The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet expectations that students understand how the materials connect the dimensions from unit to unit. 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 Kindergarten Modules if students have previously completed them.

Examples of student learning experiences that demonstrate connections:

• In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change an Object’s Motion? Lesson 5: Let’s Change Our Direction, students draw a model that shows the direction and force needed to move a ball to a person in a group. A Teacher Tip callout box advises the teacher to “Tell students that the drawings they made in Lessons 1 and 2 are also examples of models.”

• In Kindergarten, Life Science, What Do Plants And Animals Need To Live?, Lesson 8: Sidewalk Solutions, students draw a solution to the problem that a tree has caused the sidewalk to crack. The Series Connections callout box connects to another Module and suggests, “If your class has used the module How Can We Stay Cool in the Sun? ask them to think about how using drawings to communicate solutions fit in with that module.”

• In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool in the Sun?, Lesson 5: Picking Parts, students explore the properties of materials available to them and begin to select materials for a model shade device with consideration for the shapes and properties of the materials. The Series Connections callout box connects to another Module and suggests, “If your class has used the module How Can We Change an Object’s Motion? ask them to think about which materials they used for their paddles and walls and why.”

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.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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.

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

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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:

• PS2.A-P1. In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion?, Lesson 4: Paddle Tests, students use pipe cleaners, tongue depressors, and aluminum foil to test out pushing a ball into a goal and discuss which one is best used to push a ball into the goal. Students then draw a model to compare the strength of the push made by each material and to show if the ball moved fast or slow.

• PS2.A-P2. In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion?, Lesson 6: Collisions, students use a plastic tray to model the effect on a ball’s direction when it hits a wall. After drawing a model of the ball and tray, students then draw another model to show what happened to a puck before it went into a goal. They include an arrow to show the direction the puck was pushed and how it moved before and after colliding with a wall. 

• PS2.B-P1. In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion?, Lesson 7: Wall Tests, students test six different wall materials to determine which is most effective for a game. Students analyze the results and describe how the ball changes motion after colliding with each of the different materials. Then, students use what they have learned about balls changing directions when they collide with a wall to explain that the speed of the ball also changes. 

• PS3.B-P1. In Kindergarten, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Be Ready For The Weather?, Lesson 6: Outfits for Evidence, students look for evidence related to clothing worn outdoors at different times of the day. Students also observe that a snowman does not melt between the night and morning. Using this evidence, students determine there is a relationship between the sun being in the sky and a snowman melting. 

• PS3.C-P1. In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion?, Lesson 3: Faster, Faster, students investigate ways to move objects with pushes and pulls. Students use the sentence stems; “ When I _____, the_______went slow,” and “When I _____ the_______went fast.” Students use their observations to say that objects move faster when they are pushed harder and objects move slower when they are pushed softer.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet expectations that they incorporate all grade-level disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) for life sciences. Across the grade, the materials include the associated components and elements of the life science DCIs. 

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

• LS1.C-P1. In Grade 1, Life Science, What Do Plants And Animals Need To Live?, Lesson 9: Play Area Plan, students use observations to draw schoolyard models showing that plants and trees need water and light. Students’ models also show that caterpillars need plants for food and woodpeckers need insects, nuts, and/or berries from the trees.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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:

• ESS2.D-P1. In Kindergarten, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Be Ready For The Weather?, Lesson 2: What is Weather?, students sort images to identify three forms of weather (rain, wind, and sunlight) and come up with different examples of each. Students consider and discuss what combination of weather forms can explain why a pole is wet on one side but not on the other. 

• ESS2.E-P1. In Kindergarten, Life Science, What Do Animals And Plants Need To Live?, Lesson 6: World of Webs, students make observations and draw parts of caterpillar habitats. Students describe relationships within the habitat and construct an explanation for how caterpillars change the habitat to make webs. In Lesson 10: Play Area, Part 2, students use models of the relationships among animals and plants in the schoolyard to make a claim about which play area plan is best for the living things and to predict how the habitat will change over time.

• ESS3.A-P1. In Kindergarten, Life Science, What Do Animals And Plants Need To Live?, Lesson 7: You Get What You Need, students obtain information from a reading and discuss what living things (including people) need to live and grow: air, water, shelter, sunlight (plants), and other resources from their habitats. Students then make observations from images of caterpillars in their habitats to describe how caterpillar webs help them to get resources from their habitats.

