2021

Smithsonian Science for the Classroom

Publisher
Smithsonian Science Education Center
Subject
Science
Grades
K-2
Report Release
04/24/2024
Review Tool Version
v1.5
Format
Core: Comprehensive

EdReports reviews determine if a program meets, partially meets, or does not meet expectations for alignment to college and career-ready standards. This rating reflects the overall series average.

Alignment (Gateway 1 & 2)
Meets Expectations

Materials must meet expectations for standards alignment in order to be reviewed for usability. This rating reflects the overall series average.

Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
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Report for 1st Grade

Alignment Summary

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for Alignment to NGSS, Gateways 1 and 2. Gateway 1: Designed for NGSS; Criterion 1: Three-Dimensional Learning meets expectations. The materials include three-dimensional learning opportunities and opportunities for student sensemaking with the three dimensions. The formative and summative assessments consistently measure the three dimensions for their respective objectives. Criterion 2: Phenomena and Problems Drive Learning meets expectations. Phenomena and problems are present, connected to DCIs, and presented to students as directly as possible. The materials consistently elicit but inconsistently leverage student prior knowledge and experience related to the phenomena and problems present. Phenomena and problems consistently drive learning and use of the three dimensions at both the learning sequence and learning opportunity level.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for Gateway 2: Coherence and Scope. The materials connect units and chapters in a manner that is apparent to students, and student tasks increase in sophistication within and across units. The materials accurately represent the three dimensions across the series and only include scientific content appropriate to the grade level. Further, the materials include all DCI components and all elements for physical science; life science; earth and space science; and engineering, technology, and applications of science. The materials include all of the SEPs at the grade level and all of the SEPs across the grade band. The materials include all grade-band crosscutting concepts and provide repeated opportunities for students to use CCCs across the grade band. The materials include NGSS connections to Nature of Science and Engineering elements associated with the SEPs and/or CCCs.

1st Grade
Gateway 1

Designed for NGSS

28/28
0
14
24
28
Gateway 2

Coherence & Scope

34/34
0
16
30
34
Alignment (Gateway 1 & 2)
Meets Expectations
Gateway 3

Usability

24/26
0
16
23
26
Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
Overview of Gateway 1

Designed for NGSS

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for Gateway 1: Designed for NGSS; Criterion 1: Three-Dimensional Learning meets expectation and Criterion 2: Phenomena and Problems Drive Learning meets expectations.

Criterion 1.1: Three-Dimensional Learning

16/16

Materials are designed for three-dimensional learning and assessment.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for Criterion 1a-1c: Three-Dimensional Learning. The materials consistently include integration of the three dimensions in at least one learning opportunity per learning sequence and nearly all learning sequences are meaningfully designed for student opportunity to engage in sensemaking with the three dimensions. The materials consistently provide three-dimensional learning objectives at the chapter level that build towards the performance expectations for the larger unit, and consistently assess to reveal student knowledge and use of the three dimensions to support the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives. The units also include three-dimensional objectives and include corresponding assessments that consistently address the three dimensions of the objectives.

Indicator 1A
Read

Materials are designed to integrate the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) into student learning.

Indicator 1A.i
04/04

Materials consistently integrate the three dimensions in student learning opportunities.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they are designed to integrate the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) into student learning opportunities. Across all four units, the instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 consistently integrate the three dimensions in student learning opportunities. Within each learning sequence, most lessons include three dimensions and integrate SEPs, CCCs, and DCIs.

Examples where materials include three dimensions and integrate DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs into learning opportunities:

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way in the Dark?, Lesson 2: Shining Through, students predict, investigate, and learn that materials can be opaque, transparent, or translucent. Students create a drawing to illustrate their initial understanding of what happens when light hits different materials and then observe and share the effects of a flashlight beam on different objects (DCI-PS4.B-P1, DCI-PS4.B-P2). Using their observations, students begin to explain how light interacts with various materials (SEP-DATA-P3). Students identify a pattern in class observations that explains the effect of placing a transparent object in the path of a light beam (CCC-CE-P2).

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way in the Dark?, Lesson 4: Bouncing Around, students investigate how foil, mirrors, transparent, translucent, opaque, and reflective objects affect light’s behavior. Students investigate the interaction of a flashlight beam with different materials in a 3D exploration (SEP-INV-P4). Students identify objects that might reflect light and record the effects of placing reflective surfaces in the path of a light beam (DCI-PS4.B-P1, DCI-PS4.B-P2). Students establish initial ideas and use patterns to explain the effects of light when it interacts with different materials (CCC-CE-P2).

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 7: This Place Is For The Birds, students research how body parts of plants and animals help them survive. Students define a problem that can be solved by mimicking the structure and function of plant and animal parts (DCI-LS1.A-P1). Students obtain information from text about how external body parts help plants and animals survive and how the structure of an external body part is related to its function to assist in growth and survival (SEP-INFO-P1, CCC-SF-P1). Students draw their observations of the body parts and their role in helping the animal survive and then share their ideas with the class (SEP-DATA-P2, SEP-INFO-P4). 

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 9: Penguin Problems, Part 1, students make observations of penguin offspring features to determine the group of penguins to which the chicks belong. Students observe patterns (CCC-PAT-P1) in the features of penguin offspring as evidence (SEP-DATA-P3, SEP-ARG-P6) to determine the group of penguins to which the chicks belong (DCI-LS3.A-P1, DCI-LS3.B-P1). 

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 3: Oksana, Issa, and Layla, students use observations of the sky to explain that the sun causes brightness outside since toys are visible when the sun is up. Students create a model to represent the objects they can observe in the sky during bright and dark times. Students gather evidence (SEP-DATA-P3) from texts and images (SEP-INFO-P1) to identify patterns (CCC-PAT-P1) in the sky during different times of the day (DCI-ESS1.A-P1).

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 6: Sunlight on the National Mall, students use observations of the sun’s position on different days of the year to explain why the sun sets earlier in fall than in summer. Students observe and describe how the sun's position changes at different times of the day (DCI-ESS1.B-P1) and compare the appearance of the sun during fall and winter including its arc and the amount of sunlight. By recording their observations of the patterns of the sun’s position on three different days (CCC- PAT-P1), students determine why the sun sets earlier in the fall than in the summer (SEP-INV-P4, SEP-DATA-P3, and SEP-CEDS-P1).

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 6: Vibration and Sound, students conduct an investigation to determine that sound can make things vibrate. Students develop a way to use a small drum to investigate scenarios that use sound to make the drumhead vibrate (SEP-INV-P2, SEP-DATA-P3, and DCI-PS4.A-P1). Then, students create a visual representation of their solution by combining data, observations, and readings (SEP-INFO-P4, DCI-ETS1.B-P1). Students use this information to develop an explanation of why they selected certain materials for a device that can make sound (SEP-CEDS-P2).

  •  In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 10: River Crossing, Part 2, students develop a device that makes two distinct sounds to indicate the direction in which a player should move on a game board. Students describe the device including how its structural shape creates sound (CCC-SF-P1, DCI-PS4.C-P1) and how it would solve the problem of players not knowing which way to move. Students then play the game using their sound-making devices and make observations to determine if their devices effectively solved the problem. Students analyze the results and compare noise-making solutions (DCI-ETS1.C-P1, SEP-INV-P5).

Indicator 1A.ii
04/04

Materials consistently support meaningful student sensemaking with the three dimensions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they consistently support meaningful student sensemaking with the three dimensions. Learning sequences within the units vary in length between one and five lessons. Across all units and within every learning sequence, nearly all lessons meaningfully support student sensemaking with the other dimensions. Additionally, sensemaking occurs both at the lesson level and across the learning sequence. Student sensemaking is nearly always tied to explaining a phenomenon or solving a problem.

Examples where SEPs and CCCs meaningfully support student sensemaking with the other dimensions in the learning sequence:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 6: Penguin Protection, students explore penguin parents’ and chicks’ behaviors to understand what behaviors are needed for survival. In Lesson 6, students use a simulation to observe patterns of behavior that are needed for chicks to survive (DCI-LS1.D-P1, SEP-INFO-P1, and CCC-PAT-P1). Students revise their claims to explain how the penguin’s behavior helps them survive and share their claims with the class (SEP-ARG-P5, SEP-ARG-P6).

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 7: This Place is for the Birds, students gather and share information about how the external structures of animal and plant parts function (CCC-SF-P1) to help them grow and survive (DCI-LS1.A-P1, SEP-INFO-P1). Students then apply what they learned to design solutions that mimic a body part they read about that could make it easier for scientists to observe albatrosses in a difficult location (SEP-DATA-P2, SEP-INFO-P4).

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 3: Oksana, Issa, and Layla, students figure out that when the sun is visible, it is bright outside. Students use media to identify patterns of when celestial objects are seen in the sky and then explain that the sun is in the sky when toys outside are visible well and is not in the sky when it is hard to see the toys (SEP-INFO-P1, SEP-DATA-P3, and DCI-ESS1.A-P1). Students use patterns observed in the sky as evidence that the sun causes it to be bright (CCC-PAT-P1, CCC-CE-P2).

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 7 and 8, students figure out why the moon is in a different part of the sky and why it appears to change shape. In Lesson 7, students observe the moon, ask questions, and make an initial explanation of why it changes shape (SEP-AQDP-P1, DCI-ESS1.A-P1, and DCI-PS4.B-P1). Students predict what they will see in a model of the moon and revisit their predictions after making observations. Students explain that the moon changes shape because they see different amounts of light shining on the moon (SEP-CEDS-P1, CCE-CE-P2). In Lesson 8, students describe the pattern of the position of the moon in the sky and use their observations to determine that sometimes the moon is visible when the sky is bright and sometimes when the sky is dark (CCE-CE-P2, DCI-ESS1.A-P1, SEP-DATA-P1, and SEP-DATA-P3). Students then compare the motion of the moon over two different days and, based on their observations, predict where it will be in the later hours of the day (SEP-INV-P6).

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 4: Sound Test, students investigate, gather evidence, and support ideas about how sound is generated. Students conduct investigations and record and analyze data to determine how sound is produced (CCC-CE-P1, SEP-INV-P4, SEP-INV-P5, SEP-DATA-P3, and DCI-PS4.A-P1) by three different objects. Students use this information to revise their solution (DCI-ETS1.B-P1) to the problem of students not being able to hear the teacher’s voice in a noisy room.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lessons 9 and 10, students create a sound-making device that makes two distinct sounds to communicate instructions to another player in a game. In Lesson 9, students define the requirements for the noisemaker solutions and design and build their devices. Students identify the evidence they used when selecting materials and designing their device (DCI-PS4.A-P1, DCI-ETS1.A-P3, DCI-ETS1.B-P1, and DCI-ETS1-P2). In Lesson 10, students play the game to observe if their devices effectively solved the problem and focus on how the devices’ structures contributed to their ability to make sound (CCC-SF-P1, DCI-PS4.C-P1, SEP-INV-P5, and SEP-INFO-P4).

Indicator 1B
04/04

Materials are designed to elicit direct, observable evidence for three-dimensional learning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they are designed to elicit direct, observable evidence for the three-dimensional learning in the instructional materials. 

The materials reviewed consistently provide three-dimensional learning objectives at the lesson level which are found in the Assessment Map of the Curriculum Overview and at the beginning of every lesson. Materials include Pre-Assessments, Formative Assessments, and Checkpoint Assessments in every Module as part of the formative assessment system. Assessment tasks include peer-to-peer, small-group, and class discussions, as well as drawings, verbal responses, data collection, presentations, and building and revising of models. 

Except for the final learning sequence of each Module, every lesson includes one of the three types of assessments with a few lessons across the series having two types. Pre-Assessments occur in the beginning of learning sequences and when new content is presented mid-sequence. Formative Assessments are the most common. Checkpoint Assessments require three-dimensional understanding of a phenomenon or problem before moving to the next lesson. For teacher support, the Pre-Assessments include questions for teacher reflection to consider how students bring prior experiences into the formation of initial ideas. All Formative and Checkpoint Assessments include Indicators of Success and Indicators of Difficulty for each assessed element to support teachers to evaluate student responses. They also include a Remediation section that provides the teacher with guidance on how to adjust instruction based on student responses. 

Examples of lessons with a three-dimensional objective where the formative assessment task(s) assess student knowledge of all (three) dimensions in the learning objective and provide guidance to support the instructional process:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 4: Like Parent Like Offspring, the three-dimensional learning objectives comprise four elements. In the Checkpoint Assessment, students record and use observations from images to describe similarities and differences in young and adult plants and use patterns they notice for evidence (DCI-LS3.A-P1, SEP-DATA-P2, SEP-DATA-P3, and SEP-DATA-P1). Students use what they have learned about the patterns of young/adult plants to draw their prediction of what a young Tussac will look like (CCC-PAT-P1). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with Indicators of Success and Indicators of Difficulty and remediation and enrichment activities to support the instructional process.

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark? Lesson 4: Bouncing Around, the three-dimensional learning objectives comprise four elements. In the Checkpoint Assessment, students create a chart that explains how light interacts differently with different materials (DCI-PS4.B-P2, SEP-CEDS-P1). Students use their testing data to share with a partner how to be successful in a game of hide and seek (CCC-CE-P1, CCC-CE-P2). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with Indicators of Success and Indicators of Difficulty and remediation and enrichment activities to support the instructional process.

