Middle

Physical

Life

Earth and Space

Matter and Its Interactions

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Energy

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Earth's Place in the Universe

Earth's Systems

Earth and Human Activity

Structure and Properties of Matter

Forces and Motion

Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer

Wave Properties 

Structure and Function

Growth and Development of Organisms

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

Variation of Traits

Earth and the Solar System

Earth's Materials and Systems

Weather and Climate

Natural Resources

Human Impacts on Earth Systems

Target Level: Interpret and analyze data on the properties (e.g., color, texture, odor, and state of matter) of substances before and after chemical changes have occurred (e.g., burning sugar or burning steel wool, rust, effervescent tablets).  

Precursor Level: Gather data on the properties (e.g., color, texture, odor, and state of matter) of substances before and after chemical changes have occurred (e.g., burning sugar or burning steel wool, rust, effervescent tablets). 

Initial Level: Observe and identify examples of change (e.g. state of matter, color, temperature, and odor). 

Target Level: Investigate and predict the change in motion of objects based on the forces acting on those objects.  

Precursor Level: Investigate and identify ways to change the motion of an object (e.g., change an incline's slope to make an object go slower, faster, farther). 

Initial Level: Identify ways to change the movement of an object (e.g., faster, slower, stop). 

Target Level: Test and refine a device (e.g., foam cup, insulated box, or thermos) to either minimize or maximize thermal energy transfer (e.g., keeping liquids hot or cold, preventing liquids from freezing, keeping hands warm in cold temperatures). 

Investigate objects/materials, and predict their ability to maximize or minimize thermal energy transfer.  

Identify objects/materials used to minimize or maximize thermal energy transfer (e.g., gloves, vacuum flask, insulated hot pad holder or foam cup). 

Target Level: Use a model to show how light waves (e.g., light through a water glass, light on colored objects) or sound waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials (e.g., water, air, table).  

Precursor Level: Investigate changes in vibrations and sources of sound in everyday life.

Initial Level: Use a model to recognize that sound waves are transmitted by vibrations.

Target Level: Make a claim about how a structure (e.g., organs and organ systems) and its related function supports survival of animals (circulatory, digestive, and respiratory systems).  

Precursor Level: Use a model to demonstrate how organs are connected in major organ systems.

Initial Level: Recognize major organs of animals.

Target Level: Interpret data to show that environmental resources (e.g., food, light, space, water) influence growth of organisms (e.g., drought decreasing plant growth, fertilizer increasing plant growth, different varieties of plant seeds growing at different rates in different conditions, fish growing larger in large ponds than small ponds).

Precursor Level: Identify factors that influence growth of organisms.

Initial Level: Match organisms to their habitats.

Target Level: Use models of food chains/webs to identify producers and consumers in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Precursor Level: Classify animals based on what they eat (e.g., herbivore, omnivore, carnivore).  

Initial Level: Identify food that animals eat.

Target Level: Make a claim supported by evidence that offspring inherit traits from their parents.  

Precursor Level: Identify similarities and differences between plant and animal parents and their offspring (e.g., eye color, hair/fur color, height, leaf shape, and/or markings).

Initial Level: Recognize that organisms differ within same species (e.g., dogs, chickens, oaks that differ in color and size).

Target Level: Use an Earth-Sun-Moon model to show that Earth's orbit around the Sun corresponds to a calendar year and the orbit of the Moon around Earth corresponds to a month.

Precursor Level: Use a model to show that Earth's Moon moves around Earth, and Earth and its Moon move around the Sun. 

Initial Level: Recognize models of the Earth, Moon, and Sun system.

Target Level: Use a model to describe the change within the rock cycle between igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock.

Precursor Level: Use a model to describe the change from igneous to sedimentary rock. 

Initial Level: Identify the process that forms igneous rock (e.g., volcanoes).

Target Level: Explain how geoscience processes that occur daily (e.g.,wind, rain, runoff) slowly change the surface of Earth, while catastrophic events (e.g., earthquakes, tornadoes, floods) can quickly change the surface of Earth.

Precursor Level: Identify geoscience processes (e.g., wind, rain, runoff) that have an impact on landforms (e.g., landslides, erosion such as gullies).

Initial Level: Identify differences in weather conditions from day to day.

Target Level: Interpret basic weather information (e.g., radar, map) to make predictions about future conditions (e.g., precipitation, temperature, wind).

Precursor Level: Interpret basic weather information (e.g., radar, map) to compare weather conditions (either over several days at the same location or different locations on the same day).

Initial Level: Interpret basic weather information (e.g., radar, map) to identify weather conditions.

Target Level: Interpret, based on evidence, how the geoscience processes (e.g., weathering, erosion) create resources. 

Precursor Level: Identify the geoscience process that produces a natural resource (e.g., solar energy creating wind energy, rock cycle with ores and minerals).

Initial Level: Identify a natural resource (e.g., water, sand, wind).

Target Level: Develop a plan to monitor and minimize a human impact on the local environment (e.g., water, land, pollution).  

Precursor Level: Recognize ways in which humans impact the environment (e.g., agriculture, pollution, recycling, city growth).

Initial Level: Recognize resources (e.g., food, water, shelter, air) in the local environment that are important for human life.