Comparison arranged according to NRC Standards
Grades K-12
Unifying Concepts and Processes
Systems, order, and organization
The natural and designed world is complex...
The goal of this standard is to think
and analyze...
Science assumes that the behavior of
the universe...
Prediction is the use of knowledge to
identify and explain...
Order-the behavior of units of matter,
objects, organisms...
Types and levels of organization provide
useful ways of thinking...
Evidence, models and explanation
Evidence consists of observations
and data on which to base...
Models are tentative schemes or structures
that correspond to...
Scientific explanations incorporate
existing scientific knowledge...
Constancy, change, and measurement
Although most things are in the
process of becoming different...
Energy can be transferred and matter
can be changed...
Changes in systems can be quantified.
Evidence for interactions...
Different systems of measurement
are used for different purposes...
Scale includes understanding that
different characteristics...
Rate involves comparing one measured
quantity to another measured...
Evolution and equilibrium
Evolution is a series of changes,
some gradual and some sporadic...
Equilibrium is a physical state in
which forces and changes occur...
Form and function
Form and function are complementary
aspects of objects, organisms...
Grades K-4
Science as Inquiry
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Ask a question about objects, organisms,
and events...
Plan and conduct a simple investigation.
In the earliest years...
Employ simple equipment and tools
to gather data and extend...
Use data to construct a reasonable
explanation...
Communicate investigations and explanations.
Students should...
Understanding about scientific inquiry
Scientific investigations involve
asking and answering a question...
Scientists use different kinds of
investigations depending...
Simple instruments, such as magnifiers,
thermometers, and rulers...
Scientists develop explanations using
observations (evidence)...
Scientists make the results of their
investigations public; they...
Scientists review and ask questions
about the results of other...
Physical Science
Properties of objects and materials
Objects have many observable properties,
including size, weight...
Objects are made of one or more materials,
such as paper, wood...
Materials can exist in different
states--solid, liquid, and gas...
Position and motion of objects
The position of an object can be
described by locating it ...
An object's motion can be described
by tracing and measuring...
The position and motion of objects
can be changed by pushing...
Sound is produced by vibrating objects.
The pitch of the sound...
Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism
Light travels in a straight line
until it strikes an object...
Heat can be produced in many ways
such as burning, rubbing...
Electricity in circuits can produce
light, heat, sound...
Magnets attract and repel each other
and certain kinds of...
Life Science
The characteristics of organisms
Organisms have basic needs. For
example, animals need air, water...
Each plant or animal has different
structures that serve...
The behavior of individual organisms
is influenced by internal...
Life cycles of organisms
Plants and animals have life cycles
that include being born...
Plants and animals closely resemble
their parents...
Many characteristics of an organism
are inherited from...
Organisms and their environments
All animals depend on plants. Some
animals eat plants for food.
An organism's patterns of behavior
are related to the nature...
All organisms cause changes in the
environment where they live.
Humans depend on their natural and
constructed environment...
Earth and Space Science
Properties of Earth materials
Earth materials are solid rocks
and soils, water, and the gases...
Soils have properties of color and
texture, capacity to retain...
Fossils provide evidence about the
plants and animals that lived ...
Objects in the sky
The Sun, Moon, stars, clouds, birds,
and airplanes all have...
The sun provides the light and heat
necessary to maintain the...
Changes in the Earth and sky
The surface of the Earth changes...
Weather changes from day to day and
over the seasons...
Objects in the sky have patterns
of movement...
Science and Technology
Abilities of technological design
Identify a simple problem. In problem
identification, children...
Propose a solution. Students should
make proposals to build...
Implementing proposed solutions.
Children should develop...
Evaluate a product or design. Students
should evaluate their...
Communicate a problem, design, and
solution. Student abilities...
Understanding about science and technology
People have always had questions
about their world. Science is...
People have always had problems and
invented tools and techniques...
Scientists and engineers often work
in teams with different...
Women and men of all ages, backgrounds,
and groups, engage in...
Tools help scientists make better
observations, measurements...
Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by
humans
Some objects occur in nature; others
have been designed and...
Objects can be categorized into two groups,
natural and designed...
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Personal health
Safety and security are basic needs
of humans. Safety involves...
Individuals have some responsibility
for their own health...
Nutrition is essential to health. Students
should understand...
Different substances can damage the body
and how it functions...
Characteristics and changes in populations
Human populations include groups of
individuals living in a...
The size of a human population can increase
or decrease...
Types of resources
Resources are things that we get from
the living and nonliving...
Some resources are basic materials, such
as air, water, and soil...
The supply of many resources is limited.
If used, resources can...