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 8: Slow Down –School Students, the three-dimensional learning objectives comprise three elements. In the Checkpoint Assessment, students present and discuss explanations (SEP-CEDS-P2) for how their design solution supports functionality (sending a message to drivers to get a response) and stability (DCI-LS1.D-P1, CCC-SF-P1). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with Indicators of Success and Indicators of Difficulty and remediation and enrichment activities to support the instructional process.

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky WIll Be Dark?, Lesson 6: Sunlight on the National Mall, the three-dimensional learning objective comprises five elements. In the Checkpoint Assessment, students investigate the relative size of the sun’s arc in the sky (CCC-SPQ-P1) and record observations about the different positions of the sun at different times of day and in different seasons (SEP-DATA-P1, SEP-INV-P4). Students use a “What Time of the Year Is It?” chart to explain why the sun sets earlier as seasons change (DCI-ESS1.A-P1, CCC-PAT-P1). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with Indicators of Success and Indicators of Difficulty and remediation and enrichment activities to support the instructional process.

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky WIll Be Dark?, Lesson 8: Where is the Moon?, the three-dimensional learning objectives comprise four elements. In the Checkpoint Assessment, students use observations of the moon's apparent motion overnight to answer the question (SEP-DATA-P3) about why the moon is in different parts of the sky over time. Students use their drawings to predict (SEP-INV-P6) where the moon will appear in the sky later that night (DCI-ESS1.A-P1, CCC-PAT-P1). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with Indicators of Success and Indicators of Difficulty and remediation and enrichment activities to support the instructional process.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 4: Sound Test, the three-dimensional objectives comprise five elements. In the Formative Assessment, students investigate and make observations of a variety of objects, such as a tuning fork, making sounds (SEP-INV-P2, SEP-DATA-P1). Students compare their observations to identify patterns in the data, describe how sound is being made, and use their data to revise and draw a device that will communicate using sound (DCI-ETS1.B-P1, SEP-DATA-P3, and CCC-CE-P1). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with Indicators of Success and Indicators of Difficulty and remediation and enrichment activities to support the instructional process. 

Indicator 1C
04/04

Materials are designed to elicit direct, observable evidence of three-dimensional learning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they are designed to elicit direct, observable evidence of the three-dimensional learning in the instructional materials. 

Materials provide three-dimensional learning objectives tied to performance expectations for each Module. The Module Overview Assessment Map indicates the elements of the three dimensions addressed in the Module and summative assessments.

The summative assessments are designed to measure student achievement of the targeted three-dimensional learning objectives. Each Module in Grade 1 ends with a two-lesson long Science Challenge or Design Challenge intended as a summative assessment. The Science and Design Challenges present students with a problem or challenge and students work to explain and solve the problem. Within each assessment sequence, performance tasks include peer-to-peer, small-group, and class discussions, as well as drawings, verbal responses, data collection, presentations, and building and revising of models. Scoring rubrics are included with a scale for each element of the three dimensions being assessed in that Module. 

Examples of lessons with a three-dimensional objective where the summative assessment task(s) assess student knowledge of all (three) dimensions in the learning objective, and provide guidance to support the instructional process:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lessons 9 and 10, the three-dimensional learning objectives comprise eleven elements. In the Science Challenge, students identify what type of penguin a pair of young penguins are and use animal structures as an inspiration to solve problems posed while observing the penguins. Students describe specific features that are similar and different in penguins and between adults and offspring (DCI-LS3.A-P1, DCI-LS3.B-P1). Using patterns from the similar features (CCC-PAT-P1), students support their claim for what type of penguin a particular young penguin is (SEP-DATA-P2, SEP-ARG-P5, and SEP-ARG-P6). Students share posters that identify external plant or animal parts and describe how the external part functions to send information to aid in survival (DCI-LS1.A-P1, DCI-LS1.D-P1, DCI-LS1.B-P1, and CCC-SF-P1). Students use what they know about the structure and function of animal parts to solve a problem Ada may encounter as she observes penguins and then share and construct an argument for their solution (SEP-ARG-P5, SEP-ARG-P6). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with a scoring rubric to measure the three-dimensional elements of the objectives.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lessons 9 and 10, the three-dimensional learning objectives comprise eight elements. In the Design Challenge, students solve the problem that a group of students picking up trash need to know the correct path. Students use tools and materials to create a physical model of a tool that can help the students picking up trash communicate (DCI-ETS1.B-P1, SEP-MOD-P4, and SEP-CEDS-P2). The students choose the materials, with an end-goal in mind, based on the structure and function of their model (CCC-SF-P1). Students write an explanation about how their model device vibrates to make sound and that the shape causes the vibration (DCI-PS4.A-P1, SEP-MOD-P4, and CCC-SF-P1). Students then discuss how their model makes sound based on the design structure (SEP-INFO-P4, CCC-SF-P1) and compare their design with peers to see how they are similar and different (DCI-PS4.C-P1, DCI-ETS1.C-P1). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with a scoring rubric to measure the three-dimensional elements of the objectives.

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lessons 9 and 10, the three-dimensional learning objectives comprise six elements. In the Science Challenge, students solve the problem that it is dark when a student is walking to school. Students observe patterns in the sky before, during, and after sunrise and patterns of daylight on four different days of the year (DCI-ESS1.A-P1, CCC-PAT-P1) and use this data to determine when students will be going to school in the dark (DCI-ESS1.B-P1, SEP-DATA-P3, and CCC-PAT-P1). Students then investigate three possible solutions to make the walk in the dark safer. They make observations of three light sources to determine the different effects of each light source and explain how each light source makes students visible in the dark (DCI-PS4.B-P1, CCC-CE-P2). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with a scoring rubric to measure the three-dimensional elements of the objectives.

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lessons 9 and 10, the three-dimensional learning objectives comprise nine elements. In the Science Challenge, students solve the problem that they need to be able to find the exit in a dark room during an emergency. Students ask questions about how available light can illuminate objects or how objects can give off their own light (DCI-ETS1.A-P2, DCI-ETS1.A-P3, and DCI-PS4.B-P1). Students then ask questions about and define the problem of the darkened library (DCI-ETS1.A-P1, SEP-AQDP-P3, and CCC-CE-P2). Next, based on how materials interact with light (opaque, transparent, reflective, etc.) and animals’ responses to stimuli for survival (DCI-PS4.B-P2, DCI-LS1.D-P1), students explain how their selected materials and design solution provide a signal that results in an appropriate response to exiting a darkened library (SEP-CEDS-P1, CCC-CE-P2). All elements of the learning objectives are assessed. Teachers are provided with a scoring rubric to measure the three-dimensional elements of the objectives.

Criterion 1.2: Phenomena and Problems Drive Learning

12/12

Materials leverage science phenomena and engineering problems in the context of driving learning and student performance.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for Criterion 1d-1i: Phenomena and Problems Drive Learning. The materials include numerous phenomena and problems throughout the grade. Of those phenomena and problems, they consistently connect to grade-level appropriate DCIs and are consistently presented to students as directly as possible. Phenomena or problems consistently drive learning and engage students in the three dimensions in both learning sequences and learning opportunities. The materials consistently elicit but inconsistently leverage student prior knowledge and experience related to the phenomena and problems present. The materials consistently incorporate phenomena or problems to drive learning and use of the three dimensions across multiple chapters within each unit.

Indicator 1D
02/02

Phenomena and/or problems are connected to grade-level Disciplinary Core Ideas.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that phenomena and/or problems are connected to grade-level Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs). Across the grade, the materials provide opportunities for students to build an understanding of grade-level DCIs through phenomena or problems. From one to eight lessons in length, learning sequences work to connect a single phenomenon or problem to corresponding DCIs.

Examples where phenomena or problems are connected to grade-level Disciplinary Core Ideas:

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 1: Where Are My Toys?, the phenomenon is that in the evenings, toys can be spotted outside, but as the days go on, it becomes harder to see the toys. Students look inside boxes with and without a flashlight shining into the box to determine that without a light source, it is more difficult to see objects (DCI-PS4.B-P1). Students develop a model to represent what can be seen in the sky when it is bright and when it is dark. Students look at seasonal patterns of daylight (DCI-ESS1.A-P1) and use observations of the sky at sunset in the fall and winter (DCI-ESS1.B-P1) to explain why the toys are harder to see as the days pass.

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 7: Mysterious Moon, the phenomenon is that over the course of a few days, the moon changes its shape and location in the sky. Students look at a foam ball in a box with a flashlight to determine why the shape appears to change and why you can see the moon. Students then explain that the flashlight is shining on the bright part of the moon model (DCI-PS4.B-P1). Students observe more models showing the moon’s pattern of motion over the course of two different days and record observations to explain the moon's movement in the sky (DCI-ESS1.A-P1).

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 1: A Pair of Penguins, the phenomenon is that penguins are both similar to and different from each other in various ways. Across a series of lessons, students record observations to identify similarities and differences between adult and young animals, including penguins, (DCI-LS3.A-P1) and identify patterns of features between several species of penguins (DCI-LS3.B-P1).

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 7: This Place is for the Birds, the problem is that the location and conditions of albatross nesting sites makes it difficult for scientists to observe them. Students make observations of an albatross nesting site and identify challenges for scientists seeking to observe birds there. Students read a story about how body parts help plants and animals survive (DCI-LS1.A-P1) and consider how the design and function of these body parts can help to solve the scientists’ challenge of observing the nesting site (DCI-ETS1.A-P1). Students then design and construct a solution to the problem based on an animal body part. 

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 2: Treasure Hunt, the phenomenon is that a flashlight beam behaves differently when it shines on different objects in the classroom. Across a series of lessons, students investigate multiple scenarios to see how light interacts with different materials (DCI-PS4.B-P2). Students test how much light shines through clear plastic, parchment paper, and black cardstock. Students then test how they can change the shape and/or size of a shadow and the ability to reflect light onto the ceiling using foil and a mirror.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 1: Time to Go!, the problem is that students can't hear their teacher's voice in a space where other people are talking. Students use a model to observe that a human voice is harder to hear at greater distances and over other sounds, explore different ways humans communicate, and research non-vocal ways of sending messages (DCI-PS4.C-P1). Students design a solution to the problem and then record observations of what they feel, hear, and see during sound investigations. Students read about vibrations causing sound in stringed instruments and then investigate a kazoo and model drum to identify that sounds can make things vibrate (DCI-PS4.A-P1).

Indicator 1E
02/02

Phenomena and/or problems are presented to students as directly as possible.

The instructional materials reviewed for First Grade meet expectations that phenomena and/or problems are presented to students as directly as possible. Across the grade level, materials consistently present phenomena and problems to students as directly as possible. With many accompanied by photographs, the majority of phenomena and problems are presented in a video with an animated character named Ada who directly describes the problems or phenomena for the students. Opportunities for direct, first-hand experiences with phenomena and problems are occasionally included in the materials.

Examples where materials present phenomena and problems to students as directly as possible:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 1: A Pair of Penguins, the phenomenon is that penguins are both similar to and different from each other in various ways. Students watch a video where Ada describes penguins that look alike in some ways and different in other ways. Additionally, students observe cards with penguins to identify similarities and differences. The video and images on the cards provide students with a common experience and context to have a shared and direct understanding of the phenomenon.

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 7: Mysterious Moon, the phenomenon is that over the course of a few days, the moon changes its shape and location in the sky. Students watch a video where Ada shares how she's seen the moon in different places, at different times, and in different shapes. Students listen to her explain where and when she saw the moon and observe pictures of what it looked like each time. The video and images provide students with a common experience and context to have a shared and direct understanding of the phenomenon.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 1: Time to Go!, the problem is that students can't hear their teacher's voice in a space where other people are talking. Students watch a video of Ada describing a class field trip where the students became so noisy that the teacher is unable to get their attention. Students recreate the problem by running a model that is similar to what happened on the field trip in the video. The video and recreation of the scenario provide students with a common experience and context to have a shared and direct understanding of the problem.

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 2: Treasure Hunt, the phenomenon is that a flashlight beam behaves differently when it shines on different objects in the classroom. Students are presented the phenomenon through a story and share any experiences they have had with playing a game using flashlights and hiding. After studying an image of a flashlight to learn how it works, students observe their teacher shining a flashlight on a non-reflective wall at a 90 degree angle and onto the floor of a closet. The story, image, and first-hand observations provide students with a common experience and context to have a shared and direct understanding of the phenomenon.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 9: River Crossing, Part 1, the design challenge is to make a device that makes two distinct sounds to communicate the instructions to another player in the game. Students watch a video where Ada explains how the game needs two noisemakers to communicate which way to move on the board. Students observe a slide depicting the game and a game board to discuss what is needed for a solution. The video, slide, and game board provide students with a common experience and context to have a shared and direct understanding of the design challenge.

