Report for 6th to 8th
Overall Summary
The instructional materials reviewed for Activate Learning IQWST Integrated Grades 6-8 do not meet expectations for Alignment to NGSS, Gateways 1 and 2. In Gateway 1, the instructional materials do not meet expectations for three-dimensional learning and phenomena and problems drive learning.
6th to 8th
Alignment
Usability
Overview of Gateway 1
Designed for NGSS
The instructional materials reviewed for Activate Learning IQWST Integrated Grades 6-8 do not meet expectations for Alignment to NGSS, Gateways 1 and 2. The materials do not meet expectations for three-dimensional learning and that phenomena and problems drive learning.
Gateway 1
Criterion 1.1: Three-Dimensional Learning
The instructional materials reviewed for Activate Learning IQWST Integrated Grades 6-8 do not meet expectations for Criterion 1a-1c: Three-Dimensional Learning. The materials include multiple instances for students to use the three dimensions but across the series, students do not consistently use CCCs and in a few instances the DCIs are not present or integrated with the other dimensions. Few opportunities for sensemaking with the three dimensions are present and those opportunities are structured primarily as whole class activities and not for individual students to engage in sensemaking. The materials provide few three-dimensional learning objectives at the lesson level building toward the three-dimensional objectives of the larger learning sequence, with the objectives consistently excluding the CCCs. While the summative assessments for the module included three dimensions, the objectives at the module level are consistently one-dimensional focused primarily on content expectations, which presents a disconnect between the goals and assessments in the program.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 partially meet expectations that they are consistently designed to integrate the Science and Engineering Practices (SEP), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCC) into student learning opportunities.
The integrated IQWST instructional materials are organized by module (four per grade level) and then by learning set and lesson. Each module is centered around a driving question that is embedded within each lesson. Learning sets are listed as a subdivision within each module that group together a set of lessons, most often centered around an aspect of the driving question. Individual lessons each contain several activities and readings and are typically completed over two to five 50-minute instructional periods. In more than half of the lessons (learning sequences) across the series, the materials integrate the three dimensions within at least one activity (student learning opportunity).
Examples of student learning opportunities that integrate all three dimensions:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 4, Reading 1: What Makes Something a System?, students engage in a learning sequence to determine how structures in the body are systems that work together. Students critically read an article (SEP-INFO-M1) about characteristics of systems and integrate previous learning about body systems in order to describe how the body is a system of multiple interacting systems (CCC-SYS-M1, DCI-LS1.A-M3).
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3, Activity 3.1: Comparing Location and Temperature of Cities on Earth, students engage in a learning sequence to determine how latitude and longitude affect the average temperature of a city. Students compare a dataset of average yearly temperatures of several cities with their location on a map (SEP-DATA-M4) in order to determine the effect of latitude on weather and climate (CCC-CE-M2, DCI-ESS2.D-M1).
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2, Activity 2.2: What are Greenhouse Gases?, students engage in a learning sequence to determine how we know the climate is changing. Students analyze a series of graphs in order to identify patterns in relationships between variables (SEP-DATA-M2, CCC-PAT-M4); they use this information as evidence to support a claim that addresses the question, “Is there a connection between humans and greenhouse gases?” (SEP-CEDS-M3). Student claims address how the increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases is a major factor in the current rise of earth’s mean surface temperature (DCI-ESS3.D-M1).
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 2, Lesson 3, Activity 3.2: Investigating Soil and Groundwater, students engage in a learning sequence to investigate ways humans affect the earth below them. Students conduct an investigation in order to provide evidence of how several introduced substances move through soil and are absorbed by plants (SEP-INV-M2, SEP-DATA-M7). Students use this evidence to identify relationships (CCC-PAT-M3) that describe the effect of human activity on the environment (DCI-ESS3.C-M1).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1, Learning Set 3, Lesson 9, Activity 9.1: How Does Thermal Energy Affect Solids?, students engage in a learning sequence to determine how phase changes between solids and liquids occur. Students construct a model to demonstrate the unobservable mechanisms of the phase change between a solid and a liquid (SEP-MOD-M6, CCC-SPQ-M5) in order to construct an explanation of how the particles behave as the solid melts (SEP-CEDS-M2, DCI-PS1.A-M4).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3, Lesson 11, Learning Set 4, Lesson 11, Activity 11.1: How Do Earth’s Plates Move?, students engage in a learning sequence to determine how energy drives the cycling of matter on Earth. Students develop a model to describe the role of energy in the cycling of rock in earth’s mantle as they observe the interaction between hot and cold water and the development of convection currents in water as it is heated (SEP-MOD-M5, CCC-EM-M2, DCI-ESS2.A-M1).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2, Activity 2.1: Introducing the Trout Mystery, students engage in a learning sequence to determine the cause of change in the Great Lakes trout population. Students ask questions (SEP-AQDP-M1) to determine which environmental interactions could affect trout populations over time (CCC-SC-M1, DCI-LS2.A-M1).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 3, Lesson 7, Activity 7.4: What Are Some Common Examples of Scattering and Reflection?, students engage in a learning sequence to investigate the factors that determine whether an object will scatter or reflect light. Students construct an explanation (SEP-CEDS-M3) based upon previously collected evidence to describe how characteristics of a material determine whether it will reflect or scatter light, and to predict (CCC-CE-M2) how light will behave when it interacts with a reflective surface (DCI-PS4.B-M1).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.2: Why and How Do Objects Move?, students engage in a learning sequence to determine what happens when objects collide. Students track the flow of energy through a designed system (CCC-EM-M4) as they observe a Newton’s cradle. Students then generate questions (SEP-AQDP-M1) to clarify how energy is transferred between objects during a collision (DCI-PS3.B-E1).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2, Activity 2.2: How Does Variation Matter?, students engage in a learning sequence to investigate the cause of the change in the abundance of morphs of peppered moths. Students analyze multiple datasets (SEP-DATA-M4) in order to construct an explanation (SEP-CEDS-M3) of how the variation of traits in the peppered moth population increased some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing (CCC-CE-M2, DCI-LS4.B-M1).
