The instructional materials reviewed for High School do not meet expectations that they intentionally leverage students’ prior knowledge and experiences related to phenomena or problems. 

In the Classroom Guide of the Teacher Edition, the materials suggest that teachers use the phenomena present in the materials to find out what students know or think they know before delving into the content. This suggestion resurfaces in a few activities, where the materials include questions that elicit students’ prior knowledge and/or experiences but are not followed up with supports for how teachers can incorporate what students share in future lessons. Further, in some instances, students are asked to speculate or connect prior learning to the phenomenon, but this does not provide an opportunity for them to bring their lived experience into the classroom. In most activities there is a missed opportunity to support teachers in the elicitation of students’ prior knowledge and experience. As a result, there is a missed opportunity to leverage students’ prior knowledge and experiences across the course.

Examples where materials do not elicit  students’ prior knowledge and experience related to phenomena and problems, resulting in a missed opportunity to leverage:

• In Chapter 5: Energy in Living Systems, the phenomenon is that a mouse will die if put in a sealed jar by itself, but survive if put in a sealed jar with a plant. Students examine a series of pictures depicting Joseph Priestly’s classic experiment and speculate or draw on prior learning about metabolic processes in order to explain and model the phenomenon. While the materials make connections to students’ prior learning, there is a missed opportunity to elicit students’ experiences related to the phenomenon, resulting in an inability to leverage what students bring to the learning opportunities. 

• In Chapter 6: Interdependence in Ecosystems, the phenomenon is that two mice populations experience rapid growth. Students examine a picture and read text about explosive population growth, then answer questions about the causes of plagues of mice and other animals. There is a missed opportunity to elicit students’ prior experiences related to the phenomenon, resulting in an inability to leverage what students bring to the learning opportunities.

• In Chapter 10: Inheritance of Traits, the phenomenon is that some animals are born without pigmentation and appear white with pink eyes. Students examine six photographs of albino animals and are asked to speculate on the frequency of the mutation and whether it is a dominant or recessive trait. There is a missed opportunity to elicit students’ prior experiences related to the phenomenon, resulting in an inability to leverage what students bring to the learning opportunities.

• In Chapter 11: Variation of Traits, the phenomenon is that two black-colored labrador retrievers mate to produce a litter containing brown (chocolate) colored offspring. Students speculate on the likelihood of crossing two black dogs and producing a different colored puppy. There is a missed opportunity to elicit students’ prior experiences related to the phenomenon, resulting in an inability to leverage what students bring to the learning opportunities.

• In Chapter 13: Natural Selection and Adaptation, the phenomenon is that elephants living in areas where there is a great deal of poaching for the ivory contained in their tusks are now born without tusks.  Students speculate about why having large tusks might be an evolutionary advantage and how the term “survival of the fittest” relates to the phenomenon. There is a missed opportunity to elicit students’ prior knowledge and experience, resulting in an inability to leverage what students bring to the learning opportunities.

Examples where materials elicit but do not leverage students' prior knowledge and experience related to phenomena and problems:

• In Chapter 4: Growth and Development, the phenomenon is that an axolotl can not only heal itself when injured but can also regenerate whole body parts if necessary. In the first activity, students answer several questions about their prior knowledge and experiences connected with the phenomenon. One of the questions asks students about the last time they scraped their knee, and another question asks if the students know of any organs that are able to regenerate. While this activity elicits prior knowledge and experience from students, it misses the opportunity to support the teacher in leveraging what students bring to the learning opportunities.

• In Chapter 9: Social Behavior, the phenomena are that harvester ants work together by unspoken rules to forage food for the colony and jackdaw birds fly in large groups that move about as a single unit. The materials elicit students' prior knowledge and experience when students are asked to think about why animals might work in groups rather than as individuals and then are asked to think about classroom or household rules and draw connections to how these rules make the best use of resources. While this activity elicits prior knowledge and experience from students, it misses the opportunity to support the teacher in leveraging what students bring to the learning opportunities.

The instructional materials reviewed for High School do not meet expectations that phenomena and/or problems drive individual lessons or activities using key elements of all three dimensions. 

Individual activities are centered around a Key Question at the beginning of each activity. Key Questions are often content or topic-based and do not focus student learning on explaining a phenomenon or solving a problem. Throughout each activity, students read informational text, examine models or diagrams, and answer questions related to the Key Question. In some instances, students also complete investigations and read case studies related to addressing the Key Question for the respective activity. There is a missed opportunity for phenomena or problems to drive individual activities.