Indicator 1F
02/02

Phenomena and/or problems drive individual lessons or activities using key elements of all three dimensions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that phenomena and/or problems drive individual lessons or activities using key elements of all three dimensions. In the majority of lessons where phenomena or problems are present, students work toward figuring out phenomena or solving problems. Students often engage with the same phenomenon or problem across multiple learning opportunities and the phenomenon or problem typically drives instruction in each of those opportunities. Across the four Modules, students consistently engage in three-dimensional lessons where two or more SEPs and at least one CCC are present.

Examples of lessons that are driven by phenomena or problems using elements of all three dimensions:

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 2: Treasure Hunt, the phenomenon is that a flashlight beam behaves differently when it shines on different objects in the classroom. Students investigate when they can see objects in the light and dark (DCI-PS4.B-P1, SEP-INV-P2). Students use a cave simulation to see if objects can be seen when it is dark (SEP-CEDS-P1) and make predictions as to what would cause gemstones in the dark to be seen. Students generate questions that they can investigate to test their ideas on what causes objects to be seen (CCC-CE-P1).

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way in the Dark?, Lesson 6: Animal Ideas, the problem is that drivers in the dark may not see children at the dark bus stop. Students ask questions and define a problem related to students waiting for a bus when it is dark outside (SEP-ADQP-P1, DCI-ETS1.A-P1, and DCI-ETS1.A-P2). Students use an image to identify objects that illuminate the dark that might be solutions to the safety problem (DCI-PS4.B-P1) and gather information from text to identify structures that help animals survive in the dark (SEP-INFO-P3, DCI-LS1.D-P1, and CCC-SF-P1). Students then draw their initial solution to the problem and explain how it will help drivers see students at the bus stop when it is dark outside.

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 1: A Pair of Penguins, the phenomenon is that penguins are both similar to and different from each other in various ways. Looking at images, students describe penguins’ similarities and differences and record their observations (SEP-DATA-P1, DCI-LS3.B-P1). Students use these observations to look for patterns they can use as evidence to support why two penguins can look both alike and different (SEP-DATA-P3, CCC-PAT-P1, and DCI-LS3.A-P1).

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 5: Staying Alive, the phenomenon is that a baby penguin is seen making noise at and chasing after its mother. After gathering information from a video of a penguin parent and chick and a reading that explores various patterns of behavior, students construct an argument from evidence (SEP-ARG-P6) to explain patterns of behavior in penguin parents and their young and why the baby penguin makes noise and chases its parent (CCC-PAT-P1, DCI-LS1.B-P1, and DCI-LS1.D-P1).

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 2: Locating the Light, the phenomenon is that in the evenings, toys can be spotted outside, but as the days go on, it becomes harder to see the toys. Students look inside of a cardboard box and see a glow stick and explain that they can see the glow stick because it gives off its own light (DCI-PS4.B.P1, SEP-DATA-P3). Using a card set with images of toys, students categorize the cards into groups where either the toys can be seen because they give off light or because light shines on the toys. Students share their findings with the class describing patterns in their categories and ideas about where they think the light is coming from for each category (SEP-CEDS-P1, CCC-CE-P1). Revisiting the phenomenon, students explain why the toys are harder to see and cite patterns noted in their discussions as evidence (CCC-PAT-P1). Students explain that the amount of light (the sun) shining on the toys determines if they can be seen (DCI-PS4.B.P1). 

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 7: Mysterious Moon, the phenomenon is that over the course of a few days, the moon changes its shape and location in the sky. Students watch a video depicting the moon on three different days (CCC-PAT-P1), make an initial explanation about why the moon appears to change shape (CCC-CE-P2), and then share questions and observations (SEP-AQDP-P1). Students use a model of the moon (foam ball in a box) to make and record observations (SEP-DATA-P1, SEP-MOD-P3, and SEP-MOD-P1). Students construct an explanation of how the bright part of the moon model changes shape over time (SEP-CEDS-P1, DCI-ESS1.A-P1, and DCI-PS4.B-P1).

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 8: Sounding Off, the problem is that students can't hear their teacher's voice in a space where other people are talking. Students build a three dimensional model of a sound-making device to solve the problem of not hearing the teacher (SEP-CEDS-P2, SEP-MOD-P4). Students record observations (SEP-INV-P5) of how far away their instrument can be heard (DCI-PS4.C-P1) and then analyze the results to determine if their device worked as intended (DCI-ETS1.C-P1, SEP-DATA-P5). Using their models, students communicate their design and how the structure makes sound (DCI-ETS1.B-P1, CCC-SF-P1).

Indicator 1G
Read

Materials are designed to include both phenomena and problems.

The instructional materials reviewed for First Grade are designed to include both phenomena and problems. Across the four Modules, the materials include six problems and six phenomena.

Each of the four Modules focuses on a different science discipline: life, earth and space, physical, and engineering design. Thematic in nature, Modules consist of ten lessons that are grouped into learning sequences varying between one and six lessons in length. Life, earth and space, and physical science Modules end with a two-lesson Science Challenge. The engineering design Module ends with a two-lesson Design Challenge. 

Phenomena and problems are typically introduced in the first lesson of a learning sequence. Phenomena and problems within a Module share common topics that connect to the overall theme of the Module. For example, earth and space-related phenomena or problems are introduced at the start of each learning sequence in the Module What Can Maps Tell Us About Land and Water On Earth? The engineering design Module How Can We Stop Soil From Washing Away? introduces only problems in its learning sequences.

Examples where materials are designed to include phenomena:

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 1: Treasure Hunt, the phenomenon is that it is harder to see objects in the closet than on a desk in the classroom. After finding hidden gemstones in three locations (on a well-lit table, the back of a shelf, and in a dark cabinet), students identify in which location it was harder to observe the gemstones and then form a question to investigate. Using a computer simulation, students move different objects into a simulated dark space to determine if they can be seen in the dark. Based on the patterns from their observations, students explain that a light source is needed for humans to see objects.

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 5: Staying Alive, the phenomenon is that a baby penguin is seen making noise at and chasing after its mother. After watching a video, students read a story about behaviors in parents and offspring and look for patterns. Using a simulation, students play the role of a penguin parent to make decisions around challenges that occur when raising a chick. Through trial and error, students determine which behaviors allow the chick to live and grow on its own. Students construct an argument to explain the penguin’s behavior.

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 7: Mysterious Moon, the phenomenon is that over the course of a few days, the moon changes its shape and location in the sky. Students watch a video, read observation notes, and examine three different models of the moon. Students draw or write their observations and develop an explanation of why the moon’s shape looks different on different days and why the moon is in different parts of the sky at different times in the day.

Examples where materials are designed to include problems:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 9: River Crossing, Part 1, the design challenge is to make a device that makes two distinct sounds to communicate instructions to another player in the game. After determining the goal of the noise-making device, students define the problem, design, build, and test out a noise-maker. Students then compare their devices to others in the class in three ways: the shapes of the devices, the materials used in the design, and how these two elements contribute to the devices' overall ability to make a sound.

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 9: Emergency Escape, Part 1, the problem is that it is completely dark in the library when the lights go out and students aren't able to see how to get to the door. Students research various objects used for emergencies, compare their different parts to identify similarities, and determine how these objects can be used to help people find a door. Students test plastic gel and tape cards to determine if these items reflect light or allow light to pass through them. Students use evidence from their investigations to explain how the materials used are affected by the absence of light and how the materials will help students find the library door.

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 7: This Place is for the Birds, the problem is that the location and conditions of albatross nesting sites makes it difficult for scientists to observe them. After reading a story about how plants and animals survive using their external body parts, students choose a plant or animal body part that can be mimicked to solve one of the challenges facing the scientists. Students choose materials to use, design a solution, and build a prototype that mimics a plant or animal. Students explain how their model mimics a plant or animal.

Indicator 1H
02/02

Materials intentionally leverage students’ prior knowledge and experiences related to phenomena or problems.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they intentionally elicit and leverage students’ prior knowledge and experiences related to phenomena or problems. Throughout the grade, the materials consistently elicit and leverage students’ prior knowledge and experience as they explain and solve phenomena and problems. Students’ prior knowledge and experience are leveraged in several different ways. This includes prompting students to use their prior experience to support their thinking, using what students share to identify common patterns across a phenomenon, or applying previous experiences to engage with the phenomenon or problem. In some cases, the materials elicit prior experiences and knowledge at the beginning of a sequence and then return to and incorporate the responses into instruction in multiple subsequent lessons. In all of the instances where prior experiences are leveraged, the materials make the connection between students’ prior knowledge and experience and their application to the phenomenon or problem explicit.

The materials also include generic supports for the teacher to engage with students’ prior knowledge and experiences related to phenomena and problems. Each Pre-Assessment is accompanied by Questions for Teacher Reflection, which include a question about how students bring in their prior experiences and knowledge as they develop their initial explanation or solution. Lessons also occasionally include EL Strategy callout boxes that suggest, “Access students’ prior knowledge and experience.” Both of these supports are generalized and do not always include support specific to the lesson.

Example where the materials elicit and leverage prior knowledge and experience related to phenomena and problems.

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 1: A Pair of Penguins, the phenomenon is that penguins are both similar to and different from each other in various ways. Students observe the phenomenon and then make initial claims about why the penguins are similar and different. The teacher elicits and leverages prior experience by asking students “Have you ever seen anything like this in your own life that makes you think that?” as they support their initial explanations. 

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 5: Staying Alive, the phenomenon is that a baby penguin is seen making noise at and chasing after its mother. Students share with a partner what the penguins are doing in the video and how parts of their bodies are used in the behavior. As students discuss, the teacher elicits and leverages prior knowledge by, “Encourage[ing] students to draw on their prior experience with other animals” as they respond and support their ideas.

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way in the Dark? Lesson 1: Treasure Hunt, the phenomenon is that it is harder to see objects in the closet than on a desk in the classroom. The teacher elicits students’ prior experience by asking students to “think for a minute about the darkest place they know.” The teacher collects students’ responses and records them on a Dark Places chart. In Lesson 4: Bouncing Around, the teacher leverages these responses in a discussion about the interaction of light with a variety of materials. The teacher asks students if there are any places that are completely dark and leverages their prior experiences by supporting students to “refer to the Dark Places Chart.” In Lesson 5: Waiting in the Dark, the challenge is that drivers in the dark may not see children at the dark bus stop. As students analyze the problem, the teacher leverages their prior experience by referring to the Dark Places Chart and asking, “Whether they would want to light up any of those places and why.”

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When the Sky Will be Dark?, Lesson 1: Where Are My Toys?, the phenomenon is that in the evenings, toys can be spotted outside, but as the days go on, it becomes harder to see the toys. After introducing the phenomenon, the teacher asks students if anything like this has happened to them and records their responses on the Has This Happened to You Chart. Students then make an initial explanation about why the phenomenon occurred and the teacher leverages their prior experience by “Remind[ing] students that they might get ideas from their own or their classmates’ similar experiences.” Later, as students are investigating possible causes of the phenomenon, the teacher again prompts students to “think about times when they were in places without light” to explain why objects were or were not visible inside a cardboard box.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send a Message Using Sound?, Lesson 2: Sending the Message, the problem is that students can't hear their teacher's voice for them to end an activity in a space where other people are talking. As students begin to solve the problem, the teacher asks students to think about the ways that people communicate at home, in the classroom, and when they are not near to one another. The teacher solicits their responses and records them on the Ways We Communicate Chart. Next, the teacher guides students to organize the ways of communication students listed into categories of communication (e.g., writing, sound) in the Human Communications Chart. Student prior experiences are further leveraged as they use the Human Communications Chart to discuss ways of communication that may not have been available in the past and consider “which types of communication do they think would work best to solve the problem.”

Indicator 1I
04/04

Materials embed phenomena or problems across multiple lessons for students to use and build knowledge of all three dimensions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they embed phenomena or problems across multiple lessons for students to use and build knowledge of all three dimensions. The instructional materials consistently use phenomena or problems to drive student learning and to engage with all three dimensions as students engage in modeling, develop and revise explanations, and solve problems across most lesson sequences. Each unit consists of at least two lesson sequences which vary in the number of lessons included. In addition to driving learning across multiple lessons within a sequence, phenomena and problems within a single unit are often connected across learning sequences by a similar theme. For example, the Physical Science unit focuses on interactions of light and how it is used for animal survival where students make sense of a light-related phenomenon or problem in each learning sequence. When phenomena and problems drive instruction across multiple learning opportunities, students consistently engage with all three dimensions as they make sense of or solve phenomena and problems. Students also have a variety of opportunities to revisit and revise their thinking through writing, drawing, and discussion.

Examples of phenomena and problems that drive students’ learning and use of the three dimensions across multiple lessons in the unit:

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lessons 2-4, the phenomenon is that a flashlight beam behaves differently when it shines on different objects in the classroom. Students engage in a series of lessons to explain how objects are seen and what happens when light shines on different materials (DCI-PS4.B-P1, DCI-PS4.B-P2). In Lesson 2, students construct an initial explanation of what happens when light interacts with opaque, transparent, and reflective materials (CCC-CE-P2), then test their predictions (SEP-INV-P4). Students use observations to explain the effect of putting transparent objects in the path of a beam of light (CCC-CE-P2). In Lesson 3, students plan ways they can affect shadow formation and size and explain how to make small and large shadows. In Lesson 4, students explain that a light source is needed in order to see objects and the effects of shining light on transparent, translucent, and opaque objects (DCI-PS4.B-P1, DCI-PS4.B-P2, and SEP-CEDS-P1). Across the learning sequence, students engage in multiple opportunities to develop, revise, and evaluate their thinking such as drawing initial explanations, engaging in discussions, making predictions, and creating a cause/effect chart to form a class explanation of the phenomenon.