Examples of student learning opportunities that integrate SEPs and DCIs:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3, Activity 3.3: How Do All These Cells Compare?, students engage in a learning sequence to determine if bacteria and amoebae are living things. Within the learning sequence, students construct an evidence-based explanation (SEP-CEDS-M4) for defining a single-celled organism as living (DCI-LS1.A-M1). While students develop an understanding that single-celled organisms have the same life functions as multicellular organisms, students do not engage with a CCC beyond the teacher being expected to share or call attention to CCCs.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 5: What Does it Mean That Odors Are “in” the Air?, students engage in a learning sequence to develop molecular models of atmospheric gases. Within the learning sequence, students identify the limitations of a constructed model (SEP-MOD-M1) in order to explain the presence of an odor (DCI-PS1.A-M1). While teacher notes provide prompts to point out that the size and scale of the model is one of millions of molecules that make up a drop of ammonia, students do not engage with a CCC beyond the teacher addressing it and pointing it out.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 4, Where Do Organisms Get their Food?, students engage in a learning sequence to first trace the path of food in animals back to plants, and then determine whether plants need food or not. Within the learning sequence, students trace the path of food they eat back to the plant source. The materials direct the teacher to explain that food (from plants) provides animals with energy and “building materials” they need to survive and grow (DCI-LS1.C-E1). Energy and matter are introduced in the context of the DCI and not focused on as a CCC in science. In a subsequent activity, students evaluate a series of explanations for the material needs of plants (SEP-CEDS-M4, DCI-LS1.C-P1). Across this lesson, students are not developing an understanding of a grade-band element CCC or using a grade-band element CCC to support understanding of a DCI or SEP.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 2, Lesson 4, Activity 4.1: Investigating a Problem and Designing a Solution, students engage in a learning sequence to research human impacts on the environment. Within the learning sequence students research a topic of interest (SEP-INFO-M5) relating to human impacts on the environment (DCI-ESS3.C-M1). While students are asked to identify the cause of the problem and to propose possible solutions to the environmental problem as well as consequences of the solution, students are not developing an understanding of a grade-band element CCC or using a grade-band element CCC to support understanding of a DCI or SEP.
Examples of student learning opportunities that do not integrate DCIs in physical, life, or earth and space sciences:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 5, Activity 5.1: Tower Challenge, students engage in a learning sequence to design a tower that will withstand wind. Within the learning sequence, students do not engage with a physical science, life science, or earth and space science DCI as they design, build, test, and redesign a tower to withstand high winds (DCI-ETS1.B-M1, DCI-ETS1.C-M1, CCC-CE-H3, SEP-DATA-M8). At the close of the activity, students are asked what an “engineer has to understand about how air masses move in designing structures like buildings” and what else they have “been studying about weather and climate that would be important for an engineer to understand.” While this connects back to earth science content, students did not need to apply this knowledge while planning, testing, or revising their designs.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1: Is Climate Changing?, students engage in a learning sequence to examine evidence that global temperatures have risen over the past century. Within the learning sequence, students analyze a graph (SEP-DATA-M1) in order to identify patterns within a data set (CCC-PAT-M4). This lesson is an introduction to the module and students do not yet engage with an earth science DCI or its elements that would explain the cause of this rise in global temperatures.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1: Population Changes, students engage in a learning sequence to look for changes in the fossil record. Within the learning sequence students identify patterns (CCC-PAT-M4) in a graph of different stickleback fish fossils in a lake over time then record responses to the prompt, “what questions do you have about the sticklebacks or about how changes in populations happen over time?” This lesson is an introduction to the module and students do not yet engage with an earth science DCI or its elements that would explain why fossil records for the stickleback fish changed over time.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 do not meet expectations that they consistently support meaningful student sensemaking with the three dimensions. The materials are designed for student use of many of the SEPs and CCCs; however, elements of the three dimensions are infrequently combined to provide students with meaningful sensemaking opportunities.
In instances where the materials include all three dimensions within an instructional sequence, students do not consistently use both the SEPs and CCCs to make sense of and with the other dimensions. The materials contain multiple examples where the three dimensions are present but do not engage students in meaningful sensemaking activities. The materials contain some instances of two-dimensional sensemaking, where SEPs or CCCs meaningfully support student sensemaking of a DCI. In some cases of two-dimensional instruction, the materials provide guidance for the teacher to address a missing CCC or SEP.
Examples of student learning opportunities where SEPs and CCCs meaningfully support student sensemaking with the other dimensions:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.1, Learning Set 2, Lesson 5: What Happens to the Stuff I Eat after I Eat It?, students use SEPs and CCCs to understand the organization and function of the digestive system. Students make sense of how the parts of the digestive system work together to break down food to be absorbed by the body (DCI-LS1.C-M2) as they collate and record information on the structures and functions of each organ (CCC-SF-M1, SEP-INFO-M5). Students synthesize what they’ve learned as they construct an explanation (SEP-CEDS-M3) of how the digestive system functions.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2: How Do We Know the Climate is Changing?, students use an SEP and CCC to help them understand how it is known that the climate is changing. Students make sense of the connection among human activities, greenhouse gases and the rise in global mean surface temperatures (DCI-ESS3.D-M1) as they construct evidence based explanations (SEP-CEDS-M3) from observed patterns and relationships across multiple sets of data (SEP-DATA-M2, SEP-DATA-M4, CCC-PAT-M4).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2: Do Variations between Individuals in the Population Matter?, students use SEPs and CCCs to understand the cause of the change in the abundance of morphs of peppered moths. Students make sense of how the variation of traits in the peppered moth population increased some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing (DCI-LS4.B-M1) by summarizing and interpreting several sets of data (SEP-DATA-M4) in order to construct a chain of cause and effect statements (CCC-CE-M2) to explain (SEP-CEDS-M3) why the peppered moths changed over time.
Examples of student learning opportunities where SEPs or CCCs meaningfully support student sensemaking of the DCI:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2: What Is My Body Made Of?, students identify types of structures present in skin and cheek cells. Students identify that special structures are found within cells (DCI-LS1.A-M2) as they follow a prescribed set of procedures to mount, view, and compare cells collected from their cheek and elbow and then answer questions asking them to identify and describe common structures between the two samples (SEP-INV-P4). While two of the dimensions are used together to meaningfully support student sensemaking, students are not using a CCC to engage in sensemaking of or with the DCI or SEP. A teacher note embedded within this activity directs the teacher to “reinforce size and scale supporting students in recognizing the investigation of cells as a way of looking at the body at an even smaller scale.” The teacher is sharing a connection to the CCC, but students are not using the CCC to make sense of or with the other dimensions.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 2, Lesson 4: Human Impacts: A Final Project, students identify human impacts on the environment or as they design possible solutions to minimize those impacts. Students engage in a learning sequence to research (SEP-INFO-M5) human impacts on the environment. Students list local and regional issues caused by humans activities and identify how human activities have impacted Earth’s environments (DCI-ESS3.C-M1). Students then research and design solutions that may eliminate or minimize a selected issue (ETS1.B-M2, ETS1.B-M3). While two of the dimensions are used together to meaningfully support student sensemaking, students are not using a CCC to engage in sensemaking of or with the DCI or SEP in this learning sequence.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 5: What Does it Mean That Odors Are “in” the Air?, students develop molecular models of atmospheric gases to understand the composition of substances at the atomic level. Within the learning sequence, students identify variations in atomic composition of substances (DCI-PS1.A-M1) as they follow directions to build and evaluate the limitations of models of various gases (SEP-MOD-M1). They use their models to explain the presence of an odor. While two of the dimensions are used together to meaningfully support student sensemaking, students are not using a CCC to engage in sensemaking of or with the DCI or SEP in this learning sequence. The teacher notes provide prompts to point out that the size and scale of the model is one of millions of molecules that make up a drop of ammonia. The teacher is sharing a connection to the CCC, but students are not using the CCC to make sense of or with the other dimensions.