Examples where phenomena and/or problems do not drive individual lessons or activities:

• In Chapter 2, Activity 57: Enzymes Catalyze Reactions in Cells, the Key Question “What are enzymes and what role do they play in biological reactions?” is the focus of student learning. Students read and answer questions about enzymes and catalysts then examine a diagram of the induced fit model to understand how enzymes catalyze reactions. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

• In Chapter 3, Activity 70: Negative Feedback Mechanisms, the Key Question “How do negative feedback mechanisms detect changes in the internal environment away from normal and then act to return the internal environment to a steady state?” is the focus of student learning. Students read text about negative feedback and homeostasis then examine a model of negative feedback and use the text to answer questions about the topic. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

• In Chapter 4, Activity 96: Tissues Work Together, the Key Question “How do different tissue types work together to meet the body’s needs efficiently?” is the focus of student learning. In this activity, students read informational text, view diagrams, and answer questions about different tissue types, including muscle, epithelial, nervous, and connective, and how the types work together to make up organs, which perform specific functions. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

• In Chapter 5, Activity 110: Measuring Respiration, the Key Question “How can a respirometer be used to measure the rate of cellular respiration in germinating seeds?” is the focus of student learning.  Students follow directions to set up a respirometer to measure oxygen production in germinated and non-germinated seeds. Students collect and analyze data and write a conclusion for the investigation. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

• In Chapter 6, Activity 118: Population Density and Distribution, the Key Questions “What are population density and population distribution?” and “Why do these vary between different species of organisms?” are the focus of student learning. Students examine models of low and high density populations and read text and answer questions relating the availability of resources to the density and distribution of organisms in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

• In Chapter 9, Activity 175: Schooling, Flocking, and Herding, the Key Question “How do schooling, flocking, and herding enhance survival?” is the focus of student learning. Students read text and answer questions about the advantages and disadvantages of social groupings. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

• In Chapter 12, Activity 222: The Common Ancestry of Life, the Key Question “How are all groups of living organisms related to each other?” is the focus of student learning. Students read text and answer questions about how the analysis of DNA, RNA, and proteins has added to the evidence for a common ancestor to all life on Earth. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

• In Chapter 13, Activity 246: Evolution and Biodiversity, the Key Question “How did the adaptive radiation of mammals increase the biodiversity of the group?” is the focus of student learning. Students examine diagrams and read text to answer questions about adaptive radiation. In the second part of the activity, students read text and answer questions about the biodiversity that exists in rodents. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

• In Chapter 14, Activity 253: Humans Depend on Biodiversity, the Key Question “What are the ecosystem services that humans depend upon?” is the focus of student learning. Students read text and answer questions about the relationship between biodiversity and the ability of an ecosystem to provide essential ecosystem services. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive student learning in the activity.

The instructional materials reviewed for High School do not meet expectations that they embed phenomena or problems across multiple lessons for students to use and build knowledge of all three dimensions. 

Phenomena, when present, are introduced in the first activity and then revisited in the second to last activity. In the first activity, students view a photo and read text about the phenomenon and answer some related questions. In the second to last activity, students return to the phenomenon, usually in the form of answering additional questions or, in a few cases, revising a model or explanation. In most other activities in the chapter (ranging between 6-35 per chapter), students’ work focuses on content or topic-related Key Questions where students read text, view diagrams, and answer questions related to the Key Question. While in some instances these activities include content that is related to a phenomenon, the activities throughout the chapter are separate from the students’ explanation of the phenomenon. There is a missed opportunity for phenomena or problems to drive learning across multiple lessons or activities.

Examples of chapters where a phenomenon or problem does not drive learning across multiple activities:

• In Chapter 2: Cell Specialization and Organization, no phenomenon or problem is present. Instead, each of the activities in the chapter is guided by a specific Key Question related to the chapter topic, cell specialization and organization. Students read text, view diagrams, and answer questions about cell structure and function and the hierarchical structure of living things. They conduct investigations about diffusion and osmosis and create models related to DNA synthesis. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive learning across multiple activities.

• In Chapter 3: Feedback Mechanisms, no phenomenon or problem is present. Instead, each of the activities in the chapter is guided by a specific Key Question related to the chapter topic, feedback mechanisms. Students read text, view diagrams, and answer questions about homeostasis, positive and negative feedback mechanisms, and thermoregulation. Students complete investigations on heat, thermoregulation, heart rate, breathing rate, and transpiration. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive learning across multiple activities.

