New Jersey Model Curriculum Unit Alignment

Students use data and conceptual models to understand how the environment and genetic factors determine the growth of an individual organism. They connect this idea to the role of animal behaviors in animal reproduction and to the dependence of some plants on animal behaviors for their reproduction. Students provide evidence to support their understanding of the structures and behaviors that increase the likelihood of successful reproduction by organisms. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect and structure and function provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students demonstrate grade-appropriate proficiency in analyzing and interpreting data, using models, conducting investigations, and communicating information. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students analyze and interpret data, develop models, construct arguments, and demonstrate a deeper understanding of the cycling of matter, the flow of energy, and resources in ecosystems. They are able to study patterns of interactions among organisms within an ecosystem. They consider biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem and the effects these factors have on populations. They also understand that the limits of resources influence the growth of organisms and populations, which may result in competition for those limited resources. The crosscutting concepts of matter and energy, systems and system models, patterns, and cause and effect provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students demonstrate grade-appropriate proficiency in analyzing and interpret data, developing models, and constructing arguments. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students build on their understandings of the transfer of matter and energy as they study patterns of interactions among organisms within an ecosystem. They consider biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem and the effects these factors have on a population. They construct explanations for the interactions in ecosystems and the scientific, economic, political, and social justifications used in making decisions about maintaining biodiversity in ecosystems. The crosscutting concept of stability and change provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas.
This unit includes a two-stage engineering design process. Students first evaluate different engineering ideas that have been proposed using a systematic method, such as a tradeoff matrix, to determine which solutions are most promising. They then test different solutions, and combine the best ideas into a new solution that may be better than any of the preliminary ideas. Students demonstrate grade appropriate proficiency in asking questions, designing solutions, engaging in argument from evidence, developing and using models, and designing solutions. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students use system and system models and stability and change to understanding ideas related to why some objects will keep moving and why objects fall to the ground. Students apply Newton's third law of motion to related forces to explain the motion of objects. Students also apply an engineering practice and concept to solve a problem caused when objects collide. The crosscutting concepts of system and system models and stability and change provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students demonstrate proficiency in asking questions, planning and carrying out investigations, designing solutions, engaging in argument from evidence, developing and using models, and constructing explanations and designing solutions. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students use cause and effect; system and system models; and stability and change to understand ideas that explain why some materials are attracted to each other while others are not. Students apply ideas about gravitational, electrical, and magnetic forces to explain a variety of phenomena including beginning ideas about why some materials attract each other while others repel. In particular, students develop understandings that gravitational interactions are always attractive but that electrical and magnetic forces can be both attractive and negative. Students also develop ideas that objects can exert forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact, through fields. Students are expected to consider the influence of science, engineering, and technology on society and the natural world. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in asking questions, planning and carrying out investigations, designing solutions, and engaging in argument. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

This unit is broken down into three sub-ideas: the universe and its stars, Earth and the solar system, and the history of planet Earth. Students examine the Earth's place in relation to the solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, and the universe. There is a strong emphasis on a systems approach and using models of the solar system to explain the cyclical patterns of eclipses, tides, and seasons. There is also a strong connection to engineering through the instruments and technologies that have allowed us to explore the objects in our solar system and obtain the data that support the theories explaining the formation and evolution of the universe. Students examine geosciences data in order to understand the processes and events in Earth's history. The crosscutting concepts of patterns, scale, proportion, and quantity and systems and systems models provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models and analyzing and interpreting data. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