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lessons 1-3, the phenomenon is that penguins are both similar to and different from each other in various ways. Students engage in a series of lessons to explain how young animals and plants are very much like their parents but can also vary in many ways (DCI-LS3.B-P1, DCI-LS3.A-P1). In Lesson 1, students describe the details from images of two penguins and recognize patterns in the observations they recorded (CCC-PAT-P1, SEP-DATA-P3). In Lesson 2, students use pictures to observe and look for patterns as they record observations comparing adult and young animals (CCC-PAT-P1, SEP-DATA-P3). In Lesson 3, students observe penguin features to classify and describe different types of penguins and then support their explanation that the penguins in the phenomenon were adult penguins and young penguins. Across the learning sequence, students engage in multiple opportunities to develop, revise, and evaluate their thinking such as making observations, creating a class chart, sharing ideas with a partner, and using words, drawings, or both, to communicate why the penguins look similar and different.

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lessons 5 and 6, the phenomenon is that a baby penguin is seen making noise at and chasing after its mother. Students engage in two lessons to explain how animals engage in certain behaviors (DCI-LS1.D-P1). In Lesson 5, students use their observations of patterns in parent behavior as evidence to support their ideas about how different types of behavior help animals survive (SEP-INFO-P3, SEP-DATA-P3, and CCC-PAT-P1). In Lesson 6, students use evidence to support their claim to explain the penguins' behavior in the video and use evidence to explain why they agree or disagree with a peer's argument (SEP-ARG-P5, SEP-ARG-P6, and DCI-LS1.D-P1). Across the learning sequence, students engage in multiple opportunities to develop, revise, and evaluate their thinking such as constructing arguments with evidence from a video, reading to gather information, evaluating arguments in pairs, listening to others’ arguments, and engaging in a simulation before revising their arguments based on evidence.

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lessons 7 and 8, the problem is that the location and conditions of albatross nesting sites makes it difficult for scientists to observe them. Students engage in two lessons to define a problem and draw or describe how their idea could solve this problem. In Lesson 7, students define the problems faced by the scientists observing the animals (DCI-ETS1.A-P3). Students then explore the concept of biomimicry and look at how imitating the structure (CCC-SF-P1) of plants and animals can offer solutions to these problems. In Lesson 8, students describe how different shapes and stability of plant and animal parts relate to their function and use this information to come up with a design solution (DCI-LS1.A-P1, SEP-CEDS-P2). Across the learning sequence, students engage in multiple opportunities to develop, revise, and evaluate their thinking such as communicating through oral and written forms and/or drawings as well as using different materials that mimic plant and animal parts to further refine and build on their initial solution ideas.

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lessons 1-4, the phenomenon is that in the evenings, toys can be spotted outside, but as the days go on, it becomes harder to see the toys. Students engage in a series of lessons to explain that it is harder to see without the sun’s light and that the sun begins to set earlier in the fall. In Lesson 1, students investigate looking at objects in a box with and without a flashlight (DCI-PS4.B.P1, SEP-INV-P6, and CCC-CE-P1), and use their observations to explain why the toys could or could not be seen (SEP-CEDS-P1, SEP-INV-P4). In Lesson 2, students observe a glow stick in a box (SEP-DATA-P3) and categorize things that can be seen giving off light and those with light shining on them (DCI-PS4.B-P1). They use the patterns to explain how objects can be seen when light is shining on them (SEP-CEDS-P1, CCC-PAT-P1). In Lesson 3, students use media and text (SEP-INFO-P1) to learn about celestial objects and explain that the toys can only be seen when the sun is in the sky (CCC-CE-P2, SEP-DATA-P3, and DCI-ESS1.A-P1). In Lesson 4, students collect data (SEP-DATA-P3) from media about the sun to identify patterns of when it is bright and dark outside (SEP-INFO-P1) and then determine what time of year is best to see the toys (DCI-ESS1.B-P1). Across the learning sequence, students engage in multiple opportunities to develop, revise, and evaluate their thinking such as recording data, categorizing observations, sharing ideas with partners, engaging in discussions, reading a story, and writing or drawing ideas.

Overview of Gateway 2

Coherence & Scope

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for Gateway 2: Coherence & Scope; Criterion 1: Coherence and Full Scope of the Three Dimensions meets expectations.

Criterion 2.1: Coherence and Full Scope of the Three Dimensions

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Materials are coherent in design, scientifically accurate, and support grade-band endpoints of all three dimensions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for the Criterion 2a-2g: Coherence and Full Scope of the Three Dimensions. The materials support students in understanding connections between units. The materials, and corresponding suggested sequence, reveal student tasks related to explaining phenomena or solving problems that increase in sophistication within each unit and across units. The materials accurately represent the three dimensions across the series and only include scientific content appropriate to the grade level. Further, the materials include all DCI components and all elements for physical science; life science; earth and space science; and engineering, technology, and applications of science. The materials include all of the SEPs at the grade level and all of the SEPs across the grade band. The materials include all grade-band crosscutting concepts and provide repeated opportunities for students to use CCCs across the grade band. The materials include NGSS connections to Nature of Science and Engineering elements associated with the SEPs and/or CCCs.

Indicator 2A
Read

Materials are designed for students to build and connect their knowledge and use of the three dimensions across the series.

Indicator 2A.i
02/02

Students understand how the materials connect the dimensions from unit to unit.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that students understand how the materials connect the dimensions from Module to Module. The materials include four Modules, each focused on a different discipline, that may be taught in any order: Earth and Space Science, Life Science, Physical Science, and Engineering Design. Within lessons, the materials frequently address what was covered in previous lessons and how it furthers the learning in current lessons. Each lesson builds to the next and includes prompts for the teacher to support students in making those connections. In addition, Series Connection call out boxes prompt the teacher to draw attention to connections to other grade level Modules or previous grade Modules if students have previously completed them. Examples of student learning experiences that demonstrate connections across:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 2: Cubs and Chicks, students make observations about living things. The Series Connection callout box connects to another Module and suggests, “If your class has used the module What Do Plants and Animals Need to Live? ask them to think about how their previous experience observing the parts of living things is similar to the observations they are recording in this lesson.”

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lessons 1-3, students collect evidence through observations of adult and young animal images. After describing patterns of animals in their observations, students are explicitly told they will continue to find patterns using observations as evidence in Lesson 4, however, this time they will look for similarities and differences in plants. 

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 1: Where Are My Toys?, students discuss ideas around why toys outside are not visible during a certain time of day. The Series Connection callout box connects to another Module and suggests, “If your class has used the module How Can We Light Our Way in the Dark? they may be quick to explain that Ada can’t see the toys without light shining on them. Students will use the investigation in this lesson to support or refute their original ideas.”

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 10: River Crossing, Part 2, students solve a problem where they cannot hear the teacher calling them to gather. Students create noisemakers that would get the attention of the class when a voice could not be heard. The Series Connection callout box connects to the rest of the program and suggests, “If students have completed other Smithsonian Science for the Classroom modules this year, ask them how they could use their noisemakers or other sound-based devices to solve the problems in those modules.”

Indicator 2A.ii
02/02

Materials have an intentional sequence where student tasks increase in sophistication.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten to Grade 2 meet expectations that they have an intentional sequence where student tasks increase in sophistication. Materials are designed with an intentional and suggested sequence across the series where grade specific units may be taught in any order. There is no specific increase in rigor within grade level units as rigor occurs across the grade band. Across the series, tasks increase in sophistication in a number of ways. From Kindergarten to Grade 2, many student supports are gradually faded out. For instance, in Kindergarten, students frequently develop ideas collaboratively in a whole group setting but by Grade 2, students do more work, like developing explanations, independently. Other supports, like sentence frames and graphic organizers, also occur less frequently in Grade 2. The complexity of tasks increases as students go through the grade band. In Kindergarten, students work with smaller data sets and may investigate only a single aspect of a phenomenon, whereas in Grade 2 they collect, analyze, and use larger bodies of evidence to support explanations and solve more complex problems. The increase in sophistication is consistent across the DCIs that students encounter, the  SEPs that students engage in to make sense of phenomena and solve problems, and the CCCs that they apply.

Examples of student tasks increasing in sophistication across the grade band:

  • Across the grade band, there is an increase in sophistication as students collect, communicate, and use information. In Kindergarten, the teacher provides significant support as students engage with scientific texts, including reading aloud to students and guiding them through comprehension strategies. By Grade 2, students engage with texts more independently and do more to summarize and synthesize what they read. For instance, in Kindergarten, Life Science, What do Plants and Animals Need to Live?, Lesson 7: You Get What You Need, the teacher reads a story about habitats from the Smithsonian Stories Literacy Series Big Book: Wander and Wonder. In addition to reading the story for the students, the teacher rereads the story, pauses at each organism it discusses, asks students key questions about the information on what each organism needs, and then records student responses in a class chart. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When the Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 3: Oksana, Issa, and Layla, students read a story from the book Sky Patterns. As in Kindergarten, the teacher first reads the book aloud to students, and pauses to ask comprehension questions and point out important information. Students, however, are responsible for working with a partner to return to the story, reread it, and record important information in their journals. In Grade 2, Life Science, How Can We Find the Best Place for a Plant to Grow?, Lesson 4: Tomato Trouble, students read about the parts of a plant in a story from the book Blossoms, Bees, and Seeds. Students begin by previewing the book and looking at the headings and other text features for connections they make. The teacher reads the book aloud to the class once but does not pause to ask comprehension questions. The teacher then provides a purpose for reading the text, students read the text, independently share what they learned with a partner, and then record information they learned from the story in their journal on their own. 

  • Across the grade band, there is an increase in sophistication as students develop explanations of phenomena. In Kindergarten, the teacher provides sentence frames for students to state their explanations, uses guided questions to support students to develop explanations, and leads students to collectively develop explanations. By Grade 2, students develop explanations more independently, incorporate more evidence in their explanations, and assess how their explanations have changed. For example, in Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change an Object’s Motion?, Lesson 3: Faster, Faster!, students investigate what makes objects move quickly. As students make sense of their observations, the teacher provides a sentence frame for students to use as they state their observations. The teacher records student responses on a class chart for them, and then guides students to use another sentence frame to state their conclusion. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When the Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 7: Mysterious Moon, students model the moon’s apparent change of shape. After making observations of their model, students discuss with a partner and then independently write or draw why they think the bright part of the model changed shape. The teacher then returns to the question of the actual moon appearing to change shape but does not provide students with sentence stems to state their ideas. In Grade 2, Engineering Design, How Can We Stop Land from Washing Away?, Lesson 5: Change! Change! Read All about It!, students work independently with fewer supports to develop an explanation. After students read a text to collect information on what causes changes to the land, they are prompted to explain what caused the road behind Ada’s school to be covered in mud. Unlike in previous lessons, they develop their explanations independently, without discussing possible explanations as a class first. In addition, the student notebook provides fewer scaffolds for students to write their claims. The notebooks include basic prompts, like “This is my evidence,” but do not include sentence stems. 

  • Across the grade band, there is an increase in sophistication as students use models to explain phenomena and solve problems. As students progress through the band, the expectations for their models increase and by Grade 2 their models are based on larger bodies of evidence, include labels and explanations, are developed more independently, and include simulations. Expectations for student understanding of modeling as a practice also increase. In Kindergarten, Life Science, What Do Plants and Animals Need to Live?, Lesson 9: Play Area Plan, Part 1, students model the habitats present on a schoolyard. The materials provide students with a template of the model and symbols of organisms to cut out and include in the model (e.g., caterpillar, tree). Students are further supported by the practice of discussing and refining their models with the entire class. In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send a Message Using Sound?, Lesson 6: Drum Vibrations, students draw a model of a device that will make sound. Students now discuss their models in pairs, rather than as a full class, and their models must include labels identifying their proposed materials as well as a justification for why they selected the materials in their models. In Grade 2, Life Science, How Can We Find the Best Place for a Plant to Grow?, Lesson 6: A Gardener’s Gadget, students make a device that can pollinate plants. Prior to building the device, students draw a detailed model that includes labels of each part and the material. In developing their model, students must also describe the shape or texture of each element and explain how it relates to the device’s function and its similarity to the bee that is being modeled.