• In Chapter 6: Interdependence in Ecosystems, the phenomenon is that two mice populations experience rapid growth. The phenomenon does not drive learning across multiple activities. Instead, each of the activities in the chapter is guided by a specific Key Question related to the chapter topic, interdependence in ecosystems. In the first activity, students read information, view a photo, and offer an initial explanation about what caused a specific mouse plague. In subsequent activities, students read text and answer questions about ecosystems, populations, and species interactions. They also complete a simulation on carrying capacity and model different growth curves. Students return to the phenomenon in the second to last activity by revising their initial prediction about why the mouse plague occurred. While students return to the phenomenon in the second to last activity, there is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive learning across multiple activities. 

• In Chapter 8: The Dynamic Ecosystem, no phenomenon or problem is present. Instead, each of the activities in the chapter is guided by a specific Key Question related to the chapter topic, the dynamic ecosystem. Students read text, view diagrams, and answer questions about how human and natural factors affect ecosystem stability. In addition, students complete two investigations about biomagnification and human impacts on ecosystems. There is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive learning across multiple activities.

• In Chapter 9: Social Behavior, the phenomena are that harvester ants work together by unspoken rules to forage food for the colony and jackdaw birds fly in large groups that move about as a single unit. The phenomenon does not drive learning across multiple activities. Instead, each of the activities in the chapter is guided by a specific Key Question related to the chapter topic, social behavior. In the first activity, students read information and view photos about the social behavior of harvester ants and jackdaws. In subsequent activities, students read text, view diagrams, and answer questions about cooperative social behaviors such as social grouping and how social grouping improves survival. Students return to the phenomenon in the second to last activity by answering questions about the difference in food gathering rules for social insects, like ants, as well as solitary insects and the advantage of social flocking behavior in jackdaws. While students return to the phenomena in the second to last activity, there is a missed opportunity for the phenomena to drive learning across multiple activities.

• In Chapter 10: Stand Out from the Crowd, the phenomenon is that some animals are born without pigmentation and appear white with pink eyes. The phenomenon does not drive learning across multiple activities. Instead, each of the activities in the chapter is guided by a specific Key Question related to the chapter topic, inheritance of traits. In the first activity, students read information and view pictures about albino organisms and consider the environmental pressures on albino organisms. In subsequent activities, students read about chromosome structure, the discovery of DNA as the carrier of heritable information, and how gene expression is regulated. Students return to the phenomenon in the second to last activity by reading and answering questions about the connection between albinism and leprosy and answering questions about factors related to albinism that pose dangers to wild animals with albinism. While students return to the phenomenon in the second to last activity, there is a missed opportunity for a phenomenon to drive learning across multiple activities. 

The instructional materials reviewed for High School do not meet expectations that they consistently support meaningful student sensemaking with the three dimensions. 

In the materials, learning sequences are indicated by activity grouping, ranging from 1-10 learning opportunities (activities). While there are both learning sequences and learning opportunities that incorporate the three dimensions, the materials address grade level DCIs but most often the SEPs and CCCs that students use are below grade level. Further, the three dimensions present are not used for sensemaking. Instead, in most instances, students engage with the SEPs and CCCs to confirm information found in the readings or as stand alone experiences. As a result, there is a missed opportunity for students to use the SEPs or CCCs in sensemaking with the other dimensions.

Examples of learning sequences that do not incorporate the SEPs or CCCs to meaningfully support student sensemaking with the other dimensions:

• In Chapter 2, Activity Grouping 47-50, students read informational text about DNA (DCI-LS1.A-H2), follow a series of steps to extract DNA from strawberries and evaluate the procedure (SEP-INV-E2), answer questions to compare the structures of DNA and RNA, and use a paper model to represent the base pairing that creates the structure of the DNA molecule (CCC-SF-E2), confirming what they read about DNA structure. Students follow a prescribed series of steps to extract DNA from strawberries and build the paper model of DNA following a provided diagram, resulting in a missed opportunity for these activities to support sensemaking around the DCI involving DNA. While students engage with the three dimensions across the learning sequence, each engagement stands alone and there is a missed opportunity for SEPs or CCCs to meaningfully support sensemaking around the DCI. 

• In Chapter 4, Activity 96: Tissues Work Together, students read text and look at a diagram of a labeled human body to learn about four types of tissues and how they work together to perform body functions (DCI-LS1.B-H1). Students answer questions about tissues, based on the text. There is a missed opportunity for SEPs or CCCs to meaningfully support sensemaking around the DCI.

• In Chapter 5, Activity 106: The Fate of Glucose, students use informational text and a graphic to answer confirmatory questions about how glucose is used for production of ATP, for building other molecules, or processed and stored for future use (DCI-LS1.C-H2). Students read and answer questions about isotope labeling and the location of carbon atoms that come from glucose. There is a missed opportunity for SEPs or CCCs to meaningfully support sensemaking around the DCI.