This unit is broken down into three sub-ideas: Earth's large-scale systems interactions, the roles of water in Earth's surface processes, and weather and climate. Students make sense of how Earth's geosystems operate by modeling the flow of energy and cycling of matter within and among different systems. A systems approach is also important here, examining the feedbacks between systems as energy from the Sun is transferred between systems and circulates though the ocean and atmosphere. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, systems and system models, and energy and matter are called out as frameworks for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. In this unit, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models and planning and carrying out investigations as they make sense of the disciplinary core ideas. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students build understandings of what occurs at the atomic and molecular scale. Students apply their understanding that pure substances have characteristic properties and are made from a single type of atom or molecule. They also provide a molecular level accounts to explain states of matter and changes between states. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, scale, proportion and quantity, structure and function, interdependence of science, engineering, and technology, and the influence of science, engineering and technology on society and the natural world provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students demonstrate grade appropriate proficiency in developing and using models, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students are also expected to use the scientific and engineering practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students provide molecular-level accounts of states of matter and changes between states, of how chemical reactions involve regrouping of atoms to form new substances, and of how atoms rearrange during chemical reactions. Students are also able to apply an understanding of optimization design and process in engineering to chemical reaction systems. The crosscutting concepts of structure and function, cause and effect, interdependence of science, engineering, and technology, and influence of science, engineering, and technology on society and on the natural world provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students are expected to demonstrate grade appropriate proficiency in obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information and developing and using models. Students are also expected to use the scientific and engineering practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students provide molecular-level accounts of states of matters and changes between states, of how chemical reactions involve regrouping of atoms to form new substances, and of how atoms rearrange during chemical reactions. Students also apply their understanding of optimization design and process in engineering to chemical reaction systems. The crosscutting concept of energy and matter provides a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models, analyzing and interpreting data, designing solutions, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students are also expected to use these science and engineering practices to demonstrate understanding of the disciplinary core ideas.

Students demonstrate age appropriate abilities to plan and carry out investigations to develop evidence that living organisms are made of cells. Students gather information to support explanations of the relationship between structure and function in cells. They are able to communicate an understanding of cell theory and understand that all organisms are made of cells. Students understand that special structures are responsible for particular functions in organisms. They then are able to use their understanding of cell theory to develop and use physical and conceptual models of cells. The crosscutting concepts of scale, proportion, and quantity and structure and function provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, and developing and using models, Students are also expected to use these to use these science and engineering practices to demonstrate understanding of the disciplinary core ideas.

Students develop a basic understanding of the role of cells in body systems and how those systems work to support the life functions of the organism. Students will construct explanations for the interactions of systems in cells and organisms. Students understand that special structures are responsible for particular functions in organisms, and that for many organisms, the body is a system of multiple-interaction subsystems that form a hierarchy, from cells to the body. Students construct explanations for the interactions of systems in cells and organisms and for how organisms gather and use information from the environment. The crosscuttings concepts of systems and system models and cause and effect provide a framework for understanding the disciplinary core ideas. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in engaging in argument from evidence and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students use these science and engineering practices to demonstrate understanding of the disciplinary core ideas.

Students develop and use models to describe how gene mutations and sexual reproduction contribute to genetic variation. Students understand how genetic factors determine the growth of an individual organism. They also demonstrate understanding of the genetic implications of sexual and asexual reproduction. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect and structure and function provide a framework for understanding how gene structure determines differences in the functioning of organisms. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models. Students use these science and engineering practices to demonstrate understanding of the disciplinary core ideas.

Students provide a mechanistic account for how cells provide a structure for the plant process of photosynthesis in the movement of matter and energy needed for the cell. Students use conceptual and physical models to explain the transfer of energy and cycling of matter as they construct explanations for the role of photosynthesis in cycling matter in ecosystems. They construct scientific explanations for the cycling of matter in organisms and the interactions of organisms to obtain matter and energy from an ecosystem to survive and grow. They understand that sustaining life requires substantial energy and matter inputs, and that the structure and functions of organisms contribute to the capture, transformation, transport, release, and elimination of matter and energy. The crosscutting concepts of matter and energy and structure and function provide a framework for understanding of the cycling of matter and energy flow into and out of organisms. Students are also expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models. Students use these science and engineering practices to demonstrate understanding of the disciplinary core ideas.