  • Across the grade band, there is an increase in sophistication as students construct and use arguments to support their explanations of phenomena or solutions to problems. In Kindergarten, students make and support claims, but are heavily supported by the teacher and do not typically analyze arguments. By Grade 2, students are expected to include multiple sources of evidence, explain how the evidence supports their claims, and analyze others’ oral and written arguments for validity or accuracy. For example, in Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change an Object’s Motion?, Lesson 2: Move that Ball!, students investigate how to start a ball’s motion. Students conduct a simple investigation and use the results to make a claim about what made a hockey puck move. Students are given a sentence frame to help them state their claim and provide supporting evidence. In Grade 1, Life Science, How do Living Things Stay Safe and Grow?, Lesson 6: Penguin Protection, students use a greater range of sources as evidence for their arguments. Students collect evidence on penguin behaviors from a simulation and video of a young and adult penguin interacting. They discuss this evidence, along with evidence they collected from a book in a previous lesson, and explain how it can support their claim about a young penguin’s behavior. Students then take these multiple pieces of evidence and construct their own argument independently in their journal. In Grade 2, Physical Science, How Can We Change Solids and Liquids?, Lesson 6: Making a Mold, students continue using multiple sources of evidence to support their arguments but also engage in a discussion about one another’s arguments. Using evidence and information collected over multiple lessons, students make a claim about a container they can use to mold their own crayons. After sharing their plans, the teacher encourages students to “ask a question, challenge, and/or add to other students’ ideas.” The teacher supports students to engage with one another’s arguments by suggesting they refer to the evidence they collected.

Indicator 2B
02/02

Materials present Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) in a way that is scientifically accurate.

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 four units.

Indicator 2C
02/02

Materials do not inappropriately include scientific content and ideas outside of the grade-level Disciplinary Core Ideas.

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.

Indicator 2D
Read

Materials incorporate all grade-level Disciplinary Core Ideas.

Indicator 2D.i
02/02

Physical Sciences

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.

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

  • PS4.A-P1. In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 6: Drum Vibrations, students see how sound causes vibrations by using rulers, rubberbands, tuning forks, kazoos, and a drum model. Students work together to plan and investigate to see if sound causes the small particles on a drum to vibrate.

  • PS4.B-P1. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 1: Treasure Hunt, students use their observations of a treasure hunt game in the dark and of a simulation to explain that a light source is needed for humans to see objects but that flashlights and glow sticks give off their own source of light. 

  • PS4.B-P2. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 4: Bouncing Around, students investigate with a flashlight to see what happens when light is directed on reflective, translucent, and opaque objects. Students explain that opaque objects block light and cast shadows, translucent material lets some light through, and reflective objects redirect light. 

  • PS4.C-P1. In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 10: River Crossing Part 2, students share a variety of devices and ways humans communicate that would be helpful when working with groups of people on a cleanup project. Students share ideas that are good for communication when people are close to each other and when they are far away from each other.

Indicator 2D.ii
02/02

Life Sciences

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.

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

  • LS1.A-P1. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 7: This Place Is for the Birds, students read about how the shape and stability of external structures of plants and animals relate to their function in order to help them survive. Students use drawings to share how the characteristics of external structures aid in survival. Students mimic the structure and function of animal and plant body parts by designing a solution to a problem and determining how the parts work to assist in survival.

  • LS1.B-P1. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lessons 5 and 6, students construct arguments to explain penguin behavior. In Lesson 5, students discuss the behavior of penguins in a video and determine that the offspring is chasing the adult penguin. Students then explain how the small penguin's behaviors help it survive. In Lesson 6, students read and discuss the behaviors that help the young animals survive. Students use a simulation to determine if behaviors help or hurt a penguin's survival chance. Students then use evidence to support their claim that penguins' behaviors help them survive. 

  • LS1.D-P1. In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way in the Dark?, Lesson 6: Animal Ideas, students read a story about the ways that various animals use external parts that help them survive. Students read about and discuss that millipedes use their bioluminescence to ward off predators and signal they are poisonous.

  • LS3.A-P1. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 4: Like Parent Like Offspring, students use what they know about plants and observations as evidence to describe the similarities and differences in young and adult plants. Students observe live plants and photographs for evidence of similarities and differences between young and adult banana plants and Wisconsin Fast plants.

  • LS3.B-P1. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 1: A Pair of Penguins, students share ideas about why two types of penguins look both alike and different and then compare penguins to identify similarities and differences. Students identify similarities in wing shape, beak shape, or foot shape and differences in the color of beaks, eyes, feet, and feathers.

Indicator 2D.iii
02/02

Earth and Space Sciences

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. 

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

  • ESS1.A-P1. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 3: Oksana, Issa, and Layla, students identify patterns of when the Sun, Moon and stars are visible in the sky. In Lesson 6: Sunlight on the National Mall, students observe and describe the sun’s apparent motion across the daytime sky in different seasons. In Lesson 8: Where is the Moon?, students observe and describe the moon’s apparent motion across the sky, then predict the location of the moon in the sky at a different time. In Lesson 9: Oksana’s Walk to School, Part 1, students predict the sun’s position in the sky in a given season.

  • ESS1.B-P1. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 5: Sunset, students observe videos of sunset and describe seasonal patterns in sunset times. In Lesson 6: Sunlight on the National Mall, students use patterns of the sun’s motion across the sky to explain why the sun sets earlier in fall and winter than in summer. In Lesson 9: Oksana’s Walk to School, Part 1, students observe videos of sunrise and use seasonal sunrise and sunset data to identify times of year when students in Oksana’s school travel to or from school in the dark.

Indicator 2D.iv
02/02

Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

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 physical, life, or earth and space science DCIs that also connect to an ETS DCI. The materials include opportunities for students to engage with these ETS elements in this grade.

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

  • ETS1.A-P1. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 8: Carrying the Shade, Part 1, students represent (illustrate) the problem of sunlight shining on a girl and the girl feeling hot. Students discuss that she doesn’t want to feel hot in the sunlight and they can find a solution to the problem. Students read about how engineers designed a solution to keep zoo animals cool, then discuss what they should do to start designing a solution to the girl’s problem.

  • ETS1.A-P2. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 2: Warmer or Colder?, students ask questions about the problem of Ada’s hot playground, use their hands to make observations of warmer and cooler objects, and gather information from images to think about the problem.

  • ETS1.B-P1. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 6: Design a Shade, students design a shade device for the playground. Students make a drawing, list materials, work in pairs to share their drawings and lists, and then generate a single design.

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

Example of the grade-band ETS DCI elements present in the materials:

  • ETS1.A-P3. In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 1: Time to Go!, student pairs model a field trip situation in which students cannot hear their teacher’s voice from a distance. Students use their modeling activity to form a statement of the problem before designing a solution. In Lesson 9: River Crossing, Part 1, students discuss how they could make a version of a river crossing game to play in their classroom. Students use the class discussion to clearly define the problem (students playing the game need to know which way to move) before beginning to design a solution.

In Grade 2, two PEs are associated with physical, life, or earth and space science DCIs that also connect to an ETS DCI. The materials include opportunities for students to engage with these ETS elements in this grade.

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

  • ETS1.B-P1. In Grade 2, Life Science, How Can We Find the Best Place for a Plant to Grow?, Lesson 5: Flower to Flower, students investigate the role of bees in pollination and design a device that will pollinate a flower. After they draw and share their designs, students discuss how they used drawings and models to share ideas and other ways they could have shared their ideas.

  • ETS1.C-P1. In Grade 2, How Can We Stop Land From Washing Away?, Lesson 8: Test and Compare, students test their design solutions to determine if sand movement is reduced and record observations of the results. Students compare their solution models and testing results to the different models and testing results of other groups.

The Grades K-2 band includes one DCI PE that is designed to be taught at any point across the grade band. This PE includes five elements. The materials provide opportunities to engage with ETS DCIs and their elements in all three grades within this band.

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

  • ETS1.A-P1. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 8: Carrying the Shade, Part 1, students represent (illustrate) the problem of sunlight shining on a girl and the girl feeling hot. Students discuss that she doesn’t want to feel hot in the sunlight and they can find a solution to the problem. Students read about how engineers designed a solution to keep zoo animals cool, then discuss what they should do to start designing a solution to the girl’s problem.

  • ETS1.A-P2. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 2: Warmer or Colder?, students ask questions about the problem of Ada’s hot playground, use their hands to make observations of warmer and cooler objects, and gather information from images to think about the problem.

  • ETS1.A-P3. In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 1: Time to Go!, student pairs model a field trip situation in which students cannot hear their teacher’s voice from a distance. Students use their modeling activity to form a statement of the problem before designing a solution. In Lesson 9: River Crossing, Part 1, students discuss how they could make a version of a river crossing game to play in their classroom. Students use the class discussion to clearly define the problem (students playing the game need to know which way to move) before beginning to design a solution.

  • ETS1.B-P1. In Grade 2, Life Science, How Can We Find the Best Place for a Plant to Grow?, Lesson 5: Flower to Flower, students investigate the role of bees in pollination and design a device that will pollinate a flower. After they draw and share their designs, students discuss how they used drawings and models to share ideas and other ways they could have shared their ideas.

  • ETS1.C-P1. In Grade 2, How Can We Stop Land From Washing Away?, Lesson 8: Test and Compare, students test their design solutions to determine if sand movement is reduced and record observations of the results. Students compare their solution models and testing results to the different models and testing results of other groups.

Indicator 2E
Read

Materials incorporate all grade-level Science and Engineering Practices.

Indicator 2E.i
04/04

Materials incorporate grade-level appropriate SEPs within each grade.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level science and engineering practices 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 four 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, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 1: A Pair of Penguins, students investigate why the penguins in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands look different. Students collaborate with a partner to decide how to make and record observations of the penguins, carry out their investigations, and then use their data to add to their developing explanation. 

  • INV-P3. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe and Grow?, Lesson 4: Like Parent, Like Offspring, students investigate the difference between young and adult plants. Prior to making their observations, the students discuss which senses would best help them to make observations useful to their investigation.

  • INV-P4. In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send a Message Using Sound?, Lesson 4: Sound Test, students investigate sound using different devices: ruler on table, stretched rubber bands, tuning fork, and a class suggested device. Students record observations of what they felt, saw, and heard. With their observations, students engage in a class discussion about how the different devices are similar and different regarding if it makes sound, how loud it is, and how far away they could hear it. 

  • DATA-P3. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 9: Locating the Light, to solve the problems caused by walking to/from school in the dark, students use observations about sunrise and sunset in different seasons to determine what time of year they think it is for students who are going to/from school in the dark. 

  • CEDS-P1. In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 1: Treasure Hunt, students use their observations of what made it easier or harder to find hidden gemstones in the dark to construct an explanation for what humans need to see objects. Students make additional observations and use a computer simulation to revise their explanation. Students look for patterns across their observations as evidence for what is required for humans to see objects.

  • CEDS-P2. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 8: Mimic and Make, students first develop drawn models with a partner to solve the problem of scientists encountering difficult terrain for observing birds. Along with the models that mimic parts of living organisms, students list what materials they need to make a physical model of their solution. Student pairs build their models and share design solutions with other students. 

  • INFO-P3. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 5: Staying Alive, students construct an initial argument explaining the behavior of parents and offspring. Students read an informational text to collect evidence for their arguments. Prior to reading, the teacher previews the text features, including headings and bolded words, and discusses that, like scientists, they will use a book to collect information.

Indicator 2E.ii
04/04

Materials incorporate all SEPs across the grade band

The instructional materials reviewed for Grades K-2 meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level science and engineering practices 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. 

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

  • AQDP-P1. In Kindergarten, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Be Ready For The Weather?, Lesson 4: Snow, Snow, Go Away, based on their observations of the snowman melting in the sequencing activity, students turn to shoulder partners and come up with a question they need to answer to determine why the snow melts at some times but does not melt at other times. 

  • MOD-P3. In Grade 2, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Map Land And Water On Earth?, Lesson 10: A Map for Ada, Part 2, students use what they have learned about maps to convert a 3-D map into a 2-D map with patterns of symbols and a legend. Students identify relationships between how land and water are represented across multiple maps and then provide evidence to support which 3-D map matches their 2-D map. Students compare the relative scales of land features in both maps and observe the patterns between them. 

  • MOD-P4. In Grade 2, Life Science, How Can We Find The Best Place For A Plant to Grow?, Lesson 6: A Gardener’s Gadget, after investigating how bees pollinate flowers, students draw a simple model of a hand pollinator that could be used when bees are not available. Students describe how the parts of their hand pollinator mimic bees’ structures and their functions. Students then create the hand pollinator using materials in class as a physical model of their drawings. 

  • INV-P1. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 7: Are You Keeping It Cool?, students collaborate on a plan to investigate the effectiveness of their devices that they designed to keep a surface from warming in lamplight. 

  • INV-P2. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 1: A Pair of Penguins, students investigate why the penguins in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands look different. Students collaborate with a partner to decide how to make and record observations of the penguins, carry out their investigations, and then use their data to add to their developing explanation. 

  • INV-P3. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe and Grow?, Lesson 4: Like Parent, Like Offspring, students investigate the difference between young and adult plants. Prior to making their observations, the students discuss which senses would best help them to make observations useful to their investigation.

  • INV-P4. In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send a Message Using Sound?, Lesson 4: Sound Test, students investigate sound using different devices: ruler on table, stretched rubber bands, tuning fork, and a class suggested device. Students record observations of what they felt, saw, and heard. With their observations, students engage in a class discussion about how the different devices are similar and different regarding if it makes sound, how loud it is, and how far away they could hear it. 

  • DATA-P3. In Kindergarten, Life Science, What Do Plants And Animals Need to Live?, Lesson 9: Play Area Plans, Part 1, students use observations of caterpillars, plants, and photographs of the schoolyard to identify what living things are in the schoolyard and what those living things need in order to survive. 