• In Chapter 7, Activity Grouping 139-140, students read text and view photos and annotated diagrams about producers and consumers (DCI-LS2.B-M1). Then they answer confirmatory questions about producers and consumers and where each gets their energy (CCC-EM-E3) based on information from the text and diagrams. There is a missed opportunity for engagement with the CCC to support sensemaking of the DCI as all answers to questions in the activity come directly from the text. While students engage with two of the three dimensions across the learning sequence, each engagement stands alone and there is a missed opportunity for SEPs or CCCs to meaningfully support sensemaking around the DCI.

• In Chapter 9, Activity 176: Migration, students read text about group migration and its benefits (DCI-LS2.D-E1) and why migrating birds fly in a V formation. Next, students are provided with a graph showing the correlation between the time a migrating bird spends leading the flock versus the time the bird spends following in the wake, along with two pieces of evidence from others’ research. Students answer questions based on the information and evidence given in the text. There is a missed opportunity for SEPs or CCCs to meaningfully support sensemaking around the DCI.

• In Chapter 11, Activity 199: Examples of Genetic Variation, students read informational text, look at pictures and a graph about quantitative and qualitative traits (DCI-LS3.B-E1), and answer questions based on the reading. Students choose a phenotypic variable in the class to collect data about (SEP-INV-P2) and create a histogram. Then students are given a data set for adult foot length to use in creating a histogram. There is a missed opportunity for engagement with the SEP in creating a histogram to support sensemaking around the DCI involving genetic variation. While students engage with two of the three dimensions across the learning sequence, each engagement stands alone and there is a missed opportunity for SEPs or CCCs to meaningfully support sensemaking around the DCI.

• In Chapter 13, Activity 246: Evolution and Biodiversity, students use a diagram and informational text about adaptive radiation of mammals (DCI-LS4.C-H4) to answer questions about the evolution of mammals after the extinction of the dinosaurs. Students answer confirmatory questions using the information from the diagram and the text, there is a missed opportunity for students to engage with grade band SEPs or CCCs to meaningfully support sensemaking with the DCI.

The instructional materials reviewed for High School do not meet expectations that they consistently provide element-level three-dimensional learning objectives and consistently provide opportunities for students to use and develop the respective three dimensions. 

In the materials, learning objectives are listed at the beginning of each chapter and are linked to specific activities or groups of activities. In some instances, there is more than one learning objective linked to an activity. While most learning objectives are three-dimensional, they are listed at the component level without providing element-level specificity. For learning objectives that are not three-dimensional, most are at least two-dimensional and one of the dimensions is usually a DCI component. While the materials usually provide opportunities for students to engage with DCI elements at the grade-band level, many of the SEP and CCC elements students engage with in the materials are below grade band. As a result, in the majority of learning sequences, there is a missed opportunity for students to use and develop three dimensions related to the learning objectives. 

Examples where materials have three-dimensional learning objectives and provide opportunities for students to use and develop few to none of the respective three dimensions or their respective elements across the learning sequence:

• In Chapter 2, Activity Grouping 31-36, the learning objectives: “There are two types of cells: prokaryotic and eukaryotic. Plant and animal cells are eukaryotic cells. Describe the general features of eukaryotic cells. Use a microscope to view the internal structure of plant and animal cells [LS1.A] [SEP-3] [CCC-6]” and “Calculate the size of different cells and living organisms. Use diagrams of cells to identify features on real SEM images of cells [SEP-2] [CCC-4].”, incorporate a total of 23 elements: four DCIs, 13 SEPs and six CCCs. In Activity 31: Introduction to Cells, students read text, examine labeled pictures, and answer questions about eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. While students do engage with a DCI, it is below grade band. Students examine a series of microscopic images in which they are asked to identify patterns in key features that will determine whether the cell is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Students do engage in an SEP element connected to modeling but it is at the middle school level. In Activity 32: Microscopes and Magnification, students read about a light microscope and use algebra to calculate an unknown variable using an algorithm. This use of an SEP element related to mathematics and computational thinking is at the middle school level. In Activity 33: Studying Cells, students follow directions to prepare a stained, wet mount of an onion skin then use a microscope to examine it. They read text about different types of stains used on cells, examine pictures of stained cells, and answer questions about the types of stains. In this investigation, students engage with an SEP around considering appropriate methods but it is at the elementary level. In Activity 34: Plant Cells and Activity 35: Animal Cells, students use a labeled diagram of a cell and read about cell organelles and their functions. They engage with a middle school DCI. Students use the information to label a microscope image of the cell and answer a series of questions to explain how cells have organelles that serve specific functions. While students engage with an SEP element connected to using a model and a CCC element connected to substructures, it is at the elementary level. In Activity 36: Identifying Organelles, students use transmission electron microscope (TEM) images to identify organelles and their functions. While the learning objectives are three-dimensional, this learning sequence does not address any of the 23 grade-band elements that comprise the component-level learning objective, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to use and develop any grade-band elements present in the learning objective.