Examples of student learning opportunities where students do not use CCCs and/or SEPs to make sense of DCIs:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 5, Activity 5.1: Tower Challenge, students engage in a learning sequence to design a tower that will withstand wind. Within the learning sequence, students engage in the design process as they consider criteria and constraints (DCI-ETS1.A-M1), and then design and build (DCI-ETS1.B-M1) a tower that will withstand the force of wind generated by a floor fan. Students use observations of their towers’ performance to inform a redesign and further test of their towers (DCI-ETS1.C-M1, DCI-ETS1.C-M2, SEP-DATA-M8). At the close of the activity, students are asked what an “engineer has to understand about how air masses move in designing structures like buildings” and what else they have “been studying about weather and climate that would be important for an engineer to understand.” While this connects back to earth science content, students did not need to make sense of or apply knowledge of weather while planning, testing, or revising their designs.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1: Is Climate Changing?, students engage in a learning sequence to examine evidence the global temperatures have risen over the past century. Within the learning sequence, students analyze a graph (SEP-DATA-M1) in order to identify patterns within a data set (CCC-PAT-M4). This lesson is an introduction to the module and students do not yet engage with an earth science DCI or its elements that would help students make sense of the cause of this rise in global temperatures.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1: Population Changes, students engage in a learning sequence to look for changes in the fossil record. Within the learning sequence students identify observable patterns (CCC-PAT-M4) as they evaluate the graphical representation of the fossil record of two variants of the stickleback fish. Instructional guidance provided directs the teacher to “orient students to the graph” in order to support student interpretation of the data. Students are not asked to describe any observed patterns rather, they are asked to identify what they think could explain the changes observed in the population over time. This lesson is an introduction to the module and students do not yet engage with an earth science DCI or its elements that would help students make sense of why fossil records for the stickleback fish changed over time.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 do not meet expectations that they are designed to elicit direct, observable evidence for the three-dimensional learning in the instructional materials. Across the series, the provided Lesson Objectives frequently focus on student learning of targeted DCIs and SEPs and do not consistently integrate the CCCs. Formative assessment tasks are rarely present within each of the learning sequences. Some activities offer the instructor the option of assessing student progress towards meeting Lesson Objectives however, in most instances, formative assessment opportunities lack the instructional guidance necessary to make sense of and respond instructionally to student data. Formative assessment opportunities were found in the following locations, Assessing Learning sections in the Teachers Edition, individual student models, Making Sense sections of Student Edition when individual students explain using evidence, and embedded reading questions when student thinking is made visible. Additionally, many identified formative assessments are built as whole class activities, but information about individual student progress in learning and using all three dimensions is not revealed.
The materials for IQWST integrated are organized by grade level, Module, Learning Set, Lesson, Activities, and Readings. For these materials, a learning sequence is identified as a series of Activities and Readings that make up a Lesson. Within the TE, each Lesson contains Teacher Background Knowledge, instructions to set up activities, instructional strategies, a Lesson Overview, and a set of Learning Performances. Learning Performances detail what the student should know and be able to do at the end of the Lesson. Learning Sets are used as a secondary form of organization within the teacher materials only and are comprised of one to six Lessons. Notably, each Learning Set is titled by a focus question that is generally addressed at the close of the last activity within the last Lesson of the Learning Set.
Examples of lesson objectives that are not three-dimensional and the subsequent formative assessment tasks do not elicit information about students’ understanding and use of the three dimensions:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2: What Causes Air Temperature to Change?, students explore mechanisms by which the atmosphere is heated. The lesson objectives include modeling (SEP-MOD-M5) ways in which heat from the sun is transferred to gas particles in the atmosphere raising their average internal kinetic energy and proportionally, the temperature of an air mass (DCI-ESS2.D-M1, DCI-PS3.D-M4). However, no lesson objectives focus on the CCCs.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2: How Do We Know the Climate Is Changing?, students explore factors that are indicators of climate change. The lesson objectives include investigating (SEP-INV-M4) how rising atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane levels can impact the greenhouse effect (DCI-ESS3.D-M1) and generating an explanation (SEP-CEDS-M3) to describe the relationship between the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and human activity (DCI-ESS3.D-M1). No lesson objectives focus on the CCCs.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3: What Makes Up Gases?, Part 2, students explore how gases respond to environmental stimuli. The lesson objectives include modeling (SEP-MOD-M5) how changing the distances between gas particles changes observable characteristics of a sample of gas (DCI-PS1.A-M4). No lesson objectives focus on the CCCs.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.2, Learning Set 3, Lesson 15: How Does My Soap Compare or How Can I Improve My Soap?, students explore the differences between the properties of a homemade and store bought soap. The lesson objectives include planning and carrying out an investigation in order to compare or improve upon (SEP-INV-M2, DCI-ETS1.B-M1) their own soap (DCI-PS1.A-M2, DCI-PS1.B-M1). No lesson objectives focus on the CCCs.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 5: What Other Properties Can Distinguish One Substance from Another?, students explore how properties differ between types of substances. The lesson objectives include collecting and analyzing data to use as evidence (SEP-DATA-M7, SEP-CEDS-M3) to distinguish between the properties of substances (DCI-PS1.A-M2). No lesson objectives focus on the CCCs.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3: How Does Food Provide Building Materials?, students analyze food labels to explain why organisms need food. The lesson objectives include constructing a model (SEP-MOD-M5) in order to describe how foods are broken down through chemical reactions to support growth (DCI-LS1.C-M2). No lesson objectives focus on the CCCs.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 2, Lesson 4: Can We Develop a Model of How We See Objects?, students model how light interacts with objects so they can be seen. The lesson objectives include developing a model (SEP-MOD-M5) in order to describe how visible light interacts with objects(DCI-PS4.B-M1). No lesson objectives focus on the CCCs.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.2. Learning Set 2, Lesson 5: Why Does an Object Stop Moving?, students analyze contact forces to explain why components within a simple system start or stop. The lesson objectives include identifying how for any pair of interacting objects, the force exerted by the first object on the second object is equal in strength to the force that the second object exerts on the first, but in the opposite direction (DCI-PS2.A-M1). No lesson objectives focus on the SEPs or CCCs.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3, Learning Set 3, Lesson 9: Body Structures, students explain how the fossil record, homologous structures, and embryological developments are used as evidence to support the theory of evolution. The lesson objectives include constructing an evidence-based explanation (SEP-CEDS-M3) of how similarities between the fossil record and organisms living today (DCI-LS4.A-M2) and between the embryological development of different organisms can reveal a shared evolutionary history (DCI-LS4.A-M3). No lesson objectives focus on the CCCs.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.4: What Action Will You Take On Sustainability?, students complete a project themed around sustainability. The lesson objectives for this module include demonstrating that humans are dependent upon resources from earth for their survival (DCI-ESS3.A-M1). No lesson objectives focus on the SEPs or CCCs.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 do not meet expectations that they are designed to elicit direct, observable evidence of the three-dimensional learning in the instructional materials. The materials do not provide module-level three-dimensional learning objectives. Across the series, scientific principles are presented within the overview of each module. These principles are consistently one-dimensional and written as statements of disciplinary content without integration of SEPs or CCCs. Additionally, each Module Overview does contain a generic discussion on the use of the SEP of constructing explanations and designing solutions as a means for students to demonstrate understanding, but without correlation to any specific content or in context of three-dimensional use.