Changes in environments
Environments are the space, conditions,
and factors that affect...
Changes in environments can be natural
or influenced by humans...
Some environmental changes occur slowly,
and others occur rapidly...
Science and technology in local challenges
People continue inventing new ways of
doing things, solving...
Science and technology have improved
food quality and quantity...
History and Nature of Science
Science as a human endeavor
Science and technology have been practiced
by people for a long...
Men and women have made a variety of
contributions throughout...
Although men and women doing scientific
inquiry have learned...
Many people choose science as a career
and devote their entire...
Grades 5-8
Science as Inquiry
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Identify questions that can be answered
through scientific...
Design and conduct a scientific investigation.
Students should...
Use appropriate tools and techniques
to gather, analyze...
Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions,
and models...
Think critically and logically to make
the relationships between...
Recognize and analyze alternative explanations
and predictions...
Communicate scientific procedures and
explanations...
Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific
inquiry...
Understanding about scientific inquiry
Different kinds of questions suggest
different kinds of...
Current scientific knowledge and understanding
guide scientific...
Mathematics is important in all aspects
of scientific inquiry...
Technology used to gather data enhances
accuracy and allows...
Scientific explanations emphasize evidence,
have logically...
Science advances through legitimate skepticism.
Asking questions...
Scientific investigations sometimes result
in new ideas and...
Physical Science
Properties and changes of properties in matter
A substance has characteristic properties,
such as density, a...
Substances react chemically in characteristic
ways with other...
Chemical elements do not break down by
normal laboratory reaction...
Motions and forces
The motion of an object can be described
by its position...
An object that is not being subjected
to a force will continue...
If more than one force acts on an object
along a straight line...
Transfer of energy
Energy is a property of many substances
and is associated...
Heat moves in predictable ways, flowing
from warmer objects...
Light interacts with matter by transmission
(including refraction...
Electrical circuits provide a means of
transferring electrical...
In most chemical and nuclear reactions,
energy is transferred...
The Sun is a major source of energy for
changes on the Earth's...
Life Science
Structure and function in living systems
Living systems at all levels of organization
demonstrate...
All organisms are composed of cellsnthe
fundamental unit of life...
Cells carry on the many functions needed
to sustain life...
Specialized cells perform specialized
functions in multicellular...
The human organism has systems for digestion,
respiration...
Disease is a breakdown in structures
or functions of an organism...
Reproduction and heredity
Reproduction is a characteristic of
all living systems...
In many species, including humans, females
produce eggs and males...
Every organism requires a set of instructions
for specifying...
Hereditary information is contained in
genes, located in the...
The characteristics of an organism can
be described in terms...
Regulation and behavior
All organisms must be able to obtain
and use resources, grow...
Regulation of an organism's internal
environment involves...
Behavior is one kind of response an organism
can make to an...
An organism's behavior has evolved through
adaptation to its...
Populations and ecosystems
A population consists of all individuals
of a species that occur...
Populations of organisms can be categorized
by the function...
For ecosystems, the major source of energy
is sunlight. Energy...
The number of organisms an ecosystem
can support depends on...
Diversity and adaptations of organisms
Millions of species of animals, plants,
and micro-organisms...
Biological evolution accounts for the
diversity of species...
Extinction of a species occurs when the
environment changes...
Earth and Space Science
Structure of the Earth system
The solid Earth is layered with a lithosphere;
hot, convecting...
Lithospheric plates on the scales of
continents and oceans constantly...
Land forms are the result of a combination
of constructive and...
Some changes in the solid Earth can be
described as the "rock...
Soil consists of weathered rocks, decomposed
organic material...
Water, which covers the majority of the
Earth's surface...
Water is a solvent. As it passes through
the water cycle...
The atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen,
oxygen, and trace...
Clouds, formed by the condensation of
water vapor, affect weather...
Global patterns of atmospheric movement
influence local weather...
Living organisms have played many roles
in the Earth system...
Earth's history
The Earth processes we see today, including
erosion, movement...
Fossils provide important evidence of
how life and environmental...
Earth in the Solar System
The Earth is the third planet from the
Sun in a system that...
Most objects in the Solar System are
in regular and predictable...
Gravity is the force that keeps planets
in orbit around the Sun...
The sun is the major source of energy
for phenomena on the...
Science and Technology
Abilities of technological design
Identify appropriate problems for technological
design...
Design a solution or product. Students
should make and compare...
Implement a proposed design. Students
should organize materials...
Evaluate completed technological designs
or products. Students...
Communicate the process of technological
design. Students should...
Understandings about science and technology
Scientific inquiry and technological
design have similarities...
Many different people in different cultures
have made and...