  • DATA-P5. In Grade 2, Physical Science, How Can We Change Solids And Liquids?, Lesson 7: Testing the Templates, students analyze and test different crayon molds to determine which should be used to recreate melted crayons. Students conduct four tests to compare marker, glue stick, cotton swab, and pencil molds. Students combine the best features of the trial molds to create a final mold that they test for ease of writing and ease of holding. 

  • CEDS-P1. In Grade 2, Life Science, How Can We Find The Best Place For A Plant to Grow?, Lesson 3: Sunshine and Rain, students make observations of seeds that were exposed to light and water, water only, or light only. Students use their observations as evidence in their explanation about what seeds need to grow.

  • CEDS-P2. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 8: Mimic and Make, students first develop drawn models with a partner to solve the problem of scientists encountering difficult terrain for observing birds. Along with the models that mimic parts of living organisms, students list what materials they need to make a physical model of their solution. Student pairs build their models and share design solutions with other students. 

  • ARG-P6. In Grade 2, Physical Science, How Can We Change Solids And Liquids?, Lesson 9: Boo-Boo Pack Problems, Part 1, students observe the properties of rice and salt to determine if they are solid or liquid. Students make a claim about the state of matter of rice and salt and support their claim with evidence. Students then discuss their claims and evidence for which materials make the best filling for a boo-boo pack.

  • INFO-P1. In Kindergarten, Life Science, What Do Plants And Animals Need to Live?, Lesson 4: What’s on the Menu?, students collaboratively read the text “What’s on the Menu?” as they make observations and collect data on what coyotes, woodpeckers, and beavers need in order to live. Based on the data collected, students describe what they think caterpillars need to live.

  • INFO-P3. In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 5: Staying Alive, students construct an initial argument explaining the behavior of parents and offspring. Students read an informational text to collect evidence for their arguments. Prior to reading, the teacher previews the text features, including headings and bolded words, and discusses that, like scientists, they will use a book to collect information.

  • INFO-P4. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Do We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 6: Design a Shade, student teams share final drawings of their shade device plans which contain materials needed for the design. Students use a classroom response gesture to respond if they think their model will assemble as planned and block the light as intended. Students then share with a student from another group one concern they have about their design and listen to them for suggestions to their concern.

Indicator 2F
08/08

Materials incorporate all grade-band Crosscutting Concepts.

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 do not include elements of the CCCs from above the grade band. 

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

  • CE-P1. In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion? Lesson 2: Move That Ball, students conduct a test to determine how many different ways they can start a ball’s motion using pushes and pulls with a tongue depressor, yarn, a straw, and tape. 

  • CE-P2. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sun Will Be Dark?, Lesson 3: Oksana Issa, and Layla, students read a story and collect data on the objects seen in the sky when it is bright and when it is dark. Students use this data to identify patterns of when the Sun, Moon, and stars are visible in the sky. Using these patterns, students explain that the sun causes the sky to be bright. 

  • EM-P1. In Grade 2, Physical Science, How Can We Change Solids And Liquids?, Lesson 1: Piece by Piece, students view a sculpture made by an artist and explain how many different smaller pieces were put together to form the sculpture they observe. Students then build their own sculpture of an aquatic animal from multiple smaller pieces of plastic. Students lastly deconstruct their sculptures into smaller pieces.

  • PAT-P1. In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will be Dark?, Lesson 4: Lydia and Shirley, students read a story to identify the pattern that the most amount of  daylight occurs in the summer and the least amount occurs in the winter. Students use these seasonal patterns of daylight to explain that toys outside are more easily seen in the summer and not in the winter. 

  • SC-P2. In Grade 2, Engineering Design, How Can We Stop Land From Washing Away?, Lesson 6: Choosing a Problem, students develop solutions to the problem of rain moving soil onto the road. Students consider different ranges of time in their solution requirements and address short term and long term changes to the soil. In Lesson 10: Beach Erosion Problems, Part 2, students use beach models to test causes of beach erosion. Students collect and analyze data to explain which solution provides better protection during a quick event that may cause land change and which solutions are better for long term protection.  

  • SF-P1. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 4: The Shade’s the Thing, students read a text to identify devices used at the zoo to protect animals from the sun. Students identify the parts of the devices and the purpose for each part such as its shape and structure that makes it stable and function as a sunshade. 

  • SYS-P2. In Grade 2, Life Science, How Can We Find The Best Place For A Plant to Grow?, Lesson 8: Home on the Range, students use a simulator to collect data on plants, animals, and habitats. Students use the data to explain how plants, animals, and habitats all have parts that work together in order for the plants and animals to survive.

Indicator 2G
02/02

Materials incorporate NGSS Connections to Nature of Science and Engineering.

The instructional materials reviewed for K-2 meet expectations that they incorporate NGSS connections to nature of science (NOS) and engineering (ENG). Materials incorporate grade-band NGSS connections to NOS and engineering within individual lessons across the series.

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

  • VOM-P1. In Kindergarten, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Be Ready For The Weather?, Lesson 6: Outfits as Evidence, as students work to answer the question “Why did the snowman melt during the day but not at night?”, the teacher tells students that scientists answer questions using evidence and they too will use evidence to answer their question. 

  • BEE-P1. In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 3: The Shadow Effect, students observe and record the differences in shadows made by moving a flashlight to different distances and angles. After measuring the length of shadows, the teacher tells students they can compare the results to look for shadows the way that scientists do.

  • ENP-P2. In Grade 2, Physical Science, How Can We Change Solids And Liquids?, Lesson 3: What Happens to Wax?, students investigate the causes and effects of lighting a candle. The teacher tells students that when scientists try to figure out why something has changed, they are looking for a cause creating that effect.

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

  • AOC-P1. In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion?, Lesson 8: Design My Hockey Game, students test their design models for a hockey game wall. The teacher is directed to tell them that engineers test their designs so they can observe what works well and what does not work well and then they can make improvements that will make the design better. 

  • HE-P2. In Grade 2, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Map Land And Water On Earth?, Lesson 3: Ice Investigation, students prepare to make observations about ice and water. The teacher tells students, “anyone can become a scientist, even though not all people have the same observation abilities…Working with other people during investigations to share work and ideas is one way that scientists who have different abilities may use to get more information.”

  • HE-P2. In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way in the Dark?, Lesson 1: Treasure Hunt, students prepare to make observations of gemstones hidden in a dark location. The teacher tells students that scientists make observations and “anyone can become a scientist, even though not all people have the same observation abilities”. The teacher continues with, “working with other people during investigations and discussing their observations….is one way scientists with different abilities conduct investigations.”

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

  • INTER-P2. In Grade 2, Life Science, How Can We Find The Best Place For A Plant to Grow?, Lesson 5: Flower to Flower, students use a model of a bee to make observations of how bees help pollinate plants. Before making their model, students observe bees using a magnifying box. The teacher tells students that scientists use tools like hand lenses and magnifying boxes to help them see details they could not otherwise see.

  • INFLU-P1. In Grade 2, Physical Science, How Can We Change Solids And Liquids?, Lesson 3: What Happens to Wax?, students use candles to investigate the possible causes of crayons changing shape. The teacher tells students that both crayons and candles are made from wax, which can be a natural substance, and that engineers use natural materials and knowledge of the natural world to design and build the things people use.

Overview of Gateway 3

Usability

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for Gateway 3:  Instructional Supports & Usability; Criterion 1: Teacher Supports meets expectations. Criterion 2: Assessment meets expectations. Criterion 3: Student Supports partially meets expectations. Criterion 4: Intentional Design incorporates evidence in narrative format.

Criterion 3.1: Teacher Supports

09/10

The program includes opportunities for teachers to effectively plan and utilize materials with integrity and to further develop their own understanding of the content.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for the Criterion 3a-3h: Teacher Supports. The materials provide teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for enacting the materials, contain adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level concepts beyond the current grade so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, include standards correlation information that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series, provide explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies, and provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities.

Indicator 3A
02/02

Materials provide 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.

The materials reviewed for 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. The materials include teacher guidance at the beginning of each unit in the Curriculum Overview and Module Overview as well as guidance embedded in the lessons in the form of margin notes, callout boxes, and built-in guidance.

The Module Overview includes several sections that provide comprehensive guidance that supports implementation of the materials. These sections include: Phenomenon and Problems Storyline, the Module Alignment to NGSS, Assessment Map, Series Connections, Module Background Information, Common Naive Student Ideas, and Materials Management and Safety. These sections provide teachers with an overview of the module, how the module connects to the standards, how the module connects to other modules in the program, important science content information, and ideas about the science content that students may have.

Individual Lessons also include embedded guidance on a variety of elements for implementing the materials. The materials name the following types of margin notes, callout boxes, and lesson guidance: NGSS, Common Core, Good Thinking, Plan Ahead, Digital Resources, EL Strategies, Series Connections, Teacher Tips, Tech Tips, Guiding Questions, Safety Notes, and Class Period Breaks. These embedded supports provide teachers with things like guidance on what specific elements of the NGSS are being addressed, where students may have alternative ideas about the science content, how to accommodate for multilingual learners, safety considerations, and guiding questions that will help students make connections and understand content.

Example of a margin note providing embedded support:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 4: Like Parent Like Offspring, the activity sequence includes a Teacher Tip callout box. It advises: “For classes that need additional support, have each group observe just the Wisconsin Fast Plants and fill out the sheet as a whole class.”

Indicator 3B
02/02

Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade/course-level concepts and concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for containing adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade/course-level concepts and concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. 

Support for teachers’ understanding of science content is found in the Module Background Information section of the Module Overview at the beginning of each unit. This section includes narrative information that explains the relevant DCIs in adult terms. These explanations go beyond the DCIs as written and provide additional context and content that can help teachers improve their own knowledge of the subject. This section also includes a deeper analysis of the SEPs and CCCs that are included in the module. These explanations describe the SEPs and CCCs in detail, how their scientific meaning is different from the everyday meaning of the word, and what ideas students may have about them.

Example of supports provided for teachers to develop their own understanding of more advanced, grade-level concepts and expected student practices:

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, the Module Background Information states, “Materials that allow light to pass through them are said to be transparent. Translucent materials are those that allow some light to shine through, but distort the appearance of an object when viewed through the material. Materials that block all light from passing through them are said to be opaque.”

Example of supports provided for teachers to develop their own understanding of concepts beyond the current course:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, the Module Background Information states, “Many of the differences between plants and animals are beyond the scope of first graders. For example, plants can be distinguished from animals by their cell type. Plant cells contain a cell wall, which is a rigid structure that encircles the cell membrane. Animal cells lack a cell wall.”

Indicator 3C
01/02

Materials include standards correlation information, including connections to college- and career-ready ELA and mathematics standards, that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet expectations for including standards correlation information, including connections to college- and career-ready ELA and mathematics standards, that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series. The materials provide many explanations of the connections and correlations to the NGSS at the series level, unit level, and lesson level. However, connections to standards for ELA and mathematics are only present at the lesson level.

NGSS correlations are present in a variety of locations and explain connections at different levels. At the series level, the Curriculum Overview section provides a curriculum framework for the series that shows which performance expectations are addressed in each grade level and each unit for the grade band. At the unit level, the Module Overview section includes several places that explain the connection to the NGSS. The Module Alignment to NGSS provides the module objectives and the performance expectations, DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs connected to those objectives. At the lesson level, the Assessment Map in the Module Overview provides the assessment objectives and associated DCI, SEP, and CCC elements for each individual lesson. The Lesson Planner at the beginning of each module provides similar information but only names the larger SEP or CCC and not the specific element. Additionally, NGSS margin notes embedded in the lessons provide guidance on what DCIs, SEPs, or CCCs are connected to specific portions of each lesson.

Example of a Lesson-Level Connection to the NGSS:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 6: Penguin Protection, the NGSS margin note states “Cause and effect: Students observe that their choices result in patterns of outcomes.”

Lesson-level connections to ELA and mathematics are located in the Lesson Planner for each module and as embedded guidance in the lessons. The Lesson Planner includes an ELA and Math Connections column that cites the Common Core standard connected to each lesson (e.g., “Language, Vocabulary acquisition and use (L.1.6)”), where applicable. Individual lessons also include Common Core margin notes that connect specific portions of a lesson to components in the Common Core (e.g., comprehension and collaboration, presentation of knowledge and ideas). There is a missed opportunity to  make series-level connections to standards in ELA or mathematics.

Example of a Lesson-Level Connection to ELA and Mathematics

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 10: Oksana’s Walk to School Part 2, students share their explanation of a choice of light source via writing or drawing. This is accompanied by a margin note stating “Text types and purposes.”

Indicator 3D
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Materials provide strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 include opportunities for teachers to effectively plan and utilize materials with integrity and to further develop their own understanding of the content. Each module includes an accompanying Family Letter that is found in each module’s companion website. The letter provides the module title and information about the final module challenge, asks the family for feedback on the student experiences relevant to the module, and provides sample prompts family members can use to foster conversations at home about the module to provide student sensemaking. While the digital materials for Kindergarten also include a Family Letter translated into Spanish, there is a missed opportunity to include a translated letter in Grade 1. 