Summative assessment opportunities are present primarily in two locations. At the end of each module, the materials introduce a performance-based assessment task in the form of a problem. Often, these performance-based assessment tasks are not three-dimensional or, if they are three-dimensional, the tasks are frequently completed through small group or whole class consensus. For example, the class might revise a model through a whole class discussion and then students are assessed on their ability to reproduce or document conclusions reached by the class. No instructional supports are in place or suggested to capture individual student thinking in these instances.
The materials also provide an assessment bank for each module (with the exception of Module 8.4) via the online portal, which contain around six to twelve questions. Common assessment item formats include multiple choice and a variety of extended response questions. Module-level assessment items are most often one- or two-dimensional and two-dimensional assessment items rarely include elements of CCCs and are generally composed of DCIs and SEPs.
Examples where three-dimensional learning objectives are not provided:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2: Why Is It So Challenging To Predict The Weather?, the objectives are composed of 12 earth science principles. All of the listed principles are disciplinary content statements and do not incorporate SEPs or CCCs as written. For example, the scientific principle “water is continually changing phases and moving between reservoirs” addresses the disciplinary content element that states, “water continually cycles among land, ocean, and atmosphere” (DCI-ESS2.C-M1).
- In Grade 6, Module 6.3: Why Do Organisms Look The Way They Do?, the objectives are composed of a series of 12 life science principles. All of the listed principles are disciplinary content statements and do not incorporate SEPs or CCCs as written. For example, the scientific principle, “Different offspring from the same two parents can inherit different traits from each parent” address the disciplinary content element that states, “each parent contributes half of the genes acquired (at random) by the offspring” (DCI-LS3.B-M1).
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4: How Do Humans Affect The Earth Around Us?, the objectives are composed of a series of nine earth science principles. All of the listed principles are disciplinary content statements and do not incorporate SEPs or CCCs as written. For example, the scientific principle “Increasing human population has made the human impacts on the environment worse” addresses the disciplinary content element that states, “human activities have significantly affected the biosphere” (DCI-ESS3.C-M1).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1: What Makes Up Earth’s Natural Resources?, the objectives are composed of 19 physical and earth science principles. All of the listed principles are disciplinary content statements and do not incorporate SEPs or CCCs as written. For example, the scientific principle “properties help to tell one atom from another” addresses the disciplinary content element that states, “Each pure substance has characteristic physical and chemical properties that can be used to identity it" (DCI-PS1.A-M2).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.2: How Can I Make New Substances From Old Substances?, the objectives are composed of a series of 15 physical science principles. All of the listed principles are disciplinary content statements and do not incorporate SEPs or CCCs as written. For example, the scientific principle “A substance is made of only one type of material (atoms or molecules) all the way through” addresses the disciplinary content element that states, “Substances are made from different types of atoms, which combine with one another in various ways” (DCI-PS1.A-M1).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3: What Do I Have In Common With Planet Earth?, the objectives are composed of 21 physical, life, and earth science principles. All of the listed principles are disciplinary content statements and do not incorporate SEPs or CCCs as written. For example, the scientific principle, “Tectonic plates are mobile slabs of rock of various shapes and sizes that make up the surface of the Earth,” addresses the disciplinary content element that states, “maps of ancient land and water patterns… make clear how Earth’s plates have moved great distances, collided, and spread apart again,” (DCI-ESS2.B-M1).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1: How Does The Universe Affect Me?, the objectives are composed of 27 physical and earth science principles. All of the listed principles are disciplinary content statements and do not incorporate SEPs or CCCs as written. For example, the scientific principle, "When light reaches an object, it is scattered (or reflected), transmitted, absorbed, or some combination of these,” addresses the disciplinary content element that states, “When light shines on an object, it is reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through the object,” (DCI-PS4.B-M1).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3: How Do Living Things Change Over Time?, the objectives are composed of 11 life and earth science principles. All of the listed principles are disciplinary content statements and do not incorporate SEPs or CCCs as written. For example, the scientific principle, “fossils preserve a record of anatomical structures over geologic time scales,” address the disciplinary content element that states, “the fossil record… documents the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of many life forms throughout the history of life on Earth” (DCI-LS4.A-M1).
Criterion 1.2: Phenomena and Problems Drive Learning
The instructional materials reviewed for Activate Learning IQWST Integrated Grades 6-8 partially meet expectations for Criterion 1d-1i: Phenomena and Problems Drive Learning. The materials include phenomena in 56% of lessons and problems in 6% of lessons. Of those phenomena and problems present, they consistently connect to grade-band appropriate DCIs and consistently are presented to students as directly as possible. Multiple instances were found where the phenomena or problems drive learning and use of the three dimensions within lessons or activities. The materials do not elicit or leverage student prior knowledge and experience related to the phenomena and problems present except for a few instances where the elicitation is performed for the whole class and not by individual students. The materials incorporate phenomena that drive learning across multiple lessons in six of twelve modules.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 meet expectations that phenomena and/or problems are connected to grade-band Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs). When phenomena are present, the materials consistently connect module-level and lesson-level phenomena to grade-band appropriate DCIs. Phenomena connect to grade-band DCIs across all the science disciplines and module-level phenomena build student understanding of grade-band DCIs across multiple lessons.
When problems are present, the materials connect the problems to grade-band DCIs in most instances. In few instances problems have no connection to grade-band DCIs.