• In Chapter 8, Activity 163: Climate Change and Ecosystem Change, the learning objective: “Analyze evidence in the form of data and case studies to make claims about the cause of climate change [LS2.C] [SEP-4] [SEP-7] [CCC-7]. Use evidence of climate change impacts from a Florida Everglades case study to investigate current and possible future effects to the ecosystem and its biodiversity [LS2.C] [CCC-7].”, incorporates a total of 18 elements:  two DCIs, 12 SEPs and four CCCs. Students read and answer questions about global warming, its anthropogenic causes, and the effects on the climate. They read a case study about the Florida Everglade ecosystem and predict the effect of global warming on the American crocodile (DCI-LS2.C-H2). While the learning objectives are three-dimensional, this learning sequence only addresses a single element of the 18 grade-band elements that comprise the component-level learning objective, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to use and develop any SEP and CCC elements and numerous grade-band elements present in the learning objective.

• In Chapter 11, Activity Grouping 208-210, the learning objectives: “Discuss how a phenotype is the expression of both genetic and environmental influence [LS3.B]. Develop an argument from evidence on how phenotype can be influenced by temperature, other organisms, altitude, and the chemical environment [LS3.B] [CCC-2].” and “Use data [SEP-4] as evidence to explain how environmental influences experienced by one generation may affect subsequent generations [LS3.B] [CCC-2].”, incorporate a total of 12 elements: two DCIs,  six SEPs and four CCCs. In Activity 208: Influences on Phenotype, students read text, examine a diagram, and answer questions about different factors affecting an organism's phenotype (DCI-LS3.B-H2). In Activity 209: Environment and Variation, students read text, examine pictures, and answer questions about environmental effects on phenotypes (DCI-LS3.B-H2). Then students use what they have learned to write an explanation for the cause of different phenotypes of plants grown in a greenhouse (CCC-CE-H4). In Activity 210: Genes and Environment Interact, students read about how an organism's environment can change how DNA is packaged causing effects that are inherited by offspring (DCI-LS3.B-H2). They analyze data to make a claim and give evidence about the effect of diet on multiple generations of mice (CCC-CE-H2).  The SEP that students engage with related to data analysis is at the middle school level. While the learning objectives are three-dimensional, this learning sequence addresses three elements of the 12 grade-band elements that comprise the component-level learning objectives, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to use and develop any SEP elements and numerous grade-band elements present in the learning objectives.

• In Chapter 13, Activity Grouping 247-248, the learning objectives: “Analyze and interpret models and data of previous extinctions to craft an explanation for why extinction is considered a natural phenomenon [LS4.C] [SEP-2] [SEP-4] [CCC-2] [HS-LS4-5].” and “Use evidence from models and data to classify and provide reasons for extinction caused by human activity [SEP-2] [SEP-4]. Research several species that have become extinct due to human activity, examining evidence to discuss the precise cause [LS4.C] [SEP-7] [CCC-2] [HS-LS4-5].”, incorporate 28 elements: five DCIs, 19 SEPs, and four CCCs. In Activity 247: Extinction is a Natural Process, students read about causes of extinctions (DCI-LS4.C-H4, DCI-LS4.C-H5) and then use graphs to answer questions about the causes for extinctions (CCC-CE-H4). The SEP that students engage with related to data analysis is at the middle school level. In Activity 248, Humans and Extinction, students read text about human causes of extinctions (DCI-LS4.C-H4). They calculate the current extinction rate for birds and answer questions about the possible cause for the increase in extinction rate. The SEP that students engage with related to  data analysis is at the middle school level. Students read text and use a graph showing species’ survival rate over time to identify patterns in four taxonomic groups. Finally, students research to identify two additional extinct species and the possible reason for their extinction. While the learning objectives are three-dimensional, this learning sequence addresses three elements of the 28 grade-band elements that comprise the component-level learning objectives, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to use and develop any SEP elements and numerous grade-band elements present in the learning objectives.

The instructional materials reviewed for High School do not meet expectations that they are designed to elicit direct, observable evidence for three-dimensional learning in the instructional materials. 