Example of a Family Letter used to communicate to stakeholders:

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, parents are asked: “Does your child have experience being outside before sunrise or after sunset? What was the occasion/reason? Has your child observed the Moon in the sky?” They are encouraged to ask some questions at home to help students make sense of what they are doing at school: “Did you learn about a girl who had trouble seeing her toys outside? Why do you think this happened? Did you hear a story about a girl observing the Moon? What questions did you have about it?”

Indicator 3E
02/02

Materials provide explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.

The beginning of each Module includes the same curriculum overview that describes and explains the instructional approaches of the program. This includes sections titled: Curriculum Framework, Designed for the NGSS, A Coherent Storyline, Centered on Student Ideas, Group Work, Literacy Integration, Support for All Students, Assessment, Home Connections, and Support for Implementation. Each section describes how that component contributes to the program’s instructional approach. For instance, the section titled A Coherent Storyline explains that the program was developed using backward design and started with bundles of performance expectations as the goal. The Curriculum Overview also includes a References section, and cites the relevant research throughout all sections of the Curriculum Overview.

Examples of how the materials identify research-based strategies that are used in the design:

  • In the Curriculum Overview, the Literacy Integration section states “Through the use of a science notebook, students will engage in the writing process…and write for a variety of purposes,” and cites Bollinger et al., 2012, Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers: A Practice Guide.

  • In the Curriculum Overview, the A Coherent Storyline section states “Multiple phenomena and problems are usually needed to fully cover the PEs in the bundle. Multiple phenomena and problems also spark the curiosity of a diverse group of students,” and cites Penuel, et al., 2017, Developing NGSS-Aligned Curriculum that Connects to Students' Interests and Experiences: Lessons Learned from a Co-design Partnership.

  • In the Curriculum overview, the Group Work section states “[Group work] can lessen individual competitiveness and develop problem solving skills,” and cites Lin, 2006, Cooperative Learning in the Science Classroom.

Indicator 3F
01/01

Materials provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities. The Module Overview at the beginning of each module includes a list of all the materials needed for the entire module based on a class of 24 students and notes the quantity of each item needed per lesson. A second materials list includes items not supplied in pre-packaged module kits (e.g. chart paper, tape, computers, water, etc.) and in which lesson they are used. 

In addition, each lesson includes a list of materials needed for the lesson, with a reminder for materials that need advance preparation if needed (e.g., ice). Materials are listed as needed by the teacher, students, and/or groups of students.

Indicator 3G
01/01

Materials provide clear science safety guidelines for teachers and students across the instructional materials.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing clear science safety guidelines for teachers and students across the instructional materials. At the beginning of each unit, the Module Overview includes a Safety section that includes general guidelines for safety along with module specific considerations such as live materials handling, chemical information (with a QR code link to MSDS sheets), and a reproducible “Stay Safe! Contract” for students and parents to sign.

When applicable, specific safety instructions are included at the lesson level within activity instructions in the printed teacher’s guide. These are in the form of a red call-out section labeled with a red exclamation bubble and “Safety”.

Example of a lesson-level Safety note:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 4: Like Parent Like Offspring, after instructions for Activity Step 1, a safety call-out states “Students should not taste the plants. Remind students that they should never taste anything in science class unless their teacher said it is allowed.”

Indicator 3H
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Materials designated for each grade are feasible and flexible for one school year.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 are feasible and flexible for one school year but do not provide guidance for adjusting instruction and/or pacing based on local contexts.

There are four modules in the Grade 1 materials and each module consists of 10 lessons. Most lessons are estimated to take 30 minutes, but some lessons span two days. The materials list how many class periods comprise each lesson in the lesson planner, but do not include a comprehensive pacing guide that provides the total number of class periods and expected duration of each module at a glance. However, based on the lesson planner, Grade 1’s 56 anticipated class periods are feasible for a single year.

The materials do not contain any other pacing guidance or suggestions on how to modify instruction and/or pacing when there is not sufficient time to implement the full program.

Criterion 3.2: Assessment

10/10

The program includes a system of assessments identifying how materials provide tools, guidance, and support for teachers to collect, interpret, and act on data about student progress towards the standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for the Criterion 3i-3l: Assessment. The materials indicate which standards are assessed and include an assessment system that provides multiple opportunities throughout the courses to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance for teachers to interpret student performance and suggestions for follow-up. The materials also provide assessments that include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of course-level standards and practices.

Indicator 3I
02/02

Assessment information is included in the materials to indicate which standards are assessed.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing assessment information to indicate which standards are assessed. All of the assessments in the materials are clearly tied to NGSS standards and elements in a variety of locations. Each unit includes an Assessment Map that is part of the Module Overview. The Assessment Map is a table that includes the type of assessment, the assessment objective, and the specific elements of the DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs associated with the assessment. Each lesson also includes an assessment section that provides a table with the assessment objectives, suggested assessed tasks, the associated elements of the DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs, and descriptions of indicators of success and difficulty.

Indicator 3J
04/04

Assessment system provides multiple opportunities throughout the grade, course, and/or series to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing an assessment system with multiple opportunities throughout the grade to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

The materials provide multiple assessment opportunities per unit to assess student progression towards mastering the module objective. The assessment system includes four types of assessments: pre-assessments, checkpoint assessments, formative assessments, and summative assessments. Each lesson has at least one assigned assessment along with embedded student self assessments. Pre-assessment opportunities are provided for the beginning of a module and when the content of the lesson changes. Checkpoint assessments require students to make sense of a phenomenon or solve a problem by using all three NGSS dimensions and assess student understanding of the phenomenon or problem. Formative assessments include tasks that require students to use their skills and knowledge in complex ways and the tasks involved incorporate at least two and most often three of the NGSS dimensions. At the end of the module, students complete a summative assessment in the form of a science challenge (Life, Physical, and Earth and Space Science) or design challenge (engineering modules). 

Each assessment, except the pre-assessment, includes supports for evaluating student performance. Formative and checkpoint assessments provide a rubric with “indicators of success” and “indicators of difficulty.” Summative assessments come with a three point rubric for scoring. Both types of rubrics support teachers in evaluating student performance with individual DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs. The materials also provide sample student work to assist teachers’ evaluations. This includes examples of completed worksheets and possible responses to discussion questions.

All checkpoint and formative assessments include suggestions for remediation following the rubrics. The lesson procedures include the guidance to “Use the remediation strategy at the end of the lesson to provide additional support for students.” The remediation guidance provides specific ways to support students who struggled with the assessments. Remediation and follow-up guidance is not provided for summative assessments.

Example of Remediation Guidance:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 8: Sounding Off, the remediation guidance for the Checkpoint Assessment is “To support students as they compare different designs, have students organize into groups based on the materials they used to make sound, such as rubber bands in one group and drumheads in another group. Have students in one group demonstrate or orally share how their device was designed to generate sound. Have the class compare the structures used in each model, for example to hold stretched rubber bands. Hold similar discussions for each group of students.”

Indicator 3K
04/04

Assessments include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/grade-band standards and elements across the series.

The materials reviewed 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 provides three-dimensional assessments that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and mastery in a variety of ways. Pre-assessments, formative assessments, and checkpoint assessments are typically integrated into lesson activities. Across the assessments, students provide verbal and written explanations, discuss in whole-class and small-group settings, and produce artifacts such as models and drawings. Summative assessments are made of performance tasks where students work individually and collaboratively to explain or solve a novel phenomenon or problem. The assessments consistently integrate the three dimensions by requiring students to use crosscutting concepts as they model, construct an argument, provide an explanation, ask questions, and design solutions connected to the DCIs.

Indicator 3L
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Assessments offer accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not include assessments that offer accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment. However, the program uses the universal design approach where assessments are offered in multiple modalities (e.g. drawings with verbal responses), use a large font, and provide picture-based or simple text. In addition, Spanish materials are available both in print and digitally. The materials miss the opportunity to provide specific examples for access or accommodation for the assessments for disabled students or multilingual learners beyond Spanish speakers.

Criterion 3.3: Student Supports

05/06

The program includes materials designed for each student’s regular and active participation in grade-level/grade-band/series content.

​The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet expectations for the Criterion 3m-3v: Student Supports. The materials provide strategies and supports for students in special populations to support their regular and active participation in learning grade-level science. The materials also provide multiple extensions and/or opportunities for students to engage with grade-level science at higher levels of complexity. While suggestions for multilingual learners appear consistently across lessons, they do not consistently provide the support necessary for multilingual learners to regularly participate in learning grade-level/grade-band science and engineering.

Indicator 3M
02/02

Materials provide strategies and supports for students in special populations to support their regular and active participation in learning grade-level/grade-band science and engineering.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing strategies and supports for students in special populations to support their regular and active participation in learning grade-level/grade-band science and engineering.

The materials include two main supports for students from special populations – suggestions for remediation after assessments and naive student ideas. Each formative and checkpoint assessment includes a suggestion for supporting students who struggle with the assessment. Each unit also includes a table of Common Student Naive Ideas in the Module Overview that lists possible misconceptions and things students may say that will help teachers identify the naive ideas. The majority of units cite Naive Ideas based on DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs. Naive ideas are also presented in the Lesson Planner at the beginning of each module, and embedded in individual lessons in Good Thinking callout boxes.

The materials also employ several strategies of universal design for learning to accommodate students’ individual needs, most typically for visually impaired students. This includes accommodations such as large, clear font and text-to-voice options for digital texts. There are also occasional Teacher Tip callout boxes that provide additional supports.

Examples of embedded support for students:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 1: Time To Go!, the materials include a Naive Idea where students may think that models must be physical. The teacher is prompted to have students consider other models they do in school, such as fire drills. 

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 1: Treasure Hunt, one of the Teacher Tips recommends that teachers assure students who are visually impaired that they will have multiple opportunities to contribute besides making visual observations. The activity calls for students to visually locate objects in various places but throughout the unit, students will contribute, for example, via asking questions and class discussions.

Indicator 3N
02/02

Materials provide extensions and/or opportunities for students to engage in learning grade-level/grade-band science and engineering at greater depth.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing extensions and/or opportunities for students to engage in learning grade-level science and engineering at greater depth. Except for Summative Assessments, each assessment is followed by suggested Remediation and Enrichment activities for teachers to implement based on students’ performance. The enrichment activities typically require students to apply DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs in novel situations and engage students in new or more complex thinking related to the lesson content. None of the enrichment activities simply add on additional work for advanced students. The materials also provide Extension activities that connect lesson content to new contexts, such as math, arts, or ELA. These extension activities do not always require more complex science. However, they are not limited to advanced students but provide all students with extension opportunities at the teacher’s discretion.

Example of an enrichment activity: 

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will be Dark?, Lesson 6: Sunlight on the National Mall, students make observations of the sun’s position in sky at different times on different days in different seasons to observe the sun’s pattern of motion. The enrichment activity for this lesson states “Tell students that a local kids’ sports league is planning the spring sports schedule. There are no lights on the sports fields. What will the league need to think about when they plan game times for the season? Have students draw or write ideas for what the league will need to research and why.”

Indicator 3O
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Materials provide varied approaches to learning tasks over time and variety in how students are expected to demonstrate their learning with opportunities for for students to monitor their learning.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 include varied approaches to learning tasks over time and variety in how students are expected to demonstrate their learning with opportunities for students to monitor their learning. 

The materials provide multiple multi-modal approaches to presenting and engaging with the material throughout the grade. Students engage with content by reading, listening to reading, watching videos, and making first-hand observations. Students participate and respond through writing, discussion, oral presentation, drawing, and building models. The materials also utilize a variety of participation structures and students engage in whole-group instruction and discussions, small-group work, and partner work. For instance:

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 7: Signal and Response, students follow along listening to “Lighting the Way” and then share new vocabulary words they heard in the story. After watching a video about a lighthouse, students share with a partner what they learned that might be helpful in their solutions.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 5: Vibration and Sound, students engage in a class discussion comparing instruments in the story they read to investigations they did. They listen to a recording of a song and discuss what they heard. Then, they refer back to “Our Questions about Vibration and Sound Chart” to see if the reading answered any of their questions. Students then apply what they have learned in designing a model of a device that makes sound to solve a problem. 

The materials also provide students with multiple opportunities to share, revise, and reflect on their thinking. Instruction typically begins with a phenomenon or problem, and students share or record their initial thinking on the phenomenon. They often return to the phenomenon or problem multiple times and adjust their thinking based on new activities or instruction. For instance:

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 5: Sunset, students talk to their shoulder partners about what pattern they see as the seasons change from summer to winter and revisit their ideas about the time of year that Ada looked for her toys in each of the images. Students revise their ideas or start over based on the evidence from patterns they have seen.

Indicator 3P
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Materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 include opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. 

Throughout the modules, lessons include teacher directions to have students work independently, in pairs, in small groups, or to conduct lessons as a whole-class. Students frequently work with a  partner for reading, turn-and-talks, brainstorming, conducting investigations, and designing solutions to problems. Examples include:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 3: Signal Ideas, the teacher is prompted to explain that students often work in pairs for activities and that working with others is one way that scientists share work and ideas during investigations to gather new information from people with different abilities. 