Examples of phenomena and problems connected to grade-band DCIs:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: Identifying Weather Conditions Around the World, the phenomenon is that weather reports and forecasts from five different cities vary, even when comparing the same day. Throughout the module, the phenomena is used to help students build understanding of earth science systems as factors that affect the weather patterns of a region based upon its geographical location (DCI-ESS2.C-M3, DCI-ESS2.D-M1).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: What Can I Smell?, the phenomenon is that a substance in an opened container emits a strong odor that is detected by students as it permeates the room. Throughout the learning sequence, the phenomenon is used to help students build understanding of the particulate nature of gases and the characteristic motion and behavior of gas particles (DCI-PS1.A-M3, DCI-PS1.A-M4).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4: What Can Cause Populations To Change?, the phenomenon is a trout population in the Great Lakes experienced a sixty year decline. Throughout the module, the phenomenon is used to help students build understanding of the interdependency of a population and its environment (DCI-LS2.A-M1, DCI-LS2.A-M2, DCI-LS2.A-M3, DCI-LS2.A-M4).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 5, Lesson 16: Trapping Water Pollution, the problem is to reduce the impact of oil spills on the environment by designing a device to clean up water pollution. Prior to designing and building their device, students observe the interaction of oil and water and the addition of a dispersant in a simulated oil spill. Students use their understanding of the characteristics and properties of oil and water as they design a device to contain an oil spill (DCI-PS1.A-M2).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 3, Lesson 7: What Happens When Light Bounces Off an Object?, the phenomenon is that light reflects off a mirror and a wall. Throughout the learning sequence, the phenomenon is used to help students build understanding of the behavior of light as it interacts with objects of differing materials (DCI-PS4.B-M1).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 4, Lesson 13: Is a Digital or Analog Signal Better?, the problem is to transmit a message around a barrier. Students utilize their understanding of how the path of a beam of light can be affected by the material of the surface it hits as they design a solution to the problem (DCI-PS4.B-M1, DCI-PS4.B-M2).
Example of a problem not connected to a grade-band DCI:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 5: Design and Engineering Challenge, students are presented with the challenge to build a tower that can withstand wind. Students design, build, and test a structure to withstand wind from a fan while supporting a test weight. Within the parameters of this problem, students are not interacting with any grade-band DCI or associated elements.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 meet expectations that phenomena and/or problems in the series are presented to students as directly as possible. Within the materials, module-level phenomena are generally presented in activities near a module’s opening, while lesson-level phenomena and problems are presented in activities at punctuated points throughout each module. Most phenomena and problems are presented to students through some combination of teacher demonstration, hands-on experience, image, video segment, maps, charts, and/or discussion.
Throughout the materials, when phenomena or problems are present, they are presented as directly as possible in nearly every instance. In multiple instances, phenomena and problems are presented directly to students through a teacher demonstration or a hands-on experience. When first-hand experiences are not practical or appropriate due to issues of scale, geographical access, or in consideration of student safety, phenomena and problems are introduced via video segments, images, charts, and/or maps. The materials rarely contain instances where phenomena and problems are introduced with an image or text where a more direct experience is feasible.
Examples of phenomena that are presented as directly as possible:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: Identifying Weather Conditions Around The World, the module-level phenomenon that weather reports and forecasts from five different cities vary, even when comparing the same day, is presented to students through six data sets that detail the weather conditions of six cities over the same five day period. These materials provide students with a geographical context with which to engage in the phenomenon.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3, Activity 3.2: Are There Patterns in Plant Traits?, the investigative phenomenon of the stem color of Wisconsin Fast Plants is presented to students through observation of the stem color of seedlings produced from a crossing. These materials provide students with a first hand experience with which to engage in the phenomenon.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1, Learning Set 1. Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: What Can I Smell?, the anchoring phenomenon of the odor diffusion is presented to students through a hands-on activity in which each student opens a container of a strong smelling substance. These materials provide students with a first-hand experience with which to engage in the phenomenon.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2, Activity 2.1: Introducing the Trout Mystery, the anchoring phenomenon of trout populations in the Great Lakes is presented to students through a map of the Great Lakes region and a graph of trout populations over time. These materials provide students with a scalar and geographical context with which to engage in the phenomenon.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 6, Lesson 16: Trapping Water Pollution, the problem of cleaning up an oil spill (in water) is presented to students through a teacher demonstration of the interactions between oil and water and the effects of an added dispersant. These resources provide students with a first-hand experience with which to engage in the phenomenon.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 2, Lesson 3, Activity 3.1: What Do I Need to See Objects Near Me?, the lesson-level phenomenon of the visibility of specific objects in the classroom is presented to students through a series of projected images and first hand observation of objects in the classroom. These resources provide students with a first-hand experience with which to engage in the phenomenon.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: Can We Predict How a Moving Object Will Behave?, the phenomenon of a magnetic cannon is presented to students through observation of a teacher demonstration, student inspection, and use of the device. These resources provide students with a first-hand experience with which to engage in the phenomenon.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 partially meets expectations that phenomena and/or problems drive individual lessons or activities using key elements of all three dimensions. Across the series, the materials provide multiple instances in which phenomena or problems drive student learning while engaging with all three dimensions. In some instances, lesson-level phenomena or problems drive student learning but do not engage students in all three dimensions. However, in numerous instances, student learning is not driven by a lesson-level phenomenon or problem. Rather, student learning is often directed by a guiding question that references a scientific concept or an illustrative demonstration.
Examples where phenomena or problems drive individual lessons using all three dimensions:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3, Activity 3.1: Ice Cube Challenge, students are presented with the problem of slowing down the heat transfer that causes ice to melt. Students review the concepts of heat transfer and flows of energy within systems via a whole class discussion. Within the instructional sequence, students define a design problem as they develop a process (SEP-AQDP-M8, DCI-ETS1.A-M1, DCI-ETS1.B-M1, DCI-ETS1.C-M1) to minimize thermal energy transfer (DCI-PS3.B-M3) in an effort to slow the rate at which the ice cube melts (CCC-EM-M4).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3, Learning Set 3, Lesson 8: How Does the Earth Change?, students investigate the phenomenon of volcano and earthquake locations around the world. Students investigate multiple maps of geologic data to observe the locations of volcanoes, earthquakes, and plate boundaries. Within the instructional sequence, students analyze maps (SEP-DATA-M2) and identify patterns (CCC-PAT-M4) as they develop an understanding of the role of plate boundaries and the occurrence of volcanoes and earthquakes (DCI-ESS2.B-E1).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 6, Lesson 16: Trapping Water Pollution, students are presented with the problem of reducing the impact of oil spills on the environment. Students discuss the impacts of oil spills, review the immiscibility of oil in water, and oil’s interactions with living things as the design a method to contain an oil spill. Within the instructional sequence, students design, build, and test (ETS1.B-M1, SEP-AQDP-M8) a method (CCC-SF-M2) to reduce the negative impacts of human activities on the environment (DCI-ESS3.C-M1).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 3, Lesson 7: What Happens When Light Bounces off an Object?, students investigate the phenomenon of light bouncing off a mirror and a wall. Students observe the relationship between the angles of incident and reflected light as light interacts with various surfaces. Within the instructional sequence, students conduct and investigation for the purposes of collecting evidence (SEP-INV-M2) in order to construct an explanation (SEP-CEDS-M4) to describe observed patterns (CCC-PAT-M3) of behavior in reflected light (DCI-PS4.B-M1).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2: Do Variations between Individuals in Populations Matter?, students investigate the phenomenon of phenotypic variation within peppered moth populations. Students make observations of two types of peppered moths, and evaluate external factors that affect the rate of occurrence of genetic variation over time. Within the instructional sequence, students analyze data (SEP-DAT-M1) to construct an explanation to describe how environmental conditions can cause a species to change over time (SEP-CEDS-M3, DCI-LS4.C-M1, CCC-CE-M2).