Students examine geoscience data in order to understand processes and events in Earth's history. Important crosscutting concepts in this unit are scale, proportion, and quantity, stability and change, and patterns in relation to the different ways geologic processes operate over geologic time. An important aspect of the history of Earth is that geologic events and conditions have affected the evolution of life, but different life forms have also played important roles in altering Earth's systems. Students understand how Earth's geosystems operate by modeling the flow of energy and cycling of matter within and among different systems. Students investigate the controlling properties of important materials and construct explanations based on the analysis of real geoscience data. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in analyzing and interpreting data and constructing explanations. They are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

In this unit of study, students analyze graphical displays and gather evidence from multiple sources in order to develop an understanding of how fossil records and anatomical similarities of the relationships among organisms and species describe biological evolution. Students search for patterns in the evidence to support their understanding of the fossil record and how those patterns show relationships between modern organisms and their common ancestors. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, patterns, and structure and function are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. Students use the practices of analyzing graphical displays and gathering, reading, and communicating information. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students construct explanations based on evidence to support fundamental understandings of natural selection and evolution. They will use ideas of genetic variation in a population to make sense of how organisms survive and reproduce, thus passing on the traits of the species. The crosscutting concepts of patterns and structure and function are called out as organizing concepts that students use to describe biological evolution. Students use the practices of constructing explanations, obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information, and using mathematical and computational thinking. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

Students construct an understanding of the ways that human activities affect Earth's systems. Students use practices to understand the significant and complex issues surrounding human uses of land, energy, mineral, and water resources and the resulting impacts on the development of these resources. Students also understand that the distribution of these resources is uneven due to past and current geosciences processes or removal by humans. The crosscutting concepts of patterns, cause and effect, and stability and change are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. In this unit of study students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in asking questions, analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations, and designing solutions. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

In this unit of study, students analyze and interpret data and design solutions to build on their understanding of the ways that human activities affect Earth's systems. The emphasis of this unit is the significant and complex issues surrounding human uses of land, energy, mineral, and water resources and the resulting impacts of these uses. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect and the influence of science, engineering, and technology on society and the natural world are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas.
Building on Unit 3, students define a problem by precisely specifying criteria and constraints for solutions as well as potential impacts on society and the natural environment; systematically evaluate alternative solutions; analyze data from tests of different solutions; combining the best ideas into an improved solution; and develop and iteratively test and improve their model to reach an optimal solution. In this unit of study students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in analyzing and interpreting data and designing solutions. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

In this unit, students use the practices of analyzing and interpreting data, developing and using models, and engaging in argument from evidence to make sense of relationship between energy and forces. Students develop their understanding of important qualitative ideas about the conservation of energy. Students understand that objects that are moving have kinetic energy and that objects may also contain stored (potential) energy, depending on their relative positions. Students also understand the difference between energy and temperature, and the relationship between forces and energy. The crosscutting concepts of scale, proportion, and quantity, systems and system models, and energy and matter are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. Students use the practices of analyzing and interpreting data, developing and using models, and engaging in argument from evidence. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

In this unit, students ask questions, plan and carry out investigations, engage in argument from evidence, analyze and interpret data, construct explanations, define problems and design solutions as they make sense of the difference between energy and temperature. They use the practices to make sense of how the total change of energy in any system is always equal to the total energy transferred into or out of the system. The crosscutting concepts of energy and matter, scale, proportion, and quantity, and influence of science, engineering, and technology on society and the natural world are the organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. Students ask questions, plan and carry out investigations, engage in argument from evidence, analyze and interpret data, construct explanations, define problems and design solutions. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.

In this unit of study, students develop and use models, use mathematical thinking, and obtain, evaluate, and communicate information in order to describe and predict characteristic properties and behaviors of waves. Students also apply their understanding of waves as a means of sending digital information. The crosscutting concepts of patterns and structure and function are used as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. Students develop and use models, use mathematical thinking, and obtain, evaluate, and communicate information. Students are also expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.