consistently provide specific explanations regarding how the standards are aligned with the context of the lesson and/or series. For example, in Grade 1, Light and Sound, in the Standards and Goals section of the teacher's guide the publisher has added information explaining how students will engage in the ELA and Math standards. For ELA it states, “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.5: Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text. Students have the opportunity to use text features to locate key facts or information as they read the reference book, Engineering with Light and Sound. For example, in Lesson 3.3, students use the table of contents and headings to search for solutions that let different amounts of light pass through different materials. In Lesson 4.1, students revisit the table of contents and use headings as they explore the book to identify sound sources and solutions that include sound sources.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.7: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas. Students have the opportunity to use illustrations and details in a text to describe key ideas about light and sound. For example, in Lesson 1.4, students browse the illustrations and text in the book, Can You See in the Dark?, to identify additional light sources that they may not have encountered during the Light-Source Hunt in Lesson 1.3. In Lesson 2.2, students use the illustrations and the consistent sentence pattern in the book, What Made This Shadow?, to notice that shadows are made by an object blocking light.” Also, for math it states, “CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Throughout this unit, students have multiple opportunities to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them as they apply prior knowledge and experiences and engage in investigations to determine how to use shadows to create a puppet-show scene that has bright and dark areas.” and “CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. Students have the opportunity to reason abstractly as they determine patterns in how a light source and various materials can be used to make light and dark areas on a surface. For example, in Lesson 1.5, students explore light sources and use reasoning to identify patterns to determine how to adjust a light source to make a surface look bright or dark. In Lesson 2.2, students use abstract reasoning to categorize different objects into categories of light source, blocking object, or shadow based on their experiences with real-life light investigations.“

The materials for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies. The materials explain the instructional approaches of the program. Evidence of this can be found throughout the K-2 grades, units and lessons. In each Unit Overview, Teacher References, and Standards and Goals section the materials explain an instructional approach that incorporates the strategies of Do, Talk, Read, Write, and Visualize in coordination with the NGSS CCCs and the DCIs associated with the specific unit of instruction. These strategies are further explained in each Lesson with more explicit detail.

Examples at the Grade 1 level include:

• In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Teacher Guide, Lesson Guides, Lesson 1.2, Activity 1, the routine for introducing vocabulary is introduced to students and detailed for the teacher in the lesson. The teacher shows the vocabulary word card, defines the word for students, says the word as a class, has students whisper the word to a partner, say the definition again for students, then posts the card on the wall.

• In Grade 1, Unit: Light and Sound, Teacher Guide, Lesson Guides, Lesson 1.3, Activity 4, the routine for shared listening is introduced to students and detailed in the lesson for the teacher. The teacher models what shared listening looks like with a partner including how to listen and how to ask questions. Throughout the Grade 1 units, the Shared Listening routine has the following progression: The focus of this unit is listening for the purpose of agreeing or disagreeing.

The materials provide some explanation for the research-based strategies that are used in the design of the program. While the Program Guide, Science Program Guide, Designed for the NGSS, and Program Development sections explain the Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize pedagogical approach that drives Amplify Science, there is a missed opportunity to incorporate explicit citations or references in the teacher materials.  Instead, the references for “Research Behind the Program'' exist on a website outside of the teacher materials.

The materials for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities. In the Teacher’s Guide, Unit Overview, Planning for the Unit, Materials and Preparation section for each unit, a thorough list of the materials needed over the course of each chapter and lesson is present. Every list includes the quantity needed to support a class of 36 students, a description of each item, and which lessons the item(s) will be used for. It also contains a comprehensive list of materials that need to be provided by the teacher or school, the quantity needed, item description and the lessons requiring these materials.

In addition to the unit overview, each Lesson Brief contains a lesson-level Materials and Preparation section outlining the materials needed for the class, groups of students and/or individual students and preparations needed before the start of each lesson. 

The materials for Grade 1 meet expectations for embedding clear science safety guidelines for teachers and students across the instructional materials. In the Unit Overview, Printable Resources section, an Investigation Notebook is provided for student use. Each Investigation Notebook contains a section titled, “Safety Guidelines for Science Investigations.” It is important to note that teachers should always locate and adhere to local policies and regulations related to science safety in the classroom. In each Unit Overview, Materials and Preparation, Materials at a Glance section, there is a reminder: “Note: Check and follow your district’s safety regulations pertaining to the use of proper equipment and procedures for students participating in hands-on science activities.”  

Additional safety notes are located in the teacher print or digital materials within lessons which have specific safety notes for the teacher to communicate to students. 

One example of an additional safety note includes:

• In Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Lesson Guide, Lesson 2.8, Activity 3, the safety note states, “Caution students about how to safely use the toothpicks."

The assessment materials for Grade 1 are comprehensively designed and aligned within the Units. It is clear for teachers where the assessments are, the type of assessments that are provided, and to what standard(s) each assessment opportunity is intended to be aligned. For instance, in the Grade 1 Teacher’s Guides, any Unit, Teacher References, Assessment System, each assessment opportunity throughout the Unit is listed in a chart in relation to the Lesson, type of assessment, and NGSS standard intended to be assessed. In addition, in the Teacher Guide for every Grade 1 Unit, under Printable Resources, there is a document titled 3-D Assessment Objectives  This document contains the 3-D Statement and accompanying objectives, their pertinence with the unit, and the type of assessment aligned to that objective. “Each table includes the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) included in that Performance Expectation and specifies the location of assessments associated with these three dimensions.”