Examples where phenomena or problems drive individual lessons, but do not use all three dimensions:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 5: Design and Engineering Challenge, students are presented with the challenge to build a tower that can withstand wind. Students attempt to build the tallest tower that can withstand wind from a fan while supporting a test weight. Students redesign and improve their towers based upon initial trials. Within the instructional sequence, students build, test, and modify a design (ETS1.B-M1) based upon collected data regarding prior performance (SEP-DATA-M6, ETS1.C-M1, ETS1.C-M2). This problem is not associated with a disciplinary core idea and students do not engage with a crosscutting concept as part of the design process.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3: How Does Food Provide Building Materials?, students investigate the phenomenon that a cracker changes to a sweet flavor when it is chewed. Students conduct an investigation to construct an explanation of why the flavor of the cracker changes. Within the instructional sequence, students use the results of an investigation (SEP-INV-M2) to construct an explanation of how chemical changes can change the properties of molecules (DCI-PS1.B-M1, SEP-CEDS-M3). Students do not use a crosscutting concept to build understanding of this phenomenon.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 2, Lesson 6: How Does Light Create Shadows?, students investigate the phenomenon of the formation of a shadow by an object. Students observe and analyze the shadow formed by an object and modify a previously constructed model to further explain the characteristics of light. Within the instructional sequence, students develop and use a model (SEP-MOD-M5) to describe how light travels (DCI-PS4.B-M2). Students do not use a crosscutting concept to build understanding of this phenomenon.
Examples of lessons not driven by lesson-level phenomena or problems:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3: Why is Temperature Different in Different Places?, students do not engage with a lesson-level phenomenon or problem. Rather, students research the hours of daylight, light intensity, and temperature for several cities around the world in an attempt to answer the lesson’s driving question. Within the instructional sequence, students engage with elements of all three dimensions at they identify patterns (CCC-PAT-M3) and develop a model (SEP-MOD-M5) to describe how latitude and intensity of light determines the temperature at a particular location (DCI-ESS2.D-M1). While a phenomenon does not drive the learning for this lesson, information from this lesson is used to provide evidence later in the learning sequence to explain the module-level phenomenon.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3. Learning Set 3, Lesson 9: Did Earth Always Look Like This?, students do not engage with a lesson-level phenomenon or problem. Rather, students examine different pieces of evidence in support of Wegener’s idea of continental drift. Within the instructional sequence, students engage with elements of two dimensions as they evaluate and analyze evidence (SEP-DATA-M4) in order to construct an explanation (SEP-CEDS-M3) of how earth has changed over time (DCI-ESS2.A-M2).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 4, Lesson 12: Is There Light I Cannot See?, students do not engage with a lesson-level phenomenon or problem. Rather, students learn about the topic of ultraviolet light and determine the amount of ultraviolet light blocked by sunscreen. Students observe a color change in a set of UV beads and are then guided through an analysis of the significance of the color change using a set of reference photos provided by the teacher. Students then apply sunscreen to the outside of a plastic sandwich bag filled with UV beads and observe the degree of color change that occurs in sunlight. The students do not have the opportunity to ask questions prior to engaging in the investigation, nor do they make sense of their results. Rather, the teacher guides the students through the analysis without making space for students to make sense of their observations in pairs or groups. Within the instructional sequence, students engage with elements of two dimensions as they collect and analyze data (SEP-DATA-M4) in order to construct an explanation (SEP-CEDS-M4) of how sunscreen blocks light (DCI-PS4.B-M1).
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 are designed for students to solve problems in 6% (8/127) of the lessons compared to 15% of the NGSS grade-band performance expectations designed for solving problems. Throughout the materials 56% (71/127) of the lessons focus on explaining phenomena.
Across the series, problems are typically found at the close of a module and generally provide students with an opportunity to extend or apply knowledge constructed from earlier lesson activities. When present, problems are generally limited to a single lesson. Of the twelve modules in the series, eight contain a problem. It should be noted that Module 8.4, the final module for Grade 8, consists of a special project in science and learning contained within the module does not present as either a phenomenon or a problem.
Examples of problems in the series:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3, Activity 3.1: Ice Cube Challenge, students are presented with the problem of slowing down the heat transfer that causes ice to melt. Students review the concepts of heat transfer and flows of energy within systems. Within the instructional sequence, students define a design problem then develop a process to minimize thermal energy transfer as a way to slow the rate that an ice cube melts.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 6, Lesson 16: Trapping Water Pollution, students are presented with the problem of reducing the impact of oil spills on the environment. Students discuss the impacts of oil spills, review the immiscibility of oil in water, and oil’s interactions with living things as the design a method to contain an oil spill. Within the instructional sequence, students design, build, and test a method to reduce the negative impacts of human activities on the environment.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1, Learning Set 4, Lesson 13, Activity 13.1: Is a Digital or Analog Signal Better?, the problem is to design a method to use light to transmit a message around a barrier. To solve this problem, students use their understanding (acquired during previous instructional activities) of how light interacts with surfaces to explore constraints, develop and test a plan to transmit a message around a barrier, and later expand upon their design to transmit a message across a greater distance.
Across the series, six of the twelve modules contain module-level phenomena; these are typically introduced within the first few lessons of a module and drive instruction over multiple lessons. Lesson-level phenomena within in the series are presented at the activity level and generally span a single lesson. Of the 127 lessons in the series, 26 contain a lesson-level phenomenon. Both module-level and lesson-level phenomena within the series address a variety of disciplinary content.