While most of the learning objectives in the chapter are three-dimensional, they are listed at the component level and miss the opportunity to provide element-level specificity. The formative assessment system for each chapter includes a pair of activities: the first activity of the chapter and the second to last activity in the chapter. The first activity introduces the topic of the chapter and the second activity in the assessment pair refers students back to the introduction and then prompts students to use what they have learned to answer questions. The Classroom Guide also indicates that ‘ELABORATE’ and ‘EVALUATE’ activities can be used for formative assessment. Teacher guidance is not present for specific activities, resulting in a missed opportunity to identify these activities as formative assessments. 

Most of the formative assessment activity pairs contain elements of all three dimensions; however, a majority of the SEPs and CCCs are below grade level and therefore not consistently connected to the grade band learning objectives. There is a missed opportunity for the formative assessments for each chapter to collectively assess three dimensions and numerous elements of the learning objectives. In all chapters, sample student responses are provided for all questions in the formative assessments; however, there is a missed opportunity to provide support for teachers on how to use the information from the formative assessments to revise instruction to meet the needs of their students.

Examples where learning objectives are not three-dimensional and/or materials are not designed to elicit direct, observable evidence for three-dimensional learning; guidance does not support the instructional process:

• In Chapter 2: Cell Specialization and Organization, the learning objectives include one DCI, six SEPs, three CCCs, and two PEs for a total of 38 elements. The formative assessment tasks include Activities 29 and 65. In Activity 29: Frogsicle, students view an image of a carrot before and after it freezes, read text about what happens to cells when they freeze, and are provided with several metabolic mechanisms that allow a frog to survive freezing and thawing. Students answer questions in which they speculate on how these mechanisms work (DCI-LS1.A-H4). In Activity 65, Review Your Understanding, students are reminded of the mechanisms that allow a frog to survive freezing and thawing. They annotate a model using what they learned to explain how these mechanisms allow the frog to survive (DCI-LS1.A-H4). While students do engage in some modeling and work with the CCC of systems, it is at the middle school grade band level. The formative assessment tasks only address a single element of the 38 grade-band elements that comprise the component-level learning objectives for the chapter, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and use of the three dimensions to support the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives. Further, while Activities 29 and 65 both provide the teacher with suggested student responses, there is a missed opportunity to provide the teacher with guidance to support students and revise instruction.

• In Chapter 3: Feedback Mechanisms, the learning objectives include one DCI, six SEPs, two CCCs, and one PE for a total of 53 elements. The formative assessment tasks include Activities 67 and 82. In Activity 67: Hot Dog, students view two photos: one of a dog panting and one of a dog curled up in a ball. Next, they read text and answer questions about adaptations that mammals have that help them to maintain homeostasis and the importance of maintaining a stable body temperature (DCI-LS1.A-H4). In Activity 82: Review Your Understanding, students revisit the idea of mammals maintaining a constant body temperature and then answer questions and write explanations about the advantages that endotherms have over ectotherms when living in an extreme environment (DCI-LS1.A-H4). While students do engage in constructing an explanation and work with the CCC of patterns, it is at the elementary and middle school grade band level. The formative assessment tasks only address a single element of the 53 grade-band elements that comprise the component-level learning objectives for the chapter, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and use of the three dimensions to support the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives. Further, while Activities 67 and 82 both provide the teacher with suggested student responses, there is a missed opportunity to provide the teacher with guidance to support students and revise instruction.

• In Chapter 7: Energy Flow and Nutrient Cycles, the learning objectives include two DCIs, six SEPs, four CCCs, and three PEs for a total of 65 elements. The formative assessment task includes Activities 136 and 155. In Activity 136: Eat or be Eaten, students read about dinosaurs in the Triassic and Cretaceous periods, create a food chain using herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs, make predictions about the cretaceous ecosystem following the removal of plants, and predict where plants get their energy. While students do engage with a DCI and do some work with modeling and systems, it is at the middle school grade-band. In Activity 155: Review Your Understanding, students explain how autotrophs and heterotrophs enable the flow of energy in an ecosystem. They examine a model showing energy inputs and outputs for a heterotroph and then explain the loss of energy that occurs during energy transfers in an ecosystem. Students then complete a chart identifying the origin and fate of matter as it cycles through a plant (DCI.LS2.B-H2, CCC-EM-H2). The formative assessment tasks only address two elements of the 65 grade band elements that comprise the component-level learning objectives for the chapter, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and use of the three dimensions to support the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives. Further, while Activities 136 and 155 both provide the teacher with suggested student responses, there is a missed opportunity to provide the teacher with guidance to support students and revise instruction.