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 5: Sunset, students work with a partner to practice sentence frames about the phenomenon. After working with a partner, students share their ideas with the whole class. 

Rationale for increased pair collaboration in Grade 1 is provided in the front matter of each teacher guide in the Curriculum Overview: Group Work section, citing that paired collaboration increases engagement as well as vocabulary use and development. Teacher guides provide clear instructions for what type of grouping to use for each activity within the activity’s instructions. However, there is a missed opportunity to provide guidance for teachers about needs-based pairing or grouping, or to offer adaptations for different student needs. Examples include:

  • In Grade 1, the Curriculum Overview, Group Work, provides rationale for teachers about the importance of student group work. The rationale explains that scientists regularly work with others so engaging in structured collaboration is important for students. It explains that in lower elementary, students are often paired to provide increased opportunities for growth in communication skills and vocabulary use. 

Teacher guidance is given to indicate when and how students should be grouped. This guidance comes throughout the lesson as applicable.  Examples include:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 5: Vibration and Sound, teacher guidance states, “When students have read through their section of text, bring the class back together. Facilitate a class discussion comparing the instruments in the story to the investigations they did.”

Indicator 3Q
01/02

Materials provide strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to regularly participate in learning grade-level/grade-band science and engineering.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet expectations for providing strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to regularly participate in learning grade-level/grade-band science and engineering concepts/skills. Every lesson embeds support for multilingual learners with at least one EL Strategy callout box that provides guidance for multilingual learners. However, these strategies are typically generic and miss the opportunity to provide context-specific support.

EL Strategy callout boxes suggest a variety of strategies, including: using gestures, looking for verbal and non-verbal cues from EL students who have ideas to contribute, drawings, discussions in both home language and English, asking clarifying questions, visual instructions beyond written and oral, pairing bilingual students with English language learners, and grouping students with common home language. The EL Strategy callout boxes typically provide generic guidance that is repeated across lessons and do not provide strategies specific to the lesson. For instance, the wording of the suggested wait time strategy is the same each time it appears in the materials.

Examples of EL Strategy Callout Boxes:

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When the Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 3: Oksana, Issa, and Layla, the EL Strategy callout box prompts teachers to provide step-by-step visual supports of what students need to do in the activity in case they have difficulty following written or auditory instructions.

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 3: Signal Ideas, the EL Strategy is for students to use gestures during the class discussion as they share observations of a ringing tuning fork held over two different model drums. 

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe and Grow?, Lesson 2: Cubs and Chicks, the EL Strategy prompts teachers to pair bilingual students with English language learners or group students with a common home language. 

The materials also include features that are designed to support all students, including those who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English. Sentence starters and sentence frames are provided for all students in multiple lessons across the series. The digital materials include vocabulary cards to support all students, including multilingual learners. The vocabulary cards include an image supporting the meaning of the word, and teachers are encouraged to use the cards to create a word wall as vocabulary is introduced and defined.

Examples of features designed to support all students, including multilingual learners:

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, Unit: How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 1: Where are my Toys?, students use the sentence starter “We can see objects ________,” to begin their explanation of what makes objects visible.

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 5: Sunset, students use sentence frames, including, “Ada can see her toys well because _______,” and “I think this because ______,” to help them identify evidence to support explaining the phenomenon.

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 1; Treasure Hunt, a Teacher Tip callout box tells teachers to, “Use the vocabulary cards included in the kit to create a module specific word wall.”

Overall, there are general supports for students who are performing on grade level, but there is a missed opportunity to provide supports for beyond grade level for those who may exceed grade-level understanding of content but who may have limited English proficiency. There are also missed opportunities to provide guidance for teachers to identify students at various levels of language acquisition and to provide specific supports for multilingual learners at differing levels of English language acquisition. As a result, while suggestions for multilingual learners appear consistently across lessons, they do not consistently provide the support necessary for multilingual learners to regularly participate in learning grade-level/grade-band science and engineering.

Indicator 3R
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Materials provide a balance of images or information about people, representing various demographic and physical characteristics.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 include a balance of images or information about people, representing various demographic and physical characteristics. The texts in the accompanying Smithsonian Science Stories include depictions from a range of ethnicities, genders, and demographics and content and stories connected to a range of cultures. This includes a range of people being positively depicted as scientists and engineers. There are also representations of a variety of family structures, including images of single-parent, two-parent, multi-generational, and multi-ethnic families. Examples include:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, the “Messages on a Wire” reading from the book Beats and Banjos includes images of children with diverse physical characteristics using cell phones. The accompanying vocabulary cards include a diverse group of people depicted as “engineers.”

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, the “Messages on a Wire” reading from the book Beats and Banjos includes an image of a black male-presenting scientist using a microscope.

Indicator 3S
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Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning.

The materials provide limited guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning. With at least one instance found in each lesson across the units, various strategies are suggested including: discussions in both home language and English, pairing bilingual students with English language learners, and grouping students with a common home language. Examples include: 

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 2: Cubs and Chicks, the EL strategy located in the callout box states, “Pair bilingual students with students with very limited English if possible, or group students with a common primary language to facilitate support. This will allow students to first discuss a concept in their primary language and then, together or individually, express their thoughts in English.”

Additionally, for Spanish speakers, the digital materials include text and a text-to-speech reader in English and Spanish, Spanish versions of student-facing materials, and family letters for each unit. Vocabulary cards with images are also included to support English language learners. Translations are not available in other languages.

Indicator 3T
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Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 include limited guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning. The materials primarily support teachers to draw upon students’ backgrounds and funds of knowledge through the Family Letters and when introducing phenomena and problems. The EL Strategy callout boxes also occasionally contain questions related to students’ cultural backgrounds. The materials do not provide overall guidance on drawing upon student cultural and social backgrounds.

Each module includes a Family Letter that is sent home at the beginning of the unit. The Family Letter gathers background experiences with the science content and phenomenon and/or problem and provides students the opportunity to share their personal and cultural experiences. For example:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 1: Where are My Toys?, the teacher asks students to think to themselves if anything like this has ever happened to them and to share their experiences. They record student responses on the “Has This Happened to You?” chart. If students cannot think of a similar experience, teachers are directed to use responses to the Family Letter to help students remember a time they were outside in the dark. 

The materials also typically ask for students’ experience when introducing phenomena and problems. Sometimes the teacher prompts students for their experience and at other times this is embedded in the Ada Asks video that introduces the phenomenon and/or problem. For example:

  • In Grade 1, Life Science, How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?, Lesson 1: A Pair of Penguins, teachers facilitate a discussion about students’ initial ideas about why some penguins look alike and some look different. As a follow-up, students are asked, “Have you ever seen anything like this in your own lives that makes you think that?”

The EL Strategy callout boxes also occasionally include guidance for teachers to draw upon students’ cultural backgrounds. While the materials target these prompts to multilingual learners, the guidance is applicable to students of all backgrounds. For example:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 7: Signal and Response, teachers suggest that students discuss their design ideas in both their native language and in English to become more familiar with the potential similarities between English and their native language. 

There are also some instances where student activities and learning connect to traditions from non-dominant cultures. For example:

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark?, Lesson 3: Oksana, Issa, and Layla, students read a story about children observing the sky from Ukraine, Cameroon, and Lebanon. They use this story to make observations about when the sky is bright and when it is dark. Students share what these children see in the sky and when it is bright and dark. Students return to Oksana’s location when they address the problem of Oksana’s walk to school in the dark.

Indicator 3U
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Materials provide supports for different reading levels to ensure accessibility for students.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 include supports for different reading levels to ensure accessibility for students. Reading is primarily included through Smithsonian Science Stories. Lexile levels are provided for each reading in the Table of Contents. The Curriculum Overview in the front matter of each unit describes that each reader is, “carefully calibrated to grade-level appropriate Lexile measurements according to Common Core text complexity guidelines.” The digital versions of the texts have a text-to-speech function. This function is automated, however, and headings and captions are read out of order and the reading sometimes lacks fluency.

The digital editions of the Smithsonian Science Stories are available both on-grade and below-grade level to ensure accessibility for all students. Options for above-grade readers are not offered in Grade 1. 

As an additional support, vocabulary card sets are available for all units. They are explained in the Teacher’s Guide in the Curriculum Overview to be used in supporting vocabulary acquisition for multilingual learners and struggling readers. These cards can also be used to create a word wall in the classroom for student access.

The materials also embed strategies to support comprehension into the lessons themselves. Reading is supported throughout each module by scaffolding expectations for students using read-alouds, comprehension prompts, jigsaw activities, annotation, discussion, and other strategies. Examples include:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 5: Vibration and Sound, teachers read the first three pages of the reading “The Science of Music” then students continue reading one of two sections with a partner. The teacher is guided to circulate and assist students as necessary. Then, the class comes back together to discuss the reading and investigations they did in the lesson. 

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 2, Activity Steps 5-7, the students work in a reading pair. They are given about eight sticky notes. Students use the Table of Contents to find the reading “What’s the Sound?” Before reading, pairs use the sticky notes to mark any devices they see that they think are used to communicate information. Reading pairs then read the story and are given time after to move or add any sticky notes based on the reading. Students then suggest new communication devices from the reading to add to the class chart of Human Communications.

Indicator 3V
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This is not an assessed indicator in Science.

Criterion 3.4: Intentional Design

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The program includes a visual design that is engaging and references or integrates digital technology (when applicable) with guidance for teachers.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 have narrative evidence for Criterion 3w-3z: Intentional Design. The materials have limited technology integrations, such as interactive tools and/or dynamic software, that engages students in grade-band learning in Grade 1. The materials have a visual design that supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject, and is neither distracting nor chaotic. The materials do not include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, as much of the collaboration is designed for in-person engagement.

Indicator 3W
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Materials integrate interactive tools and/or dynamic software in ways that support student engagement in the three dimensions, when applicable.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 integrate limited interactive tools that support student engagement in the three dimensions when applicable. In a small number of lessons, students use digital simulations, interactive maps, or digital games to support sensemaking. Some of the interactive tools are used in the optional Extension activities. When digital tools are used, guidance for teachers is centered around the facilitation of the tools for students to use in context with the lesson. There are no options to customize simulations for local use. Examples include:

  • In Grade 1, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Predict When The Sky Will Be Dark? Lesson 6: Sunlight on the National Mall, students view the arc of the sun as it moves throughout the day over the Smithsonian Castle. They see how the arc of the sun changes in two separate seasons: Winter and Spring. They may view the National Mall in full 360°. Students then use the Sun Data Sheet to record their observations and describe the pattern of how the Sun appeared to move in the sky.

  • In Grade 1, Physical Science, How Can We Light Our Way In The Dark?, Lesson 7: Signal and Response, there is an extension activity where students pair together to use an interactive map to explore lighthouse locations and map them on a classroom map.

Indicator 3X
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Materials include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable. The materials are consistently designed for in-person student collaboration.

Indicator 3Y
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The visual design (whether in print or digital) supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject, and is neither distracting nor chaotic.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 include visual design that supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject, and is neither distracting nor chaotic. The printed student materials across the series are visually appealing and support thoughtful engagement in the subject. There are no distracting images or unnecessary designs. Color-coding is deliberate and helpful as are icons and call-out boxes that remain consistent across all modules. 

Student materials are consistent in layout with minimal worksheets for each unit. They are clear with a title followed by instructions in a legible font. There is ample space for student work with boxes or other scaffolds drawn for student use. Where writing is necessary, wide-spaced lines are provided. Graphics and icons are bold and easily recognizable. However, the difference between Activity Sheets and Notebook Sheets is not clearly marked for student use.

Student digital resources are offered on a separate website that houses links for the lesson videos and PDFs for images. Videos are hosted through YouTube and are easy to navigate. Simulation links are also hosted on the separate website and are easy to find with directions that are clear and visually appealing. The student digital resources are not linked on the teacher digital resources page, they are a separate URL printed within the Teacher’s Guide. 

The printed teacher guides are arranged uniformly across each module. Each guide includes: Curriculum Overview, Module Overview, Lesson Planner, Guide to Module Investigations, individual lesson plans, and blackline masters. Teacher guides consistently use clear, purposeful color coding and iconography.

Digital materials for Grade 1 are generally easy to navigate. However, some of the resources have inconsistent or unclear labeling and filtering. Additionally, the online teacher guide can be cumbersome to navigate because it lacks a clickable table of contents.

Indicator 3Z
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Materials provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable. Every lesson contains a Preparation section that tells teachers which digital resources should be used and how to prepare them for each lesson. There is also teacher guidance around using the simulations or videos and how to facilitate the related activities. It offers suggestions for how to assist students with the outcomes (making observations, asking questions, collecting data, discussions, etc). It also includes suggestions for how students should view the technology (as a class, in pairs, repeated viewings, when to stop the video, etc). Examples include:

  • In Grade 1, Engineering Design, How Can We Send A Message Using Sound?, Lesson 1: Time To Go!, after a short introduction, teachers share a video with the class and are told to pause it after Ada says, “But there was a problem. Can you guess what it was?” Students are given time to discuss and predict. Then, teachers are directed to restart the video and play it in its entirety. Students then share experiences and ideas about problems they have faced that are similar to Ada’s problem.