Examples of phenomena in the series:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: Identifying Weather Conditions Around the World, the phenomenon is that weather reports and forecasts from five different cities vary, even when comparing the same day. Within the instructional sequence, students compare how weather conditions and forecasts vary in five cities across the globe and identify patterns in the temperature and amount of daylight present at different latitudes. Students determine if the shape of the earth and the angle of light contributes to the temperature variation at different locations and construct an explanation of why different locations experience different weather on the same day.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: What Traits Do Humans Have?, the phenomenon is the variation of expressed traits in humans. Within the instructional sequence, students collect and evaluate data of observable traits and identify variations of those traits. To explain this phenomenon, students use their collected data to draw conclusions about the distribution of the expressed traits.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: What Can I Smell?, the phenomenon is a substance in an opened container emits a strong odor detectable by students as it permeates the room. Within the instructional sequence, students describe how gases move, observe the physical characteristics of gases, and investigate how gases can be compressed and expanded. To explain this phenomenon, students construct and revise a model to explain how an odor travels from one location to another.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1, Learning Set 1, Lesson 4, Activity 4.1: What Makes Paper Change Color?, the phenomenon is indicator paper changes color without touching a nearby solution. Within the instructional sequence, students use indicator paper to collect data on two known solutions to determine the composition of an unknown solution. To explain this phenomenon, students revise a previous model of the behavior of gases to incorporate an explanation of how the particles moved from the liquid to the indicator paper without direct contact.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3. Activity 3.1: How Does My Body Use Carbohydrates?, the phenomenon is the flavor of a cracker becomes sweeter as it is chewed. Within the instructional sequence, students carry out an investigation to examine chemical reactions that break down starches. To explain this phenomenon, students construct explanations of how food chemically reacts as it is digested.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2, Activity 2.1: Introducing the Trout Mystery, the phenomenon is that a trout population experienced a sixty year decline. Within the instructional sequence, students develop an understanding of the effect of invasive species on food webs and analyze data describing pollutant concentrations in the Great Lakes over time. To explain this phenomenon, students construct evidence-based explanations about how abiotic and biotic factors in an ecosystem affect population sizes over time.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.2, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: Can We Predict How a Moving Object Will Behave?, the phenomenon is forces transferred between objects can be observed with a “magnetic cannon”. Within the instructional sequence, students collect and report data as they manipulate the cannon (a rail containing multiple steel balls separated by a magnet). To explain this phenomenon, students construct an evidence-based explanation of how forces transferred between objects affect the motion of the objects.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2, Activity 2.1: The Case of the Peppered Moth, the phenomenon is the phenotypic variation within peppered moth populations. Within the instructional sequence, students evaluate multiple graphs depicting the population proportions of two types of peppered moths and evaluate factors affecting the occurrence of genetic variation over time. To explain this phenomenon, students construct evidence-based explanations to account for the relative population size of each type of moth.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 do not meet expectations that materials intentionally leverage students’ prior knowledge and experiences related to phenomena and/or problems. Across the series, the materials provide few opportunities to elicit students’ prior knowledge of phenomena and problems. When present, students’ prior experiences and knowledge of phenomena and problems is elicited solely through student participation in whole class discussions and brainstorming sessions.
Examples that elicit, but do not leverage students’ prior knowledge and experiences of phenomena and/or problems:
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3, Learning Set 1. Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: What Happens to My Body When I Exercise?, students’ prior knowledge of the phenomenon, bodies change energy needs during exercise, is elicited through student participation in a class discussion of losing weight and burning calories, and the effects of rest and exercise on an organism. The materials provide no instructional guidance for teacher processing of students’ responses and students’ prior knowledge and experiences are not leveraged during subsequent learning activities in the lesson.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.2. Learning Set 1, Lesson 1. Activity 1.1: Can We Predict How a Moving Object Will Behave?, students’ prior knowledge and experiences of the phenomenon, forces transferred between objects as observed with a “magnetic cannon” (a rail containing multiple steel balls separated by a magnet), is elicited through student participation in a teacher led discussion on the properties of magnets and students’ prior experiences using magnets. The materials provide no instructional guidance for teacher processing of students’ responses, and students’ prior knowledge and experiences are not leveraged during subsequent learning activities in the lesson.
In most instances, questions provided in the teacher edition elicit student prior knowledge of disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts, rather than the phenomenon or problem. In one instance, students' prior knowledge is used to contribute to the development of a Driving Questions Board (DQB) used throughout each module. Further, the materials do not leverage students’ prior knowledge or experiences related to phenomena and/or problems.
Across the series, the teacher edition provides instructional guidance detailing what students should already know; less frequently it also includes common alternative conceptions related to building understanding of phenomena and solving problems. The materials do not provide strategies to connect student experiences with the phenomenon or problem, build contextual relevance for students, or address students’ alternative conceptions. While the materials review and elicit prior content knowledge, they do not elicit students’ experiences or knowledge related to the phenomena and problems, nor do they leverage students’ prior knowledge and experience related to phenomena and problems in a way that allows them to make connections between what they are learning in the classroom and their own experiences.
Examples that do not elicit or leverage students’ prior knowledge of phenomena and/or problems:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: What Traits Do Humans Have?, students’ prior knowledge or experiences with the phenomenon, variation expressed in human traits, is not elicited. Instead, content knowledge related to the DCI is elicited through a class discussion in which students are asked how organisms with different characteristics get the structures they need. The materials provide no instructional guidance for teacher processing of students’ responses and students’ prior knowledge and experiences are not leveraged during subsequent learning activities in the lesson.
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4, Learning Set 2, Lesson 3, Activity 3.1: Ice Cube Challenge, students’ prior knowledge or experiences with the problem, designing a device to keep an ice cube from melting, is not elicited. Instead, content knowledge related to the DCI is elicited through student participation in a teacher led discussion of what students have learned in earlier modules about the transfer of energy. The materials provide no instructional guidance for teacher processing of students’ responses and students’ prior knowledge and experiences are not leveraged during subsequent learning activities in the lesson.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 3.1: How Does My Body Use Carbohydrates?, students’ prior knowledge or experiences with the phenomenon, the flavor of a cracker becomes sweeter as it is chewed, is not elicited. Instead, content knowledge related to the DCI is elicited through student participation in a teacher led discussion about the types of food molecules that make up a cracker. The materials provide no instructional guidance for teacher processing of students’ responses and students’ prior knowledge and experiences are not leveraged during subsequent learning activities in the lesson.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4, Learning Set 1, Lesson 2, Activity 2.1: Introducing the Trout Mystery, students’ prior knowledge or experiences with the phenomenon, the decline in the Great Lakes trout population from 1930 to 1990, is not elicited. Prior to introducing the phenomenon, students’ prior knowledge about trout are elicited through teacher questions to the whole class; however no other aspects of the phenomenon are elicited, such as factors that might impact the population levels. The materials provide no instructional guidance for teacher processing of students’ responses and students’ prior knowledge and experiences are not leveraged during subsequent learning activities in the lesson.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 1, Activity 1.1: Population Changes, students’ prior knowledge or experiences with the phenomenon, changes to the stickleback fish, is not elicited. Instead, content knowledge related to the DCI is elicited through student participation in a class discussion of population change over time. While the materials guide the teacher to incorporate students’ ideas into the DQB, students’ prior knowledge and experiences are not leveraged during subsequent learning activities in the lesson.
- In Grade 8, Module, 8.3, Learning Set 1, Lesson 3, Activity 3.1: Background to the Mystery, students’ prior knowledge and experiences of the phenomenon, the decline of bird populations on Daphne Major, is not elicited. Instead, content knowledge related to the DCI is elicited through student participation in a teacher led discussion reviewing the material investigated (moth populations) in the prior lesson. The materials provide no instructional guidance for teacher processing of students’ responses and students’ prior knowledge and experiences are not leveraged during subsequent learning activities in the lesson.
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The instructional materials reviewed for Grades 6-8 partially meet expectations that they embed phenomena or problems across multiple lessons for students to use and build knowledge of all three dimensions. Across the series, six of twelve modules contain phenomena that drive student learning across multiple lessons. No problems are presented in materials that drive students to use and build knowledge of all three dimensions across multiple lessons.