• In Chapter 9: Social Behavior, the learning objectives include one DCI, three SEPs, one CCC, and one PE for a total of 25 elements. The formative assessment tasks include Activities 173 and 183. In Activity 173: Internet or Anternet?, students look at two images, read text, and answer questions about the social behavior of insects and birds. While students do engage with a DCI, it is at the elementary grade-band. In Activity 183: Review Your Understanding, students explain the advantages that social grouping gives insects and birds. While students do engage with a DCI and construct an explanation, it is at the elementary and middle school grade-band. The formative assessment tasks address none of the elements of the 25 grade band elements that comprise the component-level learning objectives for the chapter, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and use of the three dimensions to support the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives.  Further, while Activities 173 and 183 both provide the teacher with suggested student responses, there is a missed opportunity to provide the teacher with guidance to support students and revise instruction.

• In Chapter 11: Variation of Traits, the learning objectives include one DCI, five SEPs, two CCCs, and two PEs for a total of 42 elements. The formative assessment tasks include Activities 194 and 218. In Activity 194: Anyone for Chocolate?, students view a photograph of three labrador puppies (one yellow, one black, and one chocolate-colored) and read text explaining that coat color in labradors is based on the genetic makeup of the parents. Students speculate about which parents produce which colors, the cause of a hip disorder, and why breeders import dogs from other regions or countries. While students do engage with a DCI and do some work with asking questions, it is at the elementary and middle school grade-band, respectively. In Activity 218: Review Your Understanding, students are reminded about the labradors from the initial activity and then use a Punnett Square (SEP-DATA-H2) to predict genotype and phenotype in different crosses. While students do engage with a DCI and do some work with modeling and cause and effect, it is at the middle school grade-band. The formative assessment tasks only address one element of the 42 grade band elements that comprise the component-level learning objectives for the chapter, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and use of the three dimensions to support the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives. Further, while Activities 194 and 218 both provide the teacher with suggested student responses, there is a missed opportunity to provide the teacher with guidance to support students and revise instruction.

• In Chapter 14: Biodiversity, the learning objectives include three DCIs, seven SEPs, one CCC, and one PE for a total of 57 elements. The formative assessment tasks include Activities 251 and 260. In Activity 251: Can’t see the Wood for the Trees, students look at photographs and read text describing an ecosystem with high biodiversity that is being threatened by human activity and predict the effects of anthropogenic causes of habitat loss (DCI-LS4.D-H2). In Activity 260: Reviewing Your Understanding, students are reminded about the ecosystem from the first activity and then use a model to identify factors that will affect plant biodiversity (DCI-LS4.D-H2, DCI-LS4.C-H4). Students research a local endangered species, report how human activity is affecting the species, and recommend potential conservation efforts that will reduce the loss of their selected species (DCI-ETS1.B-H1). The formative assessment tasks only address three elements of the 57 grade band elements that comprise the component-level learning objectives for the chapter, resulting in a missed opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and use of the three dimensions to support the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives.Further, while Activities 251 and 260 both provide the teacher with suggested student responses, there is a missed opportunity to provide the teacher with guidance to support students and revise instruction.

The instructional materials reviewed for High School do not meet expectations that they are designed to elicit direct, observable evidence of three-dimensional learning in the instructional materials.

The learning objectives are listed at the beginning of each chapter. While most are three-dimensional, each of the three dimensions are listed at the component-level and miss the opportunity to provide element-level specificity. 

The summative assessment system for the program consists of the “Summing Up” activity, the last activity in each chapter and the optional use of a test bank accessed through the digital platform. Test bank questions include formats such as multiple choice, true/false, multiple response, and short answer and are DCI focused. In most instances, Summing Up activities include questions that students answer based on what they learned in previous activities. In some cases, students are also prompted to draw or label models and diagrams, analyze data, and write an explanation. In a few instances, the Summing Up activities address three dimensions and there is often a missed opportunity to address a SEP or a CCC. When the assessment activities contain elements of all three dimensions, in most cases, the SEPs and CCCs elements present are below grade level and therefore not connected to the grade-band learning objectives. Further, there is a missed opportunity for the summative assessments to measure student achievement of numerous elements of the chapter-level learning objectives. 