Science and technology are reciprocal.
Science helps drive...
Perfectly designed solutions do not exist...
Technological designs have constraints.
Some constraints are...
Technological solutions have intended
benefits and unintended...
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Personal health
Regular exercise is important to the
maintenance and improvement ...
The potential for accidents and the existence
of hazards imposes...
The use of tobacco increases the risk
of illness...
Alcohol and other drugs are often abused
substances...
Food provides energy and nutrients for
growth and development...
Sex drive is a natural human function
that requires understanding...
Natural environments may contain substances
(for example, radon...
Populations, resources, and environments
When an area becomes overpopulated,
the environment will become...
Causes of environmental degradation and
resource depletion vary...
Natural hazards
Internal and external processes of the
Earth system cause natural...
Human activities also can induce hazards
through resource...
Natural hazards can present personal
and societal challenges...
Risks and benefits
Risk analysis considers the type of
hazard, estimates the number...
Analysis of risks evaluates hazards and
uses the results to...
Students should understand the risks
associated with natural...
Individuals can use a systematic approach
to thinking critically...
Important personal and social decisions
are made based on...
Science and technology in society
Science influences society through its
knowledge and world view...
Technology influences society through
its products and processes...
Science and technology have advanced
through contributions of man...
Scientists and engineers work in many
different settings...
Scientists and engineers have ethical
codes requiring that human...
Science cannot answer all questions and
technology cannot solve...
History and Nature of Science
Science as a human endeavor
Women and men of various social and
ethnic backgrounds...
Science requires different abilities
depending on such factors...
Nature of science
Scientists formulate and test their
explanations of nature...
In areas where active research is being
pursued and in which...
It is part of scientific inquiry to evaluate
the results of...
History of science
Many individuals have contributed to
the traditions of science...
In historical perspective, science has
been practiced by...
Tracing the history of science can show
how difficult it was...
Grades 9-12
Science as Inquiry
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Identify questions and concepts that
guide scientific...
Design and conduct scientific investigations.
Designing and...
Use technology and mathematics to improve
investigations and...
Formulate and revise scientific explanations
and models using...
Recognize and analyze alternative explanations
and models...
Communicate and defend a scientific
argument. Students in school...
Understanding about scientific inquiry
Scientists usually inquire about how
physical, living, or...
Scientists conduct investigations for
a variety of reasons...
Scientists rely on technology to enhance
the gathering and...
Mathematics is essential in scientific
inquiry. Mathematical...
Scientific explanations must adhere
to criteria...
Results of scientific inquiry--new knowledge
and methods--emerge...
Physical Science
The structure of atoms
Matter is made of minute particles
called atoms, and atoms are...
The atom's nucleus is composed of protons
and neutrons, which are...
The nuclear forces that hold the nucleus
of an atom together, at...
Radioactive isotopes are unstable and
undergo spontaneous nuclear...
Structure and properties of matter
Atoms interact with one another by
transferring or sharing...
An element is composed of a single type
of atom. When elements...
Bonds between atoms are created when
electrons are paired up by...
The physical properties of compounds
reflect the nature of the...
Solids, liquids, and gases differ in
the distances and angles...
Carbon atoms can bond to one another
in chains, rings...
Chemical reactions
Chemical reactions occur all around
us, for example in health...
Chemical reactions may release or consume
energy. Some reactions...
A large number of important reactions
involve the transfer of...
Chemical reactions can take place in
time periods ranging from...
Catalysts, such as metal surfaces. accelerate
chemical reactions...
Motions and forces
Objects change their motion only when
a net force is applied...
Gravitation is a universal force that
each mass exerts on any...
The electric force is a universal force
that exists between any...
Between any two charged particles, electric
force is vastly great...
Electricity and magnetism are two aspects
of a single...
Conservation of energy and the increase in disorder
The total energy of the universe is
constant...
All energy can be considered to be either
kinetic energy, which...
Heat consists of random motion and the
vibrations of atoms...
Everything tends to become less organized
and less orderly over...
Interactions of energy and matter
Waves, including sound and seismic
waves, waves on water...
Electromagnetic waves result when a
charged object is accelerated...
Each kind of atom or molecule can gain
or lose energy only in...
In some materials, such as metals, electrons
flow easily, whereas...
Life Science
The cell
Cells have particular structures that
underlie their functions...
Most cell functions involve chemical
reactions. Food molecules...
Cells store and use information to guide
their functions...
Cell functions are regulated. Regulation
occurs both through...
Plant cells contain chloroplasts, the
site of photosynthesis...
Cells can differentiate, and complex
multicellular organisms...