• ESS3.B-P1. In Kindergarten, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Be Ready For The Weather?, Lesson 8: Stormy Weather, students use a simulation to obtain information on the types of storms likely to occur in different locations. Students observe videos of the hazards associated with different types of storms and select the best ways to stay safe from each hazard.

• ESS3.C-P1. In Kindergarten, Life Science, What Do Animals And Plants Need To Live?, Lesson 7: You Get What You Need, students work with a partner to brainstorm the ways that people change the environment to make themselves more comfortable or get what they need. The teacher then leads a discussion on the things that people need, how that affects the environment, and how students can make sure that plants and animals get the things they need from their habitats.

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.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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:

• 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 Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion?, Lesson 5: Let’s Change Our Direction, students draw a model using arrows to show the pattern they observed between the direction of a push on a ball and the direction of its motion. 

• 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-P4. In Kindergarten, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Be Ready For The Weather?, Lesson 6: Outfits as Evidence, students view a video of a snowman melting and observe the types of clothes people wear to stay comfortable during the day and into the evening. Students use these observations to compare how to dress for different outdoor temperatures over 48 hours. 

• 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 Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 7: Are You Keeping It Cool?, students test their shade devices and record their data. Students analyze the data collected by the class to find common characteristics and patterns of successful and unsuccessful designs and identify those designs that worked as intended.

• CEDS-P2. In Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool in the Sun?, Lesson 5: Picking Parts, students design and build a device that will create shade. After planning their basic design, students select which materials to use and incorporate into their design.

• ARG-P6. In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change an Object’s Motion?, Lesson 7: Wall Tests, students test six materials to determine their effectiveness as a sidewall for their hockey game. Students collect data from their test and use the sentence frame “The ___ is/is not a good material for the side wall because ___”, to make a claim about the effectiveness of each material as a sidewall and support their claim with evidence. 

• 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-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.

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.

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.

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.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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 Kindergarten, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Be Ready For The Weather?, Lesson 8: Stormy Weather, the activity sequence includes a Teacher Tip callout box that states, “Remind students who act out lightning that thunder is the sound of lightning. Suggest students who act out snow think about how cold snow is.”

The digital version of the Kindergarten materials also includes a Digital Resources section that provides additional support for teachers. This includes professional learning videos that provide instruction on topics like integrating diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in the classroom, the materials’ three-dimensional assessment system, and using student notebooks. There are also Teacher Resource Videos that walk the user through each lesson in the module and include video instructions on setting up classroom activities, examples of classroom activities, explanations of what students should do, samples of student work, and what students should be able to understand and do after each lesson.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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. The digital Kindergarten materials include the same information in the Module Background Information tab in the Module Overview tab of each module page.

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

• In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion?, the Module Background Information states, “Identifying a pattern may help students explain a phenomenon such as going to bed when it is dark outside in the winter and light outside in the summer. As students get older, they may be able to identify a pattern in a set of data. For this reason, the crosscutting concept of patterns is often used together with the science and engineering practice of analyzing and interpreting data.”

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

• In Kindergarten, Earth and Space Science, How Can We Be Ready For The Weather?, the Module Background Information states, “Earth’s daily temperatures are controlled by energy from the Sun. During the day, the Sun’s radiation causes both Earth’s atmosphere and surface to heat up. When light of any sort is absorbed by an object, thermal energy is transferred from the light to the object.”

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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. The digital version of the Kindergarten materials include this information in the Materials Management and Safety tab that is part of the Module Overview.

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”. These callouts are not included in the digital version of the Kindergarten materials. 

Example of a lesson-level Safety note:

• In Kindergarten, Physical Science, How Can We Change An Object’s Motion?, Lesson 2: Move That Ball, after instructions for Activity Step 3, a call-out states “Students should not share straws. They should put their mouth on and touch only their own straw.”

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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, checkpoint, and summative assessments include a table with each assessed DCI, SEP, and CCC and a “look for” that teachers should see in student work to indicate their performance on the task.

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 Kindergarten, Engineering Design, How Can We Stay Cool In The Sun?, Lesson 6: Design a Shade, the remediation guidance for the formative assessment is “If you anticipate some students will have difficulty making their physical model, meet with the teams, or have a teaching assistant or volunteer meet with the teams, before Lesson 6. Ask the team members to use their drawings and materials tables and describe their design. Pre-build parts of their design for them so that they can tape or glue the sections together during the activity.”

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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 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.