Appendix: Implementing District Standards
Next Generation Science Standards
This unit was designed to meet performance expectations found in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The standards identified below are suggestions of the science and engineering standards intended to be addressed when this unit was created, however the content of this unit could be relevant to additional standards within NGSS.
Performance Expectations
MS-PS1-1. Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
MS-PS1-3. Gather and makes sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-2. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS1.A. Structure and Properties of Matter
Substances are made from different types of atoms, which combine with one another in various ways. Atoms form molecules that range in size from two to thousands of atoms. (MS-PS1-1)
Solids may be formed from molecules, or they may be extended structures with repeating subunits (e.g., crystals). (MS-PS1-1)
Each pure substance has characteristic physical and chemical properties (for any bulk quantity under given conditions) that can be used to identify it. (MS-PS1-3)
PS1.B. Chemical Reactions
Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants. (MS-PS1-3)
ESS2.C. Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Human activities have significantly altered the bioshpere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.
Typically as human populations and per capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise. (MS-ESS3-3)
ETS1.A. Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
The more precisely a design task’s criteria and constraints can be defined, the more likely it is that the desgined solution will be successful. Specification of constraints includes consideration of scientific principles and other relevant knowledge that is likely to limit possible solutions. (MS-ETS1-1)
ETS1.B. Developing Possible Solutions
There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet the criteria and constraints of a problem. (MS-ETS1-2)
Science & Engineering Practices
Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Developing and Using Models, Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solution, Engaging in Argument form Evidence, and Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Crosscutting Concepts
Scale, Proportion, and Quantity, Systems and System Models, Structure and Function, Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World
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