The molecular basis of heredity
In all organisms, the instructions
for specifying the...
Most of the cells in a human contain
two copies of each of 22...
Changes in DNA (mutations) occur spontaneously
at low rates...
Biological evolution
Species evolve over time. Evolution
is the consequence of the...
The great diversity of organisms is
the result of more than 3.5...
Natural selection and its evolutionary
consequences provide a...
The millions of different species of
plants, animals...
Biological classifications are based
on how organisms are related...
The interdependence of organisms
The atoms and molecules on the Earth
cycle among the living...
Energy flows through ecosystems in one
direction, from...
Organisms both cooperate and compete
in ecosystems...
Living organisms have the capacity to
produce populations of...
Human beings live within the world's
ecosystems...
Matter, energy, and organization in living systems
All matter tends toward more disorganized
states...
The energy for life primarily derives
from the sun. Plants...
The chemical bonds of food molecules
contain energy...
The complexity and organization of organisms
accommodates...
The distribution and abundance of organisms
and populations...
As matter and energy flows through different
levels of...
The behavior of organisms
Multicellular animals have nervous
systems to generate behavior...
Organisms have behavioral responses
to internal changes and to...
Like other aspects of an organismns
biology, behaviors have...
Behavioral biology has implications
for humans, as it provides...
Earth and Space Science
Energy in the Earth system
Earth systems have internal and external
sources of energy...
The outward transfer of Earth's internal
heat drives convection...
Heating of Earth's surface and atmosphere
by the sun drives...
Global climate is determined by energy
transfer from the Sun...
Geochemical cycles
The earth is a system containing essentially
a fixed amount of...
Movement of matter between reservoirs
is driven by the Earth's...
The origin and evolution of the Earth system
The sun, the earth, and the rest of
the solar system formed...
Geologic time can be estimated by observing
rock sequences...
Interactions among the solid earth,
the oceans, the atmosphere...
Evidence for simple, one-celled forms
of life, such as bacteria...
The origin and evolution of the universe
The origin of the universe remains
one of the greatest questions...
Early in the history of the universe,
matter, primarily the light...
Stars produce energy from nuclear reactions,
primarily the fusion...
Science and Technology
Abilities of technological design
Identify a problem or design an opportunity.
Students should...
Propose designs and choose between alternative
solutions...
Implement a proposed solution. A variety
of skills can be needed...
Evaluate the solution and its consequences.
Students should test...
Communicate the problem, process, and
solution. Students should...
Understandings about science and technology
Scientists in different disciplines
ask different questions, use...
Science often advances with the introduction
of new technologies...
Creativity, imagination, and a good
knowledge base are all...
Science and technology are pursued for
different purposes...
Technological knowledge is often not
made public because of...
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Personal and community health
Hazards and the potential for accidents
exist. Regardless of the...
The severity of disease symptoms is
dependent on many factors...
Personal choice concerning fitness and
health involves multiple...
An individual's mood and behavior may
be modified by substances...
Selection of foods and eating patterns
determine nutritional...
Families serve basic health needs, especially
for young children...
Sexuality is basic to the physical,
mental, and social...
Population growth
Populations grow or decline through
the combined effects of birth...
Various factors influence birth rates
and fertility rates...
Populations can reach the limits to
growth. Carrying capacity...
Natural resources
Human populations use resources in
the environment in order to...
The earth does not have infinite resources;
increasing human...
Humans use many natural systems as resources.
Natural systems...
Environmental quality
Natural ecosystems provide an array
of basic processes that...
Materials from human societies affect
both physical and chemical...
Many factors influence environmental
quality. Factors that...
Natural and human-induced hazards
Normal adjustments of earth may be
hazardous for humans...
Human activities can enhance potential
for hazards. Acquisition...
Some hazards, such as earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and severe...
Natural and human-induced hazards present
the need for humans...
Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges
Science and technology are essential
social enterprises, but...
Understanding basic concepts and principles
of science and...
Progress in science and technology can
be affected by social...
Individuals and society must decide
on proposals involving new...
Humans have a major effect on other
species...
History and Nature of Science
Science as a human endeavor
Individuals and teams have contributed
and will continue to...
Scientists have ethical traditions.
Scientists value peer review...
Scientists are influenced by societal,
cultural, and personal...
Nature of scientific knowledge
Science distinguishes itself from other
ways of knowing...
Scientific explanations must meet certain
criteria...
Because all scientific ideas depend
on experimental and...
Historical perspectives
In history, diverse cultures have contributed
scientific...
Usually, changes in science occur as
small modifications in...
Occasionally, there are advances in
science and technology...
The historical perspective of scientific
explanations demonstrate...