The materials provide information detailing how assessments build toward the standards for the grade level or band.  In the Teacher Guide of each Unit, Teacher Reference, Assessment System, Monitoring Progress section, there is a discussion of Critical Juncture Assessments with an outline of each Critical Juncture concept and assessment in each Unit. The Critical Juncture assessments provide the teacher with specific three-dimensional statements to assess before moving forward in the Lessons. Lessons that provide Critical Junctures or On-the-Fly Assessments also provide an Assessment Guide or a Hands-On Flextension Lesson Guide in the Lesson Brief,  Overview, Digital Resources section which states the DCI, SEP, and CCC.

In addition to listing intended standards alignment in the Teacher Guide of all Units, Teacher References, Assessment System, and the Formative and Summative Assessment Opportunities section lists the DCI, SEP, and the CCC addressed in each assessment. These also include strikethroughs of the portion of the standard that is not assessed in the Unit. While strikethroughs indicate which portion of the standard is not being assessed, there is a missed opportunity to state how the assessments contribute to building toward the end of grade-level performance expectations.

The materials for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing an assessment system with multiple opportunities throughout the grade, course, and/or series to determine students' learning, sufficient guidance for teachers to help them interpret student performance, and suggestions for following-up with students. 

Examples include:

• In each Unit, the Assessment Guide for the End-of-Unit Assessment provides three rubrics, one each for the DCI, SEP, and CCC, as well as questions to support teachers in determining students’ initial understanding of the standards identified for each assessment. For example, in Grade 1, Unit Light and Sound, Lesson 4.6, Digital Resources, Assessment Guide: Assessing Students’ Understanding of Science Concepts in the Unit provides rubrics that give teachers questions to use to guide their grading of student assessments. The guidance does not tell teachers how to assign a grade, but tells them to use their discretion. “If you would like to score students’ explanations for grading purposes, we recommend using a 5-point scale (0-4). An explanation that provides an accurate and sufficient response to each question listed in the rubric should score a 4. An explanation that does not provide an accurate response to any questions should score a 0. For explanations that provide accurate responses to some, but not all questions, assign scores from 1 to 3 at your discretion. For guidance on what could be considered an accurate explanation for each question, see the Possible Accurate Student Responses table at the end of this document.”

• Further, the Assessment Guide for the End-of-Unit Assessment rubrics include suggestions for Follow-Up. For example, in Grade 1, Unit Light and Sound, Lesson 4.6, Digital Resources, Assessment Guide: Assessing Students’ Understanding of Science Concepts in the Unit provides rubrics that give teachers questions to use to guide their grading of student assessments. The guidance does not tell teachers how to assign a grade, but tells them to use their discretion. “If you would like to score students’ explanations for grading purposes, we recommend using a 5-point scale (0-4). An explanation that provides an accurate and sufficient response to each question listed in the rubric should score a 4. An explanation that does not provide an accurate response to any questions should score a 0. For explanations that provide accurate responses to some, but not all questions, assign scores from 1 to 3 at your discretion. For guidance on what could be considered an accurate explanation for each question, see the Possible Accurate Student Responses table at the end of this document.”

• The Embedded Formative Assessments, The Critical Juncture and On-the-Fly Assessments, provide guidance on what to look for among students who do not demonstrate understanding. For instance, in Grade 1, Unit: Animal and Plant Defenses, Teacher Guide, Teacher References, Embedded Formative Assessments, Lesson 1.5, Activity 1, Critical Juncture Assessment 1: Understanding of Avoiding Predation to Survive, Assess Understanding: “Students’ Shared Listening exchanges about how sea turtles use their structures to do what they need to survive is an opportunity for you to assess their understanding that animals need to avoid being eaten by predators in order to survive.”

The materials for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing assessment opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level standards and elements across the series. The assessment system consistently incorporates the three dimensions. The assessment system also provides a variety of assessment types, but constructed response is the predominant modality. The Pre-Assessment, On-the-Fly, Critical Juncture, and End-of-Unit assessments require written responses. They consistently assess a DCI, CCC, and SEP. There is a missed opportunity for students to demonstrate all of the SEPs, but there is a consistent focus on the practices of constructing explanations, argumentation, and modeling. Both versions (A and B) of the summative assessment ask students to provide written explanations. Version B provides students with sentence starters. Overall, the assessments in Grade 1 rely heavily on oral communication skills. Examples of assessments in this grade can be found in the reports for Indicators 1b and 1c.

In addition to summative assessments, Conversation Rubrics found throughout the resources offer prompts, look fors, and/or suggestions for how to evaluate students but most focus on a singular dimension. For example, in Grade 1, Spinning Earth, Rubric 1 focuses on the DCI, Rubric 2 focuses on the CCC and Rubric 3’s list of questions focuses on the SEP for the unit. This is similar in Kindergarten but not in Grade 2 where the rubrics become more classical in that they contain partial scores for partial answers.