Examples of summative assessment tasks that do not address three dimensions and/or do not address numerous elements of the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives: 

• In Chapter 2: Cell Specialization and Organization, three-dimensional learning objectives are present and include two PEs, one DCI, four SEPs, and two CCCs for a total of 37 elements. In Activity 66: Summing Up, students explain how cell differentiation occurs (DCI-LS1.A-H3), explain the energy flow in a metabolic reaction, use data to confirm Chargaff's Rule, and draw labeled diagrams to demonstrate the hierarchical structure of the neuromuscular system and the interactions within (DCI-LS1.A-H3, DCI-LS1.A-H4, SEP-MOD-H5). Some elements present in the task are either below grade band or not present in the learning objectives. There is a missed opportunity for the summative assessment task to address any grade-band CCCs and numerous grade-band, three-dimensional elements of the learning objectives. 

• In Chapter 4: Growth and Development, three-dimensional learning objectives are present and include: one PE, one DCI, three SEPs, and two CCCs for a total of 25 elements. In Activity 98: Summing Up, students respond to a prompt about how the 200 different types of cells found in the human body are formed. Students calculate how many cells are in the body using both mass and volume measurements, then answer a question about the accuracy of the calculations. Students read text and follow instructions to draw a series of representations showing how different cells with the same information can become different depending on which genes are expressed (DCI-LS1.B-H1, CCC-SYS-H3). Students then write their own set of instructions for a classmate to try out. Some elements present in the task are either below grade band or not present in the learning objectives. There is a missed opportunity for the summative assessment task to address any grade-band SEPs and numerous grade-band, three-dimensional elements of the learning objectives.

• In Chapter 7: Energy Flow and Nutrient Cycles, three-dimensional learning objectives are present and include: three PEs, two DCIs, six SEPs, and four CCCs for a total of 73 elements. In Activity 156: Summing Up, students read about energy production and efficiency of energy transfer in ecosystems. Students calculate the percent efficiency, energy loss, and energy production for a corn field and a mature pasture (DCI-LS2.B-H1, SEP-MATH-H2). Students then read about a hypothetical experiment done by a class of students to estimate the gross and primary productivity of a crop of B. rapa plants. Students use the data from one hypothetical group to calculate biomass and Net Primary Production (NPP). They graph the class data to explain what is happening to the NPP over time and consider energy loss related to consumers (DCI-LS2.B-H1, DCI-LS2.B-H2, CCC-CE-H4, CCC-EM-H2). Finally, students devise a methodology so that they can calculate the net secondary energy production and respiratory losses of 12-day-old caterpillars feeding on brussel sprouts (DCI-LS2.B-H2, SEP-MATH-H2, SEP-CEDS-H1, CCC-EM-H2). Some elements present in the task are either below grade band or not present in the learning objectives. While the assessment is three-dimensional, there is a missed opportunity for the summative assessment task to address numerous grade-band, three-dimensional elements of the learning objectives. 

• In Chapter 10: Inheritance of Traits, three-dimensional learning objectives are present and include: one PE, two DCIs, two SEPs, and one CCC for a total of 25 elements. In Activity 193: Summing Up, students use an image of a chromosome to label parts and answer questions about the processes of gene expression, transcription, and translation (DCI-LS1.A-H2, DCI-LS3.A-H1). There is a missed opportunity for the summative assessment task to address any grade-band SEPs and CCCs and numerous grade-band, three-dimensional elements of the learning objectives.

• In Chapter 12: Evidence for Evolution, three-dimensional learning objectives are present and include: one PE, one DCI, three SEPs, one CCC for a total of 24 elements. In Activity 232: Summing Up, students read information about and look at an annotated image of a fossil from an unknown vertebrate. Students use the information and a phylogenic tree showing the evolution of modern day mammals as evidence to support a claim about the age of the fossil (DCI-LS4.A-H1, SEP-MOD-H3, CCC-PAT-H5). Some elements present in the task are either below grade band or not present in the learning objectives. While the assessment is three-dimensional, there is a missed opportunity for the summative assessment task to address numerous grade-band, three-dimensional elements of the learning objectives.

• In Chapter 14: Biodiversity, three-dimensional learning objectives are present and include: one PE, three DCIs, seven SEPs, and one CCC for a total of 57 elements. In Activity 261: Summing Up, students read information about the Indiana bat including range, hibernation patterns, their role in the ecosystem, and reasons for decline in numbers leading to their endangered species classification, including human influence (DCI-LS4.C-H4, DCI-LS4.D-H2). Students then use the Resource Hub to gather additional information and design a solution to halt the bat population decline and to restore their numbers. Students share their solutions as a presentation or some other format (CCC-CE-H3). Some elements present in the task are either below grade band or not present in the learning objectives. There is a missed opportunity for the summative assessment task to address any grade-band SEPs and numerous grade-band, three-dimensional elements of the learning objectives.