Module-level phenomena, when present, are nearly always presented with the first few lessons of a module and are generally tied to the module’s driving question. While each driving question is consistently referenced through each lesson of each module, module-level phenomena are not embedded in or referenced by every lesson. In most cases of modules containing module-level phenomena, module-level phenomena are addressed in most of those modules’ lessons. Elements of all three dimensions are used by students when making sense of phenomena in all six occurrences of module-level phenomena.
Examples of learning modules where phenomena drive instruction across multiple lessons and engage students with elements of all three dimensions:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.2: Why Is It So Challenging To Predict The Weather?, the phenomenon variation exists between weather reports and forecasts from five different cities around the world on the same day drives instruction across multiple lessons. Students engage in a series of lessons to develop an understanding of the geographical conditions that result in weather differences around the globe as they investigate the relationships between temperature and particle movement and latitude and exposure to sunlight, as they model energy flow through the atmosphere. Over the course of the module, students engage in elements of all three dimensions as they develop a model to predict and describe (SEP-MOD-M5) how the flow of energy through earth’s atmosphere (CCC-EM-M4) varies with latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography (DCI-ESS2.D-M1).
- In Grade 6, Module 6.3: Why Do Organisms Look The Way They Do?, the phenomenon variation in expressed traits among humans drives instruction across multiple lessons. Students engage in a series of lessons to build understanding of why traits vary and how they are inherited as they compare traits between themselves and classmates, investigate traits expressed by successive generations of plants, and model how offspring inherit traits from their parents. Over the course of the module, students engage in elements of all three dimensions as they collect and analyze data to serve as evidence (SEP-INV-M4, CCC-PAT-M4) that variations of inherited traits between parent and offspring arise from genetic differences between parents and the randomness of genes contributed by each parent (DCI-LS3.A-M2, DCI-LS3.B-M1).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.1: What Makes Up Earth’s Natural Resources?, the phenomenon a substance in an opened container emits a strong odor detectable by students as it permeates the room drives instruction across multiple lessons. Students engage in a series of lessons to develop an understanding of the nature and behavior of gases as they model air particle movement and investigate the characteristics of the three phases of matter. Over the course of the module, students engage in elements of all three dimensions as they develop and revise a model to explain (SEP-MOD-M2, SEP-MOD-M5) the particulate nature of gases and how gas particles move relative to one another (DCI-PS1.A-M3, CCC-SF-M1).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.3: What Do I Have In Common With Planet Earth?, the phenomenon bodies change energy needs during exercise drives instruction across multiple lessons. Students engage in a series of lessons to develop an understanding of how food moves through a series of chemical reactions in which it is broken down and rearranged in order to release energy as they explore how food changes as it’s digested, read about the structure of proteins, and investigate the relative amounts of energy stored in plant based foods. Over the course of the module, students engage in elements of all three dimensions as they investigate the energy stored in plants (DCI-LS1.C-M1, DCI-LS1.C-M2) to generate evidence (SEP-INV-M2) of the transformation of energy that occurs as food is metabolized (CCC-EM-M3).
- In Grade 7, Module 7.4: What Can Cause Populations To Change?, the phenomenon a trout population experienced a sixty year decline drives instruction across multiple lessons. Students engage in a series of lessons to develop an understanding of food webs and the impact of invasive species and pollution on an ecosystem as they read about the impacts of the sea lamprey on the Great Lakes fishery, analyze the levels of pollutants in the Great Lakes over time, and construct an evidence based explanation about how abiotic and biotic factors in an ecosystem affect population sizes. Over the course of the module, students engage in elements of all three dimensions as they analyze and interpret graphical displays of data to provide evidence (SEP-DATA-M1, SEP-DATA-M4) of the dependence of populations upon the environmental interactions between living and nonliving components of an ecosystem (DCI-LS2.A-M1, CCC-PAT-M4, CCC-SYS-M2).
- In Grade 8, Module 8.2: How Do Forces Impact Me?, the phenomenon forces transfer between objects are observed with a “magnetic cannon” drives instruction across multiple lessons. Students engage in a series of lessons to develop an understanding of the transfer of energy that occurs when objects interact as they investigate how different arrangements of magnetic balls on the track (the magnetic cannon) alter the cannon’s outputs, contrast the behavior of a Newton’s cradle and other devices to that of the magnetic cannon, and develop force pair diagrams to describe the force interactions of each device. Over the course of the module, students engage in elements of all three dimensions as they investigate and model the effect of changing variables (SEP-INV-M1, SEP-MOD-M2) within multiple force pair systems (CCC-SYS-M2, DCI-PS3.C-M1).
In modules where phenomena or problems do not drive student learning across multiple lessons, the student learning is often driven by a disciplinary core idea, a topic, and/or a driving question. These modules may include a phenomenon or problem that drives learning within an individual lesson but not across multiple lessons.
Examples of learning modules where phenomena do not drive student learning across multiple lessons:
- In Grade 6, Module 6.4: How Do Humans Affect The Earth Around Us?, students are not presented with a module-level phenomenon to make sense of or a problem to solve. Rather, the materials provide illustrative examples and a lesson level phenomenon for students to engage in content describing greenhouse gases. Additionally, students investigate how to prevent an ice cube from melting and complete research on an environmental problem of their choosing.
- In Grade 7, Module 7.2: How Can I Make New Substances From Old Substances?, students are not presented with a module-level phenomenon to make sense of or a problem to solve. Rather, the materials provide illustrative examples and investigations for students to engage in content describing physical properties and identifying relationships in chemical reactions.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.1: How Does The Universe Affect Me?, students are not presented with an anchoring phenomenon to make sense of or a problem to solve. Rather, the materials provide illustrative examples and a lesson-level investigative phenomenon for students to engage in content describing the planets and stars, exploring properties of light, and learning about eclipses and UV radiation.
- In Grade 8, Module 8.4: What Action Will You Take On Sustainability?, students are not presented with an anchoring phenomenon to make sense of or a problem to solve. Rather, students participate in a project in which they are tasked with designing and carrying out a sustainability action plan. Over the course of the module, students participate in activities to guide the development of their action plans.
Overview of Gateway 2
Coherence and Scope
Criterion 2.1: Coherence and Full Scope of the Three Dimensions
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Overview of Gateway 3
Usability
Criterion 3.1: Design to Facilitate Teacher Learning
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Criterion 3.2: Support for All Students
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Criterion 3.3: Documentation of Design and Usability
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Criterion 3.4: Assessment Design and Supports
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Criterion 3.5: Technology Use (3z to 3ad)
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Report Overview
Summary of Alignment & Usability for IQWST Integrated Edition | Science
Science 6-8
The instructional materials reviewed for Activate Learning IQWST Integrated Grades 6-8 do not meet expectations for Alignment to NGSS, Gateways 1 and 2. In Gateway 1, the instructional materials do not meet expectations for three-dimensional learning and phenomena and problems drive learning.